Connect, no.150, September/October 2007, p.7

TWI hosts round table on 'De-risking alternative energy projects'

In July 2007 TWI chaired a round table discussion forum on 'De-risking alternative energy projects' at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers one day event on 'Investing in Alternative Energy'.

Global investment in alternative energy is undergoing rapid growth from $27bn in 2004 to $70bn in 2006. TWI is addressing the needs of development consortia, investors and insurers through provision of an asset integrity service aimed at an independent risk management solution to contain risks so that financial rates of return are met or exceeded.

Alternative energy projects ( eg biomass plants, waste to energy plants, biofuel plants, solar and photovoltaic energy plants) are varied and normally based on new or scale-up designs so that reliable availability and performance databases do not generally exist.

TWI's de-risking service adopts a bottom-up predictive knowledge-based approach which quantifies operational risks arising from issues such as materials selection, engineering, fabrication quality, durability and maintainability at the initial design stage, and then during construction and O&M stages.

TWI's software tools are used throughout the process, building on RISKWISE at the design optimisation and maintenance planning phases and Welding Software products during the fabrication quality audit.

The round table forum attracted around 50 delegates including venture capitalists, investment bankers, renewable energy companies, private equity firms and insurance companies. For further information contact: brian.cane@twi.co.uk or chris.bagley@twi.co.uk.