Ayres Associates: Transmitting future energy

Source: Energy Digital

Date :9/3/2008 12:14:17 PM

Consulting firm participates in development of wind and transmission line projects along a 1,000-mile corridor stretching from Kansas to Colorado

Written By Gabe Perna and Produced by Shaheen Mohammadipour

Before the current focus on fuel prices, global warming, and projected electrical power shortages, Ayres Associates was expanding its energy corridors work. Leading the company’s efforts in this realm is Vice President of Energy Corridors Fred Halfen, with 32 years of experience at Ayres Associates and wide knowledge on energy issues.

Halfen earned his bachelor’s degree in geography from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. “I started out as a cartographer and then moved into project management. I was the production manager of the photogrammetry division for five years, and I became the Vice-President of operation in 1987. I was the Vice-President of our Madison, Wisconsin, office beginning in 1999,” says Halfen.

It was Halfen who led the efforts in securing the company’s first major energy transmissions project. It involved surveying, mapping and photogrammetry services for a proposed 1,000 mile corridor in Kansas and Colorado. The project drew on Ayres Associates’ many disciplines and personnel from several offices. The company has 17 offices in eight states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, California, Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming, Florida, and Georgia.

Energy Corridors

Ayres Associates’ work in the energy field has focused on two areas to date – wind power and transmission lines.

“We’re very much involved in alternative energy, particularly wind farms,” says Halfen. “We’re supporting the development of wind farms through surveying, mapping, etc. Along with wind farms, we’ve gotten very involved in transmission lines, which require engineering similar to that of transport systems. We’ve taken our expertise in transport systems into the planning and development of transmission lines.”

Ayres Associates has also been involved in pipeline corridor projects, Halfen says. The energy corridor projects require many of the services Ayres Associates routinely provides, including environmental analysis, feasibility analysis and surveying. For all energy projects, especially transmission lines, Ayres Associates uses LIDAR (light detecting and ranging), photogrammetry and CADD-PLS technologies.

Forecast Calls for Wind

The popularity of wind power electrical generation has grown, Halfen says. Despite this enthusiasm for wind power, setting up the towers and turbines and making them work effectively is not an easy task, he adds.

Wind projects do not provide consumers with a reliable source of power and generally drive up the cost of electricity generation, Halfen says. The same holds true for solar power generation projects.

“Part of the problem that exists with alternative energy is that it only generates electricity when the wind blows and the sun shines,” says Halfen. “The utilities’ infrastructures are used intermittently, and that presents more of a challenge, and it is more expensive.”

When the winds are calm or the sun has set, no energy is being produced – and the infrastructure is idle. There is no payback on the infrastructure investment until the wind blows or the sun rises. Even though research is being done on storing alternative energy, currently there is no solution, and the demand for energy continues to rise.

“All in all, it’s a good thing for our business. There’s a lot of activity, and it looks like there will be for a long time,” Halfen says. “On the other hand, from the standpoint of the consumer and public, these issues add to higher costs and drive up the price of electricity. Coal is an economical way to generate power, but people don’t want to address issues related to coal use. The result is people are essentially asking for energy bills to go up.”

If a means of storing wind-generated power can be developed, wind could be one of the long-term solutions to predicted energy shortages, Halfen says.

American Made

Project work at Ayres Associates is completed by the firm’s own staff; Ayres Associates does not ship its work offshore like many other companies. “We don’t ship out our work because we want to ensure the proper technical and skill levels are maintained, and because of the ethical issues surrounding taking away work from Americans,” Halfen says.

At the same time, increased specialization of engineering has resulted in Ayres Associates distributing some of its work to other consultants. “We work with a lot of subcontractors and technical consultants that fill in gaps for technical capabilities,” Halfen says. “We are very particular about subcontractors, and we have a good network of people we work with nationwide. Engineering is now very specialized. It’s hard to find any one company to do everything, so that’s a common practice.”

Employee Profile

Ayres Associates relies on a management structure focused around operational groups. Project managers are in charge of work from start to finish and are the key to the firm’s project success.

“Oftentimes the project manager is responsible for developing projects, client contacts and maintenance, as well as understanding technical problems. Essentially the whole project revolves around the project manager,” Halfen reports.

Hiring and maintaining good employees in a competitive market is tough these days, and Ayres Associates focuses on providing a good work environment.

“We are very focused on treating employees well. We recognize there is a marketplace where they are in demand, so we try to be competitive in wages, and go the extra mile in benefits. For example, we make sure our retirement plans are significantly ahead of the rest of the industry,” Halfen says.

In addition, employees own the company. “If the company does well, the employees do well. There’s a direct link between their performance and their overall compensation,” Halfen says.

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