Water, water everywhere and every drop to drink | environment
[Quote:]
"... Following a major earthquake in Taiwan in 2009, humanitarian aid workers from Israel brought along locally made WaterSheer products to ensure a steady stream of potable water for the survivors and to transport drinking water quickly to where it was needed most.
"You need high quality water in every circumstance, and we are able to provide it even in cases of disaster," says Yossie Sandak, CEO and co-founder of the three-year-old company based in Airport City, near Tel Aviv. "In Taiwan, within 48 hours our products were already in the field and purifying 16,000 liters (4,227 gallons) per day ... "
[Unquote.]
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Showing posts with label Environmental Technologies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Environmental Technologies. Show all posts
Monday, January 17, 2011
Monday, December 1, 2008
Yvo de Boer, UN climate chief calls for green technology 'revolution'
Daniel Nelson, 28 November 2008
Environmentally sound technologies need "a revolutionary push", says Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
On the eve of the opening of the UN Climate Change Conference in Poznan, Poland, he said: "Incrementalism is the enemy of fundamental change. We are really going to need a major fundamental shift, and technology has to be at the heart of that.
The transfer of "green technology" from industrialised to developing countries is one of four building blocks of the climate negotiations, the latest round of which begin on Monday (1 December). The others are global warming mitigation, adaptation to change and finance.
The importance of technology transfer was reinforced at a meeting held in Beijing, China, earlier this month (November) in the run-up to the Poznan meeting. It was attended by de Boer and finished with a declaration specifically calling for developed countries to improve technology transfer.
Zhang Ping, director of China's National Development and Reform Commission, recently mooted the establishment of a new fund to support transfer of clean technology. Norway has suggested raising money for technology transfer through auctions of national emission rights.
On the mechanics of technology transfer, de Boer said, "There has been some discussion on a technology leveraging facility … to assist in supplementing private sector initiatives that involve clean technology with public funding to install technologies that are even more advanced."
In Beijing, he also spoke of the need to ensure that intellectual property rights (IPRs) were not a barrier to large-scale commercialisation and deployment.
But these and other proposals — including a detailed submission by the G77 (the bloc of developing countries in the negotiating process) and China — are either bargaining tools or undeveloped ideas.
"Expectations are very low," says Mattias Söderberg of humanitarian non-governmental organisation DanChurchAid, who will be lobbying in Poznan.
"Poland is just a part of the journey towards the climate change summit in Copenhagen next year. There will be negotiations, but I don't expect big conclusions or specific agreement."
And William Blyth, Associate Fellow with Chatham House's Energy, Environment and Development Programme, said the technology negotiations process was "symbolic and rather sterile", with little progress in a decade of talks.
"I don't think transfer takes place because of the existence of a fund," he noted. "Transfer occurs through licensing and investment. Even on intellectual property, seen as a thorny issue, my view is that in the real world IP doesn't stop deals being made."
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Yvo de Boer, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, has been involved in climate change policies since 1994, for the Dutch government, the European Union and the UN. At the last climate change conference in Bali, Indonesia, in 2007, he warned delegates that failure to reach an agreement on tackling global warming could "plunge the world into conflict".
Now de Boer says that getting technology transfer policies right must be one of four central planks of climate policy (See 'UN climate chief calls for green technology revolution'). He tells SciDev.Net what he hopes to achieve over the next 12 days at the UN Climate Change Conference in Poznan, Poland.
You have called for a 'revolutionary push' for environmentally sound technologies. What do you mean by this?
Incrementalism is the enemy of fundamental change. We really need a major and fundamental shift, and technology has to be at the heart of that shift.
The economic reality is that the shift is not going to happen unless we succeed in incorporating the cost of pollution into prices — otherwise many of these technologies will simply not be affordable.
You have suggested a 'technology leveraging facility'. What is this?
Before the financial crisis, the Economic Energy Agency calculated that over the next 25 years we will be investing US$20 trillion in order to provide the energy that the world needs to grow its economy — about half in industrialised countries and half in developing countries.
Our estimates are that 85 per cent of that investment capital will come from the private sector, so the challenge is to use limited public sector resources to ensure that private sector investments go in the right direction.
For example we have some experience of the Clean Development Mechanism, which allows rich countries to undertake emission reduction projects in developing countries, and we see a very large percentage of the investment — 90–95 per cent — is commercially sound private sector investment. But a small public sector component pays for the technology that can't make it into the market on its own. So there, you are in a way using public money to catalyse private money in the right direction.
On top of that, we are not going to solve everything through markets. We will need intelligent tax policies and standards in a number of countries as well.
What do you mean by 'green technology'? Does it include nuclear?
I have never seen a credible scenario that gets us to the types of emission reductions that the scientific community is calling for without nuclear energy being a significant part of the energy mix. Having said that, nuclear energy is a clean technology in the eyes of some and very dangerous in the eyes of others.
Another key aspect is carbon capture and storage. I don't see how countries like China and India, with an abundance of coal, are going to power their economies without using that coal. The question is, how can you capture the CO2 that results and store it either in aquifers or empty gas fields? Many people feel that it is a highly controversial technology, but I don't see how we are going to get to the desired results without using that as well.
We will need a full mix of investments in different technologies. I don't think we have the luxury to pick and choose.
What is the most we can hope for in terms of negotiations on technology transfer in Poznan?
Poznan is not going to be spectacular. It is a halfway point between Bali and Copenhagen (the December 2009 UNFCC conference, which is supposed to conclude negotiations). But it is important in at least three ways.
The first is that, during 2008, countries have been coming with ideas of what should be part of a Copenhagen agreement and all those ideas are being pulled together for the first time in a single document for Poznan. So I expect a significant step change in the process, with governments much more focused on identifying the options that need to go into an ultimate agreement.
Secondly, Poznan is the first time that ministers are meeting since they launched negotiations in Bali. So it is an important moment for them to take stock of where things stand and provide guidance for the future. My hope is that they will focus that guidance on how to design mechanisms and the institutions that will make it possible for developing countries to engage further on this issue.
Thirdly, I hope Poznan will mark the launch of the Adaptation Fund, which is important to developing countries and will provide real money for them to adapt to the inevitable impact of climate change.
Are you worried by the economic climate? U.S. Senator John Kerry recently said, "We are not going to be in the position we were two years ago", in terms of undertaking technology transfer or economic assistance.
I think that's correct. The financial crisis will have an impact in the area of climate change, as in every other area. The challenge we face is to design a climate regime that over time becomes self-financing.
If you begin to auction emission rights in industrialised countries — and that's the intention both in Europe and the United States — and if you introduce a 'polluter pays' approach, and if you then use some of that revenue for cooperation with developing countries, the money for international cooperation on climate change will be generated from within the regime itself, rather than having to go to finance ministers in these difficult times.
How big a barrier to technology transfer are intellectual property rights?
Many developing countries mention it as a major barrier. If we can think about creating mechanisms in Copenhagen that make it possible to buy down the intellectual property rights of some new technologies — for example, wind and solar technology — it would be an important step forward.
Perhaps even more critically, we need to design mechanisms that make joint research and development between rich and poor countries possible. Both China and India have become major producers of renewable sources of energy, so it's not a matter of all the technology being in the North and none of it being in the South: it's more a matter of finding affordable ways for developing countries to get access to that technology.
The Clean Development Mechanism has already demonstrated that it can be effective.
Are you disappointed with the rate of progress of the technology transfer negotiations?
The mood has certainly changed. For many years, developing countries have been saying the North needs to transfer technology and the developed countries have been saying, "We don't own the technology, it's owned by the private sector". Now there's a broad realisation that without an advance on technology cooperation, we are just not going to get a result and that is making everybody take this issue much more seriously and look for real ways of advancing it.
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Saturday, November 15, 2008
Sensata Technologies Provides Portfolio of 'Green' Sensors that Help Protect Health and Benefit the Environment
Sensata Technologies. Klixon. Sensors & Controls Precision Products Business Unit
Release date: November 13, 2008
ATTLEBORO, Mass., Nov. 13 -- Sensata Technologies B.V. is producing a portfolio of sensors that help solve some of the world's toughest environmental problems.
This is not new for this engineering and manufacturing firm based in Attleboro, Massachusetts. In fact, this 92-year-old global company has been producing devices that aid the environment for three decades.
What is new are several key products it recently developed that help to combat troublesome air pollutants and global warming, and boost energy efficiency.
In June 2008, Sensata's Doug Strott presented a paper about these environmentally friendly products at Sensors Expo, one of the sensors industry's largest annual conferences. Strott and colleagues Michael Blaney and Dave Field teamed to write that paper entitled "Robust Design Enables Pressure Sensors for 'Greener' Technologies." Blaney is a marketing representative and Field is a design engineer.
Blaney said recently, "At Sensors Expo, we discussed how higher energy costs will impact companies' products. We explained that we have low-cost sensor technologies that companies need to help them deal with rising fuel costs and the greenhouse effect of their products."
Strott, an engineering manager, outlined environmental challenges that several industries face. One is stricter emissions standards scheduled to phase in between 2010 and 2014 for diesel vehicles. Another is the need to reduce fuel consumption by boosting efficiency and reliability. Additionally, appliance makers face a continually tougher mandate to produce more energy-efficient equipment.
Strott described several Sensata products that address these challenges.
They include:
o Differential Pressure Sensor (DPS), which signals a vehicle's computer when to trigger a regeneration cycle that destroys pollutants captured in a diesel-exhaust particle filter.
o Monocrystal strain gauge and capacitive sensors that measure compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) tank pressures, respectively.
In alternative-fuel vehicles, these measurements enable better monitoring of fuel levels.
o Capacitive pressure + temperature sensors for CNG and LNG fuel rails that improve performance and fuel economy, and reduce emissions.
o Cylinder Pressure Sensor (CPS), which provides combustion-pressure feedback in real time to optimize combustion control and reduce harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) and PM2.5 emissions from diesel engines. PM2.5 is particulate matter created during combustion that is 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller. These microscopic particles pass into the lungs and bloodstream where they can trigger health problems.
o Case-isolated, hermetic, capacitive pressure sensors that improve energy efficiency in advanced air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. Piezo-resistive pressure + temperature (PPT) sensors for environmentally friendlier R744 automotive air-conditioning systems that automakers will start installing in 2011 to help slow global warming.
Sensata sensors help improve efficiency, meet new requirements
According to Blaney, "Our sensors for diesel common-rail (fuel-injection) systems provide the exciting bonus of helping to improve fuel efficiency by two to five percent.
"Normally, cutting pollutants reduces mileage, but newer common-rail systems are pressurizing fuel at levels approaching 30,000 pounds per square inch. This greater pressure enables advanced fuel-injection strategies that optimize the combustion process to reduce emissions while improving overall energy efficiency," he explained.
Sensata sensors are also built to withstand harsh conditions. This includes temperature extremes of -40 degrees Celsius to +135 degrees Celsius (-40 degrees Fahrenheit to +275 degrees Fahrenheit), salt sprays, shock and vibration, and electrical power surges. They also operate in dusty, sandy, wet and acidic environments and perform accurately for at least 10 years. Traditionally such high-performance sensors have been costly. Sensata's sensors are designed for both high performance and low cost, two factors that enable their use in advanced systems.
They also help manufacturers meet new requirements. Since 1987, the U.S. Department of Energy has periodically tightened efficiency standards for refrigeration equipment. "Going forward, appliance makers will need low-cost, highly reliable sensors to meet these ever-stricter standards," Strott said.
"For manufacturers of refrigerators, Sensata sensors provide information about what is happening during the refrigeration cycle," Blaney explained. "This information enables manufacturers to control this cycle far more precisely so they can make equipment more energy efficient. Sensata sensors also improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial HVAC (heating, ventilating & air-conditioning) systems," he concluded.
About Sensata Technologies B.V.
Sensata Technologies is one of the world's leading suppliers of sensing, electrical protection, control and power management solutions across a broad array of industries and markets. Our products improve safety, efficiency and comfort for millions of people every day in automotive, appliance, aircraft, industrial, military, heavy vehicle, heating, air conditioning, data, telecommunications, recreational vehicle and marine applications. For more information, please visit our web site at http://www.sensata.com/.
Contacts For More Info Sensata Technologies Michael Blaney 1-508-236-3212 mblaney@sensata.com www.sensata.com
For News Media Sensata Technologies Linda Megathlin 1-508-236-1761 lmegathlin@sensata.com www.sensata.com
Source: Sensata Technologies B.V.
Web site: http://www.sensata.com/
Company Information:
Name: Sensata Technologies. Klixon. Sensors & Controls Precision Products Business Unit
Address: 529 Pleasant St.
City: Attleboro
State: MA
ZIP: 02703
Country: USA
Phone: 508-236-3287
FAX: 508-236-1598
http://www.sensata.com/
ATTLEBORO, Mass., Nov. 13 -- Sensata Technologies B.V. is producing a portfolio of sensors that help solve some of the world's toughest environmental problems.
This is not new for this engineering and manufacturing firm based in Attleboro, Massachusetts. In fact, this 92-year-old global company has been producing devices that aid the environment for three decades.
What is new are several key products it recently developed that help to combat troublesome air pollutants and global warming, and boost energy efficiency.
In June 2008, Sensata's Doug Strott presented a paper about these environmentally friendly products at Sensors Expo, one of the sensors industry's largest annual conferences. Strott and colleagues Michael Blaney and Dave Field teamed to write that paper entitled "Robust Design Enables Pressure Sensors for 'Greener' Technologies." Blaney is a marketing representative and Field is a design engineer.
Blaney said recently, "At Sensors Expo, we discussed how higher energy costs will impact companies' products. We explained that we have low-cost sensor technologies that companies need to help them deal with rising fuel costs and the greenhouse effect of their products."
Strott, an engineering manager, outlined environmental challenges that several industries face. One is stricter emissions standards scheduled to phase in between 2010 and 2014 for diesel vehicles. Another is the need to reduce fuel consumption by boosting efficiency and reliability. Additionally, appliance makers face a continually tougher mandate to produce more energy-efficient equipment.
Strott described several Sensata products that address these challenges.
They include:
o Differential Pressure Sensor (DPS), which signals a vehicle's computer when to trigger a regeneration cycle that destroys pollutants captured in a diesel-exhaust particle filter.
o Monocrystal strain gauge and capacitive sensors that measure compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) tank pressures, respectively.
In alternative-fuel vehicles, these measurements enable better monitoring of fuel levels.
o Capacitive pressure + temperature sensors for CNG and LNG fuel rails that improve performance and fuel economy, and reduce emissions.
o Cylinder Pressure Sensor (CPS), which provides combustion-pressure feedback in real time to optimize combustion control and reduce harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) and PM2.5 emissions from diesel engines. PM2.5 is particulate matter created during combustion that is 2.5 micrometers in diameter or smaller. These microscopic particles pass into the lungs and bloodstream where they can trigger health problems.
o Case-isolated, hermetic, capacitive pressure sensors that improve energy efficiency in advanced air-conditioning and refrigeration systems. Piezo-resistive pressure + temperature (PPT) sensors for environmentally friendlier R744 automotive air-conditioning systems that automakers will start installing in 2011 to help slow global warming.
Sensata sensors help improve efficiency, meet new requirements
According to Blaney, "Our sensors for diesel common-rail (fuel-injection) systems provide the exciting bonus of helping to improve fuel efficiency by two to five percent.
"Normally, cutting pollutants reduces mileage, but newer common-rail systems are pressurizing fuel at levels approaching 30,000 pounds per square inch. This greater pressure enables advanced fuel-injection strategies that optimize the combustion process to reduce emissions while improving overall energy efficiency," he explained.
Sensata sensors are also built to withstand harsh conditions. This includes temperature extremes of -40 degrees Celsius to +135 degrees Celsius (-40 degrees Fahrenheit to +275 degrees Fahrenheit), salt sprays, shock and vibration, and electrical power surges. They also operate in dusty, sandy, wet and acidic environments and perform accurately for at least 10 years. Traditionally such high-performance sensors have been costly. Sensata's sensors are designed for both high performance and low cost, two factors that enable their use in advanced systems.
They also help manufacturers meet new requirements. Since 1987, the U.S. Department of Energy has periodically tightened efficiency standards for refrigeration equipment. "Going forward, appliance makers will need low-cost, highly reliable sensors to meet these ever-stricter standards," Strott said.
"For manufacturers of refrigerators, Sensata sensors provide information about what is happening during the refrigeration cycle," Blaney explained. "This information enables manufacturers to control this cycle far more precisely so they can make equipment more energy efficient. Sensata sensors also improve the energy efficiency of residential and commercial HVAC (heating, ventilating & air-conditioning) systems," he concluded.
About Sensata Technologies B.V.
Sensata Technologies is one of the world's leading suppliers of sensing, electrical protection, control and power management solutions across a broad array of industries and markets. Our products improve safety, efficiency and comfort for millions of people every day in automotive, appliance, aircraft, industrial, military, heavy vehicle, heating, air conditioning, data, telecommunications, recreational vehicle and marine applications. For more information, please visit our web site at http://www.sensata.com/.
Contacts For More Info Sensata Technologies Michael Blaney 1-508-236-3212 mblaney@sensata.com www.sensata.com
For News Media Sensata Technologies Linda Megathlin 1-508-236-1761 lmegathlin@sensata.com www.sensata.com
Source: Sensata Technologies B.V.
Web site: http://www.sensata.com/
Company Information:
Name: Sensata Technologies. Klixon. Sensors & Controls Precision Products Business Unit
Address: 529 Pleasant St.
City: Attleboro
State: MA
ZIP: 02703
Country: USA
Phone: 508-236-3287
FAX: 508-236-1598
http://www.sensata.com/
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