Monthly Archives: October 2019

It might be described as an inconvenient truth that the scope of outdoor adventuring in B.C. has been greatly enhanced by forestry.

This tension is explored in the 40-minute doc On the Verge, screening at Centennial Theatre on Friday (October 25) following a presentation by the U.S. rock-climbing legend Jim Donini.(The show is presented by the Vancouver International Mountain Film Festival in partnership with the British Columbia Mountaineering Club.)

The sleekly photographed film captures one community at a pivotal moment. Powell River has been a little-known haven for rock climbers since its nearby granite faces were first explored in the 90s by local pioneers, including Rob Richards, who compares the region to the U.S.s Yosemite National Park in Robin Munshaws film. Repurposed logging roads deliver climbers to a remote camp named in Richardss honour. Now the areas remaining old-growth forest is marked for destruction, and recreationists find themselves between a rock wall and a hard place.

The story just seemed like a really good example of something we see and hear a lot in B.C., Munshaw says during a call to the Georgia Straight. As a veteran mountain biker, the Chilliwack native is familiar with what he calls the transience of the infrastructure built by fellow enthusiasts. A logging company can come through and just log a trail thats had thousands and thousands of man-hours put into it, and thats part of our sport. But people will fight back and argue against it in the same day that theyre driving up forestry roads to access the areas they build their mountain-bike trails in, right?

Its an uneasy accord, reflected by one of the films participants, who states: Im not opposed to the logging; its whats being logged. For Powell River, transitioning from an industry- to a tourist-based economy offers a solutioneven if it means giving up the relative anonymity enjoyed by the climbing community during the past few decades.

They loved having this area that was their one little spot in the world, but they realized that the conservation issues they were seeing really meant that they had to share this and get more eyes on the area, Munshaw explains. Rock climbing is a very niche sport, but its part of a broader mosaic of what this region has to offer for people who want to do big adventures and big wilderness experiences.

It was a serendipitous visit to Powell River that sparked Munshaws interest in the issue, not least of all because he managed to capture Richards on camera before his untimely passing in 2018. More generallyand with the concurrent news that the Haida Nation has lost its latest battle to preserve culturally significant forest in the Blue Jackets area near MassetOn the Verge asks us to again consider the cost of sacrificing the provinces most ancient living resource. Munshaw sounds a familiar reverent note when asked about the sublime experience of visiting an old-growth forest.

I agree with everyone else whos ever spent time there. Its really difficult to describe the feeling, he answers. It makes you feel so small and so connected to it at the same time. As someone whos not a religious person, its the closest I can come to understanding spirituality.

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On the Verge finds Powell River climbers between a rock wall and a hard place - Straight.com

Senate legislators, energy investors and utilities are looking to the next generation of energy storage to achieve "deep decarbonization," but few researchers are confident that today's experimental technologies will ensure wind and solar become the dominant sources of power.

Over the past decade, power companies have cultivated a taste for lithium-ion storage, stringing together battery packs into a giant sponge that soaks up electricity and later delivers it for four- to eight-hour increments.

Markets for that kind of short-term battery storage are modest, but they've grown eighteenfold since 2009, according to a count by Environment America, a green advocacy group.

Some believe that with sufficient resources, scientists and entrepreneurs could pioneer a kind of storage that multiplies the current four-to-eight-hour period of power delivery several times over. States, cities and companies have put out a flood of 100% renewable or zero-emission plans, which count on development of technology that can store electricity for days or weeks.

"There's a sense that this is coming," said Scott Litzelman, a program director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).

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Yet energy storage could hit a wall if power companies aren't already moving to replace most nonrenewable generation with wind and solar. Few energy analysts say they believe long-term storage would serve the same purpose as nuclear, gas or coal plants that produce a constant stream of "baseload" power.

On a highly renewable grid, power companies would still have to encourage consumers to use less power at certain hours. And expanding transmission connections between regions could, in some cases, improve reliability in ways similar to storage, they say.

Tim Grejtak, an analyst at the New York-based market research firm Lux Research Inc., noted in a presentation last year that the applications for long-duration systems were so far "vaguely defined."

Early deployments might take place on island grids or remote areas, he predicted. But "in our minds, it's sort of a solution of last resort. And as such, we don't think it will see a huge deployment, in terms of pure numbers of projects."

Even so, much of the energy sector is banking on the viability of the idea, as underscored in recently unveiled net-zero emission targets. For supporters, the goal is for storage to eventually solve renewables' intermittency challenges and dependence on the daily weather, creating a grid on which Monday's sunlight can help meet Thursday's power demand.

Duke Energy Corp., the power sector's largest emitter, said last month its new 2050 goal for carbon neutrality would depend on the emergence of long-term storage or advanced nuclear or carbon capture. It's one of several utilities and companies releasing low-emission targets. Xcel Energy Inc., which has a midcentury target for carbon-free electricity, says technology that saves months' worth of power would be "an important part" of its mix.

Democratic presidential candidates, including Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), have also promised tens of billions of dollars in research funds for long-duration systems as part of their Green New Deal plans.

Sanders, for instance, has a $30 billion plan "with a goal of commercializing technologies that can provide energy lasting 24 hours to multiple days at a capital cost lower than $1,000 a kilowatt to support the renewable energy needed to phase out coal."

The Trump administration has been making a push on energy storage, calling for $30 billion as part of an advanced storage initiative for fiscal 2020.

Scott Litzelman. ARPA-E

Perhaps the federal program most eyeing a 100% renewable grid is ARPA-E an agency Trump proposed eliminating. An ARPA-E program known as Duration Addition to electricitY Storage (DAYS) is shooting to develop systems that can deliver 10 to 100 hours of power at 5 cents per kilowatt-hour.

For comparison, four-hour storage systems currently have a leveled cost of electricity of about 12 cents per kWh, according to a May study published in Nature Communications.

"We're trying to develop technology that's ready so that when people say, 'We need to procure something for my system,' we have technology options for them that blow away anything they've had before," said ARPA-E's Litzelman.

However, a revolutionary breakthrough at DAYS or other national labs would probably not eliminate the need for other, nonrenewable technologies, he added.

One study published in Energy & Environmental Science last year found that wind and solar paired with 12-hour energy storage could power 80% of the grid. Getting to 100% would require storage with several weeks of capacity.

"A 100% renewable target is beyond what DAYS is doing," said Litzelman.

Switzerland-based startup Energy Vault has developed a six-arm crane that takes advantage of gravity and potential energy to store electricity. Energy Vault/Business Wire

A handful of startups are taking more explicit aim at advancing storage that undercuts the use of natural gas for power production.

Switzerland-based Energy Vault, which announced a $110 million funding round in August, says it's on the way to commercializing a concept that could provide "around-the-clock baseload power" at a much cheaper price than what is currently available. Its investors include SoftBank Vision Fund, one of the world's largest tech investment funds.

Another startup, U.S.-based Form Energy, raised $40 million this summer for a flow battery that executives think could eventually serve as a resource for well beyond 100 hours. Its investors include Saudi Arabian Oil Co., Italian oil and gas major Eni SpA and Breakthrough Energy, a global coalition for clean energy investment spearheaded by Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates.

Neither company, nor any of the projects housed at DAYS, is pursuing lithium-ion battery solutions.

The falling costs of lithium batteries, and their adoption for short-term uses, may have helped drive investment and policy attention for storage as a concept.

But many analysts and researchers consider huge installations of lithium-ion batteries impractical because of their large spatial footprint and unlikely to be cost-effective. And recent fires at installations in Arizona have kept alive questions about safety. Some technology experts also have warned of "technology lock-in," where R&D money keeps flowing to expand lithium ion but never gets to a different type of model that can back up renewables more permanently (Greenwire, Sept. 19, 2018).

National labs and the startups spun off from them are delving into a universe of alternative battery chemistries that could save larger amounts of power for more cheaply than lithium ion.

Some store power in a different form altogether, like heat or hydrogen or water, then use it to drive turbines.

"You have so many potential development pathways," said Jason Burwen, vice president for policy at the Energy Storage Association. "I don't think anybody can tell you right now that any of them is going to win. It's truly a moment where the field's wide open."

Congress also is weighing legislation that would allocate more funds for advanced storage, a technology that often wins favor on both sides of the aisle. Yesterday, Energy and Commerce Chairman Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) announced a subcommittee hearing on "building a 100% clean economy" in the power sector, a topic that likely will address the next generation of storage. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) introduced a bill that would, among other things, create a new R&D program to study how geothermal energy could serve as a source of seasonal energy storage.

And late last month, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee passed a bill package that would set aside $270 million per year for research, development and demonstration of new technologies.

Much of that funding would go toward developing systems that could deliver power for days, months or even entire seasons.

A spokesperson for Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a co-sponsor of the package, told E&E News that the legislation did not yet have a date scheduled for a vote on the full Senate but expressed confidence that "the package has broad, bipartisan support."

One bill included in the Senate package, the "Joint Long-Term Storage Act," would link up the Energy Department with the Department of Defense's Environmental Security Technology Certification Program, which tests "environmental technologies."

Under the plan, the new joint program would aim to make "promising" long-duration storage technologies commercially viable. And having the military as an early adopter would itself sign off on the promise of a system, said David Hart, a senior fellow at the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based tech policy think tank.

"DOD's a lead customer that's willing to pay more, for good reason," Hart said.

"We've seen in other technologies that if you have customers willing to pay more, they could pilot the systems, and costs could come down. That's what these programs do," he added. With the market for short-term storage taking off, said Hart, attention should move onto the next generation.

"It seems to me that this is the next big challenge to tackle," he said.

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ENERGY TRANSITIONS: The conundrum: 100% renewables and energy storage - E&E News

Energy, transportation, and building experts all agreed: Implementing the New York state Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act would require collaboration and major planning.

At a panel discussion held at Columbia Law School on Wednesday night, industry experts spoke about how to achieve the ambitious benchmarks set by the states newest legislation on carbon neutrality.

With aims to reach zero emissions by 2050, the CLCPA has set strict benchmarks for the state to uphold.

The CLCPA is the nations most aggressive example of the bold action that is needed, Julie Tighe, president of New York League of Conservation Voters, said. This law can help ensure that communities that need resources can get them. The opportunities are enormous, but much work remains to ensure this law is implemented effectively.

The CLCPA requires the state to use 70 percent renewable energy by 2030 and 100 percent renewable energy by 2040. The legislation also requires the state to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent based on 1990 levels by 2030 and 85 percent by 2050.

Once the legislation is enacted, the state will create a Climate Action Council composed of 22 members12 of whom will be state agency heads. The council will work with a climate justice working group to draft a scoping plan and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to issue binding regulations.

People who do not comply with act by 2024 will incur penalties regulated to up to $6 per square foot from the state, Craig Schwitter, a Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation professor, said. Additionally, under the legislation, individual citizens can also take legal action when the act is not followed, according to Columbia environmental law professor Michael Gerrard.

In 2018, only 29 percent of the states energy consumption came from renewable energy, he added. The majority came from fossil fuels and nuclear power.

Panelists also discussed challenges that remain in implementing the legislation. According to Gerrard, New Yorks gradual phaseout of gasoline and nuclear power will place more demand on electric power, which will require the costly process of upgrading battery storage and renewable technology throughout the state.

To address these stipulations, panelists said collaboration with the community and major restructuring of the transportation and power sectors will be necessary in implementing the act.

The transformation that has to take place in the power sector is going to be the engine by which we achieve all the other reductions in the economy, said Jackson Morris, a panelist and representative from the environmental advocacy group the Natural Resource Defense Council.

Panelist Jessica Ottney Mahar, a representative from the Nature Conservancy, said the bulk of the implementation work will deal with appealing to residents to take part in energy conservation. The panelist added that the Climate Action Committee should include residents from committees who are directly impacted by climate change.

At the end of the day, communities are going to have to say yes, Ottney Mahar said. Land use decisions are made at the local level, so were thinking about how to do that.

Additionally, Kate Slevin, senior vice president of Regional Plan Association, an organization which aims to strengthen environmental resiliency, suggested a tax on vehicles entering Manhattan and a tax based on miles travelled as opposed to gas in order to disincentivize privately owned cars.

When asked about the cost of implementing the CLCPA, Morris said the cost will be substantial but necessary.

Staying business as usual is not sustainable, and its not free, he said.

Staff writer Stephanie Lai can be contacted at stephanie.lai@columbiaspectator.com. Follow her on Twitter @stephaniealai.

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What it takes to implement the climate protection act in New York - CU Columbia Spectator

The Potential Of The Flexible Workspace Industry Is Unquestionable At the Work Spaces Day Conference in Barcelona, panellists unanimously agreed that the coworking industry will continue to grow throughout Europe.

During last weeks Work Spaces Day Conference in Barcelona, there was one topic that most attendees and presenters agreed on: the coworking industry is not only here to stay, but it will continue to grow.

Ramiro Rodrguez, Associate Director of Research & Insight at Cushman & Wakefield Spain presented findings from the report Spains Flexible Workspace Industry 2019. His presentation started with the statement that the potential of the flexible workspace industry is unquestionable.

Philippe Jimnez, Country Manager Spain for IWG; scar Garca Toledo, Founder & CEO of FIRST WORKPLACES; Sergi Tarragona, Founder of Cloudworks; and Jesse Derkx, Head of Sales at ONE COWORK agreed with the above claim during a panel.

Tarragona stated that the industry will continue to grow because there has been a paradigm shift in the way people work. Flexible workspace is a fundamental part of this shift. Jimnez for his part, believes that one of the main growth drivers of the industry is the growth of the knowledge-based economy. Companies with a knowledge-based workforce need space that can be tailored to specific needs and demands.

Garca Toledo believes that the flexible workspace industrys success is due to social change. Society is changing, its not just about the way people work, but also how they live. Technology is evolving faster than ever, and this means that we all need to be on our toes; flexible space enables companies to be resilient and able to adapt to any upcoming social and technological changes.

In Spain, Cushman & Wakefield found that hybrid workspace operators operators that are both property owners and workspace operators are the ones getting the most activity. According to the report, these types of operators are expected to grow in Spain and across Europe.

One issue that stood out in the panel moderated by Javier Bernades was the statement that, for the most part, corporates (in Spain) are starting to use flexible space more out of necessity than conviction that its the way of the future.

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This is particularly concerning, especially as, in Garca Toledos words, corporates are making the flexible workspace business more lucrative and viable. The good news is that, so far, once large companies try flexible workspace, they stay.

More importantly, Derkx made the observation that flexibility is the way of the future. Companies today and in the future will need to be flexible, and thats our main value proposition. Even if large enterprises are not yet convinced of the value of flexible workspace solutions, the reality is that in their efforts to attract and retain talent, flexible workspace is a valuable tool and resource.

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The Potential Of The Flexible Workspace Industry Is "Unquestionable" - Allwork.Space

The Invesco QQQ ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ) once again is trading within a few points of its all-time high with a really impressive performance in recent months, essentially tearing down the proverbial "wall of worry". The fund is up 25% year to date on a total return basis, driven by a combination of better-than-expected earnings from the leading stocks, along with more bullish overall sentiment supported by the recent Fed rate cuts. In September, a breakthrough in the U.S.-China trade dispute reaching what was called a "phase one agreement" potentially opened the door for more upside through the end of the year. On the other hand, lingering concerns over decelerating global growth and a more uncertain outlook for the U.S. economy may limit a clear breakout to the upside. This article looks at the recent performance and valuation metrics of QQQ, along with our view on where the fund is headed next.

(Source: Finviz)

What else is there to say about QQQ - the quintessential large-cap growth fund with technology sector stocks representing 44.5% of allocations? While traditionally recognized as a tech-based index, the actual sector breakdown from the NASDAQ 100 are largely arbitrary, as many stocks blur the lines between technology and other sectors like consumer discretionary and healthcare. From an industry perspective, software application represents 15.6% of the fund, and this is an area of the market that has been very strong considering the move by companies towards the "software-as-a-service" model and of utilization of cloud-based infrastructure that offers centralized and more resource efficient solutions. The theme is generally high segment leadership and product innovation.

(Source: Invesco)

QQQ is up 392% over the past decade, significantly outperforming a broad market index like the S&P 500 (SPY), highlighting the attraction of the fund as a long-term winner. It's hard to find any fund with a better historical return. Volatility has increased in recent years, but time and time again the leaders in the group have been able to prove skeptics wrong with continued strong growth.

Data by YCharts

The context of the big gains in QQQ and underlying stocks this year go back to the historically volatile period of Q4 2018 when the stocks briefly approached "bear market" territory, as QQQ fell by as much as 23% in late December. More dovish policing signaling by the Fed in the new year, along with better-than-expected earnings in conjunction with a resilient economic environment, has brought back many of these stocks to trade near their 52-week and, in some cases, their all-time high. In this regard, many of the impressive percentage gains are more based on a "rebound" from the depressed levels at which the stocks began the year.

Apple (AAPL), for example, traded down to $140 in January and has since climbed 69% from that low. Among the top 25 holdings, Netflix (NFLX) is the only stock with a negative return year to date, down 0.4% through October 22nd. The company has traded at an aggressive growth premium for many years, while more recent weaker-than-expected subscriber growth has pulled some of that enthusiasm. The stock is down about 31% from its 52-week high.

Top 25 QQQ Holdings Performance

Source: Data by YCharts / Table by author

Looking at our data set with from the full list of 103 current equity holdings, we highlight the following points to present a rounded picture of the underlying performance.

QQQ Holdings Performance Distribution

Source: Data by YCharts / Graph by author

YTD %TR

A group of chip stocks are among the biggest winners in QQQ this year. KLA Corp. is the best performer so far in 2019, up an impressive 85.5%. The company, which is a leader in process control systems for the industry, has presented revenue growth in the 20% range this year, coupled with double-digit EPS growth. The theme between Lam Research Corp., Advanced Micro Systems, ASML Holding, and Applied Materials has been industry leadership in their respective segments, with generally better-than-expected growth and earnings this year. Semiconductors as an industry has been weak this year given lower chip shipments and more tepid demand in Asia, but these companies are clearly outperforming the market. MercadoLibre, recognized as the leader in e-commerce in Latin America, is up 83% year to date, benefiting from growth in its payments solutions. The stock has been more volatile recently and down 23% from its high of the year.

The Kraft Heinz Co.

Among the 10 worst performing stocks in the fund this year, it's a mixed bag from an otherwise unrelated group that includes Chinese search giant Baidu down 35%, The Kraft Heinz Co. down 31%, Tesla down 23%, and American Airlines Group down 11.2%. Without sharing a common industry theme, the weakness here is generally company-specific, as evident from weaker-than-expected earnings this year. Biogen is still down by 6.3% year to date, but we note the stock has been rallying this month on an improved outlook and is up 21% just this October.

One of the bullish trends for QQQ is that for the underlying holdings, current valuations appear relatively reasonable at the fund level. Beyond a couple outliers like Amazon.com (AMZN) and Netflix with a P/E ratio at 73.3x and 85.2x each respectively, most stocks in the fund trade at much more down-to-earth earnings multiples. Fund manager Invesco notes that the weighted harmonic average P/E for QQQ is currently at 22.6x. While we can make the case that certain stocks within the fund may be cheap or expensive, simply looking at the numbers without any bias over the individual names would make a compelling case for QQQ as a worthy investment.

We note that 30 stocks, or one-third of the holdings and representing 50% of the total weight, have reported revenue growth above double digits in the last quarter. Another point we like is that the balance sheets on average of the underlying firms within QQQ are overall under-leveraged, with a number of high-profile companies like Facebook (FB) and Alphabet (GOOGL, GOOG) carrying no long-term debt. This isn't necessarily a reason to buy on its own, but is nevertheless is a strong point for QQQ as an ETF.

Top 25 QQQ Holdings Valuation

Source: Data by YCharts / Table by author

We think it's a delicate period in the market cycle considering signs of decelerating economic growth and a more uncertain outlook which has been acknowledged by the Fed in justifying recent rate cuts. Recent bullish sentiment driving QQQ to approach a new all-time high has been in part based on favorable developments in the U.S.-China trade dispute with an easing of tensions in recent months, along with expectations that the trend lower in interest rates will help extend economic growth. Our own opinion is to be more cautious recognizing the momentum lower in global economic indicators and potentially peaking U.S. consumer dynamics that will be hard to sustain. The 2020 Presidential election in the U.S. represents a number of risks given the uncertainty, and we expect volatility to remain elevated over the next year.

The setup here is simple. If you are bullish on the economy, bullish that the Fed will be successful in its attempt at reviving growth expectations, and bullish that the tech continues to lead, then QQQ likely has more upside. On the other hand, a more bearish view on global macro conditions likely represents significant downside potential for the fund given the high cyclical exposure of the core names. For the record, we see risks as tilted to the downside with a bearish macro outlook and a belief that the underlying holdings of QQQ will be challenged to exceed current growth expectations. Take a look at the fund's prospectus for a full list of risks and disclosures.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Additional disclosure: I am long and short numerous stocks via options including underlying components of QQQ.

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QQQ: Performance And Valuation Update - October 2019 - Seeking Alpha

If preparation is everything, then young learners at Career College North East are destined to go into the world of work forearmed and forewarned.

Uppermost among the breadth of skills they learn during their two years on this unique, vocationally-driven training path are those that target project based learning.

Currently topical, it is in no way new but it is an important component in the skills armoury of people moving from education into industry who may be tasked with developing new systems.

Happily, we are leading the way in factoring this into our programmes, having picked up a Career Colleges Trust award for this element of our work earlier this year.

Our focus on project based learning links us firmly to businesses seeking to employ talented youngsters who can easily demonstrate their ability in this arena.

In a way, it is a simple concept how to get from start to finish of any project without costly or time-consuming mishap, yet it is fraught with the potential for major mistakes.

Being able to demonstrate a skilled grasp of a projects beginning and end point takes time and effort to develop, yet can be immensely rewarding in terms of professional development and career progress.

In a similar fashion to undertaking the weekly shop without a list and paying over the odds for unwanted items, much can go wrong, but with more careful planning, little will.

Career College North East, which delivers expert vocational courses in engineering, ICT and maritime to 14-16 learners, takes a hands-on approach to teaching the fundamentals of project based learning.

This is demonstrated through each of our year groups being set a task that requires them to learn and develop skills specific to it.

These can include resource planning, such as the manpower needed, the costs involved and the materials required, and overall project management, which takes in geographical location and siting.

In a real-life project undertaken by our current Year 11 pupils those who joined us in September 2018 and are now on their second and final year this involved planning the construction of a small education centre for special needs students.

Known as a learning shed, it is about to be constructed in a pleasant quadrangle at South Tyneside College, one of two centres where Career College North East undertakes learning.

To get to this point took many weeks of planning and saw students carry out a series of project analysis tasks, all monitored on a self-developed GANTT chart on which was plotted the precise project requirements and progress, stage by stage.

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Starting with a plan to visit multiple retailers to find best price, getting materials delivered to the right location at the correct time and buying the tools needed to put the shed together, were also incorporated.

Other features were ensuring the sheds foundations were level, acquiring the right contents to go inside - and even placing them in the correct position to be of use to the students who will ultimately use them.

Before the final scheme left the drawing board, students also had to present their ideas to career college managers, a process useful in developing their confidence to competently address those in positions of authority.

While many of these points seem simple concepts, at any level of project based learning the skill is in the planning and ensuring that every element required for success is in place at each point and at the right time.

From little acorns mighty oaks grow, and with an understanding of these fundamentals, our students are ingrained with a workplace concept that can bring rich rewards for themselves and for the companies they will one day work for.

Overall, project based learning fits easily within the progressive, high-quality vocational and academic learning model on which Career College North East is based.

It is a model that is giving young people the skills to power them into well-paid and meaningful employment in crucial sectors on which the UK economy relies.

Alison Maynard,Deputy Chief Executive, Tyne Coast College

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Excellence in Project-Based Learning - FE News

The government is awarding 1 million of funding to technology companies to help fund smart waste tracking systems and tackle UK waste crime.

As part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) 20-million GovTech Catalyst fund, which supports the development of innovative solutions for public sector challenges, grants of 500,000 each will be going to digital specialists Anthesis and waste analytics company Topolytics in order to develop more effective waste tracking systems.

Illegal waste activity costs the UK economy around 600 million every year. Fly-tipping is a particularly big issue, causing local authorities and councils to spend 57.7 million to clear illegally dumped waste in 2016/17.

Organised criminals mislabelling waste to avoid landfill tax or illegally export it is a further scourge, with an independent review ordered by former Environment Secretary Michael Gove in 2018 recommending mandatory electronic tracking of waste to combat such behaviour. This measure was included in the Resources and Waste Strategy along with the creation of a Joint Unit for Waste Crime and increasing powers available to the Environment Agency (EA) and has now been included in the Environment Bill.

Large businesses not been immune to accusations of mishandling waste, with waste management company Biffa ordered to pay 599,812 for breaching waste export regulations after being found guilty of attempting to send heavily contaminated waste labelled as mixed paper to China in 2015.

In being awarded the GovTech Catalyst grants, Anthesis and Topolytics have been tasked by the government with building prototypes of the UKs first comprehensive digital waste tracking system, which would replace what Defra calls outdated paper-based tracking systems.

Commenting on the grant, Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: Waste crime causes economic, environmental and social harm in every community it blights. Thats why our transformative Environmental Bill will be a driving force for change improving the way we manage our waste by creating powers to introduce an electronic waste tracking system.

Both companies put forward impressive proposals to help modernise the waste system and help level the playing field by ensuring all businesses are adopting legitimate waste management practices. This is great news for the environment but bad news for those determined to exploit the system.

Minister for Implementation Simon Hart added: "Cutting down on waste is a top concern for the public, so I'm delighted to see these innovative proposals moving forward. They're a great example of why we're investing in the GovTech Catalyst programme to improve public services and solve some of society's biggest challenges."

Both companies, picked from a shortlist of five, will aim to prove the feasibility of using emerging technology such as Blockchain (cryptocurrency) and electronic chips and sensors to record and track individual movements of waste through the economy so authorities can check shipments contain what they state.

The smart waste tracking prototypes developed by Anthesis and Topolytics will be field tested and ready for expert review in beta version within 12 months. The prototypes will include all international waste shipments, tracking waste prior to shipping through to final destination.

Anthesis plans to use QR codes on mobile devices to record the ID of consignments uploaded to their Vastum Blockchain system so transactions will be faster and error-free. Vastum will digitise the current paper-based system of waste transfer notes, consignment notes and other documentation required by legislation. Every waste movement will be a three-party transaction between the waste producer, waste carrier and the site receiving it. The only information that will travel with the waste will be a unique transaction ID.

Simone Aplin, Technical Director at Anthesis, said: We are thrilled to further develop and test Vastum. We believe it will deliver economic and environmental benefits that are truly transformational.

A successful system will significantly reduce the administrative burden for the sector and generate the data needed to tackle waste crime, inform policy and guide vital investment in the circular economy.

Meanwhile, Topolytics plans to utilise data from a range of devices including apps and sensors on waste containers or vehicles. It will work with the Ordnance Survey, Google Cloud and software developer SAP to build a working version of a data-driven tracking system, based around the company's WasteMap analytics platform. The system will track all inert and hazardous waste from households, local authorities, businesses and the construction sector, inputting and analysing data from invoicing records and weighbridge and bin weighing systems, amongst other sources.

Commenting on the project, Dr Michael Groves, Topolytics Founder and CEO, said: "This is a truly ground-breaking project and one that we are proud to be working on. It will transform waste regulation and the industry in the UK and has significant international potential. It further validates our use of machine learning, mapping, sensor systems and cutting-edge software to enable the waste industry to maximise the utility of materials and enable the circular economy.

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Government invests 1 million in smart waste tracking to tackle waste crime - Resource Magazine

STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm, will discuss specific steps enterprises should take to optimize and digitize their supply chain management in a live webinar today hosted by HERE Technologies.

Ron Exler, principal analyst for ISG Research, will be a featured speaker in "The Role of Location Intelligence in Supply Chain Transformation," at 12 noon, U.S. Eastern Time. Exler will explore how a digital backbone, digital ecosystem and business model innovation will help supply chain managers improve asset utilization and customer satisfaction, lower operational costs and unlock new revenue streams.

"Self-driving and electric vehicles and commercial drones are poised to disrupt the shipping industry, but transportation infrastructure remains underfunded and fragile in many locations," Exler said. "I look forward to a productive discussion on the digital capabilities supply chain managers need to succeed in an environment where labor disputes, talent shortages, local regulations, environmental concerns and ongoing trade wars challenge the ability to deliver as customers expect."

Exler noted that enterprise resource and supply chain management systems are often complex, poorly integrated and unable to share data in real time. To overcome these restrictions, enterprises need a change in both "thinking" and "doing," and should pursue digital transformation following the outline of the ISG Digital Cube, a virtual, interactive model that outlines the six enterprise capabilities required for digital transformation: Digital Backbone; Emerging Technologies at Scale; Enterprise Agility; Digital Ecosystems; Insights, and Business Model Innovation.

"Location Intelligence plays a central role in all six domains of an enterprise's digital transformation, and ISG expects a growing number of supply chain logistics managers to embrace digital transformation to increase asset visibility, lower costs and improve services," he said. "The first three areas they should explore are their digital backbone, their digital ecosystem, and their potential for business model innovation."

Exler said improving the efficiencies of complex supply chains requires a digital backbone of accurate location information pulled from multiple sources, with real-time, end-to-end tracking and monitoring of assets. To implement the right tracking technologies, logistics managers need a digital ecosystem of partners, suppliers and customers to enable their organization to rapidly leverage market innovation at scale. And by innovating their enterprise business model, they can generate new revenue streams and stay relevant and competitive in the digital economy.

HERE, the Open Location Platform company, enables people, enterprises and cities to harness the power of location. In today's webinar, HERE will share use case examples of how its digital solutions fit the ISG Digital Capability Model and help supply chain logistics managers.

About ISGISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 700 clients, including more than 70 of the top 100 enterprises in the world, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including automation, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,300 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countriesa global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry's most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit http://www.isg-one.com.

SOURCE Information Services Group, Inc.

http://www.isg-one.com

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ISG to Explore Digital Transformation for Supply Chain Management in HERE Technologies Webinar - PRNewswire

With sustainability high on the water industry's agenda, maximising resource recovery from wastewater is becoming increasingly important. As part of our Utility of the Future campaign, we look at the challenges and innovations that could impact the industry as it harnesses the potential value of wastewater. Nadine Buddoo reports.

Severn Trent has recently opened a new multi-million pound demonstration test-bed site at Spernal STW in Redditch and will be using this to validate technologies and flowsheets that can be used to upgrade its wastewater treatment works to resource recovery factories.The test-bed offers the opportunity to evaluate energy neutral wastewater treatment and to recover valuable materials contained in wastewater.Energy neutral sewage treatmentThe initial focus of the trial programme will be on low energy treatment consisting of enhanced primary treatment and mainstream anaerobic treatment.An enhanced primary treatment stage removes more suspended solids and more organic load than conventional primary settlement tanks.This directs more of the organic load to the energy generating anaerobic sludge digesters and less to the energy consuming wastewater secondary treatment process.

Severn Trent has been developing the anaerobic technology over the last 10 years with one of its research partners, Cranfield University. Anaerobic treatment is already successfully used in warm countries like Brazil, but recent research breakthroughs with anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBRs) have developed a process capable of efficient treatment in temperate climates like the UKs. In 2020 the company plans to commission the largest demonstration scale AnMBR system in Europe, capable of treating up to 500m3/d.The AnMBR will degrade the organic material in sewage without the need for air and in doing so will produce methane that can generate renewable electricity.Nutrient recoveryIn most of Severn Trents wastewater treatment plants the company also removes nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus to protect the streams and rivers it discharges into.Nutrients, however, are an essential resource, they are a component of all living cells and without them it is impossible to grow crops, fruit or vegetables.Nitrogen fertilisers are manufactured by the energy intensive Haber-Bosch process which chemically converts nitrogen from the air to ammonia.Phosphorus is a non-renewable, finite resource that is mined and incorporated into fertilisers.Consequently, the Earths phosphate rock reserves are becoming rapidly depleted.There is a compelling argument, therefore, to recover both nitrogen and phosphorus from sewage.

Severn Trent already has a full-scale plant that recovers phosphorus in the form of struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) at its Nottingham sewage treatment works.Mainstream anaerobic treatment will not remove nitrogen and phosphorus from the sewage, which in the context of nutrient recovery is yet a further advantage. The effluent from an AnMBR will be relatively rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, but crucially it is free from solids and hence very suitable for adsorption and ion exchange based nutrient recovery technologies that the company will also evaluate at Spernal.These technologies, developed by Cranfield University, use a media mesolite for ammonia recovery and an iron nano-particle embedded ion exchange bead for phosphorus recovery.Future opportunitiesThis work in developing resource recovery from sewage has been strongly supported by the companys involvement in a number of EU research projects.The EUs Horizon 2020 Innovation Fund has provided approximately 450,000 worth of funding for the AnMBR demonstration plant through the NextGen project.This European consortium, consisting of over 30 world-leading partners from across the EU, is setting out a four-year programme to evaluate and champion circular economy solutions and systems in the water sector.

Global demand for energy and water is expected to increase by 40 per cent and 50 per cent respectively by 2030, according to the United Nations. As this demand soars, optimising wastewater management processes could unlock solutions to some of societys biggest sustainability challenges, from food production to renewable energy.

In January 2018, the UK government published its 25 Year Environment Plan which sets out plans to improve the environment within a generation. As part of this ambitious strategy to improve the UKs air and water quality, a key target is minimising waste and championing the reuse of materials to reduce the impact on the environment.

Work is already underway as the government aims to reach zero avoidable waste by 2050 and water companies must play a vital role in reducing waste and delivering a sustainable water system for the future.

UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR) is currently leading the development of the water research agenda by defining a strategic research programme to address the key sustainability issues facing the industry. From a growing population and changing climate, to extensive market reform and evolving customer expectations, the challenges for the water industry are myriad and complex.To ensure the industrys response to these key issues is informed by comprehensive research, UKWIR has developed 12 Big Questions that seek to shape the blueprint for a more sustainable future.One big question is how the industry can maximise recovery of useful resources and achieve zero waste by 2050. Recovering valuable resources from water and wastewater is becoming particularly crucial as the industry recognises that the traditional linear economic model of take, make, use throw is simply unsustainable.

Recovery from wastewater is becoming increasingly important because we need to move from a linear to a circular economy in a world of depleted resources, explains Alison Fergusson, associate director at Ofwat. For example, the use of materials like phosphorus which is essential for food production and yet our source for it is a finite and limited mineral.

Traditional wastewater treatment methods call for the removal of phosphorus, resulting in increased use of chemicals like iron salts. But the finite nature of phosphorous, for example, makes a compelling case for resource recovery, instead of removing it and treating it as waste.

Peter Vale, technical innovation lead in Severn Trents environmental R&D team, agrees that the water industry can play an important role in an emerging circular economy (re-use, remanufacture, repair, recycle) where there is more focus on recovery and regeneration. We receive huge amounts of waste water that is full of potentially valuable materials that can be recovered and regenerated, for example nutrients, cellulose, bio-plastics and perhaps in the future higher value materials such as proteins and enzymes, he says.We can potentially use some of these materials ourselves or sell them on to be made into value-added products.

According to Vale, Severn Trent has advanced plans to be at the forefront of the emerging circular economy through recovering materials, energy and clean water from the wastewater it treats. By reducing the amount of resources we need to effectively treat sewage, we can also keep customers bills low, he adds.

Key challengesWhile the benefits of wastewater recovery are clear, the route forward is a challenging prospect. The key challenge facing the water industry is getting the right balance between investment, implementation of changes on complex infrastructure, and delivering real efficiency and cost benefits for the future, says Tony McKenna, head of business development and optimisation services, Veolia. Veolia Optimisation Services aims to help clients tackle these challenges by reducing operational costs of wastewater plans. The companys approach to water and wastewater management involves working directly with existing operations to implement and sustain new operating regimes, while benchmarking against global asset performance.

Outcomes include energy efficiency, reduced chemical usage, reduced carbon footprint, improved resilience, reduced capital maintenance spend and a set of optimised business processes and associated operating philosophy, says McKenna.

Vale agrees there are complex challenges ahead for water companies, but believes the major obstacles are more around regulation and public perception rather than operational concerns. In order for an investment in resource recovery technology to be viable we need to achieve a reasonable price for the recovered material we generate, this is unlikely if it is still perceived as a waste product.Gaining end of waste status for recovered materials will be an important component of this, he says.

Customers are often resistant to the prospect of wastewater recovery, primarily due to a lack of awareness and concerns over the re-use of waste products. While more research is undoubtedly required to improve public perception, Vale does not see this as an insurmountable hurdle. I think there is an opportunity to tap into the increasing public demand for sustainable products, he explains. It may be that in the same way as organic food the public will be prepared to pay a premium for sustainable recovered materials and this will make the financial case for investing in resource recovery more compelling.

As further research will be critical to help move the industry forward, UKWIR is hopeful that its programme around maximising recovery of useful resources and achieving zero waste will provide some much-needed clarity, particularly around the value of waste and its economic viability.

There is huge potential to remove valuable resources from water and wastewater, but we really need to understand the whole cycle and getto the heart of the most efficient and economically viable point of recovery, insists Steve Kaye, chief executive, UKWIR.

The research programme will involve a series of projects on issues such as improving resource recovery efficiencies, while ensuring these practices arecommonplaceand championed across the industry.Over the course of the next year, the UKWIR team will be inviting universities, consultants and other key stakeholders to get involved and help deliver these research projects. It is this type of industry-wide collaboration that will be vital to help drive innovation and maximise resource recovery from the creation and operation of valuable assets.

Promoting innovation Currently, the value of recovered materials is not overtly taken into account in how Ofwat carries out its economic regulatory duties, but the regulator is encouraging water companies to find innovative ways to improve their processes and efficiency through its comparative benchmarking regulation. If net costs can be reduced through additional income from sale of recovered materials then companies can reap the benefits of improved efficiency, says Fergusson.

The regulator has been consulting on ways to improve the uptake of innovation and hopes to see a transformational change in how innovation is tested and successful innovations are adopted across the water sector. We hope that encouraging a transformation in innovation will ensure that resource recovery gets a seat at the table and we can forge a way to meet zero waste by 2050, adds Fergusson.

For Severn Trent, collaborating with academia and other stakeholders is key to driving innovation in this area. As well as working with Cranfield University to develop anaerobic technology [see case study], the company is also collaborating on a new development with Coventry University that will produce hydrogen from waste materials using renewable energy produced at its sites.

Looking aheadThe future sustainability of the water industry is heavily dependent on the way wastewater is managed. But shifting towards a more circular approach is about more than just delivering an alternative source of clean water to meet rising demand. Wastewater is a largely untapped resource, with the potential to have wide-ranging impact in areas such as energy production, agriculture and industrial development.

With the emergence of new technologies, increased collaboration will be key for the industry as it forges ahead into a new era of wastewater management. Working closely with research partners to harness the potential value of wastewater, while engaging with communities, could help secure the sustainability of the water system to 2050 and beyond.

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Wastewater: Seizing the opportunity - WWTonline

Drilling rig operator Cornelius Malebye samples groundwater emerging from the 356m-deep H8A12 well drilled in the utility section of the Steenbras Nature Reserve. (Photo: John Yeld / Groundup)

Another hydrological year (October September) has passed, marking the fifth straight year of below-average rainfall. The relatively drier months of August and September dropped South Africa below average for the year. My records show a rainfall of 702mm, against an average of 788mm. Collectively, we are now less concerned than in previous years as the main dams feeding Cape Town are at a more healthy 80%. As a result, we can face the coming summer with some confidence.

While Capetonians deserve a pat on the back for their extraordinary water savings the key reason we got through the drought it is also a time to reflect on those aspects we got right and those aspects we got wrong. Some of us will remember the City of Cape Towns plan to produce 500ML/day of new water through the introduction of desalination, recycled water and groundwater. The production of 20ML/d of new water from a couple of small desalination plants and rejuvenation of the Atlantis Aquifer water supply scheme points to their plan being greatly flawed from both a volume and timing perspective.

There is no doubt the officials dealing with the crisis were under a huge amount of pressure at the time, but some robust introspection now that the dams are fuller could help us do better next time. And make no mistake there will be a next time. Our provincial neighbours to the north and east are currently dealing with the same drought issues and, based on our experiences, we should be able to offer them some wise counsel.

The agricultural sector in the Western Cape was one of the real casualties of the drought. While many of us only really suffered the indignation of not smelling as fresh as we wanted or dealt with toilets that didnt have our sanitary stamp of approval, it was estimated in July 2018 that more than 30,000 farmworkers lost their jobs a devastating impact to them, their dependants and the economy. The drought cost the economy of the Western Cape R5.9-billion.

It was while wondering what remedial measures were being put in place to help the agricultural sector and those that had suffered direct economic hardship that a really interesting scientific paper crossed my desk.

It was prepared by friend and colleague Dr Jude Cobbing together with Bradley Hiller and was titled Waking a sleeping giant: Realising the potential of groundwater in Sub-Saharan Africa. Cobbing now finds himself temporarily in Washington, but remains a Grahamstown boy at heart.

Initial geological training was superseded by a focus on hydrogeology and a career that has seen him work in the groundwater arena in many far-off places, and with some well-respected hydrogeologists. It is probably this more worldly and unconstrained view that allowed Cobbing to consider the future role of groundwater in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Reading scientific articles can be a chore, but this one piqued my interest on a couple of fronts.

Using large-scale estimates argued by some to be of little value Cobbing and Hiller contend that SSA uses a small amount of its available groundwater resource, only 5%. They state that only seven out of 43 SSA countries use more than 10% of their estimated renewable groundwater resource, of which South Africa is one. Accepting that these estimates are ballpark at best, they nonetheless indicate that there is scope for greater groundwater use.

In contrast, groundwater is overused in places like California and India with concomitant declining groundwater levels, deteriorating quality, subsidence and the like. However, it is unreasonable and illogical that we concern ourselves with the problems experienced elsewhere, but which are not applicable here. The general absence of scientifically documented negative impacts resulting from groundwater abstraction in South Africa supports this. Not for one minute am I advocating that we disregard potential impacts associated with over-abstraction, but rather we need to retain context and perspective based on experience and observation.

Cobbing and Hiller then argue that the under-used renewable resource needs to be viewed in light of the pressing problems of the region, namely the need for job creation, economic development and water scarcity manifested in 315-million people in SSA remaining without access to improved drinking water, endemic food insecurity, low levels of irrigated agriculture and recurrent drought events. Instead of focusing on conservation and remediation as is done in the US, SE Asia and China in response to groundwater use being at or over the limits of the resource we need to be using groundwater beneficially and sustainably to overcome our own pressing challenges.

Groundwater is used to supply 350 towns and villages in South Africa with water either independently or in conjunction with surface supplies. This is achieved with varying degrees of success, but often without informed management. The empty dam at Beaufort West became the poster for the drought in the Western Cape, yet 90% of the towns water supply comes from boreholes. The real issue in Beaufort West is that about half of abstracted water is unaccounted for, ie no one knows where it goes. Crazy, but let me not digress.

What really got me excited about the Cobbing and Hiller paper was their contention that under-utilised groundwater married with new technologies like solar power could play a major role in combating poverty and improving food and water security. In addition to shifting the focus away from the potential negative impacts of using groundwater, political, economic and administrative barriers will have to be overcome. This can be done with good leadership and money.

But how exciting would it be to develop local groundwater resources abstracted using solar-driven borehole pumps to supply water to villages and for small-scale irrigation? And all to the benefit of those South Africans who battle to feed themselves and their families.

Outside of the major metropolitan areas, a large part of the South African population resides in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal stretching from Port Elizabeth all the way up the eastern seaboard. The groundwater resources of the region vary, but are more than adequate to supply small villages and irrigate small plots.

Groundwater is a local resource driven by local geology, and well-suited to supplying water to remote and dispersed areas. It is generally resilient to drought and can be developed incrementally, avoiding large capital expenditure from the outset.

A national programme is required to develop the skills needed to site, drill, test and equip boreholes. Without trying to offend my younger colleagues, hydrogeologists need to have a strong grounding in geology and they need to get into the field kicking rocks is what we do. If our universities and technikons are going to produce young people with the requisite skills, there has to be a job market ready to employ them, but I will get to that.

It is also central that appropriate technology be used. We need to move away from high-tech stuff rather focusing on robust, durable equipment readily serviceable on-site. The selfsame Jude Cobbing has been telling us for years that O&M is the kicker operation and maintenance. To be successful, this programme has to train men and women from the benefiting communities to operate and maintain the pumps and associated infrastructure, another clear need in the education curriculum going forward.

If there is anything I have learnt in the past two years implementing drought-alleviation measures at key facilities across the Western Cape, it is that the development of the groundwater component is a small part of any water supply system. We are going to have to train engineers and technicians to design and implement groundwater schemes that take account of the peculiarities of the resource, the remote areas in which they will be working and the need for simple, robust infrastructure.

The notion of using groundwater to address poverty and hunger goes far beyond my area of expertise. As communities are able to feed themselves, and then produce excess food so too will a local economy develop. Trading in produce and other goods and services will grow, maybe to a point of trading with other villages or regions. Clearly we will need the input of sociologists, economists and the like to enhance the business end of things.

Is this naive thinking? Maybe. But it could work, given the right support and energy. We have a nation with many impoverished people about 40% according to Stats SA and we are not making much headway in improving their lot. With the unemployment rate just below 30%, the outlook is bleak.

As the groundwater community gathers for their biennial conference in Port Elizabeth this week, maybe this long-term opportunity should be put on the table. While the technical aspects are entirely feasible, a programme such as this requires significant backing both political and financial and over the long term. Our young graduates battle to find jobs, yet there is so much to do in this country. The Working for Water programme where the state employs individuals to achieve a goal might be a template to advance this idea.

However, we need to find a mechanism to wake the sleeping giant to trigger the change we so dearly need. DM

Dr Roger Parsons is a hydrogeologist with more than 30 years experience. He is the director of Parsons & Associates Specialist Groundwater Consultants and former provincial branch chair of the Ground Water Division. He writes this article in his private capacity.

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Drought-proofing South Africa: Groundwater is the way to go - Daily Maverick