How we find out the very best investment alternative for our clients? To show how we do, let’s take a power plant and environment protection project as an example. Supposed, a power plant operator has to meet with new environment protection standards due to some hazardous matter in the flue gas of the plant (e.g. nitrogen oxide). There are several ideas: e.g. treating the flue gas, or sophisticated combustion technology, or other fuel. We investigate and develop what is the best for this company carrying out the work under the 3 aspects “AID” as follows:
- A (Analysis of the problem): This is what we do first. We start with analysing the fuel, com- bustion, flue gas composition etc. and the legal requirements. In addition, the guidelines of the plant operator are studied in detail. In general, there is an idea how the problem could be solved. However, in many cases we also discover that this results in high costs.
- I (Investigation how to solve the problem): Based on “A”, we develop technical solutions for the problem. And we investigate, how the system can be optimised. This is pure engi- neering work. Mostly, a problem can be solved by different technical approaches. We care- fully evaluate all of them; we reject those technical solutions being not really very good for the company. What is left, is the best selection from the technical point of view. In general, we end up in 3 to 5 variants to solve the problem of the company – all of them first class and advantageous with regard to engineering and technology.
- D (Derivation of the best solution): We analyse the technically good variants of “I” under financial aspects. We calculate the cost-benefit of each; we compute the financial evaluation parameters (e.g. specific cost of each variant, net present value, cost comparison). Like this, the 3 to 5 technically good variants are compared under financial aspects.