Three Phase Diesel Generators

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Have you ever contemplated the difference between a Three Phase Diesel Generator and a Single Phase Diesel Generator? Commercial and industrial applications normally require a Three Phase Diesel Generator, which is better suited for running larger motors. Whereas a Single Phase Diesel Generator better meets the needs of the individual homeowner with lower voltage requirements. Three Phase Diesel Generators produce either 120/208v or 277/480v. Three Phase Diesel Generators are well suited for any large-scale industrial or commercial situation where power source dependability is a requirement.

Three Phase Diesel Generator Models

One of the quality Three Phase Diesel Generators on the market today is made by Robin Subaru, Model RGV13100T. This diesel generator will meet the most rigorous power demands in any industrial and/or commercial environment. For applications up to 13,000 watts, this is the perfect diesel generator choice.

Other features of the RGV13100T include the following:

• Three-Phase
• Super Easy Start
• Subaru Engine – Industrial Grade
• Heavy-Duty Twist-Lock Receptacles
• Meets Strict EPA Standards
• Superior Performance/Cost Ratio

The RGV13100T Three Phase Diesel Generator is also backed by a full two-year warranty from the manufacturer.

Diesel Generators and Electric Generators

Genset Central We have over 60 years experience in supplying diesel generators and electric generators for industrial military and residential generator power requirements. If you are looking for a diesel generator or electric generator look no futher. We supply standby emergency power diesel generators, Kubota generators, gaseous generators, construction portable and mobile generators, diesel fuel tanks, ASCO transfer switches, manual transfer switches, Lister Petter generators, mobile light towers, agricultural generators, switchable voltage generators, RV and commercial compact diesel and gas generators, container generators, electrical generator ends for AC and DC applications, tactical quiet super quiet generators, commercial and residential super silent, trailer mounted construction generators, power modules, electrical transformers, switch gear, parallel equipment, mobile generators, generator controllers, Lister Petter generator and Cummins generators

We can assist you in selecting the product for any application. From the 8kW generator for your summer cabin generator to your backup power generator 2800KW industrial for your plant - we can help!! Our sales engineers each have a minimum of ten years experiences! We offer all electric generator accessories for residential and emergency gensets, standby generators industrial generators, portable, trailer or mobile generators, long run generator fuel tanks, battery chargers and automatic transfer switches.

Generators Types and Features

We recommend diesel due to their longevity and lower operating costs;

1. 1800 rpm water cooled diesel operate on average 20-30,000 hours before major engine maintenance is required.

2. 1800 rpm water cooled gas normally operate 6-10,000 hours because they are built on a lighter duty gasoline engine block.

3. 3600 rpm air-cooled gas engines are normally replaced – not overhauled at 500 to 1500 hours.

Because gas engines burn hotter (higher btu of the fuel), you will see significantly shorter lives. Our gensets are from the world’s top manufacturers. We offer products for high-end residential customers with larger homes to industrial and military customers seeking prime power or critical emergency backup generators.

Electric equipment is designed to use power with a fixed frequency: 60 Hertz (Hz) in the United States and Canada, 50 Hertz in Europe and Australia. The frequency output depends upon a fixed engine speed. To produce 60 Hz electricity, most diesel engines operate at 1800 or 3600 RPM. Each speed has its advantages and drawbacks. At 1800 RPM, four pole electric power sets are the most common and least expensive. They offer the best balance of noise, efficiency, cost, and engine life. At 3600 RPM, two pole generators are smaller and lightweight; they are best suited for portable, light-duty applications. In simple terms it’s like operating your car at 90 mph, versus 45mph — at 45mph your car will last longer; it is quieter, requires less maintenance, and has a longer life. Most 3600 rpm gensets are twin cylinder air-cooled lawn mower engines, while the water cooled 1800 rpm units are comparable to those found in diesel forklift and diesel tractor engines. The 1800 rpm water cooled engine will last longe r, offerless maintenance problems, and be more fuel efficient. We recommend diesel! Gensetcentral Systems can provide for all your backup power needs from 2 Mega Watt generator for industrial, residential and military applications. We can provide you with high quality gensets. We offer only top quality products that are priced at or below our competition who offer lesser brands Our diesel products are powered by world class diesel engines - we feature SDMO, Lister Petter, Katolight, Baldor, Kubota, John Deere and Cummins power plants

Power Generation - Diesel Generator Set 591-800kW Powered by the Caterpillar C27

Caterpillar Inc. introduces its latest in the line of diesel-fueled generator sets with ACERT™ Technology. With rating ranges of 650 – 800 ekW for standby applications and 591 – 725 ekW for prime use, this generator set is EPA Tier 2 certified.

Offering the latest in engine design technology, this clean diesel generator set provides emissions compliance without sacrificing performance or fuel economy. Operating at 60 Hz, it is powered by the Cat® C27 – a 27.03-liter displacement, four-cycle diesel engine.

An ADEM™ A4 controller, mechanically actuated electronic fuel injection (MEUI), and crossflow cylinder heads comprise the building blocks of ACERT Technology. The generator set features an advanced EMCP 3 control system, an Air-To-Air After Cooler (ATAAC) cooling system and single-point access to accessory connections. The self-excited generator offers a Class H insulation system. Designed for enhanced performance and output, the generator set delivers maximum efficiency with minimum total harmonic distortion. For additional information, visit http://go.cateps.com/pop or contact your local Cat® dealer.

Diesel thermal generators to be phased out next month

All diesel thermal generators will be phased out with effect from next month (September) as government battles the power shortage that has led to endless load shedding. The government can no longer afford to run the expensive generators, which have apparently not created any impact as far as bridging the power supply gap is concerned.

In his response to the report of the National Resources Committee on the Ministerial Policy statement and budget estimates for the financial year 2008/9 on August 20, Energy Minister Mr Daudi Migereko said that by September this year, the government will have 50MW of Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) at Namanve.

Mr Migereko said the HFO, will be followed by 10MW of HFO at Tororo by Electromax, followed by 50-85MW of HFO at Kaiso Tonya, followed by 50MW of HFO at Njeru by Invespro. He said the HFO equipment being procured will also be able to use natural gas from our Oil fields as discoveries and production of oil and gas progress.

“Our biggest problem has been the limited power generation and supply capacity which had given way to load shedding. This necessitated installation of expensive emergency diesel thermal generation capacity of 100MW as a stop gap measure,” Mr Migereko said. The Minister said all big power projects will in future also be financed by the government to avoid past experience of delays like in the case of Bujagali. He said the projects will be readily facilitated by funding through the Energy fund.

The government decision stems from numerous complaints about the viability of the power project. The Committee has expressed concern about the Bujagali costs, a matter that has been raised a number of times on the floor of the House.

On the Renewable Energy projects which are ongoing in Kakira, Nyagak, Bugoye, Mpanga, Buseruka, Ishasha, Kisizi, Mr Migereko said, that the work being undertaken with the development of the renewable, oil exploration and production plus development of the large hydros, will help Government address diversification of energy supply mix.
“All this is possible because Government has come up with the right policy framework and incentives. We are trying to see how we can improve on the incentives for instance Private Sector Foundation financing the feasibility studies upfront,” he said.

On the Bujagali project, Mr Migereko said both the developer and the contractor were procured through international competitive bidding.
He said there are a number of key considerations that needed to be taken into account. He cited world price of materials like steel, cement and fuel. He also cited limited appetite of Development Finance Institutions to finance projects in the country.

“The above are reflected in additional costs like interest during construction debt service reserve account, and high insurance premiums. All these led to the high development cost for Bujagali,” he said.
The committee raised concern regarding the feeding of the Karuma generated power into the National grid at Kawanda substation which is about 200Km from the source of power.

“I wish to inform the house that the Karuma Power Project will have three transmission lines namely Karuma – Olwiyo, Karuma – Lira District, and Karuma–Kawanda,” he said. On Umeme issues raised by the committee, Mr Migereko said the government has requested the Electricity Regulatory Authority to study the Umeme/government agreement with a view to ensuring better performance on the part of Umeme.

Diesel costs cut rides, raise prices at carnivals

The ladybug cars, the dinosaur slide and the children's tank ride awaited 3-year-old Jonas Smith as usual at this year's Johnson County Fair, but something was missing.

"It looks like there are fewer rides," his mother, Marcia Smith, said as she strolled the grassy midway. "The swing ride we rode last year is gone. And when I went to buy tickets with a group of moms, our jaws dropped."

Traveling carnivals throughout Iowa and the nation are facing a scary ride this summer as high diesel costs shorten tour routes, inflate ticket prices and limit the number of rides that many can offer at local events and county fairs.
The cutbacks come during the peak season for the carnival industry, as county and state fairs commence across Iowa and the nation.

"There's no question it's putting a strain on our industry," said Bob Johnson, president of the Florida-based Outdoor Amusement Business Association. "It's taken a big bite out of our operating costs."

Carnivals in the United States still draw an estimated 350 million visitors each year and offer a cheap alternative to vacations and other entertainment, said Johnson, whose group represents most of the 350 traveling carnivals in the United States and Canada.

But diesel prices in the Midwest averaged $4.52 per gallon this week, up $1.64 from this time last year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The national average hovered at $4.61 per gallon, a $1.72 increase from last year.

The increase forced Superior Equipment, which once served fairs throughout the Midwest, to limit its travel this year to Iowa and southern Minnesota, said manager Shawn Exum. The Clarence, Ia.-based carnival operator also reduced the amount of equipment it carries, and cut about five traveling workers who act as backups for ride operators.

"We won't attend as many fairs this year, and we won't drive as far to get to them," Exum said. "The cost of fuel, insurance, transportation, merchandise we have to buy, all greatly increased this year. It just came to be too much."

Fuel-related expenses for Superior Equipment have more than doubled since last summer, Exum said. The company's rides and games, like most modern carnival machines, run on electric generators powered by diesel engines.

The problem worsened this summer when severe weather and record floods swept through Iowa, blocking key travel routes and displacing thousands of regular fairgoers.

Financial pressures forced one local fair in northern Iowa to go without rides this year. The North Iowa Fair in Mason City had scheduled Merriam's Midway Shows to visit in late July, but a scheduling conflict prevented the carnival from attending, said fair manager Katy Elson. In its place, she said, the fair erected inflatable games for children and managed to secure a slingshot ride from another company.

Todd Merriam, who owns Merriam's Midway Shows, said he helped the fair's organizers find a replacement carnival to fulfill his three-year contract. The replacement carnival then canceled abruptly because it went out of business.

"We did the best we could," Merriam said. "Unfortunately, it was strictly financial."

Ticket prices also could rise if fuel expenses continue to grow, Exum said. Some operators, including Superior Equipment, have effectively raised prices already by requiring more tickets for a single ride, he said.

"People can't pay as much as we need to be charging," Exum said. "We're trying to raise it just enough to get by."

Exum said parents this year are telling their children to choose just one or two rides. Last year, he said, the number of 20-ticket family packs he sold outnumbered single-ticket sales by a ratio of 4-to-1. This year, single tickets -- at $1 apiece -- outperformed the $18 family packs.

Demetrious and Charlotte Ramirez of Iowa City scampered across the midway at the Johnson County Fair last week, past the spinning strawberry ride and the pink-and-green lights near the game pit. Their mother, Margo Ramirez, watched 6-year-old Demetrious hop aboard a children's tank ride while Charlotte, 3, eyed the flying swings.

"They had more cool stuff last year," Margo Ramirez said. "I can tell they're offering fewer rides, and the ones they are offering are smaller."

Mac's Carnival Rides & Attractions, a South Dakota-based carnival that serves seven states, raised its ticket prices 25 percent this year to offset fuel costs, said co-owner Lon McWhorter. Travel expenses for the show's 15 rides have grown to $3 per ride for every mile traveled, he said. Last year's rate was less than $2.

Researchers seek power from exhaust

Researchers are competing to meet a challenge from the U.S. Department of Energy: Improve fuel economy 10 percent by converting wasted exhaust heat into energy that can help power the vehicle.

General Motors Corp. is close to reaching the goal, as is a BMW AG supplier working with Ohio State University in Columbus. Their research into thermoelectrics -- the science of using temperature differences to create electricity -- couldn't come at a better time as high gas prices accelerate efforts to make vehicles as efficient as possible.

GM researcher Jihui Yang said a metal-plated device that surrounds an exhaust pipe could increase fuel economy in a Chevrolet Suburban by about 5 percent, a 1-mile-per-gallon improvement that would be even greater in a smaller vehicle.

Reaching the goal of a 10 percent improvement would save more than 100 million gallons of fuel per year in GM vehicles in the United States alone.

"The take-home message here is: It's a big deal," Yang said.

The Energy Department, which is partially funding the auto-industry research, helped develop a thermoelectric generator for a heavy-duty diesel truck and tested it for the equivalent of 550,000 miles about 12 years ago.

John Fairbanks, the department's thermoelectrics technology development manager, said the success of that generator justified the competitive search in 2004 for a device that could augment or replace a vehicle's alternator. Three teams were selected to participate in the program, with GM and thermoelectrics manufacturer BSST separately working on cars and a team from Michigan State University focusing on heavy-duty trucks.

Fairbanks said thermoelectric generators should be on the verge of production in about three years.

"It's probably the biggest impact in the shortest time that I can think of," he said.

The technology is similar to what NASA uses to power deep-space probes, a perk being it doesn't seem to be susceptible to wear. Probes have used a thermoelectric setup for about 30 years.

Thermoelectric devices can work in two ways -- using electricity to provide heating or cooling, or using temperature differences to create electricity.

The second method is Yang's focus, and for good reason.

In an internal combustion engine, only about one-fourth of the total energy from gasoline is used to actually turn the wheels, while 40 percent is lost in exhaust heat and 30 percent is lost through cooling the engine. That means about 70 percent of the available energy is wasted, according to GM.

"If I can use some of that heat energy and convert it to electricity, you can improve the overall efficiency," Yang said.

A Suburban produces 15 kilowatts of exhaust-heat energy during city driving, which is enough to power three or four air conditioners simultaneously.

But it's not possible to harness all the exhaust heat a vehicle produces, so when the Suburban is cruising between 50 and 60 mph, the generator can produce about 800 watts of power, Yang said. That electricity could go to accessories such as a GPS device, DVD player, radio and possibly the vehicle's water pumps.

Yang's prototype device is to be tested in a Suburban next year. A similar prototype created by Ohio State scientists and BSST could also be tested next year in a BMW.

The thermoelectric generator works when one side of its metallic material is heated, and excited electrons move to the cold side. The movement creates a current, which electrodes collect and convert to electricity.

While it's not clear how much the device would add to the price of a vehicle, the whole point of the research is to make it cost-effective, Yang said.

"There are several other steps that are required to commercialize the material, but we're cautiously optimistic that these steps can be carried out successfully," said Lon Bell, president of BSST, a subsidiary of Northville-based thermoelectrics supplier Amerigon Inc.

BSST also is working with Ford Motor Co. to develop climate-control systems based on thermoelectrics.

Ford wants a system that would target a person's extremities when it's cold or the back of the neck in summer heat, rather than blow out a lot of air to change the temperature of the entire vehicle.

"We think we can make people feel cooler more quickly, feel comfortable more quickly, and that will translate into less power in the central AC system," said Clay Maranville, a Ford senior research scientist.

Honda Motor Co. also has supported university research into thermoelectrics, but a spokesman said the automaker doesn't have its own research program.

Cold War effort a problem now

FEMA took over responsibility for this and other programs once administered by the Civil Defense Agency in 1979, by which time some 700 radio stations had participated in this voluntary program. The tanks are made of steel, and over time, rust and corrosion can create leaks that remain undetected for years.

Why does this matter to Delmarva residents? Two of these aging tanks are located here, one in Salisbury and another in Georgetown. FEMA plans to evaluate these tanks, which may or may not be leaking. If they are, it's bad news, not just for the environment, but for people living nearby as well.

One gallon of leaked fuel can contaminate 1 million gallons of drinking water. And what are the consequences of drinking water contaminated by diesel fuel? It increases the risk of cancer, kidney damage and nervous system disorders.

FEMA has said it is dedicated to inspecting and remediating, removing or upgrading these tanks as necessary. It has, according to a FEMA spokesman, taken decades just to go through the paperwork from various federal agencies that participated in the program at one time or another.

The sooner these tanks are inspected and dealt with, the better. The program was deemed important when it was put in place. People were living in fear of a nuclear holocaust and any measures that might help rein in chaos in the event of an emergency were well-received. The problem is a lack of foresight and planning for future consequences.

Let this be a lesson for us in making sure --as much as possible -- that whatever we do today to make our lives better, more secure or more convenient will not come back to bite our descendants someday

Piezoelectrics to relish billion-dollar future

The emergence of wireless communications and the increased need for wireline-based data transmissions have swelled demand for piezoelectric quartz crystals and crystal devices. Emerging industrial and consumer applications are steering the industry—once overly dependent on military demand—to a more balanced mix of apps.

Data transfer must be synchronized in high-bandwidth systems, a requirement that has boosted demand for timing products. Crystal devices provide the precise timing signals needed to ensure reliable data transfer at high speeds in applications ranging from notebook computers to network switches, the study observes.

Among the seven major market segments for piezoelectric crystal frequency control devices, telecommunications has the largest market share—as much as 30 percent. It is followed by consumer applications including video games, A/V and amusement, computing, military and government; automotive, industrial; and medical.

The iRap study notes that in the 1980s, Japan was the world leader in mass-produced piezoelectric crystals and crystal devices. In the later part of the 1990s, however, the balance shifted, with China and South Korea taking over the low-end products. Japan still supplies the high end.

At present, Japan and South Korea are supplying quartz devices for microprocessor-based and extended-temperature products. China is supplying large quantities of low-end products for applications such as toys and games.

Govt explores ways to beat diesel crunch

The government has called the chiefs of state-run oil companies to discuss the problem of diesel shortage in the country.

“There have been reports of diesel shortages in Pune and other parts of Maharashtra, among other places. I have called a meeting of oil PSU chiefs on August 19 to seek an explanation,” petroleum minister Murli Deora said.

The demand for diesel has risen nearly 25 per cent in recent times as it is increasingly being used in power generation instead of fuel oil and naphtha that are costlier.

“The demand-supply gap seems to have widened because of this,” Deora said.

Indian Oil Corporation chairman Sarthak Behuria has said the company would not be importing diesel and sell it at low prices to meet the rising demand.

Diesel is heavily subsidised because it is used in the public transport system and by the farm sector and truckers.

Oil marketers say the fuel is now being used by commercial and industrial users, which is pushing up the demand. There is also a heavy demand for the fuel in shopping malls and housing projects as they use diesel generators for back-up.

The high-powered committee on the financial health of oil companies, headed by B.K. Chaturvedi, which has been pushing for a price hike in petrol and diesel, has suggested different pricing norms for industrial and commercial users.

The committee felt industrial units, which account for about 10 per cent of the total consumption of diesel, should not be eligible for subsidy. The sale of the fuel to industrial and commercial users should be done at market prices.

It has also proposed an increase of 75 paise per litre in the price of diesel every month till 2010. In addition, it has suggested a “metro extra” tax of Rs 2 a litre.

Oil companies are losing Rs 23 a litre from selling diesel at subsidised prices, even after a price hike of Rs 3 per litre in June.

The annual consumption of diesel is around 48 million tonnes (mt).

The government continues to subsidise the fuel heavily as it is fighting a 16-year high inflation of 12.44 per cent. Diesel is the favoured fuel of truckers and any increase in its price has a cascading effect on inflation.

Truckers helped by technology

In New Brunswick, he said, almost 100 per cent of goods move by truck, and the high fuel costs are passed on to consumers, who end up paying more for things such as clothes, food and medicine.

So in order to lighten their environmental footprint, and help save money on diesel fuel, the industry is looking to new technologies for help. In the fall of 2006, an ultra low-sulphur diesel fuel was introduced, and the new 2008 truck engines come equipped with a diesel particulate filter.

"As we purchase these new trucks, we're reducing our nitrous oxide emissions by 40 per cent and our particulate matter output by 90 per cent," Nelson said. "We're the only transportation sector in North America that has gotten that far, that fast. And that's all because of the new technologies."

In addition to the innovation in fuel and engine filters, Nelson said the industry will soon be adopting a single, wide-based tire to replace the dual configuration.

He said there's evidence that these tires can create fuel savings of one to two litres per kilometre, which translates into thousands of dollars per year.

"It doesn't seem like a big deal," he said, "but when you're travelling 150,000 kilometres a year to 200,000 kilometres a year, it makes a huge difference."

They've also slowed their trucks down to 100 km/h instead of 110 on two-lane highways.

"Depending on the driver, that can save anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 a year," he said. "We're the only transportation sector in North America that has gotten that far, that fast. The new trucks, especially the ones that Sunbury Transport is using, are incredibly cleaner and greener than the trucks of five years ago, because of the new technologies."

At a tree-planting ceremony at Sunbury's Fredericton headquarters last Wednesday, Environment Minister Roland Haché presented them with the 2007 Environmental Leadership Award on behalf of the provincial government, for their idle-time reduction program and the development of a fuel efficiency, e-learning program for other carriers.

The winners are selected by an independent panel of judges.

In December, Sunbury was given $475,000 from the New Brunswick Climate Change Action Fund to install the diesel-powered auxiliary generators on its fleet to provide climate control and power to parked trucks, eliminating the need to idle.

It was given another $200,000 from the fund to install the aerodynamic skirting on its van trailers to reduce air drag.

"We want to be leaders, not followers, and we have to compete with the world too," said Vernon Seeley, specification manager and technical advisor for Sunbury and Irving Transport. "Our tractors are the most aerodynamic in the world, and the skirts on the trailers deflect the wind, so it slips through the wind a bit faster."

He said the skirts save six per cent on fuel consumption, while the move from single to double trailers has led to a 30 per cent fuel reduction.

Added to this is a four to 10 per cent reduction because of the new tires and that translates into Sunbury using 200,000 litres less fuel in 2006 alone.

Oil that fries your food in a restaurant could be what powers your car's engine

The use of biodiesel has increased "greatly" over the past five years, dropping off, though, over the past year and a half due to the cost of the plant oil, said Dennis Miller, a professor of chemical engineering at Michigan State University.

Unlike Santa Cruz's fuel, most biodiesel comes from soybeans, canola and other sources, all of which have increased dramatically in price because of increased demand and speculation on demand, he said.

Locally, there is a "small but passionate group of individuals" running their vehicles on biodiesel, said Maggie Striz Calnin, program coordinator of Greater Lansing Area Clean Cities, a nonprofit coalition of local governments and businesses.

"For one, they see the connection between the environment and public health and alternative fuels," she said. "They're also starting to see the benefit of using domestically produced fuel rather than imported fuel, because our lives are so interconnected with transportation."

Santa Cruz estimates that to fill the 25-gallon tank of his 2004 Dodge Sprinter van with regular diesel fuel, it would cost $125.

But by using 50 percent biodiesel in the van's tank, he's only paying half the price, saving him anywhere from $300 to $400 a month on fuel costs.

"I'm a green-feeling person," Santa Cruz said. "I take this with sincerity: We're in a real crisis, and I think we need to look at alternative means." Got grease?

Biodiesel isn't the only alternative that's attracting interest.

Sales have increased for Greasecar Vegetable Fuel Systems, which bills itself as the nation's largest retailer and manufacturer of vegetable oil kits, said Justin Carven, founder and owner of the company based out of Easthampton, Mass.

The fuel system allows diesel vehicles retrofitted with conversion kits to run on straight vegetable oil, or grease, often obtained from restaurants for free.

Carven said slightly more than 5,000 kits have been sold in the last eight years, most of which were sold in the last two years.

As fuel prices climb, he said, so has interest in the system.

"There's not too many places for people to turn, and this is a relatively straightforward and affordable way to go," Carven said.

In 2007, he said, Greasecar sold just fewer than 1,000 kits. Carven expects 2,000 kits to be sold by the end of this year.

Researchers work to turn car's exhaust into power

The stinky, steaming air that escapes from a car's tailpipe could be an answer to using less gas.

Researchers are competing to meet a challenge from the U.S. Department of Energy: improve fuel economy 10 percent by converting wasted exhaust heat into energy that can help power the vehicle.

General Motors Corp. is close to reaching the goal, as is a BMW AG supplier working with Ohio State University. Their research into thermoelectrics -- the science of using temperature differences to create electricity -- couldn't come at a better time as high gas prices accelerate efforts to make vehicles as efficient as possible.

GM researcher Jihui Yang said a metal-plated device that surrounds an exhaust pipe could increase fuel economy in a Chevrolet Suburban by about 5 percent, a 1-mile-per-gallon improvement that would be even greater in a smaller vehicle.



Reaching the goal of a 10 percent improvement would save more than 100 million gallons of fuel per year in GM vehicles in the U.S. alone.

"The take-home message here is: It's a big deal," Yang said.

The DOE, which is partially funding the auto industry research, helped develop a thermoelectric generator for a heavy duty diesel truck and tested it for the equivalent of 550,000 miles about 12 years ago.

John Fairbanks, the department's thermoelectrics technology development manager, said the success of that generator justified the competitive search in 2004 for a device that could augment or replace a vehicle's alternator. Three teams were selected to participate in the program, with GM and thermoelectrics manufacturer BSST separately working on cars and a team from Michigan State University focusing on heavy-duty trucks.

Fairbanks said thermoelectric generators should be on the verge of production in about three years.

"It's probably the biggest impact in the shortest time that I can think of," he said.

The technology is similar to what NASA uses to power deep space probes, a perk being it doesn't seem to be susceptible to wear. Probes have used a thermoelectric setup for about 30 years.

Thermoelectric devices can work in two ways -- using electricity to provide heating or cooling, or using temperature differences to create electricity.

The second method is Yang's focus, and for good reason.

In an internal combustion engine, only about a quarter of the total energy from gasoline is used to actually turn the wheels, while 40 percent is lost in exhaust heat and 30 percent is lost through cooling the engine. That means about 70 percent of the available energy is wasted, according to GM.

"If I can use some of that heat energy and convert it to electricity, you can improve the overall efficiency," Yang said.

A Suburban produces 15 kilowatts of exhaust heat energy during city driving, which is enough to power three or four air conditioners simultaneously.

But it's not possible to harness all the exhaust heat a vehicle produces, so when the Suburban is cruising between 50 and 60 mph, the generator can produce about 800 watts of power, Yang said. That electricity could go to accessories such as a GPS device, DVD player, radio and possibly the vehicle's water pumps.

Yang's prototype device is to be tested in a Suburban next year. A similar prototype created by Ohio State scientists and BSST should be tested in a BMW in 2009.

The thermoelectric generator works when one side of its metallic material is heated, and excited electrons move to the cold side. The movement creates a current, which electrodes collect and convert to electricity.

While it's not clear how much the device would add to the price of a vehicle, the whole point of the research is to make it cost-effective, Yang said.

"There are several other steps that are required to commercialize the material, but we're cautiously optimistic that these steps can be carried out successfully," said Lon Bell, president of BSST, a subsidiary of Northville-based thermoelectrics supplier Amerigon Inc.

Thriving in the world of utility giants

In these days of skyrocketing energy prices, owning an electric company is a good way to keep costs under control.

Just ask some folks in Burrillville, where the Pascoag Utility District, owned by its customers in Pascoag, serves that village and part of neighboring Harrisville with electricity as well as water service in Pascoag.
They are paying a little over 7 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for electricity. By contrast, National Grid, which serves the rest of Rhode Island except for Block Island, recently won a rate increase from the Public Utilities Commission, upping its charge for the electricity to light lights, power air conditioner, and supply the juice for the televisions, radios, computers and myriad other necessities of the plugged-in society of the 21st Century, to 12.4 cents per kWh.
That means the average monthly electricity bill for the typical Rhode Island household — once distribution rates, taxes and a list of other confusing charges are added up — is about $93 a month, while Pascoag Utility customers pay just $71. So more than $260 a year stays in the Pascoag family’s budget for food, gasoline, clothing and all the other things whose prices are also increasing inexorably. Customers of the even tinier Block Island Power Co., which generates electricity using expensive diesel power, pay — this is not a typographical error — $330 a month for the typical 500 kWh.
How does this mini-utility district (just 5,000 households) manage to obtain and distribute electricity so much cheaper than the international energy conglomerate that serves the rest of the state’s 240,000 electricity-using households?
“We’re the littlest guy in the world with a stone and a slingshot,” says General Manager Ted Garille. But he says Pascoag bargains hard when it signs contracts to buy electricity.
“When we put out a request for proposals and get prices back, that isn’t the end of the story, it is the beginning,” Garille says, “we negotiate from there.
“It’s a wonder they don’t throw me out of their office, some of these big guys,” Garille adds with a chuckle when recalling previous bargaining sessions.
Pascoag has been able to survive and thrive in a time when the energy business is dominated by huge mega-corporations, Garille asserts, because, “we went with the concept of having the lowest rates possible and the highest level of customer service possible. That is more than an inscription on a piece of paper. It is truly our mantra up here. It is how we do business.”
As an example of the customer service Pascoag provides, Garille noted, “our typical response time to a trouble call is between 10 and 15 minutes.” He notes that almost all of the employees live in Pascoag and Harrisville or nearby, so are available quickly in an emergency.
The community utility was created back in 1887 as the Pascoag Fire District, and in 2001 General Assembly passed legislation allowing the electricity and water providers to split from the fire service and form a quasi-municipal, not for profit corporation.
The district holds regular meetings where Pascoag residents and property owners vote to, among other things, elect a seven-member board of commissioners that sets policy and hires administrators.
“The people we are serving are literally the owners,” Garille said. “There are no shareholders, there are no dividends to be paid.”
That not-for-profit, quasi-municipal status gives Pascoag numerous advantages. A principal one is that it allows the utility to purchase cheap hydroelectric power from the New York Power Authority (NYPA), something that is not available to National Grid. When NYPA recently tried to cut back the amount of power it sold outside of New York, many of its customers had to cut the amount of power they purchased in half, but Garille said Pascoag managed to purchase a bit more than it had been from the generator in Messina, New York, on the St. Lawrence River and the same amount that it had been from Niagara Falls.
Tom Kogut, spokesman for the RI Public Utilities Commisison (PUC) explained that because those generating facilities were developed using tax dollars, NYPA is directed to sell to bordering states. Because a “water border” exists between New York’s Fisher’s Island Sound and Rhode Island’s Block Island Sound, Rhode Island qualifies as a border state.
The low-cost hydroelectric power comprises at least 20 percent and sometimes as much of a third of what Pascoag buys.
Another 25 percent or so comes from a 40-year contract Pascoag has to buy electricity from the Seabrook nuclear plant in New Hampshire. The utility has been a participant in the Seabrook facility since 1986 and its contract runs until 2026.
For the rest of its load, Pascoag puts out requests for proposals to energy providers, most of which generate power using fossil fuels like oil, natural gas or coal.
By comparison, National Grid gets just 3.2 percent of its power from hydroelectric, according to David Graves, the company’s spokesman, while 33 percent comes from burning natural gas, 28 percent nuclear, and lesser amounts of coal, oil and diesel.
Those built-in advantages Pascoag has as a non-profit, quasi-municipal agency are just one reason that Graves says that comparing National Grid with Pascoag is “apples and oranges.” Garille agrees, using the same words in a separate interview.
“Pascoag serves 5,000 customers in a highly concentrated geographic area,” Graves told The Times. “They have limited equipment to maintain in terms of poles, transformers, miles of wire, that type of thing. They also don’t pay municipal taxes. They pay something in lieu of taxes, but National Grid pays tens of millions of dollars in property taxes to cities and towns and to the state as well.” In 2006, the last year for which figures are available, Graves said National Grid paid $20 million in property taxes to Rhode Island cities and towns.
“We also have a renewable surcharge that we pay of about eight-tenths of a cent per kWh,” to acquire a portion of the energy supply from renewable resources, he said. “We also support an entire infrastructure throughout the entire state. We’ve got about 5,100 miles of overhead line, over a thousand miles of underground cables, 115 substations.”
Despite the criticism it has taken lately for sharp rate hikes cause by increases in the price of natural gas and oil, Graves said National Grid’s “standard offer” to household customers “served the people quite well for a long period of time,” Graves said. “It is only in the last few years that we have seen some spikes in the cost of the commodity.
“Up until August, 2004,” he added, “customers paid less than six-tenths of a cent per kWh. It is only in the last four years, as the price of natural gas and oil have run up, have the cost of a kWh increased as well.”
Garille warns that the cheap ride may not last forever.
One of its contracts with a fossil fuel provider, Dominion Power of Virginia, expires in 2010. “Am I going to be able to go out to the market and get another 7.6 per kWh contract? I don’t know the answer to that.
“I can tell you that when I look at the daily spot market prices, it’s 10 cents, it’s 12 cents, it’s 14 cents, so it’s moving around all the time,” Garille said.
Recently, he suggested, “there has been a reluctance on the generators’ part to give you a benefit” for multi-year contracts. “We have seen a complete reversal of that, whereby generators have refused to enter into long-term contracts or have quoted a higher price out three or four years.”
So that means power in Pascoag could become more expensive in the coming years?
“Absolutely,” Garille answers, adding quickly, “I hope not.”

Russia plans new carriers, subs to boost navy

Russia announced plans on Sunday to revive its once-mighty navy by building several aircraft carriers and upgrading its fleet of nuclear submarines in the coming years.

Russia's power at sea is a shadow of the formidable Soviet navy which challenged U.S. military dominance in the Cold War. But, with a strong economy now from booming oil exports, it is seeking to raise its profile on the world stage by modernizing the armed forces.

Russia will build five or six aircraft carrier battle groups in the near future, RIA news agency quoted Navy Commander Vladimir Vysotsky as telling Navy Day festivities in St Petersburg, the second city.

"We call this a sea-borne aircraft carrier system which will be based on the Northern and Pacific fleets," Vysotsky said. "The creation of such systems will begin after 2012."

He said such carrier groups would operate in close contact with Russia's military satellites, air forces and air defenses.

Russia now has only one aircraft carrier, the Soviet-built Nikolai Kuznetsov, which was launched in 1985 but did not become fully operational for 10 years due to the turmoil following the Soviet Union's collapse in 1991.

In fact, it is not even a fully-fledged aircraft-carrier, being officially called an air-capable cruiser. It carries fewer aircraft than U.S. carriers and features a steam-turbine power-plant with turbo-generators and diesel generators, while all modern carriers are nuclear-powered.

Ohio Amish hurt by higher fuel prices

Ohio's Amish community, the world's largest, is known for shunning the use of cars, tractors and electricity. But the plain people in the rolling hills of Holmes County and elsewhere still feel the pinch at the pumps.

That's because some Amish have left their farms for work in construction, tourism and furniture making. So they pour diesel into generators to power sanders and table saws, or they chip in gasoline money for a van ride to a construction site or visitors center.

And the Amish who have remained on the farm use generators to power washing machines and irrigation equipment.

"They use fuel in different ways, but certainly they use it," said Steven Nolt, a historian specializing in Amish culture at Goshen College in Indiana.

While they avoid many modern conveniences, the Amish never objected to technology outright, Nolt said. Rather, faithful Amish employ technology selectively and with some consideration, avoiding machines that might weaken community cohesion.

Ray Miller, a volunteer at the Mennonite Information Center in Berlin, doesn't own a car. But he is sensitive to the cost of gasoline because he relies on a van service for the 50-mile round trip between home and the center.

As of Friday, the cost of a ride had risen to $1 a mile, and as he ushered visitors into the information center for presentations, Miller lamented how much his volunteer work is costing him.

Power shortage in Karnataka shoots up demand for diesel

Panic buying and hoarding of diesel has hit Karnataka in the wake of massive power shortage following monsoon failure, oil companies and dealers say.

Industries, commercial establishments and even some residential complexes are forced to use the diesel-run generators for uninterrupted power supply as India's IT hub and other parts of the state remain without power for hours together.

"Demand for diesel has gone up by nearly 40 percent in Bangalore alone since July 20. The daily supply to Bangalore has gone up from around 1,800 kilolitres to about 2,500 kilolitres," a senior Indian Oil Corporation official, declining to be identified, told IANS Wednesday.

With the state government indicating Wednesday that there would be no power supply for up to six hours in Bangalore and other major towns and up to 10 hours in rural areas, the demand for diesel would only go up, oil companies and dealers fear.

Many dealers in Bangalore and other parts of Karnataka have begun restricting diesel sale to 10 litres at a time.

Since July 20, there have been long queues at several petrol bunks in Bangalore.

"People are stocking up to run the generators as they fear massive disruption in power supply in the coming days," the official said.

The official said people need not go in for panic buying as that only creates artificial shortage. The oil companies have adequate stocks to meet the normal demand and hence there is no fear of short supply, he said.

According to state Energy Minister K.S. Eshwarappa, Karnataka needs 128 million units of power a day whereas only 100 million units are available, 65 million units generated within the state and 35 million units received from the central government power units.

The shortage has meant long hours of unscheduled power cuts across the state. Many areas in Bangalore, including the central business district, remain without electricity for up to four hours a day.

Eshwarappa announced Wednesday that daily supply will be restricted to 100 million units, which means no power for up to six hours in Bangalore and other major towns and up to 10 hours in rural areas.

Instead of the random power cuts as of now, there will be scheduled disruption from Aug 1 with the government notifying which areas will be without electricity for how many hours a day.

The time table is expected to be released Friday.

The government is hoping monsoon will revive and fill the reservoirs as Karnataka is heavily dependent on hydel power.

"Monsoon failure has made the power situation precarious. Around 60 percent of power generated in Karnataka is hydel-based. We will review the situation every week, Eshwarappa said.

MAN Diesel wins Alice power station contract

A Sydney-based company has been awarded a $60 million contract to design and build a new power station south of Alice Springs.

The Power and Water Corporation says MAN Diesel Australia will begin work on the Owen Springs Power Station in the next few weeks.

Stage one is expected to be completed by April next year.

The Corporation's John Linton says separate tender submissions to relocate the two noisy turbine generators from the Sadadeen complex to Owen Springs are now being assessed.

He says the Taurus generator is expected to be moved later this year and the Titan in 2009.

Bus, Library, Platform, Ski Resort

The Beijing bus happens to be an electric hybrid vehicle. A hybrid vehicle uses an engine to power an electric generator. The electricity from the generator powers a motor that turns the wheels. And the wheels on the bus go ‘round and ‘round.

But even better, this bus puts out ultra-low emissions. That’s because reducing engine emissions is critical in China, where pollution is so bad. The electricity that powers the bus comes from an on-board device called a “microturbine.” In the case of the Beijing bus, this is a small engine that burns compressed natural gas. The gas spins a turbine and generates electricity. And it moves that bus.

OK, but how is the Chinese bus similar to the Reagan Library? Well, the Reagan Library also gets its electricity from microturbines. There are 16 microturbines at the Reagan Library, delivering over 95 percent of the power that the large building uses. (Large? Hey, the Reagan Library houses an entire Boeing 707, the former Air Force One, in a gigantic hangar section.)

The microturbines at the Reagan Library burn natural gas. The gas comes from the regional pipeline system. So yes, the library buys natural gas. But it hardly ever has an electricity bill. Even better, the heat from the turbines actually gets recycled to run the library cooling system.

Yes, you read that right. At the Reagan Library, the heat runs the cooling system. I know it seems strange, kind of like Reaganomics did at first. But hey, it works. And the library has much lower electric costs than if it bought power from the Southern California grid. The microturbines eliminate all but a small electrical connection to the larger grid. The process is highly efficient.

And how about that ski resort near St. Petersburg? It too is off the electric grid. But without a reliable source of power, the Russian resort is out of business. So the resort uses a series of microturbines that burn natural gas (and it being Russia, sometimes kerosene). These microturbines are the sole source of power and heat for a luxury hotel and other facilities like chairlifts and water pumps.

Out in the Gulf of Alaska and the North Sea, many offshore platforms now obtain power from rugged microturbines. These platforms are no ski resorts or stately libraries. These platforms are serious industrial facilities, exposed to salt water and the heaviest storms that Mother Nature can blow at them. And there are earthquakes in Alaska.

Traditionally, almost all offshore platforms have used diesel generators to crank out power to run the on-board systems. Things like oil pumps, lighting and signaling devices, and crew quarters. This requires that the platform operators send out diesel fuel by barge to the platforms. Then they have to pump the fuel into holding tanks.

Karnataka on a power trip

ACCORDING TO the ‘Times of India’ (dated July 24), the newspaper that I take, power blackouts in the state of Karnataka are to get longer. Bangaloreans ‘who are already facing four-hour power cuts will have to brace for a 5-7 hour load shedding per day. It is worse in rural areas: this would mean 12-18 hour blackouts for them’. This is an understatement. Being a resident of Bangalore city, I can say with confidence that the truth is much worse. Every hour of power supply is followed by two hours of power outage, in the aggregate. At the most, power supply is available for eight hours out of 24 hours! Even after 9pm, power outage is enforced.

The state’s power minister said in the assembly on Wednesday (July 23) that the government had decided to shed 20 per cent load in July and 25 per cent load in August. This explains why I called the newspaper report an understatement. The minister implies that 20 per cent of load-shedding is equivalent to making power available for eight hours; thus, 25 per cent of load-shedding implies that power will be made available for six hours. On its part, the electricity supply company, viz, Bescom, admitted that it would roughly translate into five to seven power cuts per day.

The government though is yet to announce the load-shedding calendar. But people already know that what the calendar says will be an understatement. Commenting on the energy situation in the state, Principal Secretary (Energy) Jairaj told an all-party meeting that the demand had risen to 116 million units but the state could mobilise 100 million units at the maximum. The projected average deficit from October 2008 to May 2009 was 700 MW, assuming a 5 per cent growth in energy consumption.

The meeting, convened to find a solution to the power and fertiliser crises and Hogenakkal remained inconclusive (as usual). It is understandable given the fact that there can be no solution to it. As far as power is concerned, presently the government has to buy it by paying cash down. But it has no money, given its profligate spending; nor will it have money in future (vide, ‘Karnataka budget: Core sector ignored’ and ‘Karnataka Budge today’). After the meeting, chief minister BS Yeddyurappa (BSY) said he would convene another meeting with opposition leaders on the issue. He said that nothing had been decided as yet. After the second meeting, a statement would be made in the assembly.

Well, this is not the first time the state is facing power crisis. Such crises have arisen before. But the government is yet to learn from past mistakes. Reduced availability of hydel power and hampered coal supplies due to poor transportation linkages are the major reasons for this state of affairs. But failure of monsoons is not something unheard of in the Indian context. With regard to the monsoons, the government has to ‘expect the unexpected’. Since trade and industry in particular has come to depend upon generators given the dismal power supply, power outage has triggered diesel shortage too. It is time the government gave up profligate spending and wisely invested in power infrastructure. Hopefully, it will not resort to provision of colour TVs to the ‘poorest of the poor’. The latter cannot watch it when most of the time there is power outage.