European blackout avoided?

Yesterday, Saturday night, millions of Europeans in 8 countries were without electricity, as a result of a power problem in Germany. The cause may have been a transmission line over the river Ems that was switched of to let a cruise ship pass, subsequently overloading other parts of the network, according to grid operator E.On. A spokesperson from the French transmission system operator RTE commented that "we weren't very far from a European blackout".

Small Hydro Power

Date: January 15, 2007
Time: 15h00 - 16h00 European Standard Time
Speaker: Władysław Bobrowicz

This webinar was cancelled due to technical difficulties.

Small Hydro Power - Investor Guide

This Application Note introduces the theory and technology behind small hydroelectric power (SHP) stations (defined as units below 10 MW). The Note gives a detailed discussion of the basics of SHP, the types of equipment, turbines and generators in use, the selection and assessment of suitable sites, planning and licensing requirements, financing, and economic justification.

Microfire in power socket

A microfire, probably caused by a bad contact, started in a power socket serving a washing machine in Germany. Fortunately, the fire extinguished itself, due to lack of oxygen. Otherwise, as this power socket was located in an infrequently visited, common area of an appartment complex, the fire would not be easily detected.

Courtesy: Deutsches Kupfer Institut

Advocating power rather than sustainability?

Urging Action

Very Low Energy Houses

Houses with very low energy demand can be readily constructed today, reducing the need for heating energy by up to a factor 10 compared to the European average home. Over 10,000 such project have already been realised. There are very few single solutions that offer such a massive potential for contributing to energy sustainability, while producing significant social and economic side benefits.

But many challenges remain to realise this potential, in particular:

Eight US utility companies call for tougher transformer efficiency standards

Department of Energy proposal considered too weak

Distribution transformers in the USA currently conform to the energy efficiency standard NEMA TP-1. This is a voluntary industry standard, set by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA).

Last August, the federal Department of Energy (DOE) released a proposal for an efficiency standard for distribution transformers that goes further than the NEMA standard. According to the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, the DOE is authorised to establish energy conservation standards for various consumer products and industrial equipment.

Surprisingly enough, eight utility companies have stated that the DOE proposal does not go far enough.Read full article

Home hospitalisation wrestles with administration costs

On average, administrative costs may run to one third of the total costs of hospitalisation at home. A study in France has calculated the average total cost of home care at € 140 per day: € 98 medical costs and € 42 administrative costs.

In France, the hospitalisation at home (L’Hospitalisation à domicile) is well integrated into the health sector. Dating back to 1956 (and relaunched in 1970), it has been accepted as an alternative to traditional hospitalisation since 1991.

Telecare for chronic heart failure patients

Lower costs, improved quality of life

One group of patients that benefits particularly from telecare are people suffering from chronic heart failure. During a pilot project in Germany, re-admittance rates of those patients to hospital were halved, while patient satisfaction increased.