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Punching hole in reactor dome a fluid situation - San Diego Union Tribune

By Onell R. Soto pv["p.a_3"] = ""; Thursday, October 7, 2010 at noon

John Gastaldo pv["p.a_4"] = "John Gastaldo"; / U-T pv["p.a_4"] = "U-T";

This is the site where a hole will be made to be able to install a new steam generator.

What's the biggest task the interim chief nuclear officer at San Onofre faces? CLICK HERE to read the U-T's interview with Joe Sheppard.

What’s next?

--San Onofre has a federal license to operate until 2022.

--Early next year, Southern California Edison plans to ask the California Public Utilities Commission for permission to spend money it collects from electricity users on a multimillion-dollar relicensing effort.

--If the PUC decides that it makes sense to go forward, Edison would ask the Nuclear Regulatory Commission for a license that would allow the plant to operate until 2042.

--A key issue will be how to deal with the plant’s design, which kills millions of fish larvae and other sea creatures as it brings in ocean water for cooling.

The concrete on the containment dome housing reactors at the San Onofre nuclear plant is strong.

Stronger, in fact, than plant leaders thought when a year ago they used giant hammers to crush it to punch a 28-by-28-foot hole in the side of the northern dome, Unit 2, for a plant upgrade.

Coming in from the outside, workers started with large devices, like big jackhammers, to turn the concrete into rubble.

They used smaller mechanical hammers when they got close to the inside of the dome.

The hammers banged and punched. And got nowhere. So workers had to use the big hammers, and that damaged a quarter-inch-thick lining on the inside of the dome, requiring repairs.

So now, when punching a hole in the second dome, which houses Unit 3, workers will use a different, more expensive technology: Water.

Coming out of nozzles at 25,000 pounds per square inch, jets will pulverize the concrete without damaging the lining.

The holes in the domes are needed for a $671 million maintenance project — the replacement of four massive units that boil water to drive the steam turbines that make 20 percent of the electricity used in the region.

"We haven't built nuclear units since the '70s," said project manager Michael Wharton. "This is as close as we've come."

The project is paid for through electricity rates, including those in San Diego.

It’s a bargain, Southern California Edison officials said, because to buy fossil-fueled power to replace San Onofre’s output would cost $1 billion.

The devices, called steam generators, are essentially large heat exchangers. Water heated to 600 degrees by nuclear reactions flows through thousands of tubes at high pressure. Fresh water is poured over the tubes to create the steam. Each reactor feeds two steam generators.

Some of the tubes have become plugged in the roughly 28 years since the two operating reactors came online. (Unit 1 has been decommissioned.)

So, to increase efficiency, and to make sure that the plant can operate safely at least until 2022, when its license expires, the units have to be replaced.

The final act in that 10-year process begins this month, when Unit 3 will power down, its uranium fuel removed, and workers begin shooting water at its containment dome.

Once the hole is open, the two steam generators inside — coated with a fixative to prevent any radioactive material from falling off — will be carefully removed.

Then the new units, built in Kobe, Japan, by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, will take their place.

The units are now laying sideways in giant tents where Unit 1 used to sit. They will be trucked into place next to Unit 3, lifted to platforms outside the dome, then raised upright as they slide through the hole.

Parts of the steel generators will come within an inch of the concrete opening.

“It’s a very careful ballet,” said Joe Sheppard, San Onofre’s chief nuclear officer.

After they’re in place, workers will replace the steel lining, repair steel tendons that give the dome its strength, and pour about 100 yards of concrete to rebuild what the jets of water pulverized.

At that point, Sheppard said, “it’s as strong or stronger than it was to begin with.”

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Are We Serious About Fuel Alternatives?

As you can see from some of our previous articles, government agencies predict about 40 years of petroleum still remains. As usage climbs, the amount of time remaining may shrink even more. New reserves will be found, but developing countries, such as we're seeing in China with their industrial revolution taking place, will demand greater volumes of petroleum to supply energy needs.

People under 50 years of age should be considering this phenomenon as a potentially life-changing circumstance. For most of us, there is little we can do except watch events play out, and perhaps vote when the opportunity arises. Our industries must step up to the plate to meet the task at hand.

Since the first petroleum shortages of the 70's, some groups have come to the forefront to inform others about the dangers and difficulties we will face. Few took them seriously. Radical groups made drastic lifestyle changes to reduce their own fuel consumption, and hoped that others would follow suit.

Not likely.

However, these groups are and have been dedicated to spreading the word to the public that we are running out of fuel as we know it. It won't be today, nor next week, nor even 10 years from now. Maybe it's 80 years from now, but all signs and reports indicate we are running out. Social Security also has 40 years of successful operation, but the Bush Administration has clearly taken on the task of "fixing social security", because in about 40 years it's going to crash too, according to administrative estimates.

We suggest that fuel alternatives are even more important than social security.

Without fuel----and MASSIVE quantities of it--- this nation will dry up like a sand dune. Operations of most business will cease, and we'll be returned to the pre-industrial age. Keep vaccinating the horse population for West Nile Virus.....we may need them for transportation.

It is our belief, although we have no solid evidence, that fuel companies are squarely behind the petroleum pumps, and the scare is played very low-key. Huge profits exist where a product can simply be drawn from the ground, and with one refining process, produce gasoline, diesel fuel, propane, methane, etc. from the run. It is by far, the cheapest present alternative for large companies. All corporate companies are dollar driven, and so it makes perfect sense for them to continue using petroleum. Our government has committed more resources than we can ever afford, to secure and protect our overseas interests where petroleum is abundant.

If new massive volumes of petroleum are located, it will alleviate some of the crisis for the time being. But this looming crisis will never go away. It is imperative that government begin providing the means for business of all sizes to develop alternative fuel strategies. Government does at present provide some incentives, in tax breaks, informational support, and even grants, but more can be done. Investing large quantities of time and money into the research and development of alternatives is crucial.

As supplies dwindle, this ever-growing concern will do just that. It will grow. Oil companies will continue to lobby Congress, and place propaganda in the public eye to insure them that everything is OK......just buy oil. But at the same time, the concern about dwindling supplies, and the subsequent raise in prices for petroleum fuels will begin to catch the attention of the general public.

At present, the best bet for alternative, renewable fuels appears to exist with ethanol, biodiesel, and the newest addition to the list, hydrogen fuel cells. But full compatibility with regard to motors and machinery will require some changes in manufacturing. Since most new vehicles are now monitored by computerized equipment, governments need to encourage engine manufacturers to engineer and develop computerized motors that can determine a fuel mix, ethanol, gasoline, biodiesel, etc. and make adjustments to the fuel burning mix at the injection point. Few changes would be needed on the pistons or block. Piston technology is, in its primitive sense, the same design for the last 100 years when steam coursed through the cylinders instead of fuel explosion force. Air-fuel ratios are the biggest hurdle in engine conversions, and computerized sensors would allow a slow changeover without interruptions. By being able to sense what fuel is being used, engines could run on ethanol/gasoline for gas engines, or diesel/biodiesel for diesel engines, with any proportions, and switch back and forth.

While some may envision a whiskey still in everyone's backyard, that is far from realistic. Americans enjoy their plush way of life, and expect to pull up to a fuel pump anywhere in their travels and fill up their tank. Only the fuel mega-companies are up to the task of maintaining such presence. So with all likelihood, the future of alternative fuel manufacturing still lies with major petro-producers.

Some experts have said that alternative fuels are "unfeasible". Perhaps a true statement when looking at the bottom line profit, but as petroleum prices rise, this gap closes, and may reach a point where feasibility is achieved. Corporations will make the jump when this gap is closed.....it's a simple buck to them. It will be important that the American community at large supports such conversions with their capital stock investments, and with their patronage. In other words, be willing to burn an alternative fuel.

Along the lines of feasibility, how about making it feasible for farmers to produce high-oil crops, or crops for fuel? Millions of acres in the Midwest lay idle, because the government programs that pay farmers NOT to grow crops are more lucrative than the potential profit of growing them. For the farmer, it is also a simple buck. So if the government is going to invest tax dollars in these operations, how about paying a farmer TO GROW a crop used for fuel? At least this would allow such acreage payments to be a benefit to the country......perhaps the world, by moving slowly toward independence with regard to fuel production.

Electrical power generation is another large consumer of energy. Nuclear, coal, and hydroelectric make up the bulk of this grid, but wind power is beginning to make significant additions as well. In the last website we reviewed, electricity from wind power is at about 6%.

There is tremendous opportunity to increase the contributions of electrical power via wind and hydro. Because the amounts of power needed are so great, wind farms and hydroelectric dams are huge development projects, which can have a great impact on the landscape and surrounding environment. Environmentalists that reject such proposals need to give themselves a reality check, and come to grips with the size of the problems America faces.

Yes, hydro and wind will impact the environment. Yes, we'll kill some birds. And yes, some fish (lots of fish) will be re-navigated because of hydroelectric dams. But no American......not even an environmentalist.....is willing to give up their computer, their hair dryer, their car, their massive amounts of printer paper, their telephones, their cell phones, their lovely homes.....well, you get the idea. So the impact to the planet if we do NOT develop these technologies is significantly worse. No one will willingly return to the stone age, so any and every fossil fuel will be seized, stolen, or warred after to make the power.....at far greater environmental harm. It is more likely that America would bomb itself back into the stone age over the last drop of oil rather than "conserve" or adapt the livestyle of Laura Ingalls Wilder.

We believe that true energy freedom will not be acquired until our energy is produced from renewables within our borders.

Mega-consolidators will still hold the reins to alternative energies. They'll still have their lobbyists, and a lot of money in their coffers. However, the American Dream will still live on. Our way of life depends upon the procurement and distribution of affordable energy. Only with public support and the encouragement of Congress can businesses develop the systems needed to make it happen.

---Tom Clouser, Madisonburg, PA

Petrol - Clear Vinyl

A convenient source of portable power with low noise and fuel consumption. Has a built-in handle for easy carrying. This is an excellent unit for construction sites, camping, or home use. Custom manufactured for XG Power Wholesale Warehouse by Linhai Yamaha so you can rest assured that there will be power when you need it. Includes a 12-volt DC output jack and cables can be used to run equipment or recharge batteries. Six-month Limited Warranty on parts.
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Plumber: Standby generators a viable alternative - Evansville Courier & Press

Q: I'm an older gentleman living in Florida, and recently I read one of your columns on permanently installed automatic generators now available for home use. I have special-need medical equipment that I operate most of the day, and friends and family have suggested I get a generator. But, I'm in no condition to move around and keep a portable generator going. How do these automatic generators operate? Can you give me a quick lesson on the generator system itself? -- Fred

A: Aside from buying a standard portable generator that runs on gasoline, there are permanently installed standby generators that run on natural or propane gas and are now available for residential use. When I mentioned this a few weeks back in one of my articles, I received many letters like yours asking how a standby-generator system actually works.

First off, a standby-generator system is just like the name states: it's a generator that's in constant standby mode until called upon to provide backup electrical power when the lights go out. Secondly, it's not actually a new idea -- places like hospitals and hotels have been using these systems for decades. What is new is that technology and pricing have made residential standby generators affordable to many homeowners in need of backup electrical power.

How can these generator systems work automatically? Well, for one thing, natural and propane gases are self-feeding fuels, so there is no need to keep filling generators up with liquids. Also, as long as you have a steady supply of natural or propane gas, the generator can run automatically for days at a time.

But the real brains behind the system lie in something called the automatic transfer switch, or intelligent transfer switch. The transfer switch is installed by a licensed professional electrician to a home's electrical panel. The switch constantly monitors utility power coming into the house, and within seconds of any power outage, it automatically starts the generator and transfers power from the utility to the generator. When utility power is restored, the transfer switch shuts down the standby generator system and returns the power demand back to the utility grid. Now that's a pretty smart switch!

Many contractors are now building new homes that are called generator-ready, meaning that the electrical panel is already set up to accept a transfer switch in the event a homeowner wants to add a standby-generator system down the road. This can save a good amount of money when the generator is installed later.

Remember: This is by no means a technical explanation -- I'm just giving you a basic outline on how a standard standby generator operates. It's not a do-it-yourself job, either. Licensed contractors, pipe fitters and electricians need to be called in to do this job, and permits need to be pulled.

Finally, even though costs have come down significantly, a standby generator can still be considered a high-end job, but an affordable one for many applications. Just keep in mind that the final "charge" of the job can be well worth every penny, when a long power outage occurs.

(Master Contractor/Plumber Ed Del Grande is known internationally as the author of the book "Ed Del Grande's House Call" and for hosting TV shows on Scripps Networks and HGTVPro.com. For more information, visit eddelgrande.com or write eddelgrande(at)hgtvpro.com. Always consult local contractors and codes.)

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)

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Bio Diesel Versus Diesel

Bio diesel is a non-petroleum based diesel fuel that consists of propyl, esters, methyl and ethyl. It is made from the transesterification of fat from vegetables or animals oils, which are either blended or used independently. When blended they are mixed with petro- diesel in original cars. This fuel is usually regulated and as an ester but excludes other types of diesel. It is usually distributed to be sold in retail markets. Diesel is a fuel used in most fuel engines, has 7.09 density which translates to 18% more than petrol which has a density of 6.01. Diesel emits 38.6 MJ/I combustion when burnt.

When it comes to bio diesel, it requires earlier phase of ignition to guarantee maximum efficiency. The use of it helps in the preservation of the environment and there is no legal penalty for switching. The production of this is scalable as compared to the production of diesel, local co-operatives, small scale, business have produced this by the use of local means. This has contributed to home economics of most nations.

Bio- diesel can save the environment in many ways. Unlike diesel it uses waste products obtained from the environment such as farming products, they are viewed as by products of a very important pat of vegetation. It helps in the increase of efficiency since fewer natural resources are used to grow these materials. Bio-diesel uses the latest technology for its production and in particular traps and filters thus helping reduce the effects on climate that are come from emissions. Marginal parcels of land are used in the production of bio diesel in third world countries. Nuts that produce oil are usually grown along roads and rail lines. In tropical regions such as Malaysia, palm oil is grown rapidly to meet demand in first world countries. Putting in mind that the source of bio diesel is the sun, the over reliance of diesel is becoming less and less. This is through the process of photosynthesis.

The reduction of greenhouse emissions is reduced by bio diesel same to pollution and biodegradation. The demand of first generation bio fuels is reduced by bio diesel too. The reliance of first generation fuels such a diesel brings about emissions that harm the atmosphere and environment. Diesel comes from one source while bio diesel can come from several sources such as algae. From algae, it is produced through the transesterification of triglyceride oil with monohydric alcohols. It can be used in any engine without any modification but this is not the case with diesel.

Confirmation from scientist states that the emissions from bio diesel are less harmful than diesel fumes. This fuel is stored in a dark, dry and clean environment. Acceptable storage materials include, steel, aluminum, fluorinated polyethylene, fluorinated polypropylene and teflon, brass, copper, lead, zinc and tin. Bio diesel can be used pure or can be mixed with petrol at any ratio. It is safe to use and is highly recommended as compared to diesel that most people are doing away with.

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ORIGINAL PRINTED PATENT APPLICATION NUMBER 3,857 FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO PETROL-AIR GAS GENERATORS OF PRODUCERS. [1910]

A convenient source of portable power with low noise and fuel consumption. Has a built-in handle for easy carrying. This is an excellent unit for construction sites, camping, or home use. Custom manufactured for XG Power Wholesale Warehouse by Linhai Yamaha so you can rest assured that there will be power when you need it. Includes a 12-volt DC output jack and cables can be used to run equipment or recharge batteries. Six-month Limited Warranty on parts.
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Driving Method: Direct,
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Work begins at San Onofre nuclear plant

Workers will begin cutting into the unit 3 reactor dome at the San Onofre nuclear plant this month to replace a pair of 640-ton steam generators, the final act in a gargantuan drama spanning a decade.

The $671 million project, including replacement of a second pair of giant generators in the plant’s unit 2 reactor last year, requires ships, cranes, tents, transport vehicles and scaffolds on a scale that makes people look like busy insects.

The replacements will allow San Onofre to continue operating at least until the end of its license, in 2022, and perhaps beyond if the license is one day extended.

While the cost, paid for by Southern California Edison ratepayers, sounds as enormous as the project itself, failing to replace the generators would cost even more, said Joe Sheppard, the nuclear plant’s new chief nuclear officer.

Replacing San Onofre itself, which provides about 20 percent of the Southern California region’s electricity, with new power sources would cost some $1 billion over 12 years, he said.

“You spend $670 million, and you get a billion back,” Sheppard said as he showed the giant steam generators to visitors during a tour on Wednesday.

Until they are ready to be moved, slowly and laboriously, to their new home, the 65-foot-long generators, bearing a slight resemblance to old-time science-fiction rocket ships, are being housed in a tent big enough for a circus on the grounds of the nuclear plant.

The replacement phase begins with the shutdown of unit 3 within the next week. Edison is also using the reactor’s downtime for routine maintenance, such as replacing spent fuel rods.

Once the reactor is safely powered down, the workers – among some 1,000 temporary employees, Sheppard said, in a project that will infuse $300 million into the local economy – begin cutting a hole 28 feet across into the side of the reactor’s containment dome.

Instead of using jackhammer-type tools to cut into the concrete shell, as they did with unit 2, they will use extremely high-pressure water. The pressure is so high, 25,000 pounds per square inch, that it is almost literally ear-splitting; workers in the area will need double ear protection while the pressure pumps are operating.

Once the concrete is washed away, workers will use cutting torches to cut through metal support bars and the steel inner lining of the reactor.

Then, in November, the old generators will be removed and the new ones will be moved slowly into the opening and hoisted into place using massive cranes.

The hole should be plugged and the work finished by early next year. Edison planned the changeout for the winter months intentionally, to avoid having one of its reactors shut down during the summer months of peak power demand.

When moving giant pieces of machinery, Sheppard said, slower is better.

“There is nothing more important to me, and nothing more important to this staff, than to do it safely,” he said. “We’re not going to let anything get in the way — not the schedule, not the cost. Safety is going to trump everything.”

The task the generators perform is fairly simple. Water heated by reactors is piped into the bottom half of the generators through thousands of tubes. The heat is transferred to water circulating through tubes in the tops of the generators, which are never exposed to nuclear radiation.

That water turns to steam, used to power the turbines that generate electricity.

The old generators will be dismembered for disposal. The top, non-radioactive portions will simply become scrap metal. The bottom parts, somewhat radioactive, will be taken to a low-level radioactive-waste storage facility in Utah.

“This project, start to finish, is going to take a decade,” said Mike Wharton, head of the steam generator replacement project. “The last piece is taking the waste material offsite. It took six years to get these generators here. The last few months are just ahead of us.”

Both pairs of generators, built by Mitsubishi in Kobe, Japan, were shipped across the ocean to the Port of Los Angeles, loaded onto a barge, unloaded at a boat dock on the Camp Pendleton Marine base, carried across the beach on a tracked vehicle, and carried up a short stretch of Interstate 5 on a 256-wheeled vehicle called a Goldhofer.

San Onofre is one of 58 nuclear plants around the country that use the same type of steam generators; it is one of 52 of those that has had them replaced.

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Navy patrol nabs 7 fishing boats - GhanaWeb

General News of Thursday, 7 October 2010

Source: Ghanaian Chronicle

THE Western Naval Command of the Ghana Naval has arrested seven fishing boats at Sekondi, for allegedly using generators on the high seas to engage in what they termed as illegal fishing.

The use of generators as fishing gears to fish according to the naval command has been banned.

According to the command, the seven boats were arrested by the patrol team of the navy on the grounds that they were carrying generators on board whilst fishing, which currently is being considered by the laws of the country as an illegal exercise.

Commodore Godson Zowonoo, Flag Officer Fleet in charge of Ghana Navy ships, made this known when he briefed the press on Thursday.

He elaborated further that on September 17, this year, some of the navy patrolboats were sent out on their usual night patrols, and succeeded in arresting the seven fishing boats, which were engaged in fishing with illegal gears.

He said the generators were immediately seized by the patrol team and brought ashore, and were currently at the Sekondi Naval Base pending appropriate action.

The boats are, Nyameboa, Nkansah, 205 Aboasie, 15 Mensah, Accra Boys, Thank you Jesus, and King Jesus.

He cautioned against the use of illegal fishing methods, because when caught, he said, they would not spared.

'Now that we have new fisheries regulations, we urge all fishermen to abide by these regulations, so that the fishing industry can be preserved for future generations,' he advised.

Nuclear plant wants to ship waste on river - Port Huron Times Herald

Debate has brewed for months along the St. Clair River about a Canadian power company's desire to ship 16 radioactive steam generators to Sweden for recycling.

Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission members held a two-day hearing last week to consider if they would let Bruce Power Ltd. implement its plan. The commission has 30 days to make a decision.

The generators, the size of school buses, are embedded with low-level radioactive waste. They would be shipped from the plant, about 155 miles northwest of Toronto on Lake Huron, down the St. Clair River to Lake Erie, Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence Seaway and across the ocean to Sweden.

Members of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative are concerned. The group represents 70 municipalities on waterways along the U.S.-Canada border.

"What is a concern is the volume -- 1,600 tons of steel being shipped -- and the amount of radioactivity contained in them," said Nicola Crawhall, deputy director of the Canada chapter.

She said the amount of radioactivity in the generators exceeds the international atomic-energy limit by eight to 50 times.

John Peevers, a Bruce Power spokesman, said the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission estimated the shipment exceeds the limit by six times, but that doesn't mean it is unsafe.

Peevers said the shipment contains only a small amount of actual radioactive material and if it weren't for the generators' size, the material could be shipped in a small box.

Peevers couldn't say when the shipment would be transported if Bruce Power gets permission. He didn't know how long the shipment would take to get to Sweden, but said its time on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway would be three days.

Because such a shipment never has been tried, a major concern focuses on whether granting Bruce Power permission might set a precedent for other companies who might want to ship more hazardous materials.

Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley opposes the shipment.

"The Great Lakes are precious to us and that's where we get our water supply," he said.

(2 of 2)

He said he didn't understand why Bruce Power wasn't sticking to the application it filed five years ago to recycle the generators on site rather than in Sweden.

A statement on Bruce Power's website says:

"By recycling these 100- ton steam generators, which basically act as large kettles to make steam as part of the electricity generating process, we can reduce the amount of material going into long-term storage by approximately 90%. Much metal can be decontaminated, melted down and sold back into the scrap metal market. The rest will be returned to the Bruce site for long-term storage."

The generators, which are constructed to withstand large amounts of pressure, are made of two-inch-thick steel and are welded shut, Peevers said.

He said there should be no concern about an accident because the radiation is embedded inside the generators' pipes. He said it would be difficult to release the radiation even if the ship were to sink.

"The only way the radiation would get released is if it were to stay down there for decades and rust," Peevers said.

Jeff Friedland, emergency management director for St. Clair County, said he heard of the plan when it was proposed in April, but assumed it was a dead issue. He said he hadn't received specific details from the government about the safety of such transportation.

"It's more stuff coming through our area," he said. "This is one of the purest waterways, and we have so many environmentally sensitive areas ... anything is a potential issue."

While he said radioactive items come across the Blue Water Bridge periodically, he didn't believe using the waterways was a good idea and questioned why Bruce Power didn't transport it by train.

"All this continues to go by and through (our area), and we're the ones footing the bill to prepare in case something happens," Friedland said.

Peevers said shipping by train "wasn't as practical for us based on a safety standpoint."

State Rep. Phil Pavlov, R-St. Clair Township, said he had heard of the issue. He said he's been staying up to date through contact with Bob Bailey, a member of the legislative assembly of Ontario.

"It's amazing the exposure and the risk we have in our Great Lakes," he said. "Everything from Asian carp to oil lines -- and, once it's contaminated, it's contaminated."

Pavlov also thought shipping by train would be better because, if there is a accident, the radiation would be contained.

U.S. Rep. Candice Miller, R-Harrison Township, said she hopes Canadian officials are "100% confident" the transportation is safe should they give their approval. She suggested a U.S. Coast Guard escort to ensure safety.

Port Huron City Manager Bruce Brown said he was unaware of the situation, as was state Sen. Jud Gilbert, R-Algonac.

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Biodiesel v Ethanol Making the Right Choice

I'm sure that you have noticed that there has been a surge in interest in Ethanol as an alternative to regular fuel, especially in the USA. Bill Gates invested the better part of $40m in ethanol production and distribution; even in SHELBY the town Planning Board granted site plan approval and issued a special use permit to Western New York Energy LLC on Monday, paving the way for construction of an ethanol plant.

There seem to be ethanol plants going up all over the place. I can't help but feel a little nostalgic - after all, when Henry Ford started out his cars were designed to run on ethanol (oil hadn't really made it onto the scene by then) and in fact he invested considerable sums in ethanol production and distribution. It was only the bully boy tactics of the new oil barons that made petrol and petro diesel the no. 1 fuels in the market.

Nostalgic though I am, I have to also admit to being a skeptic. I mean why ethanol and not biodiesel? After all biodiesel recycles used oil that would otherwise end up in landfill into useable clean fuel. A recent study, done by researchers at the University of Minnesota and at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., points to the environmental benefits of the biodiesel over ethanol (in this case made from corn), stating that ethanol provides 25 percent more energy a gallon than is required for its production, while soybean based biodiesel generates 93 percent more energy.

The study also identified that ethanol, in its production and consumption, reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 12 percent, compared with fossil fuels; however biodiesel, they found, reduces such emissions by 41 percent, compared with fossil fuels.

Moreover the study acknowledged that in order to produce a sufficient quantity of ethanol from crops like corn, food production would inevitably be compromised. On the other hand oil rich crops like jatropha will happily grow in marginal soil not suitable for other forms of agriculture.

So it begs the question again - why ethanol? Could it possibly be that in most parts of the civilized world you need a government license to run a still to produce any kind of alcohol?

It's possible to make good useable fuel in your kitchen with little more than a soda bottle, and some basic chemicals - but to make ethanol you need a still and thus a license, you're traceable and if unlicensed you are committing a criminal offence. Could it be that governments prefer a fuel that they can more tightly control, and tax?

As we work towards a greener, more sustainable future it's equally important that we chosse the right kinds of fuels and for the right reasons.

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How Can Biodiesel Fuel Save You Money?

With the price of traditional petroleum-based fuels sky-rocketing, more and more people are turning to biodiesel as a fuel source for their diesel engines. Biodiesel is a replacement fuel that is manufactured from vegetable oils (including soy, corn and canola oils), cooking oils or animal fats. All of these sources are renewable, unlike traditional petroleum-based diesel. Not only is biodiesel a cleaner-burning fuel that is better for the environment, it can save you money.

If you join the many people across the world choosing to make their own biodiesel, there will be some unavoidable setup costs. You will need to purchase a biodiesel processor which, if feature-packed and bought pre-fabricated, can set you back up to several thousand dollars. The cost will be less if you choose to construct your own biodiesel processor from secondhand materials, which is an option many home handymen take. Either way, you should consider your biodiesel processor as an investment. Biodiesel typically costs 70 cents to the price of an average gallon of pump-purchased gas. If you save yourself 30 cents for each gallon of biodiesel, then the cost of the processor will be quickly recouped.

There are few ongoing costs for biodiesel production. Securing sufficient quantities of feedstock is the greatest cost for commercial producers of biodiesel, but small-scale home production facilities rarely encounter such overheads. Often times, local restaurants and fast food shops will happily give you their used oils because you are saving them the trouble and expense of having the oil collected.

Biodiesel offers positive performance benefits for your diesel engines, which will also save you money in the long run. In particular, biodiesel has a higher cetane content, high fuel lubricity and is highly oxygenated. The high oxygen content means that the combustion process is more complete than it would be for petroleum-based diesel. This means you driver further per gallon and save more money.

Although there has been some confusion surrounding the suitability of biodiesel for use in cars, the jury is in: biodiesel will work in any diesel motor with little or no modification. This means you can use your home-grown biodiesel in everything from your car, to your truck, boat, bus or earth moving equipment. Studies have shown that biodiesel is actually better for your diesel engine than petro-diesel, due to a property known as lubricity. Engines that run on biodiesel show less wear, which extends engine life. This of course means that your vehicle maintenance costs are reduced.

The by-products of biodiesel production can also save you money. If you're using vegetable oils as feedstock, you will generate glycerin during the production process. Glycerin, once purified, is useful as a combustible fuel and also is the principal component of soap and other degreasers. Many home-based biodiesel manufacturers offer their glycerin to similarly-sized boutique soap manufacturers.

Biodiesel has been called the "fuel of the future" - not only is it environmentally friendly, but it also reduces the operating costs and wear and tear on your diesel engines.

Eco-Friendly Emergency Generator from Motorola - Manila Bulletin

Motorola is well known in the communication and mobile handset industry but if this rendered 3D sketch is any indication, they might just be entering the power industry soon. This will be of course done in eco-friendly fashion, something that the Mobile Wind Turbine concept aims to achieve.

The Mobile Wind Turbine concept generator, fully rendered in 3D, will be electrically powered and have a backup gas generator on board. The gas generator will provide power to the electric motors to make sure that the vehicle will not end up stranded in one place once the batteries are all used up.

With that said, this eco-friendly mobile wind turbine generator concept from Motorola will come in handy at special events like concerts, carnivals or maybe even a circus.

While there are many possibilities to consider, this is one concept that makes sense. In a way this mobile generator concept does seem more economical if compared to traditional fossil fuel burning mobile generators.

Source: OhGizmo, EcoFriend, Pope Design

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Frequency multipliers push signal generator performance to 110GHz - New Electronics

With three new frequency multipliers, Rohde & Schwarz is extending the frequency range of its microwave signal generators to 110GHz. According to the company, the frequency multipliers in the SMZ family are the first to offer users the choice of either mechanically or electronically controlled built in attenuator options.

The multipliers have been developed to complement the SMF100A microwave signal generator. In addition to controlling the SMZ frequency multipliers, the SMF100A also monitors and corrects frequency and level values automatically.
The SMZ family simplifies complex test setup as no external attenuator is necessary. Users have the option of selecting either a mechanically or electronically controlled built in attenuator, with a dynamic range of 15dB or 25dB respectively.
The three models in the range are the SMZ75 (50GHz to 75GHz), the SMZ90 (60GHz to 90GHz) and the SMZ110 (75GHz to 110GHz).

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Jason Mraz - Jason Mrazs Sexy Solar Power

Jason Mraz is calling for a ''make-over'' of touring as he thinks it would be ''sexier'' for bands to take solar generators on the road and run trucks on algae fuel.

Jason Mraz thinks touring would be "sexier" with solar generators and algae fuel.

The 'I'm Yours' hitmaker and eco-activist has decided he wants others to follow suit with him and give their touring a "make-over", so they would see how easy and effective going green is.

He told huffingtonpost.com: "The touring world could stand a make-over. We use so much fuel and electricity to put on concerts that it would be a lot sexier to travel with solar generators and truck and bus convoys that run on Algae fuel."

Jason, 33, also explained how he goes to great lengths to try and set a good example by p[lanning his tours to be as ec-conscious as possible.

He said: "We seek out locations where BioDeisel is available, only choose green hotels, and we do not allow plastic water bottles. We eat locally and travel light, hoping to stimulate each local economy fairly and leave no trace of our being there other than seeing smiles on peoples faces.

Jason has been particularly vocal about the deepwater horizon oil disaster in the Mexican Gulf earlier this year - which has affected much wildlife and sealife around the coasts of Louisiana and Alabama in the US - and said he is likely to write about it in some of his forthcoming songs.

He added: "Everything in life influences my music. I've always used songwriting as a means to share what I think is profound. Music is a weapon in the war against unhappiness."

Hazelwood braces for green protests - ABC Local

Posted October 8, 2010 12:30:00

Hazelwood Power Station is preparing to step up security in the lead up to planned environmental protests on the weekend.

The power station has been the target of previous protests and a campaign to shut the generators down by 2012.

The CEO of International Power Hazelwood, Graeme York, says the switch to renewable energy proposed by the environment groups is impractical.

He says it cannot be done without job losses, increased power prices and a loss of investor confidence.

"It's much easier to peddle a simplistic and misleading argument instead of having the proper debate and the environmentalists never made any approach to us to understand our industry and it's that sort of debate that's required that would dispel those sorts of myths," he said.

State Energy Minister Peter Batchelor is supporting Hazelwood's case for a phased shutdown of its generators.

The Government is proposing an initial shutdown of two of Hazelwood's eight generators to reduce carbon emissions.

Mr Batchelor says the Government cannot shut down Hazelwood without an alternative source of power.

"Oh well if ... the Greens political party would have supported the emissions trading scheme we wouldn't be in this position of trying to undertake this activity because the emissions trading scheme was designed to change the energy mix and to shut down these power stations," he said.

Tags: electricity-energy-and-utilities, alternative-energy, activism-and-lobbying, morwell-3840, sale-3850

Vortex Generators? - Pistonheads.com

Inflict

Original Poster

161 posts

51 months

Hey guys, Just wondering if anyone is aware of anyone selling these in the UK. It appears Demon Tuning are no longer offering them.

http://www.vortekz.com/

I'm potentially interested for aesthetic reasons only tbh as part of a 'make it more evil' direction.

Although I'm not actually sure if they're cool or not yet.

does anyone know what the wing mirrors are off
Do a search on eBay for vortex generators Dan, and cosmetics aside, they do what they're supposed to do quite effectively, (if you put them in the right place.

Mike

Love the alloys. Always thought black centres on polished rims would look good on a black Noble. Any ideas who makes them?

Dan, I seem to recall you made some noise a while back about that style of spoiler. Did you get one?

Inflict

Original Poster

161 posts

51 months

Love the alloys. Always thought black centres on polished rims would look good on a black Noble. Any ideas who makes them?

Dan, I seem to recall you made some noise a while back about that style of spoiler. Did you get one?

Hey man =)

Yeah I think I found one back then, off the top of my head I think it was around 700 quid... and actually had wider feet than the standard item, .. so the cost, and the making of some new holes in the rear clam / paint touch ups meant I didn't pursue it that hard in the end.
However, I did get my wheels sorted, silver rims, black centers. Old pics:

Matt at Jetstream is currently repainting my wing supports and mirror supports black too while they're doing the front clam (stone chips)... haha, so that and some potential spikes, a new prvt plate and some upgrades i've been putting off for years means exciting times for me!

Maybe its time to find a cooler wing too...

Your car's looking great, especially with the alloys. I have to say, mine's a bit of a shed at the moment, the tax man has just had my paint job and overhaul money! Barsteward!
does anyone know what the wing mirrors are offaftermarket ferrari 360 items... something like ￡500

think adrian has them on his beast

Gassing Station | Other Marques | Noble | My Stuff | Top of Page

Bruce Power awaits CNSC decision

Bruce Power's plans to send steam generators to Sweden for recycling could be postponed until spring even if the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission allows them to be shipped through the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence Seaway.

The CNSC held two days of hearings into the proposal last week, with opponents of the plans outnumbering proponents. CNSC staff, however, have recommended that the commission grant permission for the plan.

"We really haven't been given any timetable" for a ruling on the matter, Bruce Power spokesman John Peevers said Monday. "The CNSC is now deliberating and we await their decision. As far as timing goes, that sits with them."

Officials at the CNSC could not be reached for comment Monday.

"The St. Lawrence, we're told, is open roughly and generally until Dec. 21st based on weather and past history, so it's something we'll have to look at pending the decision," Peevers said when asked if the company had a time-line for shipping the used generators, which are classified as low-level radioactive waste.

"Whether we would wait that long, we'd obviously want to make sure we could do it safely . . . if we get early snow or it looks like we might have trouble on the roads then we'd take a look at that. So we're really going to await the commission (decision) and when that comes we'll have to make the assessment whether it makes sense to ship this year or not," Peevers said.

Moving the generators from Bruce Power to Owen Sound, where they will be put on board a ship if the plan is approved, could take more than three weeks, he added.

"Right now we're looking at some options. It could take as much as 22 days . . . given there may be some bad weather days. But we are also looking at the potential to ship more than one a day, so it could be a short window or it could be a long window."

The company is holding discussion with the Ministry of Transportation about those matters, Peevers said.

Critics of Bruce Power's proposal argue it would set a precedent allowing shipments of nuclear waste through the Great Lakes. They're also concerned about the consequences if the ship carrying the generators were to sink, leaving its cargo on the bottom of a lake.

Bruce Power has said 90% of the steel from the generators can be safely recycled. The remaining 10% would be returned to the company as low-level waste and be stored at the western waste management facility near Tiverton.

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Nuclear-waste fears are just hysteria - Montreal Gazette

Invisible but highly dangerous, the emanations start from a seemingly benign source but if uncontrolled can spread, undetected and unchecked, until serious damage has been done. Truly, nuclear hysteria is an insidious menace.

And "hysteria" appears to be the only suitable term for the ill-informed opposition to plans to send 16 worn-out steam generators from an Ontario nuclear plant off by ship to Sweden, via the St. Lawrence Seaway, for recycling. Careful consideration of the question reveals fairly quickly that the much-trumpeted dangers of sending these devices by ship have been enormously over-stated.

Considering all aspects of the global energy conundrum, we believe that nuclear plants should, and inevitably will, provide a growing share of power, even in hydro-rich Canada. Before that can happen, however, many Canadians -including, apparently, the band council at Kahnawake -will have to learn a little physics, not to say a little common sense.

To be sure, the potential of nuclear power brings with it grave safety concerns. Early prosyletizers for civilian nuclear energy promised us "power too cheap to meter," but in fact, reactor engineering is a costly business, largely because safety must be paramount. Disappointingly high costs have naturally slowed exploitation of this technology, and accidents at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island utterly extinguished public enthusiasm for nuclear energy.

A big-picture assessment of the need for a nuclear revival will have to await consideration another day. For now, we would settle for a calm assessment of this shipping plan.

The generators, from the Bruce Power plant, each contain in their 100-tonne bulk some four grams of radioactive material. No less an expert than Ramzi Jammal, the chief regulatory officer of the Canadian Nuclear Regulatory Commission, told reporters last week that "there would be no impact on the health and safety of the public or the environment," in the shipping plan. The Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission issues about 150 licences a year like the one Bruce Power Inc. is seeking; all that's different is that this one involves the Seaway.

David Shoesmith, a University of Western Ontario expert, told QMI news agency that said the shipments are "perfectly safe in transmission." That didn't stop the Kahnawake band council from voting to ban them. Fortunately for the whole Great Lakes basin, however, the band council has no say in what gets shipped down the Seaway.

The council's supposed concern about a ship sinking is hard to take seriously. About 10 ships transit the channel daily; there have been no sinkings so far. As for the safety of the whole operation, consider that the ultimate destination of the shipments is a recycling facility in Sweden. Are the Europeans so slapdash about nuclear safety that they foolishly permit not only shipment but actual reprocessing of such used nuclear equipment? Or could it be, just possibly, that some people in this country are over-reacting?

The reality is that nuclear shipments of all kinds, large and small, are on the move in different parts of the world every day. Like all things nuclear, these shipments each need relentless prudence, expert supervision, and high security. What they emphatically do not need is hysteria.

? Copyright (c) The Montreal Gazette

Close-Up With Google's New QR Code Generator - Search Engine Land

Oct 7, 2010 at 2:05pm ET by Mark Sprague

At first blush, generating a QR code while shortening a URL seems like a great idea. If you need to generate unique QR Codes for your printed or mobile advertising strategy this is one way to get the job done.

The process is straightforward. You simply type or paste a URL into the text box, press the shorten button, and your new short/long URL is displayed at the top of your URL list. You then have the option to track click activity for each of the shortened URLs that you have created.

To access the QR Code you will need to click on the details link to get to the following display. You see what you would expect, the long URL, the short URL and the QR code.

I found this somewhat confusing; I could click on both the long and short URLs, but there are no graceful options for directly accessing or saving the QR Code. You actually have to highlight and copy the green link under the QR Code (in this case, http://goo.gl/AGXY.qr), and paste it into a browser. This is the only way to generate a clean QR Code that can be saved as a JPG file. It seems logical that Google should provide the functionality to generate and save codes as an option on this page, but they didn’t. This section needs some help from their usability team, as it feels like it was thrown together at short notice.

Google’s QR code generator is limited to encoding URLs only. If you have other marketing needs such as encoding contact information, or using the QR Code as a dialer, you will have to go elsewhere. There are other limitations: you can not specify levels of error correction, or use other options commonly found in QR code generators, such as the ability to specify display size. This is what you see. For a simple URL, this is just fine.

Just to be clear, the following QR code URL http://goo.gl/AGXY.qr that is produced with the Google platform is of little value for inclusion in a tweet or an email, as it does nothing but take you to the new QR code (which also has to be clicked on), thus inserting a second step between a customer and your content.

This service is clearly a step in the right direction, but this functionality falls short and will not meet the needs of marketers who have requirements beyond encoding URLs. Google is asking that marketers use two QR code platforms to meet their entire range of needs, and that is unlikely to happen. There is no recognized 2D code leader in the US yet, and it will take the telecoms or companies like Google to step forward to champion a 2D code standard. Google can do this, but they will have to expose more of the QR Code platform and functionality in a user-friendly format to take the lead.

Opinions expressed in the article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.

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Biodiesel - The Facts On What Is Going On

Any fuel made to drive a diesel engine is called diesel fuel. Most people are familiar with petrodiesel, and don't even bother to add the prefix. But advances in physical and chemical biomass conversion and processing have made the term biodiesel a term that may not yet be commonplace but has probably been heard by most adults in developed nations. The usual sources for biodiesel are oils and fats, which are mixed with a solution of methanol that contains sodium hydroxide (lye, an extremely caustic substance). Amazingly, the eponymous Rudolf Diesel demonstrated biodiesel at the 1900 Paris World Exposition using an engine that ran on peanut oil. Gasoline engines rely on a spark to fire, and can be quite finicky about fuel, but diesel engines depend on high cylinder compression to heat and ignite the air/fuel mix, so many modern diesel engines can run on 100 percent biodiesel and others can run on petro-bio mixes. That's good news for the air: according to the Department of Energy, pure biodiesel emits 75 percent less CO2 than petrodiesel, and mixes by anywhere between 75 and 15 percent.

There are many potential biomass sources for making biodiesel. For example, the Industrial Agricultural Products Center, which is part of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, recognized that its home state leads the nation in commercial cattle slaughter. That process yields not only the steaks and burgers in your grocery store but also 1 billion pounds a year of tallow. Accordingly, the IAPC has developed a biodiesel that makes use of this largely unused material.

Food industry giant Perdue Incorporated (the chicken people) actually formed a BioEnergy group dedicated to biofuels. Oddly enough, Perdue is the twelfth-largest grain company in the United States and has three soybean crushing plants and a deepwater port, so the company works with biodiesel and ethanol producers to make feedstock (any raw material fed into an industrial process in this case, for generating power).

Another food industry heavyweight, Tyson Foods, produces more leftover animal fat (from chickens, cattle, and hogs) than any other company in the U.S. The company recently announced a renewable energy division of its own to put to use the 2.3 billions pounds of chicken fat they create each year. That could make around 300 million gallons of pure biodiesel, or go into the most popular petro-bio mix, a B20 fuel 80 percent petrodiesel, and 20 percent biodiesel. Americans use almost 40 billion gallons of diesel a year.

Biodiesel currently has a good news/bad news story. The good news is that it exists, it works, and it's getting easier: in 2000 there were 88 plants in the U.S. producing 250 million gallons of biodiesel. The bad news is that most of the biodiesel (and other biofuels) comes not from industry leftover but from energy crops such as soybeans, which require significant farm acreage that could otherwise be used to produce vegetables and grains for human consumption.

The Defense Energy Support Center, which handles securing fuel for the Depart of Defense, is the single-largest consumer in the U.S. of biodiesel (5.2 million gallons in 2003-2004; more recent figures are unavailable). The U.S. began using B20 in its non-tactical vehicles in 2003. The military consumes between 120 and 145 million barrels of oil in a single year; according to the Department of Defense, every $10 increase in the price per barrel of oil means another $1.3 billion the military needs to keep its fleets operational.

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Green Rush to Finance Solar

Environmental & Economic Benefits

The "green gold rush" is on. Global investment in renewable energy surged some 60 percent, to $148 billion last year. Investment in clean energy from wind, solar and biofuels rose three times faster in 2007 than predicted by the UN Environmental Program, with wind power attracting $50.2 billion, a third of all clean energy investments. Investment in solar energy soared by 254 percent to $28.6 billion last year. This "green gold rush" is propelled by the soaring fossil-fuel prices, and concerns over carbon dioxide emissions that fuel global warming.

The world is at an undeniable crossroad. Projections show three to four times more electrical power could be required over the next 50 years to support continued growth in population and economic output. Clean, renewable sources are the answer. "Unlike other major energy transitions, such as wood-to-coal and coal-to-oil, moving from oil to alternatives will be forced and rapid," writes Charles Cresson Wood, President of Post-Petroleum Transportation, a consulting firm.

The Cost of Conventional Energy

In the last six years, uranium prices have moved from $7 a pound to $80 a pound. Coal has moved from $22 a ton delivered at the plant to $55 a ton, and natural gas has gone from $2 per million BTUs to $12 per million BTUs. Oil went from $20 a barrel to $145 a barrel.

As these dirty energy resources become more costly, so follows the delivered price of electricity jumping by 70 percent in the last six years in New Jersey and many other states. All analysts expect continued increases in electricity costs.

Americans Want Solar

94% of Americans say it's important for the U.S. to develop and use solar energy. 72% favor extension of Federal tax credits for renewable technologies, and 77% of Americans want the government to make solar power development a national priority, according to the independent polling firm, Kelton Research, June 10, 2008. "These results are an undeniable signal to our elected leaders that Americans want job-creating solar power, now," said Rhone Resch, President of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

"Solar development means job growth for Americans, by Americans, in an industry that will benefit America," said Dr. Gerald Fine, President & CEO of SCHOTT North America. "Rather than rely on foreign sources for fuel, the U.S. can aspire to become the world's leader in clean energy."

General Electric, with a goal of investing $6 billion in renewable energy by 2010, already surpassed the $4 billion mark this July. GE says that within two years, renewable energy will make up almost a quarter of its total investments in energy, up from 10% in 2006. Investment banks Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs all plan to take advantage of global interest in renewable investments. Meanwhile, NYMEX, the New York-based stock exchange, recently formed a consortium of financial institutions to launch a Green Exchange to trade Renewable Energy Credits.

The Market Speaks: Renewable Energy Finance Forum Wall Street

Over 600 senior executives attended the 5th annual Renewable Energy Finance Forum (REFF) held this June in New York City. "Each year, we have increasingly seen financial leaders on Wall Street recognize renewable energy companies as an important growth sector for the US economy," said Michael Eckhart, President of the American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) who hosted the forum along with Euromoney Energy Events. "This new reality has helped launch renewable energy investing into mainstream financial arenas and continues to drive the momentum of the industry," said Eckhart.

Top analysts forecasted the industry's potential in the US, for solar power, wind power and bio-fuels. Speakers also drew attention to wavering political issues threatening the viability of renewable developments as Congress currently debates the extension of critical investment catalysts like the Investment Tax Credit and the Production Tax Credit.

"Wall Street has shown us that the full forces of American innovation are ready to be deployed to meet our energy challenges. If government leaders can provide a stable long-term climate for investment, the renewable energy sector will see unprecedented growth, providing extensive economic opportunities and environmental benefits," said John Geesman, Co-Chair of the ACORE Board of Directors and former Calif. Secretary of Energy.

GE Financial Services and ACORE released a report at the REFF weighing the long-term economic impact of wind development with the up-front cost of the production tax credit. The report found that the net present value of 2007 US wind development is worth $250 million more than the price tag for the tax credits, which was about $9 billion last year. According to the report, the tax credit pays for itself because of tax revenue received from wind projects, worker wages and other taxes. Once the PTC and ITC issues are behind the industry, the next big battle on Capitol Hill will be over a carbon-weighted policy like cap and trade, according to presenters.

"We simply need more energy. We're not waiting around for governments to craft the perfect policies," said Vivienne Cox, Executive Vice President of BP's alternative energy business. "This is an important market, and we're going to build a business around it."

The US is currently the world's fourth-largest solar power market after Germany, Japan and Spain. Japan is aiming for 30 percent of all its homes to have solar panels installed by 2030, bringing the number of installations to 14 million, according to Kyodo News. Japanese solar panel manufacturers, which include Sharp, account for half of the world output of solar power equipment.

Grid Parity

Grid Parity is the point at which Photovoltaic (PV) electricity costs the same or less than power derived from the electrical grid. PV Grid Parity is expected beginning 2012 in places where sunshine is plentiful, and 2018 in areas of the world with medium sun exposure, according to a study in June from iSupply Corp., an electronics industry analysis company.

Worldwide investments in the production of PV cells will rise to the same level as those for semiconductor manufacturing by 2010, due to booming demand for solar energy. Each PV factory will require an investment of $500 million or more, employ as many as 1,000 workers per site and generate annual revenue of $1 billion per year or more.

By 2010, as many as 400 production lines in the world that can produce at least 1 Megawatt (MW) of PV cells per year, will be in place, representing a four-fold increase in production lines from 2007. Factories capable of 1 Gigawatt (GW) of annual PV production will also be established in the future, to ensure continued strong delivery of PV cells to the market. PV cell production will become cheaper over time, with cell makers Q-Cells, AG, and REC Group expecting a reduction in PV system costs of 40 percent by 2010.

Tom Werner, chief executive of SunPower Corp., the largest North American solar panel manufacturer, sees Grid Parity for solar power in the US and elsewhere happening in about five years, or possibly as soon as 2010. "That's actually more aggressive than what we would say previously, and that's because the cost of electricity is going up faster than we had ever modeled," Werner said at the Reuters Global Energy Summit this past June.

Suntech Power Holdings Co. Ltd., one of the largest of a growing number of Chinese solar companies, sees the same five-year timeline, thanks to increasing supplies of silicon that will help drive down costs.

The end of polysilicon shortages could cause PV costs to drop in half. "It takes about two or three years to add capacity," says Travis Bradford, an industry analyst for the Prometheus Institute. The shortage has been severe enough to drive up silicon prices to more than 10 times normal levels, to $450 a kilogram, adds Ted Sullivan, an analyst at Lux Research.

The Business Case For Solar Now

Right now, in New Jersey, the average kilowatt of electricity is being sold to residents at the rate of 18 cents kwhr. If you purchase a 5 kw solar PV system for $40,000 that could generate about 8,000 kilowatts a year, and could easily last for 30 years (panels often carry a 25 year manufacturer's warranty), your system would generate about 192,000 kilowatt hours over the 30 years, after subtracting 20% for rated age. Now, if you take the 192,000 kilowatt hours and divide it by $40,000, then each kilowatt costs you about 15 cents. Would you rather pay for your own clean, renewable energy system, that carries a 25 year warranty, or purchase dirty electricity coming from coal, nuclear or oil sources, at the rate of 18 cents?

I asked energy analyst, Charles Cresson Wood, if he thinks the price of solar electricity is at Grid Parity now with conventional electricity, when analyzed over 25 years, the typical warranty period of today's solar panels. He replied, "When one realistically considers the trajectory of the costs for fossil fuels, then solar, wind and other renewables are less expensive over a time frame such as that which you mention." The analysis is based on research done for his book Kicking The Gasoline & Petro-Diesel Habit.

Solar Is A Better Choice

Energy consultant Jim Harding estimates the operating cost per kilowatt-hour for a new nuclear plant will be in the region of 30 cents for its first dozen years, only dropping to 18 cents after construction costs are paid down. With distributed solar at the low end of this bracket and dropping, and with concentrated solar and wind power estimated at 14 cents per kilowatt-hour, energy companies are backing away from their proposals for new nuclear facilities. Of the seventeen currently in the planning stage, Moody's Investor Service only expects one or two to be on line by 2015.

Cap-And-Trade System

A cap-and-trade provision would make it costlier to emit carbon into the atmosphere and discourage the burning of fossil fuels. The economics of solar and other cleaner energy sources would be even more competitive.

According to Amory Lovins, physicist and author, reducing carbon emissions would be cheaper and safer if nuclear was rejected in favor of alternatives that are sustainable. Investing in the nuclear option would suck up capital that would be spent more cost-effectively on renewable energy, efficiency and conservation. In contrast to the vast money pit required by nukes, every dollar invested in energy efficiency programs returns three dollars in electricity savings to utility customers.

While debates on disposal of radioactive waste, vulnerability to terrorist attacks, and large-scale use of fresh water required to run nuclear plants continue, it's tough to argue with the numbers. If the debate is between a clean, renewable source such as solar, which can reach utility scale in some parts of the country, and a more expensive form of power that Wall Street investors won't even touch, then the nuclear defenders may be running out of arguments. The bottom line is that nuclear costs two to 10 times more than its clean competitors.

Incentives For Renewables

There is not yet a national program in place, except for a 30% Investment Tax Credit (ITC) limited to a maximum of $2,000 for homeowners, with no limit for business. This applies to both solar PV and domestic solar hot water systems. The ITC will expire at the end of 2008, unless Congress passes an extension, which it is slated to do, by many political analysts.

Currently 25 states offer various incentives for homes and businesses. In New York, a rebate of approximately 50% is available for a solar PV system. New Jersey's incentive program is going through a transition after offering an average of 60% rebates for the past seven years.

The plan is to move into a performance-based incentive, called the Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs), which pays the solar PV system owner annually based on the number of kilowatts produced by the system. A residential rebate of $3.00 per watt for solar PV systems, starting in 2009 till 2012 with incremental decreases is planned. That rebate would be close to 40% of the system cost.

For detailed information on specific state rebates, visit the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency.

Power Purchase Agreements & Leases

The use of Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and similar leasing instruments to finance residential and commercial solar power installations is taking off. The commercial solar PPA market has already been active in California and New Jersey.

The Atlantic City Convention Center has awarded Pepco Energy Services, a 20-year PPA to install one of the largest single roof-mounted solar arrays in the US. Under the 20-year contract, Pepco will build, own, operate and maintain the 2.36-Megawatt solar array for the Convention Center. Construction is planned for completion by December 31, 2008. Jeanne Fox, President of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities states, "This is an example of the kind of initiatives we hope to see as we transition to the sale or trade of SRECs to pay for solar projects."

Last year, half of all the commercial solar installs in the US were PPAs, and this year that number is running between 60 and 80 percent, according to Jon Guice, researcher at AltaTerra, in Palo Alto, CA, a green energy consultancy group.

Sun Run, one of the first PPA-based residential distributed power companies in California, offers a standard agreement providing electricity at 13.5 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for 18 years, according to Nat Kreamer, Sun Run's CEO. "If you do a 30-year look-back, residential electricity rates in California have risen an average of 6.7 percent per year," he says. They offer various up-front payment options, so that an increased payment would result in delivered electricity decreases.

"We found the sweet spot for customers is up to $10,000 for prepayment, and that they want flexible options for reassigning the contract when they move, and not a big buy-out at the end," Kreamer says. "At the end of the term, customers can renew their contracts for a year at a time, or buy out the system at a fraction of the installed cost."

Another form of financing for residential solar systems that requires less or no up-front payments, is leasing. David Arfin, vice president of customer financing at Solar City of Foster City, CA states that, "The big difference is with a lease: there is no money down, and in most cases homeowners are saving money from day one." Solar City leases typically run for 15 years, after which time homeowners can purchase the system for 20 to 30 percent of the cost of the installed system. Leases can be extended for five-year increments.

"With a PPA, the residential host agrees to pay for certain kWh produced on his or her roof, and they have a variable payment depending on what is produced and used. With our lease, there is a fixed payment every month, but they still get the benefits of whatever excess power is generated," said Arfin. "It's sort of like the difference between leasing a car by the mile or by the week," he adds.

A Home Equity Line of Credit is the most profitable choice for credit-worthy NJ homeowners to finance a solar system. Their monthly loan payment will be comparable to the savings on their current electric bill. After factoring in rising electric rates and the SRECs, the homeowner can get extra income from their solar purchase.

The fact is, unless you own your own electric generating system, or have a set price agreement with a PPA or PPL, you are leasing your power from a utility company with no control over its future cost.

Clean Power Finance has tools and loan products to make the purchase of home solar power systems more affordable. Clean Power Finance tools assist with completing the rebates, and match multiple funding options. Everything is done online.

The Borrower's Guide to Financing Solar Energy Systems: A Federal Overview provides information to assist both lenders and consumers in financing solar electric and thermal systems, with descriptions of special mortgage programs for energy-efficient homes. The free brochure is online at http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy99osti/26242.pdf

For Super Big Renewable & Efficient Ideas The Dept of Energy will make up to $10 billion dollars in loan guarantee authority, available for projects employing energy efficiency, renewable energy and advanced transmission and distribution technologies that constitute New or Significantly Improved Technologies. It's limited to 80% of total Project Costs, and requires a non-refundable minimum application fee of $18,750 to be considered.

Breaking news: Vice President Al Gore has begun a campaign that is so ambitious, it could be game-changing. He is challenging our nation to produce 100% of our electricity from renewable energy within 10 years. Al Gore noted, "To those who say 10 years is not enough time, I respectfully ask them to consider what the world's scientists are telling us about the risks we face if we don't act in 10 years."

To learn how you can get involved in the Solar solution, and energy efficiency, a course is being offered at Brookdale Community College, in Lincroft, NJ on Tuesday nights from 7-9pm Sept. 23 through Oct. 7, 2008 and again in January 2009.For scheduling, call: 732-842-1900.

For more information go to http://www.bized.com

Exploring the Ins and Outs of Gasoline

As the prices of gas continues to rise in the 21st century, motorists are yearning for the days when the substance that powered their cars cost less than $1 or even closer to $2. The demand for this influential resource has been outweighing the supply long before war broke out in the Middle East. The constant consumption of regular, leaded, unleaded, and now diesel fuel has placed a huge strain on reserves, which has caused prices to reach new heights.

The elevated cost of gasoline has greatly impacted the United States, as well as the rest of the world. The current energy crisis has forced scientists to seek out innovative ways of supplying energy and has encouraged consumers to find other methods of preserving fuel, such as riding a bicycle to work or purchasing electric cars.

In the future, the use of gas alternatives may gain more attention, especially since the following methods are less damaging to the environment: biodiesel, biobutanol, hydrogen fuel, ethanol, and bioethanol.

Taking a Brief Look at Gas Prices

In September 2003, the price of standard crude oil was less than $25 per barrel and with the help of inflation adjustments - it remained below the mark since the middle of the 1980s. However, a chain of events over the past couple of years has caused the price to increase to more than $60 in August 2005 and exceed the $75-mark by the summer of 2006. In October 2007, a barrel of crude oil was $92. The start of 2008 only heightened the continued rise in prices, establishing several record highs, including an inflation-adjusted all-time peak of $103.05 per barrel in February 2008.

Different Kinds of Gasoline

A mixture of liquid hydrocarbons and crude oil undergo a distillation process in order to generate gasoline. Gas was invented during the late 1850s after crude oil was discovered and researchers were able to fine ways on how to use this material. Early types of gasoline were created as a byproduct of the process that made kerosene fuel for oil lamps. Since the internal combustion engine had yet to become a reality - the majority of early gasoline was tossed away because no one had a use for the substance.

Today, the United States offers a wide-range of gasoline types. Finished motor gasoline consists of a complicated mixture of volatile hydrocarbons and other additives that help power spark-ignition engines. Reformulated gas mostly uses methyl tertiary-butyle ether as an oxygenate with three different kinds. For example, the exclusive oxygenated reformulated gasoline is typical only during the wintertime throughout the New York City region where heavy carbon monoxide pollution is found.

Gasohol is often a combination of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline mixture. Ethanol is a liquid that actually comes from the fermentation of some sugars located in agricultural crops or wood. However, the most widely available type is conventional gasoline, which has been designed to evaporate at a slower pace in hot temperatures, which creates less smog.

Overall, each type of gas (whether conventional, oxygenated, or reformulated) is available within three different grades: regular, midgrade, and premium. As a rule of thumb, premium gas offers an octane rating greater than 90, which contributes to its higher price per gallon.

The Lowdown on Gas Stations

With exorbitant prices, gas stations not only struggle to make a profit but to also find ways on how to entice consumers into purchasing their gas. Depending on the location of a gas station and company trend - a range of prices sees states like New Jersey and Missouri offering the lowest costs with California pushing the limits as of March 2008.

A couple of popular gas companies and stations within the United States and Canada include:

Chevron

Founded in 1879 in Pico Canyon, California - Chevron would grow to become the fifth largest global energy company - playing a major role in the oil and gas industry. Making great strides in exploration and production, Chevron is also responsible for Texaco found in Europe, United States and Latin America.

ExxonMobil

With a merger in 1999 that saw the combined power of three major companies - ExxonMobil is considered the world's largest company by revenue. The company also supports Exxon in the United States; Esse/Imperial Oil in Canada; and Mobil in the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand.

Husky

Founded in 1938 as Husky Refining, the company focuses on petroleum and gas. Employing close to 4,000 people - Husky is known as one of Canada's biggest energy companies - which supplies Husky and Mohawk-brand gas.

Petro Canada

Established in 1975 in Ottawa, Ontario, Petro Canada is known as the second-largest company associated with various gas operations. Petro gas stations also offers a loyalty program called Petro Points, where consumers receive credits for fuel, car repair and store purchases.

Conoco Phillips

A merger in 2002 saw Conoco and Phillips join forces to become one of the six "supermajor" oil companies in the world. The company is responsible for heading Conoco in the southeastern and central region of the United States, Phillips 66, and other international ventures.

XG Power 950 Watt Electric Portable Electric Power Generator by Linhai Yamaha

A convenient source of portable power with low noise and fuel consumption. Has a built-in handle for easy carrying. This is an excellent unit for construction sites, camping, or home use. Custom manufactured for XG Power Wholesale Warehouse by Linhai Yamaha so you can rest assured that there will be power when you need it. Includes a 12-volt DC output jack and cables can be used to run equipment or recharge batteries. Six-month Limited Warranty on parts.
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Generator problem forces TMI shutdown

Print?? Email?? Font ResizeDaily Record/Sunday NewsUpdated:?09/20/2010 12:32:10 PM EDT
Three Mile Island Unit 1's turbine generator automatically shut down for unknown reasons at 11:25 p.m. Sunday, according to Ralph DeSantis, a plant spokesman.

The plant plans to restart the generator after engineers determine the shutdown's cause, DeSantis said.

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Generator to blame for Mark West house fire

Published: Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 11:47 a.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, September 26, 2010 at 11:47 a.m.

A blaze at a Mark West area home started when a generator caught fire, a Windsor fire official said Sunday.

Saturday afternoon’s fire on Lavendar Lane caused about $75,000 damage to the home and contents, estimated Windsor Battalion Chief David Cornelssen.

The home owner was using a generator to power his residence and when the generator quit at about 2:15 p.m. the man went to have a look.

He found the generator, which was up against his back porch, on fire. Flames quickly spread up the side of the house.

The fire got into the roof and attic.

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Deerhunter Play Secret Generator Show in Chicago

Karl Walter

As part of Urban Outfitters and Levi's Secret Generator Series, Deerhunter played beneath Chicago's Kennedy Expressway overpass on Saturday afternoon. The free show was the first of two pop-up shows in the series. The next will occur on Oct. 3 in Boston when Neon Indian will play an undisclosed location powered by a generator.

Situated on a small stage at a nondescript area adjoined to the Chicago Tribune Freedom Center plant parking lot, the band railed through several new songs from their upcoming record 'Halcyon Digest.' The chilly fall day didn't bode well for the hundreds of fans bundled up. Lead singer Bradford Cox remarked how cold it was in Chicago compared to his hometown of Atlanta, which was experiencing a heatwave. "It feels like the dead of winter here," he joked. "I keep thinking about Christmas."

The band opened with brand new song 'Desire Lines,' which filled the space with the group's signature melodic ambiance. Despite ricocheting off the concrete walls at first, the sound increasingly got better as the set went on. Bassist Josh Fauver chain-smoked and kept smiling at the crowd, while guitarist Lockett Pundt switched off lead vocals with Cox. Older song 'Hazel St.' from the band's second record, 'Cryptograms,' immediately followed, but the new songs continued with the doo-wop-like 'Don't Cry,' the dreamy 'Helicopter,' 'Fountain Stairs' and 'He Would Have Laughed.' Cox mentioned this was the first time they'd played the new songs live, but he didn't forget about older material like 'Rainwater Cassette Exchange' from the titular EP and 'Never Stops.'

Deerhunter took a short break and came back for a three-song encore which included 'Famous Last Words,' also from last year's 'Rainwater.' Afterwards, Cox mentioned the instruments didn't like the cold weather and that the next song might not sound good. "I have to go to the bathroom," he confessed. The band finished out their 75-minute set with 'Saved By Old Times' and the full-throttle rock number 'Nothing Ever Happened,' which got heads bobbing. During the coda, Cox stood there and held down the pedals and allowed loud, swirling distortion to expel for a couple of minutes before finally waving goodbye to the crowd.