Boilers not caught looking ahead, blow out Princeton

Nobody could blame the Kewanee Boilermakers for having an eye on Friday night’s showdown with top-ranked Rockridge.

But that didn’t prevent the Boilers from taking care of business in Princeton Tuesday night as they rolled the Tigers 89-57 in the Three Rivers Conference South battle at Prouty Gym.

"They've got Rockridge Friday and I told (the Tigers) we might catch them looking ahead. We had a nice start, but then didn't score for the last three or four minutes and they went on a run," said Princeton coach Jesse Brandt.

The Tigers hit Kewanee with an early 9-4 run, but the Boilers responded with an 18-2 surge to lead 22-11 at the quarter.

“Princeton came out they were ready to go,” said Kewanee coach Steve Salisbury. “We’ve talked a lot about taking it one game at a time so that Friday’s game is important. The kids have done a really good job of staying focused on the game at hand.”

Dalton Nuding scored 12 points for Kewanee in the first quarter, and Donovan Oliver fueled the Boilers in the second frame. Oliver’s trey and slam dunk, along with a Nuding layup, extended the lead to 30-15.

The Boilers led 41-27 at the half and weathered a Princeton push early in the third quarter before blowing the game open. Kewanee outscored Princeton 26-19 in the third frame to move the margin to 67-43.

Oliver led the Boilers with 24 points, followed by Nuding with 22.

“It’s amazing what he gets done down low,” said Salisbury of his 5-10 senior forward Nuding. “The last three or four weeks he’s been playing really well.”

Princeton’s coach offered praise for Oliver’s play.

“He is long and athletic and knows basketball. He doesn't try to do too much,” said Brandt of the KHS soph.

The win lifts Kewanee to 17-4 and 8-1 in the TRAC South, and shines the spotlight on Friday’s home White Out date with Rockridge.

“I expect it to be a little wild in there,” said Salisbury of Brockman Gym Friday night.

Riveters top Princeton — The Princeton sophomores have two losses in Three Rivers Conference South play, both courtesy of the Riveters.

Kewanee’s sophomores defeated the Tigers in Tuesday night’s opener 55-45. Zach Brown and Ryan Hansen led Kewanee with 15 points each, followed by Tanner Arzola with 12. Colton Johnson grabbed a team-high 14 rebounds.

The Riveters are 10-7 overall and 6-3 in conference.

(Kevin Hieronymus of the Bureau County Republican and Mike Landis of the Star Courier contributed to this story.)

http://www.starcourier.com/article/20140205/NEWS/140209541 

Uganda to increase power generation

KAMPALA, UGANDA–The commissioning of the 250MW Bujagali Hydro Power dam in 2012 gave Uganda a sigh of relief given that the months preceding it, were characterized by widespread load-shedding. 

This had grossly affected Uganda’s competitiveness as manufacturers and traders incurred high costs of operation because they resorted to using generators.

Statistics from Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) show that Uganda’s current total installed capacity is 682MW. Registered peak system demand in December 2013 stood at 503MW compared to 506MW in November.

However, the country needs to find additional sources of power given that the demand for electricity is growing at an annual rate of between 10-12%.

As a result, the country is looking at alternative sources of energy. Last year, ERA and the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development issued several permits for different projects that will ease the increasing power demand in the country.

The much anticipated commencement of construction of Karuma Dam by Sinohydro, a Chinese Firm contracted by the government of Uganda to construct the 600MW Karuma dam begun.

A team of financiers from Exim Bank of China were in December 2013 taken on an assessment tour of the project site as negations for funding were drawing to a conclusion. They afterwards met the Finance Minister Maria Kiwanuka to close the deal.

Speaking to journalists later on, Mr. Song Yi Jun, Sinohydro Project Manager said, “As you can see, we have started assembling equipment and soon full scale construction will be under way.”

The firm has lined up 500 Chinese Experts to provide for the task which will see some 3000 locals directly employed at the peak period. 

The Chinese government will provide 85% of the total project cost through a loan while Uganda will provide the remaining 15% and is to be completed with 60 months.

Isimba hydropower project with an installed capacity of 183MW is also being developed by China International Water and Electric Corporation (CWE). The power plant and associated evacuation line will also be developed under bilateral cooperation between Uganda and China with the Chinese government providing a loan amounting to 85% of the total project cost with Uganda covering the other. The project will take 40 months.

Uganda also launched a country framework for nuclear that will help Uganda generate enough nuclear power which will only be used “for peaceful purposes.”

Launching the program, Prime Minister AmamaMbabazi said that the nuclear plan matches nuclear technology to national priorities for sustainable development.

The nuclear energy project was signed last year between Uganda and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Mbabazi said the drive for investment that Uganda craves for cannot be realized if there is no supporting infrastructure like electricity, roads and railways that lower the cost of doing business.

According to Dr. Benon Mutambi, the Chief Executive Officer, ERA, The existing supply from renewable sources is sufficient to meet the current demand. We have reserve capacity of 100MW from two heavy fuel oil-based plants, one in Tororo and the other in Namanve. 

“However, we recognize that this is expensive which must be dispatched only as a last resort as demand continues to grow. During 2013, the heavy fuel oil plants were not dispatched,” he told journalists at a briefing to share the developments in the electricity sub-sector recently.

He also told the press that the Authority has in place plans to increase the uptake of renewable energy projects so as to accelerate them into production.

“Among plans is the Global Energy Transfer for Feed-in-Tariffs (GETFiT) scheme which aims at incentivizing developers to accelerate renewable energy projects into production and includes a premium range 1-2 cents per kilowatt hour on Renewable Energy Feed-in-Tariffs (REFiT).

“It avails a guarantee scheme to enhance the bankability of the projects and a syndicate of concessional funding from international financial institutions.”

According to ERA, the first round of bidding for the GETFiT resulted in qualification of eight renewable energy projects with a combined installed capacity of 83.7MW. Construction of these projects starts this year and will be commissioned within two to three years. 

The second round of bidding for the remaining capacity of 67MW was initiated towards the end of 2013 and more renewable energy projects are expected to qualify for the GETFiT premium. 

In addition to GETFiT, ERA increased the Feed-in-Tariffs for renewable energy projects in order to accelerate project uptake hence commissioning. All these measures are aimed at ensuring availability of sufficient electricity supply to meet the growing demand.

Government has commissioned construction of the 600MW Karuma Hydropower plant which will be developed under bilateral cooperation between Uganda and the Chinese government. 

In an effort to promote power generation from renewable energy sources, ERA issued five feasibility permits during the first half of the FY2013/14 to companies in order to facilitate undertaking of detailed studies for prospected development of a combined capacity 99MW of grid connected solar photovoltaic power in various parts of the country.

According to Mutambi, the Authority is in advanced stages of procuring a consultant to package a tender development of 50MW from solar photovoltaic projects which will be commissioned by mid-2015.

Five additional permits were issued for prospected development of 33.7MW of small hydropower plants. The Authority also extended the duration of three permits for the prospected development of a combined 36.2MW from renewable energy. 

http://www.busiweek.com/index1.php?Ctp=2&pI=470&pLv=3&srI=53&spI=20&cI=11

K-TOR® Releases Portable Pedal Power Generator

BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 27, 2013 /CNW/ - K-TOR, LLC, designer and manufacturer of portable power generators, has released their highly anticipated pedal power generator – The Power Box. Designed for continuous operation, this affordable human powered generator features a universal outlet interface that powers a wide range of electronic devices.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130927/NE88086 )

More than 1 billion people around the world are without access to electricity and in the US blackouts are an increasingly common event. When power is lost due to natural events like hurricane's, storms, floods, and heat waves, the Power Box provides essential emergency energy. This alternative power source provides sustained power in almost any environment or condition making it an essential product for people around the world.

"We are pleased to be releasing such a revolutionary product into the marketplace," comments K-TOR founder Ken Torino. "The introduction of our pedal power generator enables individuals and organizations around the world operate a sustainable green energy source that does not require specific weather conditions to produce electricity." From the jungles of the Amazon to the streets of New York City the Power Box supplies critical power to those who need it most.

Producing 20 watts of electricity, the Power Box can directly charge almost any modern electronic device. The DC power supply is compatible with both 110 and 220-volt applications and the universal outlet accepts plugs from all over the world. A 12-volt charger can additionally be used with the Power Box to charge 12-volt batteries. These batteries are a useful way of storing energy and when used with an inverter can power appliances that run on AC as well as electronic devices that consume more than 20 watts.

Folded up in storage mode, the generator weighs less than five pounds and is smaller than a shoebox. In a few quick steps the Power Box can be converted from storage mode to generator mode. In generator mode, power is delivered via the universal outlet. Simply plug in the device you want to power and start pedaling.

K-TOR believes no one should have to be without access to electricity. As a result they have developed a patented technology that efficiently converts human biomechanical energy into a standard electrical power source. Available now, shipping worldwide, the Power Box's retails at $220 and is available for purchase online at www.k-tor.com.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1232899/k-tor-releases-portable-pedal-power-generator

Seaside Heights electric generators help save money

SEASIDE HEIGHTS — Three electric generators, hidden in tan sheds off Bay Boulevard, have already started paying for themselves only a little over year after they were installed.
Officials estimate the green and black diesel-powered engines saved the borough $250,000 since they first were switched on in July 2012.
But that was a benefit borough officials expected.
The 2-megawatt electric generators also proved valuable when superstorm Sandy knocked out power across the barrier island. They allowed borough electricians to turn the lights back on for emergency responders in the days after the storm, when natural gas to the island was shut down.

“It actually turned out to be a blessing. It really worked out,” said Mike Rumbolo, an electrician for the utility.
With costs of wholesale energy steadily rising in recent years, Seaside Heights decided to reach for some long-term savings last year when it moved to buy and install the generators for $4.5 million. Just north of the borough, officials in Lavallette, home to another municipally run electric utility, had considered adding generation, but have since decided against the costly project.
Mayor Walter LaCicero said there is no appropriate place to house the noisy, unattractive units and they can no longer anticipate the savings they initially saw. After Sandy, consumption decreased so much that their capacity charges are likely to drop without help from an operating unit, he said.
“It’s completely off the table at this point,” he said.

Immediate savings

For Seaside Heights, the savings have been immediate and are expected to grow, borough administrator John Camera said.
That borough has been paying $5 million annually for wholesale energy, and the generators helped reduce that cost by $250,000 in this first year, Camera said. He expects to save $500,000 annually when demand returns to pre-Sandy levels.
Anthony Vaz, borough councilman and liaison to the utility, said having the generators allowed the electric utility in January to lower its rates by 2 cents per kilowatt hour to 18 cents per kilowatt hour year round. The rate had previously been 20 cents per kilowatt hour in the summer and 18 cents the rest of the year.
A single-family home uses an average of 250 kilowatts hour per month, and saves about $60 annually with the lower rate, Camera said.
“It’s a benefit to everybody when there are lower utility rates,” Camera said, adding that unlike with property taxes, both tenants, as well as homeowners and businesses, have to pay electric rates.
The savings with the utility may impact rates for its 3,000 customers, but doesn’t change taxes, Camera said. The electric utility does help stabilize the tax rate, however, each year by shifting about $1 million from its budget to the general fund, he said.

Diesel powered

Diesel-powered units were more readily available and cost less than a natural gas turbine, Camera said. Each unit is stacked with a mechanism that, working like a catalytic converter, limits pollution and is kept within a storage unit to minimize noise, he said.
The generators will only run five to 10 times a year for about five hours each burning 250 gallons of diesel an hour, Rumbolo said.
After Sandy, they ran the units, alternating each eight hours at a time for a few weeks and powered the police and fire departments, a local church where food was being served and two hotels housing emergency responders, he said.
The borough doesn’t rely on the generators for power all the time; only when demand is high.
On a typical summer day, the borough uses about 10 megawatts of energy. That’s distributed through Jersey Central Power & Light.
But hot days and huge crowds spike summer demand to about 15 megawatts, Camera said. On those days, the electric utility switches on the units so they don’t have to rely on the regional power grid any more than on a 10-megawatt day, he said.
Consistent rather than fluctuating demand costs less in the wholesale market – in this case, $250,000 less in the first year, he said.
Running the generators and getting fuel have a cost, but still don’t cut into the borough’s savings, Camera said. That allows the borough to get its electric customers the power they demand and save them money over time.

http://www.app.com/article/20130831/NJNEWS2001/308310026/

Power generators keep tab on open access scheme

MANILA, Philippines - Power generators are keeping a close watch on the open access regime, noting that there may be slight problems or concerns as part of the usual birth pains.
The Philippine Independent Power Producers Association (PIPPA) said it is still too early to say how the new regime would impact on both the consumers and the power suppliers.
“We don’t know yet because it’s our first billing month,” said PIPPA president Luis Miguel Aboitiz.
He said if there are no problems in billing, there may be no issue or concern with the implementation of the open access regime in the power sector.
“As long as billing and payment occur without problems, hopefully, there will be no issue,” Aboitiz said.
He said one issue that may arise is if the information to produce the bills come on time since it would be a new system, which could determine if the more than 200 suppliers would be able to issue their bills on time. The necessary information would come from the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. (PEMC) as the central registration body (CRB) of the RCOA, a regime mandated under the Electric Power Industry Reform Act of 2001.

Essentially, the open-access regime or the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) allows businesses to be able to decide for themselves which provider is in the best position to supply its needs. These businesses are the contestable customers or those with electricity demand of at least one-megawatt.
So far, only 239 out of 909 applicants have received approvals to participate in the new regime.
Last month, the Department of Energy and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), together with the PEMC, the administrator of the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM), launched the commercial operations and integration of the RCOA into the WESM or the country’s electricity trading floor.
The energy department has already issued a circular mandating the use of retail market manuals for the implementation of the new regime in the power sector.  

http://www.philstar.com/business/2013/07/28/1020971/power-generators-keep-tab-open-access-scheme

Clean Line Issues RFI To Wind Power Generators

Plains & Eastern Clean Line LLC, an affiliate of Clean Line Energy Partners LLC, has issued a request for information (RFI) to wind power generators in the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles.

According to Clean Line, the RFI will gather information about the generators' demand for transmission capacity and will collect data that will allow Clean Line to determine the cost-effectiveness and production potential of the wind resource in the Great Plains.

The Plains & Eastern Clean Line will connect 3.5 GW of renewable energy from western Oklahoma, southwest Kansas, and the Texas Panhandle with utilities and customers in Tennessee, Arkansas and other markets in the mid-South and Southeast. The approximately 700-mile overhead, direct current transmission line is currently under development and is estimated to cost $2 billion.

http://www.renewgridmag.com/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.10024#.UcZz0VtghJE

Power generators may be a good investment

Power generators may be a good investment
Generators are not something people think about on a daily basis. However, in the wake of the powerful storms that have battered the country in recent years, more and more people have realized just how valuable generators can be.
Portable Generators – Many portable generators provide temporary power by using a fossil-based fuel, typically unleaded gasoline, and tend to range in power from 500 watts to 17.5 kW. The more expensive and larger the unit, the more amperage it will be able to supply. In a portable generator, the motor is typically housed on a metal frame with wheels to move the generator where it is needed. Once fired up, the generator converts the power produced by the motor into electrical current that can supply many of the devices in a home by way of extension cords plugged into the generator. A portable generator will only run as long as it has fuel. Homeowners need to frequently fill up the fuel tank if they plan to run the generator around the clock. Gassing up generators can be difficult should a power outage also knock out power to the fuel pumps at gas stations. Propane and natural gas generators are also available, although they may be more expensive than gasoline-powered units.
Standby System Generators – Standby generators can be expensive, but many people find the cost of a standby generator is well worth it to maintain power in the event of an outage or emergency. While a portable generator may cost a few hundred dollars, standby generators can cost from a few thousand dollars to as much as $15,000 for larger units that can power much of a household. Standby generators also require installation by a professional electrician, adding to their overall cost. A standby generator is like a heavy-duty car engine, complete with a radiator, gas tank and an alternator that generates power. The entire setup is contained in a weather-proof box, which is connected to the main fuse box of the home by a cable. When power is lost from the electric wires outside of a home, the generator senses it and starts up, all he while blocking any power from the electric lines from the power station to prevent a feedback of power. The standby generator is only hooked up to specific fuses in the fuse box to run certain outlets or appliances in the home. A standby generator will not supply power to all of the outlets in a home.

http://lubbockonline.com/advertising/2013-06-01/power-generators-may-be-good-investment#.UamYU1uM9sg