Green: For Devotees of Wind Power, a New Product Label
Jan 19, 2011 New York Times
JOHN COLLINS RUDOLF
Consumers already face a blizzard of labels on store shelves appealing to the better angels of their nature, from “fair trade” coffee and “dolphin-safe” tuna to chocolate bars whose makers pledge to devote part of their profits to saving endangered species.
WindMade
A growing number of goods in Britain and Japan even feature “carbon labels” that inform shoppers of the carbon dioxide emissions — and global warming impact — tied to their purchases.
Now, a group of companies and environmental organizations, including the wind turbine maker Vestas and the World Wildlife Fund, have unveiled a new label that they hope will tug at consumers’ heartstrings by detailing to what extent wind power was used to make various products. Called “WindMade,” the label will be run by a nonprofit foundation and will require participating companies to undergo certification.
Exactly how the certification process will work has not yet been decided, and further details will be announced this month at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the group behind the initiative said.
A major aim of the label is to harness consumer preferences for sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels to help stimulate demand for turbines, Ditlev Engel, chief executive of Vestas, the Danish turbine maker, said in a statement.
“We hope that this will create a strong element of consumer pull, which will accelerate the pace of wind energy development globally,” said Ditlev Engel, Vestas chief executive.
The wind energy market could certainly use a boost. After a record year in 2008, the wind industry has struggled with declining demand as a result of the global recession and an unexpected glut of cheap natural gas in the United States.
The slump caused turbine orders in the third quarter to plunge 27 percent from a year earlier, Vestas said in its latest quarterly report. To cut its losses, the company said it planned to close several turbine factories, mostly in Denmark, and eliminate roughly 3,000 jobs.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Energy Management
Johannesburg, South Africa --- ESI-AFRICA.COM --- 14 January 2011 - In the event of the electricity outages envisaged by national power utility Eskom being implemented, the country could be facing loss of production and further retrenchments.
Making this point in a report here today, Business Report warns that although sacrifices made by the industry to scale down production by 10% could give Eskom a reprieve, there is uncertainty about job stability in the industry, which employs some 500 000 people.
The report adds that the impact on mining houses is likely to vary according to the extraction methods. Gold producers use intensive deep level mining methods, which are high in electricity usage, while coal producers use open cast mining, which uses the least electricity.
Coal of Africa CEO John Wallington said that the company did not have contingency plans should Eskom fail to put in place a safety net to deal with the energy gap. He added that job losses were inevitable if power issues were not resolved. “When the economy is reduced, jobs are lost. I hope a quick solution can be found,” he said.
Xstrata corporate affairs manager Songezo Zibi said the company would play it by ear.
“If the grid is under pressure, we reduce our production.” He said the company was operating under the assumption that the impact would be manageable. “However, if it’s more severe there is a greater possibility of job losses then,” he added.
Anglo American spokesman Pranill Ramchander said production at its platinum and coal operations had been negatively affected during the load shedding in 2008.
He added that Anglo had introduced energy efficiency measures throughout its operations and was working closely with the government and the industry on further investigating energy-efficient strategies.
De Beers spokesman Tom Tweedy said it was difficult to predict how its diamond mining operations would be affected. “It is very difficult to estimate what the impact of outages will be on our production because we haven’t been notified on the details of how long this could go on and which parts of the country it will hit hard, so we don’t know how expensive this can be to us.” Tweedy said the company would manage its operations better with forewarning.
Labour unions are up in arms over the issue, with Solidarity warning of the dire consequences of blackouts, according to Business Report.
“If the power grid is under pressure, mines will be forced to shut down as a measure of cutting production. This could have an impact on job losses and on retrenchments, depending on the pressure on the grid,” said Solidarity health and safety researcher Leigh McMaster.
National Union of Mineworkers general secretary Frans Baleni said any power outages that might result from a shortage of generating capacity would be “catastrophic”.
“If you are going to have blackouts, production will be negatively affected. The first thing that mining companies can do after that is to reduce overheads by cutting labour,” Baleni added.
Eskom CEO Brian Dames warned last week that the power utility would struggle to keep the lights on this year and next year. He warned of an energy gap in 2012 equal to about 1 000MW of base-load capacity, and called for a range of cross-cutting interventions, including the acceleration of the procurement process for renewable energy
Making this point in a report here today, Business Report warns that although sacrifices made by the industry to scale down production by 10% could give Eskom a reprieve, there is uncertainty about job stability in the industry, which employs some 500 000 people.
The report adds that the impact on mining houses is likely to vary according to the extraction methods. Gold producers use intensive deep level mining methods, which are high in electricity usage, while coal producers use open cast mining, which uses the least electricity.
Coal of Africa CEO John Wallington said that the company did not have contingency plans should Eskom fail to put in place a safety net to deal with the energy gap. He added that job losses were inevitable if power issues were not resolved. “When the economy is reduced, jobs are lost. I hope a quick solution can be found,” he said.
Xstrata corporate affairs manager Songezo Zibi said the company would play it by ear.
“If the grid is under pressure, we reduce our production.” He said the company was operating under the assumption that the impact would be manageable. “However, if it’s more severe there is a greater possibility of job losses then,” he added.
Anglo American spokesman Pranill Ramchander said production at its platinum and coal operations had been negatively affected during the load shedding in 2008.
He added that Anglo had introduced energy efficiency measures throughout its operations and was working closely with the government and the industry on further investigating energy-efficient strategies.
De Beers spokesman Tom Tweedy said it was difficult to predict how its diamond mining operations would be affected. “It is very difficult to estimate what the impact of outages will be on our production because we haven’t been notified on the details of how long this could go on and which parts of the country it will hit hard, so we don’t know how expensive this can be to us.” Tweedy said the company would manage its operations better with forewarning.
Labour unions are up in arms over the issue, with Solidarity warning of the dire consequences of blackouts, according to Business Report.
“If the power grid is under pressure, mines will be forced to shut down as a measure of cutting production. This could have an impact on job losses and on retrenchments, depending on the pressure on the grid,” said Solidarity health and safety researcher Leigh McMaster.
National Union of Mineworkers general secretary Frans Baleni said any power outages that might result from a shortage of generating capacity would be “catastrophic”.
“If you are going to have blackouts, production will be negatively affected. The first thing that mining companies can do after that is to reduce overheads by cutting labour,” Baleni added.
Eskom CEO Brian Dames warned last week that the power utility would struggle to keep the lights on this year and next year. He warned of an energy gap in 2012 equal to about 1 000MW of base-load capacity, and called for a range of cross-cutting interventions, including the acceleration of the procurement process for renewable energy
Home Automation
Q. Can home automation with Clipsal C Bus be integrated with solar power for lighting, water heaters and power for operating remote gates etc to further reduce electricity consumption from the main grid?
A:Answer: Yes the Clipsal C bus system can most definitely be connected to and control the following items
1. Connected to a Battery back up and inverter charged via photovoltaic cells is exactly the same principle as conventional electricity as C bus is connected "After" the main point of entry and only controls downstream of the main point of entry. The advantage one has with installing the Clipsal c bus is that lights can be dimmed, geysers switched off and the electrical load can be effectively managed to suit the amount of stored energy available. When using Solar generation and batteries, Time Of Use, becomes a major part of the efficiency of the installation. C Bus can manage the time of use per appliance / connected load, effectively further reducing demand
2. Solar water heaters usually have back up electrical connections, This power can be managed in several ways not only to reduce the demand in one particular Villa, but allow for load shedding so that no more than 5 water heaters in a development or township could be drawing current at the same time, further reducing power demand and usage. For holiday villas these geysers would only have to be activated when the unit is occupied and switched off when not. This type of control could be done remotely from anywhere in the world via laptop or cell phone or just from the main reception area in the resort.
3. External proximity-sensors can be used to activate solar powered or standard 220v pathway lights to burn only when movement is detected as someone walks by or drives by, automatically switching off a few seconds after the person or vehicle has passed by. Drastically reducing battery usage or electrical usage or both
4. Remote gates can be hooked up to the a free standing Solar panel and post designed for this application and opened via hand held, personal remote controls and there is little benefit from hooking them up to C bus unless "international remote control" is required. Typically opening the gate for the maintenance crew whilst sitting in your office in the UK perhaps!
5. In a conventional installation, energy management can be achieved just by using occupancy sensors, dimming lights and scheduling geysers. A 50% reduction in power consumption is quite easily achieved
Q. We have heard that there are huge extra costs in terms of wiring for the Clipsal C Bus Automation system
A: The Clipsal C bus system requires only marginally more 220v wire than a conventionally wired installation and certainly far less 220v wiring required for any other automation system currently on the market.
Q. How can you be so sure of your facts when you only specialize in one product namely Clipsal C Bus
A: Well we have in our group Amandla Electrical Contractors; we have made it our business to tender on electrical projects where different automation products have been specified. So we do consider ourselves experts. We have on site, practical experience with several so called home automation products. These installations cannot compare with the C Bus products and this is why we are so proud of the Clipsal C Bus System
Q. We have been told that the distribution boards occupy a whole wall or require a special room
A: Again an area where our competitors fall short, our control boards in a typical residential installation will not be bigger than one half of domestic stable door 900mm x 600mm. In some instances we would require two or three such boards, but with our electrical contracting experience, intelligent design and the flexibility afforded by C bus we can locate some control boards upstairs to service that floor or at the main gate to service garden lights, spools, water features etc.
Q What happens when there is a power failure?
A: The same as with a normal electrical installation - you would have no power. When power is returned the c bus system will revert back to the position/ mode it was in when power was lost. In other words the non volatile memory would ensure that if your lounge lights were on before the power failure then that same lounge light would be in the on position when power returned.
Q. Do I have to reboot the system? Is it driven via a PC?
A: No this is not an issue, all C-bus components are stand alone and have their own intelligence so if the Touch screen is smashed the installation will not be affected and control from all the other input devices would still be 100% accurate. In fact one can disconnect the entire bus network and still have effective manual control via the output devices located inside the control panel/Db. When I demonstrate this and other reliability tests in our training facility it literally blows you away and you realize that there is just no other product as comprehensive
Q. How sensitive is the system to power surges and lightning
A: The system is amazingly robust, however as with all specialized electronic equipment; we specify and install comprehensive lightning and surge protection equipment.
Q. Is the system user friendly?
A: Another reason why 80% of new homes in Australia are fitted with C bus, the answer “Absolutely” even for a Sparkie like me. So much so that some of our clients have confessed that they could never live I a non C-Bus home again !
Q. Why make use of occupancy sensors
A: This aspect gets me really excited, I am a little lazy and I hate having to walk around after staff, kids and visitors switching off bathroom lights, pantry lights, scullery lights, garage lights, especially during daylight when most of them did not need to switched on in the first place.
The occupancy sensors, well I love them and we able to adjust the lux levels so that they will come on during the day if for example there are storm clouds. Or the garage door is closed. These units are so well designed and multifunctional again this level of automation is what separates C Bus from any other product.
Q. Can I run my swimming pool and irrigation system from C Bus?
A: Yes with amazing levels of intelligence that you will not find in any of the off the shelf devices sold by both respective trades. The logic is there in the colour touch screen to prevent the irrigation from turning on whilst it is raining, or to control the water level in your rim flow pool “wow” , need we say more?
Q. Can you control our garage doors and gates?
A: Absolutely and we can even give you a graphic representation on your touch screen which will show whether the door or doors are open or closed, same goes for driveway gates or pedestrian gates
Q. What advantage is there in integrating with the alarm and CCTV SYSTEM?
A: Our Minder Pro Premise Automation alarm and security panel comes with a host of added features that take your security, intercommunication, voice mailboxes and “away Mode” random switching of lights etc, to another level. Too much info to discuss here.
Q. Can you give me individual audio control for multiple users?
A: Yes and we have a new product that comes complete with a hand held selection and control device which will give you a visual play list including song, album, title genre, volume control, zone control and all in a wireless hand held device, quite fantastic. This is the revolutionary system developed by SONOS, Check out www.Sonos.com
Q. Can we add on to the system when we extend our home?
A: Yes but there are considerations, again we are more than able to assist
Q. Can we save on electricity bill?
A: Energy saving is the worlds buzzword and yes our system will save you on your electricity usage
Q. Does this system add to our re sale value?
A: Difficult question. The answer is Yes to a buyer who in interested in home automation, No to the buyer who isn’t, same as Granite kitchen tops or wooden kitchen tops, however it will have more resale value than curtains, or even floor finishes.
Q. Who takes responsibility for the system once it is installed and you have been paid?
A: As we are also responsible to issue a compliance certificate it is us, however there are a number of qualified C Bus System-Integrators that could continue with your project if something were to happen to us. There is super back up from Clipsal SA and Group Schneider SA so you will not be left hanging, ------ever.
Q. My electrician says that he is not prepared to issue a certificate of compliance for your C Bus installation so where does that leave us?
A: He is quite right and why should he. He must however issue a certificate for his installation and exclude the C Bus installation. We will install, commission, program all our own product and issue a certificate of compliance to cover our Installation
Q. Can we re program this ourselves?
A: Yes provided the necessary hardware has been allowed for to enable you to do this . We have clients with I.T. backgrounds who happily re programme their homes
Q. What sets the Clipsal C – Bus system apart from the other systems on the market?
A: EVERYTHING
A:Answer: Yes the Clipsal C bus system can most definitely be connected to and control the following items
1. Connected to a Battery back up and inverter charged via photovoltaic cells is exactly the same principle as conventional electricity as C bus is connected "After" the main point of entry and only controls downstream of the main point of entry. The advantage one has with installing the Clipsal c bus is that lights can be dimmed, geysers switched off and the electrical load can be effectively managed to suit the amount of stored energy available. When using Solar generation and batteries, Time Of Use, becomes a major part of the efficiency of the installation. C Bus can manage the time of use per appliance / connected load, effectively further reducing demand
2. Solar water heaters usually have back up electrical connections, This power can be managed in several ways not only to reduce the demand in one particular Villa, but allow for load shedding so that no more than 5 water heaters in a development or township could be drawing current at the same time, further reducing power demand and usage. For holiday villas these geysers would only have to be activated when the unit is occupied and switched off when not. This type of control could be done remotely from anywhere in the world via laptop or cell phone or just from the main reception area in the resort.
3. External proximity-sensors can be used to activate solar powered or standard 220v pathway lights to burn only when movement is detected as someone walks by or drives by, automatically switching off a few seconds after the person or vehicle has passed by. Drastically reducing battery usage or electrical usage or both
4. Remote gates can be hooked up to the a free standing Solar panel and post designed for this application and opened via hand held, personal remote controls and there is little benefit from hooking them up to C bus unless "international remote control" is required. Typically opening the gate for the maintenance crew whilst sitting in your office in the UK perhaps!
5. In a conventional installation, energy management can be achieved just by using occupancy sensors, dimming lights and scheduling geysers. A 50% reduction in power consumption is quite easily achieved
Q. We have heard that there are huge extra costs in terms of wiring for the Clipsal C Bus Automation system
A: The Clipsal C bus system requires only marginally more 220v wire than a conventionally wired installation and certainly far less 220v wiring required for any other automation system currently on the market.
Q. How can you be so sure of your facts when you only specialize in one product namely Clipsal C Bus
A: Well we have in our group Amandla Electrical Contractors; we have made it our business to tender on electrical projects where different automation products have been specified. So we do consider ourselves experts. We have on site, practical experience with several so called home automation products. These installations cannot compare with the C Bus products and this is why we are so proud of the Clipsal C Bus System
Q. We have been told that the distribution boards occupy a whole wall or require a special room
A: Again an area where our competitors fall short, our control boards in a typical residential installation will not be bigger than one half of domestic stable door 900mm x 600mm. In some instances we would require two or three such boards, but with our electrical contracting experience, intelligent design and the flexibility afforded by C bus we can locate some control boards upstairs to service that floor or at the main gate to service garden lights, spools, water features etc.
Q What happens when there is a power failure?
A: The same as with a normal electrical installation - you would have no power. When power is returned the c bus system will revert back to the position/ mode it was in when power was lost. In other words the non volatile memory would ensure that if your lounge lights were on before the power failure then that same lounge light would be in the on position when power returned.
Q. Do I have to reboot the system? Is it driven via a PC?
A: No this is not an issue, all C-bus components are stand alone and have their own intelligence so if the Touch screen is smashed the installation will not be affected and control from all the other input devices would still be 100% accurate. In fact one can disconnect the entire bus network and still have effective manual control via the output devices located inside the control panel/Db. When I demonstrate this and other reliability tests in our training facility it literally blows you away and you realize that there is just no other product as comprehensive
Q. How sensitive is the system to power surges and lightning
A: The system is amazingly robust, however as with all specialized electronic equipment; we specify and install comprehensive lightning and surge protection equipment.
Q. Is the system user friendly?
A: Another reason why 80% of new homes in Australia are fitted with C bus, the answer “Absolutely” even for a Sparkie like me. So much so that some of our clients have confessed that they could never live I a non C-Bus home again !
Q. Why make use of occupancy sensors
A: This aspect gets me really excited, I am a little lazy and I hate having to walk around after staff, kids and visitors switching off bathroom lights, pantry lights, scullery lights, garage lights, especially during daylight when most of them did not need to switched on in the first place.
The occupancy sensors, well I love them and we able to adjust the lux levels so that they will come on during the day if for example there are storm clouds. Or the garage door is closed. These units are so well designed and multifunctional again this level of automation is what separates C Bus from any other product.
Q. Can I run my swimming pool and irrigation system from C Bus?
A: Yes with amazing levels of intelligence that you will not find in any of the off the shelf devices sold by both respective trades. The logic is there in the colour touch screen to prevent the irrigation from turning on whilst it is raining, or to control the water level in your rim flow pool “wow” , need we say more?
Q. Can you control our garage doors and gates?
A: Absolutely and we can even give you a graphic representation on your touch screen which will show whether the door or doors are open or closed, same goes for driveway gates or pedestrian gates
Q. What advantage is there in integrating with the alarm and CCTV SYSTEM?
A: Our Minder Pro Premise Automation alarm and security panel comes with a host of added features that take your security, intercommunication, voice mailboxes and “away Mode” random switching of lights etc, to another level. Too much info to discuss here.
Q. Can you give me individual audio control for multiple users?
A: Yes and we have a new product that comes complete with a hand held selection and control device which will give you a visual play list including song, album, title genre, volume control, zone control and all in a wireless hand held device, quite fantastic. This is the revolutionary system developed by SONOS, Check out www.Sonos.com
Q. Can we add on to the system when we extend our home?
A: Yes but there are considerations, again we are more than able to assist
Q. Can we save on electricity bill?
A: Energy saving is the worlds buzzword and yes our system will save you on your electricity usage
Q. Does this system add to our re sale value?
A: Difficult question. The answer is Yes to a buyer who in interested in home automation, No to the buyer who isn’t, same as Granite kitchen tops or wooden kitchen tops, however it will have more resale value than curtains, or even floor finishes.
Q. Who takes responsibility for the system once it is installed and you have been paid?
A: As we are also responsible to issue a compliance certificate it is us, however there are a number of qualified C Bus System-Integrators that could continue with your project if something were to happen to us. There is super back up from Clipsal SA and Group Schneider SA so you will not be left hanging, ------ever.
Q. My electrician says that he is not prepared to issue a certificate of compliance for your C Bus installation so where does that leave us?
A: He is quite right and why should he. He must however issue a certificate for his installation and exclude the C Bus installation. We will install, commission, program all our own product and issue a certificate of compliance to cover our Installation
Q. Can we re program this ourselves?
A: Yes provided the necessary hardware has been allowed for to enable you to do this . We have clients with I.T. backgrounds who happily re programme their homes
Q. What sets the Clipsal C – Bus system apart from the other systems on the market?
A: EVERYTHING
Monday, December 6, 2010
Carbon Credits
Branson sails on with "Operation Rock the Boat"
Dec 6, 2010 Business Green
The Carbon War Room has today launched an online database ranking the environmental performance of most of the world's ocean-going vessels in a bid to help the shipping industry cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than half a billion tonnes a year by 2020.
The lobby group, which was founded by Richard Branson 18 months ago, said the new ShippingEfficiency.org site will list fuel efficiency data for around 60,000 ships, including the majority of the world's container ships, tankers, bulk carriers, cargo ships, cruise ships and ferries.
The site aims to help businesses and individuals make better informed decisions about the ships they use by rating vessels using a simple A to G grading system.
The group said it has used rating methodology developed by the United Nations' International Maritime Organization's under its Energy Efficiency Design Index and combined it with data from the world's largest ship registry, IHS Fairplay.
The site is the latest project from The Carbon War Room's so-called "Operation Rock the Boat" initiative, which aims to encourage shipping operators to invest in lower carbon technology to cut emissions and operating costs.
It says a new global fleet based on the most efficient available technologies could cut CO2 emissions by half a billion tonnes a year by 2020, putting it on a path to cut more than one billion tonnes of carbon annually by 2050.
Today's launch forms part of the group's five-pronged attack on shipping emissions, which also calls for the industry to update key charter contracts and accelerate the adoption and enforcement of new national shipping legislation.
In a recent interview with The Economist, Branson said the group is also trying to convince ports in the US to give preferential treatment to lower-carbon vessels when docking.
Shipping is thought to account for about three per cent of the world's carbon emissions, but because it is not covered by the Kyoto Protocol the sector currently has no mandatory targets for cutting emissions.
Dec 6, 2010 Business Green
The Carbon War Room has today launched an online database ranking the environmental performance of most of the world's ocean-going vessels in a bid to help the shipping industry cut carbon dioxide emissions by more than half a billion tonnes a year by 2020.
The lobby group, which was founded by Richard Branson 18 months ago, said the new ShippingEfficiency.org site will list fuel efficiency data for around 60,000 ships, including the majority of the world's container ships, tankers, bulk carriers, cargo ships, cruise ships and ferries.
The site aims to help businesses and individuals make better informed decisions about the ships they use by rating vessels using a simple A to G grading system.
The group said it has used rating methodology developed by the United Nations' International Maritime Organization's under its Energy Efficiency Design Index and combined it with data from the world's largest ship registry, IHS Fairplay.
The site is the latest project from The Carbon War Room's so-called "Operation Rock the Boat" initiative, which aims to encourage shipping operators to invest in lower carbon technology to cut emissions and operating costs.
It says a new global fleet based on the most efficient available technologies could cut CO2 emissions by half a billion tonnes a year by 2020, putting it on a path to cut more than one billion tonnes of carbon annually by 2050.
Today's launch forms part of the group's five-pronged attack on shipping emissions, which also calls for the industry to update key charter contracts and accelerate the adoption and enforcement of new national shipping legislation.
In a recent interview with The Economist, Branson said the group is also trying to convince ports in the US to give preferential treatment to lower-carbon vessels when docking.
Shipping is thought to account for about three per cent of the world's carbon emissions, but because it is not covered by the Kyoto Protocol the sector currently has no mandatory targets for cutting emissions.
Energy Management
. Schneider Electric Data Center Showcases Server Consolidation and Energy Efficiency
Dec 5, 2010 Server Watch
APC (now owned by Schneider Electric) has set up a new data center outside of St. Louis, Mo. As well as consolidating two of the company's data centers, it is using a host of APC and Schneider Electric gear including its EcoStruxure architecture for intelligent energy management.
"EcoStruxure is an approach to creating intelligent energy management systems," said Kevin Brown, vice president of IT Business at Schneider. "We chose St. Louis in order to have a central location for the consolidation of the many North American data centers we previously operated."
The facility will act as a showcase of company technology in the areas of building, power, and data center infrastructure. Prospective customers will be able to view the equipment they are thinking of buying and see how well it operates in the real world. Research and development work is also part of the plan at what is known as the Schneider Electric Technology Center (SETC).
"Through efficient design, monitoring and lower cost per kilowatt hour, we have documented significant electricity cost savings over a 12 month period at the Schneider Electric Technology Center," said Jim Simonelli, CTO for Schneider Electric's IT Business.
*
Dec 5, 2010 Server Watch
APC (now owned by Schneider Electric) has set up a new data center outside of St. Louis, Mo. As well as consolidating two of the company's data centers, it is using a host of APC and Schneider Electric gear including its EcoStruxure architecture for intelligent energy management.
"EcoStruxure is an approach to creating intelligent energy management systems," said Kevin Brown, vice president of IT Business at Schneider. "We chose St. Louis in order to have a central location for the consolidation of the many North American data centers we previously operated."
The facility will act as a showcase of company technology in the areas of building, power, and data center infrastructure. Prospective customers will be able to view the equipment they are thinking of buying and see how well it operates in the real world. Research and development work is also part of the plan at what is known as the Schneider Electric Technology Center (SETC).
"Through efficient design, monitoring and lower cost per kilowatt hour, we have documented significant electricity cost savings over a 12 month period at the Schneider Electric Technology Center," said Jim Simonelli, CTO for Schneider Electric's IT Business.
*
Monday, November 29, 2010
Energy management
8 Electric-Car Myths Busted
Nov 29, 2010 MotherJones
I'm about as far from a gearhead as it gets, but even so, I was excited about the release of the nation's first two consumer plug-in electric vehicles: the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf. The Volt can go 40 miles on battery power and another 310 thanks to an auxiliary gas engine, which kicked in smoothly as I floored it up a hill during a recent test drive. The Leaf is—even cooler—completely electric, with a range of about 100 miles. In 2011, Ford, Mitsubishi, and Mercedes-Benz plan to introduce their own tailpipe-free models. GE has ordered up thousands for its sales force, and the federal government has set a target for 1 million electric vehicles by 2015. (A good step, even considering the 246 million or so gas vehicles already on the road.) Are we finally ready after years of false starts? Despite widespread public jitters, the experts I polled said yes. Herewith, eight e-car worries not to spin your wheels over.
1. Our grid can't handle the added burden. While electric cars do use a great deal of juice, utilities have been working behind the scenes for years to make sure the cars don't fry the grid. Blackouts are "extremely unlikely," notes Simon Mui, a scientist who studies clean vehicles and fuels for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Advanced charging technology will help distribute power loads more evenly, and many home charging stations will operate only during off-peak hours—which is more efficient and usually cheaper. "Smart chargers," slated to hit the market in 2011, will decide when to charge based on the time and distance you commute, local rates, and electricity demand in your neighborhood.
2. My utility bill will skyrocket. Yep, you'll spend more on amperage, but your savings on gas will more than cover it. If you drive a battery-only car 12,000 miles a year at going power rates, you'll pay an extra $27 or so per month for electricity, but save about $97 on gas. Some utilities offer special rates during off-peak hours—in California, you might pay as little as $13 a month (roughly half-price) to charge up at night. The one drawback of cheaper fuel is, well, cheaper driving, which some experts worry will lure commuters away from public transit, carpools, and bikes.
3. Coal-burning utilities mean electric cars will make emissions worse. Hardly. Even in predominantly coal-burning regions, an electric car releases 35 to 60 percent less CO2 than a comparable conventional car, according to industry think tank Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). In areas with an ecofriendly power mix, the emissions are up to 75 percent lower. EPRI transportation expert Mark Duvall points out that "as the grid gets cleaner—which it almost certainly will—electric cars will get cleaner, too." Bonus: Unlike gas, which is refined largely from imported petroleum, electricity flows from domestic sources.
4. Electric cars already flopped once, so why should I believe they'll succeed? Climate worries, obviously, have gained traction since the 1990s, but the main reason to believe in a comeback is economic. Perhaps you've noticed that Detroit seems, uh, a little leaner than it was during the Clinton years. To compete with foreign automakers in places with high gas prices and tougher climate regs—think Europe and California—the industry needs to roll out efficient models. "Automakers see this as a necessity," says Mui. Technology has really improved, too; old-school e-car batteries, famous for exploding and generally sucking, have joined your wallet chains and Crash Test Dummies albums in '90s heaven.
5. Government rebates on electric cars favor the rich. To ease sticker shock (the Volt starts at $40,280; the Leaf, $32,780), the feds are offering a tax credit of up to $7,500 to the first 200,000 buyers of each model. If you still can't afford one, there's a consolation prize: As Mui points out, the reductions in emissions and pollution will benefit everyone. Plus, prices are sure to come down. The very first iPods, you may recall, set you back more than $400.
6. Electric cars handle like roller skates. I'm not the savviest driver, but I thought the Volt felt pretty much like a regular mid-size. Car and Driver writes that it "drives surprisingly well, with a reassuringly steady suspension." The Leaf gets dinged for its short range, but its transmission works so smoothly in stop-and-go traffic "that we started rationalizing our range concerns."
7. Lithium-ion auto batteries are as crappy as lithium-ion laptop batteries. Now here's something that might be worth fretting about. Although battery technology is light-years beyond where it was back when GM was peddling EV1s, it's far from perfect. Lithium-ion cells are sluggish in cold weather—and cranking the heat, AC, or stereo will reduce your range. More worrisome: No one can predict how long they'll last. "There will be degradation of the battery over its lifetime," says EPRI's Duvall. "But we don't know exactly how much." The good news: Recent breakthroughs in battery technology promise faster charging and greater reliability. In the meantime, both Volt and Leaf come with eight-year battery warranties.
8. I'll run out of juice in the sticks. This is only an issue for fully electric cars, and as long as you're within range of a socket, you'll make do. A full charge takes about 10 hours using a standard outlet, or half as long with a home 220-volt station that'll run you about $2,000. Meanwhile, the federal government plans to spend $115 million to help cities set up 15,000 pay-as-you-go chargers in public places. Electric vehicles "do require a lot of planning, but not as much as you might think," says Mark Vaughn, an AutoWeek editor who blogged last summer about his trial run with Mitsubishi's i MiEV—comparable to the Leaf. When Vaughn showed up at a hotel with a low battery, he told me, a kitchen employee offered to snake an extension cord out to the parking lot. "You really learn as much about people as you do about amps and volts and things like that."
Nov 29, 2010 MotherJones
I'm about as far from a gearhead as it gets, but even so, I was excited about the release of the nation's first two consumer plug-in electric vehicles: the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf. The Volt can go 40 miles on battery power and another 310 thanks to an auxiliary gas engine, which kicked in smoothly as I floored it up a hill during a recent test drive. The Leaf is—even cooler—completely electric, with a range of about 100 miles. In 2011, Ford, Mitsubishi, and Mercedes-Benz plan to introduce their own tailpipe-free models. GE has ordered up thousands for its sales force, and the federal government has set a target for 1 million electric vehicles by 2015. (A good step, even considering the 246 million or so gas vehicles already on the road.) Are we finally ready after years of false starts? Despite widespread public jitters, the experts I polled said yes. Herewith, eight e-car worries not to spin your wheels over.
1. Our grid can't handle the added burden. While electric cars do use a great deal of juice, utilities have been working behind the scenes for years to make sure the cars don't fry the grid. Blackouts are "extremely unlikely," notes Simon Mui, a scientist who studies clean vehicles and fuels for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Advanced charging technology will help distribute power loads more evenly, and many home charging stations will operate only during off-peak hours—which is more efficient and usually cheaper. "Smart chargers," slated to hit the market in 2011, will decide when to charge based on the time and distance you commute, local rates, and electricity demand in your neighborhood.
2. My utility bill will skyrocket. Yep, you'll spend more on amperage, but your savings on gas will more than cover it. If you drive a battery-only car 12,000 miles a year at going power rates, you'll pay an extra $27 or so per month for electricity, but save about $97 on gas. Some utilities offer special rates during off-peak hours—in California, you might pay as little as $13 a month (roughly half-price) to charge up at night. The one drawback of cheaper fuel is, well, cheaper driving, which some experts worry will lure commuters away from public transit, carpools, and bikes.
3. Coal-burning utilities mean electric cars will make emissions worse. Hardly. Even in predominantly coal-burning regions, an electric car releases 35 to 60 percent less CO2 than a comparable conventional car, according to industry think tank Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). In areas with an ecofriendly power mix, the emissions are up to 75 percent lower. EPRI transportation expert Mark Duvall points out that "as the grid gets cleaner—which it almost certainly will—electric cars will get cleaner, too." Bonus: Unlike gas, which is refined largely from imported petroleum, electricity flows from domestic sources.
4. Electric cars already flopped once, so why should I believe they'll succeed? Climate worries, obviously, have gained traction since the 1990s, but the main reason to believe in a comeback is economic. Perhaps you've noticed that Detroit seems, uh, a little leaner than it was during the Clinton years. To compete with foreign automakers in places with high gas prices and tougher climate regs—think Europe and California—the industry needs to roll out efficient models. "Automakers see this as a necessity," says Mui. Technology has really improved, too; old-school e-car batteries, famous for exploding and generally sucking, have joined your wallet chains and Crash Test Dummies albums in '90s heaven.
5. Government rebates on electric cars favor the rich. To ease sticker shock (the Volt starts at $40,280; the Leaf, $32,780), the feds are offering a tax credit of up to $7,500 to the first 200,000 buyers of each model. If you still can't afford one, there's a consolation prize: As Mui points out, the reductions in emissions and pollution will benefit everyone. Plus, prices are sure to come down. The very first iPods, you may recall, set you back more than $400.
6. Electric cars handle like roller skates. I'm not the savviest driver, but I thought the Volt felt pretty much like a regular mid-size. Car and Driver writes that it "drives surprisingly well, with a reassuringly steady suspension." The Leaf gets dinged for its short range, but its transmission works so smoothly in stop-and-go traffic "that we started rationalizing our range concerns."
7. Lithium-ion auto batteries are as crappy as lithium-ion laptop batteries. Now here's something that might be worth fretting about. Although battery technology is light-years beyond where it was back when GM was peddling EV1s, it's far from perfect. Lithium-ion cells are sluggish in cold weather—and cranking the heat, AC, or stereo will reduce your range. More worrisome: No one can predict how long they'll last. "There will be degradation of the battery over its lifetime," says EPRI's Duvall. "But we don't know exactly how much." The good news: Recent breakthroughs in battery technology promise faster charging and greater reliability. In the meantime, both Volt and Leaf come with eight-year battery warranties.
8. I'll run out of juice in the sticks. This is only an issue for fully electric cars, and as long as you're within range of a socket, you'll make do. A full charge takes about 10 hours using a standard outlet, or half as long with a home 220-volt station that'll run you about $2,000. Meanwhile, the federal government plans to spend $115 million to help cities set up 15,000 pay-as-you-go chargers in public places. Electric vehicles "do require a lot of planning, but not as much as you might think," says Mark Vaughn, an AutoWeek editor who blogged last summer about his trial run with Mitsubishi's i MiEV—comparable to the Leaf. When Vaughn showed up at a hotel with a low battery, he told me, a kitchen employee offered to snake an extension cord out to the parking lot. "You really learn as much about people as you do about amps and volts and things like that."
Energy Issues
Governance problems at NERSA - shades of Eskom?
by Chris Yelland, managing director, EE Publishers
(follow EE Publishers on Twitter)
To comment and respond to this article, and/or to any of the views and positions expressed, visit EE Publishers' blog: "The best from EE Publishers..."
Once again, public sector governance issues, and battles between the CEO, the board and the responsible minister have rocked South Africa. Eskom, SAA, Transnet, the SABC... and now, in the latest saga, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA)... (more)
On 15 November 2010, Chairperson Cecilia Khuzwayo indicated that the regulator had suspended its CEO, Smunda Mokoena, for "alleged gross transgression of NERSA's code of conduct".
Whilst official spokesman Charles Hlebela would not be drawn on the specifics, an article in The Times on 15 November went a step further, quoting a source alleging that that "quite recently he (the CEO) chaired a meeting completely drunk", and that "he had a drinking problem that was getting out of hand".
In the meantime, pending an internal investigation, Nomalanga Sithole, NERSA's executive manager for corporate services, was appointed as acting CEO.
Then, only ten days later, another bland press release issued by NERSA on 24 November stated without elaboration or explanation that the board had decided to lift the suspension and reinstate the CEO, and that the allegations against the CEO would now be investigated by the office of the minister of energy.
This immediately gave rise to perceptions of undue political interference, and that a "political" solution was being sought, rather than following an objective administrative and disciplinary process.
NERSA is a statutory body established by an act of parliament (No. 40 of 2004: The National Energy Regulator Act, 2004), to make independent regulatory decisions in the electricity, piped-gas and petroleum pipeline industries.
In terms of the Act, the minister of energy appoints the four full-time and five part-time board members of NERSA, and designates one of the part-time members as chairperson, another part-time member as deputy chairperson, one full-time member as CEO, and the other three full-time members as responsible for each of electricity, piped-gas and petroleum pipeline regulation, respectively.
Thus although in practice the board may recommend the candidate for the position of CEO to the minister of energy, the final appointment of the CEO is the prerogative of the minister.
The Act also states that the minister of energy may prematurely terminate the appointments of board members, including the CEO, but only under specified criteria. These include failing to act independently of any undue influence or instruction, and/or failing to act in a manner that is required and expected from the holder of a public office.
Whilst "undue influence" probably relates to matters of corruption or executive interference, a legal opinion indicated that "perhaps the context could be extended to the undue influence of alcohol. One would certainly expect that an appointment at this level would include the presumption that the CEO should act in a manner that is seen to be competent, which would obviously include competency of mind".
It should be noted that in this case the board did not terminate the appointment of the NERSA CEO - it merely suspended him pending an investigation, which presumably would result in a report to the minister of energy, who could then make an informed decision on termination in terms of the Act.
Former NERSA board member and head of infrastructure reform and regulation at University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business, Prof. Anton Eberhard, does not believe that the role of the minister as detailed above necessarily prevents the independence of NERSA. "Regulatory independence is about being able to make independent regulatory decisions (licensing, tariff setting, technical standards, etc.) without these being arbitrarily overturned by any other person or agency, except through pre-specified appeal mechanisms, for example the high court. NERSA enjoys this independence", he said.
While the Act indicates that if the chairperson is unable to perform his or her functions for any reason, the deputy chairperson must perform them until the minister designates another chairperson, it is silent on procedures if the CEO is unable to perform his or her function, for example due to suspension.
A legal opinion indicated that "procedurally, this would then depend on what disciplinary code is in place, and to avoid the risk of legal exposure and litigation, NERSA would need to follow its code meticulously - they certainly won't want a legal claim against them for not following procedure and/or an unlawful termination." In the energy sector, the current case of Jacob Maroga vs. Eskom and the minister of public enterprises springs to mind!
This new saga is perhaps symptomatic of ongoing governance issues resulting from unclear lines of authority, accountability and communication between the CEO, the board and the responsible minister, in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and statutory bodies.
For companies established in terms of the Companies Act, the shareholder(s) elect and appoint the board of directors, and the directors in turn appoint (and may dismiss) the CEO. The CEO reports to the board, and the board is responsible to the shareholders.
In the case of SOEs and statutory bodies, there are a number of grey areas. As the position of the CEO is effectively an appointment by the shareholder minister, and not the board, does the board have the authority to suspend the CEO and appoint an acting CEO pending an investigation? Who is the CEO accountable to, and does the CEO report to the board or the shareholder minister? May the CEO communicate directly with the minister, and may the CEO take instructions directly from the minister? Is the regulator truly independent of the minister, government and politics in its administrative and regulatory decisions?
There may indeed be considerations other than procedural issues at play in the rapid about-face and reinstatement of the CEO by the board. NERSA spokesman, Charles Hlebela indicated to EE Publishers that "the five-year terms of the full-time regulator members, including the CEO, ended in September 2010", and that "the minister had extended their terms till March 2011".
Perhaps the reinstatement of the NERSA CEO is a pragmatic endeavor to avoid inevitably damaging and expensive litigation, extending over several years, resulting from the governance and accountability issues that have been experienced in other public entities such as Eskom. It may simply make sense to allow Smunda Mokoena to see out his contract in the next few months, and leave with his reputation intact.
But whatever the case, NERSA is undoubtedly a critical regulatory body in the South African economy, and its ongoing independence is essential. Despite the criticisms and shortcomings of NERSA, the regulator is in fact the thin line between the customer and some very powerful monopolies. Therefore, surely we should all work to strengthen and support NERSA, and not to destroy it?
Recently NERSA approved Eskom price increases of 25% per annum for three consecutive years, on top of a 32% increase the previous year. This week, NERSA will be heavily involved with the public hearings of the National Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity, IRP 2010.
One trusts and expects therefore that NERSA's deliberations are characterised by sound judgment and sober mind
by Chris Yelland, managing director, EE Publishers
(follow EE Publishers on Twitter)
To comment and respond to this article, and/or to any of the views and positions expressed, visit EE Publishers' blog: "The best from EE Publishers..."
Once again, public sector governance issues, and battles between the CEO, the board and the responsible minister have rocked South Africa. Eskom, SAA, Transnet, the SABC... and now, in the latest saga, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA)... (more)
On 15 November 2010, Chairperson Cecilia Khuzwayo indicated that the regulator had suspended its CEO, Smunda Mokoena, for "alleged gross transgression of NERSA's code of conduct".
Whilst official spokesman Charles Hlebela would not be drawn on the specifics, an article in The Times on 15 November went a step further, quoting a source alleging that that "quite recently he (the CEO) chaired a meeting completely drunk", and that "he had a drinking problem that was getting out of hand".
In the meantime, pending an internal investigation, Nomalanga Sithole, NERSA's executive manager for corporate services, was appointed as acting CEO.
Then, only ten days later, another bland press release issued by NERSA on 24 November stated without elaboration or explanation that the board had decided to lift the suspension and reinstate the CEO, and that the allegations against the CEO would now be investigated by the office of the minister of energy.
This immediately gave rise to perceptions of undue political interference, and that a "political" solution was being sought, rather than following an objective administrative and disciplinary process.
NERSA is a statutory body established by an act of parliament (No. 40 of 2004: The National Energy Regulator Act, 2004), to make independent regulatory decisions in the electricity, piped-gas and petroleum pipeline industries.
In terms of the Act, the minister of energy appoints the four full-time and five part-time board members of NERSA, and designates one of the part-time members as chairperson, another part-time member as deputy chairperson, one full-time member as CEO, and the other three full-time members as responsible for each of electricity, piped-gas and petroleum pipeline regulation, respectively.
Thus although in practice the board may recommend the candidate for the position of CEO to the minister of energy, the final appointment of the CEO is the prerogative of the minister.
The Act also states that the minister of energy may prematurely terminate the appointments of board members, including the CEO, but only under specified criteria. These include failing to act independently of any undue influence or instruction, and/or failing to act in a manner that is required and expected from the holder of a public office.
Whilst "undue influence" probably relates to matters of corruption or executive interference, a legal opinion indicated that "perhaps the context could be extended to the undue influence of alcohol. One would certainly expect that an appointment at this level would include the presumption that the CEO should act in a manner that is seen to be competent, which would obviously include competency of mind".
It should be noted that in this case the board did not terminate the appointment of the NERSA CEO - it merely suspended him pending an investigation, which presumably would result in a report to the minister of energy, who could then make an informed decision on termination in terms of the Act.
Former NERSA board member and head of infrastructure reform and regulation at University of Cape Town's Graduate School of Business, Prof. Anton Eberhard, does not believe that the role of the minister as detailed above necessarily prevents the independence of NERSA. "Regulatory independence is about being able to make independent regulatory decisions (licensing, tariff setting, technical standards, etc.) without these being arbitrarily overturned by any other person or agency, except through pre-specified appeal mechanisms, for example the high court. NERSA enjoys this independence", he said.
While the Act indicates that if the chairperson is unable to perform his or her functions for any reason, the deputy chairperson must perform them until the minister designates another chairperson, it is silent on procedures if the CEO is unable to perform his or her function, for example due to suspension.
A legal opinion indicated that "procedurally, this would then depend on what disciplinary code is in place, and to avoid the risk of legal exposure and litigation, NERSA would need to follow its code meticulously - they certainly won't want a legal claim against them for not following procedure and/or an unlawful termination." In the energy sector, the current case of Jacob Maroga vs. Eskom and the minister of public enterprises springs to mind!
This new saga is perhaps symptomatic of ongoing governance issues resulting from unclear lines of authority, accountability and communication between the CEO, the board and the responsible minister, in state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and statutory bodies.
For companies established in terms of the Companies Act, the shareholder(s) elect and appoint the board of directors, and the directors in turn appoint (and may dismiss) the CEO. The CEO reports to the board, and the board is responsible to the shareholders.
In the case of SOEs and statutory bodies, there are a number of grey areas. As the position of the CEO is effectively an appointment by the shareholder minister, and not the board, does the board have the authority to suspend the CEO and appoint an acting CEO pending an investigation? Who is the CEO accountable to, and does the CEO report to the board or the shareholder minister? May the CEO communicate directly with the minister, and may the CEO take instructions directly from the minister? Is the regulator truly independent of the minister, government and politics in its administrative and regulatory decisions?
There may indeed be considerations other than procedural issues at play in the rapid about-face and reinstatement of the CEO by the board. NERSA spokesman, Charles Hlebela indicated to EE Publishers that "the five-year terms of the full-time regulator members, including the CEO, ended in September 2010", and that "the minister had extended their terms till March 2011".
Perhaps the reinstatement of the NERSA CEO is a pragmatic endeavor to avoid inevitably damaging and expensive litigation, extending over several years, resulting from the governance and accountability issues that have been experienced in other public entities such as Eskom. It may simply make sense to allow Smunda Mokoena to see out his contract in the next few months, and leave with his reputation intact.
But whatever the case, NERSA is undoubtedly a critical regulatory body in the South African economy, and its ongoing independence is essential. Despite the criticisms and shortcomings of NERSA, the regulator is in fact the thin line between the customer and some very powerful monopolies. Therefore, surely we should all work to strengthen and support NERSA, and not to destroy it?
Recently NERSA approved Eskom price increases of 25% per annum for three consecutive years, on top of a 32% increase the previous year. This week, NERSA will be heavily involved with the public hearings of the National Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity, IRP 2010.
One trusts and expects therefore that NERSA's deliberations are characterised by sound judgment and sober mind
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