September 21

ESC contributes to securing the subsea survey permit for Sun Cable’s Australia-ASEAN Power Link project

Jakarta, Indonesia: Dubbed as the world’s largest solar farm, the Indonesian government has approved the subsea survey permit for the Australia-ASEAN Power Link (AAPL) project, a major infrastructure project that will supply world-class renewable electricity to Darwin and Singapore.

Sun Cable made the official announcement on September 23rd, sharing that the Indonesian government has recommended the power link’s transmission cables be routed through Indonesian waters and the approval of a subsea survey permit covering a route that has been the subject of extensive consultation and evaluation with multiple government authorities. 

Since late 2020, ESC has been engaged as the environmental consultant supporting Sun Cable to secure an environmental permit and water location permit for the subsea installation plus developing environmental and social impact assessment documents for international stakeholdersESC is proud to have contributed to this significant step through leading initial engagement with the Maritime and Fisheries Department at Central and Provincial Government levels, working with Sun Cable’s team to evaluate environmental and social constraints and opportunities linked to the various corridors being discussed with the Indonesian Government, and ensuring this process links seamlessly into the steps required to secure environmental and location permit approvals.  

The solar farm, estimated to cost at least AUD$30 billion, will include a 20-GW solar farm with panels spread across 15,000 hectares with battery storage in the Northern Territory, Australia, and supported by a 22-GWh battery to enable a 24/7 HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) transmission system to Darwin and Singapore. Sun Cable, the developer behind the project, hopes it can produce up to 15% of Singapore’s electricity needs.  

Construction is expected to start in late 2023, with solar energy to reach Darwin in 2026 and Singapore the following year. From 2028 onwards, the project could lower Singapore’s emissions by 6 million tonnes per year, helping the country achieve its 2030 solar target.  

“This is a significant milestone for the AAPowerLink and brings us closer to generating and transmitting affordable, dispatchable renewable energy to Darwin and Singapore, via the world’s largest renewable energy transmission network, said David Griffin, Sun Cable CEO.

Yesterdayannouncement was the culmination of extensive engagement with the Indonesian government, of which ESC was proud to play its part through initiating consultation with key ministries, including the Maritime and Fisheries DepartmentAdditionally, ESC staff spread across our offices in Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore all contributed to detailed constraints and opportunities evaluation and mappingImportantly, securing the survey permit leads onto the next key steps in the environmental impact assessment and permitting processes,” said Toby Nugent, ESC Indonesia Country Director.

Concurrent to this announcement, ESC’s experienced team were spread across four provinces finalizing the detailed planning for public consultation as the first step for regulatory environmental impact assessment and finalizing documentation to be lodged in support of the marine location permit. It’s a project of many moving parts and unique challenges and we look forward to working with the Sun Cable team to the end goal of securing all regulatory approvals in Indonesia 

Through ESC’s extensive experience in offshore projects, regional presence, and deep knowledge of regulatory frameworks, we were able to provide support to contribute to securing the necessary environmental permits and ESIA development covering Indonesia, Singapore, and Australia.

If you would like to learn more about ESC and how we can solve your complex environment, safety, and sustainability challenges contact us.

 

Photo courtesy of Gatra.com



August 21

A leading oil & gas company commissioned ESC to conduct a HAZOP study

Jurong Island, Singapore: ESC is pleased to announce that one of the largest Oil & Gas/ Petrochemical companies (“the Client”) in the world has awarded us a Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) study for the recent development in Jurong Island, Singapore. As one of the approaches in conducting Process Hazard Analysis (PHA), HAZOP is a structured and systematic review of a process or operation to identify, evaluate, prevent and mitigate any potential issues to personnel or equipment. This partnership will assist the Client to manage the risks arising from its operation.

Prior to this appointment, the Client selected ESC as the preferred EHS consultant in Singapore to carry out a Quantitative Risk Assessment (QRA) for the said development. ESC has successfully obtained QRA In-Principle No Objection Letter from Singapore’s Major Hazard Department (MHD) after several rounds of clarification. The Client commended the continuous support and appreciated the remarkable effort, including strong technical knowledge, demonstrated by ESC’s team.

ESC believes that this project will ensure the Client’s process safety standard is met, fulfilling the MHD requirement stated in the QRA approval letter, and eventually leading to a safer working place for everyone involved.



July 21

Sabine Ramaker appointed new Managing Principal for EHS & Risk Management

We are excited to announce the advancement of Sabine Ramaker to the Managing Principal role for EHS and Risk division. Sabine has been with ESC for seven years, during which time she has held positions as EHS Principal and Senior Consultant.  

  

Sabine possesses a broad range of environmental, health, safety and risk consulting skills, which she gained primarily through her work within the Oil & Gas and Chemical sector to ensure International Safeguards compliance in countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, China and The Netherlands. Her current and most recent focuses have been assisting clients with meeting regulatory EHS and Risk compliance for the Major Hazard Installations in the Oil, Gas, and Chemical Sectors.   

  

As Managing Principal, she will hold a leadership role within ESC and be responsible for the business development of EHS and Risk business area. She will begin her new role on July 1 and continue to provide high-level technical and scientific support regarding complex health & safety and risk projects and studies throughout the region. 

  

In her new role, Sabine says, “I am looking forward to taking on this new challenge to drive ESC’s growth in the EHS and Risk business area. I want to thank ESC for their continuous support in my career development and providing me with the opportunities to grow.” 

 

Speaking to ESC Group Director Andrew Young, he says, “Sabine has proven herself as an excellent, solution-oriented consultant, who focuses on delivering value to all her clients.  I have no doubt that our EHS division will continue to go from strength to strength under her leadership.”



June 21

ESC appoints Toby Nugent as new Country Director for Indonesia

ESC, a leading EHS solutions provider in Asia, announced today that Toby Nugent has been appointed new Country Director for ESC Indonesia. An experienced Managing Principal, Toby will succeed Nigel Landon and assume his responsibilities from June 1, 2021. 

 

Toby possesses a broad range of environmental and social consulting skills, which he gained primarily through his work with Sponsors and Lenders to ensure International Safeguards compliance in countries such as Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar, the Philippines, Malaysia, Cambodia, and Georgia. His current and most recent focuses have been assisting clients with meeting lenders environmental and social safeguards compliance for renewable energy generation and distribution Projects in challenging settings.  

 

In addition to Toby’s new role as Country Director, he will continue to lead ESC’s pursuits in the environmental planning and impact services sectors as the Managing Principal – EIA & EPA.

 

“This change, and together with the appointment of Mahrizal Paru as the Operations Manager (Projects) completes the planned organisational changes for Indonesia and I am sure this new management team will continue to steer Indonesia forward in winning and delivering high-quality projects,” said ESC Group CEO Frank Ganendran. “It is extremely pleasing to observe the significant progress that has been made in the past 18 months and to be able to promote and challenge our “home-grown” talent as their careers progress.” 

 

Nigel Landon will continue as the President Director for ESC Indonesia and focus on leading the IDA business line. Nigel has successfully led the company through significant growth in the IDA sector while achieving consistently high client satisfaction and retention rates.  

 

“I also take this opportunity to express my appreciation of Nigel Landon for working tirelessly and for his leadership over the past couple of years.”  

 

With the changes to Indonesia management, ESC is ready to accelerate the company’s next stage of growth.  



December 20

ESC commissioned to carry out Pre-feasibility Study for World Bank Cambodia Solid Waste & Plastic Management Improvement Project

The World Bank has recently awarded ESC the Cambodia Solid Waste and Plastic Management Improvement Project. The proposed development aims to improve solid waste and plastic management and capacity in selected cities and nationally in Cambodia.

 

According to the World Bank, Cambodia has experienced rapid growth in recent years with increased urban development and tourism in particular. Solid waste is more and more seen as a critical bottleneck for Cambodian cities and districts. This issue has become a high-priority national agenda that may also affect Cambodia’s key tourism destinations including Siem Reap where the Angkor Wat temple complex is located, Phnom Penh, and coastal tourism.

 

Studies show that inadequate disposal of solid waste has major environmental, public health, and economic impacts including air, soil and water pollution from burning and wind-blown waste, and uncontrolled leachate discharge, while uncollected dumps lead to increased pests and diseases. Plastic waste pollution also forms a major source of solid waste in Cambodia that endangers local rivers, lakes, and marine ecosystems.

 

For this project, ESC has been commissioned to carry out the pre-feasibility that will provide:

  • identification and suitability analysis of potential landfill sites for five selected municipalities (Siem Reap, Battambang, Kampong Speu, Sihanoukville, Kandal)
  • assessment of waste generation, composition, and landfill and treatment needs
  • pre-feasibility assessment for new landfill and/or closing/rehabilitation of old landfill
  • assessment of the potential of simple and low costs waste treatment facilities
  • conceptual landfill design options and other waste systems for three cities
  • waste collection and transport planning,
  • Institutional systems assessment, planning, and development,
  • costs assessments, financial analysis including tariffs and institutional/operational options for three cities

 

The project team is led by Nigel Landon, who has an in-depth understanding of systems and procedures for donors, national governments, and the private sector. ESC has been working in the donor sector on World Bank, KFW Development Bank, European Union (EU), Australian Government (DFAT), Asian Development Bank (ADB), and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), projects since 2005. Nigel has reported that: “Through this project, the WB had recognized the need to address problems throughout the solid waste management cycle. In particular by focusing equally on infrastructure, institutional development, fee recovery, and effective management, monitoring, operation, and maintenance. This project represents an important step towards putting in place genuinely sustainable solid waste management systems in Cambodia”



December 20

ESC appointed by Sun Cable Australia for Environmental and Social Impact Assessments

ESC is pleased to have been appointed by Sun Cable Australia as the key environmental and social consultant to develop an Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) as part of securing regulatory approvals for the installation of a 2,200 MW HVDC subsea cable through Indonesian territorial waters.

 

Sun Cable is developing the Australia-ASEAN Power Link (AAPL), a major energy infrastructure project that will supply renewable electricity to Darwin and the ASEAN region.

 

An integral part of the Australia-ASEAN Power Link (AAPL), it provides the key link between a 10GW solar farm in Australia’s Northern Territory through Darwin and into the 400kV Singapore transmission grid.

 

In addition to the core regulatory aspects, drawing upon our significant presence and experience in Singapore, Indonesia, and across the region, we will be providing environmental baseline services within Singaporean territorial waters and developing an Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA) in accordance with IFC Performance Standards covering all three countries.

 

Our strong presence and experience help support seamless regulatory approvals, single-point project management and reach across the Indonesian archipelago. Our team led by Toby Nugent and Pak Yahya Husin will work in partnership with the team at Sun Cable to execute a robust and cost-effective option for delivery of the environmental permitting aspects and ESIA. Planning and scoping works commenced in November 2020, and the overall timeline is expected to take around ten months.



May 20

ESC undertakes in-depth Environmental Impact Study at one of the World’s Largest Floating Solar PV Systems

The Public Utilities Board project at Tengeh Reservoir in Singapore will install a 60 MWp (Megawatt peak) floating solar PV system that will cover approximately one-third of the reservoir surface.

As an expert in the field of environmental impact assessments, we were appointed to understand the potential impacts of installing the solar PV system on the water quality and flora and fauna of the reservoir, as well as carrying out the environmental monitoring and management plan (EMMP) for pre, during and post-construction of the project.

This study involved extensive survey work including setting camera traps to record animals, carrying out in-depth surveys of the flora and fauna and analyzing water quality, aspects we have great experience in.

The Tengeh Reservoir solar PV system is just one of several renewable energy projects which are driving Singapore towards more sustainable methods of energy production. With land scarce in Singapore and solar energy developments requiring significant amounts of space, the large surface areas of Singapore’s reservoirs present great potential for solar energy generation. Solar energy is presently considered the most technically and economically viable renewable energy option for Singapore.



May 20

ESC responds to new post-circuit breaker Safe Management Measures in Singapore

In line with the advisory from Singapore’s tripartite partners – Ministry of Manpower (MOM), National Trade Union Congress, and Singapore National Employers federation recently announced that employers must put in place safe management measures at workplaces to prevent COVID-19 from spreading in the community. Such measures need to be in place before operations can resume.

Safe Management Measures include implementing a detailed monitoring plan to ensure compliance and appointing a Safe Management Officer (SMO) to assist in the implementation, coordination, and monitoring of the safety measures.

 

How ESC can help

ESC understands the need for lowering risk in communities to monitor employees’ health and safety. That is why our Consultants are continuously working to develop and provide useful tools to help organizations manage the risks on their day to day operations. 

ESC Singapore offers to give a Free Safe Management Checklist and a 1-on-1 exclusive call on how to implement Safe Management Measures at workplaces. Get the Checklist here.



May 20

ESC preparing Indonesia’s first IFC compliant EIA

ESC has a long history of producing Environmental Impact Assessments for high profile energy, waste, and remediation projects throughout South East Asia. However, the assessment at the Abadi Gas Fields is the first in Indonesia to seek to integrate the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) comprehensive requirements into the robust Indonesian EIA process. The LNG project is being jointly developed by Inpex and the Indonesian government, at US$20bn represents one of the world’s biggest-ever export ventures. IFC’s mission is to boost sustainable growth in Indonesia.

 

The Abadi Gas Fields, lying 93 miles offshore of Maluku in the Arafura sea, were discovered by Inpex in 2000 and represent one of the largest gas fields ever discovered in Indonesian waters.

 

For projects of this scale, it is important and moreover a legal requirement, that developers conduct a detailed assessment of the potential impacts which the development may have on the physical environment, ecology, and diverse societies with strong traditional and customary ties to the region.  As a leader in our field, with a strong background in producing EIAs for the petroleum industry in Indonesia and applying IFC PS requirements to large projects, we bring with us a deep understanding of the local regulatory framework and unique challenges which projects of this magnitude can present.

 



April 20

BlueKanGo software bridges the communication gap between workshop and management teams

Hamworthy Pumps Singapore implements ESC’s BlueKanGo Hazard Identification and Incident Reporting platform across its sites in Singapore and the U.K.

 

Hamworthy Pumps will install the óff the shelf’ platform to ensure that any hazards and incidents in their workshops are promptly and efficiently dealt with.

 

Shop-floor staff absolutely love BlueKanGo’s real-time notifications and trigger functions – they can use their devices to report any incidents and even escalate straight to the top management. BlueKanGo software bridges the communication gap between workshop and management teams and takes away the pain of paper-based systems facilitating a faster and more targeted response to potentially unsafe situations, in the click of a button.

 

Learn more about BlueKanGo Quality and EHS Software