WEB Aruba is reviewing a utility-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) proposal intended to support island-grid reliability, renewable energy integration, and future system flexibility requirements. To support WEB Aruba’s internal evaluation process, WEB requested that K&M Advisors conduct a rapid benchmark assessment of current utility-scale BESS market conditions applicable to isolated systems like Aruba. The assessment intends to provide an independent, high-level market overview and quick check regarding indicative utility-scale BESS pricing, supplier and integrator positioning, expected implementation timelines and equipment lead times, prevailing technology configurations and battery energy management/control approaches, and relevant project references, particularly for island-grid applications.

K&M conducted a targeted market benchmarking exercise focused on utility-scale Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) suppliers, system integrators, and solution providers with experience in island-grid applications. As part of this effort, K&M engaged with approximately a dozen participants across the BESS value chain through direct outreach and market consultations. In parallel, K&M conducted desk research using publicly available information on reference projects in the Caribbean and other island-grid markets to assess typical project implementation schedules, battery procurement lead times, and deployment approaches. K&M also reviewed a range of industry reports and market publications to evaluate global and regional trends in BESS pricing, technology, and market development. Based on these findings, K&M prepared a concise assessment of current utility-scale BESS market dynamics and industry trends relevant to Aruba. The resulting Benchmark & BESS Trends Report summarizes benchmark findings, comparative market observations, indicative pricing insights, supplier and integrator positioning, implementation timeline considerations, and high-level conclusions relevant to future BESS deployment in Aruba.

K&M is supporting the International Finance Corporation (IFC), under a consultancy framework led by Poten & Partners, in the Lebanon Gas-to-Power Project. The assignment focuses on technical advisory for the rehabilitation and gas conversion of the existing Deir Ammar I power plant and the development of a new gas-fired combined cycle power plant (Deir Ammar II). The work is being carried out in the context of Lebanon’s broader power sector transition toward natural gas and improved system reliability, and includes technical, operational, and cost analyses to inform project structuring, financial modeling, and procurement preparation. The assignment also supports preparation of tender documentation for private sector participation.

K&M is providing technical advisory services across Phase 1 feasibility and analysis and Phase 2 procurement support. Under Phase 1, K&M is assessing the feasibility of rehabilitating and converting Deir Ammar I to natural gas, including review of plant design specifications, evaluation of recommissioning requirements, and analysis of operational performance, efficiency, and emissions. The team is modeling expected post-rehabilitation performance and preparing CAPEX and OPEX estimates, generation projections, and life extension strategies to support IFC’s financial model, as well as assessing interfaces with LNG infrastructure and conducting site visits.

In parallel, K&M is supporting the development of Deir Ammar II through system-level and plant-specific analysis, including demand forecasting, evaluation of baseload capacity needs, and recommendations on plant sizing, configuration, and technology selection. K&M is developing functional specifications and performance standards, preparing benchmarked CAPEX and OPEX estimates, and providing technical inputs to IFC’s financial modeling and project structuring.

Under Phase 2, K&M is supporting preparation of RFQ and tender documentation by translating technical analysis into inputs for procurement materials, including development of technical specifications to support a competitive and bankable procurement process.

Staatsolie, the national oil company of Suriname, is analyzing various options for monetizing Suriname’s natural gas resources. Specifically, Staatsolie is interested in understanding the economic and technical feasibility of gas-to-power in Suriname. As part of this effort, the company is seeking a high-level assessment of gas-to-power options that include both domestic and imported gas supply options, as well as the associated logistics for delivering gas to its existing power plants (planned conversions) and new gas-fired facilities. K&M was engaged to conduct this high-level analysis and cost comparison of nine identified gas-to-power options.

K&M Advisors was engaged to estimate the Levelized Cost of Delivered Gas (LCODG) for nine LNG-to-power options across two gas demand scenarios. Each option encompassed gas delivery to Suriname’s thermal generation fleet—including the SPCS and DPP units slated for gas conversion—as well as to a prospective new gas-fired facility. Four options evaluated imported LNG or gas delivered via ISO containers, bulk delivery to an FSU or FSRU, or subsea/onshore pipeline infrastructure. The remaining five options assessed domestic LNG or gas, applying analogous logistics configurations.

K&M tailored and refined its existing LNG-to-Power costing model to the nine configurations. K&M developed Class 5 CAPEX and OPEX estimates for all major system components to derive LCODG values. The LCODG analysis incorporated a detailed cost breakdown, including LNG FOB pricing, shipping costs, offshore and onshore infrastructure requirements, and downstream storage, regasification, and distribution systems. Results were benchmarked against the HFO price and evaluated for cost and non-cost criteria to select a preferred option.

SAMRA Power Plant, a combined cycle power plant with a capacity of 1160 MW at site ambient conditions, utilizing two 300 MW blocks, each with GE9E gas turbines in 2 x 1 configuration, one 420 MW block with GE132 gas turbines in 2 x 1 configuration, and one block with GE13E2 gas turbine in 1 x 1 configuration. Over the last several years, the Jordanian power grid has struggled to cover peak loads during high-temperature periods. As a result, SEPCO has reviewed potential solutions for increasing power plant generation by installing the Advanced Gas Path (AGP) parts on GE9E turbines and activating an enhanced mode of operation for their 13E2 gas turbines. SEPCO engaged K&M Advisors to evaluate the technical and commercial viability of the AGP installation and operation in enhanced mode. This included a review of the design of generating units, auxiliary equipment, and balance of plant systems to assess their ability to support the increased power output during fogging system and AGP operation.

K&M developed GateCycle models of combined cycle plants to calculate heat and material balances for different ambient temperatures without and with the previously installed fogging system. For each combination of the ambient temperature, fogging system status, and AGP status, K&M developed a spreadsheet summarizing the system power output and power output increase, heat rate and heat rate change, fogging system evaporation rate/demineralized water requirements, and other steam and water impacting operation of HRSG, steam turbine, ACC, and other auxiliary equipment that could be impacted by the fogging system. To analyze the demineralized system requirements, K&M calculated the fogging system demineralized water requirements and the total daily demineralized water demand and compared it with the demineralized water system capacity.  K&M also conducted an economic analysis to determine whether the installation of AGP is economically justified.

IFC contracted K&M to design a financial modeling tool that will be effective for IFC’s evaluation of transmission infrastructure projects in Africa.

K&M drafted a financial model template including value for money calculations against a public comparator, considering qualitative parameters and risk values. K&M then populated the template using two project examples prepared by IFC. K&M validated the results and updated the model based on scenario outputs and sensitivity testing and ensured that the model is working for the purposes of the two projects provided by IFC. After delivering the updated model, K&M presented the model scenarios and results and provided a walk-through of the model.

The Government of São Tomé and Príncipe (GoSTP), with funding from the World Bank, aims to reduce the cost, increase reliability, and reduce emissions from electricity generation in Sao Tome and Principle (STP). The Project Fiduciary and Administrative Agency (AFAP), under the Access to Clean Resilient Electricity Project (ACRE), engaged K&M to conduct a two-phased study to assess the technical and economic feasibility of different LNG-based power generation concepts and, based on that assessment, help GoSTP implement the identified recommendations.

The objective of Phase I is to analyze the technical and economic feasibility of different LNG-based power generation concepts for STP and determine which, if any, are competitive against non-LNG generation options. The analysis will be conducted on behalf of and in close collaboration with STP’s national electricity utility, Empresa de Agua e Electricidade (EMAE). The objective of Phase II is to implement the LNG procurement agenda.

K&M Advisors was engaged to assess the technical and economic feasibility of various LNG-based power generation concepts and support the implementation of the recommended solution. The scope includes four primary tasks: Task 1 involves requesting and reviewing relevant information provided by the client. Task 2 includes analysis of LNG sourcing, shipping, terminal options, and power generation, including evaluation of gas demand and generation requirements, identification of potential LNG supply sources, assessment of candidate sites for the LNG import terminal, and development of preliminary LNG-to-power configuration options. Task 3 focuses on the economic and financial assessment of these options, including Class V capital cost estimates, levelized cost calculations, and comparative analysis. Task 4 involves identifying the preferred terminal configuration, conducting business model analysis, defining the implementation schedule, and preparing the scope of work for Phase II of the study, which will address LNG procurement.

The general objective of this consultancy is to provide support to the Water and Sewerage Corporation for the implementation of its Corporate Business Plan. The plan is for the period from 2023 to 2027 and covers elements related to quality of service, operations, finances, capital investments, and the legal and regulatory framework.
In this assignment, K&M was responsible for updating a financial model for WSC, advising on existing water supply contracts, and recommending changes to government policies and the legal and regulatory framework for the water and sewerage sector. K&M also provided guidance on the steps needed to convert WSC’s billing process from a quarterly to a monthly cycle and offered advice on the procurement of technical assistance.

A private developer is implementing an LNG import terminal project. The terminal includes a Floating Storage Unit (FSU) moored offshore; a barge or Offshore Service Vessel (OSV) that transfers ISO containers filled at the FSU to shore; and cranes that transfer the ISO containers from the barge or OSV to trucks that will transport the containers to a regasification facility where gas will be injected into a pipeline system. The developer retained a financial advisor to assist in raising the capital to finance the project. The assignment’s main objective is to analyze the LNG supply chain segment from loading LNG onto ISO containers aboard a barge or OSV to its delivery at the inlet of the regasification facility.

K&M was retained to estimate the optimal number of ISO containers, trucks, chassis trailers, stackers, and mobile cranes; the optimal size of the barge; and the operating cost (fuel, lube oil, tires, personnel, etc.) of the ISO logistics supply chain. Specifically, K&M utilized its existing logistics model for onshore LNG transport and incorporated modifications related to the barge transport from the FSU to the port. K&M also conducted a sensitivity analysis on variables such as diesel prices and useful life of the ISO containers. A report with the results of the analysis and the Excel logistics model was provided to the developer upon completion of the assignment.

K&M was contracted by the World Bank to work on an assignment that aims to review and update the status and progress of private sector participation in small hydropower development in the Kyrgyz Republic since 2017 (the “2017 Report”). This includes evaluating the legal and regulatory environment, actual project development, and identifying barriers to scale-up. The findings will help inform government policies, recommend actions to enhance private sector engagement, and assess how Development Finance Institutions such as the World Bank could support private sector participation in small hydropower project (“SHPP”) development.

The primary objectives of this Study are to (i) update the status and progress on private sector participation in the development of small hydropower in the Kyrgyz Republic since 2017, and (ii) based on such update and K&M’s assessment thereof, provide recommendations to overcome the barriers and challenges that small hydro development continues to face. K&M’s scope of work includes the following:

• Review and assess the current legal, regulatory, and policy framework for private sector participation in SHPP and then compare the results against the recommendations included in the 2017 Report, including assessment of financial incentives, administrative procedures, social and environmental regulations, and mechanisms for data availability and stakeholder coordination.
• Carry out a detailed review and analysis of SHPPs that have been implemented since 2016 with private sector participation.
• Review and update pipeline projects for SHPP, including (i) review the Kyrgyz Republic project implementation pipeline, (ii) update the project inventory that was included in the 2017 Report, (iii) conduct an updated analysis of the economics for SHPP projects in the Kyrgyz Republic, (iv) identify and rank up to 5 projects that are best positioned for implementation in the short to medium term, and (v) conduct a more detailed assessment for the top one to two ranked projects.
• Identify key barriers and challenges to private sector participation in SHPP projects
• Hold a one-day knowledge sharing workshop for stakeholders in the Kyrgyz Republic

WEB is interested in developing a load forecasting model that can predict WEB’s peak load and annual generation requirement between 2025 and 2029. The model should forecast electricity generation based on forecasts for key independent variables such as temperature, tourism arrivals, distributed generation, EV usage, and others agreed with WEB.
Under this assignment, K&M was responsible for collecting and validating historical data for Aruba, including hourly temperature, humidity, tourism arrivals, distributed solar PV additions, and others. K&M processed the data by cleaning missing values, aligning different time resolutions, and applying smoothing techniques. Using historical data, K&M analyzed the correlation between the dependent variable, Peak Load (MW), and each of the independent variables to determine which variables to include in the polynomial regression analysis. Based on the regression analysis, K&M developed the forecasting model, which can predict WEB’s peak load based on forecasted data for the period 2025 – 2029. K&M will provide this model as a workbook to WEB, which includes a user-friendly dashboard for data visualization and scenario analysis, as well as a user manual.