With the oil and gas industry still in recovery, and in view of OPEC policy, the renewable energy industry has become a new focus for Applus+ Energy & Industry Division in North America.
In the first quarter of 2018, Applus+ was selected to provide
quality inspection services for a newly established company that integrates thermal power generation systems with multinational engineering and environmental technology. Headquartered in the US, and with more than 2,000 employees, this company manufactures some of the the world’s most efficient gas turbines. It designs, builds and monitors environmental control systems (i.e. geothermal turbines) throughout North and South America.
Work for this client includes the inspection of power plants: including a 900 megawatt power plant in the Gulf Coast region, that will help to reduce emissions and generate electricity to power 675,000 homes; and a an 800 megawatt power plant in Mexico, that will provide low-cost, environmentally friendly electricity.
Applus+ has long focused on providing vendor inspection, testing and certification services for the
oil & gas industry. This new opportunity, however, demands more than single-discipline engineers. With this in mind, the
Vendor Surveillance Services group has sourced a team of multi-skilled engineers and inspectors, each of whom understands different disciplines and, thus, the complexity of Applus+ projects. A mechanical engineer is now not only expected to understand the design and function of a valve actuator, but must also understand the instrumentation and electrical equipment used to transmit commands to that actuator.
The Vendor Surveillance Services group has invested a significant amount of time developing a process to support finding the right engineers and inspectors, and integrating these highly skilled individuals into the team. This has enabled Applus+ to showcase how effectively it can operate in emerging markets, at the same time as advancing the security and sustainability of its clients’ businesses.
Renewable energy services aim to assist clients throughout each phase of a renewables project, verifying the correct installation of every element. Applus+ services support feasibility assessment, project design and development, right through to the construction of a new site. These services are delivered in line with existing codes and standards, while evaluating the status of the working plant and auditing its maintenance process.
The experience gained by Applus+ in this area over the past 15 years ensures its position as the leader in renewable energy inspection, consultancy and engineering projects, not only in North America but right across the globe.