June 2018 Power and Water Leaders Issue 014

POWER & WATER LEADERS

Battery | Coal | Co-Gen | Cables | Grid | Electricals | Energy | Generators | Nuclear | Power Plants | | Rentals | T&D | Turbines | Utility Chemicals | Controls | Desalination | EDR | Filtration | Finance | Membranes | NF | Plumbing | Pumps | Pipes | RO | Storage | Valves

Hemant Sikka President - CPO

Powerol & Spares Business of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

The Latest Updates Six Reasons Why Executive and Professional Education Could Be Your Secret Weapon Don’t Buy... Make Your Own! Dedicated Nitrogen Generation Systems in Offshore

More Work, Less Time How Engineers Can Optimize Their Schedule For Maximum Productivity How Engineers Can Get More Done Without Extending Work Hours

Researchers Levitate Water Droplets to Detect Toxic Metals

How Engineers Can Gain Credibility With Little to No Experience

Food Waste Can Supplement Solar and Wind Energy Supply

Should Engineers Adapt the 3-Hour Work Day? JUNE 2018 ISSUE NO. 014

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The Mahindra Group, a USD 19 billion company, has a leadership position in utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and vacation ownership in India and is the world’s largest tractor company, by volume. It also enjoys a strong presence in agribusiness, components, commercial vehicles, consulting services, energy, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, steel, aerospace, defense and two wheelers. Headquartered in India, Mahindra employs over 200,000 people across 100 countries.

EDITOR’S NOTE

In this month’s cover story, Learn more about the company, its market and how they expanded in diverse segments like Engineering, Realty, Retail, IT, Telecom, BFSI, Manufacturing, Pharma, Textile, Oil & Gas and Government sectors. Get to know the President and CPO of Mahindra Powerol, Mr. Hemant Sikka and learn more about their brand values and their recent developments and achievements.

We have included several special features on the magazine such as the following: • Six Reasons Why Executive and Professional Education Could Be Your Secret Weapon • Don't Make Buy…Make Your Own Dedicated Nitrogen Generation Systems Your Own! Dedicated in OffshoreNitrogen Generation Systems in Offshore • Researchers Levitate Water Droplets to Detect Toxic Metals • Food Waste Can Supplement Solar and Wind Energy Supply • Tidal Waves Could Supply One-Third of the World’s Electricity Needs We also prepared helpful articles for engineers who want to get more work done without working overtime. Forget about extending work hours to beat the deadline. Learn how you can do your work in the least amount of time. Find out how you can optimize your schedule for maximum productivity! Read about our special feature on gaining credibility with little to no experience as well! Lastly, find out whether engineers should adapt the 3-hour work day or now.

So go ahead, scroll through our pages and read the latest stories that put the spotlight on the power and water industries. Get updated with the news and be informed with our inspiring stories that are slowly changing the way we live today. Enjoy this month’s GineersNow: Power and Water Leaders.

Engr. Alice Hernandez Senior Editor-at-Large

Contents

Researchers Levitate Water Droplets to Detect Toxic Metals

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Food Waste Can Supplement Solar and Wind Energy Supply

36

Tidal Waves Could Supply One-Third of the World’s Electricity Needs

37

12

Should Engineers Adapt the 3-Hour Work Day?

38

Mahindra Powerol: Setting New Benchmarks for The Power Generation Industry

14

How Engineers Can Optimize Their Schedule For Maximum Productivity

40

How Engineers Can Gain Credibility With Little to No Experience

26

Engineered Polymer Membranes Could Be an Alternative for Water Treatment

42

Don’t Buy... Make Your Own! Dedicated Nitrogen Generation Systems in Offshore

28

World’s Largest Hydroelectric Machine that Uses Wave Energy

44

DEWA Discusses Cooperation in Renewable Energy with Finnish Company Valmet

30

World’s Most Powerful Wind Turbine is Installed at Scottish Coast

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How Engineers Can Get More Done Without Extending Work Hours

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Is It Really Possible to Get All of Our Energy From Renewable Sources?

48

IPAN IPAN and SM FRANCE Launch the First Generation of Outdoor Tables That Charge Smartphones

8

Are You an Engineer with Leadership Aspirations? Six Reasons Why Executive and Professional Education Could Be Your Secret Weapon

10

How Engineers Can Do More In Less Time

IPAN IPAN and SM FRANCE Launch the First Generation of Outdoor Tables That Charge Smartphones A wireless charging function is now integrated into all brand-new smartphones, resulting in fewer cables. This has led IPAN IPAN to adopt this technology with a new approach, giving consumers the ability to recharge a phone by placing it on the table with innovative inductive charging.

an embedded sticker, subtly indicating the charging spot.

Highly-popular with the users due to its portability, IPAN IPAN believes this

- A fully smooth table top, - Solid and impermeable, - Durable materials and colors, - High resistance to the sun, moisture and intense climate variations, - Easy up-keep with hygienic materials

public areas. Charging a smartphone on a terrace table is now becoming natural.

SM France, a world leader in manufacturing outdoor table tops, and IPAN IPAN, a pioneer in wireless charging technologies, have developed together a new generation of tables enabling mobile phone charging.

This joint venture will see wireless charging technology added to the tables in the factory through a patented process, ensuring its inclusion.

IPAN IPAN claims the result is attractive with clean lines. SM France and IPAN IPAN have worked together to ensure that the technology is barely noticeable except for 8

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

Due to this innovative integration process, the table top retains the features that SM France have built their reputation on alongside professionals for thirty years:

SM France tables are also equipped with 2 USB ports for phones incompatible with wireless charging. Powered by a fullywaterproof integrated battery, the table approximately 8 days autonomy. Secured against robbery, the rechargeable battery is easily extracted thanks to a dedicated key supplied with the table. With more than of tables will revolutionize terraces and business areas.

LEADING GLOBAL ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT AND INTEGRATED SUPPLIER CHINT is committed to providing the world with safe, reliable and stable electrical equipment and clean energy solutions.

After more than 30 years of growth,CHINT has developed from Asia’s largest LV apparatus supplier to leading global electrical equipment and integrated supplier,with strength transformation,distribution to terminal consumpion.

To date,with the annual sales revenue exceeding more than 6.7 billion euros and over 30,000 employees around the world,CHINT has provided reliable electrical equipment and solutions for more than 130 countries and regions worldwide as an active player of electric power construction in the global market.

ZHEJIANG CHINT ELECTRICS CO.,LTD. ADD: Office NO.LB182406,P.O.Box:263174,Jebel Ali,Dubai,United Arab Emirates TEL: 00971-48848286 FAX: 00971-48848287 E-mail: chintwaa@chint.com Website: www.chint.net

Are You an Engineer with Leadership Aspirations?

Six Reasons Why Executive and Professional Education Could Be Your Secret Weapon Those who are successful in reaching the highest echelons of the engineering profession are often those who have allocated time and energy to their ongoing education.

Rising to the top of one’s organization or industry is no easy feat. With an increasingly competitive workforce of ambitious contenders in the engineering sector, it comes as no surprise that navigating the ranks of middle management and then executive roles take hard work and commitment. Indeed, there are instances in which hard work and dedication alone are not enough to secure a top position.

Those who are successful in reaching the highest echelons of the engineering profession are often those who have allocated time and energy to their ongoing education.

Here, Dr. Ilias Visvikis, Director of the Center for Executive and Professional Education (CEPE) at American University of Sharjah, sets out six reasons why a commitment to 10

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

when it comes to standing out in a tightly held engineering workforce.

1. Undertaking a professional or executive education program keeps you up-to-date with the latest developments in your industry or profession. This is especially important for engineers, where rapid changes in technology mean that skills and knowledge to be renewed on an ongoing basis. Failing to keep up can lead to falling behind from a technical perspective, and becoming sidelined by new recruits possessing more recent education and training.

2. However, becoming a leader in the engineering sector relies on more than technical skills alone. You can be the very best

competitive among a group in a foreign country that you would not have otherwise had a good chance of succeeding in. executive and professional education to a essential when it comes to convincing their employers that they are up to the task of their team once they have won their new position.

Of course, professional and executive

Dr. Ilias Visvikis

engineer from a technical standpoint, but this far from assures your progression into higher management. Leaders need leadership skills, and often these are not the skills you learn during your degree. A professional or executive education program can help know-how, management ability, and a whole host of other capabilities that are essential to gaining – and maintaining – a leadership role.

3. One of the best ways you can secure your long-term career prospects is by developing an extensive professional network, full of other like-minded professionals. Joining an executive or professional education program is a great way to build your network, and establish meaningful relationships with people who one day could be the key to getting your dream job.

4. Importantly, completing professional and executive education programs evidence to future employers your commitment to your career progression. It shows you take your career seriously, verifying to those on interview panels that you have the drive and ambition to learn the skills and acquire the knowledge you need to move into a leadership position.

broaden the geographical location in which you are seeking a promotion. Having a course under your belt from an institution that is known and respected internationally can help you break into a new overseas market, and make you

undertaking it. Evidence shows that organizations that invest in ongoing training and development for their future leaders reap the rewards in the long-term. Organizations with a strong culture of investing in their people have higher rates of employee engagement and retention, with increased productivity and future leaders and then devoting the necessary time and energy to developing their leadership talent is one of the best ways to retain talent have worked with a number of engineers and organizations with large engineering positive impact such training and education has at an organization-wide level.

If you have management or leadership aspirations, do not neglect your ongoing learning and development. The sooner you make a commitment to undertaking high quality, and well recognized professional and executive education, the sooner you will start to

enrollment courses, all designed to give participants the knowledge, skills and selfassurance to foster new ways of thinking, better ways of doing business and opportunities to secure the success of their organizations for years to come. CEPE has special expertise in the engineering sector, drawing on the knowledge and experience of faculty in the for engineering professionals and organizations

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

11

How Engineers Can Do More In Less Time

Studies show that most people are unproductive at work. And when you’re an engineer trying to get to the top, that can be a very dangerous trap to fall in. But if there’s just so much to do in so little time, how do you handle it without the burnout? Well luckily, Science has given us a few ways to help:

Get things done in the least amount of time possible

Find out when you’re at your peak and try to adjust your work schedule to it.

Some people are more energized in the morning, some in the afternoon, and some at spectrum. the standard work hour, you’re likely to be a half and get into full work mode on the second half, you’re an afternoon person. If you’re eternally exhausted throughout the workday but tend to stay up at night, you’re most likely a night owl.

Get enough sleep

Research has shown that sleep allows the body to rest and repair itself for the grind the following day. So despite our culture’s tendency to pull all-nighters, just sleep in and set that work aside for tomorrow. Your body will thank you for it.

Take a break

Our bodies aren’t exactly designed to keep working and working for 8 hours straight. We get tired for a reason. Remember, Productivity is about excelling at the tasks that generate the highest value, not doing the most number of tasks.

Our body can only focus for 90-120 minutes at a time. To help you through this, you need to take the “basic rest-activity cycle”, where after throughout the day. It gives you enough time

Get an office plant

Yes, I know, this is a bit odd. But science says Maybe it’s the fresh air and reconnection to nature where we belong.

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Mahindra Powerol: Setting New Benchmarks for The Power Generation Industry The Mahindra Group, a USD 19 billion, has a leadership position in utility vehicles, vacation ownership in India and is the world’s largest tractor company, by volume. It also

enjoys a strong presence in agribusiness, components, commercial vehicles, consulting services, energy, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, steel, aerospace, defence and two wheelers. Headquartered in India, Mahindra

employs over 200,000 people across 100 countries.

Mahindra Powerol a leading Genset manufacturer, is a part of Mahindra Group’s Automotive and Farm Equipment Sector.

Mahindra Powerol entered the diesel generator sets market in 2001-02. Backed by the house of Mahindra & Mahindra, it soon set new benchmarks for the industry. Using the group’s expertise in the development and manufacture of internal combustion engines it extended this to manufacture stationary engines for domestic and industrial use for the global market.

Market Mahindra and Mahindra entered the through its engines and gensets under the brand name Mahindra Powerol, catering to the power needs of customers across segments.

Powerol manufactures more than 40,000 units per annum for the Indian and international market powering diverse segments like Engineering, Realty, Retail, IT, Telecom, BFSI, Manufacturing, Pharma, Textile, Oil & Gas and Government sectors.

Young by business standards, Mahindra Powerol has evolved rapidly growing telecommunications segment. With focus on continuous innovation and a well-laid out corporate strategy, it has gained recognition and won honours at Within a short span of time, Mahindra Powerol has carved a special space in the Indian telecom industry. Heavily dependent upon power backup to maintain uninterrupted services, the industry almost without exception, has backed Mahindra Powerol for reliability. Not surprisingly, in this critical, high stakes segment Mahindra Powerol is the market leader.

Powerol focuses in the range from

• • • Mahindra Powerol products are presently available in over 33 Countries across Africa, Middle East, CIS, Europe & Asia with strong sales & service support.

Our biggest USP is relentless focus on the customer Hemant Sikka, President - CPO Powerol & Spares Business of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

Achievements Leveraging its unique features of engines, its for gensets, Mahindra Powerol has leapt over competitors with many more years of standing and marched resolutely ahead towards still unconquered goals. Much of its success has also to do with its complete customer focus and the special emphasis it pays to nurturing the entire value chain of customers.

The company ushered in a refreshing change for telecom customers by taking complete ownership of their value chain. It not only provided them with a top-class product it also took full responsibility for its transportation, installation and commissioning besides, of course, the warranty, post-warranty and comprehensive annual maintenance clients and a deal hard to resist.

Mahindra Powerol was awarded the prestigious Deming Prize in 2014, a global quality award instituted by the Union of Japanese Scientists and Engineers (JUSE) that recognises businesses that have successfully implemented Total Quality Frost & Sullivan Voice of Customer Award for the Most Preferred Genset Brand in the telecom segment and for providing the Best Bang for the Buck in India. The award considers industry penetration, up-time, trouble-free performance, levels of overall satisfaction, the likelihood of buying for future requirements and likely referrals to other customers. Powerol has also earned many accolades – Master Brand, Quality Brand and recently – Superbrands.

Promotion Mahindra & Mahindra Group, everything Mahindra benchmarking of the brand Mahindra. and bring in a breath of fresh air previously lacking in the business-to-business space. Its communication involves mainline advertising and several below-thetraction in the consumer space. It participates extensively in exhibitions where it can demonstrate from both domestic as well as international buyers.

While the brand has gained much momentum in the industrial space – particularly in the IT sector – it is now also focusing on digital media. One of the areas where the fruits of this endeavour are visible is the company’s Facebook page – See the Light – where it

Brand Values Despite its industrial backing, Mahindra Powerol is a company driven by human sentiment. To it, people are not just business, they are the fabric of society and Mahindra Powerol sees to it that it integrates with them at every level. A telling example of this is when adversities strike. In moments of such stress, Mahindra Powerol is right in front, rushing aid and power backup support. That is the human side of this outstanding company.

Recent Developments CRD electronic engines are high on performance and low on fuel consumption. Superior transient response capability makes them perfect for all applications and they can operate under extreme climatic conditions.

Capable of taking instantaneous heavy load, they are perfectly suited for tough applications like mining, infrastructure, continuous process industries and free performance even in highly dusty conditions.

Mahindra’s Digi-SENSE technology in these gensets helps in triggering preventive maintenance making monitoring critical performance parameters easy anytime from anywhere. All these features make the solution for varied applications.

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400-625 kVA series presently launched for Indian market

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

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About Hemant Sikka Mr. Hemant Sikka, President - CPO, Powerol & Spares Business of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. Mahindra is a USD 19 bn multinational group based in Mumbai, India, that employs more than 200,000 people in over 100 countries.

Mahindra operates in many key industries, enjoying a leadership position in tractors, utility services and vacation ownership.

He manages a purchasing spend of Rs.32,700 crs (approx. USD 4.8 Billion) for the various divisions, manufacturing, Cars, SUVs, Tractors, Trucks, Buses, Two Wheelers & Construction Equipment. In addition to his role as CPO, he also leads the Spare Parts & Genset Business of Mahindra, both together having a turnover of Rs. 4000 crs. (approx. USD600 million). He is a member of the ‘Group Executive Board’ and on the board of various group companies.

Prior to this, Hemant was Head Purchase SsangYong Motors, South Korea, a group subsidiary of Mahindra. He played a key role in the purchasing domain by building strong business relationships with Korean suppliers and led the SsangYong purchase team in Before his assignment in SsangYong Motors, Hemant was Head Manufacturing - Automotive Sector. He focused on workmen involvement in improving quality and concluded long term wage agreements with workmen unions.

Hemant, also chairs the Sourcing Council Group of SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers).

In 2013, he has been awarded the Procurement Excellence Award at the maiden Procurement Hemant enjoys sports and watching movies.

He lives in Mumbai with his wife and two daughters.

Mr. Hemant Sikka

President - CPO Powerol & Spares Business of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.

How Engineers Can Gain Credibility With Little to No Experience It’s been the dilemma of fresh engineering graduates or newly licensed engineers to get work but having no work experience at all. Here is what you can do.

We are pretty sure you have come across an internet meme about a young man in a job interview which essentially tells that the company is looking for someone aged 21 experience today.

It’s been the dilemma of fresh engineering graduates or newly licensed engineers to get work but having no work experience at all.

Lucky for some they had good internships, which could be their edge in landing jobs later. But how about those who have zero experience to put in their resumes?

Of course engineering companies want to hire those with an employment background. It’s a risk for them to take in engineers who have 26

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

not proven themselves yet or whose potentials have not been tapped.

If you are one of those engineers who experience, note that you only need to have the credibility for at least one company to be interested about you. Want to get that opportunity? Show to them that you are worthy of their trust as an employee.

So now the questions begs: how could you gain that credibility?

According to an initiative at Brandeis University’s Perlmutter Institute for Global that you can do as a young professional to

Leverage your research skills

Communicate proactively

area of expertise around it. Having a grasp of engineering trends and industry technology will give you an advantage that you could put in your resume or mention during the job interview.

During the job interview, your job is to convince that you are the right engineer for the vacant job. One of the most important skills that you need in this regard is your communication skills. You have to sell yourself and prove to the hiring manager that there is no other better engineer than you for the job.

Identify and embrace your specific Build a network of close contribution relationships What are your strengths as an engineer anyway? Which areas are you good at? Work on that and seek for resources that might help in you that aspect. This will be your starting

Volunteer willingly Because you do not have work experience just yet, you should be willing to volunteer. And that could mean that you will not be paid. But do it anyway for it shows your power of grit and determination.

You should have done this way before – even as an engineering student – so that you could they could be placed as character references in your resume. Hiring managers contact them and ask about you. If you have a close and good working relationship with them, you should be able to get the job because that is how to cement your credibility.

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

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Don’t Buy… Make Your Own! Dedicated Nitrogen Generation Systems in Offshore

gas industry has a decades-long history, and continues to play an integral role in the day-tounits, FPSO’s, and drill ships around the world.

Many applications, such as the blanketing or inerting of storage tanks aboard FPSO’s, or the charging of subsea blowout preventer (BOP) accumulators, revolve around safety; others, like the drying of coiled tubing to prevent corrosion resulting from long-term moisture exposure, serve largely economic concerns.

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Without nitrogen, completing these tasks would come at increased operational risk and result in greater costs for operators.

We have come up with a solution to meet the requirements of ‘Onsite Nitrogen Generation’. the Nitrogen. For e.g. if customer has low pressure air source available on site, we would supply skid for the membranes and booster

In case the low pressure pure air is not available on site, our complete integrated solution will be the best option even in SNG II are:

•

User-friendly Interactive touch-screen interface Pre-programmed maintenance alerts

•

ROI approximately 2 years and even less for extensive uses.

•

high pressure.

For some applications, like blanketing or inerting, the nitrogen is required at low pressure of 2 bar. For such

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

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DEWA Discusses Cooperation in Renewable Energy with Finnish Company Valmet HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), received a delegation from the Finnish company, Valmet in the renewable energy sector. The delegation included HE Jukka Hahlanterä, Commercial Counsellor of the Finnish Embassy in the UAE; Ari Kokko, Director Technology and R&D at Valmet, and Pasi Lestelin, Energy Sales and Services Operations Southern Europe, Middle East & Africa(SEMEA) at Valmet. The meeting supports DEWA’s commitment to establish

was launched by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to diversify the energy mix, to ensure that clean

“To achieve these goals, DEWA has launched several green programmes and initiatives, including the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Power Park, which is the largest single-site solar park in the world, with

expertise and insights with international organisations.

Al Tayer.

HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer welcomed the Finnish delegation and discussed enhancing cooperation and exchanging best international experiences and expertise between DEWA and Finnish companies in renewable, clean energy and environmental sustainability.

Al Tayer highlighted DEWA’s key developmental projects and strategic initiatives that support 30

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

The Finnish delegation expressed interest in participating in DEWA’s clean and renewable energy projects, to promote sustainable development in Dubai and reduce the UAE carbon footprint to achieve a better future for generations to come.

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How Engineers Can Get More Done Without Extending Work Hours Don’t want to work overtime? Do these instead.

As an engineer, we all know how busy we can get. There’s just so many that needs to be done in so little time. Sure, we’re used to it

#1 Organize and plan everything Make sure every project, every venture, and every task is well thought out and planned for

but working in the engineering industry is a to work overtime. We know it isn’t good for our mental and physical health, but what can we do? Well, a lot, actually.

Most of the time, the reason why we can’t get things done on time is are simple mistakes we’ve been doing all our lives. Well then, what Well, here are 8 ways to make sure you can get more things done on time:

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going whilst making sure you don’t run into problems that’ll slow you down. #2 Work with what you’re good at. Ask help for things you aren’t Working with things you’re good at is no problem at all. With the things you aren’t good at, however, you don’t have to struggle through it by yourself. Know what you can or cannot do, and ask for help from an expert at the task and learn how they do it.

#3 Do what you love and love what you do What are your top priorities in this job? Which tasks are the ones you love to do? What do you want to contribute to the company? Make the tasks that answer these questions the top of your priority list, then it won’t even seem like you’re working at all.

lures us in by telling us “we can save that job for later” and provide us the temporary relief of not having to deal with it. That is, until it’s almost the deadline and we have to rush it in a day. There are several ways to combat these methods by googling them.

#4 Build networks with people

#7 Turn technology from an enemy to a friend

If you want to be able to get help when you need it, you’d need a network of people you know. So build healthy business relationships with everyone. You never know when they could lend you a hand.

Sure, technology can be a major distraction, but it can also be the most helpful thing you could ever have. Use technology to automate things that take a lot of time. Use t to remind you of the tasks you need to do and their deadlines. Use it as a mode of communication with your boss or coworkers. Technology is supposed to make our lives easier, after all.

This is easier said than done, but it’s one of the most vital parts of getting things done. If you keep on getting distracted by social media, coworkers chatting, or even other tasks you’d want to do at the same time as your current focused on the single task at hand. #6 Don’t procrastinate Procrastination is the productivity killer. It

#8 Set your priorities This is not just about listing in which order to do the tasks at, but also about time management. De-prioritize everything that isn’t urgent, even if others insist it is. Make sure each task can be done in the amount of time you set it to be, otherwise leave it for another day and do another task that takes less time.

This things are the main key to getting tasks done on time.

Researchers Levitate Water Droplets to Detect Toxic Metals This new technique can help improve the detection of harmful heavy metal contaminants in water, such as lead and mercury.

Researchers have shown in a new study that the use of sound waves to levitate droplets of water in midair can help improve the detection of harmful heavy metal contaminants in water, such as lead and mercury. These heavy metals are known to be harmful to human health and the environment, which is why detecting even just small amounts of these contaminants is important. The new technique that was made can eventually lead to instruments that can perform real-time, onsite monitoring of contaminants, which can help prevent future lead contamination problems.

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“Despite the large variety of water sensors multiple heavy metals dissolved in water can for specialized laboratory analysis,” said the research team leader Victor Contreras, from Instituto de Ciencias Físicas UNAM, Mexico.

“Our new technique is one step toward the development of a simpler analysis approach that could be applied on-site and in real time.

This type of water analysis could be used by and other industries to monitor water for contaminants.”

The researchers explain their new approach which uses a sensitive technique called LIBS or laser induced breakdown spectroscopy.

This technique is used to analyze heavy metals present in levitating drops of water.

By levitating the water droplets, the water is evaporated in a controlled position, which increases the mass concentration of contaminants in the sample and makes it easier to perform LIBS analysis. The researchers showed that their new approach can detect very low levels of the heavy metals like barium, cadmium, and mercury, reliably in just a few minutes.

The researchers explained in their paper that using acoustic waves to levitate a single drop of water allowed them to detect very low concentration of heavy metals. As an example, they were able to detect 0.7 milligrams per liter of cadmium an 0.2 milligrams per liter of barium. They also showed that the acoustic levitation technique is stable enough for reproducible LIBS analysis.

“This technology has a potential to simultaneously detect heavy metals and other way,” Contreras said. “An online analyzer based on our technology could one day help prevent environmental disasters and contribute to improved water quality control.”

The researchers are now looking for ways to improve the instrumentation like optimizing the mechanical design of the acoustic trap to achieve levitation conditions that are more stable and thus improving the reproducibility of the LIBS readings. They also plan to increase the sensitivity by stably levitating smaller drops, which will further concentrate the contaminants. This will pave the way for a smaller version of the device since it allows the use of less sensitive but more compact detectors.

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

Food Waste Can Supplement Solar and Wind Energy Supply New research proves an alternative in storing solar and wind energy.

Converting food waste to clean energy is the future.

When there is no sunlight and the wind is barely blowing, all solar panels and wind turbines serve no purpose. This is why it’s important to have storage devices to keep excess solar and wind energy, like pumped hydroelectric storage currently used in the industry. Batteries are eyed as an alternative to this, but how about using food wastes to store solar and wind energy? of chemical and mechanical energy, but this new alternative of storage from food wastes use thermal energy, that is storing energy as heat. Through sugar alcohols that are abundant waste products in the food industry and carbon nanotubes, this is possible.

Researchers Huaichen Zhang, Silvia V. Nedea and others were funded by the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme to analyze what happens when carbon nanotubes of varying sizes were mixed with two types of sugar alcohols that are naturally

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occurring compounds in food, which are erythritol and xylitol. They found that under one exception, heat transfer within a mixture decreased with the diameter of the nanotube.

Their analysis also concluded that higher density combinations led to better heat transfer.

It’s still a long shot that sugar alcohol-based energy storage systems will replace pumped hydroelectric storage, but this is a good foundation for a new alternative in storing renewable energy.

Tidal Waves Could Supply One-Third of the World’s Electricity Needs Research says we only have to invest in developing the technology.

There is so much potential in using tidal waves as a source of electricity. All we need to do is develop proper technology and facilities that would harness the massive energy that comes from our ocean, theoretically able to provide for one third of the global electricity demand.

That is the core of the study conducted by the researchers at the School of Ocean Sciences in Bangor University in North Wales, United Kingdom. In a press release, they said range power plants by using tidal lagoons and barrages to convert energy. This is not rise and fall of the world’s oceans are highly predictable.

In the review published in the international peer-reviewed journal Renewable Energy, it wrote how tidal lagoon power plants can be optimized through detailed modeling.

commissioned “Hendry Review”, which assessed the economic case for tidal lagoon power plants, and suggested that a the start of a global industry. Geographically, the UK is in an ideal position, containing many regions of large tidal range as a result of the resonant characteristics of this part of the European shelf seas.”

than the United Kingdom.

Another author of the study, Dr. Sophie Ward, mentioned that it takes sophisticated research She said, ”Although tidal lagoons will likely be less intrusive than tidal barrages (which tend to span entire estuaries), they require careful design and planning to minimize the impact on the local environment.

of operations of multiple tidal lagoons located only, and two-way generation plants.

Dr. Simon Neill, lead author of the study, explained, “Tidal lagoons are attracting national and international attention, with the 2017 publication of the government

power plants, we need to closely monitor environmental consequences of extracting energy from the tides, and be cautious of altering natural habitats by building structures and impounding water in lagoons or behind barrages,” she added.

Should Engineers Adapt the 3-Hour Work Day? There’s a convincing case that this might just work.

In 2016, a survey was conducted among 1,989

spend a few hours to improve their skills, and then they stop.

employee works for about 3 hours – or 2 hours rest of the time, as discovered, the workers just read the news, browse social media, eat food, socialize about non-work topics, take smoke breaks, and even search for new jobs.

This study is supported by many others – one research concluded that people can only concentrate for about 20 minutes at a time, another said that people struggled to stay on task for more than 10 seconds – to say that long.

Anders Ericsson, an expert on the psychology of work, believes so.

“If you’re pushing people well beyond that time they can really concentrate maximally, you’re very likely to get them to acquire some bad habits,” he told Business Insider in 2016.

In his career, Ericsson discovered that “practice makes perfect” indeed works, but if people engage in a certain kind of practice known as “deliberate practice.” This means that people do not need so many hours to focus on their craft, and even experts only 38

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

While a three-hour work day makes this convincing case, another alternative, which is also shorter in terms of workweek, is already being explored by companies.

From 40 work hours in a week, technology education company Treehouse has made it to 32. That’s broken down into four eight-hour Ryan Carson, the CEO of the company, revealed that he saw his employees become happier and more productive after he implemented the 32-hour work week way back in 2006. He believes that forcing people to work 40 hours per week is “nearly inhumane,” as mentioned in his interview with the Atlantic “It’s not about more family time, or more play time, or less work time — it’s about living a more balanced total life,” he said. “We basically take ridiculously good care of people because we think it’s the right thing to do.”

Will this shortened work hours be in favor for engineers given the nature of the job and the demand to deliver? What do you think?

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

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How Engineers Can Optimize Their Schedule For Maximum Productivity Here are some tips for improving your schedule and increase your productivity at work.

More often than not, we engineers have a lot of tasks on our to do list every day and it can have a hard time to just get them started. The

Focus on the Important Tasks Sometimes with so much urgent or emergency matters throughout the day, we tend to overlook the big tasks that we are supposed

routine that allows you to get a lot more tasks done in less time.

to make it a point to set a number of big tasks

Here are some tips for improving your schedule and increase your productivity at work:

getting three big tasks done everyday. Write these goals at the top of your list and schedule your day around them.

Plan Your Day In Advance

When you are working on these big tasks, avoid distractions. Don’t let anyone interrupt you while you are working on the big 3.

Before you start any of your tasks for the day, spare some time to write down your to-do list for the day and what you need to accomplish.

Plan out your schedule with the most important tasks as priority. You could also write your list at the end of each day in advance for the next work day. This will allow you to have organized thoughts and will allow you to get more things done.

Do the task you hate the most first We all have tasks that we hate, and we would do anything we can to avoid it. Unfortunately, these tasks will come one way or the other, so seem easier in comparison. You’ll be able to focus better on your other tasks because you won’t be thinking about that certain task that you hate.

Take Breaks Working hard is good, but don’t let it get the best of you. No one is yourself that you are still human and need to take a break. Let your brain rest so that you can go back to your work refreshed and ready to get your tasks done

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Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

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Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

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Engineered Polymer Membranes Could Be an Alternative for Water Treatment This approach limits the ability to remove or recover dissolved species based on their chemical identity.

Freshwater resources around the world are

Polymer membranes have aided water

an estimate of 1.9 billion people and 2.1 billion people live with drinking water services that are not safely managed according to the United Nations. This is the reason why many scientists

and selectively remove contaminants from

make the most of non traditional sources.

This includes sea water, brackish water and wastewater.

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Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

could be a potential risk to the environment and human health.

Chemical and biomolecular engineers from the University of Notre Dame and Purdue University have studied self-assembled block polymer membranes, which allow for both customizable and uniform pore sizes, as a platform for water treatment systems. Their study has determined that the platform has the potential to advance water treatment technologies.

“Most state-of-the-art membranes for water treatment are designed to let water pass William Phillip, associate professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Notre Dame. “This approach limits the ability to remove or recover dissolved species based on their chemical identity. The exciting thing about selfassembled block polymer membranes is that you can engineer the nanostructure and pore wall chemistry of the membrane through the design of the block polymer molecules.

This capability has the potential to open up a variety of new separation mechanisms that can isolate species based on chemical identity, which in turn could help to enable decentralized reuse of wastewater.”

Phillip along with the research team focused on block polymer membranes because of its distinct nanostructures and functionality.

They molecularly engineered the chemical properties of the polymer to create large areas of high-performance membrane, reduce pore size and design multifunctional separation. The membranes can be customized depending on the water source and treatment needed.

The membranes that are more selective and more resilient to certain exposures like chlorine or boric acid as well as less prone to collecting unwanted properties could improve the treatment in various ways. passes that is needed for irrigation, control concentrations of chlorine into the system to chemical demands for membrane cleaning, thus reducing the operating costs and environmental impact.

Transitioning this technology from the laboratory setting to practice has its challenges as well which will need to be addressed in the coming years. However, the researchers are hopeful that the transition is possible since there are several techniques used to generate self-assembled block polymers are consistent with the current membrane fabrication process.

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

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World’s Largest Hydroelectric Machine that Uses Wave Energy This company believes that its “oysters” hydroelectric wave energy that can power thousands of homes.

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In a world where people are looking for a better and cleaner alternative to coal as our source of energy, engineers and scientists have engaged

power 9,000 houses using 20 of its Oysters.

power that would be good for us and for the environment as well. Knowing that the world’s

industry in the near future.

a way to use ocean waves as a new source of clean energy. Who would have thought that using wave turbines can lead “exceptional results” in generating power?

and improve its wave turbine’s design. It is also using its research and development team to upgrade its technologies for its intellectual property portfolio.

Aquamarine Power, a Scottish wave power company, spent months testing its Oyster 800 wave machine in Orkney. This is the largest working hydroelectric machine that uses wave energy to produce power in the world. It works by pumping high-pressure water into its hydroelectric turbine, which then powers the electric grid that is used around its neighborhood for electric consumption. This device can be used even at shallow depths and it’s easy to maintain. The company expects that it can

Aside from producing clean energy, the Oyster is designed to rely on water for hydraulics only.

This means it won’t disturb marine life. The device runs silently so you don’t have to worry about any annoying sounds near the shore. This turbine is still in its early stages of development so it is still limited to one location. However, the company aims to establish the Oyster in other countries such as Spain, Portugal, Ireland, South Africa, Australia, US, Chile and UK.

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

Wow! Twenty of these turbines generating power

World’s Most Powerful Wind Turbine is Installed at Scottish Coast One rotation can power an average UK household for a day.

Swedish energy giant Vattenfall announced that they successfully installed an 8.8

the site where it will be tested. For these two turbines, the enhanced internal power modes increased capacity up from 8.4 megawatts on

Vestas at its European testing center, European

been planned for the project and is the commercial use. Vattenfall will also be installing another 8.8 megawatts model from Vestas at 46

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

According to Soren Lassen, a business analyst at MAKE consulting, the uprating trend is noteworthy, but the .4 megawatt increase is not revolutionary. He noted that MHI Vestas of their V164 platform turbine which will be

launched in June. “The trend of uprating is in Europe, as developers push to take advantage of the favorable wind resources,” Lassen said. “Turbine [manufacturers] will continue to boost the rating of their current

continue to increase in size. The MHI Vestas turbines have a tip height of 191 meters and blades that are 80 meters long. If we look beyond 2020, MAKE projects that the UK growth, with the average rating close to 12 megawatts by the end of 2024.

The entire facility has an installed capacity of 93.2 megawatts, and will produce 312 gigawatt-hours per year, according to Vattenfall. That is enough to power nearly 80,000 homes and meet 23 percent of Aberdeen’s total electricity demand. This will displace 134,128 metric tons of carbon dioxide. Vattenfall plans to excise fossil fuels from its portfolio within one generation.

“The EOWDC, through its innovative approach to cost reduction and pioneering technologies, leads the industry drive toward generating clean and competitive wind energy power — one that will reinforce Scotland’s global energy status,” said Gunnar Groebler of Vattenfall’s wind unit.

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

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Is It Really Possible to Get All of Our Energy From Renewable Sources?

Skeptics versus advocates of green energy have their arguments.

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In 2017, researcher Benjamin Heard and colleagues published in the journal Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews about their thoughts on full reliance on renewable

Points about battery or energy storage and the space to put up all the wind turbines and solar panels required to provide all our energy needs were also raised.

electrical systems is impossible to happen, doubtful that renewables-based systems can survive extreme weather conditions with low sun and low wind as well as skeptical about keeping the grid stable with so much variable generation.

Ultimately, according to them, their evaluation was mostly based on objective criteria and none of the 24 studies they deliberated upon had provided convincing evidence that it is feasible to replace totally fossil carbon energy sources.

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

The research paper by Heard and colleagues made great points, but scientists at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and collaborators have arguments to counter.

Hitting back to the points previously raised, they had to study hundreds of research papers to answer each of the issues that Heard and colleagues mentioned. The Finland-based

“While several of the issues raised by the Heard paper are important, you have to realize that there are technical solutions to all the points they raised using today’s technology,” said the lead author Dr. Tom Brown of the

Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in the response.

Adding to the response, Professor Christian Breyer of Lappeenranta University of Technology said, “Furthermore, these solutions sinking costs of wind and solar power.”

A case cited by Brown in the study revealed that there is an answer to even the most complicated problem for renewables: low wind and solar period during the winter. The team provided studies of technical solutions like rotating grid stabilizer and electronics-based solutions that will be scalable in the future.

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

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The advocates of renewable energy practice by grid operators to gather comprehensive answers to the skeptics.

From Denmark to Tasmania, they asked industry solutions currently being explored and implemented.

Professor Brian Vad Mathiesen of Aalborg University, who is part of the team, shared that there are some persistent myths that 100 percent renewable systems are not possible.

This is supported by Breyer who said in the response, “Our contribution deals with these myths one-by-one, using all the latest research. Now let’s get back to the business of modelling low-cost scenarios to eliminate fossil fuels from our energy system, so we can tackle the climate and health challenges they pose.”

So the short answer to the question, “Is it really possible to get all of our energy from renewable sources?” is yes.

Power & Water Leaders • June 2018

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