29 Mar, 2010
CCS - 2
http://www.grist.org/article/2010-03-08-vinod-khosla-tom-friedman-no-amount-sequestration-coal-clean/
The "idea" of CCS is to "capture" the carbon emissions generated by burning carbon in power plants. Then you inject the stuff into the ground, where it supposedly stays forever. I am NOT making this up, read up about the thing.
But the Grist.org article basically says: Even if CCS is 100% effective -- which is a joke, by the way -- coal still sucks.
Getting coal out of the ground is horrifically destructive to both
ecosystems and human communities. Washing coal to prepare it for
transport leaves behind multi-million gallon pools of toxic slurry,
which regularly fail and flood nearby communities. Transporting coal is a carbon-intensive and
destructive undertaking in itself. In Appalachia, gigantic trucks careen
downhill on narrow roads carrying enormous coal loads trailing toxic
dust. Coal trains also lock up most of the country's rail
infrastructure, which could otherwise be used for low-carbon freight
shipping.
Burning coal is also horrific. It leaves behind enormous quantities of heavy metal-laden coal ash, often in uncovered impoundments, from which ash drifts onto local communities. (Some coal ash is used in concrete too, but that doesn't make it clean either.) In fact, efforts in recent decades to scrub air pollutants out of smokestacks in response to Clean Air Act requirements have led to more coal ash, as pollutants are effectively transferred from the air to the ash, where they are far less strictly regulated.
You can also read Khosla's response at the link above. Based on what I think I know about CCS, he's full of stuff. But again, even if CCS works, his answer to what's above, and the substance of the Grist.org article, just does not work (if the idea is to reduce coal's damage to the environment).
29 Mar, 2010
CCS - 1
http://www.environmental-expert.com/resulteachpressrelease.aspx?cid=28518&codi=156566
Read the thing, but keep this in mind: IT DOES NOT WORK, it doesn't make sense, and it especially doesn't make economic sense. And read the next item (above).
29 Mar, 2010
You're Green -- R U Mean, Too?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/mar/15/green-consumers-more-likely-steal
. . . OK, OK, I admit -- I'm becoming more skeptical of things green (thanks to research). But stuff like this makes me crazy:
Mazar and Zhong said their study showed that just as exposure to
pictures of exclusive restaurants can improve table manners but may not
lead to an overall improvement in behaviour, "green products do not
necessarily make for better people".
No. Really?
29 Mar, 2010
Copper, Jan-June 2009 (& more)
U.S. mine production of copper was 4% lower in 1/09 to 6/09 vs. the same period in 2008.
Domestic refined copper production declined by 10% vs. the same period in 2008, "owning to a 16% decline in electrolytic refined production."
U.S. produce price for copper fell from a monthly avg. of $3.49/lb. in 8/08 to $1.45 by 12/08, yet had risen to $2.34/lb by 6/09.
. . . and kept going up, to hit $3.25/lb. in December 2009.
BY THE WAY, I tracked a 20-cent-per-pound increase in copper on the past 2 full global trading days, Fri. 3/26 and Mon. 3/29. On up to $3.52. Wowsa!
29 Mar, 2010
Oil Reserves Not Quite That
. . . new research argues that estimates of conventional reserves should be
downgraded from 1,150bn to 1,350bn barrels to between 850bn and 900bn
barrels and claims that demand may outstrip supply as early as 2014. The
researchers claim it is an open secret that OPEC is likely to
have inflated its reserves, but that the International Energy Agency
(IEA), BP, the Energy
Information Administration and World Oil do not take this
into account in their statistics.
Shocked -- I'm shocked that there's gambling going on in this casino . . . read the whole thing here:
http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-reserves-exaggerated-by-one-third-tele-2459f22bb875.html?x=0
28 Mar, 2010
DC Power Distribution
At least one of us (me) needs ot keep track of what's going on here. If you want to do that, too, give a read to this brief article from the March issue of BUILDINGS magazine --
http://www.buildings.com/Magazine/ArticleDetails/tabid/3413/ArticleID/9468/Default.aspx
28 Mar, 2010
BICSI + Strategic Plans
I couldn't find it (not online yet at BICSI.org).
HOWEVER, I did find "BICSI adopts new strategic plan," on the site of a Canadian magazine.
Dateline: 7/1/06 --
http://www.cnsmagazine.com/issues/story.aspx?aid=1000205064&type=Print%20Archives
28 Mar, 2010
Train As Electrician - Go Anywhere!
Here comes some backing from the Poughkeepsie Journal. 3/20 headline "Electrician background a good base for home inspection business." The article --
http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20100320/BUSINESS/3200314/Young-professionals-Electrician-background-a-good-base-for-home-inspection-business
. . . details how 30-year-old Brian Reyes moved on from his start as an IBEW electrician (he became a journeyman @ age 24). After a Sept. 09 layoff, he started up a home inspection business. From Reyes:
We always worked around plumbers, heating guys and cooling guys and structural guys," Reyes said. "We all had to work together, pretty much, so that's how I got to see all the building and how it was built."
28 Mar, 2010
Webcasts for Industry
ITP's Thursday Webcasts for Industry help industrial personnel learn about ITP's software assessment tools, technologies, partnership opportunities, Save Energy Now energy assessments, and other resources that can be used to find ways to save energy and reduce carbon emissions. The Webcasts are held on the first Thursday of every month from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Eastern time and are presented by ITP staff, partners, and experts.
http://www1.eere.energy.gov/industry/resources/thursday_webcasts.html
. . . it also looks as if you can download PDFs of previous webcast presentations -- and LISTEN to recordings of webcasts done previously in 2010.
28 Mar, 2010
Conduit Sleeve Bonding
http://www.csemag.com/article/453379-Bonding_conduit_sleeves.php
28 Mar, 2010
More On The i-House
http://www.builderonline.com/green-building/clayton-homes-goes-mod-with-new-i-house-pods.aspx
This home’s narrow, rectangular form and tight, bare-bones floor
plan harks back to its trailer park roots, despite its strong
contemporary elements. Even the separate “flex” unit addition to the
home, which provides the “dot” to create the i-shaped footprint for
which the house is named, is a retro-chic nod to outbuildings commonly
found in mobile home parks.
(More)
26 Mar, 2010
O'Brien Repairs Lamps
What inspired you to go into this line of work? It all started out as a
hobby and then became a career. The lamp repair part became part of the
business when I started getting phone calls, and it occurred to me it
was a niche that needed to be filled. I was always building things as a
kid — even then, I could make a lamp that works. I like the older lamps.
A lot are individual pieces of artwork. Whether they are worth a
fortune or not, they are really neat. If someone's favorite reading lamp
goes out, I make it a priority because people want them fixed quickly.
and
What are your goals? I wish more people knew that their lamps could be
repaired, rather than just throwing away their old lamps. If they don't
want to repair their old lamp, I can reuse some of the parts in future
repairs. I have boxes of parts and pieces from ones that were not
repairable that can be used. If people have a lamp they don't want to
repair, at least they can telephone me first before they throw it out.
Maybe the retail end might still be a possibility at some point, selling
old or unique lamps.
26 Mar, 2010
Chemicals & Green Building
Here's something that caught my eye, a reaffirmation of a data point I think I already knew:
" . . . there are limits to our research. There are 60,000 to 80,000 chemicals in use today,and the vast majority of these have never been tested for environmental health and safety concerns."
That's right -- you're swimming in a sea of toxic goop. Not only have those chemicals NOT been individually tested, any impact some of them might have on YOU when combined (as they are, every day, in our environment) is . . . unknown, unregulated, and . . . unimaginable.
26 Mar, 2010
The i-House and the e-Home
i-house -- "incorporates numerous upscale design features and energy efficient construction practices at a starting price" of $74,900 for a 723-sq.-ft. house. That's $104 per sq. ft.
e-home -- starting at $42,135 for a 900-sq.-ft. model, "the product includes many features that should appeal either to environmentalists or simply those who are looking for low ongoing utility costs."
25 Mar, 2010
Electricity Without Wires
Electricity without wires?
Long-distance ground-to-ground wireless power transmission would require expensive infrastructure, however, and with concerns over the safety of transmitting it via high-power microwaves, the idea has been met with trepidation.
While we won't be seeing a wireless power grid any time soon, the idea of beaming power on a smaller scale is rapidly gaining momentum. That is largely because, with wireless communication, like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and ever-shrinking circuits, power cables are now the only limit to becoming truly portable. "The move was inevitable once wireless communication became popular," says David Graham, a co-founder of Powerbeam in San Jose, California.
25 Mar, 2010
Sweep Switches
Unlike standard wall switches, sweep switches are held in place
electrically, not mechanically. They work with the existing relay panel
or smart breaker with a time clock. At preset times, the power is
momentarily interrupted. The lights go off, and the switch resets to
“off,” making it easy and intuitive for staff or occupants to turn the
switch on manually if needed. Turning on an individual switch won’t
affect the entire system or any other switches – it simply means that
those lights will stay on until someone manually turns it
off, or until the next power interruption sweep, which is after normal
business hours.
andSweep switches are a niche product, but they’re particularly useful in
renovation projects when it’s expensive and unnecessary to rip out an
old lighting system.
25 Mar, 2010
Power Line Services Inc
Sun Electric Services (Odessa, Tex.), acquired 9/8/09.
Total Electrical Services & Supply (Midland, Tex.), acquired 12/31/09 and
Air2 LLC (Timonium, MD).
Total Electrical Services & Supply (Midland, Tex.), acquired 12/31/09 and
Air2 LLC (Timonium, MD).
That last company doesn't sound like the first? That's because Air2 provides "helicopter-assisted" services to the electric utility biz.
24 Mar, 2010
Posts on Renewable Energy
Renewable energy business assumptions ("carbon is as carbon does")
Solar in 2010-11 -- boom years?
Solar: A four-bagger through 2011?
Which way the wind is blowing?
24 Mar, 2010
Lighting Bits + Pieces
24 Mar, 2010
Data From Reed
Unsold new homes picture deteriorates again (in Feb.) -- 3/24
Feb. Construction Starts Drop Led by Institutional -- 3/22
Contractors hiring in California -- 3/7
24 Mar, 2010
Gensets - The 'Nitty-Gritty'
It's common knowledge that battery system failures are at the core of most generator set failures. Many of these could be avoided by making sure that a proper battery charger is installed. The battery charger needs to be able to float to zero-net charge on the batteries; it needs to be sized correctly per NFPA 110 (most are too small); and it needs to have ambient temperature compensation in the charge rate. It's also important that the fuel system design is correct for the engine that is installed, and this can change a bit from engine to engine. Proper maintenance, including battery bank replacement, is critical. If that isn't done, the system will be unreliable within two or three years of installation.
24 Mar, 2010
AC Solar Technology
AC Solar Technology’s Blue Leaf 210W AC module, which is essentially a small solar electrical system, has the potential to open up the solar market to small commercial and residential users, Harris said. It simplifies solar power installation.
Photovoltaic systems produce DC, or direct current. Most electrical appliances in a home use AC, or alternating current. So most solar systems need wires that lead from the solar panels to an inverter, which converts direct current into alternating current. The wires continue from the inverter to the building’s electrical system.
The Blue Leaf module essentially removes the direct current portion. It has no DC wiring or components and uses AC from the modules to the power grid, according to a company news release. It has a single AC line leading from the inverter on the back panel. It’s like an extension cord, Harris said.
24 Mar, 2010
TN Electric Expands
Tennessee Electric employees have traveled from Kingsport to work on
projects in various parts of the country, including Richmond, Va., and
Charleston, S.C.
In early 2008 the company learned that contractors were having difficulty getting electrical work completed on wind farms out west.
“We contacted them and figured out that we had the skill sets to do what it takes — right here in Kingsport — to get the job done,” Boehling said.
The company was able to secure contracts to wire wind turbines across the Texas panhandle and Missouri.
Most recently, Tennessee Electric was contracted to provide wiring work on wind energy projects in Greensburg, Kansas — a town that was essentially destroyed a few years ago by a tornado, and is now being rebuilt with “green” projects in mind. The wind farms being constructed today will supply the town’s electricity needs tomorrow.
23 Mar, 2010
Construction Contracts (MHC)
However, the numbers IS the numbers. Here they are after 1/6th of 2010
YEAR-TO-DATE CONSTRUCTION
STARTS
Unadjusted Totals, In Millions of Dollars
| 2 Mo. 2010 | 2 Mo. 2009 | % Change | |
| Nonresidential Building | $21,125 | $25,453 | -17 |
| Residential Building | 17,274 | 13,588 | +27 |
| Nonbuilding Construction | 18,833 | 18,093 | +4 |
| Total Construction | $57,232 | $57,134 | -0- |
23 Mar, 2010
Optimism Abounds!
The International
Air Transport Association (IATA) halved its loss forecast for 2010 to
US$2.8 billion (compared to the US$5.6 billion loss forecast in December
2009). The improvement is largely driven by a much stronger recovery in
demand seen by year-end gains that continued into the first months of
2010. Relatively flat capacity translated into some yield improvement
and stronger revenues.
22 Mar, 2010
Energy From The Front Door
The idea (from the Netherlands) is "to harvest the kinetic energy produced when the door spins." The power goes from the front door to the LEDs illuminating the cafe in the train station.
22 Mar, 2010
J & I Electric of Louisville
Dad was an E.C. The company was founded 26 years ago by Tom Forcht Jr. and Denis Bohn (who is 57) -- they are brother and sister.
Denise previously worked "in the insurance industry and I also worked for an electrical supplier," as well as for her dad.
Tom does the estimates, Denise handles "the office end of it."
Standby generators: J & I has been in the standby biz for 6 years, it's a dealer for both Generac + Briggs & Stratton. Most of the article is about the standby biz. Bohn claims that standby generators are, soon, going to be standard equipment for a new house (like central air).
Denise previously worked "in the insurance industry and I also worked for an electrical supplier," as well as for her dad.
Tom does the estimates, Denise handles "the office end of it."
Standby generators: J & I has been in the standby biz for 6 years, it's a dealer for both Generac + Briggs & Stratton. Most of the article is about the standby biz. Bohn claims that standby generators are, soon, going to be standard equipment for a new house (like central air).
22 Mar, 2010
Field Coimputing In Construction
This residential heating, air conditioning and
commercial HVAC solutions contractor uses mobile software that enables
its field technicians to update schedules, record expenses, create
purchase orders, manage maintenance schedules, and more all from remote
devices.
. . . Take, for example, the time it has reduced during the process of closing work orders. Whereas it used to take a week for this process to complete, the company’s work orders are closed as soon as the technician signs off in the field. Once the technician signs off, it’s up to the service administration to review the orders and the billing department to get them sent out.
. . . Take, for example, the time it has reduced during the process of closing work orders. Whereas it used to take a week for this process to complete, the company’s work orders are closed as soon as the technician signs off in the field. Once the technician signs off, it’s up to the service administration to review the orders and the billing department to get them sent out.
It’s definitely made a difference for this $20 million contractor, and perhaps most important, even the financial executives within the company agree. Ron Hess, chief financial officer, Seiberlich, says the productivity improvements achieved by the company’s technicians were even greater than initially anticipated when they implemented the system.
22 Mar, 2010
Solar PV - In The North?
-- that's Mark Hagerty, president of Michigan Solar & Wind Power Solutions LLC, as quoted here.
20 Mar, 2010
Promotional Stuff
1. New on ElectricTV -- a video story about the work done on an archives for AZ state stuff. Look for the item on the Polly Rosenbaum Archives.
2. The first Electrical Design Library edition -- a 4-page document (free downloadable PDF) -- covers The Smart Grid.
2. The first Electrical Design Library edition -- a 4-page document (free downloadable PDF) -- covers The Smart Grid.
20 Mar, 2010
'Kinetic Energy'
From the company's description of the technology on its website:
The First Law of Thermodynamics states that the amount of energy in the
Universe is constant. Energy cannot be added or taken away, created or
destroyed.
It can only change from one form to another, like heat to light, chemical energy to electrical energy, or chemical energy to mechanical motion.
When a moving vehicle slows down, it wastes some of its kinetic energy in the process of braking. If a device is to harvest a vehicle’s kinetic energy, the vehicle must slow down.
A vehicle energy harvester functions as an “external regenerative brake,” by helping a vehicle slow down and thereby capturing and converting a portion of the vehicle’s wasted kinetic energy into useful electricity rather than wasted brake heat.
It can only change from one form to another, like heat to light, chemical energy to electrical energy, or chemical energy to mechanical motion.
When a moving vehicle slows down, it wastes some of its kinetic energy in the process of braking. If a device is to harvest a vehicle’s kinetic energy, the vehicle must slow down.
A vehicle energy harvester functions as an “external regenerative brake,” by helping a vehicle slow down and thereby capturing and converting a portion of the vehicle’s wasted kinetic energy into useful electricity rather than wasted brake heat.
I can't tell whether or not this is hype. The company has stock in public hands (NENE.OB is the symbol) -- the stock's price has been as high as around $5 per share since it came public in 2007. Right now it's just below 50 cents per share.
20 Mar, 2010
Wire As Art
[found via CE Pro]
20 Mar, 2010
Grid To Get Worse
The grid will never be as
good as it was. The old grid had reliable surplus energy based on
predictable energy sources, and adequate safety margins. The smart grid
will
have none of these. We are replacing predictable coal, nuclear, and
hydro
with intermittent energy sources. We cannot build the consensus to
build
transmission capacity to bring energy from far away. The grid’s reduced
safety margins make even moderate adoption of intermittent energy
sources
risky. By every measure, the quality of the North American grid will
get
worse. That’s the plan.
Why is this guy so NEGATIVE? Among other things, you have to first consider that he's probably right about this. But of course, his thesis is (the headline) -- Buildings must get smarter because Smart Grids will be worse.
And:
. . . . buildings integrators and control system makers seemed
at a loss to describe where they fit into the smart grid. The
perception
was that the smart grid is a funding opportunity for utilities, but has
little to do with buildings. They may be right about federal funding
checks
this year, but they could not be more wrong about smart grids. Smart
grids
will succeed or fail based upon innovation and investments in
buildings.
This innovation will be built upon the market-oriented interfaces of
smart
grids.
20 Mar, 2010
Generators, Outages, Houses, Safety
• Generators should be operated in well-ventilated locations outdoors away from all doors, windows and vent openings.
• The generator should be located so that exhaust fumes cannot enter the home through windows, doors or other building openings.
• Battery-operated CO alarms or plug-in CO alarms with a battery back-up should be installed in the home, according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions. Should CO enter the home and pose a risk, an alarm will sound.
• The generator must not be refueled while it is running. The generator should be turned off and allowed to cool down before refueling.
(More)
15 Mar, 2010
Synergy + Solar
According to the article, the company will do "engineering, installation & testing" of the project (which is funded by stim $). The minimum power production is to be 1,445 kW. This is in sunny California, you know.
I went over to the company's site and found, on the "about" page, this interesting piece of information:
President, Diane Keltner, has worked consistently
at increasing Synergy's customer base since she founded
the company
in 1990. She is the sole owner and shareholder in Synergy
Electric
and runs the company on a daily basis. Ms. Keltner is an
active
member of the Associated General Contractors, serving on
the Board
of Directors and was recently selected as AGC Specialty
Contractor
of the year. She is also a member of the San Diego County
Board
of Supervisors Affirmative Action Advisory Board.
In addition to graduation from San Diego State University, Ms. Keltner became a certified Electrical Management at Arizona State University and Electrical Estimating through NECA Schools. Ms. Keltner sets an example for all Synergy employees. A true believer in education, she represents the best of women in the construction field today.
15 Mar, 2010
Discussion: Solar PV For Homes
160+ comments followed, many of them detailed, pointed, and interesting. I printed it out and read thru it; it's worth you time!
15 Mar, 2010
Mod Housing Suppliers - Questions
15 Mar, 2010
Data Center Life Extension
Enables users to delay data center builds by
fitting more equipment into existing racks and safely deploying higher
rack densities to take advantage of energy savings associated with high
density architectures
15 Mar, 2010
Wind + Electrical Construction
Electrical Construction of a Wind Farm
and
Wind Turbine Design: Lighting & electrical service.
15 Mar, 2010
Self-Sponsored Contractor Webcast
As for the effectiveness of self-promotion -- well, this made me aware of the company, didn't it?
13 Mar, 2010
Schwab Making An Ass Of Hmself
That's Charles Schwab, the broker/guy, from a Q-and-A in Esquire. The sentence is, obviously, WRONG, and wrong-big time.
Schwab's age is given as 72. He's in the investment biz. That means he has:
-- read about the 1930s.
-- lived through the 1966-82 period, in which "investing" returns were nil to MINUS.
-- endured 1987.
-- saw what happened to "returns" in the years 200-2002.
and
-- most recently, seen the 2007-2009 catastrophe.
Who the F is this guy kidding? Investment has provided the best returns for CHUCK SCHWAB, and people of his ilk. Period. These people mislead the general public. They are, at best, thieves.
13 Mar, 2010
A Congressman To Reconsider
Maybe I was wrong. GreenSource, the construction/green magazine from McGraw-Hill, did a Q-and-A with the guy.
OK, so maybe all EvilRedSoxLand residents are not, exactly, evil. Perhaps he's an aberration.
13 Mar, 2010
Smart Grid -- Think About It
At first glance, it does not seem like something that industry should
pay much attention to. New transmission lines, distribution systems,
electric cars, and smart meters in homes are all well and good, but they
have not been very interesting to industries such as manufacturing.
Maybe it is time to reconsider involvement.
13 Mar, 2010
Ziegler Electric Service @ 50
Don Z's blood is dyed electrical blue! From Don Ziegler: "My father owned an electrical contracting business in Salina until the early 1940s before moving to Wichita to work as an electrician. I also had two brothers who were electricians in Wichita, so I grew up around the electrical business."
13 Mar, 2010
Green Tips
I like the idea of reusing stuff, recycling things, and not throwing things away. In case you don't click the link above, here they are:
- Pick up pet hair
- End car odors
- Lift burned-on casserole residue
- Freshen drawers
- Wipe soap scum from shower door
- Repel dust from electrical appliances
- Do away with doggy odor
- Counteract laundry hamper or wastebasket odors
- Tame locker-room and sneaker smells
- Prevent musty odors in suitcases
- Buff chrome to a brilliant shine
- Use as a safe mosquito repellent
- Use an inconspicuous air freshener
- Do away with static cling
- Keep dust off blinds
- Renew grubby stuffed toys
- Substitute a dryer sheet for a tack cloth
- Consolidate sheets and make them smell pretty
- Abolish tangled sewing thread
11 Mar, 2010
Burrows Electric Co.
Founded by George Burrows Sr. in 1948.
"Throughout the '50s, '60s, and '70s, Burrows Electric Co. has trained countless young black men eager to learn the electrical trade and provided employment opportunities which allowed them to provide for their families -- particularly at a time when opportunities were not readily available to them."
Management now includes daughter Sonya and son George Jr.
Motto: "Honesty, integrity, and experience have been the cornerstone of our business since its inception, and will continue to be our guide light as we move forward."
I searched for a website and didn't find one. However, I did find this 2008 note on the company:
George L. Burrows, Sr., became Fort Lauderdale's first Black licensed
master electrician in 1948 in the midst of segregation. For 60 years
Burrows Electric Company has helped those in need, and is credited with
having installed electric service to over 90 percent of the historically
African-American community of Fort Lauderdale and unincorporated
Broward County. Burrows has been a mentor to countless young men and is
proud of having installed the lighting at the football field of his
alma mater, Dillard High School, enabling the team to play its first
night game "under the lights."
(More)
11 Mar, 2010
Grid Efficiency -- !!!
Among the things in there:
U.S. annual electricity generation = 4,157 million megawatt hours
Energy lost in T&D = 300 million mWh -- which could power 29M to 35M homes.
If we could reduce the losses by 20% (seems ambitious, but let's go with it) -- you'd gain enough power for 6-7M homes.
Energy lost in T&D = 300 million mWh -- which could power 29M to 35M homes.
If we could reduce the losses by 20% (seems ambitious, but let's go with it) -- you'd gain enough power for 6-7M homes.
Also claimed in the piece: Getting T&D to lose less might be "the most economical energy savings" we could capture.
11 Mar, 2010
Wireless Outdoors
11 Mar, 2010
Motor Myths
What are the myths?
1. Motors are a commodity.
2. All motors are designed + manufactured to work reliably on inverter power.
3. Motor efficiency is federally legislated.
4. Bearing L10 life is an effective measure of a motor's expected bearing life.
5. Vibration levels on motors do not matter for my application.
11 Mar, 2010
Green Jobs 'Myth'
Let's consider just one clean-energy sector, the smart grid, for its job-creation potential. The Obama administration allocated a little more than $4 billion in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to the smart grid, an unprecedented amount for a hitherto-neglected but critical piece of our national infrastructure. Much of this is to be spent installing close to 20 million "smart meters" over the next five years. Smart meters are digital versions of the spinning electric meters that are omnipresent nationwide. Whereas spinning meters have changed little in more than a century and must be read by workers, smart meters automatically transmit electricity consumption data to a utility. Virtually eliminating human intervention, smart meters promise more accurate measurement of electricity usage as well as increasingly efficient management of energy production resources.
Nearly 40 million smart meters have been deployed worldwide, mostly in Europe. Jobs created in this industry can be broadly classified into four categories: installation, manufacturing, research and development, and IT services.
First, installation: It typically takes a team of two certified electricians half an hour to replace the old, spinning meter. In one day, two people can install about 15 new meters, or about 5,000 in a year. Were a million smart meters to be installed in a year, 400 installation jobs would be created. It follows that the planned U.S. deployment of 20 million smart meters over five years, or 4 million per year, should create 1,600 installation jobs. Unless more meters are added to the annual deployment schedule, this workforce of 1,600 should cover installation needs for the next five years.
Although a surge of new digital meters will be produced, the manufacturing process is highly automated. And with much of it accomplished overseas, net creation in domestic manufacturing jobs is expected to be only in the hundreds. In R&D and IT services, high-paying white-collar jobs are on the horizon, but as with manufacturing, the number of jobs created is forecast to be in the hundreds or low thousands.
Now let's consider job losses. It takes one worker today roughly 15 minutes to read a single meter. So in a day, a meter reader can scan about 30 meters, or about 700 meters a month. Meters are typically read once a month, making it the base period to calculate meter-reading jobs. Reading a million meters every month engages about 1,400 personnel. In five years, 20 million manually read meters are expected to disappear, taking with them some 28,000 meter-reading jobs.
In other words, instead of creating jobs, smart metering will probably result in net job destruction. This should not be surprising because the main method of making the electrical grid "smart" is by automating its functions. Automation by definition obviates the need for people.
Nearly 40 million smart meters have been deployed worldwide, mostly in Europe. Jobs created in this industry can be broadly classified into four categories: installation, manufacturing, research and development, and IT services.
First, installation: It typically takes a team of two certified electricians half an hour to replace the old, spinning meter. In one day, two people can install about 15 new meters, or about 5,000 in a year. Were a million smart meters to be installed in a year, 400 installation jobs would be created. It follows that the planned U.S. deployment of 20 million smart meters over five years, or 4 million per year, should create 1,600 installation jobs. Unless more meters are added to the annual deployment schedule, this workforce of 1,600 should cover installation needs for the next five years.
Although a surge of new digital meters will be produced, the manufacturing process is highly automated. And with much of it accomplished overseas, net creation in domestic manufacturing jobs is expected to be only in the hundreds. In R&D and IT services, high-paying white-collar jobs are on the horizon, but as with manufacturing, the number of jobs created is forecast to be in the hundreds or low thousands.
Now let's consider job losses. It takes one worker today roughly 15 minutes to read a single meter. So in a day, a meter reader can scan about 30 meters, or about 700 meters a month. Meters are typically read once a month, making it the base period to calculate meter-reading jobs. Reading a million meters every month engages about 1,400 personnel. In five years, 20 million manually read meters are expected to disappear, taking with them some 28,000 meter-reading jobs.
In other words, instead of creating jobs, smart metering will probably result in net job destruction. This should not be surprising because the main method of making the electrical grid "smart" is by automating its functions. Automation by definition obviates the need for people.
As the EleBlog's proprietor is a contrarian, you might expect me to DISagree with this. Instead, I am going to reserve an opinion . . . and say this: I have for some time had my suspicions about the motives of utilities in embracing smart meters so quickly (and so enthusiastically). I thought it was about eliminating jobs. When you automate anything, you reduce jobs -- that's one reason why U.S. manufacturing, which hasn't really fallen off the deep end, generates so few work opportunities today.
The Smart Grid is about automating the grid; the grid is a dinosaur. You can lament the loss of jobs (as above) . . . or you can realize that automation had to come some time.
Well, it's here.
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11 Mar, 2010
ForTech (an EC) & Green
Hovsep Margaryan and his company, forTech Solutions Inc., North Hills,
Calif., have decided to cultivate future business by educating clients
about green technologies. He agrees that the move to greener living is
inevitable, but it will be a long-term process. “It’s very challenging,”
Margaryan describes. “But like everything else, if you don’t do it, you
fall behind. Once customers see the savings, they spread the word.”
With rising energy costs and shrinking incomes, homeowners are becoming more receptive to money-saving alternatives. Margaryan is working to take advantage of this opportunity by providing cost-effective solutions, such as energy-, water- and gas-usage monitoring.
Like other contractors, Margaryan has found that redefining what his company does and working with its strengths has created opportunity despite the economy. As an electrical contractor, forTech began taking on smaller electrical projects. By helping customers with basic electrical needs, Margaryan’s company is discovering new client relationships, increasing both current and future revenues. Plus, these smaller projects give it an opportunity to introduce the consumer to the possibilities green solutions provide: “The more doors we can open, the easier it is for us to get our name out there.”
Margaryan is not alone. According
to a CEDIA survey conducted by Dallas-based Parks Associates, 80
percent of integrators surveyed reported they are actively pursuing
education about energy monitoring and control system opportunities or
seeking to learn more about them.
11 Mar, 2010
Buyers Balk At CFLs
. . . gains in efficient lighting have been fragile in the US. Sales of CFLs
have dropped in the current recession to 21% of total US consumer
light-bulb sales in 2008 from 23% in 2007, according to the US
Department of Energy (See Figure 1). The steep decline in CFL shipments,
even in regions that had invested in CFL promotions such as Vermont and
Massachusetts, is a cause of concern to all who aspire to promote
energy efficient lighting.
There are many possible reasons for this decline in the market share of CFLs. New users have not been added to the market as disposable incomes have declined and customers are sensitive to higher prices Early adopters bought the long-lasting CFLs and the rest of the market has not followed suit Color quality issues of CFL persist and cannot be overcome with incentives Fear of mercury in CFLs has not been adequately addressed.
There are many possible reasons for this decline in the market share of CFLs. New users have not been added to the market as disposable incomes have declined and customers are sensitive to higher prices Early adopters bought the long-lasting CFLs and the rest of the market has not followed suit Color quality issues of CFL persist and cannot be overcome with incentives Fear of mercury in CFLs has not been adequately addressed.
In order to promote energy savings, CFLs are heavily discounted or are being given away, and incandescent bulbs are scheduled to be banned in the U.S beginning in 2012 (they are already banned in Europe). In spite of heavy investment in promoting CFLs, incandescent technology has proved difficult to unseat, especially in the residential segment.
There is no publicly available data on the number of CFLs that are recycled, but in a report on CFL recycling programs around the world published in July 2009 by the Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA), CFL recycling rates vary from 87% in Taiwan (which includes all fluorescent) to 3% in 2004 in Canada. Only 2% of CFLs were recycled by German households in 2008. There is increasing evidence that efficient recycling of CFLs is going to require heavy investments in new infrastructure and public education.
Rationally, one might say that the markets for CFLs is stagnant, that the still-ongoing efforts to hype that market via giveaways haven't worked, and that the state of CFL recycling is horrible (meaning more risk of mercury pollution from tens of thousands of these disposed improperly in local areas).These things are a failure. I've have more on this in the next few days.
09 Mar, 2010
E Light Wind + Solar
The other partner is E Light Wind + Solar, a division of E Light Electric Services (Englewood, Colo.).
09 Mar, 2010
EC's Unit Sells Wind Assets
What it doesn't say: EcoEnergy is a division of Morse Group (Freeport, Ill.), home of Morse Electric, a contractor founded in 1944.
09 Mar, 2010
House Texts You (!!!)
Dig this:
" . . . the house is fitted with a network of infrared sensors connected to a central computer. By working out which rooms we tend to occupy at different times, software algorithms learn when we need the lights, heating, or air conditioning systems turned on -- and perhaps more importantly, when we don't.
And this:
"By connecting door and window lock sensors to the computer, it can send a text message to the homeowner if they have forgotten to lock the front door, for instance."
AND HERE IS THE KEY (very next sentence) -- "Texting back will lock any doors or windows in question."
-- so if the EleBlog reads that right, not only will the house text you, but your response will "tell" the house what to "do" . . . amazing!
09 Mar, 2010
Rosendin Short In ENR
No link? Yes, we have no bananas. Reason: ENR hides its features behind a password after one week online free. So if you wanna see this, it'll be $4.95. I really like Rosendin, but this is a really short (4 paragraphs) thing -- not worth $1.25 per paragraph, folks!
What it said:
From James N. Hawk, EVP: "Last year, the spigot was turned off on many projects."
"Hawk says the firm is . . . beefing up its attention to bid-estimate reviews and project pre-planning."
From Hawk, again: "We have to have measurables we can track. We're not just telling people to work harder and faster."
"Hawk says the firm is . . . beefing up its attention to bid-estimate reviews and project pre-planning."
From Hawk, again: "We have to have measurables we can track. We're not just telling people to work harder and faster."
09 Mar, 2010
Energy Tales
Despite that baloney, it might be worth a look.
09 Mar, 2010
Hall Brothers Of Virginia
Deep into the recession, Dave Martin still had plenty of work. His
company, Hall Brothers Electrical Contractor Inc., won four
subcontractor contracts working on expansion projects at Fort Lee.
The first contracts started in June 2007 and the firm at times employed as many as 100 people to handle the work.
It was stimulus for the region before stimulus became a widely known term.
"For us, in the construction industry, it's been a lifesaver," said Martin, a senior project manager for the Colonial Heights electrical contractor. "We had to hire. We had some of our best years we ever had."
and at the end of the 1,150-word piece --Martin, with Hall Brothers Electrical, says his firm, like many
others, is focused on future work.
Business was good until last fall when Fort Lee contracts started to dry up and increased competition - from firms as far away as Alaska - took a toll.
"It's going to be a tough year, but there's work out there," he said.
05 Mar, 2010
Rosenberg On Jobs Data
The Household survey showed a decent 308,000 increase in February, which may have caught the eye of Mr. Market, but this number was less pristine than it appears on the surface.
First agricultural and related employment surged 198k, which ranks as the fourth largest increase in 25 years. So, the same month that we endured one of the stormiest months, weather-wise, in recent memory, the farming community went out and hired a handful of corn planters.
The rest of the Household survey was government related
. . . therefore, what we see out of this survey was that private sector nonfarm workers actually fell 89,000 (and not weather affected).
First agricultural and related employment surged 198k, which ranks as the fourth largest increase in 25 years. So, the same month that we endured one of the stormiest months, weather-wise, in recent memory, the farming community went out and hired a handful of corn planters.
The rest of the Household survey was government related
. . . therefore, what we see out of this survey was that private sector nonfarm workers actually fell 89,000 (and not weather affected).
05 Mar, 2010
National Employment Picture
Supposedly, the nation lost 36,000 jobs in Feb. (from January). The "Birth/Death Model," used by economists at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, added another 97,000 jobs. I don't believe those exist, so put the number at 130,000.
There's also the hiring of workers by the FedGov -- to perform the decennial census. The BLS release said 15,000 workers were hired. Add those in, and maybe the country really lost 145,000 jobs in February.
Then again, it snowed like the dickens in much of the North and East, so perhaps even 145K means nothing. And it's nowhere near the 600K - 700K monthly losses of a short while ago.
OTHER DATA
1. The seasonally adjusted REAL unemployment rate in February was 16.8%. That includes total unemployed, plus "all persons marginally attached to the labor force," plus people who are working part-time who want full-time work.
2. Note that p2 of the 39-page report claimed that "the number of persons working part-time for economic reasons (sometimes referred to as involuntary part-time workers) increased from 8.3M to 8.8M in February . . . these individuals were working part-time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job."
3. That cohort of people "marginally attached to the work force" numbered 2.5M in Feb., up 476,000 in one year. From the BLS: "They were not counted as unemployed because they had not searched for work in the 4 weeks preceding the survey."
4. The size of the workforce expanded by more than 2 million in the previous 12 months, illustrating just how difficult it is for the economy to "keep up" (and keep the unemployment % down). We had to find 2M jobs just to march in place! Of course, it helps if, at the same time, the nose-counters at the BLS find 476,000 people who can be excluded from the labor force!
5. An interesting factoid: There is also a category of people counted as working "part-time for noneconomic reasons." In other words, these folks PREFER part-time work (they would not take a full-time job were it offered). This is an awfully BIG number -- 18,360,000 in February. The BLS counted 138,641,000 employed people in Feb., so the part-time-on-purpose group = 13.2% of the national total.
05 Mar, 2010
Total Construction Employment, Feb.
Some numbers:
February was down 104,000 from January, unadjusted. That's a 2.66% drop.
2/10 was down from 4,512,000 in 2/09. That's a 15.7% fall in one year. Ugly.
1996 was the last time the U.S. had fewer than 4 million "production and nonsupervisory" people working in the field.
AND: The average # of workers in the field in construction for 2009 came in at 4,583,000, down 17% from 2008. The peak year, according to the BLS, was 2006 -- with 5.903M employed, on average, over the 12 months.
05 Mar, 2010
Employment: EC Biz
For the electrical contracting biz, here's the news:
2009 -- BLS is now finished revising the data. The annual average for 2009 was 623,900 "production workers" (foremen, electricians, apprentices, helpers) employed in the field for electrical contractors. That's the lowest average since 1997 (601,800).
2010 -- the preliminary number for Jan. 2010 was 565,900 -- down 58,000 from Dec 2009. That's 9.3% lower. Ugly.
Also: The last time the January monthly number was lower was 1996, at 528,100.
05 Mar, 2010
'Most Admired Companies' . . . ? ? ? ?
I happen to remember that Enron was #7 on the same list in 2000, the year before it blew up.
Perhaps this list isn't worth doing?
05 Mar, 2010
Energy Solutions Blog Update
. . . while you're there: NECA has updated the blog, now offering an archive.
05 Mar, 2010
Electric Vehicle Blogs
Late Jan '10, EDTA conference at the Wash. Auto Show, D.C. --
Politicians talk about the EV
EVs, car companies, utilities & government (heaven help all of us!)
How the EV and The Smart Grid fit together
More from my EDTA notebook (final words)
-- and from the August '09 PlugIn2009 event -- (these 2 are each long posts than the ones above)
Electric Vehicles - an exploration
Who will marshall EVSEs for installation?
02 Mar, 2010
KenMor Does Service (+ TEGG)
“To us, the service department is vital,” Quebe states. “That type of
work gives us a higher profit margin, and it’s all day, everyday. The
customer gets to know us through installation and learn who the service
department is. When a power outage happens at midnight on Christmas Eve,
they know managers are on call and there is someone to take care of
them.
“The best way to sell ourselves on a day-to-day basis is service,” Quebe adds. “Typically, emergencies don’t come until after the job takes place. The service department is our smallest work, but is the most profitable. We feel it’s just as important as any other service we provide.”
See KenMor's website -- and also, if you're unsure of what TEGG is, the TEGG site.02 Mar, 2010
Transformerless Inverters
Next-generation transformerless technology offers integrators, IPPs, and utilities maximum power delivery as well as reduced complexity . . . [for] direct inverter connections to a local grid and utility-scale installations generating power for transmission.
Those, the article says (it's a 5-page PDF if you click above) are the "two most common types of commercial PV installations."
02 Mar, 2010
Living Wallpaper
When combined with cheap temperature, brightness and touch sensors, LEDs
and Bluetooth, the wall becomes a control hub able to talk to nearby
devices. Touch a flower to turn on a lamp, for example, or set heaters
to fire up when the room gets cold.
For several years now, I have heard -- from various really smart people -- that LEDs could do a lot besides replace the standard light "bulb." This is part of it. Read the story!
02 Mar, 2010
Real-Time Building Performance
Going beyond the design and LEED's 6 easy pieces -- and beyond trophies and recognition and awards -- to what's ACTUALLY HAPPENING seems (to the EleBlog) to be "the right thing."
For everybody, especially the guy, gal, people, or entity that's paying the bills.
02 Mar, 2010
NEC 2011 Changes (IAEI source)
If it's posted here, it -- I'm thinking -- should be REDUNDANT. There's not enough time in my life to be redundant, and I can't imagine that serving YOU very well.
So here's something I don't think you've seen: Analysis of Changes, NEC-2011 -- from the magazine of the inspectors (IAEI).
Part One
Part Two
These are from the September and November 2009 issues. I don't imagine you saw them . . .
02 Mar, 2010
When does Nonresidential improve?
From an ELECTRICAL point-of-view, however, nonresidential provides much more employment that housing. The construction spending data for January (see below) shows nonresidential taking a big, big hit.
So an obvious question is: When will the nonresidential market improve? Wells Fargo asked that question in its quarterly survey of construction folks.
Answers:
Q2 or Q3 of 2010 (i.e., right about now) -- 17.1%
Q4 of 2010 or Q1 of 2011 (in 6+ months to one year) -- 27.6%.
Q2 of 2011 or beyond -- 55.2%
It's been a cold, white winter. And it's gonna be a cold spring, summer, fall, winter, spring, and maybe summer after that, too.
Hatten down the batches!
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02 Mar, 2010
Construction Spending
OFFICIALLY, Jan. 10 came in 9.3% below Jan. 09, at a SAAR of $884.1B. SAAR = seasonally adjusted.
NOT-SAAR, the national put $67.8B of construction in place in January. That's 11.5% below Jan. 09.
But get this: The big hit wasn't in residential (private res. down 8.3%). It was in nonresidential (private nonres down 21.3%).
DATA POINT OF NOTE -- I get an e-mail from the "Economics & Statistics Administration" with releases like this. The cover note (the e-mail) included a data point NOT in the official Census Bureau release:
"Construction spending is 27.1% below its March 2006 peak."
Yuck.
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