Highlights of Select

EAI Consulting Projects

in Cleantech &
Sustainability

For

www.eai.in
Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects
in Cleantech & Sustainability

About EAI

EAI (Energy Alternatives India) is a boutique market and management consulting firm operating in the
fields of clean energy, environment and sustainability. The company has been in operations since 2008
and has undertaken over 100 detailed consulting studies. Its market and feasibility reports have
assisted over 2000 clients across the globe.

While EAI has worked on diverse cleantech domains during its decade long journey, the prominent
focus areas have been in biomass (biofuels, bio-heating, bio-materials), solar (both power and heat),
electric mobility and sustainable energy strategy for corporates.

EAI was founded by industry professionals with extensive industry backgrounds and education from
premier institutes such as the IITs and IIMs. The EAI team works out of Chennai.

More about us from www.eai.in ; to know how our consulting team can assist you, write to
consult@eai.in
 Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects
in Cleantech & Sustainability

Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects in Cleantech & Sustainability

Since its inception in 2009, EAI has worked with over 150 clients in a variety of market and strategy oriented consulting
assignments. We provide a list of relevant assignments, categorized on assignments for Market Strategy & assignments for
Sustainability Strategy.

Market Potential Analysis & Market Strategy

Client Sector Theme of Consulting Assistance Provided for
GE Biomass Market Potential for Biomass Gasification in India
Bosch Solar PV Evaluating the Market Potential of OPEX Model for Solar Power Plants
JSW Solar PV Market Analyses for Large Scale Solar PV Cell & Solar PV Module Manufacturing
Sterlite Power Solar PV Strategic Market Evaluation of the Upstream Solar PV Manufacturing Sector
AutoFit Electric Vehicles Analyses of Market Opportunities in Indian Electric Vehicles Sector
TP Energy Electric Vehicles Analyses of Indian Market for Lithium Sourcing for EV Batteries
Bain Bio-Chemicals Strategic Analyses of the Indian Castor Oil Derivatives Industry
ReGen Power Solar Strategic Market Study of the Indian Solar Inverter Industry
Lohiya Group Biodiesel Market Potential Study & Strategic Analysis of the Indian Biodiesel Sector
Nature Cube Bioplastics Indian Bioplastics Market Potential Analysis
iPLON Solar Assisting a German Solar PV Firm in Entering the Indian Market

Sustainability & Innovation Strategy

Client Sector Theme of Consulting Assistance Provided for
Minda Group Solar Estimating Sustainability Benefits from Offgrid Solar in Villages
GSK Biomass Evaluating Sustainability of Biomass Supply Chain
Pepsi Waste to Energy Evaluating Innovations to Sustainably Convert Fruit Waste to Value
Bill & Melinda Waste to Energy Assessing India’s human waste challenge and evaluating sustainable
Gates Foundation technologies for recovering energy from such waste
Reliance Biofuels Technical & Economic Feasibility for Third Generation Biofuels
DSM Bio-chemicals Evaluating the Sustainability of Castor Oil Supply Chain
Lafarge Biofuels Estimating Carbon Footprint of CO2 Sequestration by Microalgae
Amway Sustainable Energy Recommending Sustainable Energy Options for a Greenfield Manufacturing Plant
 Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects
in Cleantech & Sustainability

Consulting Assignments in Market Potential Analysis & Market Strategy

1. GE – Market Potential for Biomass Gasification in India
• Sector: Biomass gasification
• Client Profile & Business: A
global leader in the energy &
power sectors
• Type of Work: Assessing the
Indian market potential for
biomass gasifiers & producer gas
engines
• Locations: Delhi, Mumbai,
Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Baroda
• www.ge.com
General Electric operates a division that makes natural gas and biogas engines for
power generation. The primary interest for GE was to understand the potential for
engines that can use producer gas, the organic gas produced through biomass
gasification. In addition, the client was also keen on exploring the potential of the
biomass gasifier business (Gasifier based power generation includes two steps –
biomass gasification using a gasifier to generate producer gas, and power
generation by using the producer gas in a gas engine).
EAI worked with the senior management of GE’s biomass energy team in India and
assisted them in a comprehensive review of the Indian producer gas generator and
end user market. Our study was able to provide a clear understanding to the client
on the status and potential of the gasifier based power generation market in India,
the market for producer has engines, and also the key drivers and constraints for
growth.

Deliverable: This assignment had the dual goal of providing detailed insights on market potential, and connecting GE with
innovative solution providers in the sectors (as the client was also exploring acquisitions). Our deliverables were thus in the
form of strategic reports as well as lists and profiles of innovative biomass gasifier makers in India.

2. Bosch – Evaluating the Market Potential of OPEX Model for

Solar Power Plants
Bosch, one of the world’s leading engineering business is also a prominent player
• Sector: Rooftop solar power in the solar power sector. The company provides EPC solutions for rooftop and
• Client Profile & Business: One ground mounted solar power plants.
of the world’s largest electronics
and engineering business groups For the Indian rooftop solar power sector, based on its analyses, the client realized
• Type of work: Strategic evalua- that the OPEX model of solar power plants (where the rooftop owner had to only
tion of the emerging OPEX-based pay for the solar power consumed) had significant potential rather than
solar PV power plant market conventional CAPEX model in which the money was invested upfront by the
rooftop owner.
• Locations: Bengaluru
• www.bosch.com Bosch was keen on having a large play in the Indian solar power market under the
OPEX model. To this end, it was keen to understand the various characteristics of
the OPEX based solar power plant market – the market size and growth, drivers and constraints, competitor scenario,
attractive growth segments, analyses of specific geographies, and insights on the current and upcoming government policies
in various states.

EAI’s Solar Mango team assisted Bosch get a comprehensive understanding of this market. The assignment involved
extensive interactions with all the key players in the solar power plant developer and EPC sector, and extensive analyses of
the data that were collected.

Deliverable: As this was a strategic assignment where we reported to the senior and top management at Bosch, the
deliverables were mainly through detailed face-to-face presentations to the management, and based on their feedback,
making modifications to the scope of work and activities. The deliverables also included a brief analytical report that provided
concise recommendations to the top management on the immediate steps to be taken for market entry.
 Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects
in Cleantech & Sustainability

3. JSW Energy – Comprehensive Market Analyses for Large Scale

Solar PV Cell & Solar PV Module Manufacturing
• Sector: Solar PV cells and
modules
• Client Profile & Business: One
of India’s largest business con-
glomerates
• Type of work: Detailed techni-
cal and economic evaluation of
1000 MW solar cell and solar
module manufacturing facilities
• Location: Mumbai
JSW Energy is the energy arm of one of the largest business houses in India. The
client was keen on setting up a large-scale, integrated solar cell and solar module
making facility in Karnataka. To this end, the client sought Solar Mango’s
assistance in having a complete understanding and analyses of the market from
the perspectives of business potential, competition and economics.
The Solar Mango team undertook a four month study during which we interacted
with a large number of stakeholders in the solar cell and solar module value chain.
A special focus of our research was on the Indian and international market
potential for solar cells and modules given the competition from Chinese cells and
modules

• www.jsw.in In addition to our extensive analyses and inferences, our team also provided the
client with a detailed project report that comprised insights on the technical and
operational requirements for setting up solar cell and solar module manufacturing facilities, and detailed financial modeling for
the same.

Deliverable: A detailed project report that comprised the following: Comprehensive intelligence on the domestic and
international potential for Indian made solar cells and solar modules; Detailed technical and operational inputs (including
engineering diagrams and layouts) for making solar cells and modules; Complete break-ups of costs and returns, and a
detailed financial analyses of returns under various scenarios.

4. Sterlite Power – Strategic Evaluation of the Upstream

Solar PV Manufacturing Sector
• Sector: Solar PV manufacturing In 2012, Sterlite Power, part of the Vedanta Group, was evaluating an
investment into upstream solar manufacturing – going all the way up to making
• Client Profile & Business: Compa- polysilicon and wafers. While the solar power sector was nascent and growing
ny belonging to a global leader in fast in India and world over, the upstream manufacturing sector had relatively
metals and mining
mature market structures, dominated by large global incumbents.
• Type of work: A strategic evalua-
tion of the Indian and global solar PV The client took EAI’s assistance to understand the global solar manufacturing
manufacturing sector to determine its sector, the key strategic market characteristics such as global demand and
attractiveness for large scale invest- supply then and future estimates, the plans of global incumbents in
ment in upstream manufacturing polysilicon, solar cells and solar modules, and avenues by which a new entrant
• Location: Mumbai could acquire a competitive advantage and get into the global top 3 within five
years.
• www.sterlitepower.com
EAI’s consulting team spent considerable time in analyzing the strategic dimensions using large amounts of data and insights,
and was able to provide a clear picture to the client’s top management on the current and future expected market dynamics of
the upstream solar manufacturing. In addition, we articulated what was needed of a new entrant to succeed in the market, and
the likelihood of success for a new entrant with a relatively modest investment budget

Deliverable: This was a critical assignment, as the top management was looking at investing up to $500 million in this
sector – a considerable sum, though relatively modest considering the capital intensive nature of upstream manufacturing. Our
deliverables were mainly through detailed face-to-face presentations to the top management, in the form of questions and
answers, and in the form of data points and analyses for specific aspects that the top management wished to get a better
understanding of.
 Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects
in Cleantech & Sustainability

5. AutoFit – Analyses of Market Opportunities in Indian EV Sector

• Sector: Electric vehicles AutoFit is a medium sized auto ancillary manufacturer based out of Gurgaon. The
company has been supplying seating solutions for over three decades to top Indian
• Client Profile & Business: A
auto OEMs.
leading Indian automobile seating
manufacturer
As part of their diversification strategy, the client was keen on exploring
• Type of work: Identifying and opportunities in electric vehicles, as it was an industry related to their current
evaluating innovative Indian EV domain. At the same time, the client was not fully clear on the specific opportunity
companies sectors within EV on which to focus.
• Location: The work for the client
involved identifying companies The EVNext team was hence tasked with analyzing the Indian EV market, its
pan-India current characteristics as well as emerging trends, in order to provide insights to
the client on the most appropriate opportunity segments.
• www.autofitltd.com
In parallel, the client was also keen to benefit from the startup ecosystem in the country for EVs. Specifically, the client was
keen on identifying small startups with potential to make a big difference. The EVNext team did a comprehensive survey of the
Indian EV startup sector, and based on this, provided a list of innovative startups with detailed analysis of each startup.

Deliverable: A comprehensive list of innovative Indian EV companies, and a detailed presentation on the current and
emerging opportunities in the Indian EV business value chain.

6. TP Energy – Analyses of Indian Market for Lithium Sourcing for

EV Batteries
• Sector: Electric vehicle batteries
• Client Profile & Business: An
Australian mining / minerals firm
with a focus on the energy sector
• Type of work: Providing a
comprehensive understanding of
the Indian EV sector, and identifying
prospective long-term purchasers
of Lithium in India for making Li-ion
batteries
• Location: The study for the client
was done on a pan India basis
• www.tpenergygroup.com
while India had the potential to be a large buyer of Lithium in future, the potential for such purchase until about 2020 was quite
limited.
TP Energy Group’s mission is to become a leading supplier of battery grade
Lithium, Cobalt and Graphite from a global suite of mineral assets using new
extraction technologies. The client owns large land areas in Australia and
Argentina bearing deposits of Lithium, Cobalt & Graphite.
As India is a high potential market for electric vehicles, the client was keen on
getting a better understanding of the Indian EV market and the key players, with
the objective of approaching them as prospective customers of Lithium. Lithium
can be used to make Li-ion battery, the most prominent type of battery used in
electric vehicles today.
EAI’s EVNext team divided the assignment into two stages. In the first stage, we
provided a reality check of the Indian EV sector to the client and showed to them
how the market was in a nascent state, and more so with respect to Li-ion battery
cell making. With these presentations, we enabled the client to understand that

All the same, as such metal sourcing projects were usually of a long term nature, the client was keen to start establishing
relationships with large Indian companies that could be future prospects. The EVNext team assisted the client in identifying
about 10 such companies, interacted with the top management of these companies and introduced them to the client.

Deliverable: A detailed report on the Indian EV market with a focus on the developments in the Li-ion battery making
segment; a list of prominent prospects for the client, along with contact details of the top management from these prospect
companies.
 Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects
in Cleantech & Sustainability

7. Bain – Strategic Analysis of the Castor Oil Derivatives Sector

• Sector: Bio-chemicals
• Client Profile & Business: A
global leader in top management
consulting
• Type of work: Providing strate-
gic inputs to the Bain team on the
castor oil derivatives sector, its
drivers and challenges, and our
recommended roadmap for
industry growth
• Locations: Global
• www.bain.com
Bain & Co is one of the world’s top 3 management consulting firms. As part of one
of their consulting assignments, they needed inputs, insights and perspectives on
a specific biomass sector – castor oil.
The Biomass division of EAI has excellent exposure to the castor oil sector – a
sector in which India supplies over 80% of the global raw material! Our team has
worked on the diverse derivatives from castor oil that are used in diverse industries
such as pharma, pigments & paints, bioplastics, lubricants & greases, solvents &
surfactants.
Our inputs to Bain helped them get key insights on the following dimensions –
derivatives having attractive market potential, key bottlenecks in way of high value
castor derivatives growth, and our recommendations on what could be done to
help India climb up the castor oil value chain

Deliverable: Our deliverables were predominantly in the form of consultations during which we provided inputs, data points
and perspectives.

8. ReGen Power – Strategic Market Study of the Indian Solar Inverter Industry
• Sector: Solar PV inverters ReGen Powertech is one of the top 5 wind turbine OEMs in India. The company, in
partnership with Vensys of Germany offers high end wind turbines to the Indian
• Client Profile & Business: A market.
leading Indian wind turbine OEM
• Type of work: Analysing the In 2012, the company was keen on venturing into the fast-growing solar power
market potential and strategic market with a high quality central inverter for MW-scale solar power plants. As the
market characteristics of the country already had some leading global inverter makers offering similar solutions,
emerging Indian solar inverter the client was keen on obtaining an effective understanding of the Indian solar
market inverter market.
• Location: Chennai
EAI’s Solar Mango team assisted the ReGen top management in getting clarity on
• www.regenpowertech.com
the market size, growth and competitors; our team also had intensive discussions
with both competing solution providers and end users (EPCs and developers) to
understand the key needs of the customer segments. This knowledge enabled us to provide strategic recommendations to the
client on the needs they should focus on (for instance, extended support and warranties) and also the positioning they should
take in the market in order to stand out from the competition.

Deliverable: This was a strategic assignment where we reported to the top management (board of Directors and CEO). As
the client was also located in the same city as EAI (Chennai), most of the presentations were done face-to-face, with intensive
questions, discussions and feedback during each of the presentations.
 Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects
in Cleantech & Sustainability

9. Lohiya Group – Market Potential Study & Strategic Analysis of the

Indian Biodiesel Sector
• Sector: Biodiesel Lohiya Group is a prominent vegetable oil company supplying a range of edible oils
– palm oil, sunflower oil, rice bran oil etc. As the company was already producing
• Client Profile & Business: A refined palm stearin, a feedstock that can be used to produce biodiesel, the client
leading edible oil refiner and was keen on understanding the market potential for biodiesel in India. The scope of
supplier in south India
work also included providing intelligence on the key market segments to target and
• Type of work: Evaluating the recommendations for sales channel strategy.
market potential for biodiesel and
providing strategic recommenda- This was a unique study for two reasons: One, there was hardly any authentic
tions on market entry information available in India for biodiesel supply and demand (including with the
• Location: Hyderabad government!), and the EAI team hence had to interact with diverse stakeholders to
put together the best possible estimate. The second reason had to do with the
• www.lohiyagroup.in significant gap between the actual market potential and the realized potential for
biodiesel in India. This gap was partially owing to the uncertain policies from the
government. Our intensive research and analyses however indicated that there were avenues for private players bridge this
gap and significantly enhance sales regardless of government policies.

All the above inputs, intelligence and recommendations were presented to the client to enable decision making.

Deliverable: This assignment included frequent, detailed presentations to the client top management. As the client himself
had intimate knowledge about the raw material for biodiesel production, this assignment adopted a collaborative approach
where we actively sought inputs from the client all along the study.

10. Nature Cube – Indian Bioplastics Market Potential Analysis

• Sector: Bioplastics EAI’s Biomass division undertook a unique consulting assignment, on behalf of two
young entrepreneurs, to comprehensively understand the nascent bioplastics and
• Client Profile & Business: A biopolymers market in India. The objective was to provide the clients with a clear
startup founded by two young understanding of the overall Indian market potential for bioplastics, analyses of the
women entrepreneurs from
attractive markets in the near and medium term, product and technologies
established business families
involved, and recommendations on the optimal starting point and growth/evolution
• Type of work: Extensive review roadmap.
and analysis of the bioplastics
industry in general and the Indian This was an intensive 6 month long project that involved the client embedded with
sustainable packaging industry in the EAI team in our meetings with over 50 different stakeholders spread across
particular
almost 10 cities in the country. It also involved a team from EAI travelling to
• Locations: The project Dusseldorf to meet over 10 different global technology and solutions vendors to get
comprised visiting 10 cities in a first-hand knowledge of the bioplastics product & technology.
India to have live interactions with
key stakeholders in each city When our team discovered that there were opportunities outside of pure
bioplastics and in the biomass-based food-ware segment, we went beyond our
scope and comprehensive explored this market segment too for the client.

Deliverable: This was a unique assignment in which the client deeply embedded themselves into the EAI team. As a
consequence, our deliverables were mainly in the form of detailed discussions and multiple presentations to the client. In the
end, we were able to provide concrete inferences to the client on the market segments that were attractive, those which will
take time to grow, and the ideal starting points for them.
 Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects
in Cleantech & Sustainability

11. iPLON – Assisting a German Solar PV Firm in Entering the Indian Market

• Sector: Solar Power Plant iPLON is a small, innovative German firm with a long expertise in providing reliable
Monitoring monitoring solutions solar power plants.
• Client Profile & Business: An Given the fast growth in the Indian solar power sector, the company was keen on
innovative German firm making setting up base in India and penetrating the Indian market quickly, as at that time
solar power plant monitoring
(2010/11) there was limited competition. But the management of the company had
solutions
only limited knowledge of the Indian solar power plant market and had very few
• Type of work: Handholding the contacts in the sector to start off their business development efforts.
prospect in getting a practical
understanding of the Indian solar EAI’s Solar Mango division helped the client on both counts: We provided the client
market, and taking them to market with a precise understanding of how the Indian solar power market was structured,
through roadshows and connect- what could be expected in terms of growth and which were the key geographies for
ing with key customer prospects
growth. We further provided the management with a list of the prospects they
• Location: Chennai and select should go after in the initial stages.
south Indian cities
• www.iplon.de ; www.iplon.in
Upon the client’s request. We also assisted the client in holding focused roadshows
in some Indian cities; these helped the client connect with some of the prospect
customers quickly and take the discussions to the next level immediately.

Deliverable: This was a highly satisfying assignment in which our team provided practical, hands on assistance to the
client in taking their first steps into the Indian market, and even in getting their first few clients. All these were accomplished
within a span of four months.
 Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects
in Cleantech & Sustainability

Consulting Assignments in Sustainability & Innovation Strategy

12. UnoMinda – Estimating sustainability benefits from offgrid

solar in villages
• Sector: Offgrid Solar PV The Minda group is a leading auto component supplier based out of NCR.

• Client Profile & Business: A
leading Indian auto ancillary
group
• Type of work: Evaluating
techno-economic feasibility and
estimating sustainability benefits
of offgrid solar power for remote
villages
• Locations: Uttar Pradesh
• www.unominda.com
As part of its CSR and also a new business activity, the group had initiated work on
solar offgrid systems in many UP villages that had no grid power.
EAI assisted the Minda top management team in evaluating the operational
feasibility and challenges for the offgrid project, designing an optimal business
model, and finally estimating and presenting (to the company top management
and board) the overall sustainability benefits from the entire effort.
Deliverable: A detailed report on the economics of the offgrid solar project, and
detailed presentation of benefits on various sustainability dimensions: Energy
Access for Villagers, Pollution Reduction from Use of Kerosene, Local Employment
Generation and Enhanced Education for Children Owing to Light Availability at
Night.

13. Reliance – Technical & Economic Feasibility for Third Generation Biofuels

• Sector: Third generation biofuels
• Client Profile & Business: India’s
largest private company and a
global leader in petrochemicals
• Type of work: Providing the client
a clear understanding of the status
of the algae fuel market, identifying
innovative algae fuel companies
globally for investments, and
identifying top tier talent for setting
up a pilot facility for producing algae
biofuels
• Location: Among others, work
involved interacting with many algae
fuel experts worldwide, mainly
through virtual media (Skype)
• www.reliance.com
Algae have significant potential to be an attractive feedstock for biofuels, owing
to their high yields, as well as owing to the fact that they can be grown in many
environments including waste water. As a result, there was significant global
interest in investing in algae fuels in the period 2008 to 2013 (by 2013, it was
however recognized that the challenge was more daunting than originally
thought). .
During this duration (2008-13), the biomass division of EAI had a small team
that had accumulated significant industry knowledge and strategic perspectives
on this interesting segment, had published a comprehensive industry report on
this topic, and come to be regarded as a global industry expert for this niche
segment. Based on these credentials, EAI assisted Reliance Industries in
providing a much better understanding of the status of algae fuels industry. To
provide insights on financial viability, our team also developed a comprehensive
financial model to assess the economic feasibility of algae biofuels combined
with carbon capture from a Reliance refinery. We also provided a
comprehensive list of innovative algae biofuels firms globally (Reliance invested
in one of them, an American firm).

Finally, when Reliance decided to set up a research facility for algae fuels in Gujarat, EAI assisted them in identifying top
technical talent from around the world. We were able to do this as our team had developed a vast network of scientist and
expert contacts worldwide.

Deliverable: The deliverable comprised both hands-on assistance provided to the Reliance team in identifying top scientific
algae experts worldwide, providing them with a focused list of innovative algae fuels companies, and significant analyses of
and presentation of key trends in the algae fuels sector.
 Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects
in Cleantech & Sustainability

14. Pepsi – Evaluating Innovations to Sustainably Convert Fruit

Waste to Value
• Sector: Fruit waste to energy
• Client Profile & Business: A
leading global beverages
company
• Type of work: Identifying and
evaluating innovative solutions
from India for converting fruit
waste to value
• Location: The work was for
Pepsi’s head office in US, and the
results were to be used for their
global operations
• www.pepsi.com
For this assignment, EAI did a detailed review of innovations in India for fruit waste
to value, evaluation of the promising solutions and a final recommendation to the
client on the most attractive solutions.
Pepsi uses large amounts of oranges for its orange juice Tropicana. This generates
a large amount of waste, mainly in the form of orange peels. While Pepsi’s global
headquarters had identified some avenues to convert this waste into something of
value, the company was keen on identifying innovative solutions available in India
for the same.
The EAI team did an extensive survey of the Indian companies and research
organizations and identified 12 companies that had solutions relevant to the client.
We also rated each of the solutions on key parameters to aid the client in deciding
the most suitable option for them.

Deliverable: A combination of company lists (comprising companies providing

innovative solutions), a project report with ratings of each solution, and EAI’s recommended solutions.

15. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – Human Waste to Energy

• Sector/Category: Waste to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was keen to assist India in dealing with the
Energy human waste problem – specifically fecal waste that does not get into the sewer. To
do this, the client was keen on understanding the overall fecal waste and sewage
• Client Profile & Business: waste scenario in India, and the various technology solutions being used to derive
World’s largest private foundation
value (specifically energy) these in a sustainable manner.
• Type of work: Providing the
client with detailed inputs on the The EAI team did a detailed study of the Indian human waste management sector
innovative technologies being – for both sewage waste and fecal waste. This study comprised research on the
developed by Indian companies, extent to which each category of waste was treated, the key challenges faced, and
organizations and research sustainable solutions being attempted for recovering energy from such waste.
institutes for sustainably managing While most of the technologies we identified revolved around the use of
human waste to energy.
bio-digesters, there were significant variations being attempted on this technology
• Location: Pan India (specifically as well as on operational and business models for using it.
Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Pune,
Chennai) In addition to this secondary research, the EAI team also did a comprehensive
• www.gatesfoundation.org primary study by working along with senior representatives who visited India from
Seattle. Together, the combined team visited over 15 different technology
providers, NGOs and other stakeholders to understand the status of technologies
and innovations being deployed for sustainably managing human waste.

Deliverable: A large part of the deliverable comprised hands-on assistance provided to the Foundation team in which we
identified the key stakeholders to be met, and also accompanied the team for all the meetings with the stakeholders. In
addition, we provided the client with a detailed report of our secondary study of India’s human waste, specifically fecal waste
management, and in-depth analyses of the technologies being deployed to sustainably recover energy from human waste.
 Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects
in Cleantech & Sustainability

16. GSK – Evaluating Sustainability of Biomass Supply Chain

GSK is on a significant transition from use of coal to biomass for its boilers, for all
• Sector: Biomass supply chain its three Horlicks manufacturing plants in India.
• Client Profile & Business: A
global leader in food, health and EAI assisted the senior operations team at GSK to evaluate the reliability of their
pharma current biomass supply chain, and to identify the appropriate new vendors for all its
• Type of work: Evaluation of the plants. EAI also assisted them in crafting a transition strategy to biomass use that
reliability of biomass supply chain took into account the operational risks involved.
and estimation of sustainability
benefits from biomass use Finally, our team provided assistance to the GSK team in evaluating the extent of
sustainability benefits from transition to biomass – these benefits ranged from CO2
• Locations: Rajahmundry
(Andhra Pradesh), Nabha (Pun- reduction to enhancing local employment (through local briquette makers) and
jab), Sonepat (Haryana) finally to helping the farmers in the locality.

• www.gsk.com Deliverable: A combination of vendor lists (who had been evaluated by EAI)
and detailed reports with recommendations on a sustainable biomass supply chain
strategy.

17. Royal DSM – Evaluating the Sustainability of Castor Oil Supply Chain

• Sector: Biomass supply chain
• Client Profile & Business:
Global leader in diversified fields
such as consumer products,
health & engineering materials
• Type of work: Evaluating, and
presenting, the sustainability of
the supply chain for a vegetable
oil
• Location: Gujarat
• www.dsm.com
DSM is a large European business group operating in multiple business verticals.
One of their verticals produces polyamide (nylon) from castor oil. The castor oil is
fully sourced from India. As part of their sustainability efforts, the company wished
to assess the sustainability of the castor supply chain.
EAI’s team assisted DSM, at ground level, in undertaking a comprehensive review
of the sustainability of the castor oil supply chain. We did this by using a template,
originating from DSM but customized by EAI, to evaluate the degree of
environmental and social sustainability right from the farming stage until the stage
when the castor oil is exported from an Indian port to DSM. The assignment
included physical visits to many locations and in-depth meetings with many castor
value chain stakeholders.

Deliverable: The deliverable comprised both hands-on coordination provided to the DSM team to interact with key
stakeholders (including visits to the castor farms and castor oil processing units in Gujarat) and a concise report that
highlighted the degree of sustainability (or the lack of it) at key points along the value chain.
 Highlights of Select EAI Consulting Projects
in Cleantech & Sustainability

18. Lafarge – Estimating carbon footprint of CO2 sequestration

by microalgae
Lafarge is one of the world’s leading construction materials producers. In 2010, the
• Sector: Carbon footprint company was keen on cultivating microalgae as a medium to sequester CO2 from
analysis
their power plants. The end product (algal biomass) was expected to be used as a
• Client Profile & Business: A fuel or fertilizer.
global leader in building & con-
struction materials While algae is indeed an effective biomass to sequester CO2, there’s significant
• Type of work: Estimating the net energy required for the cultivation, harvesting and drying of the microalgae. Such
carbon footprint reduction from a energy consumption result in CO2 emissions themselves! Thus, what was needed
proposed microalgae based CO2 was a thorough analysis of the energy requirements and the CO2 emissions thereof
sequestration for a cement plant from the complete microalgae value chain in order to finally arrive at the net CO2
• Locations: Le Teil, France reductions from the proposed microalgae cultivation. The EAI team provided the
complete assistance to the Lafarge team in computing this estimate.
• www.lafargeholcim.com
Deliverable: A report that provided detailed working out of the energy consumption
and CO2 emissions at each stage of the microalgae cultivation and processing value chain, and an estimation of the net
carbon footprint of the operations.

19. Amway – Recommending sustainable energy options for a

greenfield manufacturing plant

• Sector: Sustainable energy Amway, for its new manufacturing facility coming up at Nilakottai (near Madurai,
strategy which subsequently started operations in 2015), was keen on including as many
sustainable energy / environment solutions as possible. The original list of options
• Client Profile & Business: A was quite long and included both commercialized solutions (Eg: solar PV) as well
leading global consumer products
as new or emerging solutions (Eg: geothermal heating & cooling)
company
• Type of work: Evaluating the EAI’s consulting team worked with the senior management team of Amway and
most suitable energy & environ- provided clarity to them on the options that are most suited to their greenfield
ment sustainability options for a facility. The focus was mainly on sustainable energy, though our work also involved
greenfield manufacturing facility evaluating options for sustainable waste management
• Location: Madurai, South India
Deliverable: A comprehensive report and presentation to their Indian top
• www.amway.com management (and select US executives) on the most suitable options for Amway,
and preliminary technical and economic feasibility assessments for these options.

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write to consult@eai.in

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