Energy User News articles from August 2002

Energy User News archives from August 2002

Energy watchdog lacks bite to police new markets.(Federal Energy Regulatory Commission)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Federal energy regulators failed to set up measures to protect consumers when they approved California's deregulation scheme and are still outgunned by energy traders a year after the energy crisis that hobbled the state, says the...

Congressional panel faces impasse on compromise.(new energy policy)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Members of Congress are trying to fashion a compromise between two very different energy bills passed by the House and Senate, but with pressing security and appropriations measures demanding attention, it has become increasingly...

EUNload profile.(World Energy Consumption)(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2002... EUNLOAD PROFILE World Energy Consumption Year Quadrillion Btu 1970 207 1975 243 1980 285 1985 311 1990 346 1995 366 1999 382 2005 439 2010 493 2015...

San Diego Gas & Electric Co. (EUNticker).(surcharge on electricity transmission lines)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... San Diego Gas & Electric Co., a unit of Sempra Energy, says it will impose a surcharge on its electricity transmission lines to raise nearly $700,000 a year for extra security guards and airplane patrols against potential terrorist attacks. The...

The U.S. Senate. (EUNticker).(energy derivatives regulation)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... The U.S. Senate was expected to review a proposal in July for federal regulation of the over-the-counter energy derivatives market Currently, derivatives are exempt from federal regulation, but Enron's bankruptcy and revelations of questionable...

Southern Company Energy Solutions. (EUNticker).(develops central cooling system)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Southern Company Energy Solutions, a business unit of Southern Company, says it will develop the Southeast's largest, most environmentally-friendly central cooling system in conjunction with the Atlantic Station project, a 140-acre...

S&C Electric Co. (EUNticker).(acquires VAR compensator line)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... S&C Electric Co. has purchased the adaptive VAR compensator product line from Trench Limited of Canada. The product is a distribution-class static VAR compensator that utilizes power-electronic switching to provide variable amounts of reactive...

GE Industrial Systems. (EUNticker).(acquires Euro-Diesel)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... GE Industrial Systems, a division of the General Electric Co., has signed a definitive agreement with the SEGHERS group to purchase Euro-Diesel, a designer and manufacturer of rotary uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems and other critical...

AES Corp. (EUNticker).(sells NewEnergy)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... AES Corp. announced a $240 million deal to sell its Boston-based NewEnergy Inc. unit to Baltimore-based Constellation Energy Group, the Boston Herald reported. NewEnergy is involved in selling electricity to commercial and industrial customers...

EUN calendar.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... SEPTEMBER 10-12 2002 Electric Market Forecasting Conference, Skamania Lodge, Stevenson, Washington. EPIS, Inc., For more information, call: (503) 722-2023 or visit: www.epis.com/epis_events/events.htm 16-17 Direction & Directives for...

Online energy trading in shambles, traders pulling the plug. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Online energy electricity trading, which once had companies lining up to get in on the action, now sees companies scrambling to get out of the business in order to convince investors they're not the next Enron. Fast-growing operations and...

Governors want say in transmission coordination of regional markets. (News).(National Governors Association)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Boise, ID -- The National Governors Association (NGA) Task Force on Electricity Infrastructure on July 15 recommended the creation of multi-state entities (MSEs) to facilitate state coordination of transmission planning, certification, and...

ISH North America builds on European and Asian experience for Toronto debut. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... ATLANTA, GA -- ISH North America show producers are confident that the debut event will build on the success of ISH shows in Germany and China. The first North American show will be held October 31 November 2 at the National Trade Centre at...

Chicago ready to head off summer outages with distributed energy project. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... CHICAGO--The City of Chicago has completed a pioneering distributed energy project that allows the police department's backup emergency generators, each producing nearly one megawatt (MW) of power, to be remotely dispatched, monitored, and...

Report says ESCOs invest $2 billion annually in energy efficiency. (News).(regional energy service companies)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2002... Over the last 20 years, a robust private sector energy-efficiency services industry has emerged in North America, and today over 60 national and regional energy service companies (ESCOs) are actively operating in that market, enabling customers...

Letters.(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
August 1, 2002... Good Places to Start Readers provide more information about rebate availability, energy metering, and lighting costs Merely raising the subject of energy rebates seems to invite a host of inquiries from readers looking for one free...

Round two in Vegas: Reuters reports fears of Las Vegas blackouts based on price cap cuts.(Brief Article)(Editorial)
August 1, 2002... Several years ago, I naively asked the energy manager of a well-known Las Vegas casino about the facility's energy conservation strategies. The energy manager had taken a colleague and I behind the scenes to see the casino's heating and cooling...

Needed: new metrics; availability is a forever journey. (Power Quality and Reliability).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... There are few terms in the mission critical world as over- and misused as the nines of availability. The five 9s level has become the uncontested yardstick for measuring reliability, although the term still is largely misunderstood. Very often...

Understanding high-availability power: it's not just about the nines.
August 1, 2002... The California energy crisis has served as a dramatic wake-up call for energy dependent-businesses in the Golden State and across the nation. With companies scrambling to install everything from battery back-up systems to massive diesel...

Making demand response a reality: developing a supportive regulatory framework.
August 1, 2002... Peak load management programs, now being called demand response programs, appear to have fallen between the regulatory cracks as electricity moves from monopoly to competitive markets. Many legacy programs for load curtailment, time-of-use...

Getting past the appeal of low first-cost decisions: commissioning could be the cure.
August 1, 2002... Most new construction and building retrofit projects do no formal commissioning. First-cost and schedule concerns dominate the design and construction process. The customary informal design verification review and installation punch list...

Transmission: a look to the future; redesigning the grid.
August 1, 2002... In the early part of the summer of 2001, California faced the dire prediction of hundreds of hours of outages and rolling blackouts. California narrowly avoided the worst-case scenarios because of larger than expected customer response to calls...

Forming community-owned electric utilities: cities look to power their own way.
August 1, 2002... Communities and their citizens across the country are exercising their basic franchising authority to gain control over an essential local service--electricity. City officials are evaluating an option that has existed since the electricity...

VSD-equipped chiller an instant hit at compact-disc facility: production relies on constant supply of chilled water. (Case Studies).(variable-speed drive)
August 1, 2002... Sony Disc Manufacturing operates a 365,000-square-foot ([ft.sup.2]) compact-disc manufacturing facility in Springfield, OR. The five-year-old plant employs approximately 400 workers and has the capacity to produce as many as 12 million discs...

Panel-mounted surge protective devices. (Products Literature & Services).(from Leviton)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Panel-mounted surge protective devices (SPDs) for industrial and commercial applications are designed for facilities with three-phase wye-configured (four-wire and ground) systems, where it is important to provide surge protection for all seven...

Circuit switcher. (Products Literature & Services).(from S and C Electric)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Circuit switcher utilizes single-gap SF6-gas-filled puffer-type interrupters that provide 31.5-kA fault-interrupting performance. They offer three-cycle interrupting time, eliminating the need for shunt-type trip devices. Since it can be...

Temporary generating and climate control solutions. (Products Literature & Services).(from General Electric)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Temporary generating and climate control solutions include generator sets from 5 to 22.8 MW and 30-ton air conditioners to 1000 ton water-cooled chillers A full range of pumps, cooling towers, and heaters also are available. Power generation...

Portable gen set. (Products Literature & Services).(from MQ Power)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Portable gen set is packaged in a compact 20-ft ISO container for applications where space and maneuverability are at a premium. The EPA-certified 1500-kW generator is powered by a four-cycle turbocharged Cummins KTA50G9 diesel engine and...

Digital static transfer switch. (Products Literature & Services).(from Cyberex)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Digital static transfer switch (DSTS Type III) provides instantaneous power transfers between two or more ac power sources, ensuring continuous power to critical loads. It uses enhanced, oversized silicon-controlled rectifiers (SCRs) that will...

Power and energy meter. (Products Literature & Services).(from Power Measurement)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Power and energy meter is ultra-compact, but offers a full range of measurements and communications options (including Modbus support). New features can be added by attaching one of the company's plug-in feature packs that upgrade the meter...

Software tool. (Products Literature & Services).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Software tool calculates annual electricity cost of an existing motor or groups of motors, based on nominal efficiency, compared to the annual electricity usage of the company's Standard-E and Super-E premium efficiency motors. The program then...

HVAC bypass system. (Products Literature & Services).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... HVAC bypass system monitors drive load and speed, automatically transferring the motor from VFD control to the across-the-line voltage at full speed. Removing the drive from the circuit improves the efficiency of the system by as much as 5%...

Supplemental cooling system. (Products Literature & Services).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Supplemental cooling system mounts on most standard rack and server enclosures to provide more than two tons of cooling capacity. The system will remove up to 8 kW (27,300 Btuh) of heat from each enclosure and requires between 33 to 66% less...

Building automation system. (Products Literature & Services).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
August 1, 2002... Building automation system (BAS) users can now have web access to their facilities, using an Internet browser. The web server provides access to common operator functions with no additional software to purchase, install, or maintain. BACnet...

Microgrid systems. (Products Literature & Services).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Microgrid systems can help facilities, complexes, and developments implement distributed generation to meet a wide range of energy objectives. Depending on configuration, microgrid systems can allow underground infrastructure, eliminate the...

Power and data logging system. (Products Literature & Services).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Power and data logging system makes it possible to record and analyze power information and data from standard industrial sensors or serial data buses within one simplified data collection system, the manufacturer says. The instrument measures...

Compact air distribution unit. (Products Literature & Services).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Compact air distribution unit gives IT, telecom, and facility managers the ability to increase airflow inside racks and enclosures. With power densities of rack-based equipment increasing, traditional raised-floor distribution methods are...

HVAC controllers. (Products Literature & Services).(from Andover)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... HVAC controllers have built-in actuators for VAV applications, while another model is designed for fan coil or terminal unit control applications. Features include FLASH memory, an enhanced processor, additional program memory, and easy...

Power management module (PMM) system. (Products Literature & Services).(from MGE)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Power management module (PMM) system offers power availability and distribution for data centers. The system integrates isolation, conditioning, electronic grade grounding, and power management and distribution for up to 252 output breakers....

Engine management system. (Products Literature & Services).(from Waukesha)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Engine management system optimizes performance by monitoring speed, pressure, temperature, and other conditions; controlling ignition timing, speed governing, and stop/start functions; plus providing diagnostic help and fault logging when...

Data loggers. (Products Literature & Services).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Data loggers are available to record temperature and humidity or just temperature. The units have an LCD display to make monitoring more flexible. With the minimum/maximum key, a user can make decisions about the data simply by looking at the...

Power control system. (Products Literature & Services).(from ASCO)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Power control system for paralleling multiple engine-generator sets uses compact, digital technology for a smaller footprint for tight or unconventional floor requirements. The single section includes all digital controls and meters to reliably...

Multiple-pump and multiple-zone controller. (Products Literature & Services).(from Bell and Gossett)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Multiple-pump and multiple-zone controller is designed to provide optimum performance, reliability, and energy savings, the manufacturer says. The series has the capability to receive sensor inputs, stage pumps, control AFD speed, and monitor...

Surge-protection receptacle module. (Products Literature & Services).(from Leviton)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Surge-protection receptacle module is designed to mount on DIN rails in equipment cabinets. The device has application where convenient, plug-in transient voltage surge suppression is desired for cord-connected test equipment and portable...

Digital load monitor. (Products Literature & Services).(from Emerson Motors)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Digital load monitor (DLM) is capable of accurately measuring load on electrical motors and warning of overload and underload conditions. The DLM, according to the manufacturer, has the capacity to calculate actual shaft power by utilizing...

HVAC controller. (Products Literature & Services).(from Staefa)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... HVAC controller is a programmable, LonMark-compatible, 32-point controller, unique to LonTalk-based systems. Its high point count--8 DO, 8 D1, 8 AO, 8 A1--is suited for controlling large mechanical equipment or coordinating control strategies...

Energy meter. (Products Literature & Services).(from Square D)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Energy meter is suited for monitoring 240 to 480-V applications in commercial and industrial sub-metering projects, including residential and commercial multi-tenant facilities, strip malls, and stadiums. The new 480-V meter includes a kYZ...

Three-phase power quality meter. (Products Literature & Services).(from Siemens)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Three-phase power quality meter, web server, analyzer, and controller comes pre-configured to provide compliance reporting, 256 samples per cycle waveform recording, system reliability displayed as number of nines, sag/swell analysis, 4 or 8 MB...

Senate panel weighs energy derivatives trading bill. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Reacting to the Enron trading debacle and a muddle of other corporate scandals, a Senate committee on July 10 reviewed legislation that would regulate over-the-counter energy contracts such as those used by Enron, according to a...

New organization boosts decentralized energy. (News).(World Alliance for Decentralized Energy)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND -- A group of major companies and national industry associations have launched WADE, the World Alliance for Decentralized Energy, to promote decentralized energy, also called onsite power or distributed generation. ...

Texas deregulation snags generate calls for overhaul. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... AUSTIN, TX -- Although often held up as a model of successful deregulation, the Texas electricity market has generated its share of sparks. The agency has come under attack for persistent technical problems and a variety of other issues, the...

Performance contracting promises financial solution for aging buildings. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... SAN ANTONIO -- Users that stand to benefit the most from performance contracting are often unaware of the potential cost-savings, according to an analysis by Frost & Sullivan The study, North American Performance Contracting Markets,...

Energy performance must be documented in European buildings. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... BRUSSELS -- Every time a building anywhere in Europe changes occupants, details of its energy performance must be made available as well as hints on how improvement can be achieved. The requirement is spelled out in a new directive,...

EIA slashes estimate of natural gas demand. (News).(Energy Information Administration)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- The Energy Information Administration (EIA) on July 8 sharply cut its 2002 estimate of U.S. demand growth for natural gas to 1.7% based on February data and revisions in U.S. economic growth expectations. Earlier EIA forecast...

Massey continues to push for DR programs. (News).(William Massey)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... DALLAS, TX -- FERC Commissioner William Massey, speaking at the Peak Load Management Alliance, continued to support aggressive open competitive markets modeled after the natural gas market. Massey also outlined three areas, including...

Environmentally friendly turbines to be tested. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... WALLA WALLA, WA -- A turbine that may increase the safe passage of fish through the turbine while also boosting power production will be tested on the McNary Dam on the Columbia River by DOE's Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) and the U.S....

Utilities flock to PJM West power grid. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Midwest utilities, attracted by a successful track record and looking for a stable marketplace, are lining up to join the growing PJM West power grid operated by Mid-Atlantic grid operator, PJM Interconnection LLC. Commonwealth Edison,...

Pipeline proposal would create new links to Mid-Atlantic/Southeast. (News).(natural gas)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... RICHMOND, VA -- A Dominion and Piedmont Natural Gas partnership has applied to build a $497 million natural gas pipeline that will create critical new links between the Mid-Atlantic/Southeast regions and major gas supplies in Canada,...

Energy secretary tells recommendations for electric transmission. (News).(Spencer Abraham)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... WASHINGTON, DC -- Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham on May 8 recommended ways to facilitate investment in the nation's transmission infrastructure to improve reliability and reduce electricity costs to consumers. The recommendations...

Reliant Energy receives OK on spin-off. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... HOUSTON -- Reliant Energy, Inc. said on July 8 that it had received authorization from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to adopt a new holding company structure and allow it to complete the spin-off of Reliant Resources, Inc.,...

Utah enacts net metering legislation, Kentucky starts pilot. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... Utah and Kentucky have joined the ranks of states in which the state's utilities offer net metering to their customers. Net metering allows customers to install their own power generation systems and feed excess power back into the grid....

CFC chiller phaseout slowed by economic downturn. (News).(chlorofluorocarbon)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... ARLINGTON, VA -- The U.S. economic downturn has slowed replacement of comfort cooling chillers that use chiorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Manufacturers predict that by year-end, 48% of the original 80,000 CFC chillers will still rely on the...

ASHRAE updates standards on unitary air conditioners for computer rooms. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... ATLANTA -- Two standards related to unitary air conditioners have been reaffirmed and published by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 127-2001, Method of Testing for...

Green Tags make clean energy widely available. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... WASHINGTON, DC -- Tradable Renewable Certificates (TRCs, aka "Green Tags") were introduced at a press conference May 23, along with providers that have earned Green-e certification and who are offering green energy choice to millions of...

Consolidated BACnet standard published by ASHRAE in single document. (News).(Building Automation and Control Networks)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... ATLANTA, GA -- The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has simplified use of its BACnet standard by consolidating all addenda approved since 1995 into one document: ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 135-2001,...

Technology may boost production at California geothermal plants. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... WASHINGTON, DC -- In an effort to increase the amount of energy that can be extracted from California's Coso geothermal field, a Department of Energy-funded project will pump water at high pressure into an existing reservoir, fracturing the...

Frost & Sullivan sees competitive UPS Market. (News).(uninterruptible power supplies)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... SAN JOSE, CA -- A New Frost and Sullivan study, World UPS Markets forecasts recovery of industry revenues by 2003 and steady rise through 2007, after falling off in 2000 and 2001. Frost and Sullivan attributed the UPS industry revenue decline...

World geothermal power up 50%, new U.S. boom possible. (News).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Geothermal energy production has expanded 50% over the past decade and this renewable power source is now serving over 47 million people worldwide, according to the U.S. Geothermal Energy Association (GEA). The data released...

PPL and Starwood to bring fuel cell technology to hotels. (News).(Starwood Hotels and Resort)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... PARSIPPANY, NJ -- A 250-fuel cell system at the Sheraton Parsippany Hotel and another at the Sheraton Edison Hotel Raritan Center, both properties belonging to Starwood Hotels & Resorts, could lead to the installation of fuel cells at the...

DOE offers Life Cycle Cost analysis overview. (News).(Department of Energy, pumping systems)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... WASHINGTON, DC -- A life cycle cost (LCC) analysis guide that specifically addresses pumping systems has been developed by the Hydraulic Institute and Europump, in cooperation with U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Industrial...

Paper reconciles carbon abatement with economic growth. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... A paper recently published by The Tellus Institute attempts to reconcile carbon abatement programs with national economic goals. Written by Stephen Bernow, Alison Bailie, William Dougherty, Sivan Kartha, and Michael Lazarus, the paper posits...

NEMA releases Energy Management Guide for electric motors. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... ROSSLYN, VA -- The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), has released MG 10-2001, Energy Management Guide for Selection and Use of Fixed Frequency Medium AC Squirrel-Cage Polyphase Induction Motors. The guide provides practical...

Sharp Electronics establishes US solar division. (News).(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... MAHWAH, NJ -- Sharp Electronics Corporation (SEC), the U.S. sales and marketing subsidiary of Sharp Corporation, Osaka, Japan, has established a new division to make Sharp's solar cells, modules and systems available in North America. ...

Degree days for selected cities. (Marketplace).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)(Illustration)
August 1, 2002... DEGREE DAYS For Selected Cities June Monthly Monthly Cumulative Monthly Deviation Deviation from Deviation City Total from Norm Last Year from Norm ...

Electricity price comparison. (Marketplace).(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2002... Electricity Price Comparison Breakeven Rates ($/KWh) January February March Large Office (150,000...

Gas price comparison. (Marketplace).(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2002... Gas Price Comparison Breakeven Rates ($/therm) January February March Large Office (150,000...

Ranking of electricity prices commercial. (Marketplace).(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2002... Ranking of Electricity Prices Commercial Rank Cts/kWh ST UTILITY %TOTAL kWh 1 20.30 AK Alaska Power Co. 0.007% 2 20.18 HI Hawaii Electric Light Co., Inc. 0.076% 3 ...

Weather hedging. (Marketplace).(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2002... Weather Hedging: Chicago Mercantile Exchange Weather Futures Prices Each Degree Day valued at $100 per contract Cooling Degree Days Location June July Aug Sep Atlanta, GA 342 480 440...

Ranking of gas utility prices by state commercial. (Marketplace).(Brief Article)(Illustration)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2002... Ranking of Gas Utility Prices By State Commercial Rank State Price/Mcf 1 Hawaii $17.03 2 Maine $10.81 3 Rhode Island $10.10 4 District of Columbia...

Early Registration Edition: Congress Advance.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2002... OCTOBER 9-10-11, 2002 / GEORGIA WORLD CONGRESS CENTER / ATLANTA, CA 25th WEEC: Manage Costs More Effectively Reduce Risks, and Improve Power Reliability The World Energy Engineering Congress (WEEC), now in its 25th year, is the...

ISH North America.
August 1, 2002... International Trade Fair for Kitchen & Bath, Plumbing, PVF, Heating and Air-Conditioning FORGING A NEW ERA OF PRODUCTS, PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFITS October 31 - November 2, 2002 National Trade Center (at Exhibition Place) Toronto,...