Monday, October 29, 2012

The Right Renewable Energy Policies

The Right Renewable Energy Policies – Would Make The Sun The Prime Source of Energy

Concerning public policy, solar power is becoming more and more attractive (in the economics perspective), and currently it can be considered the most promising development to be initiated. For example, in about one year and half, the prices of PV (photovoltaic) modules dropped 40 percent and the good news: the price tends to keep dropping in the middle term.

Using the correct policy vision it would be possible to influence the path-breaking related to improvements in tapping the solar power in order to massively increase the public finances. This would reduce smoke emission and even a reduction on domestic pollution would be possible.

Currently, experts say that the costs associated with solar power are dropping gradually, fast and significantly. Now, the solar power is almost compared to the power provided by fossil fuels. However, fossil fuels produce great amounts of pollution, a disadvantage solar power does not possess.

In a close future, energy from the regular electric grid will not be much cheaper than the solar energy that is currently installed. The actual policy process needs to be one step ahead from this kind of grid parity on the cars and develop new and innovative ways capable of stopping this quest for subsidies on oil-related products like kerosene and diesel.

To better understand this, imagine diesel, currently it is the most commonly used petrol-product and the process responsible for setting its price, remains very unclear and the price of imported oil keeps increasing without fixed rules and limits.

However, policy indecision about revising the current prices leads us to incorrect administered prices, not to mention an incredible misuse of resources (not only budgetary resources.)

Nowadays, one of the most important reasons for such populism on diesel is that it makes pumps for agriculture work, and it would be politically unacceptable to raise its prices. Since it would have a tremendous negative impact on the primary sector. That is why a new national program must be developed in order to promote solar-energy usage by the primary sector and by doing this. The primary sector would overpower its dependency on diesel. Anyway, there is a strong and important need to provide the farm sector with a reliable source of energy (to be used by factories, pumps, lights, etc.) this would be done by providing rural power from the grid and using parallel phasing in order to meet the farm sector’s energy requirements.

Due to the initial high costs that would be required for this impressive paradigmatic change involving solar-power pumps it would be highly recommended to put into practice an effective finance scheme consisting on multilateral funding and targeted subventions if it is needed. The main objective is to move forward with solar pumps and in the process, diesel prices would be decreased.

We don’t need multiple oil products subsides. For example, surveys indicate that kerosene is mostly used for lightening purposes; however, it is diverted to modify automotive fuel.

What it is really needed is an expansion of solar-powered lanterns instead of subsided kerosene lightening. Those solar pumps and lanterns could result in 1% saving on the budget for subsides, or even ten percent of the total spending of the budgetary center.

On the other side, we can see some other measures that could result in a great amount of energy and money saving: bicycles and rickshaws moved by solar energy would make mobility easier in a hot country like ours. In the urban areas, these rickshaws would be powered by solar energy, and they could be used as live screens for products and service’s advertisement.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Solar Industry's First Comprehensive Solar PV Module Rating Standards System

PSI PV Module Ratings were designed so that solar customers could easily make informed and fact-based decisions between different PV modules.

“Until now, there was no accepted standard for comparing the critical characteristics of PV modules between different manufacturers, or even across a single product line,” says Matthew A. Thompson, Ph.D., executive director of the Principal Solar Institute. “The PSI Ratings elevate the solar industry in a rigorous approach similar to the financial sector, which turns to Standard and Poor’s Ratings for investments, and the air conditioning industry, which relies upon SEER Ratings. We are closing the gap in the solar power industry’s urgent need for a method to uniformly evaluate PV modules in order to make technologically and financially optimal decisions.”

Photovoltaic modules are able to create electrical power while under a very wide variety of environmental conditions. These conditions, such as: irradiance, nominal operating cell temperature, and other ambient conditions exert considerable influence over how much electrical power is generated. Even if two different modules have the same nameplate wattage, they may react to different conditions very differently. “The PSI PV Module Rating is a comparative number that can be used with pricing information, providing power plant designers and buyers with a consistent basis for choosing a particular PV module.”

Thursday, October 18, 2012

The Energy Debate You Didn’t Hear

Since Tuesday’s presidential debate, many have weighed in on significant energy policy questions posed by the audience, the moderator, and the candidates themselves. Has the current administration done enough to encourage energy production? What should be our nation’s policy on sources of power such as wind and solar? How is the U.S. moving toward the goal of energy independence?

But what about the energy debate America didn’t hear? On October 5th at MIT’s Kresge Auditorium, surrogates for President Obama and challenger Mitt Romney weighed in on major energy topics and provided a more detailed glimpse into the vision of the two major presidential candidates. Representing Mr. Obama was Joseph Aldy, former special assistant to the President for energy and environment, while Mr. Romney was represented by Oren Cass, his campaign’s domestic policy advisor.

“When I think about what the American public wants, it’s to look for the kind of balanced approach the president is pursuing,” Aldy, Mr. Obama’s surrogate explained, adding, “We’re going to use every tool we have available. Let’s not just focus on fossil fuels. We can do a lot in renewables, whether it’s for biofuels, wind or solar.”

“Ultimately the biggest source of difference [between the campaigns]…is the question of what is the right way to promote innovation,” Cass, Mr. Romney’s surrogate, said, adding that the Republican challenger believes in “government support in the very early stages of research, and reliance on the private sector to commercialize technologies to bring down their costs and to hopefully succeed in the market.”

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

JEC Europe 2012: Exhibition previews : Composites World

The JEC Europe 2012 composites trade show will be held March 27-29 in Paris. this is the composites industry’s largest trade show and typically features introduction of a variety of new products and technologies. following is a preview of JEC product announcements CompositesWorld has received.

3A Composites (Sins, Switzerland) is introducing AIREX SealX, a new sealing technology that is said to offer a significant reduction in resin uptake in the infused core material. While this reduction is more than 50 percent for 3A’s AIREX T90 and T92 cores, it is reported to be more than 80 percent for its BALTEK SB and SBC balsa cores. Depending on sandwich design, resin uptake can constitute around 15 percent up to 40 percent of the infused core materials’ total costs. 3A says PET-cored sandwiches can now become lighter than PVC solutions. 3A Composites is also launching AIREX T92.80, a new low-density PET core material targeted at weight- and cost-sensitive applications in wind energy, architecture and automotive. It is ideally suited for marine applications as it meets the DNV requirements for boat decks and superstructures.

3B-the fiberglass company (Battice, Belgium) will spotlight an eco-responsible powder grade of Advantex milled fibers. The new grade, MF 01 ER (Eco-Responsible), was developed in full alignment with 3B’s strategic vision for sustainability and displays good dry flow characteristics and dispersion. Advantex MF 01 ER grade is designed to reinforce engineering thermoplastics and also thermosets, providing high modulus, good dimensional stability and shrinkage control. It can be used in a variety of applications in the automotive, electrical and electronic and consumer goods markets. for the wind energy sector, 3B will introduce HiPer-tex W3030 glass fiber, specifically engineered for polyester and vinylester resin systems for infusion processes. At JEC’s Innovation Showcase, 3B will spotlight a new zero-permeation lightweight composite compressed natural gas (CNG) cylinder developed by GASTANK AB Sweden and manufactured using HiPer-tex glass fiber enclosing and protecting a novel thermoplastic inner liner.

AXSON Technologies (Eaton Rapids, Mich.) is exhibiting what it says is the only independent heating tool regulated for prepregs outside the autoclave. this tooling, created in cooperation with ENSAM from Lille, produces a vacuum and creates parts as prepregs to be heated outside the autoclave. The heating tool consists of a rigid molded part in 2092 Axson Technologies epoxy-infused carbon or in metal, which provides the part with its geometry, and a flexible heating counter-mold projected in the shape of the part in Axson Technologies SVB20 Silicone. The principle of heating the two parts of the mold enables sandwich parts to be created (thermal insulation). The fact that this tooling can operate independently encourages the creation of large moulds, while economising on large dimension autoclaves. Axson Technologies also is launching a new range of polyurethane adhesives specially designed for gluing composites and plastics intended for industrial use. this new range can be used on automobile assembly lines, in the wind turbine field for assembling structural parts and in the assembly of pleasure boats (gluing deck to hull).

Century Design inc. (CDI, San Diego, Calif.), a supplier of prepreg machines and specialist composite processing equipment, will introduce a small production prepreg machine, targeted at small to medium composite parts producers who want better of controlof  materials and processes and reduce material costs. Features and benefits include: Intuitive, fully automated controls that incorporate processing "recipes" to make the machine easy to operate while maintaining strict process control; plug and play design that requires no facility changes to install or operate; optional ply consolidator that enables the production of prepreg widths up to 1000 mm; ability to improve schedule, inventory control, customize resin systems, reduce operating and facility costs and reduce material costs up to 40 percent. also new from CDI is TIPTM (Total Integration Program), a program that delivers the design, technology, processes and implementation for advanced composite material manufacturing facilities. Primarily focused around prepreg manufacturing operations and related downstream activities, TIP ensures that users of CDI prepreg technologies are fully capable and self-sufficient in the implementation of new machinery.

Chomarat (Le Cheylard, France) is featuring C-PLY Bi-Angle, a nonwoven carbon reinforcement (non-crimp fabric) that was launched in 2011 by Chomarat in partnership with a research group of manufacturers and academics working under Professor Tsai from Stanford University. At JEC Europe, Chomarat will present the latest advances and the first industrial parts produced using C-PLY Bi-Angle. It is now possible to produce C-PLY Bi-Angle from glass or glass/carbon hybrid, and to alternate thin and thick plies at angles as small as 20°. To meet demand from aerospace builders and equipment manufacturers, the C-PLY Bi-Angle range is expanding to include constructions that will allow optimizing of composite aerospace parts. The thin plies (50-75 g/m2) in C-PLY Bi-Angle are a key element in the performance of the composite used for the fuselage. Other parts, like beams, can also benefit from this multiaxial assembly at shallow 20° or 30° angles, which allows weight savings of up to 30 percent compared to a standard carbon construction. The material is also being tested to open up possibilities for a new wind turbine blade design. Hybrid shapes are used to increase the material’s bend- twist coupling effect. Chomarat is working on the weights of material used for individual directions, and on the use of different types of fiber, e.g. carbon or glass.

To increase productivity and accuracy for high-speed machining of large pieces, Le Créneau Industriel (Annecy-Le-Vieux, France) has extended its line of CRENO UGV 5 AXES with an overhead moving gantry in the CRENO LINEAR 5 AXES, fitted with linear motors, allowing X and Y feed rate up to 60 m/min. Features include: long and accurate Z travel (over 2,200 mm); standard travels X, 4,000 mm to 16,000 mm (or more); standard travels Y, 2,000 mm to 5,800 mm. The two movements of the five-axis head are driven by brushless motors with heavy-duty epicycloidal reducers. available options include T slot tables, flat steel tables with tapped holes, locatings and vacuum system. The CRENO centers are said to be well suited for high-speed machining of composite materials, aluminium, sandwich panels, plastic materials and electrical insulating materials. The numerical control, which is located in a closed and air-conditioned booth, is a NUM AXIUM POWER or a SIEMENS 840D.

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Low carbon economy on monofilament filter fabric the significance of polyester manufacturing

In actively explore "a low carbon economy" today, with monofilament filtration of polyester filter cloth will have new development opportunities. The low carbon and economic put together, means that the carbon emissions and itself consumption, trade has close relationship, and the current European and American countries in trade policies, has "a low carbon economy" in related field. But as the future of a kind of trend of development, developing countries will put the environmental protection question as enterprise event to grasp. In the pollution the most outstanding dyeing and printing industry, our country has been in force for related access system, countries in the development of the textile industry adjust and revitalization plan "of time, will the environmental protection question as a key planning. The single polyester filtering cloth is made is of certain significance, the development of environmental protection industry, can help these Monofilament polyester filter fabric development.

With textile monofilament filtration about polyester filter cloth, in Japan to have such a farce: drop in the river Monofilament polyester filter fabric in bonded contaminants and purifying water quality on the unexpected effect. Scientists after after test is surprised to discover that, not only in the filter cloth single polyester welcomed the obvious effects, and the water and other biological like fish in and near the carbon fiber laying eggs, the survival rate also greatly improved.

In fact, in the application of performance is only Monofilament polyester filter fabric many application fields of a small piece, in steel, coal, mining, cement and even car, food and other industries need applied to all kinds of filter materials. And a lot of the filter cloth single polyester application and promotion, not only and environment, resources and sustainable development are closely related, more likely to become move "a low carbon economy" lever.

Environmental problems is ultimately enterprise behavior, this is the responsibility of the enterprise, is not only the need of transformation and upgrading of need, but also reduce the cost, improve the need of added value. The financial crisis is not the past, but the enterprise vision should not be limited to the current crisis, but want to consider in the crisis, the environmental problems will become enterprise development, and cooperation, the competition of the key. In this work, Monofilament polyester filter fabric will run.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Wind energy has great benefits

Wind energy has great benefits and potential for supplying part of the nations power supply, but many places have days where they have little to no breeze at all which as you can imagine makes it very difficult to produce energy.  Another issue in my opinion is the turbines are to large supplying large amounts of power which is understandable for mass power generation, but the amount of land needed can seem overwhelming.  It is amazing to drive down the highway and see hundreds of giant wind turbines spinning in the wind, but why don’t look at scaling those giant turbines down or even modify them to make them not only look a little better but even perform better in areas with less wind?  Well, some people have done all of this for us to enjoy more wind energy.

They have created some vertical turbines, turbines with multiple blades, and many other designs just homes and small or large businesses to lower the building energy consumption or even in some cases for homes they can eliminate consumption of energy from the power company.  Yes, we been hearing much about the infamous Solyndra and their failed attempt to mass production of large wind turbines, but there are still many companies building and supplying smaller wind turbines.  If we can help bring down the cost of buying and installing to where almost everyone can get some for their homes and businesses then we could begin to lower the demand on power from other sources.

This of course would have to be on a large scale as far as installation goes, but would not require so many giant wind turbines so fast.  The smaller ones could be in place with out giant cranes and months of building to begin helping everyone.  We could still build the larger wind turbines across the country to help assist our country to become more energy independent, but we could begin helping out right now not years from now.  Wind is not the end all of our countries energy demands but doing things on a smaller scale to start would help get jobs going in every state and all across each state, while also beginning to lower our dependency on foreign oil, nuclear power, and coal.  We definitely could still use those energy supplies, but maybe, just maybe we wouldn’t need to build any more plants to supply power.