Archive: January 20, 2025

AES and the great decarbonisation debate – Providing powerful assistance with carbon footprint reduction

Although many manufacturing and industrial companies have stated objectives to reduce use of fossil fuels, there are not yet any silver bullets in the green fuel space, says Dennis Williams, Commercial Director at steam and boiler operations and maintenance service provider, Associated Energy Services (AES).

Supply and logistics constraints, high costs and technological limitations are just some of the challenges encountered by AES, as they assist an increasing number of clients to investigate the use of more environmentally sustainable, lower carbon fuel alternatives – thereby obviating the requirement to pay carbon taxes both locally and abroad.

“When a global business decides to reduce its carbon footprint – or even go carbon neutral – this decision seems to be applied across all marketplaces, irrespective of the local economic pressures and technical challenges.”

One AES client is already running out of time to meet the ambitious decarbonisation target of its global parent company: “We have reviewed all options – from electricity to solid fuels, liquid fuels, different gases, biomasses and agricultural residues – and shown the capex, opex and supply dynamics on multiple occasions. We have also considered the amount of space needed – and what each fuel choice will incur from an emissions and carbon tax perspective. In addition, we have looked at how much the steam will cost, the ash which could be generated and how to deal with that.”

Williams’s key message is that carbon taxes are here to stay – and that companies and consumers will not be able to absorb the costs of using fossil fuels indefinitely. Companies must be educated about different options that suit their specific needs.

Gas: just hot air?

For Williams, gas is best regarded as an interim step on the decarbonisation journey: “Not only is supply an issue in terms of gas – but it remains a fossil fuel with a carbon footprint. Companies will still pay substantial carbon tax and find themselves only part of the way to a zero carbon target. There is naturally also a cost associated with making this interim switch – so it is a less than ideal option in most cases.”

Apart from the predicted local shortages of locally available natural gas, converting and transporting this fuel as liquefied natural gas (LNG) is not environmentally friendly and is expensive – with recent price indications at US $18 to 20 per gigajoule, which is probably four times the cost of coal.

Biomass: why waste? 

Williams says bagasse, derived from sugar cane residues, was probably the earliest biomass fuel used in South Africa: “The business models for this have changed substantially over the years. Years ago, bagasse was regarded as a problem. This view has been turned on its head – to the point where local sugar mills maximise its use as energy feedstock in their boilers for steam and power generation.”

In the timber industry, the focus is on maximizing the useful yield from timber. Each log is scanned to determine the sizes, widths and thicknesses which can be cut; as well as the potential wastage. White wood chips are often sold for board manufacture, typically leaving mainly contaminated wood chips, saw fines and bark. These can be used for energy.

Other options are macadamia shells, sunflower husks and residue from maize harvesting. Seasonality and crop yields impact supply – while rural locations increase transport costs and vehicle emissions.

The potentially alkaline chemical composition of agricultural waste can damage boilers and heat transfer surfaces. The ash characteristics are also problematic, Williams notes.

When researching the use of sunflower husk for a client, AES found it challenging to find a workable and sustainable solution: “For years, there was a glut of sunflower husks in the market. Then, suddenly, sunflower seed pricing turned and it became more cost-effective for local manufacturers to import sunflower oil than to process sunflower seeds themselves. This put the viability of the project into question,” Williams recalls.

Wind and solar: blowing hot and cold?

The greatest challenge with this potential solution is grid constraints, with renewable energy companies unable to export electricity to the national grid without investment in additional power line capacity and challenges in wheeling the electricity to an end-user for use in an electrode boiler.

On site, Williams also points out that there is a big disparity between space available for the amount of solar panels realistically required to offset the megawatts of energy input from solid, liquid or gas fuels: “24/7 operations are looking at three to four times the surface area. If these are using five megawatts, they will probably need 15 to 20 megawatts. When the sun is shining, they will have to generate the extra energy and put it into battery storage. That comes at a substantial cost, but the space is simply not available in most cases” he argues.

The best of different worlds

AES is working with some clients to implement a phased approach. First is adapting their manufacturing processes to use less steam. A 10% drop in steam usage equates to a 10% reduction in fuel – and an immediate 10% carbon footprint improvement.

Next is outsourcing their steam boiler operations and maintenance to a seasoned industry expert such as AES to further increase energy plant fuel efficiency – another carbon saving.

When companies can upgrade, Williams proposes running boilers on different fuels to better understand the technology and the fuel supply marketplace: “One of our food sector clients is using bio gas, heavy furnace oil and biomass. This creates a lot of redundancy and opportunities for them to shift demand between those assets, providing substantial risk mitigation and flexibility on the fuel side,” he explains.

“We recommend a phased carbon reduction approach; as well as trialling various fuel source options to see which fits best in terms of operational and financial viability.

The need for a reduced carbon footprint – and the taxes associated with enforcing this – are an unequivocal rallying call to manufacturing and industrial companies to get their houses in order, before they are left behind. AES is there to assist every step of the way,” Williams concludes.

Malben Engineering achieves top score as Responsible Supply Chain Initiative-certified automotive component supplier

Malben Engineering, an established Level 4 BBBEE supplier of stampings and welding components to local vehicle original equipment manufacturers (OEMs),  has been certified in terms of the global Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI) standard for the automotive industry.

The Responsible Supply Chain Initiative RSCI e.V. was founded by the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) with foundational members including Audi, Volkswagen, Mercedes Benz AG and BMW, as well as suppliers such as Brose, Robert Bosch GmbH and Schaeffler.

The RSCI e.V. ensures high sustainability standards at national and international level through independent audits. An RSCI certification and tag, or Responsible Supply Chain Initiative label, demonstrates compliance with stringent RSCI criteria which promote ethical environmental, and socially responsible practices.

Confirming that Malben Engineering had achieved a top score with a resounding 98% in the RSCI audit, Operational Director Luca Smargiasso says this reflects company’s dedication to excellence and integrated sustainability.

“We are proud of our people-centric approach. We view our workforce as a large family, therefore providing the best and safest working environment is absolutely essential to us. We have learnt that if people feel that their workplace is safe, production levels rise and brand loyalty increases,” he points out.

Malben Engineering was identified as a candidate for the RSCI audit by Ford, to which it is a tier 1 supplier of chassis components due to its high standards and quality product. The certification is valid for three years.

This year, Malben Engineering also became the first South African automotive component manufacturer to trial ‘green’, low-carbon steel.

As a leader in sustainability and supply chain assurance, DQS facilitates independent evaluations – such as Malben Engineering’s – against various international standards, including the Responsible Supply Chain Initiative (RSCI) standard for the automotive industry. Lucinda Kuys, Executive: Social, Sustainability & Ethical Compliance at DQS, says achieving a 98% score is an outstanding accomplishment, reflecting the company’s robust commitment to sustainability and responsible supply chain practices.

“From an RSCI perspective, Malben Engineering’s achievement reinforces the credibility and utility of the RSCI standard in driving industry transformation. It sets a benchmark for other companies, demonstrating the value of rigorous audits in enhancing supply chain transparency and responsibility. This milestone not only strengthens Malben’s reputation, but also contributes to broader industry goals,” she notes.

A ticket to the game

“When we do something, we do it well. We always ensure that we have a best-in-class, proactive approach to everything we do,” agrees Malben Engineering’s Commercial Director Marius Schafer.

Schafer adds that recognition of Malben’s high quality and operational standards not only positions the company to embrace future growth opportunities as stipulated by the South African Automotive Masterplan 2035; but raises the status of the company as a tier 1 supplier to all OEMs.

“For Malben Engineering, a sustainable supply chain not only entails looking at our upstream supply chain but also at downstream suppliers, and ensuring that both our people and those providing equipment to us are operating their businesses in a manner which is compliant with a sustainable supply chain. This equips our company to drive growth and seize the right opportunities to support global automotive OEMs – as well as businesses in other sectors. We term this a ‘ticket to the game’,” he explains.

Playing the game

“As part of this audit, a company does not only state what it does – but has to prove it – and its actions are verified via actual interviews with people on the shop floor. The results of the audit are based on what is happening in practice. We are not a company that relies on a file or a website full of policies or procedures. We do not just list our certifications, we are able to demonstrate that we are truly living them on a day to day basis,” Smargiasso adds.

Malben is also leading by example. Companies within its upstream and downstream supply chain have already requested assistance in getting their operations up to standard and implementing similar responsible supply chain practices.

The RSCI audit also paves the way for continued improvement, as it has helped us to understand what new industry best practices could be implemented, to ensure that Malben Engineering remains at firmly at the forefront of the industry,” Smargiasso concludes.

Steam: an enduring and effective heat transfer mechanism with myriad applications

The use of steam for industrial purposes dates back to the Industrial Revolution and, even in the wake of the fourth industrial revolution and with the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI), steam boilers remain the unsung heroes of contemporary production and the ‘chameleons’ of manufacturing, as a recent blog describes them.

Dennis Williams, Commercial Director at steam and boiler operations and maintenance service provider, Associated Energy Services (AES) explains:

“The science behind steam use and heat transfer is fundamental to many processes, and will remain a requirement for many industries into the future.  The mode of steam generation might change and the fuels might change, but steam will be needed.

Accordingly, the evolution of industrial process steam boilers has included upgraded control systems and instrumentation. The fundamentals of the ‘boiler’ part of the system where energy is transferred from combustion flue gases into the water to generate steam has been well established for many years.  The focus has shifted to optimising combustion, improving efficiency, aiding operability (reaction time, load following capability, turndown) and improving emissions (reducing CO² and NOx).

When it comes to Eskom power-station sized utility boilers, change has centred on boiler materials and design – with the aim of increasing generation steam pressure to supercritical phase to drive power generation efficiency, and to then consider carbon capture and storage (CO2 capture options; as well as novel combustion systems to drive overall boiler thermal efficiency.

‘Steamy’ mix of old and new

The burning question around steam boilers is undoubtedly, has South African industry kept up?

Williams observes that the local boiler fleet is best described as “legacy” plant – evidenced by the very buoyant second hand / refurbished steam boiler market. This is because older boilers are extremely robust and, with proper operation and care, can last between 20 and 40 years.

“There are however ways for the combustion element (energy input mechanism) to be evolved via retrofits on control systems, fuel switches or technology replacements,” he suggests. 

New fuels have also ushered in various changes, with more gas-fired, biomass and novel fuel systems being implemented, to facilitate the use of (previously) inefficiently used resources to drive circular operating systems.

However, the main differentiator between South African boilers and those used in North America and Europe is the use of coal, which has been replaced by alternative fuel sources, particularly gas.

“On larger scale plants, there has been a lot of activity in fluidised bed systems, including bubbling and recirculating fluidised bed boilers. Their lower combustion temperature has a positive effect on NOx generation and the technology is suited to solid fuels. Fluidised bed boilers have also been used in a few limited applications in South Africa, but the substantial capital investment cost has detracted from this,” he continues.

Williams believes that steam is so enduringly popular primarily because it is an extremely useful and excellent heat transfer mechanism: “It contains both latent and sensible heat energy and can deliver substantial quantities of energy in smaller flows than alternative heat transfer mechanisms relying solely on sensible energy (temperature).  Steam can therefore ensure that temperature within a system is very accurately and effectively controlled.

Myriad steam applications

The use of steam is  widespread across the food (cooking, heating, cleaning, sterilising), rubber (curing, setting, heating), pulp and paper (raw materials preparation, drying, setting), textiles (dye house water heating, textile setting with heat exchangers), healthcare (sterilisation, air conditioning, laundry services, cooking), mining process (heating, activated carbon regeneration), medical manufacturing (sterilisation, air conditioning and temperature control), power generation (steam turbine driving), desalination (waste heat use for evaporative water process), wood board manufacture (fibre processing, platen heating for board curing) and chemical manufacturing (various processes for heat supply, as well as direct use through injection into raw materials) sectors.

Williams notes that, in South Africa, efforts to improve local industries such as the food and textile sectors could certainly see an increased demand for steam.

The right boiler for the job

He explains that there two main types of boilers: those with a fire tube  design, which is essentially a cylindrical vessel containing water, with tubes passing through it that carries hot flue gas through the inside of the tubes. Heat transfers through the tubes to the body of water on the outside of the tubes, eventually creating steam.  Water tube boilers contain less water volume per unit steam output, featuring upper and lower steam drums connected by boiler tubes. Water boils within the tubes, with steam rising to the top of the boiler into the steam drum.

There is also the option of a combined water tube and fire tube design.

Williams adds that optimising efficiencies and understanding a client’s current and future operational requirements are critical when selecting a boiler: “The decision needs to be robust and defensible in terms of longer-term business strategy. These assets are expensive to buy, operate and maintain – and have potentially long service lives if well maintained, so a selection error can impact on many fronts for a long time.”

The perfect partner

AES is the perfect partner in making such a decision, with many years of experience across numerous industries, operations and energy plants, equipping the company to provide the necessary on-the-ground capex, opex and other insights. After engaging with a client to understand their overall objectives, AES can provide an overview of potentially workable steam boiler alternatives – and assist in clarifying the technicalities of each.

“We can then assist with the execution of a project on a turnkey basis – or combine the turnkey project with an operations and maintenance SLA which covers a longer- term contract period (of at least three years).  AES can provide a solution while being fully accountable to clients around their operational outcomes,” Williams concludes.