Middle East Energy – TM interview with Paolo Miolo and Muammer Levent Celikel, KEMA Labs
From left to right: Paolo Miolo, Sales and Marketing; Muammer Levent Celikel, Regional Leader – Middle East & Africa
TM: Good morning, Paolo and Muammer, it’s great to have you both here today. Let us jump right into our discussion on the changing energy mix in the Gulf region. Paolo, as the Sales & Marketing Director for KEMA Labs, the CESI Group Division dedicated to TIC, can you tell us about the challenges and opportunities presented by this shift?
Paolo: Absolutely. The Gulf region has historically been reliant on oil for its energy needs. However, in recent years, there has been a push toward decarbonization and reducing oil dependency. This presents a fantastic opportunity for the region to transition towards a more sustainable energy mix. However, this transition also presents challenges, such as the need to upgrade and modernize the energy infrastructure, as well as ensure the quality and safety of the recent technologies implemented.
TM: Muammer, as the Regional Manager for the Middle East & Africa, how do you see this shift impacting the supply chain?
Muammer: The shift towards a more sustainable energy mix has resulted in increased digitalization and complexity of the supply chain. Additionally, geopolitical threats have made it challenging to ensure the quality of the goods and materials used in the energy infrastructure. We must have partners that can guarantee the quality and safety of these materials, which is where third-party testing, inspection, and certification services come into play.
TM: That’s a great point, Muammer. Paolo, can you tell us about Europe’s experience with decarbonization and how it compares to the Middle East?
Paolo: Europe has been pushing towards decarbonization for several years now, with a focus on transitioning towards renewable energy sources. This has resulted in similar challenges to those faced by the Middle East, such as the need to upgrade infrastructure and ensure the quality and safety of the innovative technologies being implemented. However, Europe has also had success in partnering with companies like CESI, in particular its Division KEMA Labs, to assure the quality of goods and materials used in the energy infrastructure.
TM: That’s interesting to hear. Muammer, from your perspective, how important is it to have a partner like KEMA Labs in ensuring the quality and safety of goods and materials used in the energy infrastructure?
Muammer: It is crucial. The sustainable growth of the transmission and distribution sector relies heavily on ensuring the resiliency of assets and operations. This requires a partner that can assure the quality of goods and materials being used, which is where KEMA Labs comes in. Their third-party testing, inspection, and certification services ensure that both end-users and manufacturers have confidence in the quality and safety of the materials being used in the energy infrastructure.
TM: Paolo, can you speak to the reliability of components that are assessed in KEMA Labs?
Paolo: Absolutely. Based on our experience, on average 25% of components fail the first testing campaign within our laboratories. This underscores the importance of assessing the performance of components to guarantee the highest quality and safety standards.
TM: That’s a significant percentage of components that fail the testing. How does KEMA Labs ensure that manufacturers can address these issues and improve the quality of their products?
Paolo: It’s normal to have a percentage like that in the early stages. Our team of experts works closely with manufacturers to identify the root cause of any failures and provide recommendations for resolving the issues that should arise at this stage. We also offer retesting services to ensure that any issues have been addressed and that the components meet the necessary standards for safe and reliable operation in the energy infrastructure. In addition to testing and certification services, KEMA Labs also offers inspection services to cover the entire value chain of the product. Our cross-industry expertise becomes a competitive advantage for manufacturers to showcase, and for end-users, it becomes a strong guarantee of quality and safety.
Interview by Transformers Magazine
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