Archive for January, 2011
Generation Summit 2011
Jan 20th
Reliability Works: Embracing Reliability in Power Generation
| John Byers from Reliability Works, a solution provider at the marcus evans Generation Summit 2011, on embracing reliability in power generation. Interview with: John Byers, Company Director, Reliability Works |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Power generation executives need to embrace reliability as a tool or a catalyst to change, according to John Byers, Company Director, Reliability Works. With such a low tolerance for failure in the industry, organizations need to adopt a culture where failures are not just stand alone events, but are recognized as an opportunity for continuous system improvement. As a solution provider attending the marcus evans Generation Summit 2011, Byers shares strategies for increasing reliability, efficiency and adding value to the business.
What is essential for yielding maximum value from assets?
John Byers: The most important characteristic of an organization is having a culture that does not perceive failures as unavoidable, but sees them as an opportunity for improvement. Every time a reoccurring failure is prevented, the performance of an asset improves.
A holistic strategy is needed in order to have a sustainable, competitive and reliable energy supply. The entire life cycle of assets should be considered, with assets designed to be reliable and easily maintainable. The focus on reliability, operability and efficiency has to be sustained through the life cycle of equipment.
Power generation executives should embrace reliability as a tool or a catalyst for change. We have seen many organizational cultures change once the right tools and processes have been put in place – they have begun to record and follow up on failures more diligently. As a result, the performance of assets improved. Reliability, as Six Sigma, eliminates losses and improves the general performance of the organization. But it is more than just maintenance; it is about how the business is run. The difference between two competing organizations is in how effectively the program is executed.
How can companies reduce costs while maintaining efficiency?
John Byers: How often maintenance work is done obviously has a dramatic effect on costs. However, most programs have been developed based on experience or opinion, without a focus on optimization. Today’s tools allow organizations to make those decisions on a profit and loss basis, so maintenance intervals can be optimized much more effectively. This provides a significant advantage.
What are the opportunities in the power generation and production space today?
John Byers: There are two opportunities utilized in industry today, the first being hardware related; Condition-based monitoring tools, which are getting cheaper and easier to use, can be utilized in more applications than in the past. The other tool which has dramatically changed the way equipment is maintained, is optimization software tools.
In many cases, Reliability Centered Maintenance (optimization) tools have gone far beyond maintenance – decisions are optimized based on the cost of time and spare parts, and safety and environmental risks.
What is your outlook for the future?
John Byers: We see a trend of decreasing regulation by governments and other regulatory bodies. A result, there is an increasing need to be able to measure and manage risks internally. Risk management has transferred to business owners, who in many cases are not prepared to manage those risks. Poor decisions tend to have severe consequences, although a low probability of occurrence. There is a general low tolerance for failure, particularly those related to the environment and human safety, therefore there is a pressure on organizations to reduce the number of incidents that occur. Tools and processes are necessary to support these decisions.
Contact:
Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian
Press Manager
marcus evans, Summits Division
Tel: + 357 22 849 313
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
About the Generation Summit 2011
This unique forum will take place at The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa, Hollywood, Florida, February 16-18, 2011. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The summit includes presentations on satisfying the demand for cleaner electricity, improving plant performance and gearing up for new policies.
For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website
marcus evans group – energy sector portal
Please note that the summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.
About marcus evans Summits
marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com
About Reliability Works
At Reliability Works we utilize a holistic approach when creating optimized asset management strategies, and we have been partnering successfully with clients in the utilities and power generation industry for over 25 years. Our team’s expertise in leading-edge reliability practices enables our clients to successfully improve shareholder value by meeting the availability, safety and environmental targets, outlined in the company objectives, and to successfully make the cultural change to a focus on reliability.
www.reliabilityworks.com
All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced – kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com
Generation Summit 2011
Jan 18th
Ontario Power Generation:
Gearing Up for the Power Generation Transition
Interview with: Chris Young, Vice President, Thermal Generation Development, Ontario Power Generation
Chris Young, a speaker at the marcus evans Generation Summit 2011, on flexibility for responding to changes in power generation regulatory requirements.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
There is a need to be flexible and adaptable to transitions in the power generation industry, according to Chris Young, Vice President, Thermal Generation Development, Ontario Power Generation. As the province prepares for a coal-less future, Young, a speaker at the marcus evans Generation Summit 2011 taking place in Hollywood, Florida, February 16-18, highlights the value in the capability of shifting fuels and responding to changes in supply.
How is repowering existing coal plants a solution to key industry challenges?
Chris Young: In Ontario Power Generation, we are adapting to the government decision to phase out the burning of coal for generation by the end of 2014. This means that coal plants will either need to close down or convert to alternative fuel sources. This is a challenge unique to Ontario Power Generation, but also an example to others of the need to be flexible for responding to regulatory requirements.
What best practices for maximising investments would you recommend?
Chris Young: We need to be flexible and adaptable to transitions in the industry. More renewable energy sources and regulations are coming into place, which are impacting coal-fired generation operations. There is a need to be able to respond to low minimum load requirements; generation should be able to shift depending on system needs. Traditionally, the coal fleet in most parts of North America has not had this flexibility but changing expectations are increasing pressure to be able to do so.
What are the opportunities in the power generation and production space today?
Chris Young: Renewables are a significant opportunity, depending on the regime for clean generation and carbon gas reduction. As the generation landscape changes, there are opportunities for flexibility. Nuclear will also play a more significant role in the future, as the pressure to reduce carbon dioxide emissions increases.
Generation directors need to recognize both the limitations of the technologies that they work with, as well as the opportunities presented. Ontario’s supply has a high percentage of nuclear and hydroelectric generation so the requirements for coal fired generation have historically been lower than in many other jurisdictions, so we have had a lot of experience with shifting units or units running at low load. We see future opportunities for repowering coal units to new fuel sources, and effectively having those units available again at very low capacity in order to meet peak requirements, especially with an intermittent solar and wind energy supply.
What is your outlook for the future?
Chris Young: The big issue out there is ultimately climate change, what greenhouse gas regulation utilities will face and when. The regulation itself and the degree to which we can get the financial life out of assets which were purchased when expectations were different, will be an issue. We will see a range of other questions coming out of climate change regulation: the possibility of carbon tax, cap and trade and constraints on different types of generation.
This industry is an always-changing industry and the pace of change we face over a 20-year window is phenomenal. We are going to have to respond to new drivers of change in relation to requirements for energy efficiency and need to be ready for them.
Contact:
Sarin Kouyoumdjian-Gurunlian
Press Manager
marcus evans, Summits Division
Tel: + 357 22 849 313
Email: press@marcusevanscy.com
About the Generation Summit 2011
This unique forum will take place at The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa, Hollywood, Florida, February 16-18, 2011. Offering much more than any conference, exhibition or trade show, this exclusive meeting will bring together esteemed industry thought leaders and solution providers to a highly focused and interactive networking event. The summit includes presentations on satisfying the demand for cleaner electricity, improving plant performance and gearing up for new policies.
For more information please send an email to info@marcusevanscy.com or visit the event website
marcus evans group – energy sector portal
Please note that the summit is a closed business event and the number of participants strictly limited.
About marcus evans Summits
marcus evans Summits are high level business forums for the world’s leading decision-makers to meet, learn and discuss strategies and solutions. Held at exclusive locations around the world, these events provide attendees with a unique opportunity to individually tailor their schedules of keynote presentations, think tanks, seminars and one-on-one business meetings. For more information, please visit www.marcusevans.com
All rights reserved. The above content may be republished or reproduced – kindly inform us by sending an email to press@marcusevanscy.com
Energy conferences: will OPEC hike output?
Jan 10th
The rising price of oil could be a key point of debate at energy conferences this year after oil prices exceeded $90 a barrel.
Yet with the threat of further price rises, analysts are debating whether OPEC will increase production to relive the pressure.
Oil prices are expected to rise to $100 a barrel due to market speculation. Analysts have noted however that OPEC would not raise output, believing that a price between $80 and $100 dollars a barrel is fair.
The Secretary General of OPEC previously explained the organisation wouldn’t adjust production based on price and any change in output must be based on supply and demand.
The big debate at energy conferences is likely to be world demand for oil, which is forecasted to grow by 40% over the next two decades.
Marcus Evans presents energy conferences, created by experienced professionals and with information presented by industry experts. 
marcus evans energy – Cost cutting contributed to BP spill
Jan 7th
marcus evans energy – Cost cutting contributed to BP spill
The White House has said that cost-cutting measures made by BP and its partners contributed to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill last April.
President Obama had ordered the investigation following the disaster, which resulted in the deaths of 11 people and ravaged the coast.
The commission set up to carry out the probe released its final report yesterday has said that the oil giant BP and some of its partners did not have sufficient measures in place to ensure safety on the Macondo well.
“Whether purposeful or not, many of the decisions that BP, Halliburton, and Transocean made that increased the risk of the Macondo blowout clearly saved those companies significant time (and money),” according to the report.
A full review by the commission will be released next week. The panel has also been asked to guide future offshore drilling.
The group does not have any power to punish or establish policy but it is thought its findings could have influence over future legal suits.
The findings released yesterday contradict the commission’s initial report in November, when it said that there was no evidence that cost-cutting measures contributed to the explosion and subsequent oil spill.
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