A new investment company will try to solve one of the most difficult challenges for energy startups: getting to scale.
Called Broadscale Group, the New York-based company will create a network of corporate investors in the power and utilities industry who are seeking out new energy technologies.
The idea is to make it more efficient for corporate investors to evaluate outside firms and to give smaller companies access to the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution expertise of established businesses.
The first corporate investors involved are General Electric, Duke Energy, and National Grid. Private equity companies Pegasus Capital Advisors will invest in deals identified by Broadscale. Pegasus invests in companies that seek to make more efficient use of natural resources.
Broadscale developed this model because the current situation isn’t good enough, says founder Andrew Shapiro. Clean-technology startups often flounder as they transition the company from product development to large-scale commercialization, often referred to as the "Valley of Death."
Energy, materials, and related fields are very unlike IT and Internet investing because clean technologies often require large amounts of capital to manufacture goods, they face powerful incumbents, and need to deal with complex regulations.
The scaling up situation hasn’t been helped by some venture capitalists moving out the field, making it tougher for small companies to find funding. At the same time, larger companies are becoming more active investors, partners, and potential customers.
LED lighting company Bridgelux, for example, partnered with Toshiba which will manufacture its LEDs. A123 Systems, which needed a financial lifeline, sold a controlling share to China’s Wanxiang, which should give A123 Systems access to the Chinese market.
“We don’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to manufacturing, marketing, and distribution. It’s a lot easier to marry the entrepreneurial drive of a (small) creative company with the scale, heft, and balance sheet of a big one,” Shapiro says.
He intends to add more power industry companies to his investment syndicate. Over time, his hope is to expand to other industries, such as buildings and real estate, using the same model.
At this year’s exhibition, among others, we will be shining the spotlight on the 12.3-m-long S 515 HD. The three-star vehicle can carry 49 passengers on its “Setra Voyage Plus” seats. The touring coach is equipped with the new in-line six-cylinder Euro VI engine from the OM 470 series and has a number of new technological innovations.
These technological advancements include such features as LED interior lighting, a Coach Multimedia System, bi-xenon headlamps, adaptive cruise control with stop-start traffic function, the attention assistance system “Attention Assist” and a new tyre pressure monitoring system. The S 515 HD is also fitted with dark tinted windows and new materials for the interior, as well as an ISRI driver’s seat and tour guide seat, both with height-adjustable three-point seatbelts.
All of these new comfort and safety systems can also be found in the two-axle S 516 HD, which also offers a panorama camera and a reversing aid. The two-axle, four-star coach measures 13.1 m and offers space for up to 48 passenger seats as well as for an electrically adjustable double tour guide seat. This touring coach too is powered by the new OM 470 engine. What’s more, it is also equipped with the further-developed GO 250-8 PowerShift automated manual transmission.
This four-star vehicle also carries with it all of the innovative features of the new vehicle generation. A total of 52 passengers will find a place in the “Setra Voyage Supreme” seats and can then enjoy their holiday in the pleasant ambience of this bus with its new interior materials and exclusive design decor. Thanks to the newly developed “Fiery Volcano Red Metallic” EvoBus paint, all three of these world firsts will ensure a shining appearance at the Setra stand.
For over 60 years, Setra has been based on tradition and authenticity. Setra is not afraid to look back upon tried-and-tested methods and so the new ComfortClass 500 vehicle generation will allow us to build on our time-tried brand values of efficiency, comfort and safety whilst at the same time driving the way to the future. The most dynamic characteristic of the ComfortClass 500 is its curved aluminium trim with the new decorative element at the B-pillar. The gently rising and falling line completely encircles the fully redesigned vehicle. At the front, it imparts a friendly face which captures all of the aerodynamic requirements with hard edges and soft surfaces.
A striking element on the sides of the vehicle is the dynamic, upwards-sloping beltline, which bears the three-dimensional brand emblem with its gleaming Setra logo and forms the base which supports the striking C-pillar. Its downward-sloping dynamic styling in the area of the engine compartment flap also serves to visibly highlight the presence of the new drivetrain.
A highlight of the upgraded rear section with its large window is the restyled lighting units with brake lamps, side marker lamps and indicator lamps at the top of the rear section and a large LED unit at the bottom. The rear lamp cluster is equipped with a tail lamp in the shape of a “light curtain”, an edge light serving as the brake lamp and a passive element on the side. Another additional LED reversing lamp in the side section of the vehicle bathes the entire rear section from the rear axle onwards in white light, giving the driver an even better view when manoeuvring or parking.
India's largest passenger car exporter has been awarded the prestigious Green Award 2011-12 for sustainable and efficient manufacturing processes used by the company. HMIL has taken up a number of projects that are deemed healthy for systematic growth in the market as also for the environment on the whole.
Practices taken up by the company have resulted in lowered levels of pollution and dependence on government water supplies. The HMIL plant has a reverse osmosis project which helps to harvest and recycle water. The water tanks in the factory are capable of holding about 2.75 kilo liters of water.
Apart from being self sufficient in terms of water needs, the factory has also employed solar power sources, LED lights and the installation of auto switch of switches for most of its appliances and equipment. The Green Award is given to those companies who make it a point to care and safeguard the environment on a daily basis through use of renewable sources of energy.
Hyundai Motor India Limited, the country's largest passenger car exporter and the second largest car manufacturer, has been awarded the prestigious 'Green Award' in the large industries category (North Zone) for the year 2011-12 by the Tamil Nadu Government.
HMIL was felicitated for its sustainable water and energy efficient manufacturing practices. HMI has undertaken several initiatives which have reduced environmental pollution and dependence on government sources for water.
The HMIL factory is a zero discharge plant where the used water is recycled by two Reverse Osmosis plants installed inside the factory to facilitate water reuse. HMIL's 4 rain water harvesting ponds have a total capacity of 2.75 lakh kilo litres, thereby helping the factory to be fairly self-sufficient in its water requirements. HMIL has also adopted several energy conservation measures like solar water heater for canteens, Solar light pipe for office lighting, LED lights for streets, Automatic Switch off for many equipments including air conditioners, etc. and its target is to reduce energy consumption by 3-4 % annually.
The prestigious award, announced by the Government of Tamil Nadu, aims to recognize the initiatives taken by the industry in safeguarding the environment and encourages corporates to become more environmentally responsible.
The Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Selvi J. Jayalalithaa gave away the award to Mr. R. Sethuraman, Director-Finance & Corporate Affairs, at a function held in the State Secretariat today.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. R. Sethuraman, Director-Finance & Corporate Affairs,Hyundai Motor India Limited, said, "It is indeed an honour to be recognized by the Government of Tamil Nadu for our efforts in environmental sustenance. HMIL has taken its responsibilities very seriously and encourages all stakeholders associated with it to practice environmentally sustainable practices; our initiatives have saved the company over rupees two crores in water bills".
It was a little over a year ago that Wired ran an article about the future of the light bulb. The feature covered a liquid-filled bulb made by a California-based startup, marking the first time most people heard about Switch Lighting Company. Eventually word spread, not to point where Switch became a household name, but enough that a smattering of geeks know who these guys are. Now, after about a year of delays, the liquid-filled bulbs are finally about to hit the market. We’re not quite at the release date yet, but it’s close enough that I’ve had a chance to test one out.
The Switch60, a 60W-equivalent LED bulb is the same model I demoed last year and what will likely be the mainstay of the company’s lineup. It produces 800 lumens, has a CRI (color accuracy) rating above 80, and consumes 12W. It should last for at least 25,000 hours of operation and has a color temperature of 2700K, which translates into warm white light. The Switch60 is a standard A19 size, works in existing sockets in any orientation, and is should qualify for Energy Star certification. In other words, the Switch60 was designed to be the perfect replacement bulb.
The defining feature of the Switch bulb is its liquid cooling system, which the company calls LQD. Filling the bulb with liquid silicone does a lot of things for Switch but, most importantly, it makes for a serious amount of cooling. With better cooling than a normal bulb Switch is able to get more heat away from the LEDs, which means that their lamps can use more LEDs or higher powered ones. This isn’t really an issue for 40W- and 60W-equivalent models, but it allows Switch to have a 100W-equivalent (1600 lumen) replacement bulb that is not over-sized.
If you are curious about the LQD cooling system here is the quick-and-dirty explainer on how it works: The liquid silicone inside the bulb cools the parts through convection. In practice this means that the warmer liquid rises away from the heat source, while the cooler does the opposite. The convection happens because the liquid expands — you would not have convection without buoyancy. To account for expansion within a fixed volume the bulb has a compensation piston which moves in and out to adjust for changes in temperature and pressure. All that to cool 10 little LEDs…
Through some clever engineering — all of which has been patented — Switch was able to create a liquid-cooled bulb that operates at -4° F TO 113° F, can be placed in an enclosure, and doesn’t turn into a bomb when it gets hot (and the fluid expands). Some of the downsides are that the bulb weighs a hefty 10 ounces and that it’s expensive to produce, but more on that later..
I first tested out the Switch60 in a light fixture that is nothing more than a socket and a cord — given just how good this bulb looks, I didn’t want to hide it behind a shade. Once it was powered on the first thing I noticed is that the light is truly omnidirectional. This isn’t too easy to pull off with (directional) LEDs, but the placement of the 10 emitters inside the bulb allows it to get close to the light pattern of an incandescent. The light is the brightest around the equator, which means eye-level placement is not ideal, but the overall pattern is good.
The Switch60 I tried was clear though a frosted version will be available as well. The clear exterior can look impressive under certain circumstances, but it does allow for visible hot spots on the bulb and can create multiple shadows in the room. This is an inherent issue with using more than one light source and while I never found it to be a problem, the aesthetes amongst us might be more picky. That said, it does seem like a shame to hide the interior of the Switch behind a frosted surface or a lamp shade.
Black Light has been part of the team that has been working on the new Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome in Glasgow. This building, named in tribute to the athlete, is one of the most significant new sports venues in the UK.
"The project highlights our ability to work on high-profile projects that demand exceptional levels of performance," says Phil Haldane, Black Light's head of business development. "It also demonstrates our ability to work with consultants to deliver projects to strict cost specifications."
Black Light was commissioned by the building's electrical contractor FES to deliver and install an LED architectural lighting system to illuminate the building's facade. This lighting scheme was designed by Arup, the consultant for the project, and utlises 60 Traxon Technologies Wall Wash LED fittings and eCue control systems. It allows the exterior of the building to be 'brought to life' in various ways, by creating a range of different kinetic lighting effects and moods.
"We were chosen to deliver the project because of our in-depth understanding of its technical requirements and our ability to bring the project in on budget," says Haldane. "The project called for the highest levels of technical and aesthetic performance. Our team delivered in both these areas."
The state-of-the-art Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome is due to be opened in late 2012. When finished, it will become the home of track cycling in Scotland and will host world-class events such as the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Once on site, Black Light's team installed all necessary cables, data lines and control equipment, as well as the 60 LED fittings themselves. They also installed a range of wall-mounted control panels and touchscreen interfaces to meet the client's need for ease of control. The commissioning of the system involved a range of programming and testing tasks.
The project's key technical challenges included the length of the data cable that had to be employed, high-level access problems and the fact that Black Light's team had to work in amongst other contractors and round the building's landscaping. All of these challenges were overcome through careful planning and lateral thinking.
There was an interesting article about the alarming rise of numbers in the state prison population. It’s forecast that the state will need to construct about two new prisons to accommodate an influx of new inmates who will need three hots and a cot. The costs would be significant, but the truth of the matter is, it can be avoided.
Imagine a room of blinking LED lights and a huge bank of sophisticated computers. Imagine state-of-the-art software and technicians trained in every facet of their operation. If you visualize a room like this, you can see the future of community correctional management. You can see the future of electronic monitoring and the negation for the need of incarceration for the majority of offenders excepting for the most violent and serious of offenses.