DNV KEMA Transponder issue #6 | Augustus 2013

transponder

Issue #6 | August 2013 | DNV KEMA Global Employee Magazine

The Netherlands Shakes…and how it deals with the consequences

A Life in ElectricityWalt Stadlin shares his experience

Teaming up for InnovationGlobal Innovation Portfolio gives a boost to new ideas

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Team spirit and stamina

Contents Transponder #6

Transponder, the DNV KEMAEmployee Magazine, is published byDNV KEMA Global Marketing & Communications

Please send your comments [email protected]

via Twitter: #dnvkematransponder

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Marketing & Communications > Printed Materials

With thanks toOur Editorial Board

Concept and designVA communication by design

Wouter Botman

EditorialDNV KEMA Global Marketing & Communications

Elizabeth Fryman, Caroline Kamerbeek,

Marlies Hummelen / Teksten

VA communication by design

TextMarlies Hummelen / Teksten

Hanne Christiansen

PhotographyFront cover, pages 8, 10, 11, 12, 32

Herman van Ommen Photography

Pages 2, 3, 5

Jack Opatrany

The remaining photos were taken by

DNV KEMA employees or as indicated

under each photo

PrintGVO drukkers & vormgevers

We have made every effort to comply with the

legal requirements relating to the rights to the

illustrations. Any person who is nevertheless

of the opinion that they are entitled to certain

rights can contact VA communication by design

( [email protected]).

A Globetrotter from Norway

ConnectedBart Adams

ConnectedAgapi Papadamou

The Netherlands Shakes…the unpredictable consequences of natural gas extraction

Recharging your BatteriesTone Stave and the Violin

Close UpMe and my sport

Contributors

Teaming up for Innovation

Recharging your BatteriesSuze Hupkes and Kickboxing

24 HoursA Day in the Life of… Ryan Barry

Brand NewMatthias Heiligenstetter, Kathryn Knox, Jinlong Ma

Joining Forces – DNV KEMA Runs

OriginsA Life in Electricity

DNV KEMA in Brief

A Fresh Perspective

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What does a sports match have to do with our innovative spirit at DNV KEMA? Quite a lot actually, as this issue of Transponder shows. In our company, we’re involved in all kinds of sports, both for leisure

and in competition. It’s a great way to get to know each other, team up, stay healthy and have a lot of fun, as you can see when you take a look at the photos. And, of course, once you’ve put a lot of effort into training, you want to win – on your own or as part of a team.

Our motivations in sport are very similar to what inspires us in our work. For some of us, it is about achieving a goal, working hard, making a difference in the world of energy. For others, it is the idea of being the winner in the industry. For me it is also the teamwork and the people, like the excitement surrounding teaming up with my current and future colleagues from GL, going that extra mile myself and having fun along the way.

In our Global Innovation programme, DNV KEMA project teams also play in a kind of competition. Here, it’s also about team spirit as well as a winning spirit, developing a great idea together – and getting it done. A total of 24 teams were rewarded with extra funding so that they can turn their ideas into reality. Three of them share their experiences.

In short, this issue offers plenty of inspiration. But don’t get too tired! Once you’ve admired your sporty colleagues and figured out some brilliant ideas yourself, lean back, relax and let the summer winds clear your mind. Enjoy!

Caroline KamerbeekGlobal Director, Marketing & Communications

From the Editor

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DNV KEMA is becoming a truly global company. We now have

people on virtually every continent and quite a number have moved

across borders to meet new challenges. We wondered how they feel

about working in a totally different environment. This time we asked

a Norwegian national, Paal Johansen, for his impressions of working –

well, all over the world.


Focus on: Paal Johansen, business line director for Renewable

Energy Services in the Americas.

Background: MSc in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

at the Norwegian Institute of Technology in Trondheim, Norway.

Relocation: Based in Houston (TX), USA since 2011

Current job: Managing DNV KEMA’s Renewable Energy Services

(Wind and Solar Energy) in Division Americas. The two main operat-

ing units for these services are located in San Ramon, CA (Solar) and

Seattle, WA (Wind). The work involves strategic and tactical planning,

budgeting and operational follow up.

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360 degrees expatPaal Johansen has worked for DNV and DNV KEMA

since 1982. Of those 31 years, only the first two were

spent in his native country, Norway. Since then, he

and his family have travelled the world. Before coming

to Houston he worked in the Netherlands, the USA,

Saudi Arabia, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and

South Korea.

“Houston felt a bit like a homecoming,” says Paal.

“We once lived in Florida for a few years and all three

of our children are studying in the US. Before that I

worked for DNV Maritime Oil & Gas in South Korea.

When my contract in Korea came up for renewal in

2011, my wife and I decided that we would rather

be closer to the children.” He found an opening in

Houston, in the team working on the integration of

DNV and KEMA. In June 2012 he was appointed to

lead the integration of the Renewable Energy Services

(RES) business line.

What a footloose existence! What drives you to move so often?“It’s a positive challenge for me to work in many dif-

ferent cultures, and also to communicate something

of our company culture to our staff. And it puts me

on a continuous learning curve. After four or five year

I always feel the need for something new.”

What precisely is the challenge?“It’s quite easy for Westerners to integrate in Europe

or the US, as the differences are relatively small. For

me, getting into the cultures in the Far East has been

a much bigger step. The main challenge there is the

language. Because you can’t read and understand

all the signs and texts around you, you’re more

dependent on others, and there’s less you can do

on your own initiative. What I really like about it is

that you learn to know and respect people with so

many different cultures, and all the different facets

of DNV KEMA.”

Does such a long career as an expat change your attitude to other cultures?“Yes, certainly. The first thing it teaches you is

patience. I come from a Western culture, where the

fastest route from A to B is a straight line. Over the

years I’ve learned that the shortest route is not always

the best! Quite different paths are possible, and each

has its own value.”

Asked for an example of areas in which countries dif-

fer widely, Paal points to relationships between men

and women. DNV KEMA believes strongly in equal

treatment and wages, but in male-oriented cultures

such as many in Asia, that is not self-evident, even for

the women themselves. In the US, in contrast, there

are strict anti-discrimination laws in place that must

be enforced. “Even countries such as the Netherlands

don’t have the balance as even as it is here,” says

Paal. In his managerial role, he is very aware of such

considerations.

The successful expat, he says, must in the first place

have an open mind. Prejudices just get in the way.

“You have to realise you’re only in a foreign country

as a guest,” he says, “So sometimes you’ll have to

shelve some of your own ways.”

The family life of a globetrotterPaal has a Dutch wife, and their children were born

in the Far East. For many years they have moved from

country to country together. How do you do that

as a family? “Books have been written about it,” he

laughs. “While the children are small, it’s easy, provid-

ing you develop a tightly knit core family, because

living in another country means you have no extended

family; you’re very dependent on each other. When

our children were 14 and 15, it was more difficult.

They found it very hard to have to pull up their roots

and say goodbye to their friends, time and again.

As parents, we had to give them a lot of attention

and support.”

How do you ensure you feel at home in each new post?“Over time that becomes part of your DNA. What’s

important is that you find a house or apartment in

the new city that makes you feel at ease. We always

furnish our house with the familiar old things that

have moved with us for many years: the same furni-

ture, the same things on the wall… but in the end

it’s mainly a question of deciding, ‘this is it: this is my

new home.’”

How does your wife organise her life?“To be honest, two careers is a big challenge in a

situation like ours. In the Asian countries we went to,

it was very difficult for my wife to get a work permit

and our children were born there. She became what

we used to call ‘director of internal affairs.’ In time she

got involved in many other activities besides managing

our busy household. She maintains extensive social

contacts and does a lot of voluntary work.”

You now live in Houston. How do you like it?“Texans are very open and friendly, and everything here

is big and expansive: the roads, the cities, the traffic…

What’s striking, if I compare it to Florida, is that South

Florida had a distinctly Caribbean atmosphere, while

here you can feel a strong influence from Mexico. I love

the feeling of being close to the world of cowboys, and

the Houston Rodeo is unique. What’s more, the rela-

tive closeness to the seaside and Galvestone is nice,

and you have the opportunity to rent boats and be

on the water.”

Are there things that you miss?“We’ve made friends and social contacts everywhere,

often with other expats, sometimes with local people.

I do miss those friends. In Texas, I miss the outdoor

life we had in South Korea: hiking and tracking.

The country here is too flat for that and the summers

are too hot.”

Where would you like to live when you retire?“Ah… that’s still a long way into the future! I intend

to keep working for many years. But I’ve always said:

I want to grow old in the Netherlands. My wife comes

from there, I feel at home there and we have a house

in Bergen, North Holland (close to Alkmaar). At a

certain point in time the children asked, “What are

we in fact: Asians, Americans, Norwegian or Dutch?”

We decided to have at least one fixed place, and it

was Bergen. But in fact “at home” for me is simply

the place where we’re living and working at the time.

I have a Norwegian passport, but the world is my

home.” •

“The shortest route is

not always the best!”


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In each issue we will introduce DNV KEMA colleagues working in different countries. They will

then suggest other people to interview. Not so much a relay race as a handover to

an interesting colleague.

REl

AY

Connected: Bart AdamsWho Bart Adams

Where Antwerp, Belgium

Job Head of Energy Efficiency Services for Industry at SUS BMEA

Education and career After my Master’s degree in mechanical engineering I did doctorate

work in New York. In 1998 I was appointed Head of Technology at a company making and

operating waste incineration plants. I was fascinated by energy efficiency, so I explored options

for widening my horizons in that field. In 2008 I moved to DNV (KEMA).

What do you do exactly? Since 2010 I have been working on building up this business unit.

The idea is to generate a new cash flow through energy efficiency projects for industrial customers.

I still do a lot of work for customers in the paper, metals, and petrochemical sectors. In addition,

I devote time to the strategic development of the unit.

Bente Pretlove thought you were good at turning ideas into business. Do you recognise that? I think that’s true. For example, as a result of demand for the

diagrams that we make for our customers, we’ve developed a software tool they can use to make

their own. By launching it on the market we’ve added an extra string to our bow: now we not

only provide services, but also start to deliver products.

What do you (and don’t) you like? I still get a lot of enjoyment from interacting with cus-

tomers, and it’s very satisfying to develop the unit. We now have more work than we can cope with!

I’m not always happy about the work pressure – although fortunately that’s being worked on.

Special In 2011 we conducted an independent study of the modernisation of a lignite power

plant for the Minister of the Environment in the Czech Republic. It was a politically sensitive topic.

In the end, the Minister chose to resign. In view of the political issues involved, it was decided that

I would be the one to present the report at an international press conference. For me, it was quite

a dramatic experience, but also a moment when the value of our company became clear. We can

be – and dare to be – independent, even in a controversial situation.

Free time I do as much as I can with my family, such as swimming, cycling and walking.

My other hobbies are photography and jazz music. One of my goals is to run ten marathons.

I have done two, so that’s just eight to go.

Connected. I would like to pass the baton to Julia Vetromile from Oakland in California.

She seems to be an excellent networker, and she’s always willing to help.

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Graeme Sharp Onno FlorissonKristie DeIuliis

Jenna CansecoBente Pretlove

Bart Adams

Next:Julia Vetromile

7

In each issue we will introduce DNV KEMA colleagues working in different countries. They will then suggest other people to interview. Not so much a relay race as a handover to an interesting colleague.

REl

AY

Who Agapi Papadamou

Where San Francisco (CA), USA

Job Energy Consultant

Education and career I did a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering in Greece and a

Master’s in Environmental Engineering in London. Right after my graduation in 2007, I joined (DNV)

KEMA in London. About five months ago I was relocated to the Oakland office for 18 months.

Can you tell us something about your switch from london to San Fransisco?

In London I worked for MOC on power engineering and market modelling projects, particularly

smart grids and smart metering. Here I work for SUS. The idea is for me to get experience of

energy efficiency programmes and bring that knowledge back to Europe, where we’re now

developing the SUS business line.

What do you do exactly? There are two service lines in SUS here: Evaluation (SUS-C) and

Design & Implementation (SUS-KSI). I’ll work for both alternately. To start with, I participated in

the internal Consultant Development Programme. That was a very valuable experience. Currently,

I’m working on the development of an online rebate application programme for the Philadelphia

Energy Utility and on an energy efficiency potential study for the Nevada Energy Utility.

What do you (and don’t) you like? I like a lot! This office has around 150 employees, so

I still meet new people every day. My colleagues are very friendly. When you don’t know anyone,

it’s a bit scary at first, but I feel completely at home now. And I really love San Francisco. The entire

Bay Area is such a beautiful place and the sun every day makes up for the six years in London…

I don’t like stressful things like last-minute questions from clients, but that’s all part of the job.

Free time Every weekend, I try to explore new neighbourhoods. I go to new restaurants, hang

out with new friends, try new exercises like yoga… Everything here is new for me and I try to

make the most of it.

Special My visit to the Smart Grid Energy Centre in Kentucky. It was fascinating to see this very

high-tech building in the middle of nowhere. I also liked to get a taste of the Kentucky culinary

culture. They often say everything is big in America; well, that’s certainly true of Kentucky meals!

Connected I’d like to know how Theo Bosma is doing in his new role as programme director

in the Strategic Research Unit that started in 2013. What have they done so far, and how do they

combine this with current research activities?

Connected: Agapi Papadamou

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Petra de Jonge Zwanetta van ZijlNarottam AulJian ZhangWaisum ChengAgapi Papadamou

Next:Theo Bosma

8

The Netherlands Shakes…the unpredictable consequences of natural gas extraction

From left to right: Jan Spiekhout, Howard Levinsky, Pierre Bartholomeus.

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The Netherlands Shakes …the unpredictable consequences of natural gas extraction

Hitting the jackpotGas extraction in Groningen goes back to 1959, when

drillers near the small town of Slochteren struck a

large gas field. The reserves turned out to be huge,

and in subsequent years the entire country rapidly

switched to using natural gas, rather than electricity,

coal, oil and various kinds of artificially fabricated

gas, for heating and cooking. In the 1960s, natural

gas became the country’s primary fuel. It was a con-

venient, clean, and cheap source of energy, and the

reserves seemed almost endless. Since then, house-

holds, power stations, and much of the country’s

industry have been using natural gas.

The gas is produced by the NAM – a partnership

between Esso and Shell – while transport is in the

hands of Gasunie, a company entirely owned by the

Dutch state. The gas is sold by GasTerra, a partnership

between Shell, Esso and the Dutch state. Most of

the revenue from domestic and foreign sales goes to

the government. This money made it possible for the

Netherlands to become very prosperous in the 1960s

and 1970s, and to build a comprehensive welfare state.

Since the 1980s, however, the earth has been shaking

in Groningen, both literally and figuratively. For a

long time, there were only minor earthquakes, but

the recent quakes have been bigger. Residents have

become very worried, not least because the forecasts

have had to be adjusted on the basis of new research:

whereas earthquakes of up to 3.0 on the Richter scale

had been anticipated, a 5.0 earthquake is now con-

sidered a possibility, although the probability is low.

Transponder called on three gas experts from DNV

KEMA Gas Consulting & Services in Groningen to tell

us about their work and to shed light on this issue.

When the earth movesJan Spiekhout, executive senior consultant and a

pipeline expert, has been studying earthquakes and

their consequences for many years. These days, when

he gives a presentation at a company in Groningen,

the canteen is full and everyone has something to

say. People feel unsafe, some of them have suffered

damage, and they are worried that the value of their

houses is falling. But how serious are things in fact?

He points to a diagram representing an earthquake

in Groningen. “This is an induced earthquake, caused

by ground subsidence as a result of gas extraction,”

he says. “There are tensions in the geological layers

at the boundaries between those areas that have

subsided more and those that are more stable, and

it’s these tensions that can produce an earthquake.”

The frequency and seriousness of such quakes seem

to have increased recently. Jan has made a thorough

on-the-spot study of the situation. “A 3.6 earthquake

may be categorised as ‘light’,” he explains, “but the

effects are felt more strongly here because of the soft

subsoil.” In Loppersum and the nearby towns, furni-

ture fell over and buildings were damaged, but luckily

nobody was hurt.

On August 16, 2012, the small town of Loppersum in the Province of

Groningen in the Netherlands was shaken by an earthquake with a

strength of 3.6 on the Richter scale. It was the most powerful earthquake

– so far – in a long series, and this in a country that had had hardly any

experience of earthquakes. The primary cause is the extraction of large

quantities of natural gas.

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Gas awarenessFor his clients, who include big power supply compa-

nies, Jan looks for vulnerable points in their plants and

explores what they can do to make them earthquake-

proof. Infrastructure, such as pipes, and installed

equipment are usually reasonably robust. Computers,

which are crucial in every system, are vulnerable – if

one computer cabinet falls over, the entire energy sup-

ply can be blacked out – but they can also be protected

quite easily. “The biggest risk,” Jan says, “is at the end

of the chain: in distribution networks and in house-

holds. Gas fires for example: not much has been done

in the Netherlands with regard to methane detectors

and compulsory cut-off valves. In that area there’s still

a lot that could be done. We’re much too little aware

of the risks of gas, especially in combination with

un-Dutch events such as earthquakes!”

A finite resourceIn the early 1960s, when it was clear how much gas

there was under the Netherlands, the government

decided to use it up as quickly as possible. They

thought that the Netherlands would be switching to

nuclear energy within the foreseeable future, so they

wanted to make as much profit as possible from the

gas in the meantime. But times have changed: nuclear

energy is now unpopular and it has become clear

that the world’s conventional energy sources, includ-

ing natural gas, are limited. The Netherlands has to

import more and more gas, of different types and from

diverse sources. That will mean another big switchover.

DNV KEMA is involved in studying all the options.

Different types of gas For the past twenty-five years, Howard Levinsky,

principal specialist for Combustion Processes, has

been working on the issues involved in integrating

types of gas with differing qualities in one network.

“Imported gases have different compositions than

the traditional Dutch natural gas,” he explains, “our

machines, boilers and gas burners are not designed

for it. Either the gas must be processed before it’s fed

into the network, or all those devices – ranging from

big industrial plants to equipment in people’s homes

– must be replaced with types that can cope with vari-

able gas characteristics.” In most European countries

that kind of equipment is common.

DNV KEMA and two other organisations were asked

to conduct two major studies for the Dutch govern-

ment, to analyse the situation and survey all the

options. These studies found that gradually replacing

all gas-burning equipment is the most certain route,

guaranteeing the performance of equipment and

minimising the extra cost to consumers and businesses.

The Dutch government set the date at which all equip-

ment should be replaced at 2021. Processing imported

gas to give it the desired characteristics would be even

cheaper, but then the Netherlands would continue to

be the exception within Europe.

“Replacement is of course expensive and time-

consuming,” Howard continues, “but it will enable us

to align our gas supply better with the rest of Europe.”

In this scenario, the existing gas reserves, particularly

Slochteren, could be used as a bridge until the transi-

tion is complete and, given the size of the Slochteren

field, the hope is that the transition period can be

extended another ten years.

InnovationsAlthough the situation is complicated, the gas sector in

the Netherlands is well equipped to face it, says Pierre

Bartholomeus, global director of Gas Consulting &


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Services. He emphasises the high quality of the sector,

based on its history. The comprehensive shift to natural

gas in the 1960s greatly improved the structure of

the entire energy supply system, which went from a

patchwork of local and regional gas companies to

an efficiently organised national network. That also

enabled important innovations in energy. “High effi-

ciency central- heating boilers, which are now used

around the world, were developed here, in house, by

engineers at Gasunie and later by DNV KEMA,” says

Pierre. “Another example is the current development

of smart grids, which make it possible to store electri-

cal energy in a buffer, by transforming it into hydrogen

or methane that is fed into the gas network.”

A gas hubDNV KEMA is now developing the concept of a gas

hub, to which inward and outward gas flows of all

kinds could be connected. Pipelines from Russia and

England, an LNG terminal, and so forth would be con-

nected to the hub, and then divided and transported

to customers in the Netherlands and in other coun-

tries. That would make the countries and companies

connected to it less dependent on a single supplier,

and variations in the volume of gas consumption and

supply could be cushioned better. The Netherlands is

very well located for such a project and has the exper-

tise to do it.

What about Groningen?The debate about the various options to deal with

decreasing gas supplies was still raging when the latest

series of earthquakes struck. The Netherlands was in

turmoil, and some people called for “Slochteren” to

be shut down, immediately and completely. “That

disrupted the whole policy-making process,” says

Howard. “But, however worried people may feel,

it’s simply impossible to suddenly stop gas extraction

from Slochteren.” Whatever solution is chosen will

take time.

Howard levinsky Principal Specialist for Combustion Processes

Jan Spiekhout Executive Senior Consultant

Pierre Bartholomeus Global Director of Gas Consulting & Services (GCS)


Meanwhile the province of Groningen still faces

uncertainty. How do you restore the inhabitants’

confidence in the future? Homes and industry can

be rendered resistant to substantial earthquakes,

according to Jan. The investments involved could also

give the region an economic boost. But, as Jan and

Howard say, the people in the province need above

all to feel that their concerns have been heard. Open

consultation geared to resolving the issues and provid-

ing good public information will be very important.

Those involved are now taking serious action on this,

after a slow start.

“Society has become more critical,” confirms Pierre.

“People are more ready to have their say, and there’s

much more information available. For example, you

can see that in the discussion about shale gas in the

Netherlands.” Like Jan and Howard, Pierre sees a

need for more transparency from government and

companies and for good, timely public information.

According to him, a broad public debate is needed

when facing such big issues.

Gas as a sustainable source of energyStopping gas extraction would not automatically end

the earthquakes; the geological changes related to

gas extraction are complex. Earthquakes in Groningen

are also not as exceptional as is often thought. They

have occurred throughout history. One earthquake

brought down a church in Loppersum, and broke

a dike. That was in 1265. “Dutch people have got

used to a very flexible and safe supply of energy,”

says Pierre, “To a certain extent we will have to learn

to deal with such unpredictable events. People in

other countries are often better prepared for such

eventualities.”

He emphasises that it is very difficult to look into the

future and forecast the long-term effects of particular

measures. For example, a few years ago shale gas was

not in the picture and neither was affordable solar

energy. What is certain is that an awareness of energy

and sustainability will be even more important in the

future. “And in that respect, gas, in whatever form it

comes, has much to recommend it!” •

“Society has become more critical. People are more ready to

have their say, and there’s much more information available”


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Tone had actually made up her mind that she wanted to be

a musician. However, after a few years of studying music,

she decided it required such total dedication that it left too

little room for all the other things she was interested in.

She finally turned to studying economics, but music still

plays a very important role in her life.

What makes it so important to you?I love playing on my violin. For me, it’s like coming home.

To play and interpret classical music that has survived for

centuries is a very powerful experience.

When did it all start?My parents both love music and encouraged me to play.

At the age of six, I started on the violin. Those first years

were mainly hard work and not so much fun… But eventually

it became a real passion.

Why the violin?What I particularly like about it is the social aspect. It’s very

rewarding to play with all kinds of people and to try to find

the right sound together. As a child, I followed the Suzuki

Method, which teaches children, among other things, to play

together from the very start. But I also played solo pieces a

lot. The beauty of the instrument is that you can do both.

And nowadays?I used to play in various semi-professional orchestras in Bath

and Brussels, where I studied and worked before. Here I play

in the Oslo University Symphony Orchestra and in a chamber

music ensemble. However, with my job and three children,

it’s very hard to find enough time to practice! It comes

down to weekly rehearsals now. With the orchestra we

also perform about four times a year.

What’s your most special memory?As a teenager, I went to a four-week summer music school

for about seven years. We played in an orchestra with inter-

nationally acclaimed conductors and soloists. Those were

wonderful experiences, socially as well as musically. Once

we went to Bonn to play all nine Beethoven symphonies,

both in a concert hall and on a market square! That was

very exciting.

Does it influence your work?Personally, I think playing the violin is a strong stimulus for

your brain, because it involves both the left and right side:

you have to be able to analyse the music and interpret it in

a creative way.

What would you suggest to colleagues who’d like to play an instrument?I’d absolutely encourage them to do so! It really adds a value

to life. However, the violin is a difficult instrument to play

well, so perhaps they should choose one that’s easier to

master (and requires less individual rehearsing). Good luck!

Tone Varslot Stave joined DNV in 2008, moving to DNV

KEMA in 2011. She’s a principal consultant in the department

of Project Risk Management in Norway.

Tone Varslot Stave and the Violin

RECHARGING YOuR BATTERIES

WHAT DO YOu DO IN YOuR FREE TImE?

Lone Wigh, sales and marketing coordinator. Sport: diving. Here she’s diving in Øresund, Denmark. Location: Hellerup, Denmark

What’s the latest in sports and exercise today? If you like

to be up to date but don’t want to exhaust yourself, check

out this fine selection of sporty collaegues.

me and my sport

14

Kees-Jan van Oeveren, director of Electricity Transmission & Distribution, APAC. Sport: cycling. Location: Beijing, China

Jessica Miller, legal administrative assistant. Sport: Yoga. Here she’s doing the Astavakrasana, or eight-angle pose. Location: Burlington (MA), USA

Viktorija Namavira, consultant. Sport: SUP yoga. Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

David Balmert, senior consultant. Sport: rowing. Here he’s in a skiff. Location: Bonn, Germany

Atif Raja, managing director of Middle East, and his son and nephew. Sport: swimming. Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Henk Bijsterbosch (with no. 10), project manager. Sport: volleyball. Location: Arnhem, the Netherlands

Mark Dijkstra, performance engineer. Sport: cycling. Location: Arnhem, the Netherlands

Patricia Ewansky, senior project manager and sustainability professional. Sport: hiking. Location: Phoenix (AR), USA

Greg Gronsky, energy analist. Sport: running. Location: Burlington (MA), USA

Bonnie Thorn, office manager (Digital Inspections). Sport: running. This photo was taken at the inaugural Boston Athletic Association 10K race. Location: Corvallis (OR), USA

Robert Burgers, principal consultant. Sport: squash. Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

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Jan Haramul, testing engineer. Sport: skydiving. Location: Prague, Czech Republic

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Henk BijsterboschArnhem, the Netherlands

15mark DijkstraArnhem, the Netherlands

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Paal JohansenHouston (TX), USA

02

Bart AdamsAntwerp, Belgium

06

Agapi PapadamouSan Francisco (CA), USA

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Kathryn KnoxOkemos (MI), USA

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Ryan BarryPortland (ME), USA

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Bonnie ThornCorvallis (OR), USA

15 Greg GronskiBurlington (MA), USA

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Patricia EwanskiPhoenix (AZ), USA

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matthias HeiligenstetterBonn, Germany

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David BalmertBonn, Germany

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maurice AdriaensenArnhem, the Netherlands

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Suze HupkesArnhem, the Netherlands

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Tammie CandelarioSan Ramon (CA), USA

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martien HofmanArnhem, the Netherlands

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martin Kuntze-FechnerBonn, Germany

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Jessica millerBurlington (MA), USA

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Contributors

Jan SpiekhoutGroningen, the Netherlands

08

Howard levinskyGroningen, the Netherlands

08

Pierre BartholomeusGroningen, the Netherlands

08

Tone Varslot StaveHøvik, Norway

13

Jock BrownHøvik, Norway

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Robert BurgersDubai, United Arab Emirates

15Viktorija NamaviraDubai, United Arab Emirates

15Atif RajaDubai, United Arab Emirates

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lone WighHellerup, Denmark

14

Jinlong maSingapore

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Kees-Jan van OeverenBeijing, China

15

Claas HülsenHamburg, Germany

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Hege Halseth BangHøvik, Norway

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Jan HaramulPrague, Czech Republic

15

“This project is bringing together

colleagues from around the world to

work together and share experiences,”

says Maurice Adriaensen, project sponsor

for one of this year’s Global Innovations

projects. Along with two other DNV KEMA

employees, he explains how their innova-

tion projects are connecting colleagues

around the world.


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“T his funding really decides whether or not

we would have been able to go through

with our project,” says Tammie Candelario,

head of the Solar Services section. She is talking about

the Global Innovation project she and her colleagues

in the San Ramon, California office recently received

funding for: a study of the effects of soiling and

snow on solar PV systems in different geographical

locations. “Like everyone else in DNV KEMA, we can

only work with the hours we have available, and with-

out this support we would have faced a real challenge

in terms of meeting our budget,” she says.

The Global Innovation PortfolioIn February DNV KEMA’s Innovation Committee

finalised the evaluation of this year’s Global Innova-

tion projects (GIPs), selecting 24 new initiatives to

be included in the company’s Innovation Portfolio.

The programme delegates central funding and

support to projects considered to be essential in

helping the company achieve its strategic goals for

2015, giving each team 22.377 man-hours to com-

plete their project. This year, the prioritised areas

included innovation projects contributing towards

the Energy goal, the Sustainability goal, the Testing,

Inspection & Certification goal and the Third Party

goal. The San Ramon team’s project has the potential

of contributing to more than one of these goals in

the long term.

using DNV KEmA locations“The initial work was done by our project manager

Tim Townsend, who is on my team here in San

Ramon,” Tammie says. “He has over 20 years of

experience in the Solar PV field and has really done

the heavy lifting from a technical perspective on this

project.” She explains that Tim has spent many years

researching how dirt and snow affect the ultimate

energy production of solar panels, and recently

he led an effort to install a soiling test station at

Lake Tahoe.

“That provided data to develop a soiling model, but

we wanted multiple points that represented more than

one geographical location,” she continues. “So we

are looking at four potential test beds to be installed

and tested in different locations, including at least one

where DNV KEMA already has facilities.”

Tammie explains that the members of her team had

already been involved in a GIP-funded project last year

so, when the idea came up, they knew exactly where to

go for innovation funding. “It was great to be selected,”

she says. “We are all extremely passionate about the

importance of this work. There’s a big gap regarding

information about soiling in the industry, and we are

very anxious to be able to see results and get out into

the solar community and talk about our model.”

She also points out that having support from manage-

ment provides an extra strong incentive for the team:

“You like to think that you are supporting the values

of the company and vice versa, and I think the Inno-

vations Portfolio is very much about that.”

New European opportunities On the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, funding inno-

vations is helping DNV KEMA’s European staff make

the most of new business opportunities in their region

– facilitating exciting new cross-office collaboration

in the process.

“Here in Europe, huge amounts of investment are

going into the opportunities presented by the EU

Commission’s mandate for a European smart meter

rollout by 2020,” says Claas Hülsen, business line

director within MOC Europe, who is also the Project

Sponsor of a GIP focusing on European Smart Meter

Testing. “This new legislation means that as many as

113 million smart meters will be installed in European

homes in the coming years, provided there is a

positive business case at the national level. This is of

course a tremendous chance for DNV KEMA to offer

additional services to new markets.”

“You like to think that you are supporting

the values of the company and vice versa,

and I think the Inno vations Portfolio is very

much about that.”

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Together with internal project manager Daniel Böhm,

Claas works with a team of people in DNV KEMA’s

offices around Europe which has singled out a selec-

tion of potential markets in which to research smart

meter testing facilities. “At the moment, we are focus-

ing on the UK, Germany and Norway,” Claas explains.

“Once we have located the best markets, we want to

develop an idea of what an ideal testing facility here

could look like in the future. Then in the third phase

we would like to add new features to our tools for the

designated markets that we see as short-term business

opportunities. At the moment, the UK is looking like

a likely candidate.”

National specifications – global teamworkBecause smart meter testing must be developed

within domestic specifications, these projects are of

a national nature. But Claas explains that their GIP is

nonetheless a real cross-office collaboration: “The

whole project is very much a joint process, with a

number of people working all over Europe, from

Dresden and Arnhem, to Oslo and the UK. We rely

on good software developers – experts on functional

specifications within the different markets – and also

people involved more on the business side to market

the new services. Even in the last phase of the project

when we will have chosen one market to focus on,

it will still be a cross-office effort, because we need

these resources from all over DNV KEMA in order

to implement what has been researched and help

spread the word.”

As business line director, Claas is the perfect candi-

date for the job. “In my role, I facilitate the exchange

between offices across Europe and make people

aware of each other’s capabilities. Keeping in touch

with all the offices and having an overview of differ-

ent people’s competence is my day-to-day business.

So it’s great to be able to use that in a project that

facilitates real innovation on a global scale.”

Cyber Security TestingIn the summer of last year, in the Dutch offices in

Arnhem, another group of forward-thinking DNV

KEMA employees were also beginning to notice

potential business opportunities in relation to the

European smart meter rollout.

Claas Hülsen Business Line Director MOC Europe

maurice Adriaensen Team Manager Intelligent Networks & Communications (INC) & Power Systems Operation (PSO)

Tammie Candelario Head of Section Solar Services

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Maurice Adriaensen is the team manager for the

Intelligent Networks and Communications group

(INC), a group focusing mainly on automation within

the energy industry, both in relation to IT systems and

the management of electricity or gas infrastructures.

“We also provide services in the area of smart meter-

ing, and with the new EU mandate we were hearing

more and more about the issue of cyber security,”

he says. “This is becoming a hot topic because as

more and more infrastructure and distribution grids

get connected to the Internet with the implementa-

tion of smart meters, the system also becomes more

vulnerable to cyber crime.”

Discovering GIPNot long after Maurice and his team had begun

discussing ideas for testing smart grid components

in relation to cyber security, they discovered the

GIP programme.

“When we found out about the funding we had

already started thinking about this initiative as a

strategic addition to our business, so things came

together quite nicely. We put together the proposal

and it was shortlisted not long after. A more detailed

business plan was approved in early January, to the

delight of our team. It felt like an honour to get

selected for the funding, and a huge motivation for

the whole team to take the next steps together with

our global colleagues.”

using international competenceLike the European Smart Meter Testing Project,

Maurice, who is the project sponsor of the GIP,

explains that the Cyber Security Testing GIP is a

cross-office operation, and a truly global initiative

from the get-go.

“Our project was selected not only because cyber

security is currently a hot topic in the industry, but also

because our project involved colleagues from different

units right from the start. The idea came about not just

within our team, but through discussions with other

teams around the globe. We took the lead here in

Arnhem, but we actively involved colleagues in Madrid,

London, Dresden, Norway and the US. In fact, I think

it’s the only GIP to involve collaboration between DNV

KEMA’s European and American offices.”

Maurice says the people involved – a core team of

roughly six people communicating with colleagues all

over the world – are already developing strong new

relationships. “By working together as a global team,

we are all getting to know one another better on a

personal level, which in turn helps us to understand

more about the different challenges in the American,

European, or Middle Eastern markets. I’m convinced

that if you want to work more internationally as an

organisation, it starts with bringing people together

and letting them share their experience. So I believe

Global Innovation projects such as this one can also be

important enablers for more cross-regional projects

in the future.” •


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Suze Hupkes and Kickboxing

As a girl, Suze Hupkes was not one for ballet or gymnastics:

she liked tougher sports. She did judo until she was 12. Then,

in her mid-teens, after she had stopped doing judo, she felt

it was time to push the envelope. She began kickboxing.

What does kickboxing entail?There are two components to the training: punch bag

training – to teach you to hit and kick – and sparring with

an opponent. Fitness and weight training are also very

important. For example, you need to have strong abdominal

muscles to be able to cope with blows.

What makes it so enjoyable for you?I like active sports. Kick boxing training is very intensive:

after one hour I am utterly exhausted. Your whole body is

involved: arms, legs, and stomach muscles. I also like the

fact that it’s a real contact sport. You fight rounds with all

sorts of people, which teaches you to adapt to what the

other person is doing. It requires a lot of concentration. As

for the kick boxing competitions: they are quite fanatical,

the fighters train five days a week. A hobbyist like me needs

to keep out of the way there, so I only fight training rounds

myself. There’s no competition at a lower level, as there is

with other sports.

Is it an aggressive sport, as is often said?No, in fact I think it teaches you control. You can get rid of

your aggression in the training sessions, and you learn how

to control aggression and what you should and shouldn’t do.

That’s an important aspect of the training.

Do you train with men?Yes, most training sessions are mixed. I don’t have any

problem with that – you can learn a lot from sparring with

boys. Men are stronger, but women can take advantage of

that fact. People often don’t expect a girl to do kick boxing,

and especially not a smaller girl like me!

What gives you the greatest satisfaction?Seeing your technique improve. For example: if you’re

going to kick, you have to choose the right position first.

You gradually get better at that, so that you can react faster

and more accurately.

Does it influence your life and work?Yes, it makes me a stronger person. I feel more confident,

for example if I’m out on my own at night. And you become

fitter, physically and mentally. I’m in better condition, so I can

concentrate better, and that shows in my work. But I think

you could say the same for everyone who engages in sport.

What would you suggest to colleagues who are interested in kickboxing?Just go to a class one day. Nowadays there are many fitness

clubs offering group lessons, where you can try it out.

Anyone can do it!

Suze Hupkes came to DNV KEMA in Arnhem as an intern.

For the past 18 months she has been working in the Global

Marketing & Communications department as coordinator

Events & Sponsoring.

RECHARGING YOuR BATTERIES

WHAT DO YOu DO IN YOuR FREE TImE?

2015


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24 HOuRS

Do you want to share a day in your life? If so, please send an email to [email protected]

A Day in the Life of… Ryan Barry

06.30 a.m.

07.30 a.m.

17.45 p.m.

20.00 p.m.

21.00 p.m.

09.00 a.m.

17.30 p.m.

05.15 a.m.

07.45 a.m.

05.30 a.m.

08.30 a.m.

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Ryan BarrySenior Principal Consultant at Sustainable Use Services Consulting (SUS-C) in Portland (ME), USA. With (DNV) KEMA since 2001.

05.15 a.m.My day starts when my 18-month-old son Quinlan wakes up. We quietly head to the kitchen to get the day started. After helping me brew coffee, Quinlan enjoys a bowl of dry cereal as I get started on making lunches for myself and my three older children: Fiona (7), Rowan (5) and Keenan (5). I’ve enjoyed my share of ‘Peanut Butter & Jellies’ this school year. I’ve been known to get distracted from morning “jobs” by Quinlan, the newspaper, or my BlackBerry; but luckily Hannah, my wife, joins us to make sure we stay on schedule.06.30 a.m. We got lucky today… Hannah and I were able to enjoy each other’s company for a few minutes with a cup of coffee before the “big kids” joined us. 07.00 a.m.We have breakfast together and then prepare the kids for school. 08.00 a.m. We part ways… Hannah and the kids are off to school and I head downtown to the office. I may have resisted the temptation to check my BlackBerry while driving. On my way to the office I mentally prepare for the day. As a consultant your day often does not go as planned, but it helps me to take a quiet moment to review my priorities.08.20 a.m.Wow, I beat my colleague Jessi Baldic to the office today; that’s a rare occasion lately as she has had some project work that has required her to arrive early. Unfortunately for me, the first to arrive has to make the coffee.08.30 a.m.Soon my SUS-C colleagues, Nate Caron, Rich Crowley and Jessi arrive. We share a few laughs over coffee before we begin the day in earnest. 08.45 a.m.I return to my desk, review my To Do list, continue to manage my email and prepare for the first of many phone calls. I spend a great deal of time on the phone working with clients and colleagues across the US10.00 a.m.We have a quick Portland Office team meet-ing to share our schedules for the upcoming weeks; then we join our Burlington, Massachusetts based SUS-C colleagues for a weekly team check-in and resourcing meeting.

10.30 a.m.It’s time to focus on project work… for the past three years I’ve been a member of DNV KEMA’s Massachusetts Commercial and Industrial (C&I) Energy Efficiency Program Evaluation Team. DNV KEMA is responsible for the planning, execution and delivery of all C&I evaluation activities in Massachusetts. In addition to verification of past energy savings accomplishments by the statewide energy efficiency programmes, our team investigates new markets, new approaches, and new technologies to assist the State of Massachusetts in its quest for the installation of all cost-effective energy efficiency. Today I’m working with my Middletown Office based colleague, Dan Barbieri, on a new contract that will extend our engagement through 2015.12.00 p.m. Lunch at our desks today… I’m using the time to catch up on email and prepare for my 01.00 p.m. call.13.00 p.m.Each Monday I meet with the Massachusetts C&I Evaluation Team project managers and our executive sponsor, Curt Puckett, to coor-dinate our efforts, share information and address any challenges. Currently we have nearly a dozen project managers across six different locations. This call also serves to prepare us for our team’s weekly project call with the statewide contract manager from National Grid. 13.30 p.m.Weekly check-in with the National Grid project manager. My teammates Dan Barbieri (Middletown, CT Office) and Chad Telarico (Remote Geneva, NY) participate in this call. We review the status of each of the ongoing projects and discuss the finer details of con-tract negotiations.14.00 p.m.I have an hour window before my next call to work on one of my Massachusetts C&I projects. We are developing work plans for research to be completed in the next year of the Massachusetts contract. 15.00 p.m.I participate in a weekly resource planning call with colleagues from each of the US offices with SUS-C staff. The purpose of this call is to ensure an optimal workload balance across the team.

15.30 p.m.Back to the work plan mentioned above.16.00 p.m.I have an interview with a candidate for a position in one of our East Coast offices. SUS-C is in a period of rapid growth and, as a result, interviewing has become a regular part of my job. I enjoy speaking with candi-dates who are interested in joining our team. Following the interview I fill out the interview evaluation form and send it along to HR.17.30 p.m.The Portland Office gathers in the conference room to assist Nate with an issue that arose on one of his projects. 18.30 p.m.Prepare a few notes to myself for tomorrow, then head for home.18.50 p.m.The kids have already eaten dinner and are playing in the yard when I arrive at home. I have some dinner and connect with Hannah before its time to get the kids ready for bed. Hannah takes Quinlan off to bed while I spend some quality time with the big kids.21.00 p.m.With the house finally peaceful, I head out to play soccer. For the past few years, I’ve been playing with the same group of friends on a co-ed indoor soccer team. It is a great way to get some exercise and fun mid-week. I end the night by grabbing a quick beer with my teammates… conveniently there is a bar next to the soccer field.22.30 p.m. Straight to bed…Thankfully all the kids finally sleep through the night… no more babies for me.

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In this column three of our newest

colleagues introduce themselves.

Kathryn Knox

27

Jinlong maPrincipal Consultant for the Clean Technology Centre in Singapore since February 2013.

Family? Married, one child.Where do you live?In Singapore, my family currently lives in Australia. What are your main tasks? Consulting, development and marketing What kind of work did you do prior to DNV KEmA? I worked for Parsons Brinckerhoff (PB) in Hong Kong in consulting and management. Former employers included SMEC, an inter-national engineering and management con-sulting firm in Australia, the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), and China Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). What were your first impressions? First: change. When I applied for my current job, the company was called DNV. By the time I joined them, it was DNV KEMA. And the company is still undergoing change. Then: diversity. The range of business and services is wide and diverse: from maritime to natural resources; from policy and regula-tory services to engineering and research.What were your expectations of DNV KEmA?A global operations and consulting business and working with colleagues in a multi-cultural environment. What do you find particularly interesting about your work? Contributing to the sustainable development of the region. Is there anything you had to get used to?Different firms have different styles of operations and corporate cultures. As a new employee you have to adapt and get involved, and make constructive contributions. Is there anything you hope to develop in your new job?I’d be interested to see accelerated growth of the company’s business and operations in Asia, which has become an increasingly important driver of the global economy. I hope to play my part in this growth and to expand my professional experience.

Kathryn KnoxEnergy Efficiency Engineer in the KSI-SUS division in Okemos (MI), USA since March 2013.

Family?No partner, no children.Where do you live?In Okemos, Michigan (USA).What are your main tasks?I assist in implementing the energy efficiency programme for Consumers Energy in Michigan. I primarily review applications for utility rebates related to building retrofits and perform site inspections when needed.What kind of work did you do prior to DNV KEmA?I joined DNV KEMA after receiving my MSc in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. What were your first impressions? I quickly learned that DNV KEMA really takes to heart the values of sustainability that we present to our clients, as demonstrated by internal programmes like “WeDo”.What were your expectations about DNV KEmA?I was somewhat apprehensive about moving to a new state, without knowing anyone else beforehand. However, my great co-workers all made me feel right at home from day one. What do you find particularly interesting about your work?I enjoy travelling around Michigan perform-ing building inspections. It’s amazing how each energy efficiency project is truly unique and each presents new challenges.Is there anything you had to get used to?Yes: to all the delicious food and sweet treats that find their way into our office on a daily basis. I think I’m the most well-fed I’ve been in years!Is there anything you hope to develop in your new job?I hope to expand my knowledge of build-ing systems and learn from my talented colleagues, especially our senior engineers. I’m also very interested in other service lines, such as Sustainable Buildings and Communities.

matthias HeiligenstetterSales Manager for Management and Operations Consulting in Bonn, Germany since April 2013.

Family?Married, no children.Where do you live?In Cologne, Germany.What are your main tasks?I sell our consulting services and improve relationships with current and prospective clients. I am also involved in representing DNV KEMA and our portfolio at trade fairs and conferences and in strengthening our brand recognition in the market.What kind of work did you do prior to DNV KEmA?I worked as a business development and key account manager for EVB Energy Solutions GmbH, with a focus on Smart Metering and Smart Grid Solutions. What were your first impressions of DNV KEmA? Great place to work! What were your expectations?I was expecting an international company and working environment with a com-prehensive portfolio and experienced and open-minded colleagues, where I could learn something new every day and use my skills. So far, I can say my expectations have been fulfilled.What do you find particularly interesting about your work?To deliver the best solutions to our clients is a great challenge and each assignment is dif-ferent. Being part of a dynamic and changing energy world makes this even better.Is there anything you had to get used to?To get familiar with the many abbreviations used in the company. I take them for granted now, but in the beginning they were quite confusing!Is there anything you hope to develop in your new job?I want to further develop my knowledge of energy and contribute my “power” so that I can grow with the team and the company.

Joining Forces – DNV KEmA Runs

“most runners run not because they want to live longer,

but because they want to live life to the fullest.”

Haruki Murakami

The DNV women’s team in Oslo From left to right:

Anne Kirsti Noren, Susanne Tollerød, Kristine Hovland,

Eva Turk, Helene Bjerke, Maria Kristiansen, Anneli

Stephansen, Melanie Devergez, Hege Halseth Bang,

Randi Kruuse-Meyer, Heidi Hægeland Halvorsen,

Pippa Brown. In front with dog: Line Dahl.28

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The Japanese author Haruki Murakami’s succinct reflection on running

has come to encapsulate the mentality shared by the millions of people

around the world who find themselves addicted to the sport of running.

We talked to some of DNV KEMA’s running enthusiasts about the training,

teamwork and dedication that go into it.

O n a sunny Tuesday afternoon in May this

year, around one hundred runners gathered

for the traditional Lenteloop race in the

business park where DNV KEMA’s Arnhem office is

located. With music playing out of loudspeakers, the

runners prepared to take part in what has become a

traditional sporting event for the Arnhem employees:

the 4,8 km Lenteloop (Spring Running Event) is now in

its 29th year, with a 30th anniversary race planned for

2014. Employees from seven companies with offices

in the same park participated, this year with 12 rep-

resentatives from DNV KEMA – slightly fewer than in

previous races.

“It probably came down to the race happening on

a Tuesday this year, and not on a Friday as it normally

does,” explains Martien Hofman, office manager

of the Global Marketing & Communications Team,

who has both run and helped organise the race for

DNV KEMA staff for several years now. Despite the

slightly lower turnout, she explains, our runners

didn’t disappoint: Andries van der Wal, the winner

of the previous two years’ races, made it across the

finish line in second place with a time of just over

17:30 minutes (there were whispers that he would

have won, had it not been for an unlucky fall near

the finish).

Social motivationBut, as Martien points out, the motivation behind

running races such as these is rarely based in competi-

tiveness. “The Lenteloop is a great way to meet other

people, have conversations and make contacts outside

of the normal business context. Personally I’m not a

particularly fast runner, but I really enjoy the social

aspect.”

The Arnhem runners are not organised in a specific

running group but, with the enthusiasm around tra-

ditional races like the Lenteloop, Martien feels posi-

tive about putting together a team to train and run

together in the forthcoming Bridge to Bridge race,

another traditional Arnhem event that sees thousands

of runners connect the city’s bridges with their feet.

“People support each other when they run a race,”

Martien says. “Even though you might be running

on your own, you are still there as a team.”

Oslo’s relay raceIn the annual Holmenkollstafetten (Holmenkoll Relay

Race), teamwork is also essential to success. It’s an

important event in the calendar for DNV’s running

team in Norway, with a men’s and women’s team –

both of which have been placed in the top five many

times in the past – entering each year. Hege Bang, a

head of section within DNV Maritime and Oil & Gas,

has been with the running group since 2000, receiving

and passing the baton on behalf of her team in several

of the race’s 15 different legs. “It went really well this

year,” she says enthusiastically. “We ended up 11th,

out of more than 70 teams. It’s a bit stressful every

year – just getting everyone to the right place at the

right time. But the most important thing is making

sure everyone has a great time.”

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“People support each other when they

run a race. Even though you might

be running on your own, you are still

there as a team.”

Hege explains that the running group meets twice

a week, convening by the waterfront at DNV’s Høvik

offices every Monday and Thursday afternoon. “We

draw up a training programme that we all follow for

two months at a time,” she says. Prior to the relay

race, runners go through test sessions to qualify and

get allocated a suitable distance.

“A lot of that is about finding the right runner for

the right leg,” she explains. “There’s a big difference

between running 2.8 km and sprinting 390 metres.

Besides, we want as many people as possible to get

involved, and we really do have people from across

the whole spectrum involved. Some of our members

are elite runners, while others just want to contribute

and have fun. I think the common experience we

all have is that you are there as part of a team that

depends on you. That can be nerve wrecking when you

are on the starting line, but it’s also the best part.”

making friendsHege also points out that participating in the running

group has enabled her to make close friends in DNV

that she wouldn’t have met over the usual coffee

break conversations in the canteen. Senior Consultant

at DNV KEMA Norway, Jock Brown, who ran the

390 m distance in this year’s men’s relay race, had

similar motivations for joining the group. ”I moved to

Europe from New Zealand in 2009, relocating to Oslo

after the merger last year.” he says. ”I got involved

with DNV’s running team as I thought it would be a

good idea to get to know some new people while

also getting back into shape.”

Jock says that, in addition to reviving his old athletics

skills, running with the group has helped him get to

know his company better. ”I find it’s been a great

way to learn about the different divisions within

DNV that I wasn’t too familiar with before – like the

Maritime sector, which is so integral to DNV’s work

and history.”

The running mentality But, beyond the social aspect, what is it that motivates

people to get out and train when the long, cold, icy

winters come creeping in? In addition to running races

with DNV, Hege is an avid long-distance runner who

has completed many half and full marathons on her

own.

“In a busy everyday life, it’s the simplest thing to keep

up in terms of training,” she says. “Running with

others is great, but I like the fact that you can get out

and do it even if it’s just you. I find it is often those

runs when it’s just you alone on the road that are the

most special, when you get a chance to really clear

your head. The world just feels like a better place by

the time you get back.”

To Hege, a big part of the motivation is also to chal-

lenge herself both mentally and physically: “A lot of

it is about telling yourself that you can do something;

flicking that switch in your head to concentrate on

just getting to the finish line instead of thinking about

what’s hurting,” she says. “It’s a bit of a cliché in

the world of running, but I do think it translates to

other areas in life – especially work. It’s about being

a finis her, and having the mentality that backing out

is not an option.”

motivating colleaguesIn Germany, DNV KEMA’s Sales Director Martin

Kuntze-Fechner is using his 30-year long running

experience to motivate his colleagues in the Bonn

office to take up long-distance running.

“I’ve run 19 marathons in my life,” he says, “and I’ve

lost count of the half marathons a long time ago!”

Running every other day has made the sport an

intrinsic part of Martin’s life, and he says it has taught

him that everybody has different motivations and

attitudes.

31


The Bonn teamFrom left to right: Michael Ebert,

Christian Engelhard, Martin Kuntze-

Fechner, Nina Negic, Denis Resnjanskij.

The DNV men’s team in OsloFrom left to right: Jock Brown,

Erik Tørum, Kjetil Hunnes, Antonio

Goncalves, Erling Håland, Arne

Nestegård, Peer Chr. Anderssen,

Alfredo Ludueña, Alfredo Carella,

Tore Hordvik, Ole Martin Hauge,

Andreas Lervik, Terje Tubaas,

Nikolai Hydle Rivedal.

Seated in front: Daniel Millet.

The Dresden team (not in the article)

also shared a photo with us.

From left to right: René Zimmer,

Katja Müller, Oliver Schönherr,

Dirk Rudolph (replacing Jan Mehlberg),

Martin Vogel, Jessica Hebing.

Approximately 9000 participants took

part in the Team Challenge Dresden.

(DNV) KEMA took part 5th time in a

row, starting in 2009.

32

“With the Bonn team we mostly run for leisure. For

three to four years we have been meeting after work

on Mondays for a 10 km run along the Rhine, crossing

some of the bridges here in the city along the way.

Every September we participate in a corporate run,

which sets out near where the former government

buildings are located. Around 6,000 runners from all

over Bonn meet and run a 6 km race, and then we

have a nice barbecue after. Last year, however, we had

the idea to do a half marathon together – to really put

in that extra effort.”

First half marathonMartin says that, with everyone’s different projects and

working hours, much of the preparation came down

to the individual runner. “Many of my colleagues who

took part had never run a half marathon before. We

gave each other lots of support and tips, and I tried to

encourage people that a half marathon is something

everyone in good health is capable of completing.

Running a marathon is different – it requires more

specific training and dedication – but most people’s

bodies can conquer 21 kilometres. In the end, we

managed to get everyone over the finish line in less

than two hours. That felt like a great achievement.”

Martin agrees with Hege that the runner’s mentality

of endurance and commitment can be conducive

to good working habits. “Keeping in motion, both

physically and mentally, is very important when

you’re running long distances. When you’re running

a marathon, you will come to a point where you ask

yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?’” he laughs. “At longer

distances it’s also natural to find yourself being quite

bored at times. And we all know it can be the same

at work – there are always going to be times where

you could use the extra stamina to get you through

the peaks and troughs. Running is a great way to

build that stamina.” •


The Arnhem team In the back, from left to right: Henk Aalderink , Frank de Vos, Imre Tannemaat,

Sjoerd Groot, Sander Heijnekamp / In the front, from left to right: Henk van Zuilen, Roy Nijman,

Sander van der Weiden, Martien Hofman, Annemarie Taris, Henk Spelt.

A life in ElectricityWalt Stadlin on his long and eventful career

Having started as a young electrical engineer

in 1952, DNV KEMA Senior Principal Consultant

Walter O. (Walt) Stadlin witnessed some of the

major changes in the world of electric power

in the 20th century. Among other things,

he was involved in developing the first

digital computers for the power industry.

Transponder was interested in his

experiences – and luckily Walt was

willing to share them.

33

The nuclear ageWalt started his career at Oak Ridge, working on the

supply of electric power for producing enriched ura-

nium. This had been used for the first time in World

War II to make the atomic bomb, but in the early

fifties it became the fuel for nuclear power reactors.

“Initially, the promise of nuclear power was to replace

the burning of fossil fuels at a very low cost,” explains

Walt. “Although the production of enriched uranium

takes an enormous amount of electric power, it pro-

vides even more. We thought it would be too cheap to

even meter… No thoughts were given to waste prod-

ucts. We’ve since learned a lot more about that.”

Walt was assigned to teach operators and technicians

the basics of electricity and particularly the ins and

outs of protective relays. “To demonstrate the effect

of breaking the electrical circuit in a current trans-

former, I once disconnected the wires in such a device

with almost-bare hands, protected only by special

gloves,” he says. A “hands-on” method that caused

some disturbance among the audience, and might

not have been approved of by his older self…

The transistor breakthroughIn the second half of the fifties, Walt worked for the

Army Signal Corps for two years. During this time, he

witnessed the invention of the transistor, which he

considers to be “one of the major technological break-

throughs of the 20th century.” Until then, the many

connecting switches needed for all kinds of electronic

applications, such as communication systems and the

early analogue computers, consisted of vacuum tubes.

These were bulky (each was about the size of a light

bulb), power-hungry and slow. An early digital com-

puter used thousands of vacuum tubes. Walt explains:

“A transistor is a fast, non-mechanical on/off switch

for electric current – basically a piece of crystal with

wire contacts on it. Each one uses only a low electric

current. Consequently, the equipment using transis-

tors also became smaller and faster.”

He remembers how he built his own transistor radio

in those days: you could buy special kits and a do-it-

yourself radio or television became a popular hobby.

But the influence of the transistor went much further,

he says: “We owe all of today’s technology to this tiny

device: calculators, laptops, and the internet – you

name it.”

From bits to bytesIn 1957 Walt started working for Leeds & Northrup,

a pioneering measurement instrument and control

system manufacturer for industrial processes, electric

power plants and interconnected electric companies.

He would stay there for 27 years, working on the devel-

opment and application of automated controls for the

generation, transmission and distribution of electric

power. One of his personal milestones was developing

and programming one of the industry’s first digital

computers for the Detroit Edison Company. “When I

started at L&N, I had to teach myself how to program

a digital computer. There were no classes I could take,

so I had to learn by doing – or leave the company!” At

that time, computer memories were were a lot smaller

than they are nowadays. You could almost count the

bits. Walt used a conventional electric typewriter with

punched paper tape as input and he could only see the

results of his work when he had converted the com-

puter output to an analogue meter; there were no digi-

tal screens yet. But he learned fast and over the years

was awarded several patents for his work.

1954 An analog com-

puter system called the

“Early Bird” is invented

by Southern Services

engineer Donald Early

(pointing in the picture).

Installed to coordinate

and dispatch power from

all of Southern Company’s

plants, it is hailed as the

world’s most advanced

system of its type.

Built by L&N

34

35

The New York blackoutTuesday, November 9, 1965. Dinnertime near L&N’s

factory/headquarters in North Wales, Pennsylvania.

At the time, L&N was in the process of starting up

Con Edison’s new digital computer system at their

control centre in Manhattan, and Walt and several

Con Edison engineers were watching television in the

local restaurant when the lights flickered momen-

tarily. TV was interrupted by news showing the New

York City outline of completely dark skyscrapers. It

appeared there had been a massive disruption in the

supply of electricity in the North Eastern part of the

US and part of Canada. The Con Edison engineers

immediately returned to their control centre, while

Walt went home to watch events unfold. The power

remained on in Pennsylvania.

The blackout, caused by a maintenance error in the

Niagara generation station, started a cascade of

disruptions in connected stations, damaging many

of them. Finally, it left over 30 million people without

electricity for up to 13 hours. The events turned out

to be the motor for many improvements in the indus-

try. “Before the blackout, the main goal in electricity

was to be connected,” explains Walt, “but when

something goes wrong, the most important thing is

to be disconnected to isolate the problem and, once

you’ve done that, to get the lights back on again as

soon as possible.” Improvements focused on faster

communication, automated fault detection, isolation

and restoration, accurate Power Network Modelling

(to anticipate potential problems) and, finally, the

establishment of operational standards in the industry.

This was the basis of another of Walt’s personal mile-

stones: for Duquesne Light Company in Pittsburgh,

PA, he developed and programmed an automated

scheme for the detection of faults, their isolation and

the quick restoration of power. “Back then, when a

car hit a telephone pole, you had to get out there and

throw a switch to disconnect the circuits. Thanks to

the computer, we could now do this automatically and

get power back quickly for everyone else by isolating

the damaged component.”

“We owe all of

today’s technology

to the transistor”

Walt Stadlin’s career from 1952 to 20121952 Oak Ridge, Tennessee1955 Signal Corps, Fort Monmouth,

New Jersey1957 Leeds & Northrup, North Wales,

Pennsylvania1968 MACRO Corporation, an engineering

consulting firm founded by five former L&N employees in Fort Washington, Pennsylvania.

1983 Walt joined MACRO, Horsham, PA1996 KEMA USA acquires MACRO,

Chalfont,PA2012 DNV acquires KEMA2013 Ross & Baruzzini acquires MACRO

In 2008, Walt Stadlin was honoured by being nominated for the Platts Global Energy Lifetime Achievement Award.

When he’s not travelling around the globe to support colleagues and clients with his vast range of knowledge, Walt and his wife Mae relish their leisure time by enjoying the theatre, travelling, and visiting the families of their four sons and eight grandchildren.

The New York skyline during the 1965 blackout.

36

The open access marketAnother force behind standardisation was the devel-

opment of the electricity market. For a long time,

electric power was in the hands of a host of individual

companies. They handled the whole electricity chain

themselves and could build power plants and trans-

mission lines wherever they wished. Sharing power

was a matter of bargaining between two companies.

“As the US became more densely populated and the

North American grid expanded,” Walt explains, “it

became clear that this “patchwork” system was no

longer suitable. This naturally evolved into the concept

of the high-voltage grid as an “interstate highway

system” for electric power that would be accessible to

all electricity suppliers and users.” To make this open

access a reality required the creation of Independent

System Operators (ISOs) to administer this market and

to maintain the desired reliability of the grid.

By then, Walt was working for KEMA, which was

commissioned by the new Midwest ISO (MISO) to

analyse what they needed to fulfil their task. He was

involved in the preparation, choice of location, and

architectural design of a primary and backup control

centre for MISO.

Common interests“The big thing now and in the future,” says Walt, “is

renewable energy, particularly wind and solar power.

These will have an increasing influence on our power

supply.” However, his favourite memories have to do

with the oldest of renewable energy sources: water. “I

worked on the Snowy Mountains project in Australia,

which was supplied by just two rivers. It involved an

intricate tunnel network between a number of power

plants, which presented a very interesting puzzle.” In

Tasmania, on the other hand, hydro is the only source

of power. The challenge there was not to waste any

water. “As the operators in the power plants used to

say: If you spill it, you’ll have to drink it!” Again, com-

puters were the key to finding an answer.

In 2012, Walt was involved in developing a computer

system that includes the optimal water management

of the Nile River in Egypt. The completion was delayed

by the recent unrest and he’s not sure what the state

of the project is right now. Ultimately, it could add

to the creation of an open market in the region,

connecting all Mediterranean countries. This is one

of the things that inspire him about the electricity

industry. As he puts it: “In the end, everyone is

working on the same problems, sharing a common

interest.” •“There were no classes I could take,

so I had to learn by doing”

The New York Times, Wednesday, November 10, 1965.

DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability, with more than 2,300 experts in over 30 countries around the world, is committed to driving the global transition toward a safe, reliable, efficient, and clean energy future. With a heritage of nearly 150 years, we specialise in providing world-class, innovative solutions in the fields of business & technical consultancy, testing, inspections & certification, risk management, and verification. As an objective and impartial knowledge-based company, we advise and support organisations along the energy value chain: producers, suppliers & end-users of energy, equipment manufacturers, as well as government bodies, corporations and non-governmental organisations. DNV KEMA Energy & Sustainability is part of DNV, a global provider of services for managing risk with more than 10,000 employees in over 100 countries.

DNV KEMA in Brief

We’re looking for special, funny, beautiful, striking, surprising, or unusual situations

in your daily work. If you come across one, take a photo, add a brief description

of when and where it was taken, and send it to [email protected].

This is your chance to participate in making our new back cover!

A Fresh Perspective

Uninvited guest: a wild turkey in front of the East Lobby, which is the entrance to the DNV KEMA Burlington office.

Photograph: Sam Noures, manager of Oracle ERP Americas, ERP architect / analyst, Burlington (MA), USA.

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DNV KEMA Transponder issue #6 | Augustus 2013

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