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Many thanks to Ben Hernandez for putting our Pickin’ For Power flyer together. When you see him, tell him it looks great! Please also visit our donate page to give to our causes we are currently raising money for. Wouldn’t … Continue reading
It’s that time again friends. We are having our Pick’n For Power fundraiser at the Southern Music Hall on March 20th. There will be a silent auction and drink specials. Not to mention the best pick’n in town! Hope to see you there! Please help Powering People by sharing this event with your friends and family!
Click on the Picture for Tickets
Come out on Sept. 22, 2011 to the Southern for a night of Bluegrass Picking! All door money is donated to our cause!
Powering People has made it to the the final voting rounds for the Pepsi Refresh Project. We need you to help us by voting for our project.
The project is focused on donating more LED lighting to the new Jefferson City Center at the old Jefferson School. Not only will it help save money for a great cause, it will educate children about energy conservation and renewable technologies.
We only have until the end of the month to collect votes. Please vote often! Please also indulge in a specially marked Pepsi to collect “Power Votes”. You can get up to 100 extra votes from the code on the inside of the cap!
Today marks the day of the world’s largest wind farm opening for operation. Off shore wind farms are growing in popularity with the eastern seaboard of the United States seeing a great deal of press for new farms. The winds are strong and steady for companies to take advantage of a huge renewable and clean energy resource. Please read this article if you are interested in the production of off shore wind. Write your representatives in Washington and let them know you want to see the United States catch up to the leaders of the world in off shore wind energy generation.
Off-shore wind going to new heights. Check out this press release from Clipper Windpower.
Local firm seals deals to charge electric cars
By Bryan McKenzie
January 18, 2010
Around the country and the world will be getting a charge out of Albemarle County-based Aker Wade Power Technologies, if the company has anything to say about it.
The manufacturer of fast-charge devices used to repower forklifts and other battery-operated equipment in manufacturing plants and industry has entered into an agreement with Japanese carmakers and power companies to build quick-charge devices for electric cars.
The company also has signed an agreement with Coulomb Technologies to create fast-charge electric vehicle “fueling stations” as part of Coulomb’s ChargePoint Network of electric vehicle charging stations.
One of the first stations is expected to be built in the Charlottesville area as part of a $1.98 million earmark of federal funds in 2008 given to establish a rapid charging station for a small fleet of cutting-edge plug-in electric vehicles.
The companies believe that establishing a series of charging stations designed similar to gas stations will encourage more people to purchase and use electric vehicles.
“Most people who are interested in electric vehicles have what has been called ‘range anxiety,’ in that they worry about whether they’ll have enough charge in the vehicle to get to where they’re going,” explained Bret Aker, CEO of Aker Wade. “Studies have shown that if drivers know there are charging stations available, they increase the use of electric vehicles by 50 percent.”
The agreement with the Tokyo Electric Power Co. will make Aker Wade’s stations compatible with Japanese electric cars expected to hit the U.S. market in the next year, including the Nissan LEAF, Mitsubishi iMiEV and a car being made by Subaru that is currently aimed at the Japanese market.
The Tokyo company is a pioneer in using electric vehicles and has worked with manufacturers to provide standards for charging devices to make recharging easier for drivers.
Aker Wade is a leading provider of fast-charge stations for worldwide industry and is adapting proven technology for electric vehicles, company officials said.
John Aker, the company’s president and chief technical officer, said charging stations will
encourage drivers to consider electric vehicles but the stations will be familiar.
“Charging stations look like gas stations because, in a way, that’s what they are,” he said. “They are serving the same purpose so drivers will feel at home using them. Because private industry can run them like current gas stations and make a profit, they have a reason to build stations.”
The stations would even benefit the nation’s power grid, taking electricity in at off-peak hours to power the storage systems and returning power to the grid as needed during peak times.
“It makes sense as part of an integrated energy distribution system. When power is produced at off-peak times it can be stored in the charging stations,” he said. “If it’s needed somewhere down the line, the grid can take a little power from several stations to equal out demand.”
It also makes economic sense, Aker said. Charging stations would charge customers a fee based on kilowatt hours and would also get paid by power companies that need to take stored power to level out energy grids.
“The charging stations would take in power when rates are about three cents per kilowatt hour and, if the power company needs to take some power back into the grid, it would do so at 40 cents per kilowatt hour,” he said.
Currently, the company’s fast-chargers are capable of providing a full charge to vehicle batteries in about 30 minutes. Technology is being developed that would provide an 80 percent charge in about 15 minutes, allowing drivers to stop in, plug in and shop a convenience store while the car gets rejuiced.
The technology is gaining interest as the public becomes more interested in electric vehicles. Aker Wade officials said they attended the recent auto show in Detroit and saw electric car displays attracting consumer and corporate attention.
“It makes sense because, as the Chinese and Indian markets grow, the cost of gasoline and petroleum is going to rise because the resources are scarce. I can easily see gasoline at $5 a gallon in the next five years,” Aker said. “That’s going to make electric cars more appealing.”
Ideas for Conserving Water
* Repair leaky toilets. A leaky toilet can waste up to 200 gallons of water per day.
* Repair leaky pipes and faucets. A slow steady drip can waste 350 gallons of water per month. Not only does this waste water it increases your sewer bill and can increase your energy costs if it is hot water.
* Turn off faucets when not in use. Do not let the faucet run when shaving, use rinse water in the sink.
* Do not let the faucet run when brushing your teeth; use a glass of water to rinse.
* Do not let the faucet run when rinsing vegetables, use a pan of water or the sink instead.
* Defrost foods in the refrigerator or microwave rather than under running water.
* Install water conserving faucet aerators and showerheads.
* Take shorter showers or a shower instead of a bath.
* Run washing machines only when full and on the proper load size selection.
* Run dishwashers only when full, using the water saver feature if available.
* If pre-rinsing dishes use the sink and do not let the faucet run.
* Turn off icemakers and use trays instead.
* Use paper or recyclable plates and cups to cut down on dish washing.
* Use a broom or blower instead of the hose to clean off sidewalks and driveways.
* If watering, don’t water the sidewalks, driveway, or street.
* Reposition downspouts onto lawn and garden areas rather than sidewalks or the driveway.
* If upgrading appliances or plumbing fixtures, choose the ones that conserve water. A high efficiency, front loading washing machine can use 30 percent less water than a top loading model.
Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, located in Fredericksburg, Virginia, has been awarded $15.6 million in funding to develop a smarter energy grid. The U.S. Department of Energy selected Rappahannock Electric Cooperative as one of 100 companies to receive federal stimulus funds as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The stimulus funds will be used to implement digital improvements and upgrades in communication infrastructure, advanced meters, cyber security equipment, and digital automation to reduce peak demand and improve system reliability.
