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Grundfos Presents Sustainable Solutions at the Ninth Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific

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Global pump manufacturer Grundfos showcased its sustainable water and wastewater solutions at the Ninth Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific, a platform for broad cooperation on promoting the 3Rs – reduce, reuse, and recycle – in Asia.

The forum, which took place from March 4 to 6 2019 in Bangkok, Thailand, was co-organised by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE), the kingdom of Thailand, the Ministry of the Environment of the Government of Japan (MoEJ), and the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD) of Division for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Grundfos team at the Ninth Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific

This year, the forum’s theme was ‘3R As a Way for Moving Towards Sufficiency Economy – Implications for SDGs’. In line with this theme, Grundfos is showcasing its range of sustainable and energy-efficient products and solutions that have helped customers and communities reduce their impact on the environment, and subsequently addressing global challenges aligned to UN SDGs.

Pia Yasuko Rask, Senior Engagement & Responsibility Manager, Grundfos, said, “The UN has set 17 very ambitious goals, many of which relate directly or indirectly to water and energy. Our resources are limited but demand continues to grow. How do we live large with a smaller impact? How can we use less but gain more?”

“This forum is an incredible platform for key leaders and decision-makers to come together and discuss these issues, and we were excited to take this opportunity to show how technology can make a real difference to the world in this area. Sustainability is in Grundfos’ DNA, and we will continue to build our strategy on the SDGs through our portfolio of sustainable products and solutions.”

Mr. Tsukasa Akimoto, State Minister of the Environment, Japan and H.E. General Surasak Karnjanarat, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand visit the Grundfos exhibit at the Ninth Regional 3R Forum in Asia and the Pacific

Forum delegates also learnt about Grundfos’ work, specifically around renewable energy. One key initiative is the Grundfos Lifelink water solutions, which aims to strengthen the quality, reliability and sustainability of drinking water supply in rural and urban communities in developing countries, particularly across Southeast Asia and Africa. Lifelink solutions combine renewable energy, proven pump technology, water treatment and intelligent water ATMs with online water management and a professional service network.

Notably in 2015, to improve access to clean water in rural Thailand, Grundfos Lifelink water solutions worked with the King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL) to test its fully automated AQpure water treatment system, with an aim to turn river water and surface water into drinking water for the residents in 15 Thai villages, meeting the needs of around 30,000 residents.

Grundfos also showcased solar solutions such as SQFlex submersible pumping system, which utilises abundant solar energy to power water supply. The pump system offers the perfect water supply solution in remote areas where the power supply is non-existent or unreliable.

Kinestral’s Halio Smart-Tinting Glass Becomes the Only Next-Generation Electrochromic Technology to Pass Rigorous ASTM E2141 Durability Testing

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Kinestral Technologies, Inc. recently announced that its Halio® smart-tinting glass product has passed the US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratories (NREL) testing procedures according to the ASTM E2141-06 test methodology required to meet the ASTM E2953 standard for electrochromic product durability, becoming the only next-generation product to meet this recognized industry benchmark.

During the NREL testing, Halio windows were subjected to 50,000 switching cycles over a period of six months at temperatures averaging 185°F (85°C).  The extreme conditions had negligible impact on product quality and switching performance: Halio’s visible light transmission was virtually unchanged in the clear and tinted states, and Halio still looked like traditional glass in its clear state and still tinted to neutral gray in its darkest state. Further, switching speeds remained up to 10x faster than similar products on the market.

“To achieve Halio’s performance, our scientists and engineers invented new materials and device physics that didn’t exist when electrochromic products began to enter the market 20 years ago,” said Howard Turner, co-founder and chief technology officer of Kinestral. “Manufacturing was also a prime consideration as we developed Halio to make sure we avoided the production issues faced by first generation producers. Today, we not only have the most beautiful and durable smart tinting glass product on the market, but we also have the largest, most efficient, and most scalable manufacturing facility in the world.”

Halio smart-tinting glass is available exclusively through Halio North America and Halio International, joint venture companies formed by Kinestral and AGC, Inc. the world’s largest glass manufacturer.

“We partnered with Kinestral to bring to market a compelling occupant experience,” said Marc Van Den Neste, chief technology officer of AGC, Inc.’s Building & Industrial Glass Company. “This ASTM durability certification confirms Halio’s quality, and that it’s the right smart-tinting glass solution for our customers.”

Kinestral’s next-generation smart-tinting glass technologies and processes are protected by over 100 granted and pending patents worldwide. Production of Halio commenced in late 2018.

Microsoft And Sunseap Sign Agreement On Largest-Ever Solar Project In Singapore

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Singapore has, in recent years, been recognised as a highly attractive market in the world for infrastructure investment.

Microsoft Corp. recently announced a new agreement with Sunseap Group that marks Microsoft’s first clean energy deal in Asia and will create the single-largest solar energy portfolio in Singapore to date.

This 60 megawatt-peak (MWp) solar portfolio will span hundreds of rooftops across the nation. This is the largest rooftop solar project in Singapore and the first rooftop solar portfolio in the country focused on serving datacenter energy consumption.

“Our cloud services are helping to power Singapore’s digital transformation, and today’s agreement will ensure that transformation is increasingly powered by clean energy,” said Kevin Wo, managing director, Microsoft Singapore. He added: “We’re proud to work with Sunseap, the leading solar provider in Singapore, to support the growth of the local clean energy economy. With the agreement, Microsoft will improve the sustainability of our local operations and make important progress toward our corporate sustainability goals for datacenters.”

The investment in local solar energy builds on decades of Microsoft investment in Singapore and throughout the APAC region. Since it began operations in Singapore in 1990, Microsoft has sought to create local opportunity, growth and impact and supports the government’s efforts to make Singapore a smart, green and liveable city. Singapore is also home to Microsoft datacenter services that deliver Microsoft Azure, Office 365 and numerous other cloud services for customers.

Lawrence Wu, co-founder and president of Sunseap, said, “We see exciting potential in our partnership with Microsoft to raise awareness within the tech industry of the importance of adopting renewable energy solutions. Their investment in Singapore solar indicates a growing momentum for clean energy in the country and will further the positive ripple effect for organizations in Singapore to incorporate sustainability practices in their businesses.”

Through a 20-year agreement, Microsoft will purchase 100 percent of the renewable energy attributes exported to the grid. This landmark agreement also marks progress for Singapore in the renewables sector. The agreement also solidifies Sunseap’s unique position in the energy markets.

“This deal is Microsoft’s first renewable energy deal in Asia, and is our following two wind deals announced in Ireland and The Netherlands in 2017,” said Christian Belady, general manager, Cloud Infrastructure Strategy and Architecture, Microsoft. “We’re on track to exceed our goal of powering 50 percent of our global datacenter load with renewable energy this year. Once operational, the new solar project will bring Microsoft’s total global direct procurement in renewable energy projects to 860 megawatts.”

Complete low-voltage solution cuts engineering costs and project delivery time for Bangkok’s new EmQuartier mall

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Bangkok's new EmQuartier Mall.

Bangkok’s new EmQuartier Mall.

ABB, the leading power and automation group, has installed a smart low-voltage network in a cutting-edge shopping mall in Bangkok, the EmQuartier. The project is the first retail development to use ABB’s Emax 2 circuit breakers and Ekip control and connectivity features for remote management of its power grid. ABB’s complete low-voltage solution improved the project’s delivery time by 35 percent and reduced engineering costs by around 60 percent, due to its integrated SCADA functionality.

Giampiero Frisio, managing director of ABB’s Protection and Connection business, said, “The solution developed for EmQuartier demonstrates why ABB is the technology leader in low-voltage energy. Building operators need solutions that make energy management easier and that help reduce total operating costs – ABB’s complete solutions simplify the whole process for everybody: panel builders and system integrators save time and money while making the end-user’s operations simpler to manage, safer, more reliable and energy efficient. By pioneering the introduction of more integrated, intuitive and connected low-voltage solutions, ABB is taking power and productivity to the next level.”

The EmQuartier is a 250,000-square-metre luxury shopping and entertainment venue and a key part of the Mall Group’s multibillion Baht transformation of Bangkok’s business district. ABB developed the centre’s low-voltage network in partnership with local panel builder PMK Group. Emax 2 circuit breakers’ built-in sensors and connectivity, configured with Ekip View supervision software enable remote monitoring, management and control of the low-voltage network at the shopping mall.

Emax 2’s connectivity features enable it to integrate into a wide array of automated systems.

Emax 2’s connectivity features enable it to integrate into a wide array of automated systems.

With each node in the electrical distribution network connected, everything from energy consumption to trend analysis and testing can be managed remotely. The air circuit breakers’ intuitive touchscreen user interface supports ten different languages, including Thai, helping make the network simpler to manage.

Chanapatt Pattaramaetakul, chief marketing officer of PMK Group, said: “The EmQuartier is a landmark in Bangkok’s economic development – and the development of its low-voltage network demanded a different level of innovation and quality. Working closely with ABB from the outset enabled PMK to offer a smarter solution in considerably less time.”

The solution for EmQuartier uses Emax2 circuit breakers, which can monitor, manage and even limit power consumption. Emax 2’s connectivity features enable it to integrate into a wide array of automated systems so that facility managers can receive alerts and communicate remotely via a tablet. ABB’s Ekip View supervision software connects more than 100+ Emax2 air circuit breakers with all the molded case circuit breakers (MCCBs) and other devices, like miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) and multimeters, as well as the mall’s central monitoring system.

With each node in the electrical distribution network connected, everything from energy consumption to trend analysis and testing can be managed remotely.

With each node in the electrical distribution network connected, everything from energy consumption to trend analysis and testing can be managed remotely.

ABB is partnering with panel builders and system integrators worldwide to support the introduction of smarter low-voltage power grids that make site management more effective and cost-efficient. Such systems can be deployed at a single site or multiple sites and supervised at a central location. Collecting detailed data from each device at a site enables operators to compare different time windows, or similar time windows at different plants. Monitoring the status of assets for issues such as contact wear, life expectancy, alarms or circuit breaker position, with notifications sent to mobile devices, can ensure more timely interventions.

Phoenix Solar to build 1.96 MWp of rooftop PV for Land Transport Authority Singapore

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Phoenix Solar Pte Ltd (Phoenix Solar) has been awarded the construction of 1.96 MWp of rooftop PV systems at the Tuas and Gali Batu train depots in Singapore.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is responsible for planning and development of Singapore’s land of transport infrastructure. Achieving cleaner and greener transport is one of its priorities, as well as reducing the environmental impact of its business activities. Generating clean electricity for train depot operations is a significant step in the right direction.

In August 2014 LTA called for a competitive tender to design, supply and install 1.96MWp of grid-tie PV capacity on two new train depots – Tuas and Gali Batu. Train depots offer several advantages when installing PV, as they are typically located in areas with no surrounding tall buildings. The roofs at depot workshop/stabling building are large and usually clear of equipment, so solar panels need not compete for space against other facilities such as water tanks.

The project was awarded to Phoenix Solar after evaluating tenderers according to their quality proposals as well as pricing.

Upon completion, the PV systems, comprising 7’536 REC solar modules and 4 central inverters from SMA, are expected to generate over 2.2 million kWh of solar electricity annually. This is enough to mitigate over 1’100 metric tonnes per year of CO2 from gas fired power plants1. Phoenix Solar will also maintain and monitor the performance of the PV systems over an initial period of one year.

This project dovetails nicely with the Singapore Government’s plans to expand its promotion of renewable energy using solar PV energy for public sector projects.

Singapore has enough space to accommodate 6GWp2 of solar PV, which can generate 7.5TWh of electricity each year, or approximately 17% of Singapore’s current electricity demand. “Looking ahead, we expect PV to cover more industrial factories, depots, warehouses, schools and government facilities” said Christophe Inglin, Managing Director of Phoenix Solar Pte Ltd. “The installations will not only provide environmental benefits but also commercial returns, as PV today is a commercially viable complement to conventional energy in Singapore” continued Inglin.

With the addition of LTA PV systems, Phoenix Solar boasts 8 rooftop installations in the MW range, bringing its rooftop portfolio to over 19MWp, including many award-winning projects.