Accenture to Help Azure Power Expand its Solar Generation Business

Accenture News Release:

April 24, 2014

Accenture to Help Azure Power Expand its Solar Generation Business

NEW DELHI; April 24, 2014 – Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has been selected by Azure Power, India’s leading independent solar power producer, to implement an SAP® enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to support and drive growth in its solar generation business.

As part of the agreement, Accenture will provide implementation services in support of the SAP solution to Azure Power to help strengthen its business processes and improve planning, budgeting, forecasting, supply chain and revenue projections. The new solution will help the company scale its rapidly expanding solar footprint across India and will enable more effective management of complex business transactions.

“We are leading the solar revolution in India by bringing the cost of solar energy from INR 17.97/KWhr in 2010 to INR 5.45/KWhr in 2014 and are working with the Government and all stakeholders to reach grid parity by 2017,” said Inderpreet Wadhwa, CEO of Azure Power Ltd. “While we are growing at a very fast pace, it is essential for us to have our core business processes automated with adequate controls in place and we are excited to start our relationship with Accenture to manage our growth better.”

Sandeep Dutta, managing director in Accenture’s Resources operating group in India, said, “We are seeing an increasing number of independent providers entering the market to take advantage of the opportunity offered by solar but it is critical that these companies have the right business framework in place to support the fast pace of growth in this sector. We look forward to working with Azure Power to implement integrated and agile business processes that can help it outperform the competition and deliver on its expansion strategy.”

About Accenture
Accenture is a global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, with approximately 289,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries. Combining unparalleled experience, comprehensive capabilities across all industries and business functions, and extensive research on the world’s most successful companies, Accenture collaborates with clients to help them become high-performance businesses and governments. The company generated net revenues of US$28.6 billion for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2013. Its home page is www.accenture.com.

About Azure Power Ltd
Azure Power is India's leading independent solar power producer and has been at the forefront of developments in the sector since its inception in 2007. With implementation of better technology, competent team and sustainable business models Azure aims to provide solar energy as the most affordable and reliable power generation in the country. Azure Power is driving India’s economic development by delivering clean and lowest cost solar power to communities, governments, and commercial customers throughout India. Azure develops, constructs, owns and operates solar power plants in various parts of the country. Its home page is www.azurepower.com.
 

# # #

Top 100 U.S. Organizations Using Renewable Energy | 2014-04-23 | Pollution Engineering

The list is calculated based on annual green power usage (in kilowatt-hours) by Green Power Partners.

Top 100 U.S. Organizations Using Renewable Energy | 2014-04-23 | Pollution Engineering

GE Press Release:

GE's LineFit Light LEDs Allow Fast, Simple Retrofit of Fluorescent Cabinet Signs, Transform Visual Appeal with up to 76 Percent Energy Savings

April 23, 2014

  inShare0 

 

EAST CLEVELAND, Ohio --- April 23, 2014 --- (NYSE:GE) --- As a key visual touchpoint for consumers, bright and evenly illuminated outdoor signage is crucial to the brand image of countless businesses and stores. GE continues to provide business owners and sign makers alike with the reliable, easy-to-install and energy-saving sign lighting they desire with its latest innovation, GE's LineFit Light LED Lighting System.

The new GE LineFit Light LED system is designed as a simple replacement for upgrading fluorescentcabinet and box sign lighting with energy-efficient LED technology---providing 58 to 76 percent energy savings compared with T12HO fluorescents. Available in 11 sizes and three color temperatures, the LineFit Light LED offers versatility for a multitude of double-sided signage sizes and styles to improve overall visual aesthetics with bright, uniform light that is virtually maintenance-free.

"LED lighting offers several benefits and improvements for outdoor signage lighting compared with standard fluorescents. From significant energy cost reductions and easier jobsite installation, to less frequent maintenance and more consistent brightness, as well as uniformity and cold weather performance across your signs, LED stands as the ultimate choice," said Mark Shepard, global product manager for GE Lighting. "GE's new LineFit LED system offers all these benefits and more with the potential to save money not just in operation, but on the installation as well."

Utilizing existing fluorescent sockets (R17d) for a quick and easy four-step installation, the GE LineFit Light LEDs can be up-and-running in just minutes per fixture, immediately slashing installation labor time and costs. LineFit Light's specialized rotating end caps also ensure proper alignment and ultimate light output directed toward the sign face.

And, GE's patented OptiLens™ optical lens technology ensures that light is used efficiently, while also helping to protect each LED against moisture, humidity, damage and corrosion. Unlike fluorescent options that emit light in a 360° pattern, each LED module is optimized to capture otherwise wasted light and redirect it where it is needed toward the illuminated surface of the sign. OptiLens also eliminates striping and shadows on the sign face that can occur with fluorescent tubes.

Additionally, with a life rating of 50,000 hours, the new LineFit Light LED lighting system helps to eliminate frequent bulb changes associated with fluorescent tubes, further cutting down on maintenance time and costs.

To determine the type and quantity of LED sign lighting products that are ideal for your company's specific needs, check out the interactive Tetra® Signage Design Tool.

For more information about LineFit Light and other LED sign lighting solutions from GE, visitwww.gelighting.com.

About GE Lighting
GE Lighting invents with the vigor of its founder Thomas Edison to develop energy-efficient solutions that change the way people light their world in commercial, industrial, municipal and residential settings. The business employs about 13,000 people in more than 100 countries, and sells products under the reveal®and Energy Smart® consumer brands, and Evolve™, GTx™, Immersion™, Infusion™, Lumination™, Albeo™ and Tetra® commercial brands, all trademarks of GE. GE works on things that matter to build a world that works better. For more information, visit www.gelighting.com.

Tags

• Business Unit: Appliances and Lighting

GE Press Release:

GE Signs Wind Turbine Converter Support Agreement to Cut Operational Costs and Enhance Customer Operations and Management Capabilities

April 23, 2014

  inShare0 

 

PARIS---April 23, 2014---GE's Power Conversion business (NYSE: GE) today announced that it has signed a framework agreement with EDF EN to provide support services for the converters used in EDF EN's wind parks throughout Europe. The service contract will enable the staff of EDF EN Services, EDF Energies Nouvelles' subsidiary dedicated to the operation and maintenance in Europe, to acquire the skills necessary to maintain and troubleshoot converters with support from GE engineers over the phone---or on-site for complex problems. This will allow EDF EN Services to decrease downtime to maximize production of the wind turbine.

The services offered by GE under the framework agreement include remote service with hotline support, a short departure guarantee for on-site repairs, strategic spare parts and obsolescence management, single contract/single entry point, personnel training (including levels and certification) and contract management. The agreement currently involves several wind farms in Europe.

"Wind turbine converters are complex pieces of technology that are critical to the efficient transmission of energy produced to the grid, and maintaining them has traditionally been very costly. Our aim is to provide customers with the tools and information they need to reduce their operation costs by empowering them to undertake fault remediation internally. In fact, we have found that nine out of 10 calls to our support hotline can be resolved on the phone, saving expensive on-site interventions. The majority of converter issues can be resolved thanks to the training. Hotline and remote service provide an escalation path, and if the problem can't be fixed over the phone, a GE expert will visit the site to resolve the issue, managing much of the risk," said John Chatwin, services commercial leader for GE's Power Conversion business. "In addition, with GE's global scope, we can offer utilities support virtually anywhere in the world, covering their entire fleet, both onshore and offshore, across Europe and the United States."

About GE Power Conversion

GE's Power Conversion business applies the science and systems of power conversion to help drive the electrification of the world's energy infrastructure by designing and delivering advanced motor, drive and control technologies that evolve today's industrial processes for a cleaner, more productive future. Serving specialized sectors such as energy, marine, oil and gas, renewables and industry, through customized solutions and advanced technologies, GE Power Conversion partners with customers to maximize efficiency. To learn more, please visit: www.gepowerconversion.com.

Follow GE's Power Conversion business on Twitter @GE_PowerConvers and on Linkedin.

About GE

GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

Tags

• Business Unit: Energy Management
• Region: Europe
• Topics: Topic, Major Customer Wins, Organizational Announcements, Products & Services,Technology & Research, International, Citizenship, Energy, GE Energy Management
• Keywords: GE, Power Conversion, Converteam, renewables, wind energy, EDF EN,Europe, EDF Energies Nouvelles, troubleshoot, hotline, wind converter, wind farm

Lockheed Martin News Release:

Lockheed Martin and Alliance to Save Energy Announce Winning Schools in Maryland PowerSavers Challenge

ROCKVILLE, Md., April 21, 2014 – Today, Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and the Alliance to Save Energy have announced the winning schools in Maryland’s PowerSavers Challenge, a competition aimed at inspiring students to educate family and friends about the benefits of energy efficiency.

For the challenge, students learned how to use energy diagnostic tools, studied how buildings work as systems, calculated energy savings and put together an outreach campaign. The Alliance to Save Energy gave each participating school an energy audit calculator and a watt meter. Lockheed Martin volunteers were also available to offer assistance.  

“The PowerSavers Challenge was a great opportunity for Lockheed Martin and the Alliance to Save Energy to create awareness with students about how energy savings is essential to our daily lives,” said Frank Armijo, vice president of energy solutions at Lockheed Martin. “The competition was especially inspiring because it was the type of experience that can shape the future professional choices of students.”

Twenty-one schools and more than 100 students from eight Maryland county school districts participated in the competition. Winning schools include: Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart in Bethesda, Md.; St. Martin’s Lutheran School in Annapolis, Md; Southern Middle School in Lusby, Md.; Southern High School in Harwood, Md; and South River High School in Edgewater, Md. Each school will receive $1,000 and the five schools’ pledge campaign and videos will be posted on the Alliance to Save Energy website.

In addition, the winning schools will receive training and support from the Alliance to Save Energy and a behind the scenes tour at the USA Science and Engineering Festival, which takes place April 26 and 27 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

“This activity engages students in academic learning about energy. But it goes beyond that, getting them actively involved in identifying ways that students and teachers can reduce energy waste. We love to empower students to apply their math and science knowledge to real problems, becoming part of the solution to climate change and pollution,” explained Merrilee Harrigan, senior advisor of education at the Alliance to Save Energy.

The Alliance to Save Energy is a coalition of prominent business, government, environmental and consumer leaders who promote the efficient and clean use of energy worldwide to benefit consumers, the environment, the economy and national security.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs approximately 115,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s net sales for 2013 were $45.4 billion.

Innovating Our Clean Energy Future - YouTube

Sponsored by Lockheed Martin, the American Council on Renewable Energy (ACORE) is now an official partner with NASCAR Green, enabling Lockheed Martin and ACORE to promote renewable energy, sustainability, energy security and efficiency to an audience of more than 100 million NASCAR fans. Through this partnership, the organizations will motivate and inspire the next generation of scientists, technologists and engineers through promoting careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).



Innovating Our Clean Energy Future - YouTube

Study: Fuels from corn waste not better than gas - Yahoo Finance

WASHINGTON (AP) — Biofuels made from the leftovers of harvested corn plants are worse than gasoline for global warming in the short term, a study shows, challenging the Obama administration's conclusions that they are a much cleaner oil alternative and will help combat climate change.



Study: Fuels from corn waste not better than gas - Yahoo Finance

Germany’s green dream – Global Public Square - CNN.com Blogs

No country has embraced renewable energy more avidly than Germany. But a host of untoward realities – soaring electricity bills, rising carbon emissions and growing dependence on Russian gas – are intruding rudely on Germany’s green dream.

In response to such worries, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cabinet approved a plan last week to trim subsidies for solar and wind power. The proposed law would also exempt fewer companies from paying a stiff renewable energy surcharge, an exemption that has come under heavy fire in Europe for giving German industry an unfair competitive boost.

Germany’s green dream – Global Public Square - CNN.com Blogs

Studebaker Elementary School and McCombs Middle School in Des Moines, Iowa, Among Top 10 Energy Saving Schools in the U.S.

EPA Press Release:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

Studebaker Elementary School and McCombs Middle School in Des Moines, Iowa, Among Top 10 Energy Saving Schools in the U.S.

Contact Information: EPA - David W. Bryan, 913-551-7433, bryan.david@epa.gov: Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) - Phil Roeder, 515-242-8153, phillip.roeder@dmschools.org

Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Lenexa, Kan., April 17, 2014) - EPA Region 7 announced today that Studebaker Elementary School and McCombs Middle School in the Des Moines Public Schools (DMPS) finished seventh and eighth, respectively, in the annual Energy Star National Building Competition: Battle of the Buildings. Teams from more than 3,000 buildings across the country spent the past year competing to obtain the greatest reduction in energy use.

Studebaker Elementary, built in 1965, saved 31.9 percent in energy use during the 2013 calendar year, translating to a savings of 77 metric tons in greenhouse gases and an estimated more than $14,000 in energy costs. McCombs Middle School was built in 1973 and saved 29.7 percent in energy use with 138 metric tons of greenhouse gases savings and an estimated $46,700 in energy cost savings.

Together, competitors in this year’s National Building Competition saved more than $20 million and reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 130,000 metric tons – equal to the annual electricity use of nearly 18,000 homes. Many organizations used the competition to involve people – such as staff and students – who might not ordinarily be engaged in such efforts.

The fourth annual Energy Star National Building Competition measured energy performance for the entire 2013 calendar year. Competitors tracked their buildings' monthly energy consumption using EPA's online energy tracking tool, Energy Star Portfolio Manager. The energy use reductions for each top finisher were verified by an independently licensed professional engineer or registered architect at the end of the competition. More information on the Energy Star National Building Competition, including top overall finishers and top finishers by building category, an interactive map of competitors, and a wrap-up report: www.energystar.gov/BattleOfTheBuildings.

# # #

Low-cost, hydrogen-powered forklifts with rapid refueling, zero emissions coming soon

LIVERMORE, Calif.— Zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell systems soon could be powering the forklifts used in warehouses and other industrial settings at lower costs and with faster refueling times than ever before, courtesy of a partnership between Sandia National Laboratories and Hawaii Hydrogen Carriers (HHC).

The goal of the project is to design a solid-state hydrogen storage system that can refuel at low pressure four to five times faster than it takes to charge a battery-powered forklift, giving hydrogen a competitive advantage over batteries for a big slice of the clean forklift market. The entire U.S. forklift market was nearly $33 billion in 2013, according to Pell Research.

Low-cost, hydrogen-powered forklifts with rapid refueling, zero emissions coming soon

PNNL: News - Relieving electric vehicle range anxiety with improved batteries

Lithium-sulfur batteries last longer with nanomaterial-packed cathode



PNNL: News - Relieving electric vehicle range anxiety with improved batteries

U.S. Parking Facilities Cut Energy Use by 90 Percent, Switch 270 Million Square Feet to Energy Efficient Lighting | Department of Energy

WASHINGTON – As part of the Energy Department’s commitment to helping U.S. businesses save money by saving energy, the Department’s Better Buildings Alliance is supporting the Lighting Energy Efficiency in Parking (LEEP) Campaign.  To date, more than 100 U.S. businesses and organizations are participating in the campaign and planning or installing energy efficient lighting in their parking lots and garages. In the past year, these organizations have committed to install efficient lighting across more than 270 million square feet of parking space – cutting energy use by up to 90 percent.



U.S. Parking Facilities Cut Energy Use by 90 Percent, Switch 270 Million Square Feet to Energy Efficient Lighting | Department of Energy

Department of Energy Issues Draft Renewable Energy and Efficient Energy Projects Solicitation to Foster Clean Energy Innovation | Department of Energy

Washington D.C. — In support of the Administration’s all-of-the-above energy strategy, the Department of Energy issued a draft loan guarantee solicitation today for innovative renewable energy and energy efficiency projects located in the U.S. that avoid, reduce, or sequester greenhouse gases. When finalized, the solicitation is expected to make as much as $4 billion in loan guarantees available to help commercialize technologies that may be unable to obtain full commercial financing. This draft solicitation represents another step in the Department’s commitment to help overcome the financial barriers to the deployment of innovative, clean energy technologies.



Department of Energy Issues Draft Renewable Energy and Efficient Energy Projects Solicitation to Foster Clean Energy Innovation | Department of Energy

GE Press Release:

GE-Exclusive Technology Helps Scottish Utility Integrate Renewable Energy and Meet Complex Grid Challenges

April 16, 2014

  inShare0 

 

CHICAGO---April 16, 2014---GE's Digital Energy business (NYSE: GE) today announced it will provide series compensation capabilities to three of SP Power Systems Limited's (Scottish Power) facilities in southern Scotland, helping the utility meet and mitigate today's highly complex and technical grid challenges. GE's series compensation technology is being showcased this week at the 2014 IEEE PES Transmission & Distribution Conference & Exposition in Chicago.

The utility will be installing series capacitor banks with sub-synchronous resonance (SSR) filters to its substations, increasing the reliability, efficiency and power transfer capabilities of Scottish Power's 400-kilovolt transmission network. The updates to Scottish Power's network will continue to allow power to flow seamlessly from northern Scotland into England. GE's series compensation solution enables the broader initiative of the European Union's target to integrate more than 15 percent renewable generation into their portfolio mix.

GE and Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES)---a leading supplier for Scottish Power's substation equipment---will provide installation, commissioning and maintenance of series compensation banks with SSR filters at Scottish Power's Moffat (400-kilovolt, 560-MVAr), Gretna (400-kilovolt, 560-MVAr) and Eccles 1 and 2 (400-kilovolt, 442-MVAr each) substations. These series capacitor banks with SSR filters will provide Scottish Power, part of the Iberdrola Group, a cost-effective method to increase power transfer across its long transmission lines. Working with BBES enabled GE to fulfill and meet local requirements and standards for Scottish Power's facilities. It also establishes a localized presence in the region that can provide long-term support and maintenance to each of the series capacitor banks as needed.

"Our priority is to provide a safe, reliable and efficient transmission network to benefit all of our customers," said Mike Young, series compensation program manager, Scottish Power. "We believe that GE offers the best technical solution and meets the stringent safety and environmental requirements of our project. We look forward to working closely with the GE team to deliver this project."

The four series compensation banks installed by GE will utilize its reliable fuseless capacitor design and will include metal-oxide varistors and triggered air gaps. The scope of the project also includes detailed studies and analysis from GE's Energy Consulting business for the design and application of the SSR filters. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2015.

"Understanding Scottish Power's needs for an efficient and safe transmission network, our world-renowned Energy Consulting team provided detailed system studies and analysis on SSR mitigation and filter design, equipping Scottish Power with the most economical and reliable approach to meet their requirements," said Bob Turko, general manager, power systems, GE's Digital Energy business. "This project reinforces our industry-leading series compensation system utilizing SSR mitigation filters, demonstrating GE's strong technical capability and reestablishing its focus in the European sector."

This announcement builds on GE's deep history as a supplier of SSR mitigation solutions and filters, which dates back to the 1970s---from the Navajo station 40 years ago to the company's most recent project with Newmont Mining.

GE's Digital Energy business is a global leader in transmission and distribution solutions that manage and move power from the power plant to the consumer. Its products and services increase the reliability of electrical power networks and critical equipment for utility, industrial and large commercial customers. From protecting and optimizing assets such as generators, transmission lines and motors, to delivering analytic tools to help manage the power grid, GE's Digital Energy business delivers industry-leading technologies to solve the unique challenges of each customer. For more information, visithttp://www.gedigitalenergy.com/.

About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and curing the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.

Follow GE's Digital Energy business on Twitter @GEModernGrid.

Tags

• Business Unit: Energy Management
• Region: Europe
• Topics: Topic, Major Customer Wins, Products & Services, Technology & Research,International, Citizenship, North America, Energy, GE Energy Management, Energy Management, Digital Energy
• Keywords: GE, Digital Energy, Series Compensation, Scottish Power, power, Transmission,SP Power Systems Limited, SSR