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Around the Circuit
Efficiency Begins
at
Home for DOE
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recently launched a
new initiative to reduce energy usage by 30% across the nationwide DOE
complex, hoping to save about $90 million in taxpayer money per year.
In
addition to a 30% reduction in energy usage, the Transformational
Energy
Action Management (TEAM) initiative requires that DOE facilities
increase the installation of onsite renewable energy projects or
optimize their purchase of renewable electricity and that its
alternative fuel vehicles fleet operate exclusively on clean,
alternative fuels.To cover the cost of the initiative, the DOE
expects to spend appropriated funds for up-front investment in items
such as advanced lighting, heating, and air conditioning. The
initiative
is part of the plan to meet the goals set by Executive Order 13423,
signed by President Bush in January.
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Analog, digital, and graphical display show measurement results (model
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A comprehensive software program that allows for system configuration,
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Organizations
Offer Recommendations for
Energy-Efficient Schools
Through a collaboration, the U.S. Department of Energy
(DOE), the American Society of Heating Refrigerating, and
Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the American Institute of
Architects (AIA), the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) will release
"The Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings." The
guide offers recommendations for designing and building
energy-efficient
schools that would achieve at least a 30% energy savings above typical
building codes. The guide provides practical, integrated
recommendations
using currently available, off-the-shelf technologies with minimal
upfront costs. In addition, it contains specific measures, best
practices, and case studies for various climate zones.
Research Finding
May Lower Cost of Solar Power Technology
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), in collaboration with
Santa
Clara, Calif.-based Innovalight Inc., recently reported that Multiple
Exciton Generation (MEG) occurs efficiently in silicon nanocrystals.
MEG
results in the formation of more than one electron per absorbed photon
and may enhance the conversion efficiency of solar cells based on
silicon because more of the sun's energy is converted to electricity.
This finding may be critical to decreasing the cost of solar energy
technology.
DOE Provides
Energy
Audits for
New Orleans Public Schools
New Orleans public schools will receive the first step
toward energy-efficient retrofits through energy audits intended to
identify improvements for energy efficiency. The U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) recently announced it will commit up to $1.5 million in
technical assistance to provide as many as 75 energy audits in public
schools throughout Crescent City. The audits could identify up to 25%
in
potential energy savings, possibly saving up to $1 million annually on
utility bills.The audits will include analysis of heating and
cooling
systems, lighting, and structural elements. Upgrades achievable with
minimal upfront costs and a return on investment in approximately three
to five years will be of the highest priority. The DOE will also assist
in the design of new schools, expected to be 30% more efficient than
current building codes.
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tray, saving installers time and money. The Flip Clip™
can be used with 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch threaded rods, eliminating the
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Project Watch
Electrical
Construction in North Dakota
Sealed bids for electrical construction work for a
building addition to Sorenson Hall at Fraine Barracks, Bismarck, N.D.,
will be received by the Adjutant General of the State of North Dakota
until 2 p.m. CST, Sept. 12. For more information, visit the North
Dakota
Newspaper Association's online
public notices.
Naples,
Fla.,
Requests Installation of 200kW Generator
The Office of the Purchasing Director in Naples, Fla.,
will accept bids for furnishing and installing a 200kW generator until
2:30 p.m. EST, Sept. 13. For more information, visit the Collier County
Web
site.
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ClearTrax Lay-In Connectors
ILSCO has introduced ClearTrax® lay-in connectors.
ClearTrax range-taking connectors feature easy lay-in installation of
aluminum or copper conductors and accommodate a wire range of
1,000kcmil
- 6. Benefits are a faster and safer connection resulting from reduced
cable manipulation during installation. Fabricated from 6061-T6
aluminum
alloy to ensure strength and conductivity, ClearTrax is clear plated
for
low contact resistance. The compact body is designed as a single piece
and is engineered for heat dissipation. www.ilsco.com
Web Exclusives
Wisconsin-Based
Industrial Electrician Wins Prize Drawing
Dan Giffen, Lake Geneva, Wis., recently enjoyed an
all-expenses-paid trip to the Generac Power Weekend at the Road America
race track in Elkhart Lake, Wis. "I've never won anything in my life so
I was kind of shocked when they called me," Giffen says. "It was good
racing, and it's a beautiful facility."
The drawing was open to visitors of the Waukesha, Wis.-based Generac
booth in the EC&M e-tradeshow. For
more information on the race weekend winner and prize, visit
EC&M's Web
site.
Business Brief
West Kingston, R.I.-based APC-MGE recently partnered
with Hamburg, Germany-based air-conditioning experts Stulz. Under the
agreement, APC-MGE will add an APC-branded perimeter cooling product
manufactured by Stulz to its line of cooling products. In addition,
Stulz will be able to offer APC's InRow cooling systems to its customer
base. Both firms will provide full application engineering support for
these solutions and APC-MGE will offer services, including maintenance,
through Stulz service partners. Initially, the agreement will cover
select countries in Europe.
For more business briefs, visit EC&M's Web site.
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Eye on Safety
Blade Speed May
Have Led to Worker's Death
Siemens Power Generation, Orlando, Fla., recently issued
a statement that rapidly turning turbine blades may have contributed to
the buckling of a 231-foot wind tower that killed one worker and injured
another at a Klondike III wind farm near Portland, Ore., on Aug. 25. The
wind farm is in its final stages of construction and consists of 44
Siemens 2.3MW turbines and 80 GE Energy 1.5MW turbines. The structural
design of the tower doesn't seem to have been an issue. The Oregon
Occupational Safety and Health Division has begun an investigation into
the incident.
Shows and Events
Solar Power 2007
The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and the
Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) will present the 2007 Solar
Power conference and expo Sept. 24-27 in Long Beach, Calif. Subject
matter for training and workshops include grid-tied PV for
professionals, the effect PV and the NEC have on the electrical
industry, and solar installations in residential new construction. For
more information, visit the Solar Power 2007 Web site.
National Manufacturing
Week
National Manufacturing Week is scheduled for Sept.
24-27
in Chicago. Conference topics at this year's event include cost-driven
design, energy leadership, SMT inspection and testing, and overall
equipment effectiveness. For more information and to register, visit
National Manufacturing Week's Web site.
ACEC
Fall
Conference
The American Council of Engineering Company's (ACEC)
national conference on the built environment will take place in Maui,
Hawaii Sept. 26-29. The event will feature seminars on next-generation
offshoring, conducting sustainability audits, building information
modeling (BIM), and risk-management strategies. For more information
and
to register, visit the conference's Web
site.
EC&M
Code
Change Conferences
Where do you turn when you need accurate information on
changes to the National Electrical Code? Acknowledged as the leaders in
providing information on the NEC, EC&M magazine and EC&M
Seminars have been the preferred sources of this information for more
than 60 years. Seven Code change conferences have been scheduled in the
fall of 2007. Host cities include: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Orlando,
Philadelphia, St. Louis, and Seattle.
As an approved provider with the National Council of Examiners for
Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), through its Registered Continuing
Education Provider Program (RCEPP), our 2008 Code change conferences
will provide professional engineers Professional Development Hours
(PDHs), a requirement for re-licensing in many states. The conferences
are also approved by every state that has a continuing education
requirement for contractors and electricians.
For additional information on the dates and locations of these
events, download a pdf of the schedule from the EC&M Web site.
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