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.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
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.
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.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
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.
"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.
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
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.
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.
“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.
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.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
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.
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.
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.”
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.”
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
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.
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.
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.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Zimbabwe: Econet Acquires 98 Generators
Each time there is a major power failure in an area, the company is forced to shut down the base station, effectively cutting off thousands of people from service.
The installation of more generators will go a long way in improving the quality of service."
Econet yesterday also assured its customers that measures have since been taken to restore normal supply of recharge cards to the market without delay.
Recharge cards for Econet pre-paid subscriber have been in short supply over the past few days following the increase in tariffs on July 10.
As these measures take effect, the company said customers should expect a dramatic improvement in the availability of airtime vouchers over the next few days.
"We encourage our customers to make more use of these electronic airtime purchase systems, which are more reliable and efficient than buying from street vendors," said the company.
It said the shortages had been due to a range of supplier bottlenecks, which had now been attended to.
Econet has widened subscribers' access to airtime recharge through an extensive electronic value distribution network.
These are a chain of retail outlets nationwide from which customers can easily access airtime electronically via point of sale terminals.
Meanwhile, Mr Mboweni also revealed that the company's international contractors who had suspended work during the election period had all returned, and were now busy with work to expand the network capacity from 800 000 to 1,2 million subscribers.
Mr Mboweni said due to the delays, work that had been originally set for completion by the end of August would now be completed by end of November.
The installation of more generators will go a long way in improving the quality of service."
Econet yesterday also assured its customers that measures have since been taken to restore normal supply of recharge cards to the market without delay.
Recharge cards for Econet pre-paid subscriber have been in short supply over the past few days following the increase in tariffs on July 10.
As these measures take effect, the company said customers should expect a dramatic improvement in the availability of airtime vouchers over the next few days.
"We encourage our customers to make more use of these electronic airtime purchase systems, which are more reliable and efficient than buying from street vendors," said the company.
It said the shortages had been due to a range of supplier bottlenecks, which had now been attended to.
Econet has widened subscribers' access to airtime recharge through an extensive electronic value distribution network.
These are a chain of retail outlets nationwide from which customers can easily access airtime electronically via point of sale terminals.
Meanwhile, Mr Mboweni also revealed that the company's international contractors who had suspended work during the election period had all returned, and were now busy with work to expand the network capacity from 800 000 to 1,2 million subscribers.
Mr Mboweni said due to the delays, work that had been originally set for completion by the end of August would now be completed by end of November.
Diesel is killing Nigeria —Oscar Ibru
THE vice chairman, Ibru Organisation, Oscar Ibru, has called on responsible institutions and individuals to commit their resources to better their immediate environment. Two of recent examples are: Mobil Oil that tarred and electrified former Malu Road, Apapa, Lagos a few years ago and Zenith Bank that last year rehabilitated the dilapidated Ajose Adeogun Street, Victoria Island, Lagos. Ibru has just joined them.
Those who pass through the Oshodi-Apapa expressway from Mile 2 to Wharf, since the oil tank farm of Ibru sprang up in the Ibru Port Complex know that the service lane has for sometime now become a “no go area.”
Oil tankers occupy the entire stretch of the service lane from the DTV/Capitol Oil access road end of Mile 2 to the U-turn at Coconut Bus Stop on the Tin Can Island Port complex end of the 10-lane highway, impeding traffic flow on all sides of the highway. But the worst impact is the total deterioration of the service lane on the tank farm side.
It is a matter of divine providence that a fuel laden tanker had not tipped over, spilling its deadly content on the road to cause monumental havoc.
It was to avert such a catastrophic possibility and reduce the stress that his workers and tenants go through daily when going to and returning from their offices that Ibru undertook to rehabilitate the service lane. The stretch of road is about 1,037 metres long. The tarring and clearing of the gutters, overflowing with silt and solid particles, is costing him in excess of N40 million.
His company, Ibru Organisation, brought the tank farm, reputed to be the largest private enterprise of that nature in Africa, to the area. Today, there are over 12 stakeholders of various sizes stocking oil products in the farm. They include major and small oil dealers in the country. The lure is that the complex has a standard port, built in the 70s by Oscar’s father and chairman of Ibru Organisation, Olorogun Michael C.O. Ibru. It is believed to be the first privately owned port complex in the country.
Ibru recognises that the tank farm is the hub of the fuel business of the nation and the access road to the farm should therefore be in top shape for the lumbering tankers to safely move through. “It bothers me to no end that the roads are continuously blocked,” he said in his office at the Port Complex recently. He also dismissed insinuations from some quarters that the tank farm, in which volumes of highly volatile products are stored, is a threat to the neighbourhood. In the last five years or so, more tank farms have sprung up along the same part of the road. There is one beside the Tin Can Island bus stop, along Olorogun Michael Ibru Boulevard (formerly Creek Road).
To such cries of fear, Ibru said that the Ibru Port Complex was built at the present site before Olodi-Apapa expanded to meet it. He explained that when his father acquired the area, it was all swamp. There was no habitation around, even the expressway had not been constructed.
“The Ibru Port Complex paved the way for the development of the area. Those harbouring fear of fire are simply unaware of what the stakeholders have in place. I can assure you that there will be no fire here, we have the equipment, the manpower and the wherewithal to fight any emergency and with the professionalism of our workers and those of the various stakeholders, I absolutely do not foresee any disaster whatsoever happening. Even the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) is indeed satisfied with what we have on ground to tackle emergencies,” he said.
Those who pass through the Oshodi-Apapa expressway from Mile 2 to Wharf, since the oil tank farm of Ibru sprang up in the Ibru Port Complex know that the service lane has for sometime now become a “no go area.”
Oil tankers occupy the entire stretch of the service lane from the DTV/Capitol Oil access road end of Mile 2 to the U-turn at Coconut Bus Stop on the Tin Can Island Port complex end of the 10-lane highway, impeding traffic flow on all sides of the highway. But the worst impact is the total deterioration of the service lane on the tank farm side.
It is a matter of divine providence that a fuel laden tanker had not tipped over, spilling its deadly content on the road to cause monumental havoc.
It was to avert such a catastrophic possibility and reduce the stress that his workers and tenants go through daily when going to and returning from their offices that Ibru undertook to rehabilitate the service lane. The stretch of road is about 1,037 metres long. The tarring and clearing of the gutters, overflowing with silt and solid particles, is costing him in excess of N40 million.
His company, Ibru Organisation, brought the tank farm, reputed to be the largest private enterprise of that nature in Africa, to the area. Today, there are over 12 stakeholders of various sizes stocking oil products in the farm. They include major and small oil dealers in the country. The lure is that the complex has a standard port, built in the 70s by Oscar’s father and chairman of Ibru Organisation, Olorogun Michael C.O. Ibru. It is believed to be the first privately owned port complex in the country.
Ibru recognises that the tank farm is the hub of the fuel business of the nation and the access road to the farm should therefore be in top shape for the lumbering tankers to safely move through. “It bothers me to no end that the roads are continuously blocked,” he said in his office at the Port Complex recently. He also dismissed insinuations from some quarters that the tank farm, in which volumes of highly volatile products are stored, is a threat to the neighbourhood. In the last five years or so, more tank farms have sprung up along the same part of the road. There is one beside the Tin Can Island bus stop, along Olorogun Michael Ibru Boulevard (formerly Creek Road).
To such cries of fear, Ibru said that the Ibru Port Complex was built at the present site before Olodi-Apapa expanded to meet it. He explained that when his father acquired the area, it was all swamp. There was no habitation around, even the expressway had not been constructed.
“The Ibru Port Complex paved the way for the development of the area. Those harbouring fear of fire are simply unaware of what the stakeholders have in place. I can assure you that there will be no fire here, we have the equipment, the manpower and the wherewithal to fight any emergency and with the professionalism of our workers and those of the various stakeholders, I absolutely do not foresee any disaster whatsoever happening. Even the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) is indeed satisfied with what we have on ground to tackle emergencies,” he said.
Energy crisis: MMA seeks N8bn to acquire generator
Though sources at the airport declined to disclose the capacity of the existing generator, it was, however, learnt it supplied power to both the local and international wings of the airport.
The management of the facility stated that it was ready to revisit the suspended issue of an IPP for all the 21 airports in the country.
When he was contacted by our correspondent on Thursday, the General Manager (Public Affairs) of FAAN, Mr. Akin Olukunle, said that the moves were aimed at finding a permanent solution to the perennial problem of power outage at the airports.
On July 1, a massive power outage at the MMIA occurred when the Power Holding Company of Nigeria cut off its supply.
The PHCN action occurred at the same time when the airport’s generators malfunctioned.
This affected operations, incapacitating the radar and air traffic control and forcing Lagos-bound aircraft to be diverted to Port Harcourt.
The outage also affected the airport’s cooling system, causing the collapse of the air-conditioning system at the arrival and departure halls, such that passengers and other users of the airport had to endure choking heat.
”We cannot afford to be at the mercy of the PHCN all the time,” Olukunle said, adding though that the FAAN management had held talks with the PHCN, which had restored power to FAAN.
Olukunle said, ”Irrespective of that, we are getting new generators. We are going through all the necessary process and we have the support of the Ministry of Transport and the Federal Executive Council. I can assure you that within the present quarter, we will be coming up with something concrete.”
Olukunle said he could not come up immediately with the financial implication of the new generator, but a source close to the technical unit of FAAN said a generator that would replace the present 30-year-old one that serves both the local and international airport, as well as the power requirement of all the organisations that operate within the airport, would cost about N8bn and would have to be manufactured to specification.
“It is not something we can order today and expect it to arrive the next day,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Olukunle said Aisuebeogun, had visited China about two months back, where he held talks with some firms which, he said, had indicated interest in going into partnership with FAAN on its IPP.
”We are still holding talks with them and looking for other investors because it is not just MMIA that we are talking about, but the 21 airports in the country,” Olukunle said.
FAAN‘s recent interest in an IPP is not the first time that the organisation will be making such moves. Early last year, the organisation‘s former MD, Alhaji Muhammad Yusufu, had made the same move and given the same reasons.
Then, Yusufu had noted that “it would be more cost effective for FAAN to build an IPP than to continue to run the airport on generators in the face of the rising cost of diesel.”
Yusufu had lamented that incessant power outage at the airport had destroyed some very sensitive navigational equipment, vital to safe flight operations.
The management of the facility stated that it was ready to revisit the suspended issue of an IPP for all the 21 airports in the country.
When he was contacted by our correspondent on Thursday, the General Manager (Public Affairs) of FAAN, Mr. Akin Olukunle, said that the moves were aimed at finding a permanent solution to the perennial problem of power outage at the airports.
On July 1, a massive power outage at the MMIA occurred when the Power Holding Company of Nigeria cut off its supply.
The PHCN action occurred at the same time when the airport’s generators malfunctioned.
This affected operations, incapacitating the radar and air traffic control and forcing Lagos-bound aircraft to be diverted to Port Harcourt.
The outage also affected the airport’s cooling system, causing the collapse of the air-conditioning system at the arrival and departure halls, such that passengers and other users of the airport had to endure choking heat.
”We cannot afford to be at the mercy of the PHCN all the time,” Olukunle said, adding though that the FAAN management had held talks with the PHCN, which had restored power to FAAN.
Olukunle said, ”Irrespective of that, we are getting new generators. We are going through all the necessary process and we have the support of the Ministry of Transport and the Federal Executive Council. I can assure you that within the present quarter, we will be coming up with something concrete.”
Olukunle said he could not come up immediately with the financial implication of the new generator, but a source close to the technical unit of FAAN said a generator that would replace the present 30-year-old one that serves both the local and international airport, as well as the power requirement of all the organisations that operate within the airport, would cost about N8bn and would have to be manufactured to specification.
“It is not something we can order today and expect it to arrive the next day,” the source said.
Meanwhile, Olukunle said Aisuebeogun, had visited China about two months back, where he held talks with some firms which, he said, had indicated interest in going into partnership with FAAN on its IPP.
”We are still holding talks with them and looking for other investors because it is not just MMIA that we are talking about, but the 21 airports in the country,” Olukunle said.
FAAN‘s recent interest in an IPP is not the first time that the organisation will be making such moves. Early last year, the organisation‘s former MD, Alhaji Muhammad Yusufu, had made the same move and given the same reasons.
Then, Yusufu had noted that “it would be more cost effective for FAAN to build an IPP than to continue to run the airport on generators in the face of the rising cost of diesel.”
Yusufu had lamented that incessant power outage at the airport had destroyed some very sensitive navigational equipment, vital to safe flight operations.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Diesel Generator Compressor Combines Two Products Into One, Space-Saving Unit
Service vehicles and race car trailer owners who want to conserve valuable space have to look no further than Next Generation Power. Their latest product combines a powerful generator and heavy-duty compressor into one, compact unit. The sleek Generator Compressor measures just 42" L x 26" D x 30" H and weighs only 375 lbs.
Now diesel-powered vehicles no longer need to have a separate fuel supply for gasoline compressors and generators. Able to run on the same fuel system, the two-in-one, diesel-powered Generator Compressor produces 20 cfm at 150 psi and 5 kW of electrical power. Operating at a very low 1,000 rpm for longer service life, the powder-coated, belt-driven Schulz air compressor has all CNC-machined parts.
This diesel-powered unit offers a longer life, lower maintenance and better fuel efficiency than gasoline. Tried and trued, the efficient Next Generation Power gen-set features a durable, 2-cylinder Kubota Z482 engine. Water-cooled, it runs at mid-speed, peak torque at a comfortable 2,800 rpm. A vortex combustion system creates greater energy output with less fuel consumption and cleaner burning exhaust.
Now diesel-powered vehicles no longer need to have a separate fuel supply for gasoline compressors and generators. Able to run on the same fuel system, the two-in-one, diesel-powered Generator Compressor produces 20 cfm at 150 psi and 5 kW of electrical power. Operating at a very low 1,000 rpm for longer service life, the powder-coated, belt-driven Schulz air compressor has all CNC-machined parts.
This diesel-powered unit offers a longer life, lower maintenance and better fuel efficiency than gasoline. Tried and trued, the efficient Next Generation Power gen-set features a durable, 2-cylinder Kubota Z482 engine. Water-cooled, it runs at mid-speed, peak torque at a comfortable 2,800 rpm. A vortex combustion system creates greater energy output with less fuel consumption and cleaner burning exhaust.
Diesel shortage hits Nagpur
In what is being termed as a fallout of rising crude prices, the city is facing an acute shortage of diesel.
Except a handful, all major filling stations within city limits ran out of diesel on Sunday. Customers were being directed to outlets outside city limits, but there is no guarantee one would find diesel there, said pump owners.
They said that most diesel outlets ran dry on Sunday after three or four days of low stocks, with quite a few having run out of diesel a couple of days ago.
Petroleum dealers said that with almost every car brand having a diesel version, several four-wheeler owners were finding it difficult to refill their tanks as they were turned back at almost all local pumps. With load-shedding also going up by another hour from Saturday, those running diesel generators too are finding it hard to find enough diesel to run their sets, say the dealers.
However, the exact reason for this sudden shortage is unclear. Retail outlet owners say that the oil companies have fixed a monthly quota of fuel since the last month for every petrol pump.
"This is the reason supplies have shrivelled substantially," they said. The quota has been fixed according to the monthly average of diesel sold at the particular pump in the last one year, said dealers.
Except a handful, all major filling stations within city limits ran out of diesel on Sunday. Customers were being directed to outlets outside city limits, but there is no guarantee one would find diesel there, said pump owners.
They said that most diesel outlets ran dry on Sunday after three or four days of low stocks, with quite a few having run out of diesel a couple of days ago.
Petroleum dealers said that with almost every car brand having a diesel version, several four-wheeler owners were finding it difficult to refill their tanks as they were turned back at almost all local pumps. With load-shedding also going up by another hour from Saturday, those running diesel generators too are finding it hard to find enough diesel to run their sets, say the dealers.
However, the exact reason for this sudden shortage is unclear. Retail outlet owners say that the oil companies have fixed a monthly quota of fuel since the last month for every petrol pump.
"This is the reason supplies have shrivelled substantially," they said. The quota has been fixed according to the monthly average of diesel sold at the particular pump in the last one year, said dealers.
Letter: Nuclear power for Cayman
At the moment, Cayman, other islands, and remote areas that are dependent on diesel generation are being strangled by the rising cost of oil. All the signs point to a continuing and deepening world supply-demand crunch.
We all need a viable alternative to burning oil for power generation.
Finally, after many years of sitting on modular nuclear reactor designs for years, the world is starting to move toward building and marketing some of them.
A company called Hyperion Power Generation was formed recently at the Los Alamos nuclear laboratory. It is already funded and expects to start delivery of units beginning in 2012.
The units are about the size of a large bathtub and can generate 70 megawatts (thermal) or 25 megawatts (electrical) for 7 to 10 years, and cost $25 to $30 million. They are self regulated, are clean burning, have no moving parts, and the amount of waste after 7 years of operation can fit in a softball.
The self-regulation is provided by the laws of physics operating in the core, not by control rods or any other kind of neutron absorber. And, rest assured, the laws of physics never change.
The company is taking orders now, for delivery in 2013. With our electrical load now nearing 100 megawatts, two or three of these units could supply CUC’s base load.
CUC’s existing diesel generators would only have to run to supply the peak load.
Twenty five megawatts for 7 years is 1,533 million kilowatt-hours. A gallon of oil contains 45 kilowatt-hours (thermal) or about 16 kilowatt-hours when burned in a 35% efficient diesel generator.
If $30 million can buy 1,533 million kilowatt-hours, the cost is 1.9 cents per kilowatt-hour, and this is worst case. If the best case is assumed, the cost drops to about 1 cent per kilowatt-hour.
Of course, these costs do not include the capital cost of the steam generator and turbine-generator. But once installed, the cost of these is only to service the debt and some very small cost per kilowatt-hour for maintenance.
Given these numbers and the projections for oil prices, it is not too soon for CUC to negotiate a place in line for some of these units.
We all need a viable alternative to burning oil for power generation.
Finally, after many years of sitting on modular nuclear reactor designs for years, the world is starting to move toward building and marketing some of them.
A company called Hyperion Power Generation was formed recently at the Los Alamos nuclear laboratory. It is already funded and expects to start delivery of units beginning in 2012.
The units are about the size of a large bathtub and can generate 70 megawatts (thermal) or 25 megawatts (electrical) for 7 to 10 years, and cost $25 to $30 million. They are self regulated, are clean burning, have no moving parts, and the amount of waste after 7 years of operation can fit in a softball.
The self-regulation is provided by the laws of physics operating in the core, not by control rods or any other kind of neutron absorber. And, rest assured, the laws of physics never change.
The company is taking orders now, for delivery in 2013. With our electrical load now nearing 100 megawatts, two or three of these units could supply CUC’s base load.
CUC’s existing diesel generators would only have to run to supply the peak load.
Twenty five megawatts for 7 years is 1,533 million kilowatt-hours. A gallon of oil contains 45 kilowatt-hours (thermal) or about 16 kilowatt-hours when burned in a 35% efficient diesel generator.
If $30 million can buy 1,533 million kilowatt-hours, the cost is 1.9 cents per kilowatt-hour, and this is worst case. If the best case is assumed, the cost drops to about 1 cent per kilowatt-hour.
Of course, these costs do not include the capital cost of the steam generator and turbine-generator. But once installed, the cost of these is only to service the debt and some very small cost per kilowatt-hour for maintenance.
Given these numbers and the projections for oil prices, it is not too soon for CUC to negotiate a place in line for some of these units.
Balloon festival to go on despite rising fuel costs
Despite rising fuel prices, the show will go on next month at the Metro NY Balloon & Music Festival at Broohaven Calabro Airport in Shirley.
Newton Shows, an East Northport company, will provide the amusement rides, all of which are powered by diesel fuel. A year ago, Mike Newton, who co-owns the company, said he paid close to $3 a gallon for diesel. This year, local prices have climbed to more than $5 a gallon.
"It did throw us off, but the show must go," Newton said. "You almost can't even look at it. You hope that you have a good season and that revenues keep up with expenses."
Last year more than 120,000 people attended the show, which this year runs Aug. 8-10. Besides amusement rides, the festival - which real estate company Re/Max of New York Inc. is producing - features hot air balloons, monster-truck shows and live entertainment.
Newton Shows provides the amusements for the midway, which will feature more than 30 rides and games. Three generators will provide the juice for that entertainment, which includes Pharaoh's Fury, a giant swinging boat, and Super Shot Drop Tower, a ride with a 90-foot descent, Newton said. Each generator uses about 18 to 22 gallons of diesel an hour.
Because of the spike in fuel prices, Newton raised the pay-one-price ticket to $30, from $25 last year. (The festival's general admission price remains at $20 prepurchase and $25 at the gate.)
Newton said he may try to conserve fuel by not running all of the carnival lights during the day. Other than that he is hoping a bigger turnout will help offset his higher fuel bills.
"You just try to work with a great sponsor like the Balloon Fest and our other sponsors to draw people to keep revenues healthy enough to overcome the additional expense," he said.
And he is expecting a higher turnout because of - guess what? - higher fuel prices.
"We're expecting more people because they can stay close to home and enjoy a fully loaded, family friendly and affordable event," Newton said.
Newton Shows, an East Northport company, will provide the amusement rides, all of which are powered by diesel fuel. A year ago, Mike Newton, who co-owns the company, said he paid close to $3 a gallon for diesel. This year, local prices have climbed to more than $5 a gallon.
"It did throw us off, but the show must go," Newton said. "You almost can't even look at it. You hope that you have a good season and that revenues keep up with expenses."
Last year more than 120,000 people attended the show, which this year runs Aug. 8-10. Besides amusement rides, the festival - which real estate company Re/Max of New York Inc. is producing - features hot air balloons, monster-truck shows and live entertainment.
Newton Shows provides the amusements for the midway, which will feature more than 30 rides and games. Three generators will provide the juice for that entertainment, which includes Pharaoh's Fury, a giant swinging boat, and Super Shot Drop Tower, a ride with a 90-foot descent, Newton said. Each generator uses about 18 to 22 gallons of diesel an hour.
Because of the spike in fuel prices, Newton raised the pay-one-price ticket to $30, from $25 last year. (The festival's general admission price remains at $20 prepurchase and $25 at the gate.)
Newton said he may try to conserve fuel by not running all of the carnival lights during the day. Other than that he is hoping a bigger turnout will help offset his higher fuel bills.
"You just try to work with a great sponsor like the Balloon Fest and our other sponsors to draw people to keep revenues healthy enough to overcome the additional expense," he said.
And he is expecting a higher turnout because of - guess what? - higher fuel prices.
"We're expecting more people because they can stay close to home and enjoy a fully loaded, family friendly and affordable event," Newton said.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Diesel Generators Explained
A diesel generator is composed of a diesel engine and an alternator or an electrical generator, which converts the power created by the engine (expressed in RPM, revolutions per minute) into the required voltage for homes, industry and remote work sites. The need for power for homes and sites, which are not connected, to a power grid is a growing need throughout the world. Remote areas of Central and South America are no longer too poor to afford electrical power but not at the stage to built vast hydroelectric projects or large power grids.
They can afford to build local village electrical power plants, which can meet the modern needs of the people until the modern power grid can reach out to them. There are places in the United States that are developing ahead of the ability of the local power company to expand; other places throughout the world are at the edge of civilization. All of these require power for business, commerce, medical treatment facilities and communication. The price of the modern diesel generator, the new technology incorporated into these units and their availability throughout the world make them an immediate solution.
Homes and ranches, villages and towns and remote sites should create a power needs list that includes every appliance in the home, business, school and public facility in order to determine the wattage needed. After this the home or ranch owner, city engineer or site foreman can select the proper sized diesel generator. Every diesel generator is rated at how many kilowatts of power it produces. If the home or ranch requires 22 kW to 25 kW then the sized generator should be at least a 30kW. A brigade sized army unit twenty years ago used a diesel generator(s) rated at 90 kW but its’ needs were lighting and mess hall refrigeration. Today it could be quite a bit more considering the new technology.
When you decide to provide power through diesel generators then you should consider whether you need a backup. The power of the generator is rated at 50% engine speed. The 30 kW diesel generator actually operates safely at 25 kW at 1800 rpm for prolonged periods of time. It would be safer if the home or ranch had two generators scheduled to operate in an alternating schedule of 12 hours each. This would ensure that the proper maintenance and care could be given the generators while providing continuous power. Other considerations in selecting a power generator involve selecting one that is a four-cycle, water-cooled industrial diesel generator.
A water-cooled generator operates more quietly than an air-cooled and it lasts longer. There are two electrical systems involved with a diesel generator, the DC (direct current) and the AC (alternating current) systems. The recommended DC system should have a starter motor with a battery-charging alternator with a solid-state voltage regulator. It should have an engine pre-heat electric switch and start/stop switch.
It should have an emergency engine shutdown system to protect the engine in case of oil pressure loss, excessive generator speed, over cranking and engine high water temperature. Finally, it should have DC electric system breakers. Make sure that the AC system is a four-pole revolving field and is has an AVR (automatic voltage regulator). These generators will provide power that is within -+2% as compared to utility company variation, which is -+5%.
They can afford to build local village electrical power plants, which can meet the modern needs of the people until the modern power grid can reach out to them. There are places in the United States that are developing ahead of the ability of the local power company to expand; other places throughout the world are at the edge of civilization. All of these require power for business, commerce, medical treatment facilities and communication. The price of the modern diesel generator, the new technology incorporated into these units and their availability throughout the world make them an immediate solution.
Homes and ranches, villages and towns and remote sites should create a power needs list that includes every appliance in the home, business, school and public facility in order to determine the wattage needed. After this the home or ranch owner, city engineer or site foreman can select the proper sized diesel generator. Every diesel generator is rated at how many kilowatts of power it produces. If the home or ranch requires 22 kW to 25 kW then the sized generator should be at least a 30kW. A brigade sized army unit twenty years ago used a diesel generator(s) rated at 90 kW but its’ needs were lighting and mess hall refrigeration. Today it could be quite a bit more considering the new technology.
When you decide to provide power through diesel generators then you should consider whether you need a backup. The power of the generator is rated at 50% engine speed. The 30 kW diesel generator actually operates safely at 25 kW at 1800 rpm for prolonged periods of time. It would be safer if the home or ranch had two generators scheduled to operate in an alternating schedule of 12 hours each. This would ensure that the proper maintenance and care could be given the generators while providing continuous power. Other considerations in selecting a power generator involve selecting one that is a four-cycle, water-cooled industrial diesel generator.
A water-cooled generator operates more quietly than an air-cooled and it lasts longer. There are two electrical systems involved with a diesel generator, the DC (direct current) and the AC (alternating current) systems. The recommended DC system should have a starter motor with a battery-charging alternator with a solid-state voltage regulator. It should have an engine pre-heat electric switch and start/stop switch.
It should have an emergency engine shutdown system to protect the engine in case of oil pressure loss, excessive generator speed, over cranking and engine high water temperature. Finally, it should have DC electric system breakers. Make sure that the AC system is a four-pole revolving field and is has an AVR (automatic voltage regulator). These generators will provide power that is within -+2% as compared to utility company variation, which is -+5%.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Lagoon 420 – Diesel Electric Sailing Vacations
Interested in finding out what the future in yachting will be like? The best way to get a close and personal introduction into diesel electric yachting is through chartering one of these “Green” yachts. The Tortola Catamaran Center will be able to give you this opportunity through their acquisition of a Lagoon 420, called “Dignity”. This kind of propulsion system makes minimal noise, and does not create smoke.
The Lagoon 420 is the perfect example of what happens when luxury and technology work together. Space and comfort were not limited in the design of this boat. The large master cabin is in the port hull. The other cabins provide substantial room for crewmembers. This catamaran is not run short of storage area. Privacy can be easily attained since all cabins can be closed off from the salon.
Experience all of Lagoon’s innovations on an environmentally sound vessel. “Dignity’s” electric propulsion system consists of two standard electric motors connected to propellers by straight shaft transmissions, one generator and two set of 6 batteries.
Even while this vessel is running on the electric system crew members can rest assure that they are not creating any pollution? This system is so advanced that the batteries actually charge while the vessel is sailing. Regeneration occurs on the downside of waves. The generator provides electricity for the motors, the batteries and the daily boat needs (air conditioning, power sockets, washing machine, etc.). This arrangement creates energy savings for you. Experience what it’s like to enjoy sailing the ocean in a 21st century electric catamaran. The fact that you are sailing in a non-polluting vessel will mean enjoying Mother Nature without damaging it.
When batteries are 100 % charged, the boat will be able to function with both motors for approximately two hours (depending on speed). When batteries are 80 % charged, the generator will automatically start and charge the batteries in order to provide electricity for the motors.
Be one of the first to participate in the future of sailing.
The Lagoon 420 is the perfect example of what happens when luxury and technology work together. Space and comfort were not limited in the design of this boat. The large master cabin is in the port hull. The other cabins provide substantial room for crewmembers. This catamaran is not run short of storage area. Privacy can be easily attained since all cabins can be closed off from the salon.
Experience all of Lagoon’s innovations on an environmentally sound vessel. “Dignity’s” electric propulsion system consists of two standard electric motors connected to propellers by straight shaft transmissions, one generator and two set of 6 batteries.
Even while this vessel is running on the electric system crew members can rest assure that they are not creating any pollution? This system is so advanced that the batteries actually charge while the vessel is sailing. Regeneration occurs on the downside of waves. The generator provides electricity for the motors, the batteries and the daily boat needs (air conditioning, power sockets, washing machine, etc.). This arrangement creates energy savings for you. Experience what it’s like to enjoy sailing the ocean in a 21st century electric catamaran. The fact that you are sailing in a non-polluting vessel will mean enjoying Mother Nature without damaging it.
When batteries are 100 % charged, the boat will be able to function with both motors for approximately two hours (depending on speed). When batteries are 80 % charged, the generator will automatically start and charge the batteries in order to provide electricity for the motors.
Be one of the first to participate in the future of sailing.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Why Small Diesel Generators Top The Emergency Power Generation Class!
Small diesel generators have become an essential household item for many families throughout the United States. In areas prone to hurricane, tornadoes and severe winters, small diesel generators provide life saving aid. One only has to live through a power outage lasting several days in below freezing conditions to realize how difficult life would have been without one of these superb little machines.
Small diesel generators have always had wide acceptance within industrial, rural or building applications. However, with the advance in diesel technology and the small engine over the past few years, diesel is fast becoming the preferred option for household generator owners. These small compact units are not only safer to operate, but they are now much quieter and last much longer than their petrol counterparts.
The reality of small diesel generators being incredibly noisy and smelly is now fast disappearing. One only has to look at sales figures of these engines to the domestic market over the past couple of years to realise how quickly this has happened. More and more home stand-by generators are now diesel powered.
Suburbia, particularly in those areas that are prone to power outages through one reason or other has become inundated with diesel generators of latter years. This has historically been the domain of the small petrol generator which was relatively lightweight and easy for the home handyman to operate. In the wrong hands though, the toxic emissions from these types of generator have proven to be deadly. Safety for many people is reason enough to change to the small diesel generators. The exhaust fumes are not nearly as toxic as those that are emitted from gasoline engines. The fact that they require less maintenance is also another main reason for the change. No ignition system, carburettor or spark plugs means that there is far less that can go wrong.
In a stand-by situation the small diesel generator shows why it is so good. It is built to work for hours on end, in fact the harder it has to work the better it likes it. Gasoline generators on the other hand are more than likely going to self-destruct if put to the same kinds of tasks as the diesel generators. They are designed for intermittent use and when working under load they are also usually very noisy. Homes today are also not the simple affair that they used to be. Now fitted with modern electronic devices, they require a back-up power system that provides high quality stable power. Small diesel generators provide this quality that protects this sensitive equipment from damaging power surges.
The only real downside with the small diesel generators is their initial cost. This cost though much greater will soon be offset by the lower maintenance costs, and the long problem free life that you can expect. Ten to fifteen years is not an unreasonable life expectancy of a small diesel generator providing regular maintenance requirements are carried out.
Small diesel generators have always had wide acceptance within industrial, rural or building applications. However, with the advance in diesel technology and the small engine over the past few years, diesel is fast becoming the preferred option for household generator owners. These small compact units are not only safer to operate, but they are now much quieter and last much longer than their petrol counterparts.
The reality of small diesel generators being incredibly noisy and smelly is now fast disappearing. One only has to look at sales figures of these engines to the domestic market over the past couple of years to realise how quickly this has happened. More and more home stand-by generators are now diesel powered.
Suburbia, particularly in those areas that are prone to power outages through one reason or other has become inundated with diesel generators of latter years. This has historically been the domain of the small petrol generator which was relatively lightweight and easy for the home handyman to operate. In the wrong hands though, the toxic emissions from these types of generator have proven to be deadly. Safety for many people is reason enough to change to the small diesel generators. The exhaust fumes are not nearly as toxic as those that are emitted from gasoline engines. The fact that they require less maintenance is also another main reason for the change. No ignition system, carburettor or spark plugs means that there is far less that can go wrong.
In a stand-by situation the small diesel generator shows why it is so good. It is built to work for hours on end, in fact the harder it has to work the better it likes it. Gasoline generators on the other hand are more than likely going to self-destruct if put to the same kinds of tasks as the diesel generators. They are designed for intermittent use and when working under load they are also usually very noisy. Homes today are also not the simple affair that they used to be. Now fitted with modern electronic devices, they require a back-up power system that provides high quality stable power. Small diesel generators provide this quality that protects this sensitive equipment from damaging power surges.
The only real downside with the small diesel generators is their initial cost. This cost though much greater will soon be offset by the lower maintenance costs, and the long problem free life that you can expect. Ten to fifteen years is not an unreasonable life expectancy of a small diesel generator providing regular maintenance requirements are carried out.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Benefits Of A Generator Sitemap
Generator sitemap programs can be downloaded from various sources on the Internet. Generator sitemap programs have two fundamental purposes. Generator sitemap programs help surfers navigate a site effectively. At the same time, a generator sitemap program encourages search engine spiders. Google offers one of the most popular generator sitemap programs ever to hit the Internet.
The generator sitemap of google makes it possible for a website to get listed and get updated by the google search engine. Setting up the generator sitemap helps speed up the addition of the web pages of a site to the google listing. The generator sitemap also makes it easier for a site to get noticed by online surfers. In addition, any changes made to a website that has a generator sitemap is immediately picked up by google. The generator sitemap also helps keep online information fresh and up-to-date for users.
Visibility is key to generator sitemap
Visibility is a major concern when using a generator sitemap. A website that is completely indexed has better chances of getting top search engine placement in page results. Many of the popular browsers used by searchers and that support java recognize generator sitemap programs. These include firefox and Internet explorer.
An online consumer that searches for a specific content on the web can immediately be directed to any one of the web pages of a particular site. The generator sitemap makes it easier for a search engine to provide accurate results from web pages they are familiar with.
Who can benefit from a generator sitemap?
A generator sitemap is highly recommended for websites that often do repeated modification of their web pages. A generator sitemap can be used for websites of any size, regardless of the number of web pages a site may contain.
Although using a generator sitemap is not a guarantee of increased site rankings, it does however provide a website a better opportunity of getting listed on a search engine.
Working with a generator sitemap
Most of the available generator sitemap programs available on the web make use of extensible markup language or XML. Similar to hypertext markup language or HTML, XML is used widely in blogs and syndicated feeds on the Internet. Each line of a XML code for a generator sitemap has a specific purpose.
The location or .loc identifies the name of the web page of a website. The line .lastmod indicates when the web page was last modified. The format for .lastmod can either be dd.mm.yyyy, dd.mm.yyyy hh:mm, dd/mm/yyyy or dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm. Shortcuts can also be used to simply the assignment of dates to the cell.
.changefreq advises the search engine of a specific time frame when the web page is regularly updated. This can either be done on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis. For web pages that are not updated, the value 'never' is used. .priority indicates the level of priority that a search engine should give a particular web page of a website. These levels range from 0.0 for least priority to 1.0 for high priority.
Creating a dynamic generator sitemap
Creating a dynamic generator sitemap is useful for websites containing various web pages. The google search engine makes it easy for users to adapt their google sitemap with the help of a python script.
The python script generates a sitemap using sitemap protocol. This creates a sitemap from either access logs, URL lists or from web server directories.
Tips for using a generator sitemap from google
As one of more popular search engines offering a generator sitemap for websites on the Internet, google offers a few tips for its loyal users. Using the google sitemap url encoder/decoder is helpful for submitting sitemaps to google. For websites that have numerous web pages, creating a sitemap can be a tremendous task. For this situation it is best to click on the column title in order to make it easier for a URL list to get sorted.
The google generator sitemap allows users to save their settings after creating a sitemap. Users can use these saved settings as a guideline for succeeding generator sitemap updates. The generator sitemap also recognizes the use of robots.txt files.
The generator sitemap of google makes it possible for a website to get listed and get updated by the google search engine. Setting up the generator sitemap helps speed up the addition of the web pages of a site to the google listing. The generator sitemap also makes it easier for a site to get noticed by online surfers. In addition, any changes made to a website that has a generator sitemap is immediately picked up by google. The generator sitemap also helps keep online information fresh and up-to-date for users.
Visibility is key to generator sitemap
Visibility is a major concern when using a generator sitemap. A website that is completely indexed has better chances of getting top search engine placement in page results. Many of the popular browsers used by searchers and that support java recognize generator sitemap programs. These include firefox and Internet explorer.
An online consumer that searches for a specific content on the web can immediately be directed to any one of the web pages of a particular site. The generator sitemap makes it easier for a search engine to provide accurate results from web pages they are familiar with.
Who can benefit from a generator sitemap?
A generator sitemap is highly recommended for websites that often do repeated modification of their web pages. A generator sitemap can be used for websites of any size, regardless of the number of web pages a site may contain.
Although using a generator sitemap is not a guarantee of increased site rankings, it does however provide a website a better opportunity of getting listed on a search engine.
Working with a generator sitemap
Most of the available generator sitemap programs available on the web make use of extensible markup language or XML. Similar to hypertext markup language or HTML, XML is used widely in blogs and syndicated feeds on the Internet. Each line of a XML code for a generator sitemap has a specific purpose.
The location or .loc identifies the name of the web page of a website. The line .lastmod indicates when the web page was last modified. The format for .lastmod can either be dd.mm.yyyy, dd.mm.yyyy hh:mm, dd/mm/yyyy or dd/mm/yyyy hh:mm. Shortcuts can also be used to simply the assignment of dates to the cell.
.changefreq advises the search engine of a specific time frame when the web page is regularly updated. This can either be done on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis. For web pages that are not updated, the value 'never' is used. .priority indicates the level of priority that a search engine should give a particular web page of a website. These levels range from 0.0 for least priority to 1.0 for high priority.
Creating a dynamic generator sitemap
Creating a dynamic generator sitemap is useful for websites containing various web pages. The google search engine makes it easy for users to adapt their google sitemap with the help of a python script.
The python script generates a sitemap using sitemap protocol. This creates a sitemap from either access logs, URL lists or from web server directories.
Tips for using a generator sitemap from google
As one of more popular search engines offering a generator sitemap for websites on the Internet, google offers a few tips for its loyal users. Using the google sitemap url encoder/decoder is helpful for submitting sitemaps to google. For websites that have numerous web pages, creating a sitemap can be a tremendous task. For this situation it is best to click on the column title in order to make it easier for a URL list to get sorted.
The google generator sitemap allows users to save their settings after creating a sitemap. Users can use these saved settings as a guideline for succeeding generator sitemap updates. The generator sitemap also recognizes the use of robots.txt files.
5 Buying Tips You Need to Know Before Buying a Key Word Generator
What is Key Word Generator?
Basically, it's a software to help you generate as many as useful, low competition and money making key words for you Adwords, SEO or Adsense projects, etc.
There are tons of this kind of software, which one is good, which one is bade. It's so confused to find out.
How to choose a best Key Word Generator for yourself?
1. Generate relevant key words
If the software can give you 1 million key words right away but they are not related to your product, it's totally useless to you. You want super relevant keywords, right ?
2. Generate a lot of key words
Once criteria 1 has been met, you should target on software that give you a big list of relevant keywords. More keywords should lead to more traffic and sales !
3. Help you analyze the key words
The key word generator should be ready to help you to analyze and pick out what keywords are getting more traffic while with low competition no matter it's for Adwords or SEO.
4. Teach you how to succeed
The software provider/owner should provide you a series of training materials to help you cut the learning curve and achieve success as soon as possible. No one would like to waste months to figure how to use a key word generator.
5. Upgrade itself continuously
Search engine gets updated several times a year on their algorithms, ranking methodology, or so. If a key word generator doesn't catch up with the changes, it will be garbage in 3 months. Make sure the owner supports life-time grade.
Conclusion
It's not impossible to find the best key word generator you need. But you only need to filter through the choices rationally and pick the best one you need.
Basically, it's a software to help you generate as many as useful, low competition and money making key words for you Adwords, SEO or Adsense projects, etc.
There are tons of this kind of software, which one is good, which one is bade. It's so confused to find out.
How to choose a best Key Word Generator for yourself?
1. Generate relevant key words
If the software can give you 1 million key words right away but they are not related to your product, it's totally useless to you. You want super relevant keywords, right ?
2. Generate a lot of key words
Once criteria 1 has been met, you should target on software that give you a big list of relevant keywords. More keywords should lead to more traffic and sales !
3. Help you analyze the key words
The key word generator should be ready to help you to analyze and pick out what keywords are getting more traffic while with low competition no matter it's for Adwords or SEO.
4. Teach you how to succeed
The software provider/owner should provide you a series of training materials to help you cut the learning curve and achieve success as soon as possible. No one would like to waste months to figure how to use a key word generator.
5. Upgrade itself continuously
Search engine gets updated several times a year on their algorithms, ranking methodology, or so. If a key word generator doesn't catch up with the changes, it will be garbage in 3 months. Make sure the owner supports life-time grade.
Conclusion
It's not impossible to find the best key word generator you need. But you only need to filter through the choices rationally and pick the best one you need.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Homebuilt Wind Generator Power
One hot summer afternoon, someone decided to test their craftsmen ship and take it upon themselves to make a homemade wind generator. It surprisingly took under $100 to make this wind generator. Although it does not work quite as well as a commercial bought generator and it would not hurt the design to have a few improvements.
If time is not a problem and you have a really flexible schedule then this could be something for you to try as well. However if you do not have a lot of time and have some expendable money then you can go buy a commercial generator prices vary and will save you a lot of time. However if you want to save yourself a couple of hundred dollars then try this out.
The propeller chosen for use on this machine has a 3 bladed design. It was made out of spruce 1" X 4" boards that were knot free. If you use a propeller that is not too heavy then this helps the machine start up faster and can help preserve the bearings on the generator. As for the alternator, the one chosen was a 2 horse power induction motor that he took off a Taiwanese milling machine. He used a four pole motor therefore it needed 4 alternating poles in the alternator. The most important part and also sometimes the must neglected is the tower. A high tower is needed and he used a pine tree for this which is supported by 4 guy wires which are 1/8" diameter aircraft cable with turn buckles on the ground that are used for adjustment.
If you choose to build your own home generator you get the reward of satisfaction and also get to save some money. It is always good for people to provide results of their own personal experiences of building their own machines. It will help give other people ideas on how to build their own wind generator at home.
If time is not a problem and you have a really flexible schedule then this could be something for you to try as well. However if you do not have a lot of time and have some expendable money then you can go buy a commercial generator prices vary and will save you a lot of time. However if you want to save yourself a couple of hundred dollars then try this out.
The propeller chosen for use on this machine has a 3 bladed design. It was made out of spruce 1" X 4" boards that were knot free. If you use a propeller that is not too heavy then this helps the machine start up faster and can help preserve the bearings on the generator. As for the alternator, the one chosen was a 2 horse power induction motor that he took off a Taiwanese milling machine. He used a four pole motor therefore it needed 4 alternating poles in the alternator. The most important part and also sometimes the must neglected is the tower. A high tower is needed and he used a pine tree for this which is supported by 4 guy wires which are 1/8" diameter aircraft cable with turn buckles on the ground that are used for adjustment.
If you choose to build your own home generator you get the reward of satisfaction and also get to save some money. It is always good for people to provide results of their own personal experiences of building their own machines. It will help give other people ideas on how to build their own wind generator at home.
Diesel or Petrol? Take Your Decision!
Have you ever played snakes and ladder?
Two opponents playing at a similar pace and suddenly one falls due to snake bite. Similarly petrol and diesel are actively having a cut throat competition between them. They play on similar grounds but as we say the demand curve keeps changing. They never know when they will climb the ladder of success at one step and be thrashed by venom on the other step.
Tata Indica Diesel and Tata Indigo Diesel are good example of diesel cars. The debate on choosing between diesel and petrol is never ending. There are few factors to be considered to make the choice easier.
Before accelerating the discussion further, let’s break a little to check out the speed breakers.
• Speed: Now if we compare petrol cars and diesel cars, the speed of petrol cars is much better. They are fast speed cars.
• Fuel consumption: Diesel cars have better fuel consumption ability which gives a good pulling power to the car. And of course there is less gear changing in this case.
• Mileage: In case of high mileage driving Diesel cars are easier to sell than a petrol car.
• Carbon dioxide: The emission of carbon dioxide is very unhealthy for our environment. It leads to global warming. The fuel consumed by diesel cars is 30 to 40% less than petrol cars, so diesel cars produce less carbon dioxide.
• Hydrocarbons: It contains very harmful chemical called benzene. It is produced more by petrol engines then diesel engines.
• Particulates: Diesel engines emit more PM10 particles that are particles which have a diameter up to 10 microns. These are invisible particles which penetrate into human lungs and cause a lot of health issues.
• Cost: As far as cost goes, a petrol motor has an advantage even before you drive out the showroom doors. The diesel option - particularly a turbo-diesel - can add thousands of rupees to the already high price of a four-wheel-drive.
• Running costs: A comparison of the running costs for petrol and diesel engines will often find the petrol models are cheaper - aside from fuel. Diesel models will normally require more frequent engine oil and filter changes.
• Cost of fuel: A petrol vehicle is a very thirst vehicle. The diesel vehicle wins the race where fuel economy is in stake. A diesel engine will use mere fraction of the fuel as compared to a petrol engine doing the same job.
• Carbon monoxide: It is a deadly poison and kills without even letting us know. A diesel engine wins in this situation as it does not produce carbon monoxide. Though catalytic converters are trying to solve the problem of carbon monoxide in case of petrol engines.
• Refinement: Diesel engines have always been very noisy in comparison to petrol engines. Though the new models of diesel are no doubt a better version but still there is a lot of scope to improve.
• Smooth drive: A petrol engines acceleration response is more desirable. Diesels particularly naturally aspirated ones need more input from the gear box to maintain the traffic flow.
• Performance: Some time back diesel engines gave poor performance as compared to petrol engines. But with the coming up of turbo chargers the situation has fairly improved.
Two opponents playing at a similar pace and suddenly one falls due to snake bite. Similarly petrol and diesel are actively having a cut throat competition between them. They play on similar grounds but as we say the demand curve keeps changing. They never know when they will climb the ladder of success at one step and be thrashed by venom on the other step.
Tata Indica Diesel and Tata Indigo Diesel are good example of diesel cars. The debate on choosing between diesel and petrol is never ending. There are few factors to be considered to make the choice easier.
Before accelerating the discussion further, let’s break a little to check out the speed breakers.
• Speed: Now if we compare petrol cars and diesel cars, the speed of petrol cars is much better. They are fast speed cars.
• Fuel consumption: Diesel cars have better fuel consumption ability which gives a good pulling power to the car. And of course there is less gear changing in this case.
• Mileage: In case of high mileage driving Diesel cars are easier to sell than a petrol car.
• Carbon dioxide: The emission of carbon dioxide is very unhealthy for our environment. It leads to global warming. The fuel consumed by diesel cars is 30 to 40% less than petrol cars, so diesel cars produce less carbon dioxide.
• Hydrocarbons: It contains very harmful chemical called benzene. It is produced more by petrol engines then diesel engines.
• Particulates: Diesel engines emit more PM10 particles that are particles which have a diameter up to 10 microns. These are invisible particles which penetrate into human lungs and cause a lot of health issues.
• Cost: As far as cost goes, a petrol motor has an advantage even before you drive out the showroom doors. The diesel option - particularly a turbo-diesel - can add thousands of rupees to the already high price of a four-wheel-drive.
• Running costs: A comparison of the running costs for petrol and diesel engines will often find the petrol models are cheaper - aside from fuel. Diesel models will normally require more frequent engine oil and filter changes.
• Cost of fuel: A petrol vehicle is a very thirst vehicle. The diesel vehicle wins the race where fuel economy is in stake. A diesel engine will use mere fraction of the fuel as compared to a petrol engine doing the same job.
• Carbon monoxide: It is a deadly poison and kills without even letting us know. A diesel engine wins in this situation as it does not produce carbon monoxide. Though catalytic converters are trying to solve the problem of carbon monoxide in case of petrol engines.
• Refinement: Diesel engines have always been very noisy in comparison to petrol engines. Though the new models of diesel are no doubt a better version but still there is a lot of scope to improve.
• Smooth drive: A petrol engines acceleration response is more desirable. Diesels particularly naturally aspirated ones need more input from the gear box to maintain the traffic flow.
• Performance: Some time back diesel engines gave poor performance as compared to petrol engines. But with the coming up of turbo chargers the situation has fairly improved.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Bio Diesel Fuel - An Energy Source Now and for the Future
Bio Diesel fuel is a diesel equivalent, processed fuel derived from biological sources, such as vegetable oils, which can be used in unmodified diesel engine vehicles. It can also be used as a heating fuel in domestic and commercial boilers. There are a number of naturally occurring and renewable resources it can be refined from including algae, vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled restaurant greases. It can also be processed where ever the raw materials to make it exist.
Bio diesel fuel is nearly completely free of sulfur and aromatics and is a naturally oxygenated fuel because it is composed of almost 10 percent oxygen. Because of this biodiesel provides a significant reduction in particulate and carbon monoxide emissions then petroleum based diesel fuel.
It is also safe to handle and transport because it is has the biodegradability of table sugar, is 10 tens less toxic then plain salt, and has a high flashpoint, the temperature at which it catches fire, of 300 degrees Fahrenheit as compared to regular diesel fuel which flashes ate 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Bio diesel can also be blended with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend as well as its ability to be used in almost any diesel engine without any modifications.
Many gas stations are beginning to make biodiesel available to consumers and a growing number of transport fleets are using it as an additive to their fuel. It is important that fuel grade bio diesel be refined to tight industry specifications in order to ensure proper performance. One of the benefits of this fuel is it lower engine wear. In fact some vehicle manufacturers are beginning to make engines specifically for bio diesel for this reason.
Because it is a better solvent then regular diesel it tends to clean the engine when first used and removes deposits from the fuel lines which can clog fuel injectors. After switching to biodiesel most car manufacturers recommend changing the fuel filter to help prevent this. Use of this fuel leads to lower engine emissions while improving engine lubrication. Many government fleets on the federal and state level as well as utility fleets are now required to purchase 75 to 90 percent alternative fuel vehicles these days. Since biodiesel is the lowest cost alternative fuel option many of these fleets are converting to its use.
Bio diesel fuel is nearly completely free of sulfur and aromatics and is a naturally oxygenated fuel because it is composed of almost 10 percent oxygen. Because of this biodiesel provides a significant reduction in particulate and carbon monoxide emissions then petroleum based diesel fuel.
It is also safe to handle and transport because it is has the biodegradability of table sugar, is 10 tens less toxic then plain salt, and has a high flashpoint, the temperature at which it catches fire, of 300 degrees Fahrenheit as compared to regular diesel fuel which flashes ate 125 degrees Fahrenheit. Bio diesel can also be blended with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend as well as its ability to be used in almost any diesel engine without any modifications.
Many gas stations are beginning to make biodiesel available to consumers and a growing number of transport fleets are using it as an additive to their fuel. It is important that fuel grade bio diesel be refined to tight industry specifications in order to ensure proper performance. One of the benefits of this fuel is it lower engine wear. In fact some vehicle manufacturers are beginning to make engines specifically for bio diesel for this reason.
Because it is a better solvent then regular diesel it tends to clean the engine when first used and removes deposits from the fuel lines which can clog fuel injectors. After switching to biodiesel most car manufacturers recommend changing the fuel filter to help prevent this. Use of this fuel leads to lower engine emissions while improving engine lubrication. Many government fleets on the federal and state level as well as utility fleets are now required to purchase 75 to 90 percent alternative fuel vehicles these days. Since biodiesel is the lowest cost alternative fuel option many of these fleets are converting to its use.
The Best Hot Water Portable Generator Revealed
Camping is great, unless you have no portable hot water generator and you're at a primitive campsite with no shower facilities. One of the most serviceable and easily portable hot water generators to resolve this problem and keep you, your family and all your dishes and camping equipment squeaky clean is Hot Wash's 4-Gallon Model# HW2104.
This unit is terrific at generating hot water for camping showers, dish washing, or cleaning your motorcycle, boat or car outside your home.
You can plug this hot water portable generator into any standard 110-volt electric outlet, into a portable generator, or the inverter of a motor vehicle.
This handy generator has thermostatic controls with insulation that assure a high degree of efficiency and lots of great hot water. This lightweight portable (only 23 pounds) is easy as pie for one person to setup by her or himself. It can be used every day and still offers a limited six-year warranty on the tank and one-year warranty on the complete unit.
The capacity for this strong little tyke is four gallons of water. It can be mounted on your wall or your floor and it recovers 12 1/5 gallons of water each hour, at 130 degrees Fahrenheit. A relief valve is installed in this portable hot water generator, as well as NPT water connections of 1/2 inch. It has a 1500-watt capacity for heating water at a temperature range between 65 and 145 degrees.
This unit is terrific at generating hot water for camping showers, dish washing, or cleaning your motorcycle, boat or car outside your home.
You can plug this hot water portable generator into any standard 110-volt electric outlet, into a portable generator, or the inverter of a motor vehicle.
This handy generator has thermostatic controls with insulation that assure a high degree of efficiency and lots of great hot water. This lightweight portable (only 23 pounds) is easy as pie for one person to setup by her or himself. It can be used every day and still offers a limited six-year warranty on the tank and one-year warranty on the complete unit.
The capacity for this strong little tyke is four gallons of water. It can be mounted on your wall or your floor and it recovers 12 1/5 gallons of water each hour, at 130 degrees Fahrenheit. A relief valve is installed in this portable hot water generator, as well as NPT water connections of 1/2 inch. It has a 1500-watt capacity for heating water at a temperature range between 65 and 145 degrees.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Diesel Pusher or Gas Powered Motor Coach
Do you know the difference between a diesel pusher and a gas powered motor coach? If you are in the market for this top of the line Class A recreational vehicle it will be important for you not only to know what the differences between a diesel pusher and a gas powered motor coach are, but also which one would be best for you and your budget and lifestyle. Many future RV owners may think that cost is the most important factor, but you should also consider power and features as well. The diesel pusher has many qualities which may make it a more appealing and practical choice for your RV.
Don’t be put off by the price tag you see on some diesel pusher models. The top of the line models are generally more expensive than gas powered, but they are also the most luxuriously equipped. Manufacturers do this to appeal to their high-end clients. However, it is also possible to get a smaller or more basic diesel pusher for a price that is comparable to a gas-powered Class A. But remember, the most basic Class A RV is still the most spacious and luxurious recreational vehicle on the market.
A diesel pusher is more fuel efficient and powerful than a gas powered RV. The fuel tank is generally larger as well. This is important if you are planning on towing a car or boat behind your RV. You can also travel farther and up steeper mountains with less engine strain if you have a diesel engine.
Whether you choose a gas or diesel powered motor coach, you will find that they are roomy and have lots of storage space. This makes them appealing for families and people who plan to spend a lot of time on the road. They are fairly simple to drive and maneuver if you have a little practice.
Don’t be put off by the price tag you see on some diesel pusher models. The top of the line models are generally more expensive than gas powered, but they are also the most luxuriously equipped. Manufacturers do this to appeal to their high-end clients. However, it is also possible to get a smaller or more basic diesel pusher for a price that is comparable to a gas-powered Class A. But remember, the most basic Class A RV is still the most spacious and luxurious recreational vehicle on the market.
A diesel pusher is more fuel efficient and powerful than a gas powered RV. The fuel tank is generally larger as well. This is important if you are planning on towing a car or boat behind your RV. You can also travel farther and up steeper mountains with less engine strain if you have a diesel engine.
Whether you choose a gas or diesel powered motor coach, you will find that they are roomy and have lots of storage space. This makes them appealing for families and people who plan to spend a lot of time on the road. They are fairly simple to drive and maneuver if you have a little practice.
Low Jitter Pulse Generator & Digital Delay Generator
The newly released Model 565 Digital Delay Pulse Generator and 505 Pulse Generator provide 2, 4 or 8 delay and width outputs capable of synchronizing to either external or internal triggers. The Model 565 Digital Delay Pulse Generator features delay and width resolution of 500 ps. The Model 505 Pulse Generator offers delay and width resolution of 100 ns.
Channels for the Model 565 Digital Delay Pulse Generator and 505 Pulse Generator can be selectively gated, enabled or disabled with each channel delivering selectable output polarities and an independently adjustable level. These models also allow the selection of a reference to which each channel is synchronized. For example, any channel can be synchronized to an external trigger (To), internal trigger (also To) or the leading edge of any other channel (T1 thru Tn). The channels operate in modes independent of the other channels. Mode availability includes gated, enabled, burst, single shot, normal, duty cycle (divide by N).
The Model 565 digital delay generator or Model 505 pulse generator also operate in triggering modes common to all channels. A continuous mode provides pulse periods with 500 ps and 100 ns resolution, for the 565 Digital Delay Generator and 505 Pulse Generator respectively. This allows orders-of-magnitude finer control of the triggering interval than with a frequency controller. A single-shot mode produces a single pulse with each pushbutton or each external trigger. A burst mode produces a burst of pulses selectable from 1 to a million. The duty cycle mode provides M pulses on and N pulses off (divide by N, if you want). Both Models provide the ability to store several complete setups into memory for future recall. The Model 565 digital delay generator supports RS232, GPIB, Ethernet and USB programming. The 505 pulse generator supports RS232 and GPIB. The 565 has 3 output selections; the 505 offers one. Standard with the Model 565 Digital Delay Generator are a fast logic output, an adjustable level up to 12 V, and an optional 35 V. The Model 505 Pulse Generator offers an adjustable level up to 20 V.
* New 500 ps resolution model
* Up to 8 fully defined-pulse channels
* Independent channel timing and pulse properties
* Gate, burst, divide by N, delayed enable
* USB, Ethernet, IEEE 488 and RS232 programming
* 2, 4 or 8 independent, digitally controlled outputs
* Incomparable value and flexibility with on-screen menus
* Model 565 Digital Delay Pulse Generator Datasheet
* Model 565 Digital Delay Pulse Generator Comparison Chart (PDF)
* Downloads
* Request a Demo
* Quick recall of up to 6 system configurations
* RS232 computer interface & GPIB
* On-screen menus and help
* Continuous, burst, single shot with external trigger or gate
* 100 ns resolution
* Burst mode and divide-by-N functions for all channels
* Selectable delay and pulse width
Channels for the Model 565 Digital Delay Pulse Generator and 505 Pulse Generator can be selectively gated, enabled or disabled with each channel delivering selectable output polarities and an independently adjustable level. These models also allow the selection of a reference to which each channel is synchronized. For example, any channel can be synchronized to an external trigger (To), internal trigger (also To) or the leading edge of any other channel (T1 thru Tn). The channels operate in modes independent of the other channels. Mode availability includes gated, enabled, burst, single shot, normal, duty cycle (divide by N).
The Model 565 digital delay generator or Model 505 pulse generator also operate in triggering modes common to all channels. A continuous mode provides pulse periods with 500 ps and 100 ns resolution, for the 565 Digital Delay Generator and 505 Pulse Generator respectively. This allows orders-of-magnitude finer control of the triggering interval than with a frequency controller. A single-shot mode produces a single pulse with each pushbutton or each external trigger. A burst mode produces a burst of pulses selectable from 1 to a million. The duty cycle mode provides M pulses on and N pulses off (divide by N, if you want). Both Models provide the ability to store several complete setups into memory for future recall. The Model 565 digital delay generator supports RS232, GPIB, Ethernet and USB programming. The 505 pulse generator supports RS232 and GPIB. The 565 has 3 output selections; the 505 offers one. Standard with the Model 565 Digital Delay Generator are a fast logic output, an adjustable level up to 12 V, and an optional 35 V. The Model 505 Pulse Generator offers an adjustable level up to 20 V.
* New 500 ps resolution model
* Up to 8 fully defined-pulse channels
* Independent channel timing and pulse properties
* Gate, burst, divide by N, delayed enable
* USB, Ethernet, IEEE 488 and RS232 programming
* 2, 4 or 8 independent, digitally controlled outputs
* Incomparable value and flexibility with on-screen menus
* Model 565 Digital Delay Pulse Generator Datasheet
* Model 565 Digital Delay Pulse Generator Comparison Chart (PDF)
* Downloads
* Request a Demo
* Quick recall of up to 6 system configurations
* RS232 computer interface & GPIB
* On-screen menus and help
* Continuous, burst, single shot with external trigger or gate
* 100 ns resolution
* Burst mode and divide-by-N functions for all channels
* Selectable delay and pulse width
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Diesel or Petrol? Take Your Decision!
Have you ever played snakes and ladder?
Two opponents playing at a similar pace and suddenly one falls due to snake bite. Similarly petrol and diesel are actively having a cut throat competition between them. They play on similar grounds but as we say the demand curve keeps changing. They never know when they will climb the ladder of success at one step and be thrashed by venom on the other step.
Tata Indica Diesel and Tata Indigo Diesel are good example of diesel cars. The debate on choosing between diesel and petrol is never ending. There are few factors to be considered to make the choice easier.
Before accelerating the discussion further, let’s break a little to check out the speed breakers.
• Speed: Now if we compare petrol cars and diesel cars, the speed of petrol cars is much better. They are fast speed cars.
• Fuel consumption: Diesel cars have better fuel consumption ability which gives a good pulling power to the car. And of course there is less gear changing in this case.
• Mileage: In case of high mileage driving Diesel cars are easier to sell than a petrol car.
• Carbon dioxide: The emission of carbon dioxide is very unhealthy for our environment. It leads to global warming. The fuel consumed by diesel cars is 30 to 40% less than petrol cars, so diesel cars produce less carbon dioxide.
• Hydrocarbons: It contains very harmful chemical called benzene. It is produced more by petrol engines then diesel engines.
• Particulates: Diesel engines emit more PM10 particles that are particles which have a diameter up to 10 microns. These are invisible particles which penetrate into human lungs and cause a lot of health issues.
• Cost: As far as cost goes, a petrol motor has an advantage even before you drive out the showroom doors. The diesel option - particularly a turbo-diesel - can add thousands of rupees to the already high price of a four-wheel-drive.
• Running costs: A comparison of the running costs for petrol and diesel engines will often find the petrol models are cheaper - aside from fuel. Diesel models will normally require more frequent engine oil and filter changes.
• Cost of fuel: A petrol vehicle is a very thirst vehicle. The diesel vehicle wins the race where fuel economy is in stake. A diesel engine will use mere fraction of the fuel as compared to a petrol engine doing the same job.
• Carbon monoxide: It is a deadly poison and kills without even letting us know. A diesel engine wins in this situation as it does not produce carbon monoxide. Though catalytic converters are trying to solve the problem of carbon monoxide in case of petrol engines.
• Refinement: Diesel engines have always been very noisy in comparison to petrol engines. Though the new models of diesel are no doubt a better version but still there is a lot of scope to improve.
• Smooth drive: A petrol engines acceleration response is more desirable. Diesels particularly naturally aspirated ones need more input from the gear box to maintain the traffic flow.
• Performance: Some time back diesel engines gave poor performance as compared to petrol engines. But with the coming up of turbo chargers the situation has fairly improved.
Two opponents playing at a similar pace and suddenly one falls due to snake bite. Similarly petrol and diesel are actively having a cut throat competition between them. They play on similar grounds but as we say the demand curve keeps changing. They never know when they will climb the ladder of success at one step and be thrashed by venom on the other step.
Tata Indica Diesel and Tata Indigo Diesel are good example of diesel cars. The debate on choosing between diesel and petrol is never ending. There are few factors to be considered to make the choice easier.
Before accelerating the discussion further, let’s break a little to check out the speed breakers.
• Speed: Now if we compare petrol cars and diesel cars, the speed of petrol cars is much better. They are fast speed cars.
• Fuel consumption: Diesel cars have better fuel consumption ability which gives a good pulling power to the car. And of course there is less gear changing in this case.
• Mileage: In case of high mileage driving Diesel cars are easier to sell than a petrol car.
• Carbon dioxide: The emission of carbon dioxide is very unhealthy for our environment. It leads to global warming. The fuel consumed by diesel cars is 30 to 40% less than petrol cars, so diesel cars produce less carbon dioxide.
• Hydrocarbons: It contains very harmful chemical called benzene. It is produced more by petrol engines then diesel engines.
• Particulates: Diesel engines emit more PM10 particles that are particles which have a diameter up to 10 microns. These are invisible particles which penetrate into human lungs and cause a lot of health issues.
• Cost: As far as cost goes, a petrol motor has an advantage even before you drive out the showroom doors. The diesel option - particularly a turbo-diesel - can add thousands of rupees to the already high price of a four-wheel-drive.
• Running costs: A comparison of the running costs for petrol and diesel engines will often find the petrol models are cheaper - aside from fuel. Diesel models will normally require more frequent engine oil and filter changes.
• Cost of fuel: A petrol vehicle is a very thirst vehicle. The diesel vehicle wins the race where fuel economy is in stake. A diesel engine will use mere fraction of the fuel as compared to a petrol engine doing the same job.
• Carbon monoxide: It is a deadly poison and kills without even letting us know. A diesel engine wins in this situation as it does not produce carbon monoxide. Though catalytic converters are trying to solve the problem of carbon monoxide in case of petrol engines.
• Refinement: Diesel engines have always been very noisy in comparison to petrol engines. Though the new models of diesel are no doubt a better version but still there is a lot of scope to improve.
• Smooth drive: A petrol engines acceleration response is more desirable. Diesels particularly naturally aspirated ones need more input from the gear box to maintain the traffic flow.
• Performance: Some time back diesel engines gave poor performance as compared to petrol engines. But with the coming up of turbo chargers the situation has fairly improved.
Darwins Theory of Diesel Performance!
If Darwin himself were alive today I dare say that he would be driving a diesel. No other engine out there has more perfectly illustrated his theories of evolution than the diesel. Now as true as it might be that diesels were once known for being the “slow and smelly” vehicles on the road car makers as well as several performance companies have set out on a mission to put an end to that reputation. With the additions of a turbo or multiple turbos (i.e. '08 Powerstroke) and intercooler(s) as well as intakes, chips/modules and exhaust systems the reputation once held by diesels is now evolving, Darwin would be so proud.
So why diesel performance? In the past there never really was a question as to which “species” was more dominant when it came to performance. It has not been until recently that there has even needed to be a debate as to which is better, gas performance or diesel performance and even today you will have people try to argue that gas performance is where it is at but I am here to say that not only is there more horsepower available for the money when it comes to performance products for diesels but you will have longer engine life as well as maintain if not increased fuel mileage.
One of the strongest points in the argument for Diesel Performance is the fact that you can add engine mods to a diesel engine and it won’t harm the engine or make it burn hotter to the extent of damaging the engine permanently. Don't get me wrong you can still fry your engine but diesel engines are built much stronger and much more durable. One of the main reasons that diesel engines are so durable or will last longer in general is the way that combustion occurs in the engine. Diesel engines “fire” or “combust” differently than gas engines mainly because of the type of fuel that is used. In gasoline engines a spark plug is used to combust the fuel but in a diesel combustion occurs mainly due to the temperature of the compressed air which causes the fuel to ignite. Because of this diesel engines are built more durable because they have a higher compression ratios (20:1 for a typical diesel vs. 8:1 for a typical gasoline engine) it is being built to withstand this higher compression that makes these engines more ready for performance modifications straight from the factory.
As the diesel engine has evolved over the years turbo chargers have been added to increase power as well as efficiency, this has made way for huge increases in horsepower both stock as well as with the addition of after market products. One of the main reasons that diesel performance is so much more viable is the fact that because the engine is built for a higher compression ratio anyway so it is going to be able to withstand the boost that is created by a turbo much better than a gasoline engine, also allowing the addition of performance modifications without shortening the life of the engine as usually happens with gasoline engines when performance mods are added.
So why diesel performance? In the past there never really was a question as to which “species” was more dominant when it came to performance. It has not been until recently that there has even needed to be a debate as to which is better, gas performance or diesel performance and even today you will have people try to argue that gas performance is where it is at but I am here to say that not only is there more horsepower available for the money when it comes to performance products for diesels but you will have longer engine life as well as maintain if not increased fuel mileage.
One of the strongest points in the argument for Diesel Performance is the fact that you can add engine mods to a diesel engine and it won’t harm the engine or make it burn hotter to the extent of damaging the engine permanently. Don't get me wrong you can still fry your engine but diesel engines are built much stronger and much more durable. One of the main reasons that diesel engines are so durable or will last longer in general is the way that combustion occurs in the engine. Diesel engines “fire” or “combust” differently than gas engines mainly because of the type of fuel that is used. In gasoline engines a spark plug is used to combust the fuel but in a diesel combustion occurs mainly due to the temperature of the compressed air which causes the fuel to ignite. Because of this diesel engines are built more durable because they have a higher compression ratios (20:1 for a typical diesel vs. 8:1 for a typical gasoline engine) it is being built to withstand this higher compression that makes these engines more ready for performance modifications straight from the factory.
As the diesel engine has evolved over the years turbo chargers have been added to increase power as well as efficiency, this has made way for huge increases in horsepower both stock as well as with the addition of after market products. One of the main reasons that diesel performance is so much more viable is the fact that because the engine is built for a higher compression ratio anyway so it is going to be able to withstand the boost that is created by a turbo much better than a gasoline engine, also allowing the addition of performance modifications without shortening the life of the engine as usually happens with gasoline engines when performance mods are added.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)