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Volume 2 • Issue 6
MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR
Times change, we hope
Do you remember when cities were lit up like space stations? Buildings were illuminated throughout the night just like lighthouses by the sea. With the arrival of energy-efficient lighting technologies, it's possible we could return to these practices, but I hope instead that such waste will be a thing of the past rather than a rude awakening. Speaking of avoiding rude awakenings, contributor Bill Burr advises on how to mark electrical equipment according to new standards for hazardous locations. His article includes a very useful table. Good reading!
Line Goyette
Managing Editor, Electrical Industry Newsweek
linegoyette@kerrwil.com
CHANGING SCENE
- Awardee Exemplifies Expansion of Leadership Roles for Women within NECA and EC Industry
Mashell Carissimi, owner and CEO of JMC Electrical Contractor in Saint Clair Shores, Michigan, was recently named a 2015 winner of Enterprising Women's Enterprising Women of the Year Award.
- The Government of Canada invests in Yukon Aboriginal Businesses
Office of the Minister of the Environment, Minister of the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor), and Minister for the Arctic Council Ryan Leef, Member of Parliament for Yukon, on behalf of Minister Aglukkaq announced funding to support the development of four Aboriginally-owned businesses in Yukon.
- February 27 Cut-Off for Entering NECA's 2015 Safety Awards Program
National Electrical Contractors Association's (NECA) Safety Awards Program recognizes member contractors that make safety and health-related work practices a core value within their companies and back up their commitment with results.
- Horizon Utilities and Local Agencies Assisting Low-income Families with Electricity Bills
Low-income families and individuals experiencing difficulties paying their electricity bills will once again have an opportunity to apply for assistance through the Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP).
- Canadian Solar to Acquire Recurrent Energy from Sharp Corporation for $265 Million
Acquisition adds 4.0 GW and expands Canadian Solar's total project pipeline to 8.5 GW. Approximately 1.0 GW of late-stage projects represent a revenue opportunity of at least $2.3 billion over the next 2 years
- Danfoss Addresses Industry Megatrends and More at 20th Annual AHR Expo Press Briefing
On January 28, Danfoss hosted its 20th annual press briefing during the 2015 AHR Expo in Chicago.
- Philips Adds 500th Member to its LED Luminaires and Retrofit Bulbs Licensing Program
Royal Philips has announced the 500th member of its LED Luminaires and Retrofit Bulbs Licensing Program, representing an increase of 100 licensees over the past nine months and 200 licensees since May 2013.
- Kickstarter Campaign Focuses on Funding for Green Documentary
100 Metre Sunrise is looking for grass roots funding to support a full-time wind power career with the production of a 12 episode, 10-15 minute monthly web series to be released as a 60-minute documentary in 2016.
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Codes and Standards
Equipment Marking For Hazardous Locations in CEC 2015 23rd Edition
By Bill Burr
Since my last article on this subject in January, last year, Section 18 of the 2015 23rd Edition of The Canadian Electrical Code has been extensively revised. Consequently this article provides a necessary update. Hazardous environments continue to require particular requirements for electrical equipment, but there are some new ones. Here's a brief overview of the basic markings required on hazardous equipment, as outlined in the 2015 23rd edition of the Code...
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Lighting
Solar and Wind Energy to Power a Public Lighting System
While municipalities around the world generate energy and costs savings by converting their public lighting to LEDs, several communities in Spain have leapt ahead with the first public lighting system to run on solar and wind energy.
Designed for inter-urban roads, motorways, urban parks and other public areas, the system features a prototype standard that is 10 metres high and fitted with a solar panel, wind turbine and battery. The turbine runs at a speed of 10 to 200 revolutions per minute (rpm) and has a maximum output of 400 watts (W). An electronic control system manages the flow of energy between the solar panel, the wind turbine, the battery and the light. Work is also being done on a second prototype turbine that runs at a lower speed (10 to 60 rpm) and has a lower output (100 W).
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Online Training
Siemens' Power Product Podcast Series Launches with Industrial Grade Safety Switches
Siemens Canada now offers a new series of online product podcasts. Developed by Siemens' team of Canadian product experts, these flexible, user-friendly short presentations (15 minutes+) can help you tune or train your team. The first podcast: Industrial Grade Safety Switches...
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Survey Says
What They Buy - Plant Electrical
Most bought among 13 categories: motors and motor controls. Least bought: networking and cabling supplies.
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Survey Says From Recent Issues
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Product Focus
Rittal's Most Durable Stainless Steel TS 8 Yet
Designed and built for harsh environments, Rittal's new TS 8 freestanding modular enclosure system offers flexibility, scalability, strength, and durability. The 316 stainless steel TS 8 also affords many advantages over traditional unibody designs, including expandability, lower weight (reduced transportation costs), 30% more mounting space, and better workability. Features and benefits include:
• 30% more available mounting space than traditional unibody enclosures of equal dimensions
• 4-point latching system and continuous foamed-in-place gasket, providing a water- and dust-proof environmental seal
• padlock-able handle that provides both easy access and security...
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From Our Last Issue
- Taking Flight: Hydro One's Work with Drones Reaches New Heights
It's safe to say that when it comes to drones, Edwin Leung is a fan. As one of Hydro One's health, safety and environment coordinators, Leung spends his days examining ways to improve the utility's management systems. More often than not, these relief efforts involve the use of unmanned aerial vehicles - or drones. So what roles do they play in the utility industry? For the past several years, European and Asian utilities, as well as other services, have used drones of various shapes and sizes for first response efforts, photographing transmission systems and inspecting lines. In Canada?
- 5 Tips to Help Your Website Create a Good First Impression
These days, your website is a direct representation of your electrical business. It's also likely the first thing most of your potential customers will see, so you really want that first impression to be a good one. Think about how you feel when you visit a website for the first time and you're greeted with a slow web page that's full of wild colours and low quality images. You likely move on to another site and never go back. You certainly don't want your first time visitors reacting that way to your website do you?
Here are five tips on how to make your website give a good first impression.
- November Year-to-Year Electric Power Consumption Drops While Exports Rise
Canada consumed 47.7 million megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity in November, down 3.0% from November 2013. With declining demand, electric power generation also fell, decreasing 2.5% on a year-over-year basis to 51.7 million MWh. Meanwhile, exports to the United States rose 5.0% to 4.9 million MWh. Imports totalled 0.9 million MWh, up 7.1% compared with November 2013.Ontario led the decline in demand for electricity in November, down 6.5% from November 2013 to 10.9 million MWh. In contrast, Ontario's power generation edged up 0.8% to 12.8 million MWh. Hydro and nuclear power generation rose 4.5% and 2.7% respectively, contributing 11.5 million MWh of power to the province's grid, representing 89.8% of total generation.
- Report from Davos: Can We Afford Renewable Energy Sources?
A very interesting debate on climate change I attended at Davos World Economic Forum. It was chaired by Christine Lagarde (Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund), whom I have huge respect for. She is an incredibly strong leader on this topic and on other key topics like the danger of rising nationalism. evidence for climate change being real and very concerning is now denied by only a very small minority. Yet this debate had to admit that we still have many people, including business leaders and politicians, who view renewable technologies as not affordable. In the U.K., for example, we often hear the view that we can't afford renewable energy sources such as wind power. I'm very clear on this, that we will make these energy sources very affordable, but only if...
- Le Groupe Génitique: Innovation in the Heart of Quebec and Elsewhere
Le Groupe Génitique has been in operation for more than 25 years, serving the hydropower and industrial process sectors. The firm provides electrical contractor and general contractor services, and is recognized for its technical expertise in the design, operation and maintenance of hydroelectric facilities and transmission and distribution networks.
With innovation and rigour, the team designs, implements and manages engineering projects. It also provides specialized equipment to support their clients in all phases of their projects, including automation, control and protection systems. The firm's technical expertise is recognized both in the design and rehabilitation than in providing assistance to the operation and maintenance of hydroelectric and transport and energy distribution networks.
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