Front end feasibility

TEL's global experience and leading capabilities make it your partner for all front end studies. The concept and feasibility stages of the project lifecycle are critical, front end loading streamlines and derisks later stage project execution. More importantly, non-viable projects are identified and stopped early.
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The concept phase starts with taking good ideas, developing the detail, and then stress testing to see if there is a technically sound and economically viable project to pursue. Typically this phase involves:  

1. Understanding the business goal and drivers;
2. Look widely for a solution;
3. Evaluating and selecting a venture to pursue.

The feasibility phase then develops the key details to enable a stage gate decision:

1. Technology selection;
2. Development of the technical design;
3. Determining the feedstock/utilities requirements;
4. Determine the plant capex and opex;
5. Development of a economic model to confirm the business case;
6. Project planning; and
7. A project pursuit recommendation.

Project development

Project development is an art and a discipline. TEL is best placed to take the less defined and work it into a firm and derisked project ready for FEED.  Key deliverables and tasks in the Pre Front End Engineering Design phase can save significant heartache, and costly change orders, in the subsequent Front End Engineering Design phase. The aim is to optimise and prioritise key areas to then create a firm basis for FEED. Key tasks include: 

1. Engagement with licensors and key equipment vendors;
2. Development of a whole of plant process model;
3. Process design optimization;
4. Capex and opex estimates;
5. Economic modelling and optimisation;
6. Engagement with feedstock suppliers;
7. Engagement with product offtakers;
8. Permitting and regulatory screening;
9. Lifecycle analysis;
10. Project delivery planning;
11. Freezing the design basis;
12. Development of handover pack to FEED engineering contractor;
13. Grant applications; and
14. A project pursuit recommendation.

The start of FEED is crucial, TEL can minmise lost productivity by working closely with the new engineering contactor, consultants, and owner's team. Once the project is up and running smoothly, typically following a PFD review, TEL can continue in a leadership role or handover to the now well established owner's team.

Research and innovation incubator

TEL works to identify the difficult problems and develop bankable solutions. This is an exciting area of our work and one which has led to new project development opportunities.

One successful example has been where TEL led the feasibility of a torrefied wood briquette project in New Zealand. Following the rigorous feasibility work, TEL has then worked with BiCRS to establish a new project development venture focusing on torrefaction and pyrolysis projects in New Zealand and Canada.

We are also currently exploring more rigorous farm modelling and clever on farm tools to enable increased production, reduced inputs, and/or reduced emissions on New Zealand farms.

Shaping policy and regulation to encourage sustainable industry

TEL acts as an independent reviewer and provided submissions on New Zealand's climate, agriculture, and industrial policy. Focusing on pragmatic, cost effective, and data driven feedback. Our view is that as we have more voices contribute the better the end policy will be.

Policies we have contributed to include:  

• NZ Second Emissions Reduction Plan 2024
• NZ CCUS Proposal 2024
• NZ Pricing Agricultural Emissions 2022
• NZ First Emissions Reduction Plan 2022