BOUT EARTH HOUR
Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned their lights off for one hour to take a stand against climate change. Only a year later and Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries/territories participating. Global landmarks such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, CN Tower in Toronto, Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, and Rome’s Colosseum, all stood in darkness, as symbols of hope for a cause that grows more urgent by the hour.
In March 2009, hundreds of millions of people took part in the third Earth Hour. Over 4000 cities in 88 countries/territories officially switched off to pledge their support for the planet, making Earth Hour 2009 the world’s largest global climate change initiative.
On Saturday 27 March, Earth Hour 2010 became the biggest Earth Hour ever. A record 128 countries and territories joined the global display of climate action. Iconic buildings and landmarks from Asia Pacific to Europe and Africa to the Americas switched off. People across the world from all walks of life turned off their lights and came together in celebration and contemplation of the one thing we all have in common – our planet.
Earth Hour 2011 will take place on Saturday 26 March at 8.30PM (local time). This Earth Hour we want you to go beyond the hour, so after the lights go back on think about what else you can do to make a difference. Together our actions add up.
Visit our Beyond the Hour platform to share your stories and to get inspiration from the actions our supporters have shared with us already.
Earth Hour by WWF
Earth Hour is organized by WWF. With almost 5 million supporters and a global network in over 100 countries/territories, it’s one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations. WWF’s mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and build a future where people live in harmony with nature.
Earth Hour timeline
Turn back the clock on Earth Hour and discover why, how, where and when it all started.
Why get involved?
Put simply, because our future depends on it!
Earth Hour has done a lot to raise awareness of sustainability issues. But there’s more to it than switching off lights for one hour once a year. It’s all about giving people a voice and working together to create a better future for our planet.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
lighting control and energy management
Wireless Lighting Controls Offer Flexibility And Cost Savings in Commercial Buildings
BY CRAIG DILOUIE, ON MARCH 11, 2011
Image courtesy of Leviton.
Radio-frequency (RF) wireless communication is a significant emerging lighting control technology. In a typical hardwired lighting control system, control signals are sent using communication wires. In a wireless RF system, control devices communicate through the air using radio waves, eliminating the need for control wiring. The resulting advantages enable advanced lighting control with greater installation flexibility and lower labor installation cost, ideal for hard-to-wire applications non-accessible ceilings, hard ceilings, asbestos abasement issues, and brick and mortar existing buildings.
Wireless RF lighting control first became popularized in residential applications, with typical applications including home theater, kitchens and other common areas, master bedrooms and exterior and security lighting. In recent years, however, wireless RF lighting control has emerged as a viable alternative to hardwired controls in commercial building applications. What benefits does RF wireless communication provide?
The first benefit is flexibility. Wireless control devices can be placed where they are needed without limitation imposed by wiring, including areas that are difficult to wire. More flexibility is provided in unique applications. Electrical planning may be shortened. After installation, devices can be moved and the system expanded with relative ease.
The second benefit is labor and material cost savings, which may result in net installation savings after the typically higher product cost is figured. Wireless control eliminates the need for dedicated control wiring and associated switch legs, traveler wires and other raw materials. The system installs more quickly, producing labor savings. With no damage to walls or ceilings, and little to no disruption to business operations, wireless control lends itself well to existing building applications demanding the benefits of advanced lighting control.
Image courtesy of Leviton.
The advantages of wireless control make these solutions particularly suitable for commercial building applications where the cost of running control wires is too costly or simply not possible, such as outdoor lighting, parking garages, warehouses and retrofits.
RF Control Systems
Wireless RF control devices for commercial applications include occupancy sensors, photosensors, low-voltage relay switches, line-voltage controls, plug controls, hotel card switches, shade controls, HVAC and valve controllers, door/window sensors. Despite similarities between products, various manufacturers may take significantly different approaches.
In the simplest wireless RF system, a sensor, such as an occupancy sensor, communicates to a controller that controls the load, such as a wall switch with embedded RF receiver, using radio waves instead of wiring. The level of communication is pier to pier—two devices communicating within range. To extend the range, a repeater is required.
Wireless control devices may be powered by batteries or through energy harvested from the operating environment. High-quality batteries offer a rated life of 10 years. Self-powered devices are available using EnOcean’s wireless RF technology. For example, the simple motion of pressing a light switch harvests a sufficient amount of energy to send a control signal to a receiver. Sensors are powered by ambient light or via temperature differences. Hotel key card systems are powered by the motion of the placement of the card into the device.
Image courtesy of Ledalite.
Image courtesy of Ledalite.
Mesh Networking
More sophisticated control needs, involving a greater complexity of loads and integration of multiple control strategies, will involve larger systems such as mesh networks. In a mesh network, control signals are passed along, or routed among, all of the wireless devices that make up the system, or network nodes, providing multiple, redundant pathways for signals to get to their intended receiver(s). As such, repeaters are not necessary. In a typical system, each device is connected via at least two pathways. If two-way communication is enabled, devices can acknowledge receipt and request retransmission of data, enhancing reliability.
Image courtesy of Zensys.
Communication of a robust control signal is therefore enabled via the most efficient path between devices that have no direct path to each other or are out of range. This approach makes it possible for devices with relatively low transmitting power to communicate reliably over long distances. Mesh networks are “self healing,” meaning if one of the devices is not functioning, the signal simply routes through another functioning device. This type of configuration is easily scalable. Note that configuring a mesh network is more difficult than a non-mesh network. And the selected solution should include a method for locating and identifying devices for installation, operations and maintenance.
Protocols
For wireless RF control devices to be interoperable within a given control system, they must be compatible with the same protocol. Today, there are four main types of RF communication protocols: ZigBee, Z-Wave, EnOcean and proprietary.
ZigBee is an open-source protocol (IEEE 802.15.4) that is supported by the ZigBee Alliance of manufacturers. Vendors offering products based on the 2.4 GHz ZigBee platform include Sensor Switch, Crestron and Control4. ZigBee enables complex control functions and mesh and star networking configurations.
Z-Wave was developed by Zensys, a home controls manufacturer, and is shared with partnering companies through the Z-Wave Alliance, making this protocol a de facto open standard. Vendors offering products on the 900 MHz Z-Wave platform include Leviton, Cooper Wiring Devices and Intermatic.
EnOcean technology was developed by EnOcean and is shared with partnering companies through the EnOcean Alliance, making this protocol another de facto open standard. Manufacturers offering self-powered products based on the 315 MHz EnOcean platform include Leviton, Ledalite Architectural Products, Illumra and Zumtobel.
Some manufacturers develop proprietary protocols unique to their products operating as part of an engineered system. Manufacturers include Vantage Controls (900 MHz), WattStopper (900 MHz) and Lutron Electronics (400 MHz).
Image courtesy of Leviton.
Range
Wireless RF control devices in a network communicate with a radio range of 30-100 ft., more or less depending on whether the signal must travel through open space or obstacles such as dense walls. Range can be extended by adding devices, either repeaters or additional control devices in a network. Passing the signal through obstructions can impact range; the range given by a manufacturer as “open air” distance is not the same as what will occur in a structure.
Not just physical obstructions such as walls, but the type of material in the obstruction—steel, wood, brick, cement, etc.—will affect range. Installation in metal enclosures such as a metal junction box with a stainless steel faceplate will similarly affect range. Finally, range may be dependent on what protocol is used; the EnOcean Alliance, for example, claims a range of 50-150 ft. (through walls and ceilings). A device such as an RF signal strength meter (“sniffer”) should be used to check locations for these devices prior to installation.
Startup
Control devices in a wireless lighting control system work together in much the same way they would in a wired system. What is different is the way in which the devices interact and the level of intelligence required. In a hardwired system, the devices intended to work together can be simply wired. In a wireless system, the devices must be programmed or mapped to each other so they know to which control signals they should be responsive, and how they should respond. Additional intelligence is not new; it has been deployed in networked lighting systems for some time.
Along with the flexibility of wireless lighting controls comes some added complexity. Important questions to ask include how the devices are set up and commissioned, and by whom. It is recommended that programming be performed prior to physical installation, as the operating range is reduced during programming. It is further recommended that the wired receiver device be installed first and then the wireless device programmed within 10 ft. to ensure mapping.
Integration
While wireless RF control systems may be standalone, wireless devices may also supplement, expand or otherwise interface with an existing control system.
The wireless RF solution may be required to integrate with the hardwired lighting control system as well as other building monitoring and control systems such as BACnet, LONworks, Modbus, DALI and TCP/IP (Internet). Additionally, it may also be required to operate with other wireless control devices. Selected devices should not interfere with each other, should be FCC certified, and should be secure from intrusion. EnOcean modules, for example, contain a unique 32-bit ID number to prevent overlap with other wireless controls. Additionally, some wireless controls also use 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) security for communications.
Wireless Expands Lighting Control
RF wireless lighting controls are growing in popularity both as a more flexible alternative to hardwired systems in new construction and as an economical way to retrofit existing spaces with minimal cost and disruption.
More information:
See LCA’s new online course on wireless lighting controls here.
See Lutron’s offering of wireless controls here.
See Leviton’s offering of wireless controls here.
See WattStopper’s offering of wireless controls here.
BY CRAIG DILOUIE, ON MARCH 11, 2011
Image courtesy of Leviton.
Radio-frequency (RF) wireless communication is a significant emerging lighting control technology. In a typical hardwired lighting control system, control signals are sent using communication wires. In a wireless RF system, control devices communicate through the air using radio waves, eliminating the need for control wiring. The resulting advantages enable advanced lighting control with greater installation flexibility and lower labor installation cost, ideal for hard-to-wire applications non-accessible ceilings, hard ceilings, asbestos abasement issues, and brick and mortar existing buildings.
Wireless RF lighting control first became popularized in residential applications, with typical applications including home theater, kitchens and other common areas, master bedrooms and exterior and security lighting. In recent years, however, wireless RF lighting control has emerged as a viable alternative to hardwired controls in commercial building applications. What benefits does RF wireless communication provide?
The first benefit is flexibility. Wireless control devices can be placed where they are needed without limitation imposed by wiring, including areas that are difficult to wire. More flexibility is provided in unique applications. Electrical planning may be shortened. After installation, devices can be moved and the system expanded with relative ease.
The second benefit is labor and material cost savings, which may result in net installation savings after the typically higher product cost is figured. Wireless control eliminates the need for dedicated control wiring and associated switch legs, traveler wires and other raw materials. The system installs more quickly, producing labor savings. With no damage to walls or ceilings, and little to no disruption to business operations, wireless control lends itself well to existing building applications demanding the benefits of advanced lighting control.
Image courtesy of Leviton.
The advantages of wireless control make these solutions particularly suitable for commercial building applications where the cost of running control wires is too costly or simply not possible, such as outdoor lighting, parking garages, warehouses and retrofits.
RF Control Systems
Wireless RF control devices for commercial applications include occupancy sensors, photosensors, low-voltage relay switches, line-voltage controls, plug controls, hotel card switches, shade controls, HVAC and valve controllers, door/window sensors. Despite similarities between products, various manufacturers may take significantly different approaches.
In the simplest wireless RF system, a sensor, such as an occupancy sensor, communicates to a controller that controls the load, such as a wall switch with embedded RF receiver, using radio waves instead of wiring. The level of communication is pier to pier—two devices communicating within range. To extend the range, a repeater is required.
Wireless control devices may be powered by batteries or through energy harvested from the operating environment. High-quality batteries offer a rated life of 10 years. Self-powered devices are available using EnOcean’s wireless RF technology. For example, the simple motion of pressing a light switch harvests a sufficient amount of energy to send a control signal to a receiver. Sensors are powered by ambient light or via temperature differences. Hotel key card systems are powered by the motion of the placement of the card into the device.
Image courtesy of Ledalite.
Image courtesy of Ledalite.
Mesh Networking
More sophisticated control needs, involving a greater complexity of loads and integration of multiple control strategies, will involve larger systems such as mesh networks. In a mesh network, control signals are passed along, or routed among, all of the wireless devices that make up the system, or network nodes, providing multiple, redundant pathways for signals to get to their intended receiver(s). As such, repeaters are not necessary. In a typical system, each device is connected via at least two pathways. If two-way communication is enabled, devices can acknowledge receipt and request retransmission of data, enhancing reliability.
Image courtesy of Zensys.
Communication of a robust control signal is therefore enabled via the most efficient path between devices that have no direct path to each other or are out of range. This approach makes it possible for devices with relatively low transmitting power to communicate reliably over long distances. Mesh networks are “self healing,” meaning if one of the devices is not functioning, the signal simply routes through another functioning device. This type of configuration is easily scalable. Note that configuring a mesh network is more difficult than a non-mesh network. And the selected solution should include a method for locating and identifying devices for installation, operations and maintenance.
Protocols
For wireless RF control devices to be interoperable within a given control system, they must be compatible with the same protocol. Today, there are four main types of RF communication protocols: ZigBee, Z-Wave, EnOcean and proprietary.
ZigBee is an open-source protocol (IEEE 802.15.4) that is supported by the ZigBee Alliance of manufacturers. Vendors offering products based on the 2.4 GHz ZigBee platform include Sensor Switch, Crestron and Control4. ZigBee enables complex control functions and mesh and star networking configurations.
Z-Wave was developed by Zensys, a home controls manufacturer, and is shared with partnering companies through the Z-Wave Alliance, making this protocol a de facto open standard. Vendors offering products on the 900 MHz Z-Wave platform include Leviton, Cooper Wiring Devices and Intermatic.
EnOcean technology was developed by EnOcean and is shared with partnering companies through the EnOcean Alliance, making this protocol another de facto open standard. Manufacturers offering self-powered products based on the 315 MHz EnOcean platform include Leviton, Ledalite Architectural Products, Illumra and Zumtobel.
Some manufacturers develop proprietary protocols unique to their products operating as part of an engineered system. Manufacturers include Vantage Controls (900 MHz), WattStopper (900 MHz) and Lutron Electronics (400 MHz).
Image courtesy of Leviton.
Range
Wireless RF control devices in a network communicate with a radio range of 30-100 ft., more or less depending on whether the signal must travel through open space or obstacles such as dense walls. Range can be extended by adding devices, either repeaters or additional control devices in a network. Passing the signal through obstructions can impact range; the range given by a manufacturer as “open air” distance is not the same as what will occur in a structure.
Not just physical obstructions such as walls, but the type of material in the obstruction—steel, wood, brick, cement, etc.—will affect range. Installation in metal enclosures such as a metal junction box with a stainless steel faceplate will similarly affect range. Finally, range may be dependent on what protocol is used; the EnOcean Alliance, for example, claims a range of 50-150 ft. (through walls and ceilings). A device such as an RF signal strength meter (“sniffer”) should be used to check locations for these devices prior to installation.
Startup
Control devices in a wireless lighting control system work together in much the same way they would in a wired system. What is different is the way in which the devices interact and the level of intelligence required. In a hardwired system, the devices intended to work together can be simply wired. In a wireless system, the devices must be programmed or mapped to each other so they know to which control signals they should be responsive, and how they should respond. Additional intelligence is not new; it has been deployed in networked lighting systems for some time.
Along with the flexibility of wireless lighting controls comes some added complexity. Important questions to ask include how the devices are set up and commissioned, and by whom. It is recommended that programming be performed prior to physical installation, as the operating range is reduced during programming. It is further recommended that the wired receiver device be installed first and then the wireless device programmed within 10 ft. to ensure mapping.
Integration
While wireless RF control systems may be standalone, wireless devices may also supplement, expand or otherwise interface with an existing control system.
The wireless RF solution may be required to integrate with the hardwired lighting control system as well as other building monitoring and control systems such as BACnet, LONworks, Modbus, DALI and TCP/IP (Internet). Additionally, it may also be required to operate with other wireless control devices. Selected devices should not interfere with each other, should be FCC certified, and should be secure from intrusion. EnOcean modules, for example, contain a unique 32-bit ID number to prevent overlap with other wireless controls. Additionally, some wireless controls also use 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) security for communications.
Wireless Expands Lighting Control
RF wireless lighting controls are growing in popularity both as a more flexible alternative to hardwired systems in new construction and as an economical way to retrofit existing spaces with minimal cost and disruption.
More information:
See LCA’s new online course on wireless lighting controls here.
See Lutron’s offering of wireless controls here.
See Leviton’s offering of wireless controls here.
See WattStopper’s offering of wireless controls here.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Alternative energy
Urk - On an outcrop near this town's lighthouse, a woman in stone perpetually scans the horizon for the fishing fleet returning home. To the dismay of townspeople, her view may soon be obscured by some of the world's tallest wind turbines.
In this eco-friendly nation where windmills are embedded in the culture, it may seem strange that a spat over wind power threatens to land in the country's highest court.
But these turbines are very different from the squat four-bladed mills used for centuries to drain the swamps and create new land from the sea. They are giants, with gray metallic blades that will scrape the clouds at 200m - and residents say they will destroy a way of life.
"They are the highest buildings in Holland," said Leen van Loosen, Urk's undertaker who is campaigning to stop the project. "It's just crazy."
As wind turbines sprout up across Europe - and increasingly off its coastlines - tussles between energy developers and local opponents are increasingly common. In the US, too, wind farm proposals often face determined defiance, most famously the Cape Wind project off Cape Cod that took 10 years to win approval.
Long-term answer
But with oil prices again toying with $100 a barrel and global concerns mounting over climate change, electricity from wind, solar, biogas and other renewables is seen by many as the long-term answer to energy security, pollution and curbing greenhouse gases.
Among those emerging resources, wind is the cheapest and its technology well developed.
In 2010 alone nearly 10 000MW of wind power capacity was installed in the EU, lifting the EU's total to 84 000MW, or nearly 10% of the EU's power generation, the European Wind Energy Association said in a report this month.
Worldwide, wind capacity grew by nearly 36 000MW last year, or 22.5% nearly half of it in China, said the Brussels-based Global Wind Energy Council.
But if the Dutch can't learn to love wind power, what hope is there for the world to adopt it as a major energy source?
"In Holland, there's hardly any project that doesn't get delayed," said Michiel Muller, the wind unit manager of Ecofys, a research and consultancy firm on sustainable energy, who is not connected with the Urk project.
Across Europe, each installation faces a slew of hurdles, starting from the required Environmental Impact Assessment to regulatory approvals by often more than a dozen authorities. It takes an average of 55 months to wade through the bureaucratic tangle before work can begin, the wind energy association said.
Target
Of some 200 wind energy projects studied in 2007 - 2008 in Europe, 40% were ensnared in lawsuits, and 30% more faced slowdowns because of local resistance or questioning from non-profit environmental groups, the association said. It had no figures on how many projects were killed before they got started.
With 430MW of capacity, the wind park near Urk, population 18 000, would provide enough electricity for 400 000 homes and rank among Europe's largest. It would help the Netherlands as it races to catch up with the stiff target set by the EU to generate 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.
The Dutch now have a capacity of 2 237MW from wind - far short of its 12 000MW national target for 2020.
The 86 turbines are to be erected in three rows, 38 on land and 48 off shore. The first will be 1.6km from the statue of the fisherman's wife, a 1986 monument on the north side of town that is encircled by plaques with the names of hundreds of Urk's fishermen lost at sea since 1717.
Residents cite a long litany of dangers from the wind park. Fishing and tourism will suffer, they say. The tranquil panorama of the local lake will be disrupted, the town will tremble with the constant rumbling noise of blades, birds will be traumatised, and the whole project could undermine a dike slated to host turbines.
"We are all for green energy, but this is out of proportion," said Van Loosen.
Advocates dismiss such concerns as misinformation, saying the turbines will be far enough from the town that they will not be heard and barely will be seen. One of their leaders said the modern mills simply follow a hallowed Dutch tradition.
Hostility
"Windmills belong to the Netherlands," said Janneke Wijnia-Lemstra, who represents the farmers behind the privately-financed €1bn project. Government subsidies will guarantee a competitive price for the energy produced.
While the focus today is turbines, they're not the only target of Dutch resistance to environmental projects. Hostility by the citizens of Barendrecht killed a proposal in 2009 to bury carbon dioxide under their town that is siphoned from a Royal Dutch Shell refinery in nearby Rotterdam.
Instead, the plan for the experimental project was shifted to the more sparsely populated north of the country, but it has now run into equally fierce protests from villagers there. The government has said it will decide in a few weeks whether to go ahead.
Economics Minister Maxime Verhagen said the wind project, set to go up 90km northeast of Amsterdam, fits with the energy mix that the Netherlands needs, and that every energy source has a down side.
"You could say 'no' to wind energy because it will spoil the view. You can say 'no' to nuclear energy because of the waste. And you can say 'no' to coal as well - leaving us with no energy at all in the Netherlands," he told Dutch television when asked about Urk's revolt.
After eliminating seven turbines from the plan, the government signed off on the wind farm in January - 12 years after it was first proposed. The town says it won't back down unless another 15 turbines are ditched, and vows to appeal to the Council of State, the country's highest court, and possibly to European courts.
The farmland where the turbines are to be built is under the authority of the municipality of Noordoostpolder, Urk's neighbour.
Resentful
Noordoostpolder's council decreed against more windmills being erected on individual farms, partly because the scattered turbines would be too unsightly. That's when it was decided to concentrate them in a large park along the coast.
Urk has been inhabited for some 1 000 years. Nearly all the town's revenue derives from fishing or the tourists who come to see the harbour and the old quayside cottages.
Until the 1940s it was an island, and residents are still resentful that they were not consulted before a dike was built that created the North East polder - land reclaimed from the sea - connecting the mainland to their rocky knoll. Ironically, it's just behind this dike that nearly half the turbines will rise.
"It's an island culture and history," said Urk Mayor Jaap Kroon.
To accusations of indulging a not-in-my-back-yard attitude, the mayor retorts: "This is not our back yard. It's our front yard."
- AP
In this eco-friendly nation where windmills are embedded in the culture, it may seem strange that a spat over wind power threatens to land in the country's highest court.
But these turbines are very different from the squat four-bladed mills used for centuries to drain the swamps and create new land from the sea. They are giants, with gray metallic blades that will scrape the clouds at 200m - and residents say they will destroy a way of life.
"They are the highest buildings in Holland," said Leen van Loosen, Urk's undertaker who is campaigning to stop the project. "It's just crazy."
As wind turbines sprout up across Europe - and increasingly off its coastlines - tussles between energy developers and local opponents are increasingly common. In the US, too, wind farm proposals often face determined defiance, most famously the Cape Wind project off Cape Cod that took 10 years to win approval.
Long-term answer
But with oil prices again toying with $100 a barrel and global concerns mounting over climate change, electricity from wind, solar, biogas and other renewables is seen by many as the long-term answer to energy security, pollution and curbing greenhouse gases.
Among those emerging resources, wind is the cheapest and its technology well developed.
In 2010 alone nearly 10 000MW of wind power capacity was installed in the EU, lifting the EU's total to 84 000MW, or nearly 10% of the EU's power generation, the European Wind Energy Association said in a report this month.
Worldwide, wind capacity grew by nearly 36 000MW last year, or 22.5% nearly half of it in China, said the Brussels-based Global Wind Energy Council.
But if the Dutch can't learn to love wind power, what hope is there for the world to adopt it as a major energy source?
"In Holland, there's hardly any project that doesn't get delayed," said Michiel Muller, the wind unit manager of Ecofys, a research and consultancy firm on sustainable energy, who is not connected with the Urk project.
Across Europe, each installation faces a slew of hurdles, starting from the required Environmental Impact Assessment to regulatory approvals by often more than a dozen authorities. It takes an average of 55 months to wade through the bureaucratic tangle before work can begin, the wind energy association said.
Target
Of some 200 wind energy projects studied in 2007 - 2008 in Europe, 40% were ensnared in lawsuits, and 30% more faced slowdowns because of local resistance or questioning from non-profit environmental groups, the association said. It had no figures on how many projects were killed before they got started.
With 430MW of capacity, the wind park near Urk, population 18 000, would provide enough electricity for 400 000 homes and rank among Europe's largest. It would help the Netherlands as it races to catch up with the stiff target set by the EU to generate 20% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020.
The Dutch now have a capacity of 2 237MW from wind - far short of its 12 000MW national target for 2020.
The 86 turbines are to be erected in three rows, 38 on land and 48 off shore. The first will be 1.6km from the statue of the fisherman's wife, a 1986 monument on the north side of town that is encircled by plaques with the names of hundreds of Urk's fishermen lost at sea since 1717.
Residents cite a long litany of dangers from the wind park. Fishing and tourism will suffer, they say. The tranquil panorama of the local lake will be disrupted, the town will tremble with the constant rumbling noise of blades, birds will be traumatised, and the whole project could undermine a dike slated to host turbines.
"We are all for green energy, but this is out of proportion," said Van Loosen.
Advocates dismiss such concerns as misinformation, saying the turbines will be far enough from the town that they will not be heard and barely will be seen. One of their leaders said the modern mills simply follow a hallowed Dutch tradition.
Hostility
"Windmills belong to the Netherlands," said Janneke Wijnia-Lemstra, who represents the farmers behind the privately-financed €1bn project. Government subsidies will guarantee a competitive price for the energy produced.
While the focus today is turbines, they're not the only target of Dutch resistance to environmental projects. Hostility by the citizens of Barendrecht killed a proposal in 2009 to bury carbon dioxide under their town that is siphoned from a Royal Dutch Shell refinery in nearby Rotterdam.
Instead, the plan for the experimental project was shifted to the more sparsely populated north of the country, but it has now run into equally fierce protests from villagers there. The government has said it will decide in a few weeks whether to go ahead.
Economics Minister Maxime Verhagen said the wind project, set to go up 90km northeast of Amsterdam, fits with the energy mix that the Netherlands needs, and that every energy source has a down side.
"You could say 'no' to wind energy because it will spoil the view. You can say 'no' to nuclear energy because of the waste. And you can say 'no' to coal as well - leaving us with no energy at all in the Netherlands," he told Dutch television when asked about Urk's revolt.
After eliminating seven turbines from the plan, the government signed off on the wind farm in January - 12 years after it was first proposed. The town says it won't back down unless another 15 turbines are ditched, and vows to appeal to the Council of State, the country's highest court, and possibly to European courts.
The farmland where the turbines are to be built is under the authority of the municipality of Noordoostpolder, Urk's neighbour.
Resentful
Noordoostpolder's council decreed against more windmills being erected on individual farms, partly because the scattered turbines would be too unsightly. That's when it was decided to concentrate them in a large park along the coast.
Urk has been inhabited for some 1 000 years. Nearly all the town's revenue derives from fishing or the tourists who come to see the harbour and the old quayside cottages.
Until the 1940s it was an island, and residents are still resentful that they were not consulted before a dike was built that created the North East polder - land reclaimed from the sea - connecting the mainland to their rocky knoll. Ironically, it's just behind this dike that nearly half the turbines will rise.
"It's an island culture and history," said Urk Mayor Jaap Kroon.
To accusations of indulging a not-in-my-back-yard attitude, the mayor retorts: "This is not our back yard. It's our front yard."
- AP
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Home Automation and Energy Management
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.
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.
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.
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