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The Greater Zurich Area is currently much better connected to the Extra-High Voltage (EHV) grid from the North than it is from the South. In the North, the 220-kV grid extends as far as the city of Zurich. In the South, on the other hand, connection points are only connected to the city boundary with one 150-kV line each. Swissgrid therefore plans to connect the new Waldegg Substation to the EHV grid so that the EHV grid in future also extends as far as the city of Zurich from the South.

On behalf of @Swissgrid and @ewz, we – as part of the engineering consortium KiWa220 (c/o @ILF Consulting Engineers in Switzerland, @Suisseplan Ingenieure) – have been responsible, since February, for the overall project management of the planning and design of the new Waldegg Substation. From here, electricity will flow into the city of Zurich. The substation will be built underground to minimize its impact on the landscape and visibleness from the neighboring residential area as much as possible.

We would like to thank the client for the trust which they have placed in us and are pleased to be able to make a contribution to the security of electricity supply in the city of Zurich.

Leran more about this project in detail…

Hyphen’s project is one of the largest green hydrogen projects globally, and will supply and decarbonise Namibia’s energy systems, as well as exporting to international markets. Hyphen is targeting annual production of one million tonnes of green ammonia by 2027, with plans to increase annual production to two million tonnes by 2029, cutting 5-6 million tonnes in CO2 emissions every year. Operating at full scale, Hyphen’s project could produce 350,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually.

The project in Tsau // Khaeb National Park will act as a blueprint for future green hydrogen projects globally. Hyphen Hydrogen Energy (Hyphen) recently announced the signing of a partnership agreement with ILF Consulting Engineers (ILF) to support the delivery of its ground-breaking green hydrogen project.

As part of an integrated team, ILF will provide project management services and technical expertise to drive Hyphen’s project in Namibia, as well as procurement and contract advice. ILF will also provide implementation expertise in support of Hyphen’s socio-economic-development goals.

Marco Raffinetti, CEO of Hyphen Hydrogen Energy, said: “Our partnership with ILF marks an exciting step towards establishing Namibia as a world leader in the green hydrogen sector. ILF’s experience working on hydrogen projects across the world will be invaluable and will help Hyphen meet the project timelines and Namibia’s development objectives. “This appointment, combined with our engagement with potential consortium partners, shows there is massive interest in Namibia from those looking to invest in one of the world’s lowest cost and most advanced large scale green hydrogen projects. We look forward to working closely with ILF in the delivery of this transformative project.”

Dr. Michel Kneller, Director of Hydrogen at ILF, said: “We are proud to be a part of this significant lighthouse project. By providing our engineering and project management consultancy (PMC) services to this unique venture, we can contribute to the energy transition. Hydrogen plays a crucial role in transforming our energy system, and we are convinced it is key to a sustainable future.”

ILF has signed a contract with Gasgrid Vetyverkot Oy, which was founded to promote the development of the Finnish hydrogen network, international infrastructure cooperation and the hydrogen market in Finland and the surrounding area.
The contract includes the basic design for a hydrogen transmission pipeline (approx. 23 km long) in Finland, along with a compressor station and related infrastructure. In addition, ILF will support the client in obtaining the necessary permits and agreements in consultation with local institutions.

The pipeline will transport hydrogen produced at the Kemira Oyj’s plant in Joutseno to the Ovako Imatra Oy Ab’s steel mill in Imatra.
This is the first hydrogen transmission project that extends beyond an industrial site.

The project will enable the implementation of the first complete hydrogen value chain in Finland, from electricity to hydrogen produced as a by-product in the chemical industry and to the end products of the green steel industry.

This will be the first step towards the development of domestic and international hydrogen-based markets and hydrogen transmission infrastructure.

As part of the engineering consortium ʺIngenieurgemeinschaft Fernbahntunnel Frankfurt am Mainʺ, ILF has been tasked with designing/producing the preliminary design for a new tunnel and new underground station for long-distance traffic beneath Frankfurt’s terminus station. ILF is significantly involved in the technical design of the tunnel structures, emergency exits and bifurcation structures in connection with the underground station.

Once the future tunnel has been commissioned and goes into operation, the majority of long-distance trains will be able to approach the new station through the tunnel. This will not only eliminate the bottlenecks at Frankfurt’s existing main station, but will also allow local and regional public transport to flow more smoothly into the main station, as well as enable the expansion of local and regional public transport services as required.

Of the three corridors examined in the feasibility study, the Southern Corridor was the corridor option to be chosen. The advantage of this option is that the future tunnel can be connected to the existing railway lines in the direction of Hanau at two separate points. These connections will mean that all trains heading in this direction will be able to run at optimum capacity, and traffic can be better distributed over the existing routes. To the West, the tunnel will be connected to the planned third Niederrad Bridge.

Further information on the project can be found at https://www.fernbahntunnel-frankfurt.de

The Gemeinschaftskraftwerk Weerbach (GKW) Hydropower Plant was inaugurated at the end of June.
​​​​The GKW Hydropower Plant uses the natural hydraulic power of the Weerbach stream. Water is fed via a water intake structure, located at around 1,500 masl, and an approximately 4-km-long penstock, to the power house, located at around 1,100 masl. At the power house, a Pelton turbine with a capacity of 1.7 MW generates around 7.5 gigawatt hours of electricity per year, which is fed into two grids via a 25 kV and/or 10 kV transmission line.

After flowing through the turbine, the water is fed into the intake of the downstream hydropower plant, where it is used once again to generate electricity. A second option would be to discharge the water leaving the turbine directly into the Weerbach stream so that the GKW Hydropower Plant can also be operated independently of the existing downstream hydropower plant.

In the residual flow section at the GKW Hydropower Plant, discharge into the Weerbach stream is varied as ecological flow to ensure compliance with ecological requirements and to maintain the hydrological and environmental balance in accordance with the granted permit.

The short construction period of around one year is remarkable and was only possible thanks to the extremely cooperative relationship between all those involved.
We are proud to have been able to successfully complete our work on this complex project, and warmly congratulate all those involved.

Za’atari Camp is located in the Jordanian desert, about 10 km west of the city of Al Mafraq. Since its establishment in 2012, the camp has developed into an urban settlement, and is currently home to about 80,000 people, most of them refugees who have fled from the civil war in their home country of Syria. While the sanitation system in the camp has gradually evolved over time with the provision of a camp-wide sewer system and a wastewater treatment plant, the sludge management currently practiced is based on the transportation of liquid sludge over long distances by trucks and sludge disposal in remote areas.

In 2022, ILF was contracted to provide consulting services aimed at improving sludge management in Za’atari Refugee camp in an environmentally friendly and cost-effective manner. This multi-donor action is jointly co-financed by the EU Regional Trust Fund in Response to the Syrian Crisis (EUTF Syria) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and is being implemented by GIZ. Under the contract, ILF and its local partner Engicon have produced three main deliverables: 1) a Pre-Feasibility Study, 2) a Feasibility Study and 3) Tender Documents for Consulting Services covering the Conceptual Design, Tendering and Construction Supervision.

The objective of the preliminary studies was to establish baseline conditions and data, identify and evaluate options for sludge management, and select the preferred option. The preferred option that was selected was greenhouse sludge drying in conjunction with a series of upstream sludge treatment facilities at the existing wastewater treatment plant. Consultations and workshops with stakeholders were critical to the decision-making process regarding selection of the preferred sludge management option.

We would like to thank all stakeholders (including the EU, the German government, GIZ, UNICEF, UNHCR, WAJ, Yarmouk Water Company, Oxfam and the FAO amongst others) for their joint support in this assignment and wish them every success for the implementation of the project!

In Norway, the Norwegian Public Road Administration, Statens Vegvesen, is currently building the E39 Rogfast Project. This project, located North of Stavanger, involves the construction of the twin-tube Boknafjord Tunnel, which, when complete, will be the longest and deepest undersea road tunnel in the world being 26.7 km long and 390 m below sea level at its deepest point.

In addition, the Rogfast Project has been selected by Statens Vegvesen as a pilot project to help reach their CO2 targets through the use of electric-powered heavy construction machinery. Statens Vegvesen has commissioned a consortium consisting of ILF Consulting Engineers in Norway, ILF Consulting Engineers in Austria, Graz University of Technology (Austria) and Sovik Consulting (Norway) to carry out a risk assessment for the use of electric-powered vehicles, commonly referred to as Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV s), in the E39 Rogfast Project.

The aim of this study is primarily to investigate potential fire risks associated with the use of battery-powered heavy vehicles for the transportation of excavated rock.
These fire hazards could arise, for example, from overloading during heavy use or from recharging the vehicles. The impact of these vehicles on the construction process and their practical implementation will also be investigated.
With delivery of this service, the consortium is making a targeted contribution to one of the largest tunnel projects ever to be built in Norway and to the sustainability of tunnelling in general.

The Point Tupper Green Hydrogen/Ammonia Project is considered one of the most advanced projects for the large-scale production of green ammonia. The aim of the project is to produce certified green hydrogen and ammonia to meet increased global demand. This project also makes it possible to reduce the amount of CO₂ emissions compared to the amount emitted from conventional ammonia production processes.
EverWind Fuels plans to deliver certified green hydrogen to German offtakers by 2025. Supplying the German market with green hydrogen is an important goal of the historic hydrogen alliance between Canada and Germany. The agreement was signed in August 2022 and contributes to achieving climate targets.

ILF is pleased to be able to support EverWind Fuels in this pioneering project as a Project Management Consultant (PMC).
​​​​​​​We will also lend technical support to EverWind Fuels and perform the Design Review for the EPC Contractor.

For the initial phase of green hydrogen and green ammonia production (200,000 tonnes per year), EverWind has received environmental approval from the Canadian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change for their project, with an investment volume of more than USD 1 billion.
Construction of the hydrogen and ammonia production plant is planned to commence in 2023, on an industrial site at Point Tupper in Nova Scotia, Canada. The jetty at the existing EverWind Fuels’ tank farm will be used to load the ammonia onto ships.
In the first phase, certified green electricity will be used. This electricity will mainly come from newly installed regional wind farms and will be transported via the public grid. In a second phase, the facility will be significantly expanded and for this purpose, separate 2GW wind farms will be developed.

The National Water Company (NWC) of Saudi Arabia is addressing the problem of high salinity levels in the drinking water in six cities in the Eastern region of the country through a new program. The NWC plans to construct transmission lines with a total length of 520 km, 21 pumping stations and 42 storage tanks. In addition, the overall network will be extended to serve new areas and old pipelines will be replaced to reduce water losses.

An additional 420,000 m³/day of water is needed from alternative sources before all of the existing groundwater wells which have high salinity levels can be closed, and to cater for the future demand of 1,370,000 m³/day. This additional water will be supplied by the Saline Water Conversion Company (SWCC KSA) in Saudi Arabia.

The NWC has entrusted ILF with the project management, construction supervision, and  design review services for this program – the currently biggest urban water supply program in Saudi Arabia.

A large part of Northern Germany’s wind energy potential cannot currently be used due to bottlenecks in the power grid.
The aim is to be able to utilize this unused wind energy potential in the future by converting it into green hydrogen with the help of power-to-gas facilities.
Transporting gaseous hydrogen in pipelines has clear advantages – technically, economically and ecologically – in comparison to other transport options.

In this context, HyPerLink, Gasunie’s envisaged approximately 66-km-long hydrogen network, and a key part the future European hydrogen network, shall provide an efficient link between the Netherlands, Germany and Denmark. A particularity of this project is that the HyPerLink will be developed mainly by converting already existing natural gas infrastructure into hydrogen infrastructure with a capacity of up to 7.2 GW. ILF has been commissioned by Gasunie for the “Project design and project management for the modification of existing pipeline infrastructure in HyPerLink Phase I and Phase II”.

This gives ILF the opportunity to participate in one of the European hydrogen industry’s lighthouse projects.
The project for which an application for early commencement of measures has been submitted, is awaiting notification from the IPCEI program.

ILF has committed itself to becoming ‘Net Zero’ by 2040.

Becoming ‘Net Zero’ first and foremost means reducing, reducing and (once again!) reducing emissions. In line with the Science Based Target Initiative, we are following the pathway towards achieving net zero emissions by making ambitious efforts to reduce our overall greenhouse gas emissions by at least 90% by 2040, and by offsetting a maximum of 10% of our remaining, unavoidable emissions.

How will ILF become ‘Net Zero‘ by 2040?

Having set ourselves near-term targets for 2030 and committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2040, it is now time to take concrete steps to reach this ambitious goal. The Sustainability Team at ILF has therefore organized for a number of Net Zero workshops to be held, where colleagues from all levels of the ILF hierarchy will be able to share their ideas and together formulate specific goals and measures to be taken at their ILF location. In view of our current carbon footprint, special attention will be given to ILF’s “top three” emission sources: Business Travel by Aircraft, Business Travel in Company Vehicles and Employee Commuting.

At ILF, we know that achieving net zero emissions by 2040 in line with the Science Based Targets Initiative is an ambitious goal, but we are ready and willing to do whatever it takes to reach this goal!

The Glenmuckloch Energy Park (GB-SCT) project entails the conversion of a disused open-cast coal mine into a renewable energy hub. This Energy Park will involve the development of both a 210 MW Pumped Hydroelectric Energy Storage (PHES) plant and a 33.6 MW wind farm on the same site.

During its previous operation, the Glenmuckloch mine was contributing to the greenhouse gas emissions associated with coal-powered energy generation. The envisaged Glenmuckloch Energy Park will serve the purpose of actively reversing these impacts, by contributing to the transition from thermal to renewable energy generation.

The former mining operations at Glenmuckloch created a significant void in the ground, which is to be used as the lower reservoir. Approximately 220 m above the lower reservoir, a new turkey’s nest reservoir will be constructed. The two reservoirs will be connected by an above-ground steel penstock entering a shaft powerhouse located adjacent to the lower reservoir. The PHES will be able to provide approximately 1,600 MWh of renewable energy per cycle.

As part of the decommissioning process for the mine, the entire Glenmuckloch area will need to be rehabilitated. Instead of allowing the mine to become a dormant asset, the conversion of the site into a renewable energy hub will not only provide energy security for the region, but will also help to create jobs for the local communities.

ILF, together with the lead partner Ove Arup & Partners Limited (Arup), has been appointed as the Owner’s Engineer for the development of this project. Arup will oversee the full development of the wind farm project components, while ILF has been engaged as a specialist sub-consultant to oversee the development of the PHES project components. The project is being financed by the Foresight Group (Foresight), a sustainability-led alternative assets and SME investment manager.

The European Union has declared that hydrogen – and its derivatives, such as ammonia and methanol – are key to achieving the Union’s legally binding obligations to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030 (compared to 1990 levels) and to become climate neutral by 2050.

As Europe is unable to produce sufficient quantities of hydrogen for its own needs, imports from overseas are currently the subject of many detailed investigations.

Late last year, political leaders from Germany and Canada entered into a hydrogen alliance, based on the idea of exporting clean hydrogen to the EU in order to help reduce the need for natural gas imports. Shortly after the alliance was formed, ILF began working on two techno-economic studies on Canada’s readiness to transport hydrogen products by sea from Eastern Canada to Europe.
ILF’s involvement in these studies is an example of one of the contributions that ILF is making towards a sustainable future for our planet.

Within the scope of work for the new twin-track Feeder Line North of the Brenner Base Tunnel, DB Netz AG has commissioned ILF Consulting Engineers, as part of an engineering consortium with two other partners, to carry out the route design and project planning works for the preliminary design of the Grafing–Ostermünchen (GER) section.

Currently under construction, this section forms part of the Feeder Line North of the Brenner Base Tunnel which is an integral part of the Scandinavian–Mediterrranean Corridor (Scan–Med Corridor) from Finland to Malta. This corridor is also the most important North–South Railway Link in Europe. The approx. 15-km-long section comprises the northernmost part of this project. In addition to open-track sections, associated traffic infrastructure, bridges and tunnels are also planned.

The Building Information Modelling (BIM) method is being used during the design which also includes an option for further design phases (conceptual design, permit application design and tender design).

Having already been involved in the previous design phase for this section (namely the route selection procedure), ILF has detailed knowledge of the local site conditions and can therefore support this complex project in the further design phases.

With less than 100 m³ of renewable water resources per capita and per year, Jordan is one of the most water-scarce countries in the world.
The existing water resources are already heavily overexploited and are rapidly being depleted as a result of supplying a growing population. The water sector in Jordan is characterized by high water losses and low cost coverage.

To tackle the challenges associated with water supply in Jordan, the Water Authority of Jordan (WAJ) has commissioned a joint venture, consisting of ILF and Engicon, with the project “Energy Efficiency in the Water Sector II in Jordan”. The focus of this project is on reducing the amount of non-revenue water, such as leakages or illegal connections, as well as reducing the carbon footprint of the water sector in general.

A multi-pronged approach has been chosen to make every drop count. Five selected pumping stations will be rehabilitated, mainly by replacing inefficient equipment such as pumps, fittings and valves. To ensure a more sustainable operation of the water network, an additional booster pumping station will be constructed. Furthermore, the water network itself will undergo several changes in order to make the best use of the mountainous terrain.

Measures which increase energy efficiency in the water sector are both environmentally and economically beneficial for all parties involved.

The rehabilitation of the pumping stations and the restructuring of the water supply network are projected to save more than 9,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually.

Energy demand can be lowered by approximately 50%, and, in addition, up to 20% of physical water losses are expected to be eliminated.

Phase 1 of the construction works has recently started and is expected to be completed in 2025. Phase 2 is currently out to tender.

ILF has won the contract for project management, development and design, including management of all environmental issues, for the Linz Urban Railway, Austria.

The metropolitan area of Linz (in the province of Upper Austria) has a number of hospitals, universities, cultural and administrative facilities and offers more jobs than there are inhabitants (> 200,000). As a result, Linz has been struggling with commuter traffic for a long time.

A high-quality alternative to private transport is therefore needed and a new public transport solution is being developed. The key objectives are to provide high-quality transport for passengers, fast travel times, direct connections to high-level institutions and links to the existing infrastructure: the Linz Urban Railway.

ILF was commissioned by Schiene OÖ GmbH, together with a local partner in Linz, to prepare the documents for the preliminary design of all the technical and environmental aspects and to clarify the necessary legal proceedings for all sections of the Linz Urban Railway. Planning for the approval procedure and the environmental impact assessment for the urban railway’s connection to the university is an optional part of the contract.

NZSki, one of New Zealand’s ski field operators, plans to increase the capacity of its ski area ”The Remarkables” near Queenstown from its current capacity of approx. 3,500 skiers to a future capacity of approx. 7,500 skiers. For the proposed plans to become reality, the neighboring bowl, the Doolans Basin, shall be developed into a ski area. To achieve this, various options will be investigated in a masterplan and a development strategy will subsequently be formulated.

ILF Consulting Engineers has been entrusted with preparing this masterplan which covers slopes, ropeways, snow-making systems, ski tunnels, parking facilities, mountain restaurants, maintenance and service infrastructure as well as connections to the existing ski area. The masterplan will also encompass all the construction measures required to operate the ski resort following the increase in capacity.

ILF Consulting Engineers has set another historical milestone in its 50+ years of engineering excellence. We are extremely proud to have been appointed as the consultant of choice for the pre-development studies for three multi-gigawatt solar PV parks. These parks, with an installed capacity of up to 30 GWp, will by far be the world’s largest renewable energy parks in terms of installed capacity.

ILF will provide world-class engineering services, accompanying the parks’ development up to the point where the parks can be tendered on an independent power producer (IPP) basis.

The pre-development studies shall include performance of the following tasks:

• a preliminary site assessment
• preparation of a master plan
• environmental baseline surveys
• an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA)
• the permit application procedure
• various studies, including geotechnical, hydrological, glint/glare and corrosion studies
• an energy yield assessment
• technology selection
• CAPEX/OPEX estimation
• advanced design of the parks

The parks are among the most ambitious and prestigious developments taking place in the world in terms of sustainability, innovation and cutting edge technology, and are a key puzzle piece in Saudi Arabia’s strategy to become a world champion in renewable energy by 2030. This fits perfectly with the ILF Group’s commitment to climate protection and its vision of improving the quality of life around the globe.

Digitalization poses new challenges to be faced in road tunnels – challenges which require interdisciplinary action.

Coordinated by the Federal Highway Research Institute (“Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen” GER) and ILF, the bilateral research project Artificial Intelligence for Improvement of Safety of Tunnels and Tunnel Control Centers (“KITT”) is developing innovative solutions. By using data from Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) as well as Artificial Intelligence (AI), hazardous situations in tunnels, or anomalies in IT security, can be recognized more quickly and reliably.

ILF is proud to be able to apply its extensive experience of performing risk analyses in road tunnels and its own (self-developed) tunnel risk model TuRisMo to improve existing methods by using C-ITS technology.
The research project is being funded by the Security Research Funding Program (“KIRAS”) set up by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism (“BMLRT”) and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (“BMBF”) as part of the call for Artificial Intelligence in Civil Security Research (“Künstliche Intelligenz in der zivilen Sicherheitsforschung”).

As part of a joint venture (JV), ILF has been awarded the contract for the preparation of tender documents for the Eastern Section of the 2nd S-Bahn Main Line in Munich.

This section of the line comprises approx. 3.4 km of tunnels, one underground halt and several civil engineering structures. ILF has also been involved in the design of the Western Section of the line since 2017. As part of different JVs, ILF was commissioned with the final design and the permit application design services for the overall project, the preparation of tender documents and construction design services for two underground halts.

The overall project, with a line length of approx. 10 km, contains a tunnel section with a length of approx. 7 km and three underground halts (with lengths between 230 m and 250 m, and a depth of approx. 45 m). The tunnels – two tunnels and one emergency tunnel – will be driven mainly by TBMs. The underground halts are being constructed using the cut-and-cover method, and for the platform tunnels, the New Austrian Tunneling Method (NATM) is being used.

The Deutsche Bahn has taken the decision to extend the underground section of the line under the city center (by adding a new line beneath the existing one) because the S-Bahn Main Line in Munich was no longer able to handle today’s passenger numbers.