Archive for February, 2009
Greenpeace targets incoming coal shipment at Pagbilao
gpsea asked:
Activists from Greenpeace flagship, Rainbow Warrior, paint “Quit Coal” on the hull of 223-meter ship MV Sam John Spirit standing by to unload its cargo at the Pagbilao coal power plant in Quezon province, around 300 kms south of Manila 24 May 2008. Greenpeace calls on the Philippine government to halt all coal plant projects and coal expansion. Burning coal heavily emits carbon dioxide, one of the major causes of climate change
Algae Photobioreactor at Hazelwood coal powerplant
roidroid asked:
i just managed to catch the end of this segment on Lateline Business.
Preceeding this footage was a guy from Alternative Technology Association saying he was “happy with the use of biofuels, as long as the emissions from producing those fuels are less than the emissions from their use”. Sage advice.
Algae oil or Algae biodiesel is such a fuel.
This is footage of an Energetix trial algae plant in Victoria Australia, being fed some of the emissions from Hazelwood coal power plant. Hazelwood is currently Australia’s worst polluting power plant - but that might soon change.
Energetixs (a biodiesel company owned by the Victor Smorgon Group) now has the exclusive Australian license to the algae growing process owned by Greenfuels(tm).
Full Transcript of segment here
http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/business/items/200706/s1962973.htm
where you’ll also find a vodcast of the whole segment on the right.
More info here:
http://www.google.com.au/search?q=Energetix+algae
Railfan Exchange I: Part 4, KCS Grandview Missouri 8-17-00
Srovets asked:
I catch two trains in Grandview, one KCS mixed is waiting in the hole for a southbound BNSF Coal unit train bound for the power plant at La Cygne. Then, after the unit passes, the Northbound manifest takes off.
Power Games to Hide the Sun With a Finger
Juan Trevino asked:
Solar energy is the most abundant energy and it is free to all. Solar provides us with light and warmth. It provides the energy for all plant growth. It should be harness by individuals for their homes. If energy is free from the Sun, why must we pay for our electricity?
Power-generating companies, Government, and International organizations (IEA) in the field of energy and power, have not base their development strategies on Solar. In fact solar is the energy they least would invest. Florida Power and Light (FPL) now generates less than 1% of its energy from thermal solar. FPL in their 2008-17 Power Plant Site Plan, has schedule considerable growth in capacity to generate electricity, but very little growth will come from solar energy. Although FPL’s plan does not commit to anything.
The Solar American Initiative from the US Department of Energy (USDOE) focuses on thermal Solar to power up big plants using steam. They do not have a strategy for solar power generation for homes, nor do they spend the time in discussing this technology. They do however, lead everyone to believe that the home technology is based on photovoltaic panels, which compete poorly against current electricity suppliers.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) analyzes all energy sources, but they never emphasize the need to develop solar home power generation, when this would provide everyone the independence they would need. IEA approach is to reduce fossil fuels and into more renewable energy, without solar as a central energy source. Of course, IEA interests, is to protect foreign oil supplies, maintain the world’s oil stockpile for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country members, and to steer countries to develop other centralized power generating sources.
Protecting their turf, large power-generating companies prefer renewable and non-renewable energy sources, including solar, but never, the solar which could be scaled down to the home level. It really doesn’t matter how much they could be damaging the planet or creating matter which could later hurt people like nuclear waste. All that matters is to maintain their way of life. They will spend millions into advertisement and lobbying to get everyone to agree to their solution, like the “Clean Coal” option, or “America’s Coolest Clean Fuel” for Liquid Natural Gas, or Nuclear which is “Non Gas emitting” and therefore safe to use. Apparently, these companies do not evolve, changing their business into something that is sustainable is not part of their lemma.
Why is it that Solar power generating technology is available, but ignored? As if this technology was inadequate for its use. Some of these institutions may include solar in their plans, but only geared to develop big huge plants and continue using their central electrical power grids. Including Solar in their energy source menu, helps their PR departments to show them as a good environmental steward, that they are on top of energy solutions, hopefully luring more investors, getting politicians on board, discouraging other energy generating entrants and defusing the home solar power generation threat.
Developing a home appliance that harnesses electricity from the sun, turns all centralized power generation obsolete, and this must be avoided by all means by current market players. If home solar technology is allowed to develop, then anyone, anywhere in the world would be able to generate the power they need without the very high and steep billion dollar investments required for centralized power. Then, centralized power proponents will loose; big business would lose; big government agencies and international agencies may not be required to exists. Imagine the loss of orders which we don’t have, if Kenya in Africa or any other country in the world, would buy small solar power generation gear instead of the large nuclear reactor o LNG plant. What happens to those countries, and to us when we freed up energy generation?
Institutions dedicated to power-generation, power research and regulator institutions are the current major proponents of the products, services and regulations that proliferate the current centralized power generation model. Government programs are ineffective and guiding the home power generation market towards inefficient and expensive Photocells systems. A Photovoltaic Panel 4 kilowatt system for a home cost 41,000 dollars. Of course, the state and federal tax credits and incentives may bring down the homeowners final cost to 12,000. The final $12,000 USD investments can be offset by obtaining saving from the electric utility bills, at a rate of $1,500 a year, getting your money back is 8 years.
We need a new breed of entrepreneurs and government, not currently related to the current Power generation model, to approach the home solar power appliance, and manufacture the technology that could be sold through major home appliance retailer like Sears, Home Depot Lowe’s. Distributed Power generation and the elimination of the the centralized electricity distribution model is the way of the future, regardless of how much FPL, DOE, the IEA would like to hide it. This new model, which could finally integrated by Americans or any other nationality, placing all people of the world in equal footing. China and India would not need to invest so heavily into Nuclear and Fossil fuel plants to endanger our plants.
Solar energy is the most abundant energy and it is free to all. Solar provides us with light and warmth. It provides the energy for all plant growth. It should be harness by individuals for their homes. If energy is free from the Sun, why must we pay for our electricity?
Power-generating companies, Government, and International organizations (IEA) in the field of energy and power, have not base their development strategies on Solar. In fact solar is the energy they least would invest. Florida Power and Light (FPL) now generates less than 1% of its energy from thermal solar. FPL in their 2008-17 Power Plant Site Plan, has schedule considerable growth in capacity to generate electricity, but very little growth will come from solar energy. Although FPL’s plan does not commit to anything.
The Solar American Initiative from the US Department of Energy (USDOE) focuses on thermal Solar to power up big plants using steam. They do not have a strategy for solar power generation for homes, nor do they spend the time in discussing this technology. They do however, lead everyone to believe that the home technology is based on photovoltaic panels, which compete poorly against current electricity suppliers.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) analyzes all energy sources, but they never emphasize the need to develop solar home power generation, when this would provide everyone the independence they would need. IEA approach is to reduce fossil fuels and into more renewable energy, without solar as a central energy source. Of course, IEA interests, is to protect foreign oil supplies, maintain the world’s oil stockpile for Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) country members, and to steer countries to develop other centralized power generating sources.
Protecting their turf, large power-generating companies prefer renewable and non-renewable energy sources, including solar, but never, the solar which could be scaled down to the home level. It really doesn’t matter how much they could be damaging the planet or creating matter which could later hurt people like nuclear waste. All that matters is to maintain their way of life. They will spend millions into advertisement and lobbying to get everyone to agree to their solution, like the “Clean Coal” option, or “America’s Coolest Clean Fuel” for Liquid Natural Gas, or Nuclear which is “Non Gas emitting” and therefore safe to use. Apparently, these companies do not evolve, changing their business into something that is sustainable is not part of their lemma.
Why is it that Solar power generating technology is available, but ignored? As if this technology was inadequate for its use. Some of these institutions may include solar in their plans, but only geared to develop big huge plants and continue using their central electrical power grids. Including Solar in their energy source menu, helps their PR departments to show them as a good environmental steward, that they are on top of energy solutions, hopefully luring more investors, getting politicians on board, discouraging other energy generating entrants and defusing the home solar power generation threat.
Developing a home appliance that harnesses electricity from the sun, turns all centralized power generation obsolete, and this must be avoided by all means by current market players. If home solar technology is allowed to develop, then anyone, anywhere in the world would be able to generate the power they need without the very high and steep billion dollar investments required for centralized power. Then, centralized power proponents will loose; big business would lose; big government agencies and international agencies may not be required to exists. Imagine the loss of orders which we don’t have, if Kenya in Africa or any other country in the world, would buy small solar power generation gear instead of the large nuclear reactor o LNG plant. What happens to those countries, and to us when we freed up energy generation?
Institutions dedicated to power-generation, power research and regulator institutions are the current major proponents of the products, services and regulations that proliferate the current centralized power generation model. Government programs are ineffective and guiding the home power generation market towards inefficient and expensive Photocells systems. A Photovoltaic Panel 4 kilowatt system for a home cost 41,000 dollars. Of course, the state and federal tax credits and incentives may bring down the homeowners final cost to 12,000. The final $12,000 USD investments can be offset by obtaining saving from the electric utility bills, at a rate of $1,500 a year, getting your money back is 8 years.
We need a new breed of entrepreneurs and government, not currently related to the current Power generation model, to approach the home solar power appliance, and manufacture the technology that could be sold through major home appliance retailer like Sears, Home Depot Lowe’s. Distributed Power generation and the elimination of the the centralized electricity distribution model is the way of the future, regardless of how much FPL, DOE, the IEA would like to hide it. This new model, which could finally integrated by Americans or any other nationality, placing all people of the world in equal footing. China and India would not need to invest so heavily into Nuclear and Fossil fuel plants to endanger our plants.
Greenpeace disrupts government/coal industry love-in
GreenpeaceUK asked:
As the coal industry met for its annual shindig to applaud Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks’s decision to allow a new generation of climate-damaging coal power stations, we stepped in to give the speech he should have given.
China to Strengthen Control on Coal Price Increase
archer asked:
China urged local regulators to tighten controls on coal price increases to help power producers cope with rising fuel costs, the National Development and Reform Committee (NDRC) said in a statement on Thursday.
Prices for thermal coal at major ports, including Qinhuangdao, Tianjin and Tangshan, could not rise beyond the price cap set on June 19, the NDRC said.
Coal producers that continued raising prices and traders who hoarded supply to jack up prices would be punished according to the country’s Price Law. Such violators would also face media exposure, it said.
The country’s power producers have felt the pinch of soaring coal prices as they had to increase output to ease power shortage, which was expected to hit 16 million kw this summer.
“Coal-fired power plants, which supply 78 percent of the country’s electricity, are pressured by soaring coal prices and increasing prices in electricity,” Dongguan Securities analyst Yu Chunyan said.
NDRC raised the retail electricity price by 0.025 yuan per kwh on July 1. The increase, however, could only cover 15 percent of the losses in coal-fired power plants, said a Citic Securities analyst.
The top five power producers had seen their combined profits more than halved in the first half because of higher coal prices, according to the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
To protect power plants’ profits, the NDRC imposed temporary controls on the factory prices of thermal coal, capping them at a price that prevailed on June 19 through the end of the year.
The fuel prices, however, continued rising, surging 22 percent to more than 1,000 yuan (146.6 U.S. dollars) per tonne in Qinhuangdao.
China urged local regulators to tighten controls on coal price increases to help power producers cope with rising fuel costs, the National Development and Reform Committee (NDRC) said in a statement on Thursday.
Prices for thermal coal at major ports, including Qinhuangdao, Tianjin and Tangshan, could not rise beyond the price cap set on June 19, the NDRC said.
Coal producers that continued raising prices and traders who hoarded supply to jack up prices would be punished according to the country’s Price Law. Such violators would also face media exposure, it said.
The country’s power producers have felt the pinch of soaring coal prices as they had to increase output to ease power shortage, which was expected to hit 16 million kw this summer.
“Coal-fired power plants, which supply 78 percent of the country’s electricity, are pressured by soaring coal prices and increasing prices in electricity,” Dongguan Securities analyst Yu Chunyan said.
NDRC raised the retail electricity price by 0.025 yuan per kwh on July 1. The increase, however, could only cover 15 percent of the losses in coal-fired power plants, said a Citic Securities analyst.
The top five power producers had seen their combined profits more than halved in the first half because of higher coal prices, according to the State Electricity Regulatory Commission.
To protect power plants’ profits, the NDRC imposed temporary controls on the factory prices of thermal coal, capping them at a price that prevailed on June 19 through the end of the year.
The fuel prices, however, continued rising, surging 22 percent to more than 1,000 yuan (146.6 U.S. dollars) per tonne in Qinhuangdao.
A Wind Power Generator.build it yourself Get Free Electricity
John Mowatt asked:
You can build your own wind power generator at quite low cost.Commercially made wind turbines are available but they are expensive.Building your own is quite easy and will save you a great deal of money.Plans and instructions are available to simplify the job.Using used auto parts and a few odds and ends you can build an excellent and reliable wind power generator.You could build several for the cost of one commercial turbine and sell your excess power to the power company in many areas.
For the future it is now obvious that electric power produced by wind turbines is the best way to go.It is easily the most usable form of alternative energy at present.Many cities around the world already produce some or all of their electricity needs from wind power.These days most people want to help save our environment and an easy way to do this is to build one or more small wind turbines to produce our own electric power.Not only do we help mother earth but we get free power from the wind into the bargain.Solar panels are another alternative but their power output is limited and they are expensive.They do have a place for certain applications however.
From the 1930s through the 1950s wind power was used to generate electricity on many farms.It was also used for other tasks such as pumping water from wells.In these much more prosperous days most people have given up on this idea and prefer to pay the power company for their elecricity.Now in this 21st century it has become obvious to all that we need to find ways to produce power which are less damaging to the environment.Oil,gas and particularly coal fired power plants are one of the big sources of air pollution.We need to cut back drastically on their use before our environment is irreversably damaged.Free power from the wind is an excellent alternative.Free abundant and universal the wind can be harnessed to produce much of our power needs in the future.
Individual power production on a small scale is increasingly popular.Many consumers are now installing small wind power generators to generate at least part of their power needs.If you have a country home,with no power line access,you need to have your own power plant.Gasoline or diesel powered generators have been used by some people to produce power in country locations.These are sources of pollution of course and with the ever increasing cost of oil they are not very practical any more.Wind power is the obvious way to go.
It is not hard to build a small wind power electricity generator.The average home workshopper can do it using simple tools.Detailed illustrated plans with instructions are available and make the task fairly simple.Used auto parts,wood and a few odds and ends will build a very efficient generator which is easy to operate and maintain.Put it on the roof in your city or country home or on a free standing support and generate your own power free,courtesy of the wind and every little breeze.
You can build your own wind power generator at quite low cost.Commercially made wind turbines are available but they are expensive.Building your own is quite easy and will save you a great deal of money.Plans and instructions are available to simplify the job.Using used auto parts and a few odds and ends you can build an excellent and reliable wind power generator.You could build several for the cost of one commercial turbine and sell your excess power to the power company in many areas.
For the future it is now obvious that electric power produced by wind turbines is the best way to go.It is easily the most usable form of alternative energy at present.Many cities around the world already produce some or all of their electricity needs from wind power.These days most people want to help save our environment and an easy way to do this is to build one or more small wind turbines to produce our own electric power.Not only do we help mother earth but we get free power from the wind into the bargain.Solar panels are another alternative but their power output is limited and they are expensive.They do have a place for certain applications however.
From the 1930s through the 1950s wind power was used to generate electricity on many farms.It was also used for other tasks such as pumping water from wells.In these much more prosperous days most people have given up on this idea and prefer to pay the power company for their elecricity.Now in this 21st century it has become obvious to all that we need to find ways to produce power which are less damaging to the environment.Oil,gas and particularly coal fired power plants are one of the big sources of air pollution.We need to cut back drastically on their use before our environment is irreversably damaged.Free power from the wind is an excellent alternative.Free abundant and universal the wind can be harnessed to produce much of our power needs in the future.
Individual power production on a small scale is increasingly popular.Many consumers are now installing small wind power generators to generate at least part of their power needs.If you have a country home,with no power line access,you need to have your own power plant.Gasoline or diesel powered generators have been used by some people to produce power in country locations.These are sources of pollution of course and with the ever increasing cost of oil they are not very practical any more.Wind power is the obvious way to go.
It is not hard to build a small wind power electricity generator.The average home workshopper can do it using simple tools.Detailed illustrated plans with instructions are available and make the task fairly simple.Used auto parts,wood and a few odds and ends will build a very efficient generator which is easy to operate and maintain.Put it on the roof in your city or country home or on a free standing support and generate your own power free,courtesy of the wind and every little breeze.
Power to the People - the Affects of Seasonal Weather Changes on Power Demand
Peter Bentley asked:
the people
Extreme weather conditions, an increase in energy demand and an aging power infrastructure mean that UK businesses should be prepared for a less reliable power supply, harmful spikes and potential blackouts, warns Peter Bentley, sales director at Uninterruptible Power Supplies Ltd.
Since our streets were first illuminated by electricity in 1870, we have come to expect a reliable supply of power. However, evidence and expert opinion suggest that there’s good cause for alarm about future supplies, in stark contrast to rapid growth in demand.
In May this year, hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in London, East Anglia, Cheshire and Merseyside experienced power cuts after a fault caused an unplanned shutdown at the Sizewell B nuclear power plant in Suffolk. The National Grid had to deactivate local stations, creating a supply shortfall of about 400 megawatts - almost one percent of national demand. “When demand is greater than generation, the system fails,” the National Grid noted. A simple truth that should drive businesses of all sizes to review their power protection needs.
The UK’s largest independent energy consultant, McKinnon and Clarke, has called on the government to build new power stations or face further blackouts. “This incident reflects the crumbling nature of the insufficient infrastructure on which homes and businesses depend,” said energy analyst David Hunter. In fact the Institution of Civil Engineers has warned for years that without sustained investment, Britain risks a staggering 80 per cent energy shortfall by 2020. Today, businesses are already susceptible to supply issues and the effects of extreme weather.
It never rains but it pours
Flooding across England and Wales in July 2007 caused power supply problems to many businesses, leaving them unable to trade and in extreme cases causing long-term and even permanent closures. It is not just the risk of flooding onsite but also at electricity sub-stations many miles away that business property owners need to consider in their business continuity planning.
Even if businesses or their data centres are not directly affected by the force of natural phenomena such as flooding and storms, they may suffer from the consequent rise in power demand or reduction in availability if the national grid is in some way compromised. If supply can’t cope with demand, fuses will blow, and systems will power down.
In the event of a power cut, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) batteries can be sized to cover loss of electricity for potentially a few hours. Beyond that, a diesel generator is needed. UPS Ltd provides secure power solutions including UPS, generators and switchgear. However, expert advice is also a key element of the service, beyond simple supply and installation, and clients often ask “what if…,” as they consider the impact of power fluctuations and cuts on their business.
Aside from the obvious threat to IT systems and daily business operations, a loss of power can have a wide variety of knock-on effects. For example, a mobile phone airtime company recognised the importance of installing an uninterruptible power supply system to protect its servers, after identifying potential major revenue losses from customers making uncharged calls. On a more practical level, another business had a generator installed on a gantry over the entrance to its basement car park so that power and crucial lighting would not be lost in the event of flooding.
While high rainfall and storms are the most common threat, other natural phenomena also present risks, for example high temperatures which are coupled with summertime peak power demand. In July 2006, during the European heat wave, parts of London lost power due to high energy requirements for air conditioning. On hot days, a/c units are combating outside temperatures as well as the extraneous heat generated by the IT systems they are installed to protect. Uninterrupted power then is essential to maintaining the controlled operating environment, since an operations room can get critically hot in minutes and over-heating could quickly result in system collapse.
The overall efficiency of UPS systems has a significant effect on both the size and the operating cost of air conditioning plant. The high efficiency figures (up to 97 percent) quoted for modern on-line UPS may mean that no additional air conditioning is required.
With IT energy consumption up 400 percent per server rack since 2003 – and no sign of a slow down – data centre managers are turning to a new generation of UPS systems to meet demands for high power availability, maximum efficiency and reduced emissions. The drive for energy efficiency has increased market demand for systems with higher power density, and ‘hot swappable’ rack-mount modules that can be inserted or removed to continually match capacity to respective critical loads.
Concerns about the reliability of the mains supply are compounded by the shift away from coal, gas and nuclear power as we seek alternative energy sources. Rising demand conflicts with the shortfall in supply, and the UK’s aging infrastructure is highly susceptible to extreme weather conditions. Pressure to shrink carbon footprints, plus increasing energy costs and an economic slowdown, make these issues all the more pressing.
Businesses have a tough task specifying systems today that will cater for energy needs over the next ten to twenty years. Modern UPS technology is helping businesses address these issue by providing new ways to reduce power consumption and provide flexible, reliable protection for business critical systems.
For further information contact Deeann Gallagher, Uninterruptible Power Supplies Limited, Bacchus House, Calleva Park, Aldermaston, Berkshire RG7 8EN, United Kingdom. Telephone: +44 (0) 118 981 5151. Fax: +44 (0) 118 981 5152.
E-mail: sales@upspower.co.uk or visit www.upspower.co.uk
ENDS
About Uninterruptible Power Supplies Limited
The UK’s leading supplier of power protection systems in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Ireland. It backs its PowerWAVE™ products with comprehensive technical installation, commissioning and maintenance services.
The company has recently introduced the PowerWAVE9000DPA Series™ which is the third generation of its renowned rack-mount modular UPS system. It also supplies standby generators, software to monitor and control uninterruptible power supplies and to control the orderly shutdown of critical systems.
In addition to publishing an authoritative handbook on the subject entitled The UPS Handbook (Published in October 2007 – 3rd edition), the company is an Institution of Engineering and Technology Endorsed Training Provider.
Editorial contact:
Richard Broughton/Brian Davenport
Dryden Brown Limited
Building 2, Shamrock Quay
Southampton, SO14 5QL, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 23 8022 9041
Fax: +44 (0) 23 8022 7274
Email: press@dryden.co.uk
the people
Extreme weather conditions, an increase in energy demand and an aging power infrastructure mean that UK businesses should be prepared for a less reliable power supply, harmful spikes and potential blackouts, warns Peter Bentley, sales director at Uninterruptible Power Supplies Ltd.
Since our streets were first illuminated by electricity in 1870, we have come to expect a reliable supply of power. However, evidence and expert opinion suggest that there’s good cause for alarm about future supplies, in stark contrast to rapid growth in demand.
In May this year, hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses in London, East Anglia, Cheshire and Merseyside experienced power cuts after a fault caused an unplanned shutdown at the Sizewell B nuclear power plant in Suffolk. The National Grid had to deactivate local stations, creating a supply shortfall of about 400 megawatts - almost one percent of national demand. “When demand is greater than generation, the system fails,” the National Grid noted. A simple truth that should drive businesses of all sizes to review their power protection needs.
The UK’s largest independent energy consultant, McKinnon and Clarke, has called on the government to build new power stations or face further blackouts. “This incident reflects the crumbling nature of the insufficient infrastructure on which homes and businesses depend,” said energy analyst David Hunter. In fact the Institution of Civil Engineers has warned for years that without sustained investment, Britain risks a staggering 80 per cent energy shortfall by 2020. Today, businesses are already susceptible to supply issues and the effects of extreme weather.
It never rains but it pours
Flooding across England and Wales in July 2007 caused power supply problems to many businesses, leaving them unable to trade and in extreme cases causing long-term and even permanent closures. It is not just the risk of flooding onsite but also at electricity sub-stations many miles away that business property owners need to consider in their business continuity planning.
Even if businesses or their data centres are not directly affected by the force of natural phenomena such as flooding and storms, they may suffer from the consequent rise in power demand or reduction in availability if the national grid is in some way compromised. If supply can’t cope with demand, fuses will blow, and systems will power down.
In the event of a power cut, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) batteries can be sized to cover loss of electricity for potentially a few hours. Beyond that, a diesel generator is needed. UPS Ltd provides secure power solutions including UPS, generators and switchgear. However, expert advice is also a key element of the service, beyond simple supply and installation, and clients often ask “what if…,” as they consider the impact of power fluctuations and cuts on their business.
Aside from the obvious threat to IT systems and daily business operations, a loss of power can have a wide variety of knock-on effects. For example, a mobile phone airtime company recognised the importance of installing an uninterruptible power supply system to protect its servers, after identifying potential major revenue losses from customers making uncharged calls. On a more practical level, another business had a generator installed on a gantry over the entrance to its basement car park so that power and crucial lighting would not be lost in the event of flooding.
While high rainfall and storms are the most common threat, other natural phenomena also present risks, for example high temperatures which are coupled with summertime peak power demand. In July 2006, during the European heat wave, parts of London lost power due to high energy requirements for air conditioning. On hot days, a/c units are combating outside temperatures as well as the extraneous heat generated by the IT systems they are installed to protect. Uninterrupted power then is essential to maintaining the controlled operating environment, since an operations room can get critically hot in minutes and over-heating could quickly result in system collapse.
The overall efficiency of UPS systems has a significant effect on both the size and the operating cost of air conditioning plant. The high efficiency figures (up to 97 percent) quoted for modern on-line UPS may mean that no additional air conditioning is required.
With IT energy consumption up 400 percent per server rack since 2003 – and no sign of a slow down – data centre managers are turning to a new generation of UPS systems to meet demands for high power availability, maximum efficiency and reduced emissions. The drive for energy efficiency has increased market demand for systems with higher power density, and ‘hot swappable’ rack-mount modules that can be inserted or removed to continually match capacity to respective critical loads.
Concerns about the reliability of the mains supply are compounded by the shift away from coal, gas and nuclear power as we seek alternative energy sources. Rising demand conflicts with the shortfall in supply, and the UK’s aging infrastructure is highly susceptible to extreme weather conditions. Pressure to shrink carbon footprints, plus increasing energy costs and an economic slowdown, make these issues all the more pressing.
Businesses have a tough task specifying systems today that will cater for energy needs over the next ten to twenty years. Modern UPS technology is helping businesses address these issue by providing new ways to reduce power consumption and provide flexible, reliable protection for business critical systems.
For further information contact Deeann Gallagher, Uninterruptible Power Supplies Limited, Bacchus House, Calleva Park, Aldermaston, Berkshire RG7 8EN, United Kingdom. Telephone: +44 (0) 118 981 5151. Fax: +44 (0) 118 981 5152.
E-mail: sales@upspower.co.uk or visit www.upspower.co.uk
ENDS
About Uninterruptible Power Supplies Limited
The UK’s leading supplier of power protection systems in the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Ireland. It backs its PowerWAVE™ products with comprehensive technical installation, commissioning and maintenance services.
The company has recently introduced the PowerWAVE9000DPA Series™ which is the third generation of its renowned rack-mount modular UPS system. It also supplies standby generators, software to monitor and control uninterruptible power supplies and to control the orderly shutdown of critical systems.
In addition to publishing an authoritative handbook on the subject entitled The UPS Handbook (Published in October 2007 – 3rd edition), the company is an Institution of Engineering and Technology Endorsed Training Provider.
Editorial contact:
Richard Broughton/Brian Davenport
Dryden Brown Limited
Building 2, Shamrock Quay
Southampton, SO14 5QL, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 23 8022 9041
Fax: +44 (0) 23 8022 7274
Email: press@dryden.co.uk
China Sees Balanced Demand of Coal
Dylan Sun asked:
China’s government said coal supply and demand will reach a “balance” in the second half of this year as mining companies expand output faster than power producers and steelmakers increase their requirements. Demand growth in the second-half of this year will rise at a slower pace, the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic planner, said in a statement on its Web site Monday. Supply will be less tight than in the six months ended June, the Beijing-based commission said. China’s energy use will rise by about 4 percent annually to the equivalent of 2.7 billion tons of standard coal by 2010, the government said in April. The country turned a net importer of coal in January for the first time as economic growth increased demand. About 78 percent of its electricity comes from coal. “A lot of coal production capacity will come on stream this year and next,” the commission said in the statement. “Capacity gains will outpace demand increases.”
Coal producers increased output by 10 percent in the first half to 1.26 billion metric tons, while demand gained 12 percent to 1.263 billion tons, the commission said. Railroads carried 10 percent more coal, transporting 599 million tons. China’s status as a net importer of coal in the first half was the result of “government policies to discourage exports and encourage imports, and because of the appreciation of the yuan,” the commission said in the statement.
The government controls electricity prices to limit their impact on inflation. The nation has a system that allows power producers to pass on higher costs when the price of coal rises more than 5 percent over a six-month period. “China’s electricity price mechanism doesn’t fully reflect the relationship of demand and supply and the scarcity of resources,” the commission said. The country needs a more market-oriented system for electricity prices, it said.
Chinese coal prices are expected to rise next year as a result of supply pressures, the Ministry of Land and Resources said in a report published on its website. It did not give an estimated figure for the price of coal in 2008. Citing research by the China Coal Distribution and Marketing Association, the Ministry said that in order to curb overheating in the industry, the approval of new coal mining projects has been severely restricted. The Ministry issued a notice in February suspending all new applications for mining licenses throughout the country. A campaign to close down small and unlicensed mines has also had a significant effect on supplies, the Ministry said.Although the government’s ‘macroeconomic control’ measures are likely to cut coal demand from other industries, the state will introduce measures aimed at increasing the collection of resource taxes, which will also put pressure on the price of coal.
By the end of 2010, there will be a national coal shortage of around 100 mln tons, the report said. A report released earlier this month by Credit Suisse predicted that China would become a net coal importer by 2010, with output increases by state-owned miners unable to keep up with increasing demand. Transportation problems, as well as increased capital expenditure costs, would also keep the domestic price of coal at a relatively high level over the next few years, Credit Suisse said.
China’s government said coal supply and demand will reach a “balance” in the second half of this year as mining companies expand output faster than power producers and steelmakers increase their requirements. Demand growth in the second-half of this year will rise at a slower pace, the National Development and Reform Commission, China’s top economic planner, said in a statement on its Web site Monday. Supply will be less tight than in the six months ended June, the Beijing-based commission said. China’s energy use will rise by about 4 percent annually to the equivalent of 2.7 billion tons of standard coal by 2010, the government said in April. The country turned a net importer of coal in January for the first time as economic growth increased demand. About 78 percent of its electricity comes from coal. “A lot of coal production capacity will come on stream this year and next,” the commission said in the statement. “Capacity gains will outpace demand increases.”
Coal producers increased output by 10 percent in the first half to 1.26 billion metric tons, while demand gained 12 percent to 1.263 billion tons, the commission said. Railroads carried 10 percent more coal, transporting 599 million tons. China’s status as a net importer of coal in the first half was the result of “government policies to discourage exports and encourage imports, and because of the appreciation of the yuan,” the commission said in the statement.
The government controls electricity prices to limit their impact on inflation. The nation has a system that allows power producers to pass on higher costs when the price of coal rises more than 5 percent over a six-month period. “China’s electricity price mechanism doesn’t fully reflect the relationship of demand and supply and the scarcity of resources,” the commission said. The country needs a more market-oriented system for electricity prices, it said.
Chinese coal prices are expected to rise next year as a result of supply pressures, the Ministry of Land and Resources said in a report published on its website. It did not give an estimated figure for the price of coal in 2008. Citing research by the China Coal Distribution and Marketing Association, the Ministry said that in order to curb overheating in the industry, the approval of new coal mining projects has been severely restricted. The Ministry issued a notice in February suspending all new applications for mining licenses throughout the country. A campaign to close down small and unlicensed mines has also had a significant effect on supplies, the Ministry said.Although the government’s ‘macroeconomic control’ measures are likely to cut coal demand from other industries, the state will introduce measures aimed at increasing the collection of resource taxes, which will also put pressure on the price of coal.
By the end of 2010, there will be a national coal shortage of around 100 mln tons, the report said. A report released earlier this month by Credit Suisse predicted that China would become a net coal importer by 2010, with output increases by state-owned miners unable to keep up with increasing demand. Transportation problems, as well as increased capital expenditure costs, would also keep the domestic price of coal at a relatively high level over the next few years, Credit Suisse said.
Greenpeace reminds the world its time to quit coal
gpsea asked:
Security personnel from PLTU Tanjung Jati B coal power plant in Jepara, Central Java fired five gunshots and drew knives as activists from Greenpeace flagship, Rainbow Warrior, today climbed the coal plant´s cooling tower and loading crane hanging banners that read “Coal Kills Climate.”