IDB Invest has hired K&M to conduct a comprehensive research project aimed at fostering best practices and uncovering new opportunities in establishing inclusive and sustainable value chains within Port Infrastructure projects across the LAC region. Beginning with an exploration of the construction and operational phases of Ports’ value chains, the initiative will discern the components that incorporate MSMEs and identify prevalent sustainability trends within these chains. K&M will conduct an in-depth analysis of the Ports’ Value Chains, pinpointing the products and services offered at each stage, the complexity, required technical knowledge, certifications, and other pertinent criteria sought by project sponsors. The study also aims to grasp the procurement dynamics, identify key stakeholders, and pinpoint MSME participation levels across the value chain components. Furthermore, the research will emphasize key sustainability trends like decarbonization, climate change adaptation, and fair treatment of employees, among others. To achieve these objectives, K&M will gather information from various sources, conduct interviews with industry stakeholders, generate written reports and visual presentations, and engage in regular discussions with the IDB Invest team.

IDB Invest has engaged K&M to conduct a study on the best practices and opportunities in inclusive and sustainable value chains for Ports Infrastructure projects in the LAC region. The primary focus is to identify components within the value chains during the construction and operation phases of ports, particularly those involving MSMEs, and to assess current sustainability trends.

K&M’s approach starts with a deep analysis of Ports’ Value Chains, covering both construction and operational stages. The study will identify all products and services within the value chain, analyze their sequence, and evaluate criteria such as technical requirements and certifications needed from suppliers. The research will also explore procurement processes to determine the roles of various stakeholders like project sponsors, operators, or third parties.

A key aspect of the study will be to recognize areas of the value chain with significant MSME participation, ranking them based on factors like MSME involvement, product complexity, and supplier capability. Furthermore, K&M will explore prevailing sustainability practices in ports, covering topics such as decarbonization, climate change adaptation, and biodiversity conservation. This will involve comparing current practices across existing LAC ports and considering MSMEs as integral users of the port.

K&M’s research methodology will encompass both primary and secondary data sources, including statistical data, academic literature, and industry studies. They’ll also utilize recent value chain analyses from the IDB Group and gather insights from interviews with industry experts, businesses, and port operators. The findings will be documented in detailed reports and visual presentations, with regular feedback sessions with the IDB Invest team to ensure alignment.

Water en Energiebedrijf Aruba (WEB) had engaged K&M to conduct an Electric Vehicle Business Case Study. The main goal of this assignment was to support WEB in identifying and evaluating potential business models for their involvement in the electric vehicle charging industry in Aruba.

To accomplish this objective, K&M executed the following activities:

1. K&M reviewed electric vehicle regulations and assessed existing business models implemented in comparable countries. This analysis served as a foundation for identifying suitable approaches for electric vehicle charging in Aruba.
2. K&M identified various business models specifically tailored for electric vehicle charging in Aruba. These models encompassed scenarios where WEB would be responsible for the financing, construction, and operation of electric vehicle charging stations.
3. K&M developed an economic model to assess the feasibility and potential profitability of each identified business model. Additionally, K&M scrutinized the regulatory landscape to determine if any new regulations were necessary to enable the implementation of these models effectively.
4. K&M provided WEB with comprehensive recommendations on how to proceed with their electric vehicle charging business. These recommendations were based on the evaluation of the different business models and took into consideration the economic analysis and regulatory requirements.

By conducting the Electric Vehicle Business Case Study, K&M played a vital role in assisting WEB in evaluating and identifying the most suitable and viable business models for their involvement in the electric vehicle charging sector in Aruba.

Oserian Two Lakes Power’s (OLTP) geothermal power plant is an important part of Kenya’s renewable energy and climate change prevention strategy. OLTP engaged POWER Engineers for support in ensuring a total load of 8 MW can be provided to industrial clients at Oserian via a high-voltage interconnection to Kenya Power and Light Company’s (KPLC) 33 kV distribution grid located nearby to avoid short-term use of diesel generation while OLTP further develops its geothermal resources.

K&M was engaged by POWER Engineers on a project to support the development of a geothermal/solar hybrid industrial park in Naivasha, Kenya, by providing an analysis of the requirements for interconnection of the industrial park to the national grid of Kenya to supply backup power. This project will provide technical assistance for the specification and design of a synchronized interconnection between the nearby 33kV KPLC line to the OTLP 11kV mini-grid.

K&M’s scope of work includes the following:

• Assessing the commercial and economic viability of the KPLC interconnection and its impact on the cost of power to OTLP’s industrial clients
• Identifying the factors that influence the economics of the project and of combined power provision by both geothermal resources and the KPLC distribution grid
• Recommending an operating procedure for decision makers to choose between OTLP geothermal/solar and KPLC grid-provided power

As part of its scope of work, K&M considered a range of technical options coupled with capital and operating expenditures (CAPEX, OPEX) to assess the economics of grid-supplied vs. geothermal-supplied electrical energy. K&M will incorporate factors such as KPLC time-of-use and bulk rate electricity tariffs, expected utilization characteristics of OTLP electrical load (timing, intensity, duration), and estimate investment and operational requirements to model and evaluate the project economics. K&M will identify factors that influence the economics of the project and evaluate their sensitivity and impact during fluctuations. Lastly, K&M will provide clear recommendations and operating procedures that identify when to use OTLP-provided geothermal power and when to use KPLC grid-provided power.

K&M compared the two (2) options (OTLP or KPLC supplied energy) on the basis of the lowest cost per unit of electricity under standard assumptions and produce a Cost-Benefit Analysis for the project.

K&M served as Owner’s Engineer to the Egyptian Electricity Authority for the engineering design, procurement and construction supervision of Egypt’s first subscriber fiber-optic carrier loop system. This project provided a short-term reliable telecommunications link between Cairo and the 1,200 MW El-Kureimat Power Station under construction 100 kilometers south of Cairo.

K&M assessed the legal, regulatory, financial and investment framework for ARENTO as a first step in moving the utility towards commercialization and a competitive market entity. K&M undertook a policy reform and institutional framework analysis of the telecommunications sector in Egypt to determine constraints to ARENTO’s development as a progressive, financially viable telecommunications utility employing appropriate management and organizational structures. K&M performed a cost of service/tariff rate study to rationalize the institutional reform process. K&M’s evaluation and review also included: assessment of the legal, regulatory, and investment framework to determine steps necessary for the eventual commercialization and/or privatization of ARENTO; ARENTO’s operations technical assessment; ARENTO’s organizational assessment; and determine ARENTO’s optimal human resource requirements.

K&M was hired to provide ARENTO with a basis for designing and implementing an effective strategy for future telecommunications pricing. K&M worked closely with ARENTO executives and Egyptian government officials to ensure the feasibility and practicality of alternative tariff structures and other service enhancements evaluated in the study. This assessment was an integral component of ARENTO’s efforts to increase operational efficiency, decrease costs and improve customer service quality. The ability to accurately determine costs and establish an acceptable and equitable tariff rate assisted ARENTO to facilitate future planned investments, reduce debt, and improve its viability as a corporate entity.

K&M managed the Infrastructure Finance Advisory Service Program as part of the US-Asia Environmental Partnership (US-AEP) for the USAID. The US-AEP was a cooperative effort managed by USAID in conjunction with the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (EXIM), the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the Trade Development Agency (TDA).

K&M, supported by Pulsatron Technology Ltd. (the British technology licensor) and the Washington, D.C.-based Sheet Metal Worker’s International Association (holder of U.S. installation and maintenance rights), was engaged by US DOE to conduct a study to estimate the cost and schedule for design, installation and potential testing of a Pulsatech™ pollution control device on a plasma furnace at DOE’s Western Environmental Technology Office (WETO). K&M’s assessment reviewed available information on Pulsatron science and technology as well as potential commercial application and market considerations.

K&M served as Owner’s Engineer on behalf of the Egyptian Electricity Authority (EEA), with funding from USAID to extend its microwave communication system from Cairo to Suez. The 100 km system links the electrical power generating stations in Cairo, Suez, and Ismailia with the EEA’s National Energy Control Center (NECC). K&M’s scope of work included engineering, procurement and construction management of 10 hop digital microwave, fiber optic cable and digital microwave radio communication system for the EEA. The equipment included radios, eight MUX equipment cabinets at drop and insert sites using SDH equipment and two digital access system cabinets installed at the terminal sites, equipment antennas and advanced communications towers.