News

Work at the Weissenstein Tunnel (SUI) construction site is progressing at full speed.
The first sections of the damaged masonry vault have been successfully removed and secured as part of the localized complete rehabilitation of the vault.
The most challenging part of the work is the complex geological conditions and the partially unknown conditions outside the existing masonry. The parts of the masonry vault that have been removed are located in the Opalinus Clay section of the railway tunnel – the geologically most challenging section. Differing conditions, fault zones and brittle conditions in the first section of the Opalinus Clay in the Folded Jura make tunneling difficult in this section.

As part of the rehabilitation work on the Weissenstein Tunnel, localized partial and complete rehabilitation of the vault is being carried out in various sections of the tunnel, and the tunnel drainage system, cable systems, safety installations and railway track running through the tunnel are being renewed. Two existing stations are also being modernized to meet the provisions of the Swiss Disability Discrimination Act.

IG WST (ILF Consulting Engineers in Switzerland and Emch+Berger AG Bern) has been commissioned by the sole contractor – the joint venture ARGE EWT (PORR Group and fretus ag) – as the “Tunnel and Stations Project Manager”, responsible for all rehabilitation works in the tunnel and the stations.

ILF Consulting Engineers in United Arab Emirates is thrilled to share an update on our ongoing Provision of Technical Consultancy Services for Power and Water 2024 project in collaboration with the Sultanate of Oman. In a move to strengthen the Sultanate of Oman’s water security, SMN Barka Power Company SAOC, a subsidiary of SMN Power Holding SAOG, has entered into a new Water Purchase Agreement with Nama Power and Water Procurement.

Our team at ILF-UAE is providing steadfast support to Nama Power and Water Procurement throughout the Power2024 and the BarkaWater2024 tendering process for several existing plants in Oman, including Manah Independent Power Producer, Barka I Independent Water and Power Producer, Barka II IWPP, Sohar I IWPP, and Rusail IPP.

We are committed to ensuring a seamless selection and award process, allowing the necessary facilities to continue operating beyond the terms of their current contractual agreements.

A great success has been achieved, allowing Barka Water and Power Company SAOG, SMN Barka Power Co., Al Ghubrah Power and Desalination company GPDC and Al Rusail Power Co. to officially sign the relevant PPA and WPA extensions.

Our scope of work encompasses various crucial stages, including:
▪ Project Definition Stage
▪ Competition Process Paper (CPP)
▪ Risk Allocation
▪ Request for Proposal (RFP) Process
▪ Bid Management
▪ Bid Evaluation
▪ Negotiation & Closing.
Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to drive forward sustainable power and water solutions for a better future.

We are very pleased to announce ILF’s participation in the Quito Metro Line 1 Project, the first metro line to be built in Ecuador.

This groundbreaking project features a 22 km long underground track, encompassing 15 stations, 16+2 six-car trains, and a cutting-edge depot and workshop facilities. This is Ecuador’s first metro line, which went into commercial operation in December 2023.

The overall project was financed by four prestigious multilateral banks: the World Bank, the European Investment Bank, the Interamerican Development Bank, and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), as well as by the Municipality of Quito and the Government of Ecuador.

The Joint Venture between ILF and Ayesa (Spain) was responsible for the site supervision of Metro Quito, including civil works of tunnel and stations, electromechanical systems, rail systems, a depot and workshop, and rolling stock.

This achievement would not have been possible without the dedication, collaboration, and vision of all involved parties. Let’s celebrate this groundbreaking success and the progress made in creating an efficient and sustainable metro transportation system in Ecuador.

Being a project between France, Germany and Luxembourg,”mosaHYc” (Moselle-Saar-Hydrogen-Conversion) is a European and pioneering cross-border project in the Grande Région, aimed at providing an initial and innovative infrastructure for the transport of hydrogen across borders. Thus Creos’ and GRTgaz’s mosaHYc project constitutes an essential link to bring together hydrogen producers and users in this region. With a 90 km long pipeline, hydrogen can be used as fuel and energy carrier for the industry, for mobility, reconversion and heat in the Grande Région, thus saving almost one million tons of CO₂ per year. It is an important step to achieve the climate targets for 2030, 2040 and 2045!
To this end, about 70 kilometers of existing gas pipelines, some of which are no longer in operation, are to be converted into hydrogen pipelines. By additionally constructing about 20 kilometers of new hydrogen pipelines, the first hydrogen island network will be created.

We are delighted to be part of the planning and design of this innovative project with our team.
Our experts work on the preparation of the detailed design ready for implementation and on obtaining planning approval from the authorities for the construction of the hydrogen pipeline in the Leidingen-Dillingen section.

The start of the planning approval procedure is scheduled for early 2025. After the start of operation in 2027, the island network will have a capacity of up to 120,00 m³/h, depending on the maximum operating pressure.
mosaHYc is an example of a hydrogen infrastructure that extends beyond national borders.

Work on the construction site of the Gotthard road tunnel – the 2nd tube – in Switzerland is running at full speed. In early May 2024, work in the northern fault zone was initiated by starting construction lot 241, and thus the next important construction phase.
The northern fault zone is an approx. 300 m long section, characterised by weak kakirites in the Urseren zone, at the transition from the Mesozoic to the Permo-Carboniferous. It is located about 4.5 km from the northern portal.

The northern fault zone is excavated prior to the main excavation so that the shield TBM coming from the north can be pushed through. Advance takes place using NATM with full-face excavation. The tunnel face, which has an excavation diameter of 15 m, is divided into a maximum of 8 partial areas and systematically supported by using face bolts. Due to the squeezing rock mass behaviour, yielding support is installed, allowing controlled convergence of the profile before it is fastened. The excavation works are expected to continue until the end of 2025.

The joint venture Nuovo Gottardo (ILF Consulting Engineers in Switzerland, Lombardi SA, B+S AG Bern, Emch+Berger AG Bern) being the “Tunnel project manager”, has been commissioned to carry out all works from the Göschenen portal to the Airolo portal. Within the joint venture, all JV partners are involved in the design work required to deal with the fault zones, with ILF being in charge of the northern fault zone. We wish to thank the construction consortium (lot 241) for carrying out these difficult works under complex conditions.

Exciting news from EverWind Fuels as they announce the completion of FEL-3 & FEED engineering for their first phase of green ammonia production in Nova Scotia. This achievement is a significant industry milestone, marking the first completion of FEED for a green ammonia production facility in the Western hemisphere. The engineering work totaled over 110,000 hours and produced 152 engineering deliverables.
ILF was proud to serve as Owner’s Engineer (OE) and Project Management Consultant (PMC) – a collaboration between the offices in Canada and Germany. 

Everwind Nova Scotia Phase 1

• 2024 start of construction
• 240,000 tons of green ammonia produced per year
• 650 MW onshore wind capacity
• 280 MW electrolyzer capacity
• 150 MW & 100 MWh solar and battery capacity

Feed Engineering Complete

• 30% of engineering design complete
• >100,000 hours of engineering and project planning
• 750 TPD ammonia plant production capacity
• Deepest ice-free port on the east coast
• Brownfield site – 700$MM of existing infrastructure
• First project of its kind in North America with full environmental approval
• Designated “Project of National Strategic Interest”
• Feed engineering complete

“ILF is pleased to partner with EverWind as owner’s engineer on its transformational green ammonia project. We are proud that we will continue to drive forward cutting-edge engineering and support EverWind’s compliance with strict green fuel production criteria including EU RED II definition of Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin (RFNBO). We look forward to ensuring that EverWind continues to set new standards in sustainable energy.” (ILF CEO Klaus Lässer)

Read the full press release here: 
EverWind Fuels Announces Completion of FEED for its 1st Phase 240,000 Tonne per Annum Green Hydrogen-to-Green Ammonia Plant

In July 1974, half a century ago, ILF was awarded a contract by Iraq’s State Consulting Company for Oil Projects (SCCOP) to provide engineering and consulting services for the construction of the Strategic Pipeline.

In the same year, Mannesmann contracted ILF to provide design services for the Turkish section of the Iraq–Turkey Pipeline (ITP). Additionally, ILF was tasked with assuming responsibility for the hydraulics of the entire 1,000 km system under a further contract from the Iraq National Oil Company (INOC).

ILF’s success in these contracts not only enabled ILF to enter the Middle Eastern and Turkish markets, but also to apply ILF’s pipeline expertise on an international scale for the first time. In addition, assuming a leading role in the field of Pipeline Engineering, which had previously been dominated by American companies, ILF was also able to establish this field in German-speaking countries.

ILF’s pipeline expertise was developed with determination and purpose during ILF’s early years. Initially focused on oil and gas pipelines, it was rapidly expanded to include pipelines for other media. This expertise was instrumental for ILF being awarded the contract for the Riyadh Water Transmission System (RWTS) in 1977.

Looking back on ILF’s history encourages us to continue acquiring new skills and developing existing ones.

Compiled by Adolf H. Feizlmayr (Co-Founder ILF) in July 2024

ILF is honored to be part of the fourth solar project in Oman in collaboration with Oman Power and Water Procurement Company.

The large-scale solar project in the Sultanate – the 500-MW Ibri III Solar Photovoltaics Independent Power Project – will be built on an area of about 10 million square meters in Al Dhahirah Governorate, with commercial operation scheduled to start in the last quarter of 2026.

The initiative is a significant step towards Oman’s renewable energy goals, and aligns perfectly with OmanVision2040 and its commitment to NetZero plans.

At ILF, we’re honored to play a pivotal role in this endeavor. Our scope of work includes crucial tasks such as site selection studies, training, environmental authority approvals, and providing technical advisory services.

We’re committed to contributing to a sustainable future and are proud to be part of such a ground-breaking initiative.

Our Sustainability Report showcases our strong commitment to sustainability, in line with our vision to be a leader in improving the quality of life around the globe.
Some of the highlights of this year’s report include:

• Planet (Environmental Topics): Disclosure of our greenhouse gas emissions and top 3 sources of emissions in 2023, along with definition of measures to reduce our emissions
• People (Social Topics): Details on our work culture at ILF, the benefits we offer our employees and the contribution we make to society
• Digitalization: Status quo and the measures we are taking to actively drive digital transformation within ILF in order to operate in a more resource-efficient manner and develop innovative solutions
• Governance: An overview of the systems in place at ILF, the principles that guide our business practices, and our measures with regard to compliance and long-term social and environmental compatibility in our design and consulting work

Our focus for 2023 was on our ongoing work to become an Employer of Choice and the further development and implementation of our Net Zero Roadmap.

We are delighted to present our Sustainability Report 2023 at a time of the year when our leaders gather for the annual ILF Leadership Conference, which for 2024 has the theme “Climate Change – Change the Climate?”.

Have a look at ILF’s Sustainability Report here.

The European Bank for Reconstruction & Development (EBRD) supports Jordan in the development of a green hydrogen production hub in the Aqaba Special Economic Zone. Within this initiative, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of Jordan has signed MoU with 13 developers for the production of up to 5 million tons of green ammonia per year. The sites for renewable power generation (wind and photovoltaic), for the hub and a water desalination plant have already been identified.

EBRD has now commissioned ILF to prepare the masterplan for the Green Hydrogen Common Infrastructure including the technical and commercial concept for its implementation. ILF’s team consists of more than ten internal and external key experts in areas such as renewables, power transmission, hydrogen production, environment, ports and water desalination.

The objective of the assignment is to provide advice to Jordanian ministries on how to establish a green hydrogen sector in the country. Main work packages are stakeholder engagement, site evaluation, energy infrastructure design from generation to port and the preparation of commercial structuring based on fair risk allocation between all project participants.

The assignment is another cornerstone for ILF to become one of the leading engineering consulting firms for the global energy transition.

In order for Germany to become climate-neutral by 2045, the country’s electricity grid must be expanded. 
High-capacity direct current lines such as SuedLink will play a key role in ensuring a secure supply of green electricity in the future.

In the SuedLink project, another important milestone has been reached: The application documents for the consultation procedure have been submitted in full and on time, which means that the permit application procedure for design section 2 of SuedLink has been completed and is now pending the final decision from the approval authority. The timely submission of the application documents is important not only because of the challenging topography and technically complex closed crossings along the cable route, but also to ensure that construction can begin on schedule.

The next step will be the start of construction design/detailed design and objection management, which will involve responding to objections from public and private stakeholders. This will be followed by a hearing and, ideally, the planning approval decision in spring 2025, after which construction can begin. SuedLink essentially consists of two direct current (DC) transmission lines (two systems with a voltage level of 525 kV, each with two-pole plastic-insulated cables) running from north to south, which have been planned and are to be built and operated in parallel. 

The two lines will be laid side by side for most of the route to minimize the impact of construction on people and the environment. We are proud of our experts who have been contributing to the SuedLink project since 2019. Most recently, this has involved preparing the full permit application design and application documents. 

We would like to congratulate everyone involved in the project on this milestone and we look forward to the next steps.

The Marafiq–Jubail Industrial Water Treatment Plant-8 Expansion Stage 4 project in Saudi Arabia is a critical endeavor that aims to strengthen water treatment infrastructure while promoting sustainability in the region. This project has been meticulously designed to seamlessly integrate new facilities with existing ones, with two primary objectives in mind: to increase the plant’s treatment capacity and to meet Saudi Arabia’s high water quality standards.

Once complete, the project is foreseen to treat influent industrial wastewater at an astonishing rate of 125,000 cubic meters per day. This substantial capacity ensures that the project can meet the ever-increasing demand for clean and treated water in the region. The facilities have been intricately designed to meet the rigorous water quality standards in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Stage 4 layout also allows for future expansion of the system.

The project underscores ILF’s unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable water management. ILF and its team are pleased to report that progress has been made on this vital water project.

Major rehabilitation work has begun on the Weissenstein Tunnel in Switzerland. The tunnel is currently closed until the work is completed, scheduled for the end of 2025.
The tunnel was opened to traffic in 1908 and needs to be rehabilitated so that it can continue to be used for decades to come.

The Weissenstein Tunnel is a 3.7 km long, over 100 year old single-track railway tunnel that runs through the approximately 1,300 m high Weissenstein mountain and is owned and operated by the Bernese Alpine Railway Company Bern-Lötschberg-Simplon. The existing tunnel has a masonry vault as well as an open water intake and a drainage system. The large groundwater inflow from the mountain, which can be several 100 l/s, has to be collected and diverted.

The rehabilitation work will include localized partial and complete rehabilitation of the vault in various sections of the tunnel, as well as renewal of the tunnel drainage system, cable systems, safety installations and track. Two existing stations will also be gradually modernized to make them accessible.

IG WST (ILF Consulting Engineers in Switzerland and Emch+Berger AG Bern) has been commissioned by the sole contractor – the joint venture ARGE EWT (PORR Group and fretus ag) – as the “Tunnel and Stations Project Manager”, responsible for all rehabilitation works in the tunnel and the stations.

In Aalborg – about a three-hour drive from Esbjerg – the next milestone in Denmark’s sector coupling program will soon be reached; a step towards decarbonizing the heat supply in Denmark. With a total heating capacity of 132 MW, the planned heat pump plant in Aalborg will be two and a half times larger than the world’s largest CO₂-based heat pump plant in Esbjerg.

In total, the seawater heat pump plant in Aalborg will supply one third of the city with district heating and save around 160,000 tons of CO₂ emissions. The plant, to be built in Denmark’s third largest municipality, will consist of three heat pumps, each with a capacity of 44 MW, and is expected to supply around 550,000 MWh of heat per year. Similar to in Esbjerg, the system in Aalborg will use electricity from renewable energy sources and energy harnessed from seawater to generate heat. Construction of the plant is scheduled to start in August 2024.

We have been suppporting MAN Energy Solutions in the development of and processing of orders for such heat pump plants since 2020, most recently with the heat pump project in Esbjerg.
With the award of the EPC contract for this project in Aalborg to MAN, we are delighted that our team of experts can once again contribute to the planning and implementation of the world’s largest CO₂-based heat pump with our electrical engineering, mechanical engineering and automation technology services.

In response to the Paris Agreement (2016) and our ambition at ILF to be net zero not only as a company but also in our project delivery, ILF’s Sustainable Solutions Competence Center has developed a Green House Gases (GHG) methodology to calculate, reduce and mitigate GHG emissions for our clients.

GHG-related “products” and “activities” are critically analyzed by our experts in relation to their design data, emission factor and mitigation potential to arrive at options that provide the best solution for our clients and our planet.

If you are interested in our Sustainable Solutions Services, get in touch with Andrea.Richmond@ilf.com.

ILF Consulting Engineers has been contracted to design the first 8.1 km section of the Metro Line 3 in Warsaw. The section, located in the Praga district of Warsaw, comprises seven stations – six of which will be newly built. There will also be a branch line leading to the Technical and Parking Station called Goat Hill.

Our tasks include preparing an environmental impact report and obtaining a decision on the location of the metro line, developing construction designs and obtaining the necessary administrative decisions, as well as providing author’s supervision. The work will be carried out in a consortium with Metroprojekt.

The Warsaw metro is a modern, safe, environmentally friendly and high-capacity means of public transport, which is extremely important both for the residents of the capital and for visitors – after all, Warsaw is an important transport hub on the map of Europe. In the words of Marcin Przepiórka, Managing Director of ILF Consulting Engineers Polska, “We must not forget how the metro helps to shape the city – wherever the metro is built, we see the city develop”.

The Shuqaiq–Jizan Water Transmission System Phase 4 is already having a significant impact in the Jizan region in Southwest Saudi Arabia, even before it becomes operational. This project is set to enhance the water supply infrastructure in the region, addressing a pressing need for a reliable and efficient water transmission system.
The planned Shuqaiq–Jizan Water Transmission System Phase 4 encompasses an extensive area and aims to deliver an astonishing 600,000 m³  of potable water per day from Shuqaiq to the governorates of the Jizan region.
The backbone of the water transmission system is a colossal network of high-quality steel pipelines stretching over 523 km. These pipelines have been carefully designed to withstand the region’s unique environmental conditions and to deliver water efficiently and reliably.
Eleven pumping stations shall be strategically located along the transmission route to ensure that water can be efficiently transported across varying terrains and elevations. Each station will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology to optimize water flow and pressure.
The project includes a network of 77 strategically positioned reservoirs, which shall ensure the consistent availability of water throughout the region. These reservoirs will act as storage and distribution hubs, reducing the risk of water shortages and enhancing overall supply reliability.
18 operational reservoirs will help balance water supply and demand, ensuring a stable and consistent flow of water to consumers.
12 specialized water tanker filling stations shall allow for the efficient refilling of water tankers to supply remote areas in the region. This is especially crucial in areas where direct access to pipelines is limited.
As part of the project’s integration with existing infrastructure, eight tie-in stations will be established to connect to and enhance the functionality of existing reservoirs. This approach not only optimizes resources ,but will also improve the overall water distribution system.
A network of tap-off and cross-over stations shall furthermore ensure that water can be efficiently distributed to various communities, industries and institutions. These stations will facilitate access to water at a local level as well.

The Shuqaiq–Jizan Water Transmission System Phase 4 is a remarkable engineering feat and its realization will be a significant milestone in the development of the Jizan region. With its extensive network of steel pipelines, strategically located pumping stations, and multitude of reservoirs and distribution points, this project is poised to revolutionize the region’s water supply infrastructure, addressing essential water transmission needs for years to come.

Sonangol, Angola’s state-owned energy company, plans to use surplus, low-cost electrical energy from hydroelectric power plants (HPP) in Angola to produce green ammonia. 
In a 400 MW electrolysis and synthesis plant at the Oceânico da Barra do Dande (TOBD) terminal, about 65 km northeast of the Angolan capital Luanda, energy from HPP plants shall be converted into green hydrogen and ammonia before being stored and loaded onto ships for export to Europe. While Africa offers favorable conditions for the production of low-cost, green hydrogen produced in a climate-neutral way, Germany is currently pursuing a strategy to diversify its energy supply.

The 2,000 MW Laúca hydropower plant, located about 200 km southeast of the process plant, shall supply the plant with base-load electricity via the existing power grid. The HPP is currently operating at 1,000 MW rather than at full capacity.

Our team of experts has been commissioned with the pre-FEED (preliminary engineering) for this project. This includes the collection of basic design data, (process and electrical) engineering, preparation of a power grid and power supply concept, cost estimates, environmental and social impact assessments, and risk and safety studies.

Upon conclusion of the almost three-year-long KITT (“Artificial Intelligence for Improvement of Safety of Tunnels and Tunnel Control Centers”) research project, we fom ILF are looking back on great challenges and informative discussions. Coordinated by the Federal Highway Research Institute (“Bundesanstalt für Straßenwesen”) in a German-Austrian consortium, options for using Cooperative Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) to improve the safety of tunnels were developed and tested.

Until the recent completion of the project, the results were tested and demonstrated on real tunnel structures together with the project partners and users from the city of Stuttgart as well as ASFINAG. This showed the great potential of the extensive information from C-ITS, which not only significantly improves the safety in tunnels through the use of real-time risk analyses, but also further increases the efficiency and availability of the road network as a whole. A big step towards innovative solutions for mobility in the future!

The research project is being funded by the Security Research Funding Program (“KIRAS”) set up by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Finance (“BMF”) 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”).

Mbarara City, the second largest city in southwestern Uganda is facing rapid population growth. With a current population of 500,000 expected to increase by 68% up to 2040, water demand is expected to double. Presently, only a small proportion of the population has access to safe water, which poses health risks.

ILF has worked with its French partner “Cabinet Merlin” to design and implement a water treatment plant and transmission system for the city. The project includes a raw water intake on the Kagera River, a treatment plant with a capacity of 30,000 m3/d, and a 58 km transmission system with reservoirs and pumping stations. ILF’s role included the conceptual design, tendering using FIDIC contracts, bid evaluation, contract support, design review and construction supervision during the 24-month project implementation period. The project is currently in the construction phase.

In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 – Water and Sanitation, this project aims to improve access to water in urban and rural areas, and thus directly improves the quality of life for a significant number of people. The focus is not only on providing safe and affordable drinking water, but also on reducing the health risks associated with untreated water.

The project is also consistent with ILF’s vision of passionately contributing to sustainably improving living conditions worldwide.

Rehabilitation work in the Kerenzerberg Rail Tunnel was successfully completed at the end of 2023.
The Kerenzerberg tunnel, owned and operated by the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), is a 3,959 m long twin-track railway tunnel built in 1961. Located in northeast Switzerland, the tunnel is a very important link for domestic and international passenger and freight traffic.

Between August and December 2023, rehabilitation work was carried out to repair wet and dripping spots in the concrete vault and to reduce the amount of mountain water pressure being applied to the vault and to construction joints due to sintered mountain water drainage pipes.
The work was carried out by Fretus AG during the night. Most of the time, only one track was closed, allowing rail traffic to continue running on a single track. The work was completed on time and within budget.

ILF was responsible for the design and the supervision of the site during the rehabilitation work. Many thanks to all involved for the successful and accident-free completion of the project.

The Nova Gas Transmission Limited (NGTL) West Path Delivery 2023 Expansion Program will help North America meet its growing energy needs. By expanding the existing natural gas pipeline system by hundreds of kilometers, Canadian TC Energy’s NGTL project will play a critical role in the global energy transition away from coal-fired power generation and also help compensate for fluctuations in renewable power sources.

ILF has provided Detailed Engineering and Construction Support for both the Longview and Lundbreck sections of the Western Alberta System Mainline Loop No 2. The large NPS 48 pipeline for these two sections traverses both agricultural and mountainous terrain, which the ILF team has accommodated for in its design.

TC Energy completed construction of the system and achieved an in-service date in Q4 2023 for all project components of the NGTL West Path Delivery 2023 Expansion Program. As an engineering service provider, the greatest reward for completing this project is the satisfaction and appreciation of our clients.

In Norway, the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (Statens vegvesen) is currently building the twin-tube Boknafjord Tunnel north of Stavanger as part of the E39 Rogfast project. This tunnel will be the longest and deepest underwater road tunnel in the world, with a length of 26.7 km and a depth of 390 m below sea level at its deepest point. Statens vegvesen has selected this project, amongst others, as a pilot project for more sustainable construction through the use of electrically 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 Søvik Consulting (Norway), to carry out a risk assessment for the use of battery-electric dump trucks during the excavation of the Boknafjord Tunnel. The detailed study has shown through fire simulations that large fires in remote underground locations that involve either a conventional diesel or a battery-electric dump truck both require evacuation of the workforce to rescue shelters. While fires involving large traction batteries are estimated to potentially last longer, currently available dump trucks incorporate multiple layers of built-in battery management and fire safety systems to reduce the likelihood of such hazards. The study has also highlighted the limitations of the battery capacities currently in use in battery-electric dump trucks – in particular in case of operation in high-energy-demand conditions such as in deep underwater tunnels. Currently available dump trucks typically counteract this through battery regeneration, augmented by battery swapping solutions, requiring energy management strategies to be included in the tunnelling process.

By providing this service, the consortium has made 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 risk study has provided new insights into the fire risks and process impacts that should be considered when using battery-electric dump trucks. More information about the study, including the report from the detailed study, can be found on Statens vegvesen’s website.

The Hydro4U demonstration hydropower plant in At-Bashy has reached the detailed design phase. The use of dedicated structural analysis software has facilitated the adoption of an integrated BIM solution for the detailed design of the At-Bashy hydropower plant in Kyrgyzstan.

ILF, which has been responsible for the detailed design of the At-Bashy demonstration hydropower plant, prepared formwork and reinforcement drawings for the construction of the modular Hydroshaft Power Solution (HSPS). During this process, optimizations and structural adjustments were made to the design; all using Building Information Modelling (BIM) – exemplifying how dedicated structural analysis software enables an integrated BIM solution.

The workflow used can be described as follows: The basic design was prepared by the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and provided to ILF for further development and review. After an initial review of the basic design elements, which include subdivision of the hydropower plant with construction joints, a three-dimensional (3D) structural Finite Element Model (FEM) was created. Dead load, earth pressure and external influences such as water pressure were defined and applied to this model. These loads induce stresses in the structure that were calculated using the FEM.

As a result of these calculations, the required reinforcement according to the applied load was then visible in the model. An example of the required stirrup reinforcement is shown below. The required reinforcement is defined and set for each element in the model.

The FEM is a supplement to the larger BIM model, allowing plausibility checks regarding the location, quantity and spacing of the reinforcement to be conducted easily, and thus helping to ensure the practicality of its installation on site.

BIM models can be visualized using different views. In addition to full 3D views, sections and viewing angles can be displayed. Dimensions and further information can be added to the views. As only one model is used, these individual views can be used for formwork and reinforcement drawings. The reinforcement material list generated by the software can also be added to the drawings.

The BIM approach makes it possible for everyone involved in a project to have a good overview of the project at all times by using a cloud-based setup. The model is stored on a platform so that multiple users and experts from different disciplines can follow the progress of the project and intervene, if necessary.

In this project, the 3D model was stored in a cloud to give all relevant project members insight into the progress of the design work. The 3D model was used as the basis for discussing all coordination issues, which were resolved before the 2D drawings were started. The reinforcement was also part of the 3D model which allowed a high level of accuracy to ensure practicality on site.

Learn more: Hydro4U

ILF Consulting Engineers has provided technical advisory services to Saudi Aramco for the Zuluf Water Treatment Plant (WTP) Transaction Project. The project, which also includes a gas separation unit, is a crucial component of the extensive Zuluf Oil Field Development Program, which is currently working on the significant expansion of the Zuluf Oil Field by increasing the field’s daily production capacity. This expansion plays a vital role in Saudi Aramco’s overall oil production strategy and contributes to the growth of Saudi Arabia’s economy.

Saudi Aramco awarded the project to a consortium led by AWS Water Purification Company, operating under a 25-year Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) concession. This is a milestone of great significance as the financial closure of the project marks the commencement of the WTP Phase I construction phase.

The WTP is designed to have a capacity in excess of 1.1 million barrels per day and will be responsible for treating water for injection purposes, using groundwater from the reservoir.

ILF Consulting Engineers has played a key role as Technical Advisor throughout the transaction period of this Zuluf Water Treatment Plant Project. In this capacity, ILF assumed responsibility for all technical aspects within the Request for Proposal (RfP) document that forms part of the project’s RfP package. The RfP package outlines the developer’s obligations, which include engineering, design, supply of materials, construction, inspection, testing, pre-commissioning, commissioning, and operation and maintenance of the water treatment plant for its entire 25-year contract period.

ILF has provided effective support to Saudi Aramco, from the preparation of the tender package all the way through to financial closure.

ILF’s Scope of work:

• • Technical Advisory Services during the Transaction Phase
  • Review and Update of Technical Functional requirements
  • Request for Proposal (RFP) Strategy and Preparation
  • Cost Estimate and Conceptual Design
  • Technical Tender Evaluation
  • Support during Negotiation and Financial Closure

For many years, the Indian government has been making great efforts to expand the country’s antiquated and largely weak electricity grid. The current installed power generation capacity is insufficient for the rapidly growing population and economy, and power outages are almost a daily occurrence. Efforts to expand this capacity are heavily focused on the use of renewable energy.

The local grid operator West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) has commissioned ILF’s team of experts as the Owner’s Engineer to design and construct a new photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Goaltore, approximately 150 km west of Kolkata. The power plant will have a total capacity of 135 MWp and will be equipped with bifacial mono passivated emitter and real cell (PERC) solar modules and central inverters. The client will also construct a new substation (33 kV / 132 kV) directly adjacent to the PV plant. The electricity generated here will then be fed into the high-voltage grid. Commissioning of the PV power plant is scheduled for July 2024.

In 2021, ILF Consulting Engineers was appointed by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) as the Technical Advisor for the United Arab Emirates megaproject of Large-Scale Seawater Treatment and Water Transmission, with a total value of USD 2.4 billion.

An important milestone was achieved in May 2023 when ADNOC and the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA) selected a consortium, consisting of Orascom Construction and Metito, to develop a seawater treatment plant and transmission pipeline at the Bab and Bu Hasa fields in Abu Dhabi as part of the ongoing project. In addition, ADNOC and PJSC (TAQA) have successfully completed the financial closing of the project in September 2023.

Throughout the entire tender preparation process, ILF has been working on the conceptual design, site surveys, environmental studies, preparation of the technical components of the tender package, and technical bid evaluation, leading to the achievement of this important milestone for ADNOC.

The project will replace deep aquifer water systems with a centralized seawater treatment plant and transmission network, contributing to the UAE’s sustainability targets.

The megaproject is in line with the UAE’s commitment to minimize water abstraction and freshwater consumption through careful water management planning. The project further curtails ADNOC’s environmental footprint and supports the UAE’s economic and industrial growth under ADNOC’s In-Country Value (ICV) program.

ILF is proud to be part of this megaproject and to contribute to Abu Dhabi’s vision for a sustainable future.

One of ILF’s core competences is hydropower engineering. The ILF office in Bangkok was involved with various projects within Southeast Asia and beyond utilizing these competences. Notable projects include the design and implementation involvement of 130 MW Nam Emoun Hydropower Project in Lao PDR and the design of the 2,500 MW Saravan Mekong mainstream hydropower project.

ILF prioritizes sustainability, aligning with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and emphasizing the transition to renewable energy, particularly hydropower. ILF is renowned for our expertise in hydropower and pumped storage design, offering comprehensive services from project initiation to commissioning.

ILF Thailand has integrated computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in the design process of hydraulic structures. Amongst other software, ILF makes use of Simscale for 3D CFD modeling to optimize hydraulic structures for various hydropower projects, focusing on intricate flow characteristics found in hydraulic structures such as spillways, drop structures and structures transitioning between free-flow and pressurized conditions.

While somewhat off-track from ILF Thailand’s core business, one notable case study involves the design optimization of a siphon pit within a combined cycle gas-fired power plant’s main cooling water system. Through CFD simulations using Simscale, ILF achieved several benefits, including enhanced surface protection to prevent concrete erosion, stabilization of the nappe, and reduced air entrainment in the outfall conveyance line, resulting in safer, more efficient, and robust hydraulic structures.

Read more: https://www.simscale.com/customers/ilf-power-plants/

The Rimpar Compressor Station, run by the gas network operator Open Grid Europe (OGE), is one of the most important nodes in the German and Central European Gas Network. The compressor station will play a decisive role in ensuring the security and availability of gas supply in Germany.

To accommodate the growing importance of the station and ensure gas transportation on one of the main transport routes between East and West, a completely new facility was built next to the existing compressor station between 2020 and mid-2023. The new facility covers an area of around ten soccer fields and includes approximately 6.5 kilometers of pipelines. Its construction includes the installation of three new compressor units (12 MW each) and a new gas pressure regulating and metering station with the associated interconnecting pipelines and tie-ins to the existing MEGAL pipeline system. The new facility fulfills the highest environmental requirements. The integration of the station into the neighboring gas network additionally ensures long-term security of supply along the route.

Since the beginning of the project, our team of experts has been commissioned by the operator OGE, with the basic design, detailed design, construction supervision, commissioning and the final documentation of this compressor station.

One of the most challenging aspects of the project has been the hillside location on which the new facility is built, as well as the large spatial extent of the construction site. At the start of construction, around 70,000 m³ of material was moved for levelling and terracing. Inside the station there are differences in height of almost 30 meters.

The last documents for the final documentation are currently being prepared. All necessary acceptance tests have been successfully completed. With a flow rate of 550,000 Nm³/h to 1,400,000 Nm³/h and a station design pressure of 100 bar for the main gas system, the compressor station is already in the operational phase. Regular operation was scheduled for the end of 2023. However, this has been brought forward thanks to the accelerated processing of the project by ILF, which meant that handover and the start of operation took place in mid-2023.

ILF Consulting Engineers has reached another historic milestone in its more than 50 years of engineering excellence. We are incredibly proud to have been selected as the consultant of choice for pre-development studies for utility-scale wind parks in Saudi Arabia. The objective of the assignments is to provide world-class engineering services up to a development stage where the parks can be tendered on a design-build basis. The pre-development studies shall include:

• • Preliminary site assessment
  • Preliminary and advanced design (design basis, single line diagram, energy yield assessment, Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) optimization, wind master plan)
  • Some on-site assessments (topography, hydrology, geotechnical campaign, aeronautical and radar assessment) • Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA)
  • Foundation recommendations (including deep and shallow foundations, retaining walls, pipeline anchors, earthworks, dikes and embankments, among others)
  • Wind measurement plan (to be considered for the client to obtain wind data)
  • Permitting engineering

The projects are being designed with a focus on sustainability, innovation and cutting edge technology – a perfect fit with ILF’s commitment to climate protection and its vision of improving the quality of life around the globe.

During 1983 – 40 years ago – the RWTS (Lines A & B) went into operation. It is the world’s first closed high-pressure water pipeline system, designed to transport 830,000 m³ of water from Al Jubayl on the Arabian Gulf over 467 km to Riyadh.

It was very courageous of ILF, a very young company at the time, to apply this innovative concept without carrying out any pilot tests. A recap of the key data: Double pipeline with a diameter of 60” (1524 mm), total head of the system: 2340 m, 6 pumping stations with an installed capacity of 430 MW.

Under the management of ILF, the RWTS was constructed on budget in just under 3 years. The technical concept has proven itself from the very beginning, with the RWTS still pumping water to Riyadh today.

ILF has made history in pipeline engineering with this project.

To this day, the RWTS serves as a technical model for many successor projects, especially in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

But it is also a model for a decades-long client relationship based on trust and for excellent cooperation between the ILF companies involved, especially from Austria, Germany and Saudi Arabia.

Adolf Feizlmayr’s Inspiring Journey

From a farm in Upper Austria to a global engineering powerhouse, Adolf Feizlmayr’s journey is inspiring. Within ILF’s very first projects, the ambition and innovation of the two founders were evident. Their success, from pioneering projects such as the Arlberg Tunnel to the Riyadh Water Transmission System, underlines ILF’s commitment to excellence and sustainability.

ILF’s core values of respect, honesty, reliability and fairness drive the company’s global presence. Adolf Feizlmayr contributes to competence management and climate change mitigation, and supports students through the Adolf Feizlmayr Foundation.

The future of ILF is filled with promise as the company works to transform the global energy system and address climate change. With a dedicated team and forward-thinking leadership, ILF remains committed to advancing engineering excellence and sustainability.

Click here for the interview:
A.Feizlmayr – A Lifetime of Engineering Achievements

A large portion of Pakistan’s renewable energy and hydropower potential is concentrated in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the country’s northwestern province, with 40 million inhabitants. However, only a portion of this potential has been developed so far. The Pakhtunkhwa Energy Development Organization (PEDO) is therefore pursuing a public-private renewable energy and hydropower development program to develop the potential for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province and other provinces in Pakistan to meet their energy needs. Opportunities for exporting surplus energy to neighboring countries, such as Afghanistan, are also being explored.

ILF, together with Tractebel Engineering, the leader of the Joint Venture (JV) for this project, has been awarded a contract from PEDO for the provision of consultancy services as planning consultants for this hydropower and renewable energy development in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The project is being funded by the World Bank, under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Hydropower and Renewable Energy (KHRE) program.

Work on the project commenced in May 2023, with a project kick-off meeting in Peshawar. The first part of the project involves preparing a master plan for the development of hydropower and renewable energy projects (photovoltaic plants and wind projects) in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. This master plan will consider criteria such as plant size, transmission lines, demand projections, project economics and socio-environmental impacts, in order to prioritize identified projects. Based on these criteria, an optimal portfolio of projects will be derived and included in the proposed investment program. The investment program takes into account public and private funded investments for a period of 25 years. In the next project stages, the recommended projects will be further evaluated in more detail through pre-feasibility, feasibility, and detailed design studies. The hydropower projects are expected to have an installed capacity in the range between 50 MW and 400 MW (as per TOR the minimum capacity for Hydropower Plant is 300MW and for renewable is 50MW). The consultants are also identifying suitable photovoltaic and wind power generation sites at locations throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In addition, the project will include a capacity building and training program for the stakeholders of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to help with the implementation of the energy development program.

As part of the JV, ILF will be responsible for the preparation of the investment program, the hydraulic design, the structural design of the power stations and intake structures, the design of the mechanical equipment, hydraulic steel structures and penstocks, and for the design of the electrical equipment for the power stations. Furthermore, ILF will also be responsible for the economic and financial assessment during the various project stages, as well as capacity building and training.

Bane NOR’s Drammen–Kobbervikdalen project aims to increase rail capacity between Drammen and Tønsberg, enabling two trains per hour to run in each direction between Oslo and Tønsberg upon its completion. The most technically challenging part of the 10 kilometers of new double-track railway is the UKD2 – Soil Tunnel, a 300-m-long tunnel section of the 7-km-long tunnel from Drammen to Kobbervikdalen.

The design of the Soil Tunnel had to overcome a number of technical challenges – primarily due to the geological/hydrogeological environment and its urban location. The tunnel had to be excavated in glaciofluvial sediments with low cohesion and high permeability below the groundwater table. Extensive jet grouting was carried out from the surface in advance of the tunneling works in order to strengthen the perimeter of the excavation profile; thus increasing stability during excavation, reducing ground movement and minimizing water ingress into the tunnel without lowering the groundwater table. In addition, strategically positioned jet grout columns helped to improve face stability and divide the jet grout ring around the tunnel into compartments that could then be dewatered prior to tunnel excavation, providing a safe and controlled environment during construction.

The comprehensive approach to the design of this tunnel also includes a tunnel waterproofing system and permanent support, as well as detailed management plans for surface and in-tunnel monitoring.

The design has been developed using Building Information Modeling (BIM), which has helped to integrate the different design packages and engineering disciplines involved into a single project coordination model. The use of 3D modeling showcases the precise engineering of critical elements such as rock injection arrays, spiles and rock bolts.

The price of electricity in Burkina Faso is among the highest on the continent and power outages are common. In Bobo Dioulasso, a city in Burkina Faso, a PV solar plant with a total capacity of 30 MWp combined with a 10 MWh battery storage unit will be built and connected to the Kodéni substation. This project will sustainably improve the energy supply in the country and provide access to energy for the local and regional population.

Our ILF team has been appointed as Owner’s Engineer for the provision of consultancy services and will support the Société Nationale d’Electricité du Burkina (SONABEL) in all phases of the project: at the beginning with studies and the conceptual design, with technical specifications and tender documents, as well as with the award of contracts. Furthermore, ILF will be in charge of the supervision of the construction works up to commissioning and also of the performance review during the two years of operation and maintenance (O&M), providing also capacity building support to SONABEL’s staff during all project phases.

The Gut Großlappen Wastewater Treatment Plant has been in operation since 1926 and, together with the Gut Marienhof Wastewater Treatment Plant, treats the entire wastewater generated in the Bavarian state capital of Munich and the neighboring communities connected to it.
In June 2023, ILF Consulting Engineers Austria GmbH, together with GFM Bau- und Umweltingenieure GmbH, was commissioned with the overall engineering services for the implementation of a project to secure and expand the inflow capacities at the plant (assignment stage 1, service phase 1–2). This essentially comprises the screen system, grit chambers, primary and secondary sedimentation tanks as well as centrate treatment tanks. A study of alternatives to determine the most beneficial project solution forms part of the engineering services in service phase (SPH) 2. Taking account all of the assignment stages 1–3, the joint venture’s planning contract includes the construction design (SPH 1–8), structural design (SPH 1–6) and planning of the technical equipment (SPH 1–8).
Execution of the engineering services for SPH 1–7 is anticipated to take place between summer 2023 and spring 2028, an execution of the construction works is expected to take place in the period between fall 2023 and early 2032.

Since it was decided that the S 10 Mühlviertel Expressway (AUT) would be extended in 2002, ILF has been involved in helping ASFINAG with project management and project coordination, performing studies of alternatives, the preliminary design, the EIA permit application design and other individual permit procedures, as well as the detailed design for this project. In addition, ILF has delivered services relating to road design, tunnel design and tunnel safety, as well as geological/hydrogeological design, for certain sub-sections of the road.

For more than 20 years, ILF has proven itself to be a reliable partner for the planning, design and preparation of construction works for the S 10 Mühlviertel Expressway, and we are proud to have been significantly involved along the entire route.

The S 10 runs from the end of the A 7 motorway in the North of Austria, over a 38-km-long stretch, to the border crossing with the Czech Republic. The Southern Section of the expressway (approximately 22 km long) has already been completed, and was opened to traffic in December 2015.

In 2013, ILF was commissioned to prepare a conceptual study for the Northern Section of the expressway, and was subsequently also awarded the contract for project management for the preliminary design, EIA permit application design and other individual permit procedures, as well as the detailed design for the first sub-section. The construction works will start in October 2023.

In 2021, ILF was also commissioned to perform an alignment study and to deliver project management services for the selection of the final alignment for the preliminary design, EIA permit application design and other individual permit procedures for the last section of the road. Construction works for this last approximately 8.5-km-long section of the road are scheduled to start in 2028/2029.

We would like to thank ASFINAG for the trust that they have placed in us over the years, and look forward to continuing our exciting work!

Tbilisi City Hall, in collaboration with the German Development Bank (KfW), is set to implement the Sustainable Urban Mobility Program in Tbilisi (SUMP) – a program which ILF is helping to implement as part of a consulting consortium.

Over a period of five years, the project shall focus on enhancing the city’s transport infrastructure and relevant services by promoting the sustainable development of the capital’s urban transport system and infrastructure, improving the ecological situation and ensuring safe passenger transport.

SUMP will employ an integrated multidisciplinary approach to create a sustainable and environmental-friendly transport network. It will incorporate an Intelligent Transport System (ITS) to enhance passenger safety and improve traffic flow, public transport management and traffic light control.

Furthermore, the project will expand the eco-transport network, establishing a comprehensive system of bus lanes and safe spaces for pedestrians and cyclists. These measures aim to significantly reduce traffic-related air pollution and emissions while also promoting a healthier lifestyle.

The consulting consortium commissioned for the project consists of GOPA Infra (Germany), ILF Consulting Engineers (Austria/Georgia), the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT) (Austria) and A+S Consult (Germany). This consortium has recently organized an inception workshop, which was attended by high-level officials from the city municipality, municipal council, Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure, the KfW, the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), municipal transport operators, the police, NGOs and other stakeholders. The consortium was represented at the workshop by ILF Georgia. This workshop summarized the overall objectives of the assignment, the timeline, key deliverables and the next steps; and was followed by a Q&A session.

As the use of renewable energy grows in line with decarbonization targets, so does the need for renewable energy storage. When batteries become too expensive and there is no more potential for pumped storage, electrolyzer facilities for hydrogen production come into play. Hynergy, together with Baywa and Tyczka, as well as the administrative districts of Landshut and Munich (GER), are planning a hydrogen production plant on the site of the Pfeffenhausen Hydrogen Application Center.

Earlier this summer, more than 100 stakeholders from various companies, including ILF Consulting Engineers, came significantly closer to the goal of realizing this plant, with the delivery of the first trailer that can be filled with hydrogen. This trailer will make it possible to transport H2 to various hydrogen filling stations in the region. At the same time, the concrete works are also progressing well, enabling assembly of the pressure-alkaline electrolyzers and other heavy equipment to also take place in summer. The plant, with a design capacity of 5 MW for the first phase, can later be doubled in size. It will be connected via a 20 kV dedicated line to the solar and wind power plants planned to be built in the vicinity of the site, and thus will be supplied with 100% renewable energy. The 1.2 tons of hydrogen produced on average by the plant per day will initially be used exclusively for mobility purposes. The administrative districts as well as the first regional bus companies are gradually converting their bus fleets to hydrogen buses, and hydrogen-powered buses are already being used for local public transportation. In addition, more hydrogen filling stations are being built.

We are proud to have supported the project by preparing the application for approval under the Federal Immission Control Act (Bundesimmissionsschutzverordnung – BimSchV) and the application for the preliminary environmental impact assessment.

The BalWin4 & LanWin1 as well as the BalWin3 & LanWin4 offshore grid connection systems in Northern Germany will, in the future, connect the large wind farms in the North Sea with the onshore transmission grid.

For Tennet Offshore GmbH, ILF is currently mapping the different biotope types for the onshore route of these systems and is identifying protected biotopes so that adverse effects on nature and the landscape can be minimized during construction of the transmission line route. As part of the mapping process, an assessment is also being made as to whether the route of the transmission line needs to be adapted again, or whether areas that are particularly worthy of protection should be crossed using the cut-and-cover method in order to avoid adverse effects being had on nature and the landscape.

The ILF team is responsible for keeping the long-term impact on the environment as low as possible. The results of the mapping process will subsequently be incorporated into the various documents (environmental impact study, landscape management plan, Natura 2000 compatibility studies).

Leran more about both projects here: BalWin3 & LanWin4 (tennet.eu) & BalWin4 & LanWin1 (tennet.eu)

The energy transition in Germany requires powerful supra-regional direct current links for the distribution of electricity from renewable sources. The Rhein-Main-Link, an over 500-km-long underground cable connection, will transport electricity from offshore wind farms in the North Sea to the Rhein-Main region in the future. The Rhein-Main-Link is one of four links that is designed to meet the strong growth in energy demand in the Rhein-Main metropolitan region in the coming years.

The consortium comprising Arcadis Germany GmbH and ILF Beratende Ingenieure will support the grid operator Amprion with a technical planning review of the Federal Network Agency’s preliminary preference area as well as with the necessary route planning services. The goal is to apply for planning approval and to submit the plan and documents.

Heike Hackemesser, Sales Director Resilience of Arcadis, and Fred Wendt, Managing Director of ILF, are delighted about the opportunity to combine Arcadis’ and ILF’s expertise in the areas of energy transition and transmission grids for the first time in a lighthouse project such as the Rhein-Main-Link: “We are excellently positioned to provide consulting and planning support to our client Amprion in this complex major project with its ambitious schedule.”

Due to the decarbonization of industrial processes as well as more electric vehicles and heat pumps, the energy demand in the Rhein-Main region is increasing enormously. In Hesse, not only millions of private households but also hundreds of companies will benefit from the future wind power connection in ten years’ time.

The draft of the 2037/2045 Electricity Grid Development Plan envisages four direct current links in one route for this project. This will bring a combined wind energy output of around eight gigawatts from the North Sea to southern Hesse. The total investment for the four links is estimated at several billion Euros. Completion of the application for planning approval is scheduled for June 2024, with final route planning in March 2028. The first link to the Rhein-Main region is scheduled to go into operation in 2033.

At ILF Consulting Engineers, we’re dedicated to improving the quality of life in communities worldwide.

One of our projects addresses the critical need for water supply in Lyari, the oldest part of Karachi, and reflects our ethos of #improvingqualityoflife around the world.
Water pipelines starting at Keenjhar Lake with an overall length of approx. 110 km and diameters up to 84″ are planned and will provide the area and the local community with potable water for daily use. ILF Austria is working in a Joint Venture with local partners and is also supported by the ILF Pakistan office.
ILF was involved in the system design during the tender phase and is presently responsible for the design review and providing consulting services to the end client WAPDA – (Pakistan) Water and Power Development Authority.

Watch the video to learn how this project is set to transform the lives of one million people by providing clean and accessible water by 2024.
There are English subtitles available (if it doesn’t come on automatically) – click next to the Settings wheel (bottom right)

ILF has built up vast experience in the refinery business over the last decades. Trusting in our capabilities, one of ILF’s major clients asked our engineers to assist them with a turnaround in their refinery in Romania.

The maintenance work for this turnaround had to be completed within one month. While three projects only had to be completed, one of the projects had to be completely implemented within this short period of time. The ILF team completed more than 30 tie-ins for the ongoing tank construction projects during this month.

During the turnaround, ILF’s team of engineers was involved in all activities related to:

• • piping, mechanical, civil, electrical and instrumentation engineering
  • safety coordination
  • logistics

We are very proud to say that in the more than 3,000 hours of supervision and technical assistance provided by ILF, not a single incident occurred.

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

Shell has signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with the Ministry of Energy in Kazakhstan to help Kazakhstan achieve its energy transition targets. Under this memorandum, Shell has implemented the ʺSolar for Schoolsʺ initiative at the Nazarbayev Intellectual Schools (NIS), which has involved the installment of grid-connected solar PV systems at five schools across Kazakhstan.

Shell contracted ILF as an Owner’s Engineer to supervise all the technical aspects of this project. This supervision has involved performing the following tasks:

• • Providing support with project development
  • Conducting a study to assess the economic benefits of the solar PV installations
  • Providing support with the EPC tender
  • Assisting with EPC engineering and pre-construction activities
  • Providing support with EPC construction and commissioning

The installed PV systems cover up to 30% of the schools’ annual electricity consumption and feed any surplus electricity that is generated by the system into the municipal grid, generating significant savings. In addition, the project aims to encourage and promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education among younger generations and to raise awareness of the benefits and new opportunities associated with the use of renewable energy.

The first school to benefit from this project was the NIS School of Physics and Mathematics in Astana in 2018. Now, in 2023, the last of the five schools has received its PV system.

The ILF teams in Kazakhstan and Germany combined their global solar expertise and knowledge of local standards and regulations and are proud to have led this project to success.

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!

ILF Consulting Engineers has always been deeply involved in the design and management of projects involving storage tanks. It is therefore no surprise that, in recent years, the team at ILF Romania has been working on a project involving a large capacity crude oil storage tank – providing services from the design phase through to the construction management and supervision phase. The crude oil storage tank at the center of the complex project, which started several years ago with a solution and capacity selection study, has a capacity of 60,000 m³ and has been designed based on one of the safest storage solutions in the oil and gas industry in terms of environmental impact and operational safety.

This Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) project, entrusted to ILF Consulting Engineers in Romania since the feasibility phase, has now reached the construction phase (half of the construction period has already passed) and is already showing some quite impressive results.

The design currently being realized has been developed up to the detailed designed phase, and for that the whole team has produced a complete set of documentation including workshop drawings for every detail.

The tank has a double shell and a double bottom, a full contact internal floating cover, which fulfills the role of retaining at least 98% of the vapor emissions, and a fixed aluminum dome cover. The outer shell replaces the retention basin, and the double bottom enables possible leaks to be monitored.
The tank is also equipped with a product heating system (steam coil), a homogenization system (3 mixers on the inner shell) and a system for product sampling at certain levels.

In this context, Adrian Stoica (General Manager of ILF in Romania) would like to express his special thanks to the entire team of ILF Romania for the excellent engagement and dedication during this project.

The preparation of specifications for wastewater treatment will benefit the people of Saudi Arabia for years to come and is in line with the Kingdom’s strategy to provide water and wastewater treatment services of the highest quality. The decision to implement high-quality solutions that meet the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s water management needs is a major step towards Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 regarding water quality, sustainability and environmental protection.

The National Water Company (NWC) has commissioned ILF to develop the following documents:

• • Technical Specifications
  • Design Manual Guideline – for the wastewater system, sewage pumping stations, force (pressure) mains & TSE network
  • Typical drawings/data sheets for mechanical, electrical & control, automation & integration philosophy

The specifications shall consider a number of criteria related to the infrastructure’s ability to ensure operational efficiency. Preparation of such specifications involves assessing the extent to which they can ensure high output performance, a certain redundancy configuration, durability and maintainability. The specifications are also being developed to ensure the required level of safety throughout the infrastructure’s operational life.

Infrastructure Projects: Stakeholder involvement as an important piece in the puzzle

And how are things progressing with SuedLink, one of Germany’s biggest energy transition projects?
The first works on the route corridor are scheduled to begin in autumn 2024, so that by 2028, electricity will be able to flow from the wind farms in northern Germany to the major centers of consumption in southern Germany.
Today, energy transition projects with complex and long-term impacts on society, the environment and economy are reliant on the early involvement of stakeholders. Participatory processes (stakeholder engagement) are immensely important for the successful implementation of this major infrastructure project. The engagement process for SuedLink was therefore on TenneT and TransnetBW’s (the project developers’) agenda from the very beginning, with the aim of integrating landowner’s and the local community’s concerns. During project preparation and development for the southern permit application section E2 – Baden-Württemberg – iterative dialogues with stakeholders were held on two occasions. In the course of submitting the permit application documents in March 2023, six discussions were also held in a third round of dialogues with affected individuals, communities, companies and municipalities in Baden-Württemberg. By engaging in these comprehensive dialogues at such an early stage, potential conflicts can be identified, concerns can be raised, and, finally, joint solutions can be found. ILF Consulting Engineers is engaging in dialogues with clients and is supporting the dialogues with owners with the help of knowledge carriers from various technical departments.

The Zurich Northern Bypass is one of the busiest sections of motorway in Switzerland and is reaching its capacity limits. An expansion of the Northern bypass and the construction of a third tunnel tube in the Gubrist Tunnel shall accommodate increased traffic volumes. The third tube has now been opened and traffic is travelling through this new third tube of the Gubrist Tunnel.

Together with WSP Ingenieure AG and Amberg Engineering, ILF is in charge of the tunnel ventilation and thus plays a major role in the expansion of the Zurich Northern Bypass. Tunnel ventilation is a key safety component in a road tunnel and allows tunnel users to escape safely from the tunnel in the event of a fire. The tunnel ventilation system in the third tube of the Gubrist Tunnel consists of 4 exhaust air fans, 34 dampers, 12 jet fans, various ventilation sensors, 179 control cabinets and more than 80 km of cable.

With the completion of the new third tube, refurbishment of the two old tunnel tubes of the Gubrist Tunnel can now start.

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.

A significant milestone has been reached for the DolWin4 and BorWin4 offshore grid connection systems.

DolWin4 and BorWin4 connect the large wind farms in the North Sea with the onshore transmission grid. The connection points are located in North-West Germany and the onshore connections are planned to be implemented as underground cables.

The project developer Amprion GmbH has taken an important step towards obtaining a building permit by submitting the application for official plan approval. For the southernmost section of the onshore route of the two grid connection systems, all documents have been submitted to the respective authorities on time. This paves the way for the next steps and brings the project developer closer to receiving the final decision from the approval authority.

ILF significantly contributed to the success of this project with the timely delivery of the technical design. The fact that the schedule was successfully met, at all times, is the result of all project parties cooperating very effectively with each other and the trust built up between the service provider and client.
We look forward to continuing to assist the project developer, applying our expertise in this project.

To reduce the amount of through traffic in the Swiss municipality of Näfels, a bypass is planned to the North. ILF, as part of the IG Niederberg, and together with B+S, is involved in the design works for the bypass tunnel.

When complete, the 2.8-km-long Näfels bypass will consist of a 700-m-long section of open road in the North, the 1.8-km-long Niederberg Tunnel and a 300-m-long section in the South with a new junction connecting the bypass to the existing cantonal road.

ILF and its partner are responsible for the construction design and detailed design of the two-lane Niederberg Tunnel, which shall be operated as a two-way traffic tunnel. We would like to thank ASTRA, the Swiss Federal Roads Office, for the contract and are very much looking forward to carrying out this exciting task.

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.

Red Sea Global, the developer of the world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism destinations, has appointed ILF as an Independent Engineer for the implementation phase of the primary utility system currently being developed by a consortium led by ACWA Power.
The project includes the provision of renewable power, potable water, wastewater treatment, district cooling and solid waste treatment for 16 hotels, an international airport, and infrastructure that will form Phase One of The Red Sea destination in Saudi Arabia.

Key Facts: 

• Solar PV: 340 MWac
• BESS: 1,200 MWh
• Internal Combustion Engine: 108.98 MW
• SWRO: 32,500 m³/day
• Wastewater: 18,300 m³/day
• District Cooling: 32,500 RT
• Solid Waste Management: 11,775 T/year

ILF already acted as a technical advisor during the tendering stage of the PPP project, which resulted in a Utilities Concession Agreement (UCA) worth roughly USD 1.5 billion.
The extension of ILF’s involvement in this landmark development is seen as both an expression of confidence as well as a confirmation of the call for ILF to continue to deliver Engineering Excellence with ILF’s integrated team from its offices in Saudi Arabia, Austria, Germany and Poland.

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.

ILF is pleased to be able to present the design for the tunnel portals with the widest span in the company’s more than 55-year history.
As the leading partner of a planning consortium, ILF, on behalf of ASFINAG, has been working on the detailed design for the tunnel structures within phase 1 of the A26 motorway construction project near Linz.

The motorway tunnel constructed in phase 1 of the project has four lanes in some sections and a total length of 2.4 km, including access and exit ramps. The two main portals of the tunnel deserve special attention: The portals of the two main carriageways, which shall directly adjoin the fourth Danube bridge on both sides, span a width of about 25 m and have a shotcrete thickness of only 60 cm. The operating rooms are located directly below these main portals.

Overcoming the challenge of designing and finally realizing tunnel portals of these dimensions has only been possible thanks to ILF’s partnership with ASFINAG and the joint venture ARGE A26 that is responsible for executing the project.

Thank you for the excellent cooperation!

ILF has been commissioned as part of an engineering consortium (INGE Axe Bauleitung) for the construction supervision for the new Axenstrasse road project. The project is expected to run until the end of 2033.

The Axenstrasse road was built between 1861 and 1865 and is located in Central Switzerland. The road has been damaged several times by rockfalls and mudslides, which is why a new Axenstrasse road is now being built.

ILF has commenced its construction supervision work at the Gumpisch temporary bridge. The temporary bridge will be constructed in an area sensitive to rockfalls and will allow traffic to be diverted from the Axenstrasse road thus facilitating further construction works. Construction of both the major tunnel construction lots is due to start in 2025. The construction site from Ingenbohl to Gumpisch stretches over a length of approx. 8 km. In the tunnel-driving phase, up to six tunnel drives (main and counter drives) are to be supervised in parallel. Also in the construction phase for the entire project, several construction sites for lining works are to be supervised in parallel.

In order to deal with the natural hazards posing a threat to the availability of the Axenstrasse road, an early warning system has been introduced and contributes to greater safety during construction works. Work on the Gumpisch temporary bridge is taking place whilst there is ongoing traffic on the Axenstrasse road. Thanks to the good cooperation with the road operator AfBN, the client and the security firm that are helping to control the adjacent traffic, the work and traffic have to date been accident-free.

The Baltic Pipe has recently started transporting gas to markets in Denmark, Sweden and Poland, as well as to neighboring markets. ILF is proud to have contributed to the timely start of operation for this unusually complex construction project.

The interconnector between Poland and Denmark can transport gas in both directions, which not only opens up a new supply route for the transport of natural gas from the Norwegian sea, but also leads to a diversification of gas supply sources for many countries in the Baltic Sea region and in Central and Eastern Europe. Around 2.4 bn m³ of gas are expected to be transported by the Baltic Pipe per year over the next ten years.

ILF has supported the clients, Energienet and Ramboll, with numerous engineering services for the Jutland–Funen section. These included, among others, project management, Owner’s Engineering services, detailed design/construction design, tendering and construction supervision.

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