Tag Archives: Renewable Energy

July 25, 2011, DUBAI, UAE,(Coal Geology): The renewable energy sector could drive economic development in Africa and could possibly compete internationally in future, London-based merchant bank NextEnergy Capital CEO Stefano Sommadossi told Engineering News Online.

Renewable energy companies and developers in Africa are struggling to get their projects off the ground because they don’t have the right financial backing. Convincing investors to supply capital to this relatively new area of energy product is proving difficult.

Sommadossi further highlights that attracting the right type of capital and guaranteeing the quality of returns are key for local and international investors. He suggested that South Africa should look to, for example, existing capital such as pension funds, to provide returns to local investors. Jannie Retief, NextEnergy Capital’s Managing Director for its UK operations, a veteran of the UK renewable energy industry will be in South Africa in August. He will be presenting to professionals and authorities who have vested interest in alternative and sustainable energy sources in Africa at The Solar Power Africa 2011 Conference.
NextEnergy Capital will join Africa’s leading minds in solar power from companies like Eskom, Nampower, Shanduka Group, Basil Read Energy, Fluor amongst many others that will be presenting at the Summit. The Solar Power Africa2011 Conference will take place at the Holiday Inn Sandton on the 22 – 25 August 2011. The conference will explore the potential of Solar Power in Africa to deliver the next generation of clean energy.
For more information about The Solar Power Africa 2011 conference, contact Jihan Mohammed, Marketing Manager, IQPC Middle East, Email enquiry@iqpc.ae or call +971-364-2975 and visit http://www.solarpower-africa.com
Source: IQPC Middle East

Adjustable lighting allows bright light while cooking and lower lighting at the table. It also cuts energy cost

March 11, 2011, (Coal Geology/ NewsUSA) – Americans look to a dimmer future, not because worldwide destruction looms, but because dimming light bulbs helps save energy.

Many people don’t consider their light bulbs a major expense. But if every American homeowner installed one energy-efficient light bulb in an existing light fixture, the nation would save $600 million in energy costs and prevent carbon emissions equal to 800,000 cars each year.

The Consortium for Energy Efficiency, a Boston-based non-profit, created a plan to cut lighting energy in half by 2012. The Consortium, along with the American Lighting Association, encourages the public to buy fixtures with the Energy Star, a designation created by the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to note products that meet strict environmental standards. Other energy-saving suggestions include using dimmer switches.

Dimmer switches result in less wattage being used, extending the life of bulbs while also reducing electricity bills. Dimmers also prove easy on the eye. Certified Lighting Consultant (CLC) Monty Gilbertson of Lighting Design by Wettsteins in LaCrosse, Wis., says, “Dimmers allow for greater flexibility in lighting product selection and allow multiple uses of a room.”

If people are gathering for a dinner party, hosts can turn the lights to their brightest setting. During dinner, the host can set an elegant mood simply by lowering the light. “It’s nice to be able to bring the lights to full strength again with the flip of a switch,” says Karen Engle, CLC, of Zanger Associates, Inc. in Eldersburg, Md.

The three main types of lighting used in American homes are incandescent, magnetic low-voltage and electronic low-voltage lights, all of which can be easily dimmed.

Several types of dimmers exist. Wall box dimmers control one or two lights, while scene lighting dimmers allow home owners to control several lights from one panel. Whole-house systems control every light in the home from a single panel. Occupancy sensors turn off and on when they sense motion.

For more information about lighting design, or to find an American Lighting Association member showroom near you, visit www.americanlightingassoc.com or call 800-BRIGHT-IDEAS.