Total Ground Engineering

Last week at Total Ground Engineering we said farewell to an exceptional intern. Sam Rampado from the The University of British Columbia. What made us seriously consider this person who was studying on the other side of the world? Apart from his clear and well worded application (written communication, tick), strong academic transcript (intellectual grunt and work ethic, tick) and considered responses to our interview questions (problem solving, tick), Sam had already researched what he would need to do to work and live in New Zealand and had his visa application underway (focussed, self-sufficient, pro-active, tick). We we also like candidates with outside interests, as in our view, this can demonstrate other capabilities such as learning agility. Sam's motivation for doing his internship in NZ? To pursue his interests in Kiteboarding....tick. Sam has been a very fast learner, a hard worker and was willing to step into anything we threw at him. He has a high level of capability for problem solving, analysis and engineering design and has added a huge amount of value to our business. To the Northern Hemisphere graduate employers out there, grab this one, he is a star. Thanks Sam and safe travels! Here is Sam’s take on his time with TGE; "Hello. I’m Sam, BAsc student at the University of British Columbia. Driven by my passion for kiteboarding, I boldly traveled from Canada to Auckland for a 5 month internship with TGE. Upon arriving, I was greeted by an exceptionally welcoming office environment, which made my time here truly enjoyable. From morning gym sessions to Friday after-work drinks and the annual ski trip, I had opportunities to connect with the team and share in many laughs. TGE is filled with kind individuals who genuinely enjoy each other’s company. CEO Neil and Chief of Staff Jacqui, along with a supportive staff have created a collaborative office environment that is ideal for learning and professional growth. I had the opportunity to work on meaningful projects and be engaged in every stage of the design process with the senior engineers, Jason and Bruce, offering valuable mentorship. The various projects allowed me to apply and expand upon the knowledge I gained in geotechnical and structural engineering classes, utilizing engineering equations and theory. I gained plenty of experience with the software Slide2 and learned how to effectively use it for slope assessment and remediation design. I was able to visit construction sites at various stages of the build, getting to observe building techniques firsthand, use various testing devices, see, feel and taste New Zealand geology, and witness the designs I worked on come to life. Overall, TGE is a fantastic company to work for, and I am grateful for the experiences I've had here.

We are excited to be attending the NZ Wind Energy Summit this week in Wellington. Our CEO Neil Jacka is presenting on Day 2 of the Summit and sharing insights on risk, cost and innovation in wind tower foundation design. NZ Wind Energy Association

A couple of weeks ago I presented at Australia Wind Energy 2024. Jacqui Simpson’s post below is a great summary of the key takeaways and I have been reflecting on Total Ground Engineering’s contribution to the energy transition. It is clear to me that our contribution will be in constraining Balance-of-Plant (BoP) costs. Our topic “Risk, cost and innovation in foundation design” presented a strong case for elevating the level of geotechnical engineering to solve two emerging problems. The first problem is risk inherent in current design methods. I will return to that issue in a follow-up post, but the second issue is where we can offer significant value to onshore wind development. At the conference, I shared projections by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory that Balance of Plant costs will continue to increase as a proportion of the total cost of wind and this was confirmed by Squadron Energy’s CEO Rob Wheals who talked of the rising BoP costs they are already experiencing as a major roadblock to delivery. I presented snippets of a myriad of bright ideas for wind tower foundations springing forth in patent applications over the last five years and then went on to demonstrate how an elevated level of geotechnical engineering that uses the most advanced engineering technologies is required to realise those bright ideas. We showed one example of value engineering that can increase foundation efficiency by 40%. That 40% efficiency can be banked by owners and developers as either reduced capital cost or reduced risk or some mix of both. At the end of my keynote, I posed the question “How can innovation in foundation designs be fostered and implemented in the sector?” We got a lot of positive feedback. I now have a clearer understanding that Owners and Developers are the most obvious beneficiaries of restraining balance of plant costs. But civil contractors also appear hungry to find a competitive advantage in their tenders, although the usual tender period is too short to realistically propose an alternative solution. The pathway to delivering efficient foundations will require a strong partnership with an owner, developer or contractor who has the desire to get smarter about the installation of bigger turbines and taller towers and the willingness to be innovative. I came away with a renewed sense of purpose and confidence that the windpower sector will meet the growth challenges ahead and that the timing is right for TGE to deliver the engineering required. I'd love to connect with Owners, Developers or Contractors who have an interest or desire to explore this further. #AuWE2024, #WindEnergy, #OnshoreWind, #AustraliaWindEnergy, #WTGFoundations

Using data, analysis and advanced engineering technologies to design better solutions is one of our key strengths at Total Ground Engineering

Engineers who use advanced analytical tools can not only understand a complex soil-structure interaction problem in order to manage risk, but can also use that knowledge to value engineer better solutions. At next week's Australia Wind Energy 2024 conference, our CEO @NeilJacka will talk about risk, cost and innovation in wind turbine generator foundation design. We look forward to seeing you there !

Read about our research and thinking on WTG foundation design, published in the March edition of PES Wind.

"As innovations drive down costs in wind turbine components, foundation expenses rise. The solution lies in reimagining foundation design. Current methods fall short, risking structural integrity. Advanced modelling offers insight, with micropiles emerging as a cost-effective, efficient alternative, slashing both capital cost and carbon footprint. Redesigning foundations is imperative for the future of wind energy." To read the full article and our thought leadership on this topic, take a look at the March Edition of PES Wind released today. NZ Wind Energy Association, International Society for Micropiles, Ischebeck TITAN Group of Companies

Today's 'gobsmackingly' beautiful work location for our engineering geologist. Who can guess where in Aotearoa this is? #bestworkplaces #engineeringlife

Another spectacular worksite (and lunch venue) for our Engineering Geologist today. #engineering #geology #workplace #remotework #bestworkplaces

Another spectacular site utilising our Turris foundation solution.