TRA-Mage’s Solar Racking Withstands High Wind Zone Warnings on St. Patrick’s Day
Apr0
TRA-Mage’s Solar Racking Withstands High Wind Zone Warnings on St. Patrick’s Day
American Fork, UT (PRWEB) March 21, 2012
March 17, 2012 brought the latest of five destructive winter storms to Northern Utah with winds clocked at 50 – 100 MPH, causing damage in many communities. While Wendell and Nola Child’s neighbors scramble to fix the damage, they are amazed that their new solar racking design kept their solar panels perfectly secure.
In late 2011, the Childs decided to put solar panels on their house in Fruit Heights, Utah. “When I was negotiating the deal with Progressive Power Solutions, I told them that we can have winds here of up to 100 MPH. So, however they installed the panels, I didn’t want them to come off,” recalls Wendell. Progressive Power Solutions selected the TRA-Mage solar mounting system which was engineered to withstand hurricane force winds.
Little did Wendell know how seriously his new solar panel system would be tested. Winds of 100 MPH created projectiles of shingles, tiles, and soffits, but the Childs’ solar panels didn’t move. Some schools closed, cars and homes were crushed by trees, and residents were injured. One day 50,000 people lost power and vehicles toppled over on nearby Interstate 15. That storm caused damage serious enough for the region to be deemed a Federal Disaster Area.
Neighbors watched out their windows, worrying if they would be in the path of the solar panels when they blew off. But Wendell and Nola’s solar racking, panels and roofing material never did blow off. Their flag pole ended up at an angle, and according to Wendell it looked like “the Leaning Tower of Pisa,” but the Childs’ home weathered each storm with only a small piece of aluminum soffit becoming dislodged.
“After one storm, Nola didn’t realize the power had gone off during the night,” Wendell remembers. “She got up, got dressed, got ready, and the lights worked fine. We had power like normal because of the back-up battery system and the solar panels on top that allowed us to have power. The neighbors had no power and they were wondering why we had lights on. They were on because the panels were still up there just like nothing happened!”
As neighbors reroof their damaged homes and winter morphs into spring, the Childs’ solar panels and roof need no repair. Wendell and Nola are grateful they had carefully researched integrators before settling on Progressive Power Solutions and the TRA-Mage system for their home. “I am so thrilled that it worked. We couldn’t be more pleased.”
TRA-Mage, Inc. manufactures solar racking for all types of solar panels, roof snow retention devices and flexible roof flashings. They provide free engineering of their roof systems for all projects, big and small.
Progressive Power Solutions (PPS) is a qualified licensed electrical contractor with years of experience installing and servicing renewable energy systems in Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and California.
For more information on TRA-Mage and how to mount solar panels, contact us at 800-606-8980 or visit sun.tra-mage.com
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Green Power Developer Emerges as One of NJ?s Top 30 Green Energy Companies
Apr0
Green Power Developer Emerges as One of NJ’s Top 30 Green Energy Companies
Howell, New jersey (PRWEB) March 15, 2012
NJ Biz named Green Power Developers, as one of the top 30 Green-Energy Companies in New Jersey. The NJ Biz Green-Energy list is comprised by leading industry experts with consideration to numerous industry relevant variables including companywide growth, annual projects completed, innovative methods and key partnerships. Green Power Developers is listed among New Jersey’s top green-energy providers, installers and consultants.
Founded in 2010, Green Power Developers has seen remarkable growth within the past two years, leading them to be counted among New Jersey’s top commercial solar providers and consultants. “Our success is attributed to our customer’s satisfaction. There are many companies providing similar services yet our teams’ expertise and dedication is what sets us apart. Our recognition of the customer’s needs and working with them to provide them with excellence has given us widespread recognition within the state of New Jersey”, said CEO and Founder of Green Power Developers, LLC.
The state of New Jersey has seen rapid growth in the installation of solar powered energy systems in both the residential and commercial sectors. Over the last couple of years there has been an increased demand for green power energy system installation. Attributing factors for the high demand are the high costs of electric power and the government incentives being offered which make this a cost effective venture. Additionally, the cost associated with installing solar power systems has been dropping substantially within recent years, making it an even more affordable proposition. A heighten awareness of the environmental effects has also lead to the tremendous growth of solar power system installation. Business owners, developers and home owners have realized that we have a clear need to switch to cleaner sources of power such as solar energy. Many states, including New Jersey, have set clear renewable energy targets that pretty much ensure solar energy will continue growing at a rapid pace over the next few years. “The NJ commercial solar power industry has made tremendous strides over the last few years. Although the SREC market at this time is volatile, Green Power Developers has teamed up with PPA and financing partners that are offering no-cost Solar Power Purchase Agreement which offers generous savings yet no out of pocket expense. It’s an opportune time to make the change to a solar power energy system.” advises Green Power Developers.
About Green Power Developers LLC– Green Power Developers is a leading solar energy company, installing and providing residential and commercial solar powered systems to large commercial and industrial facilities. Headquartered in Howell, NJ, Green Power Developers has been delivering quality solar energy solutions throughout the state. Over the last two years, Green Power Developers has installed close to 4 MW of solar energy systems in New Jersey. During the first two months of 2012 alone they have installed nearly 1.5 MW surpassing their monthly projections. Driven by their goal of each customer’s satisfaction, every aspect of their operation maintains superb service and the guarantee of high value for each and every system they provide. Green Power Developers has witnessed tremendous growth in the popularity of solar powered energy systems over the last few years, which has contributed largely to their extraordinary emergence. Their expertise and ingenuity in the industry has leaded them to become one of the top green energy providers within the state of New Jersey.
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DuPont Applauds President Obama and U.S. Senators for their Support of Biobased Innovations
Apr0
DuPont Applauds President Obama and U.S. Senators for their Support of Biobased Innovations
WILMINGTON, Del. (PRWEB) March 12, 2012
DuPont today commended a recent presidential directive and new U.S. Senate proposed legislation that supports the growth of biobased products made from agricultural ingredients as good for the U.S. economy and the environment.
In February, President Barack Obama issued a memorandum calling for the expansion of the USDA BioPreferred Labeling Program and greater adoption of the program by federal agencies. The BioPreferred label certifies products are made with agricultural ingredients. The President has directed federal agencies to report on their purchases of BioPreferred certified products and asked the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to double the number of categories and products that are designated BioPreferred over the next 12 months. Additionally, the Grow It Here, Make It Here Bio-based Manufacturing Act introduced by U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), with co-sponsoring senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Tom Carper and Chris Coons (both D-Del.) would provide additional support for the BioPreferred program and the U.S. biobased manufacturing industry.
“The President’s action and the Grow It Here Make It Here bill demonstrate that the administration and policymakers understand the value of U.S. leadership on innovative biobased products in the United States,” said James C. Collins, president, DuPont Industrial Biosciences. “This action is a shot in the arm to America’s bioeconomy – helping support our overarching goals of boosting the U.S. agricultural sector and reducing our reliance on imported petroleum while offering a wealth of environmental and health benefits. This is U.S. innovation that can help create U.S. jobs for a growing global market for sustainable products.”
Research conducted last year by Genencor, now part of DuPont Industrial Biosciences, found that eight in 10 American consumers would definitely or likely purchase biobased household products if comparable on cost and effectiveness. In a survey of 800 of its business customers in 2011, DuPont found that nearly 90 percent said delivering products with environmental benefits is a long-term market opportunity.
Today, DuPont is applying its integrated science and deep knowledge of agriculture and applied materials to meet the sizeable and growing market demand for biobased products. Some of the existing products are certified with the USDA BioPreferred program while others are ingredients that can be used to help consumer goods manufacturers earn BioPreferred status. DuPont’s BioPreferred certified products include:
•DuPont™ Sorona® renewably sourced polymer: One of the first of 11 products to be certified with the USDA BioPreferred program. Sorona® is an advanced biobased material used in the manufacturing of textiles, apparel, home, office and automotive interiors and carpets.
•*Zemea® Propanediol: Certified 100 percent Biobased by the USDA. Zemea® also is certified as a natural ingredient, replacing petroleum-based glycols in over 800 personal care products. It functions as a natural humectant and solvent. It also is used as a natural solvent in home cleaning products.
•*Susterra® Propanediol: Certified 100 percent Biobased by USDA. This product is a specialty glycol that offers a non-petroleum alternative for products such as polyurethanes, heat transfer fluids and aviation de-icing fluids. Benefits include improved cold temperature flexibility in polyurethane systems, improved service life in heat transfer fluids and excellent aviation de-icing performance even in extreme cold conditions.
Additional DuPont biobased products include:
•DuPont™ Hytrel® RS Thermoplastic Polyester Elastomer: This renewably sourced polyol is used to manufacture hoses and tubing for automotive and industrial uses as well as for air bag doors and energy dampers.
•DuPont™ Zytel® RS Renewably Sourced Nylon Resin: This product is made from sebacic acid derived from castor oil, a non-food competing natural product. It is used in a wide range of manufactured goods.
An expanded list of biobased products from DuPont is available at renewable.dupont.com.
DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment. For additional information about DuPont and its commitment to inclusive innovation, please visit http://www.dupont.com.
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3/12/12
The DuPont Oval Logo, DuPont™, The miracles of science™, Sorona®, Hytrel® and Zytel® are registered trademarks or trademarks of DuPont or its affiliates.
*Zemea® Propanediol and Susterra® Propanediol are registered trademarks of DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products LLC.
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Spring Fashion 2012 Soiree at Skunkfunk San Francisco March 17
Apr0
Spring Fashion 2012 Soiree at Skunkfunk San Francisco March 17
San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) March 10, 2012
Skunkfunk fashion has always been what people call “fashion forward,” leading the way with perennial innovations in design, materials and fits. To celebrate the transition into spring this year, the eco-conscious clothier is hosting a party at the Mission District location of the San Francisco clothing store to unveil the Spring – Summer 2012 line on Saturday, March 17 from 5 to 9 pm.
The 302 Valencia Street boutique will host the main event, where models will show off some of the more glamorous pieces from the collection while mingling with guests. Skunkfunk invites everyone to come in and enjoy DJed music, adult beverages and a new art exhibit. Concurrently, the 1475 Haight Street store will host a smaller event.
Along with hot new additions to its men’s clothing line, this season’s women’s fashions by Skunkfunk include refreshed Skunkfunk classic designs, contemporary spins on ’60s-style silhouettes, skirts with playful variations on hemlines, and convertible dresses and skirts that are appropriate for work, then quickly convert to eye-catching cocktail attire.
“Urban fashion has evolved, and as the sophistication level of urban fashion rises, Skunkfunk is not just keeping up—we’re leading the way,” said Kyle Retzik, owner of Skunkfunk North America. “While our brand has always exemplified high-quality upscale urban fashion, the new Spring – Summer 2012 line clearly shows everything from material choices to design to craftsmanship has been elevated to a whole new level.”
Sean Santos, Skunkfunk’s Valencia Street Store Manager, says he is seeing that women are looking for a good investment in their wardrobes, including traditionally spring clothing that can be worn throughout the year. He also feels this year’s spring – summer line will appeal to a broader spectrum of women, as it includes choices ranging from edgy designs that make bold statements to more demure and sophisticated attire.
“There are options for both the fashion rebel, who wants to disassociate herself from mainstream fashion, and the woman who just wants to look beautiful in this collection,” said Santos. “I am really excited about a number of pieces, including our spring version of the ‘little black dress,’ which I simply call the ‘little white dress’; stylish faux leather jackets; and lightweight printed cardigans that are on the luxurious side of casual.”
Santos says that when women put on a dress, they feel dressed up—but most dresses can be fussy to put on and uncomfortable, which makes it nearly impossible for the woman to look her best.
“Women want to dress up, but they also want simplicity and comfort,” said Santos. “Skunkfunk is all of the above. Our dresses look great, feel great and go on easy like a pair of jeans.”
Skunkfunk offers urbanites eco-friendly fashion, including convertible clothing that can be instantly redesigned for different looks and occasions. The Spanish-born purveyor of fine clothing is applauded for its eco-friendly fabrics and ethical distribution practices that harmonize with the environment.
Skunkfunk works hard to bring positive change to three areas of the fashion industry: people, planet and prosperity. Textiles are carefully chosen based upon their impact to the environment, and include recycled polyester, organic cotton and Lyocell.
RECYCLED POLYESTER
Polyester comes from crude oil, a natural scarce resource with a low renewability ratio. Recycled polyester is processed in a less energy intensive way than creating virgin fibers, and it’s a perfect option to give a second life to post-industrial remains or post-consumer plastic waste.
ORGANIC COTTON
Organic Cotton is a natural fiber cultivated without the use of synthetic chemicals, such as pesticides or fertilizers, and is not genetically modified.
LYOCELL
Lyocell is a light and silky textile made from regenerated cellulosic fiber that comes from eucalyptus wood pulp. The biodegradable fiber is extracted under a sustainable closed-loop process that saves energy.
For more information about the debut of Skunkfunk’s spring – summer line, or for information about any of Skunkfunk’s products, call (415) 692-7678, go to http://www.shopskunkfunk.com, or visit one of the fashion leader’s three stores, located at 1475 Haight Street (Haight-Ashbury) and 302 Valencia Street (The Mission) in San Francisco or 181 Orchard Street (SoHo) in New York City.
About Skunkfunk
Skunkfunk is a Spanish-born New York and San Francisco clothing store that specializes in environmentally-friendly men’s, children’s and women’s clothing. Skunkfunk has stores in San Francisco, New York City, various European cities and online. Skunkfunk clothing is also sold in multi-brand stores throughout the United States.
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Green Planet Water Rolls onto US Turnpikes at HMS HOST Motorway Plazas
Apr0
Green Planet Water Rolls onto US Turnpikes at HMS HOST Motorway Plazas
Chicago, IL (PRWEB) March 04, 2012
Category innovator Green Planet Bottling has won an enormous share of the retail travel market with distribution in the HMS Host Motorway Travel Plazas along the turnpikes of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maine, Delaware, Maryland, Ohio, West Virginia and Illinois.
HMS Host facilities are the recognized leader in providing complete travel, shopping and dining solutions for motorway and travel plazas in North America. A complete list of locations is available here: HMS Host Motorway Locations in the US.
This enormous expansion is in addition to Green Planet Water’s steadily gaining shelf-share in HMS HOST International Airport kiosk locations across the US. “We consider our brand the preferred water for travelers,” said Green Planet CEO Danny Rubenstein.
Green Planet’s unique 100% plant-based bottle is derived from completely renewable plant resources. The bottle is recyclable, commercially compostable and reusable when hand-washed between uses.
“We are a society on the go and access to bottled water is a necessity,” said Janet DiGiovanna, Chief Marketing Officer of Green Planet Bottling. “When we’re traveling, we need an alternative choice, and Green Planet is the better bottle. We know that travelers appreciate Green Planet’s wide availability with HMS Host.” Green Planet’s petroleum and BPA free bottle is filled with vapor distilled water, with minerals carefully added for taste, in three retail sizes: 350 ml, 500ml, and 1 liter.
“Green Planet is leading the industry in responding to consumer concerns with our completely plant‐based bottle,” said Rubenstein. “Green Planet bottles reduce dependency on oil and provide an alternative to petroleum-based plastic bottles,” he added.
Here are a few of the environmental benefits of Green Planet Water:
Making the Ingeo source material for Green Planet’s bottles produces 60% less greenhouse gases and uses 50% less non-renewable energy than producing traditional plastics like PET & PS. (1)
The bottles are commercially compostable in 84 days. (2)
The bottles are reusable (when hand-washed between uses), which helps to reduce waste.
The bottles are recyclable (in all recycling programs that accept #7 bottles). (3)
Bottles are filled by regional suppliers using water that has been treated by vapor distillation to remove all impurities, with minerals added for taste.
Regional distribution ensures that less fuel is wasted to transport the bottles.
About Green Planet Bottling
Founded in 2009, Green Planet is the leading bottled water company to market a 100% plant-based bottle. Offering the better bottle solution, Green Planet’s bottle is recyclable, reusable (when hand-washed between uses), petroleum and BPA free and will commercially compost in just 84 days. The water in Green Planet’s bottles is vapor distilled for purity with minerals carefully added for taste. It is bottled regionally for distribution, reducing transit miles and total carbon footprint.
Where to Buy Green Planet Water
In addition to Chicago area markets, such as Dominick’s, Green Planet Water is available to consumers at supermarkets in the Western US, including Albertson’s, Lucky, Safeway, SaveMart, Lunardi’s, Nugget Markets. Green Planet Water is growing rapidly in retail distribution. For the most current retail availability list, visit this link on the Green Planet website.
Travelers In addition to the HMS Host Motorway Plazas, consumers will find Green Planet Water in dozens of international airports, including San Francisco, San Jose, Phoenix, San Diego, Ontario and Portland, Oregon, as well as in hotels such as the SF Hilton, The Del Coronado in San Diego, Mandarin Oriental in Miami, and Hotel Felix in Chicago. In addition, it can be found in museum cafés around the US, including the California Academy of Sciences and The Chicago History Museum.
It is served at Apple, Inc.’s corporate headquarters and many fine dining restaurants such as Greens in San Francisco. Health, wellness and sporting facilities (Yoga Works), various golf and country clubs, as well as college (University of California at San Diego) and high school campuses across the US have embraced Green Planet Water for their members and students.
For the latest updates on Green Planet Water distribution, news and special events, please visit the Green Planet Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/GreenPlanetBottling .
(1) NatureWorks
(2) From an independent study by the Biodegradable Products Institute
(3) http://www.allbusiness.com/chemicals/plastics-rubber-industry-plastics/14119966-1.html
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ESA Renewables Receives Approval from Tennessee Valley Authority for 22 Solar Arrays
Apr0
ESA Renewables Receives Approval from Tennessee Valley Authority for 22 Solar Arrays
Lake Mary, Fl (PRWEB) March 01, 2012
ESA Renewables (ESA), a leading turnkey solar solutions provider, confirmed the acceptance of 22 Participation Agreements for customer-sited projects through the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and the local co-ops in the North Carolina and Tennessee areas.
During the fall of 2011, ESA submitted the applications to TVA’s Generation Partners pilot program. The pilot was designed to demonstrate the feasibility of purchasing electric energy from residential, commercial, and industrial customers generated by qualified renewable generation resources. Qualifying systems were required to be more than .5 kilowatt (kW), but less than 200kW and consist of a commercially proven technology of either, solar electric, wind, low-impact hydropower or biomass. Since that time, the program has been modified for projects up to 50kW.
All 22 applications for the customer-sited projects being installed by ESA have been accepted to participate in the TVA Generation Partners pilot program. According to the terms of the pilot, the systems must be completed and commissioned within six months of the acceptance date.
ESA will engineer and install the 200kW DC photovoltaic solar arrays on each of the sites, as well as operate and maintain the sites for the duration of the agreement term. Each property owner has entered into a lease agreement for the property being utilized that allows them additional income for the duration of the contract.
“ESA is pleased to learn of TVA’s approval of these 22 applications,” said Jeffrey Burkett, President of ESA Renewables. “These solar arrays will be of great financial benefit to the customers, and further advance our countries efforts towards generating clean, green energy.”
About ESA Renewables, LLC
ESA Renewables has positioned itself as a leader in the industry providing turnkey solar PV systems globally. ESA owns and operates a diverse portfolio of more than 500 solar PV power generating facilities located in the United States, Puerto Rico, Spain and Italy. ESA’s scope of services includes financing, engineering, construction, testing and operation and maintenance. With headquarters in Castellon Spain, ESA has additional offices in Florida, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, France and Italy. For more information about ESA Renewables, LLC, please visit http://www.esarenewables.com or call 407-268-6455.
Media Contact:
Lindsay Herold
ESA Renewables, LLC
Contract Administrator
407-268-6455
lherold(at)esarenewables(dot)com
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Draker Enters Japanese Market Through Announcement of Strategic Partnership With EKO Instruments
Apr0
Draker Enters Japanese Market Through Announcement of Strategic Partnership With EKO Instruments
Vermont, USA (PRWEB) February 28, 2012
Draker Laboratories, the industry’s leading independent provider of turnkey monitoring and asset management solutions for commercial and utility-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, today announced it is entering the Japanese market through a strategic partnership with EKO Instruments Co., Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan. This partnership is an important step in Draker’s ability to serve customers in key solar PV markets around the globe. In 2011, the Japanese solar PV market was the 6th largest in the world, and is expected to grow larger as its solar feed-in-tariff (FIT) program is introduced in July of this year as part of the country’s renewable energy strategy.
The partnership will bring together two recognized industry leaders and will offer Draker’s innovative solar monitoring and control solutions integrated with EKO’s technologically advanced environmental instruments. EKO will handle marketing, sales, project management and installation services for Draker’s commercial and utility-scale solar monitoring, asset management and control packages. Draker will provide technical and product support to EKO and collaborate closely with the EKO team to develop integrated turnkey solutions for customers in Japan.
“We are delighted to announce our partnership with EKO and look forward to a long and prosperous business relationship with such a well-regarded company in Japan,” said Charles ‘Chach’ Curtis, CEO of Draker Labs. “Draker is committed to helping customers around the world meet their demand for renewable energy. We are very excited to enter the Japanese market and view our partnership with EKO as a strategic move that will help accelerate our global growth.”
Mr. Toshikazu Hasegawa, Representative Director and President of EKO commented, “Through our partnership with Draker we gain access to a world-class solar PV monitoring and asset management solution. We understand the Japanese marketplace very well and look forward to a successful partnership with Draker for years to come.”
The two companies expect that as the Japanese FIT program takes effect in July, the country’s build out of large commercial and utility-scale solar PV projects will accelerate. Proven leading edge solutions built on EKO and Draker technologies deployed in these projects will help Japan make progress towards its renewable energy goals.
About Draker
Draker Laboratories provides accurate and highly reliable solar monitoring and asset management solutions that help owners and operators of commercial and utility-scale PV systems maximize the efficiency and profitability of their solar assets. As a supplier of integrated end-to-end monitoring solutions, Draker’s turnkey systems combine proven field instrumentation with an intuitive web-based information management application and unmatched customer support. For more information please visit http://www.drakerlabs.com
About EKO
Since 1927 EKO has employed its latest technologies to develop meteorological instruments, physical analyzers and other high quality equipment to cover a wide range of the requirements of both science and industry. Over the years, the company has accumulated a great deal of experience in various measurement technologies, permitting it to not only supply products, but also to provide a variety of high quality services from maintenance and technical support service to early design research, final design and manufacture of global measuring systems. For more information please visit http://www.eko-usa.com
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SnapUI and Windows CE Power New Generation of Intrinsically Safe Gas Analysers from Geotech
Apr0
SnapUI and Windows CE Power New Generation of Intrinsically Safe Gas Analysers from Geotech
Birmingham, UK (PRWEB UK) 27 February 2012
ByteSnap Design Ltd, a specialist in embedded systems design and development, and Geotech have announced an industry first for commercially available, intrinsically safe electronic devices. The new 5000 series of landfill and biogas analysers, are the first gas analysers approved for Zone 0 (the most hazardous gas or vapour) environments that incorporate many of the features commonly associated with smartphones and PDAs, making gas measurement and analysis simpler, safer and faster than before.
Steve Earp, Project Manager at Geotech said, “With ByteSnap Design’s help we have developed a gas analyser that is a generation ahead of the competition. Not only can it take readings in under ten seconds, it combines GPS, Bluetooth, an accelerometer, compass and a colour screen. It even operates in temperatures from -10 to +50 degrees Celsius (14-122 degrees Fahrenheit). Customers tell us there is nothing like it on the market.
“We’ve found the 5000 series’ ease of use to be a killer feature, for example, local councils taking gas monitoring at landfill sites back in-house remark upon how quickly staff get up and running with it. Moreover, the built in GPS makes routing simple and means no more time wasted looking for the right monitoring point.”
Intrinsically safe electrical devices need to be safe to use in explosive atmospheres. These devices have typically been built on dedicated hardware and software with little or no opportunity to include rich functionality such as colour screens, wireless connectivity and multi-language support.
Graeme Wintle, Director, ByteSnap Design commented, “At ByteSnap Design, our expertise spans both embedded hardware and embedded software development. This combination of skills was crucial in enabling us to deliver a portable gas analyser for hazardous environments that consumes fewer than 800 Milliwatts (mW) under heavy load and boots up rapidly.”
This is the first time that ByteSnap Design’s user interface development framework SnapUI and Windows CE have been used in an intrinsically safe device that is approved for Zone 0 environments. Graeme Wintle continued, “On portable devices like the 5000 series every Milliwatt of power counts and we used SnapUI because it is fast, flexible and power efficient.”
The flexibility of SnapUI has helped Geotech to target export markets. Steve Earp continued, “SnapUI lets us support multiple languages without changing the software, this helps us reach international markets more quickly and without undertaking extra software development. The use of SnapUI also ensures we have a flexible platform for future products enabling us to target exciting new applications.”
SnapUI is a high-performance cross-platform user interface development tool aimed at the Windows CE platform. It separates user interface design from the application code, into an XML configuration file, which enables the user interface to be developed on a desktop in parallel with embedded system development. Multi-language support is built-in and new translations can be added to the XML file without re-coding the application.
The 5000 series of portable landfill gas and biogas analysers come with a variety of user-driven improvements and can monitor gases across a range of applications including: landfill gas, biogas and gas extraction.
Ends
Notes to Editors
Zone 0 is used to classify the most hazardous gas or vapour environments, such as the area above a liquid in a tank or drum. Zone 0 environments are those where flammable gasses are highly likely to be present or may be present for long periods, such as in the space above a liquid in a tank or drum.
About ByteSnap Design (http://www.bytesnap.co.uk)
ByteSnap Design is a specialist in innovative embedded systems development encompassing hardware and software design. ByteSnap Design has an international client list and won European Design Team of the Year 2011 in the Elektra awards. ByteSnap Design is a Zigbee Alliance member and Windows Embedded Silver Partner.
The consultancy also has experience of electronic circuit design, microcontroller design, Linux and embedded software development, designing hardware products from PDAs to smart meters with multiple software projects such as developing Windows CE BSPs to signal processing applications.
For more media information including images, contact Ranbir Sahota, at Vitis PR, 0121 242 8048, ranbir(at)vitispr(dot)com
About Geotech (http://www.geotechuk.com)
Geotech is the market-leading manufacturer and supplier of portable and fixed landfill gas and biogas analysers. Gas analysis is only part of a full range of environmental monitoring equipment that Geotech can supply, including QED AP pumps for product removal and level control. Around the world Geotech gas analysers are rapidly becoming even more important with growing focus on renewable energy from gas produced in anaerobic digestion and landfill gas.
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Out with the Old and in with the New! Affordable Housing Property in San Diego Replaces 18 Solar Hot Water Systems
Apr0
Out with the Old and in with the New! Affordable Housing Property in San Diego Replaces 18 Solar Hot Water Systems
San Diego, CA (PRWEB) February 22, 2012
In the latter part of 2011, California Solar Thermal, Inc. (CST), a San Diego-based solar company partnered with Ekim Builders, Inc., a San Diego based sustainable building construction company to install eighteen (18) solar hot water systems for Astro Vista Apartments in Linda Vista; a section 8 property with over 300 tenants.
Astro Vista Apartments previously had an operating solar thermal system installed in the 1980’s, but with the onset of the California Solar Initiative (CSI) Thermal Rebate program and additional federal incentives, the current property owner decided the time was right for a new system. “With the incentives that are now available and the new developments in solar thermal technology and system monitoring, it was a no brainer.” The project total will include 108 solar collectors and the system will offset more than 94,400 Ibs of carbon annually.
Astro Vista Apartments is not the only housing community to take advantage of the state-wide rebate program. “Because of the CSI-Rebate program, we have been able to develop multiple solar thermal projects across San Diego, LA County, Orange County and beyond” says Neal Rosow, representative of California Solar Thermal. “We’re trying to save the world, one apartment community at a time!” The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), CSI and other state and federal programs have helped significantly in the facilitation of solar thermal projects across the state of California. The funding for the CSI-Thermal program comes from public utility ratepayers and exceeds $ 250M. The CSI Thermal Program offers cash rebates of up to $ 500,000 for Multifamily and Commercial properties and up to $ 1,875 for homeowners. For more information visit CSI-Thermal at http://www.csithermal.com.
All 18 systems will include a SunReports remote performance monitoring system. This allows both the owner and installer to track system performance and access real-time data. For more information, visit http://www.sunreports.com.
CST offers KIOTO Clear Energy solar thermal collectors as an integral part of their solar hot water systems. KIOTO Clear Energy is a subsidiary of Austrian-based GreenOneTec, the largest manufacturer of flat plate solar thermal collectors in the world. For almost 20 years, they have been improving their manufacturing processes and now use a completely automated assembly line. Visit KIOTO Clear Energy at http://www.kioto.com.
ABOUT CALIFORNIA SOLAR THERMAL
California Solar Thermal, Inc. is dedicated to raising awareness of solar thermal technologies and their environmental and economic benefits. They specialize in commercial and multifamily solar hot water systems and provide turn-key renewable energy financing solutions. Visit http://www.californiasolarthermal.com or call (888) 867-2611 for further information.
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