You are currently browsing the Gas & Diesel Generators weblog archives for May, 2008.
31. May 2008 by admin.
Need backup power? Aurora Generators can deliver a generator right to your home.
LANARK - Thunderstorms that rumbled across the region early Saturday morning left more than 2,000 Hydro One customers west and south of Ottawa without power.
Electricity service was lost at 4:09 a.m. in most of Lanark County and not expected to be restored until about about 2 p.m., Hydro One Networks reported on its website.
The blackout affected the following areas: Clarendon, Sherbrooke South, Wolford, Dalhousie, Darling, South Elmsley, Oso, Olden, North Burgess, Lavant, Lanark, Perth, South Crosby, Bastard, Palmerston, North Sherbrooke, Bathurst, and Ramsay.
Isolated outages were also reported in Cumberland, Osgoode, Russell, Cornwall and in the Brockville and Cornwall areas.
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30. May 2008 by admin.
Need a Generator? Visit www.EmergencyPower.com
IN Karachi, the ongoing power crisis has gone beyond the control of the authorities. There were times when loadshedding would only be carried out in summers, but now it is an all-season phenomenon with no respite in the horizon.
Karachiites have, therefore, resigned to their fate and learnt to live with frequent power outages. Subjected to night vigils and the resulting day debilities under sizzling conditions, a large number of citizens — businessmen and shopkeepers in particular — have found answers in power generators and un-interrupted power supply (UPS) units.
The lack of trust in the KESC has jacked up the sales of power-generating machines. As a result, their prices have also scaled new heights. Traders in major markets of generators and UPS units are busier than the normal due to a rush of consumers.
“My business is flourishing thanks to KESC,” says Altaf, the owner of a generator shop, having electricity-starved customers left, right and centre. While businessmen, in general, are hurling accusations at the KESC for playing havoc with their commercial activities, those dealing in generators and UPS units must be the only ones to be showering the corporation bosses with praise.
“Everything sells — whether made in China, Japan or Korea,” Altaf quips gleefully. Whether fuelled by gas or patrol or diesel they are in more demand than the UPS because of cheaper costs and greater efficiency.
However, a UPS dealer contradicts, saying that a majority of domestic consumers, particularly women, prefer UPS as it starts functioning automatically when the power breaks down. “Against this, a generator has to be started manually and needs regular maintenance. It also creates a lot of noise,” he adds.
A market survey revealed that the sale of both generators and UPS units has more than doubled due to a rising demand, having an obvious upward effect on the prices too. A Chinese petrol generator, meant for domestic use, is currently available for Rs5,000 while it was easily available for Rs3,500 a few months back. Same is the case with UPS units, whose prices range from Rs7,000 to Rs14,000 as against Rs6,000 to Rs12,000 earlier.
Confident of the KESC’s inability to provide relief to its consumers, the dealers of power-generating equipment expect further surge in sales right through the long summer season. Given an ever-persisting shortage of electricity and a crumbling power infrastructure in the city, one has all the reasons to believe in the optimism of dealers about a perky season ahead.
Looking forward to the KESC for improvement in the situation is like expecting the unexpected. So it is better to rush for a generator or UPS before they get even costlier in coming days as the authorities are predicting the present power crisis to haunt the hapless consumers for several years.
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30. May 2008 by admin.
Investors looking for exposure to the booming U.S. wind power market don’t have a lot of options, since most companies in that business south of the border are privately owned, or controlled by European firms.
But one small Canadian company, Western Wind Energy Corp., has carved out a niche in California that gives investors a chance to get in on one of the hottest U.S. energy sectors.
The TSX/Venture-traded company, based in Vancouver, has had a stellar stock market performance in the past year, with its shares more than tripling to hit $3.50, although it has fallen back in the past week to the $3 range.
The company has two wind farms in California that are already producing electricity, and a portfolio of potential projects that could provide substantial growth going forward.
One of Western Wind’s two operating facilities is the Mesa project near Palm Springs, where more than 400 old turbines generate about 30 megawatts of power. The company plans to upgrade the small turbines to dramatically increase the output.
The other project in operation is the small 4 MW Windridge farm in the Tehachapi pass area about 160 kilometres northeast of Los Angeles.
Western Wind owns more land in the windy Tehachapi pass, and has a power contract there for a much bigger 120 MW project called Windstar. It hopes to get it up and running in the coming months.
Western Wind also has other potential development sites in California and in Arizona, and is considering getting into the solar power business.
The key to the company’s success, said analyst Massimo Fiore of Versant Partners Inc., is that California has both relatively high electricity prices, and a policy of quickly ramping up alternative energy production, with a goal of 20 per cent renewables by 2010. At the same time, federal production tax credits provide yet another incentive.
“There are only a few places in the U.S. where you can make good money per megawatt [of wind power], and California is one of those places,” Mr. Fiore said.
Still, Western Wind has not yet moved into the black. In the 11 months to Dec. 31 (the company changed its year-end) it lost $2.6-million on revenue of $4.3-million.
The company’s prospects were also clouded in the past 18 months because it was involved in a messy legal battle with one of its largest shareholders.
In 2006 Australia’s Pacific Hydro Ltd. held about 25 per cent of Western Wind’s shares, but at the Canadian firm’s annual meeting that year shareholders restricted their voting power to 20 per cent. Pacific got miffed and threatened to seize some of the Canadian company’s assets.
There was a flurry of litigation, but eventually a settlement was reached and Pacific Hydro agreed to sell its holdings. The distribution was completed last month.
Just this week, Western Wind announced a private placement to raise money that will be partly used to pay off the last $12.5-million it owes Pacific Hydro.
The balance, about $5-million, will boost the company’s working capital position.
Mr. Fiore, who rates the company a “strong buy” and has a one-year target of $5.10, said he is now more confident in Western Wind’s long-term value after the company announced last week that it had turned down a $228-million offer for development rights to the Windstar site.
That sets a floor for the value of the project, and may encourage others to bid more, Mr. Fiore said. Still, he was disappointed the company didn’t accept the offer, and said he expects eventually Western Wind will be acquired by a bigger player.
Robert McWhirter, president of money manager Selective Asset Management Inc., said he held Western Wind stock in one of the funds he manages, although he sold it recently when the shares appeared to stall.
The appeal, he said, was that Western Wind seemed underpriced compared with wind companies that operate in Canada. It also appeared well managed and clearly is “sitting on one of the windiest spots in California.”
While Mr. McWhirter has considered jumping back into Western Wind, he’s being very cautious because of concerns about a possible overall decline in equity markets.
Still, “I like the overall concept,” he said.
“California is a market that is very attractive.”
Wind power at a glance
While the pickings for U.S. wind power investments are slim, there are several public Canadian companies with heavy exposure to wind-generated power. Among them:
Boralex Inc. (BLX-TSX), a Quebec-based company that has wind, biomass and hydro-electric plants in Canada, the U.S. and France, recently won two new contracts from the Quebec government. Its stock has doubled in the past three years.
Canadian Hydro Developers Inc. (KHD-TSX), based in Calgary, has wind and hydro projects in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. Its stock has been flat for the past year.
Naikun Wind Energy Group Inc. (NKW-TSX-Ven) is planning a huge offshore wind farm in Hecate Straight between the Queen Charlotte Islands and the mainland of B.C. Its shares have gone from pennies to almost $4 in the past three years, and now trade in the $2.40 range.
Earthfirst Canada Inc. (EF-TSX) has just started construction on its first wind project in the Peace River region in northeastern British Columbia. The company has several other wind projects planned across Canada. Its stock is very volatile and trades thinly.
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30. May 2008 by admin.
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO–(Marketwire - May 26, 2008) - Ontario’s first Energy Conservation Week has been declared as the week of May 25 to 31. The objective is to demonstrate that by working together, Ontarians can help to create and maintain a culture of conservation. Enersource Hydro Mississauga supports this important initiative and encourages households and businesses in Mississauga to take part.
Energy Conservation Week is a province-wide initiative coordinated by the Ontario Power Authority, and supported by the Ministry of Energy, the Independent Electricity System Operator, the Electricity Distributors Association and Ontario’s local distribution companies like Enersource Hydro Mississauga.
“This week is a time to reflect on what our individual responsibilities and action plans in the interest of conservation,” said Craig Fleming, President and CEO of Enersource Hydro Mississauga. Whether it’s an innovative energy savings idea or active participation in government sponsored programs, the goal of reducing electricity consumption across the province is in the spotlight,” said Fleming.
About Enersource Hydro Mississauga
Serving over 185,000 customers in the City of Mississauga, Enersource Hydro Mississauga is the core regulated affiliate of Enersource Corporation, owned 90% by the City of Mississauga, and 10% by BPC Energy Corporation (Borealis), a subsidiary of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System. The Corporation is a diversified power and technologies company focusing on quality of service with the distribution of electricity, delivery of electricity conservation programs and smart metering solutions to meet government objectives and non-regulated services related to the electricity sector.
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28. May 2008 by admin.
Toronto - Residents in Mississauga, Brampton and parts of York Region have an opportunity to convert to green energy without spending too much green.
Three utilities — Hydro One, Enersource Hydro Mississauga and Hydro One Brampton — have joined together to offer interest-free loans to help residential electricity customers reduce their carbon footprints.
Energy Minister Gerry Phillips joined representatives from the three utilities outside one of the greenest houses in the GTA — the Port Credit home of former Olympic cyclist Jocelyn Lovell and his wife Neil.
The couple built the brick bungalow that backs onto the waterfront four years ago with energy conservation and the environment in mind. It includes something as simple as a backyard clothesline to rooftop solar panels that generate electricity to power the house plus heat the water.
Phillips said Ontarians are already showing their commitment to home energy conservation.
“Almost 50,000 homeowners have received rebates through our Home Energy Audit program as they look to make their homes more efficient. This innovative program will put more clean, green power options within financial reach of homeowners,” said Phillips.
“We use electricity but we also have electricity going to the grid from what we produce on our solar panels. With the money we get back from that it pays for what we use,” explained Neil Lovell, standing in the backyard of her home.
Craig Fleming, president and CEO of Enersource encourages more people to install renewable electricity generation technologies even though it means his utility will make less money.
“The Lovells have been a long time friend of Enersource, a valued customer and actually a net zero user of power. They actually bid into the grid,” Fleming said.
He admits that the technologies are expensive right now but he’s hoping the price will become more affordable as more people install the systems.
The pilot program offers interest free loans of between $2,000 and $50,000. You have up to 10 years to pay the money back. The money can be used to purchase solar water heating, solar photovoltaic (electricity), geothermal and small wind turbine technologies. To qualify installation must take place by February 15, 2009.
The PowerHouse program is being offered to more than 500,000 residential customers of Enersource Hydro Mississauga, Hydro One and Hydro One Brampton living in Brampton, Mississauga, Caledon, King Township, East Gwillimbury, Georgina or Whitchurch-Stouffville.
PowerHouse loan application forms and more information about the pilot program can be found at www.powerhouseprogram.ca
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28. May 2008 by admin.
Steamboat Springs — “Can you tell that’s a raccoon? I can’t,” Jim Chappell joked as he pointed out the animal responsible for blacking out Yampa Valley on Sunday night and causing more than $1 million in damage.
The animal — most likely a raccoon — climbed up to the live wires on a piece of equipment with 12,000 volts running through it.
Power was restored about one hour later to most of the 12,000 to 15,000 customers affected, said Chappell, Yampa Valley Electric Association spokesman.
The animal first caused an arc, which spread into a second arc and ignited two mineral-oil fires. Two, and possibly three, large pieces of the substation were damaged. Estimates of damage still are being calculated, but repairs are expected to total more than $1 million.
Insurance will cover the bulk of the repairs, and customers will not see a change in their rates, Chappell said.
“Have you ever fried a fish and the oil caught fire in the pan? That is what is happening inside. That oil is so hot that it burns out holes and it’s spewing the oil out as it’s burning,” Chappell said.
“I’ve never seen (damage) of this magnitude.”
The initial arcs caused the bright blue-white flashes seen around the valley, and the flaming mineral oil, usually used to cool components, caused the following glow.
“We try really hard to keep critters out, and anybody who could come up with a way to do it could get really rich, because every utility in the country has critter problems,” said Paul Vaillancourt, manager of operations and engineering for YVEA.
“We have raccoons, other people have snakes, and some people have fire ants. Everybody has something that gets into their equipment.”
A raccoon also caused a small outage May 13, creating a fire in another transformer that is due to be repaired next week.
The most recent explosion also sent a surge through the KBCR radio transmitter, KBCR general manager Brian Harvey said Tuesday.
Because the radio station has no backup power source, the station remained off the air until YVEA power returned. The station’s FM band, 96.9, still was operating at low power Tuesday morning until a key component of the transmitter could be replaced. Its 1230 AM station was back to full power immediately after the outage.
To install a backup power source for the radio station would be a “pretty massive system,” Harvey said. Both the studio and the transmitter would have to run on generators.
“Our transmitter, our main, is on top of Emerald Mountain. Basically every radio station in the valley is up in that one building and none of us have backup,” Harvey said.
Because the Pilot & Today’s Internet servers are in Kansas, they remained online during the outage. Steamboatpilot.com still was available to owners of mobile phones and other handheld electronic devices whose phone systems were working. The Pilot & Today’s SMS system also sent cell phone text messages about the outage to subscribers of the free alert service.
Pilot & Today Editor Brent Boyer said the service is available to any registered user of the paper’s Web site.
“More than anything else, the breaking news alert feature provides an opportunity for us to disseminate important news in a timely, user-friendly format,” Boyer said. Readers also can have the alerts sent to their e-mail accounts.
David Hill, director of the Routt County Communications Department, said the dispatch center received 336 calls during the blackout, including 85 calls to the 911 emergency line.
“When we get a huge number of calls, and it did happen a couple of times, it will roll over and ring at the Moffat County dispatch number. If that becomes tied up, people can actually get busy signals for 911,” he said.
Hill said people should call 911 only if there is a threat to life or property, or to report a crime.
The non-emergency line at (970) 879-1090 should be used for questions or other issues, he said.
All communications centers and the hospital rely on backup generators or batteries, but Chuck Vale, director of Routt County Office of Emergency Management, said few other government resources have backup power sources.
“We don’t have as much backup generation as most people would think, mostly due to cost,” he said. “Cost is tied to how many times does this actually occur, and it doesn’t happen very often so you don’t see a lot of money spent on backup generators.”
Vale said families should read the preparedness guide at ready.colorado.gov and ensure their houses have enough supplies to wait out an extended blackout.
“If you don’t have power, neither does 7-Eleven, so you can’t go buy stuff,” he said.
The backup system at Yampa Valley Medical Center operated without problems, said Christine McKelvie, public relations director for the hospital.
“It went very smoothly. The YVEA power source came back to the hospital in about an hour and 10 minutes,” she said. “Everything we need to stay functional is on the generator.”
The repair for the YVEA substation will take several months, Vaillancourt said, but that should not cause any interruptions to service.
New parts for the substation can take nearly a year to arrive, but Chappell said he hopes the YVEA can repair or rebuild the unit instead of waiting.
Chappell said it was fortunate the damage happened during the summer because power demand is much greater in the winter months.
“If this had happened Thanksgiving weekend, this would have been a major problem,” he said, noting the demand during the winter is three times greater than demand in the summer. In that case, a mobile substation would be brought in to temporarily provide power.
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27. May 2008 by admin.
— ASHTABULA — A fire in the back alley of a furniture store is blamed for a citywide power outage Monday.
About 2,500 residences were left in the dark for more than four hours after vandals set a mattress box on fire at about 5:30 p.m. behind Michael’s Furniture, 4520 Main Ave.. Ashtabula firefighters quickly extinguished the blaze and set up fans to ventilate the Head Start building.
No one was injured, but the blaze damaged the rear exterior of the Head Star office, 4510 Main Ave.., and a nearby utility pole. The utility pole turned out to be very important to the city’s power supply, said Mark Jones, area manager
for the Illuminating Co. “The situation cascaded and tripped our substation (at West 51st Street and Jefferson Avenue),” Jones said. “The mattress was wrapped around the (utility) pole.” The outage affected homes, businesses and traffic signals until 9:50 p.m. from Woodman Avenue east to the Ashtabula Township line. For some businesses farther east, such as the Edgewood Dairy Queen, the blackout caused headaches and disappointed customers. Folks expecting a cool ice-cream cone on a warm Memorial Day evening could order only Dilly bars or slush drinks because the outage caused the ice-cream machines to go down, employees said.
Ashtabula police are looking for the arsonists who set the mattress on fire.
They are described as two juveniles riding on bicycles. Anyone with information about the fire should call the Ashtabula Police Department at (440) 992-7172.
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27. May 2008 by admin.
Kiwi ingenuity is alive and well in Gisborne, where members of an engineering-oriented family have established a commercial biofuel plant recycling food wastes.
Pukeawa Biofuel was the brainchild of John Fisher. It started as a seed that germinated during a get-together about three years ago with father, also John Fisher, and his brother-in-law Rangi Bason.
Over the following months the words “I’ve been thinking . . .” became the catchcry of the whole family.
This helped them work through some fairly complicated technological challenges, said Mr Bason.
They have gradually converted sheds on the Bason lifestyle property into a real greenfields factory, in consultation with Gisborne District Council.
The operation uses only organic products such as used cooking oils and fats from commercial food premises, so the only by-product is crude glycerine.
Trials are under way to recycle this as the basis for an organic handwash.
“Our philosophy is to be truly green by recycling — we don’t want to compete with the food chain,” said Mr Bason.
As the company gets to the stage where local demand is outstripping supply, they are already trialling ways to convert fruit and vegetable wastes and other organic by-products into biofuel.
For now the core operation is converting used cooking oils into an organic diesel fuel in a plant that looks like a food distillery or brewery.
Trevor Jukes of Jukes Carriers is using the fuel in a 40-50 percent biodiesel mix for much of his fleet, including a range of heavy vehicles, light delivery trucks and earthmoving machinery.
The fuel does not require any engine modifications — it meets the biofuel standard recently imposed for New Zealand, as well European and American standards.
Mr Jukes has been like a mentor to the family, who are grateful for his business acumen.
They are also grateful for the support of the restaurant and fast-food sector, which supplies the feedstock for the fuel. Extra feedstock is brought in from Hawke’s Bay.
They collect this on a daily basis and are now looking for ways used household cooking oils and fats could be added to the waste collection for recycling.
Although the latter would be a marginal operation, it would prevent this product going “down the gurgler”, where it inevitably ends up as part of the slick causing problems with the city’s outfall pipe.
The biofuel operation relies heavily on foodstock, and anything going in offsets the district’s otherwise total reliance on oil companies.
Pukeawa has its own diesel tanker for deliveries to numerous clients, who buy anything from a drum to a tanker load.
The biofuel is from 5 to 10 cents a litre cheaper than the fossil fuel alternative, depending on quantity.
It is also used to fuel the factory’s own energy needs, with a biofuel-fired boiler heating the heat exchange unit needed to keep the oil warm for processing. A 150kW generator is capable of meeting any future expansion requirements.
The family catchcry is still alive and well, and they are already working on the next phase of converting waste to energy.
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26. May 2008 by admin.
TORONTO, May 26 /CNW/ - With budgets tightening, government agencies,
schools, health-care organizations and other institutions have a perfect
opportunity to reduce operating expenses by using electricity more
efficiently. Improvements can be made throughout an organization to achieve
energy efficiency.
Did You Know...
<<
- Almost 40 per cent of an institutional building's electricity is
consumed by lighting systems.(1)
- In 2005, 91 per cent of commercial and institutional establishments
in Ontario were at least partially air-conditioned, the highest rate
in the country, with electricity being the most significant primary
energy source.(2)
- Every kilowatt-hour saved through conservation prevents two pounds of
carbon dioxide (CO(2)) from reaching the atmosphere.(3)
Story Ideas
- Profile an institution that has taken measures to become more energy
conscious. Explore what the organization has done, how it has
impacted the institution, the community and their environment.
- Provide tips on what schools, libraries, hospitals, etc. can easily
do to conserve electricity and information on local programs and
incentives that are available.
What's Happening On Electricity Impact Day
Here is a list of some of the activities happening around Ontario on
Electricity Impact Day:
- Fairmont Royal York Hotel
- The Fairmont Royal York Hotel will mark Energy Conservation Week
with a symbolic showing of support by turning off its grand
rooftop marquee throughout the week, beginning on Monday May 26.
- EnWin Utilities (Windsor)
- Formally kicking off Energy Conservation Week at the Greater Essex
County District School Board with local elected officials to
educate Windsor on what EnWin is doing to help customers conserve
energy and save money.
- Information will be provided about the Great refrigerator Roundup,
Summer Sweepstakes, peaksaver, and Electricity Retrofit Incentive
Program.
- Hudsons Bay Company (Hbc)
- Hbc prides itself on being a Canadian retail leader in
environmental sustainability. It's part of its commitment to help
sustain the environment. Through this commitment Hbc has partnered
with the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) to participate in the first
ever Ontario Energy Conservation Week May 25th to 31st 2008.
During this week Hbc will be reducing lighting at all Ontario Bay,
Zellers and Home Outfitters Hbc stores by 25% (where achievable)
during regular business hours.
- Hydro One
- Hydro One wants to acknowledge Ontarians' efforts and creativity
in saving electricity. As of May 19 and throughout Energy
Conservation Week (May 25 to 31, 2008), go to
www.hydroone.com/ECWeek to enter Ontario's Most Valuable
Power$aver contest for a chance to win a $10,000 energy efficient
backyard makeover. Submit a short video, picture, or e-mail
describing your efforts to conserve or use less electricity. A
draw will be held in June to award the MVP the grand prize of a
consultation with an expert who will help you design, purchase and
install a backyard that is energy efficient and environmentally
friendly. If you don't have a backyard, you can donate your prize
within your community.
- St. Thomas Energy, City Hall and St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital
- Walk or Bike Your Way To Savings: City residents will be able to
claim a free conservation kit (including items such as fluorescent
lights, water flow measurement bag, toilet leak dye tablets,
clothesline, pencils, colouring books, etc.). In line with the
Conservation Week theme, the people who claim their free kits
should walk; ride a bike or carpool to the pick-up location.
Pick-up locations are St. Thomas Energy Inc., City Hall and
St. Thomas Elgin General Hospital.
- Electricity Impact Exercise with Reduce the Juice and Orangeville
Hydro
- Reduce the Juice and Orangeville Hydro will be visiting Princess
Elizabeth Public School, and teaching students about energy
conservation. The students will engage in an "Electricity Impact
Exercise" by reducing as much juice as they can and calculating
their impact in kW savings.
- Horizon Utilities Inc. (Hamilton/St. Catharines)
- Each employee will receive a Horizon Eco-Bag filled with energy
conservation materials ranging from CFLs, LED nightlights,
information on energy conservation and a questionnaire to win cool
prizes including an ice cream maker.
- Haldimand County Hydro Inc.
- Haldimand County Hydro Inc. has partnered with River Heights
Elementary School to host the media launch of its 2008
Conservation Programs which include an online interactive game for
Grade 5 students with the chance to win 1 of 3 iPods. During the
launch event students and adults will go head to head in a few
rounds of "Are you as Energy Smart as a Haldimand County 5th
Grader?" The event begins at 1:30 pm in the gymnasium.
- Energy Conservation Week Media Launch (North Bay)
- At 10:00 am the city of North Bay will proclaim Energy
Conservation Week at King George Public School with the Mayor,
media and North Bay Hydro officials, and launch a CFL light
exchange competition with 7 schools in North Bay. The school that
collects the most incandescent light bulbs wins an iPod for each
student in the class. An iPod and speaker system will also be
awarded to the winning school.
- Energy Conservation Week at West Park Healthcare Centre (Toronto)
- West Park Healthcare Centre will be running on reduced lighting
during Energy Conservation Week. All staff, patients, visitors and
volunteers will be asked to shut off all unnecessary lighting.
Safety will not be compromised however, if it isn't needed, it
will be shut off. Staff will be reminded to turn off all computers
and other electrical appliances before they leave at the end of
the day.
- West Park Healthcare Centre will also have an Energy Conservation
display in front of the cafeteria for the entire week Monday,
May 26 to Friday, May 30. Staff will be available to answer
questions during the lunch hour.
- Town of Oakville Energy Conservation Week Contest
- The Town of Oakville is sponsoring a contest for students in
elementary and secondary schools in the community. The winner of
each category will receive a prize and be appointed as a Youth
Energy Conservation Officer.
- Grade 1 to 8 students: Create a poster depicting how they can
conserve energy at home or at school.
- Grade 9 to 12 students: Write an essay (250 words or less) on
why it is important to conserve energy and how we can conserve.
- Submit entries by 4:30 pm on Friday May 30 to Oakville Town
Hall at 1225 Trafalgar Road, Oakville, ON, L6J 5A6 or by e-mail
to Suzanne Austin at saustin@oakville.ca
- Festival Hydro
- Festival Hydro along with John Wilkinson Perth-Wellington MPP and
CARE Stratford will launch Energy Conservation week with St Marys
Highschool's Green Team. Kill-A-Watt power use meters are being
donated by Festival Hydro. The theme will be "Unplugged! Reducing
the unnecessary loads on the grid!"
- Information on the Great Refrigerator Roundup, PeakSaver, and
Summer Sweepstakes is available at all public libraries in
Stratford, Brussels, Dashwood, Hensall, St. Marys, Seaforth and
Zurich. Patrons will be able to learn how these conservation
programs will help them save energy and money while reducing load
from the grid during peak summer demand.
- Nelson Switzer (Toronto)
- Direct Energy will be hosting a series of presentations at office
locations across Toronto based on Al Gore's "An Inconvenient
Truth", with Nelson A. Switzer, a certified presenter of The
Climate Project, who will discuss climate change and take
questions.
- Lakehead University
- Lakehead is hosting an energy conservation tips contest. To enter
write an energy conservation tip for home or the office on a piece
of paper, drop it off at the University switchboard or e-mail it
to sustainability@lakeheadu.ca. The contest is open to all so
make sure your name and contact information is included in your
submission. The contest opens on May 26 and closes on May 30 at
1:00 pm. The prize draws will take place at 3:00 pm.
- Lakehead will also announce that its summertime air conditioning
threshold will be increased from 22(degrees)C to 26(degrees)C
- Hillcrest Shopping Centre (Richmond Hill)
- During Energy Conservation Week Hillcrest Shopping Centre will
implement the following initiatives in an effort to conserve
energy:
- Turn off all non-essential lighting
- Turn off all non-essential office equipment
- Increase exterior foot patrols to reduce vehicle use
- Increase the building temperature to reduce energy used for
cooling
- Masonville Place (London)
- During Energy Conservation Week Masonville Place will implement
the following initiatives in an effort to conserve energy:
- Reduce all non-essential lighting throughout the mall and
administration office
- Increase exterior foot patrols to reduce vehicle use
- Increase the building temperature to reduce energy used for
cooling
- Shut off the centre court fountain
- Shut off the directory boards during the day
- Georgian Mall (Barrie)
- Georgian Mall will participate in Energy Conservation Week by
implementing the following measures:
- Reducing the set point on all HVAC equipment
- Turning off all non-essential lighting in common areas - i.e.
pot lights and chandelier lights
- Turning off all non-essential exterior lighting after 12:01am
- Turning off all exterior signage lights after 12:01am
- Reducing water consumption of its irrigation system
- Cataraqui Town Centre (Kingston)
- Cataraqui Town Centre in Kingston is implementing the following
initiatives from May 25 to 31 in an effort to help conserve
energy:
- Reducing the set point on all HVAC equipment
- Turning off all non-essential office equipment
- Assorted space temperatures will be raised by 2 degrees
- Increase of exterior foot patrol to decrease vehicle use
- Markville Shopping Centre (Markham)
- Markville Shopping Centre will participate in Energy Conservation
Week by implementing the following measures:
- Turning up the set point on HVAC systems and turning them off
where possible
- Setting the chiller demand to 70 per cent
- Turning off down escalators
- Turning off all non-essential lighting
- Setting the air conditioning 2 degrees higher in common areas
- Turning off pylon signs
- Turning off wall pack lighting between 12:00 pm and dawn
- Using night lighting only in the under deck parking area
- Setting parking lot lights at 50 per cent (2 out of 4 lamp
heads will be on)
- Turning off river systems
- Turning off back lit signs controlled by the Property
- ACLC (Toronto)
- Will demonstrate their commitment to Energy Conservation Week by
turning off all non-essential lighting with "Mood Lighting
Monday".
- Yonge Corporate Centre (Toronto)
- In honour of Energy Conservation Week the Yonge Corporate Centre
is implementing the following measures:
- Operation of only 50 per cent of its elevators and shut down of
its escalators
- Shut down of all non-essential fans and motors
- Shut down of all non-essential lighting
- Closing of blinds, particularly on the south and west exposures
- Turning off of all CCTV monitors after hours
- Sherway Gardens (Toronto)
- Sherway Gardens will participate in Energy Conservation Week by
implementing the following measures:
- Turning off all non-essential lighting and office equipment in
administration
- Setting HVAC systems two degrees higher than normal
- Starting air handling units later and shutting them down
earlier
- Modifying lighting schedules for common areas so non-essential
daytime lights are turned off
- Starting the fountains one hour later
- Increasing foot patrols in parking lots to reduce vehicle use
- Fairview Park (Kitchener)
- Fairview Park will participate in Energy Conservation Week by
implementing the following measures:
- Turning off all non-essential lighting and office equipment
- Turning HVAC systems, pumps, etc down or off as conditions
permit
- Reducing parking lot lighting by 50 per cent
- Reducing printing to only necessary documents
- Lime Ridge (Hamilton)
- Lime Ridge will participate in Energy Conservation Week by
implementing the following measures:
- Turning off all non-essential lighting in the common areas
- Turning off all non-essential exterior lighting after 12:01 am
- Turning off Clear Channel lighting the front of the building
- Turning HVAC systems, pumps, etc down or off as conditions
permit
- Turning off escalators after hours
- The Cadillac Fairview Corporation - Bloor Street Properties
- Throughout Energy Conservation Week Cadillac Fairview will be
implementing the following measures at their Bloor Street
properties:
- All staff will either car pool or use public transport for
their commute to and from work.
- Won't print unless necessary. When printing, staff will be
encouraged to print double sided.
- Providing energy conservation tips and information on elevators
news network
- Raise the temperature by one degree in both buildings.
- Continue to monitor the weather forecast, outside air
temperature and the building load closely. Switch the HVAC
system to free cooling whenever possible.
- Turn all lights off (with the exception of emergency & exit
lights) in lobby and concourse area between 10:30pm to 6:00am.
- Change the lighting schedule of underground parking from
5:00 am - 11:00 pm to 7:00 am-10:00 pm.
- Change the exterior lighting schedule from 8:00 pm - 7:00 am to
9:00 pm - 5:30 am.
- Review the lighting and equipment schedules and reduce the
operation hours where ever and whenever possible without
affecting tenant operations.
- Inspect and adjust all the faucets and flushometers.
- Simcoe Place (Toronto)
- Simcoe Place will implement the following initiatives
May 25 to 31:
- Display Energy Conservation Week posters in common areas.
- Post information on Pattison elevator screens.
- Notify all tenants in writing of Simcoe Place initiatives and
encourage participation.
- Set chillers to 60 per cent of operating load capacity.
- Supply air temperature set points for all operating fan systems
for entire building set to 76degreesF.
- VAV box set points raised by 2degreesF.
- 50 per cent of all outside air fans turned off.
- Public area lights for lobby turned off.
- All cove lighting turned off.
- Display fixtures and specialty lighting turned off.
- All backlit signage turned off.
- GE lighting system Time of Day Schedule for building reflective
ceiling lights to automatically turn off lights programmed for
6:00 pm.
>>
About Energy Conservation Week
Energy Conservation Week is a province-wide initiative that is being
co-ordinated by the Ontario Power Authority, in co-operation with many
partners, including the Ministry of Energy, the Independent Electricity System
Operator and the Electricity Distributors Association. It combines
awareness-building, the dissemination of practical information about energy
conservation, and encourages implementation of specific measures that will
help Ontario better manage its summer peak and build towards a "culture of
conservation."
For more information, visit the Energy Conservation Week website,
www.energyconservationweek.ca a dynamic resource that features tips on how to
conserve energy, an energy conservation forum, an events calendar and more.
-------------------------------------
<<
(1) Ontario Power Authority, www.everykilowattcounts.com
(2) Natural Resources Canada: Commercial and Institutional Consumption of
Energy Survey, Summary Report - June 2007:
http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/Publications/statistics/cices06/chapter6.cfm?
attr=0
(3) Use Wisely- Every Watt Counts: www.uoregon.edu - Lake, A & K. Kaplan.
Resource Conservation Team, 1998
>>
Posted in Canada News, News | Print | No Comments »
25. May 2008 by admin.
Worried about your next power failure? Visit www.Texas-Generators.com
Excerpt from report by Kenyan privately-owned TV station KTN on 25 May
[Presenter] A major power blackout has hit most parts of the country from early as 5.45 p.m. [1425 gmt] and up to this hour many Kenyans remain in darkness.
The power outage is reported to have been as a result of technical hiccups in the line of supply between the Kiamburu substation and the Seven Folks dam [all in central region].
The Kenya power utility company says it was working hard to restore power supply.
[Reporter] For a spell of over three hours now, most parts of the country have been in a blackout. Reports from Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, Nakuru and Eldoret all confirm a power outage and reason why - a fault between the Kiamburu substation and the Seven Folks hydro power station as well as Dandora substation in Nairobi.
The Kenya Power and Lighting Company [KPLC] confirmed this in a statement sent to news rooms adding that the system controllers would commence restoration of power in phases. [Passage omitted]
Kenyatta National Hospital director Dr Jotham Michemi asked KPLC to restore power immediately as the entire intensive care unit has been put in jeopardy.
KPLC Managing Director Eng Joseph Njoroge however, said that investigations will commence to establish the cause of the fault.
However, the wave of darkness will be gone soon.
Originally published by KTN TV, Nairobi, in English 1800 25 May 08.
Posted in World News, News | Print | No Comments »