Tag Archives: Green Energy

Local Museum Gets Juiced Up With Help From npower

Staff from npower and Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery are celebrating the installation of a new £300,000 biomass boiler; replacing the museums two old, inefficient, oil fired boilers, which had come to the end of their useful life after 20 years of service.

The new biomass boiler is expected to give the museum at least 30 more years of heat and power, as well as saving energy and money.

The new boiler has been jointly financed by the npower Juice fund and Doncaster Council with npower financing over two-thirds of the overall cost. The project has been managed throughout by Doncaster MBC Construction Services Team.

Since the npower Juice fund was launched in 2001, it has raised more than £2 million and the money has helped to support renewable energy and community based projects all over the country. The Juice fund also helped three other community based projects over the summer holidays by installing renewable technologies which include solar panels and another biomass boiler.

To help with the celebrations, npower has invited Woodfield Primary School to the museum for a Climate Cops Academy day and a mini energy treasure hunt. Installing the new biomass boiler will help keep the museum warm and safe for many years, keeping Doncaster’s treasures safe for generations to come.

Councillor Cynthia Ransome, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Communities, said: “Of the two boilers that were in the museum, one had broken and the other was beyond the end of its economic life, so we are delighted with our new biomass boiler.

“It will help keep the museum powered for many more years to come and enable future generations to enjoy its fantastic exhibitions in warm and comfortable surroundings.”

Matthew Cole, npower’s Project Manager, added: “It’s fantastic that we were able to help Doncaster Museum as it’s a real asset to the community here. Not only will it enable the museum to stay open for at least another 30 years, but it will also save them money.”

Rosie Winterton, MP for Doncaster Central said: “It’s fantastic to see Doncaster Museum, npower and the council working together on this project. The new energy-saving measures will provide the museum with years of heat and power using renewable energy.”

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npower Reveal Only One in Five Young Brits Can Tie a Knot and Half Can’t Climb Trees

npower has today unveiled research, showing that modern day youngsters are disconnected from the great outdoors, with many unable to build a camp fire (78%), put up a tent (79%) or even tie their shoe laces (45%). When asked if they cared about the environment, more than a third (37%) said no and, incredibly, half of those (52%) said that it’s because “in the future we’ll be able to live in space”.

The figures show that while young people are able to search for clips on YouTube (37%) they’d struggle to search for the local post office by reading a map (81%), and while they may be able to work a DVD player (67%), a huge 87% said they wouldn’t know how to repair a bicycle puncture.

The research indicates that today’s youths have lost their sense of adventure and lack skills which older generations take for granted. Nine out of ten youngsters (91%) are unable to recognise different types of butterfly and 43% cannot remember seeing the stars in the last month.

The lack of interest in the great outdoors is a worry for many parents, with more than seven in ten (77%) saying their child spends too much time watching TV or playing video games.

Survival expert and founder of Woodlore, Ray Mears, comments: “The latest figures are really shocking and I can’t believe our young people are so ill-equipped when it comes to practical skills.

“When I was growing up, I was told ‘You don’t need equipment, you need knowledge to survive in the wild’ and this is something that I truly believe. Simple skills like putting up a tent can teach you important lessons that can’t be learnt without doing them yourself. You learn how to work in a team and communicate with your peers; how to work under pressure and use logic and, most importantly, how to look after yourself and know your strengths.”

In response to these startling figures, npower will today announce the start of Climate Cops SOS, an educational programme which looks for Britain’s greenest young people by working with schools across the country. Working with survival expert Ray Mears, npower hopes to inject passion for the great outdoors back into the hearts of the nation’s youths. To enter the competition, they will have to devise and implement a group activity which celebrates adventure and encourages their fellow peers to go outside and enjoy the great outdoors. 100 winning students will be treated with a trip to the Lake District where they will have a survival master class with Ray himself.

To enter npower’s Climate Cops SOS, children must be aged 11 to 13. Entries should come through their school and they will need to show that they have devised and implemented a group activity, which celebrates adventure and encourages their peers to go outside and enjoy the great outdoors.

For more information visit www.npower.com/climatecopssos

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npower Reveals Parents Fear of Gadget Takeover

Npower has revealed that Parents fear they are being replaced by gadgets in their children’s lives, new research by the energy supplier has found.

Almost half (46%) of the parents taking part in the study said communication with their children has been affected by technology.

A third (34%) admitted they had to compete with games consoles and online social networking for their children’s attention and over a quarter (28%) feel redundant and hurt by the lack of involvement in their child’s life.

Evaluating the findings, psychologist Dr Linda Papadopoulos said families should “spend time together doing face-to-face activities”.

She said: “Just an hour a day interacting as a family can boost confidence and improve verbal communication.

“Because this level of technology was not present when we were growing up, it’s important to use it in a way that enriches our family life as opposed to using it to the detriment of other ways of communicating with each other.”

The research was carried out nationwide and 1,000 parents and 1,000 children were involved.

Energy company npower commissioned it in support of its No Power Hour campaign, a UK-wide roadshow hosted by ex-England manager Kevin Keegan. No Power Hour will see Keegan encourage families to save energy by spending more time together in the open air.

The study also found that half of all children (51%) spend up to five hours a day glued to a screen and more than a quarter (27%) prefer to communicate digitally rather than face to face, while one in four prefer playing on an X-Box console to spending time with their family.

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npower Announces Its Player of the Month Award Winners for April

npower has announced the winners of the players of the month awards for the npower Football League in April.

Sheffield Wednesday striker Neil Mellor has been named npower League 1 Player of the Month for April.

Mellor, who is on loan from Preston North End, fired in six goals during the month, including vital strikes against Colchester United, Walsall and Swindon Town.

Sky Sports’ Football League expert Peter Beagrie sits on the npower Football League Player of the Month judging panel. He said: “At the beginning of the month, Wednesday were hovering just above the relegation zone in 17th position.

“But Mellor’s six goal contribution has helped navigate the Owls up the table – a safe distance 11 points from the drop-zone.”

Over in League 2, Bury striker Ryan Lowe has been named npower League 2 Player of the Month for April.

The veteran skipper netted four times during the month, leading his team to an automatic promotion place in League 2.

npower head of sponsorship Emma Collins said: “Lowe’s experience and quality has been a huge part of Bury’s success this season.

“His performances have been of the highest order in recent weeks, and he fully deserves the League 2 award.”

Finally, in the Championship Norwich City striker Simeon Jackson has been named npower Championship Player of the Month for April.

Jackson netted eight times during the month to help the Canaries secure automatic promotion.

His impressive goal haul included hat-tricks against Scunthorpe United and Derby County.

Peter Beagrie added: “After going more than 20 games without a goal, Jackson produced a show of true marksmanship in April.

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npower Reveals Birmingham Teens Spend More Time Inside Than Outside

npower has revealed that over two thirds (67%) of Birmingham teens are spending more time inside than outside, with seventy per cent preferring computer games over an outdoor activity, according to the research commissioned by the energy supplier.

In stark contrast, their parents admit to spending most of their time in the garden whilst growing up (63%) and over three quarters (76%) of the parents questioned felt children who spend time outside have a better awareness the environment.

The findings come as npower’s ambassador Ben Fogle visits Birmingham’s Think Tank to act as a judge for its Climate Cops SOS Finale, an initiative designed to encourage young people to make a real green change in their area, and to urge the young people of Birmingham to get active and get green by signing up for 2011’s Climate Cops SOS where they could win a week of adventure with Ben himself this November, with entry closing on 30th June 2011.

At the event, Ben will be discussing the importance of preserving the great outdoors and presenting the winning school with a green make over, plus ten brand new Netbooks for the students.

Clare McDougall, npower’s head of education and community, said: “Growing up for me was all about being outside with nature, playing in the garden and camping in the countryside, but after npower’s recent research it seems that Birmingham kids could be turning into ‘generation x-box’.

“We want Birmingham teens to show us their green credentials and adventurous side by entering this year’s Climate Cops SOS so that next year we can hopefully crown them as 2011’s ‘green-agers’ and present them with a fantastic week of adventure alongside a real life explorer.”

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npower Encourages Homeowners To Find Out More About Climate Week

npower encouraged homeowners to pay a visit to its stand at the Ideal Home Show during Climate Week to find out how to make their homes more energy efficient and better manage their impact on the environment.

Exhibiting at the show for a third year, npower showcased the latest eco-friendly home technology developments including electric vehicle technology, solar energy panels and the company’s green energy tariff.

Centre of the stand was a Tesla, the fastest electric vehicle in existence, along with home and city charging points for electric vehicles.

Nicola Hadcroft, creative services manager at npower, commented: “Climate Week is all about highlighting the innovative technology that is coming to the market to help make homeowners’ lives easier. The Ideal Home Show was the perfect place to showcase what npower is doing to make a difference.

“By encouraging people to become more engaged with their energy usage and as a supplier helping them to achieve this, we can work towards a more sustainable future and help homeowners tread more lightly on the planet.

“Even by making small improvements such as using an electricity monitor, energy efficient light bulbs fitting or fitting a smart meter, can make a difference, while bigger innovations, such as installing solar panels are a viable investment for the future.”

Homeowners who are not looking to install new products in their home, but still want to play their part can also sign up to npower’s green energy tariffs including npower Juice and npower’s National Trust Green Energy.

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npower Get Kids To Switch Off And Go Green This Half-Term

In research published by npower Climate Cops parents reported that their children will spend an additional four hours watching TV, the same time again playing games consoles, and a staggering 2.5 hours blow drying and straightening their hair, during the forthcoming half-term.

npower Get Kids To Switch Off And Go Green This Half-Term

In an effort to help kids put down the controller, Climate Cops ‘No Power Hour’ is on a mission to keep kids entertained and think green over half-term, by encouraging children to switch off, get out there and try something new and spend an hour each day using no electricity.

Kids are being encouraged to unplug the computer games, put down the TV remote and turn off the iPod speakers and take part in No Power Hour by discovering fun things to do using nothing but their own energy and imagination.

Kids and families can get green ideas by clicking onto npower’s website where they will find interactive games to teach them to save energy, along with wall charts and stickers to keep track of progress made throughout the Climate Cops. No Power Hour mission.

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npower Reports South Africa Economic Success Boosts Case For England 2018 World Cup Bid

Npower has reported that preliminary figures from the South African government have revealed that the staging of the World Cup brought an estimated boost to the economy of R93bn (£8bn).

These figures strongly support the business case for backing the bid to get the world’s biggest football tournament to England in 2018 according to npower, an official supporter of the England 2018 FIFA World Cup.

A poll conducted by the energy company revealed that more than 82% of bosses believe a World Cup in England would be great for business, 55% say it will deliver major financial benefit, and 63% say it would boost morale.

With the FIFA delegation set to visit each potential host city in August, npower is now calling on the business community to pledge their support for a World Cup in England in 2018. FIFA makes its decision on the host nation for 2018 in December 2010.

Kevin Peake, marketing director at npower, commented: “FA calculations suggest that the World Cup could bring as much as £3.2 billion to the economy, and the figures coming out of South Africa so far, although preliminary, show the economic boost a country can receive by staging this tournament.

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npower Receives A Tail Wagging Hello From Guide Dogs

npower has been receiving visits from the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association at sites across the north east of England to raise awareness of its services for blind and partially-sighted people.

npower Receives A Tail Wagging Hello From Guide Dogs

Over the past two months staff f r o m npower have been meeting guide dog owners and their respective guide dogs during selected lunchtime visits to its offices across the north east. Guide Dogs had previously been invited to the npower site in Worcester and was selected by npower to receive a £20,000 donation, which was used to sponsor four guide dog puppies through their training.

At these visits npower employees have been encouraged to sponsor a puppy, recycle for the charity and get involved in volunteering and payroll giving.

Nicola Wilson, Guide Dogs’ Development Fundraiser for the North said: “We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to visit the north east sites of npower. We’ve had an incredibly warm welcome so far and thanks to everyone’s support Guide Dogs will receive an extra £792 annually and we still have three more site visits to attend. npower and their staff have been extremely supportive of Guide Dogs and we simply cannot thank them enough for their continued generosity and support.

“The dogs love all the attention they receive at these visits and the volunteers who dedicate their time enjoy answering all the queries and talking about their experiences as guide dog owners and/or volunteers.”

npower currently sponsor four guide dog puppies at Tibury power station and its offices in Swindon and Worcester. Orbie, a five month old golden Labrador is sponsored by the offices in the North East.

Gary Doig, npower’s Community Investment Manager in the North East said, “npower was delighted to sponsor our own guide dog puppy, Orbie, through the corporate charity committee. The Guide Dog visits to our North East sites will undoubtedly create a lot of interest amongst our employees, enabling them to learn more about the dogs themselves as well as increase awareness of the great work done by the charity. Hopefully Guide Dogs will also be able to recruit some future fundraisers f r o m amongst our people.”

There are around 4,600 guide dog partnerships throughout the UK; each costing about£50,000. The charity relies entirely on voluntary donations to funds its guide dog service.

Nicola explained: “Without the help of employers and staff like npower, Guide Dogs couldn’t provide its services for visually impaired people.

“There are still thousands of blind or partially sighted people who never leave the house alone because they lack the confidence and support to do so. Guide Dogs want to change this and provide independence and freedom to every visually impaired person who needs it.”

Via EPR Network
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Bristan Makes Showering Green Again

Showers have long been promoted as more water and energy efficient than baths. However many modern shower systems use more water than consumers expect. According to the environment agency, a power shower can use over 60l of water in 5 minutes compared to 70l for a standard bath. Add to this the fact that many users stay in the shower far longer than 5 minutes or have more than 1 shower per day and the green credentials of showering look rather shaky.

The good news is Bristan has extended it’s ecosmart range of water efficient products with the launch of a new Bristan Eco shower handset model No. HAND100 ECO C.

Offering excellent value for money the stylish single function handset features a built-in flow limiter that instantly reduces water usage to six litres per minute. It can be fitted with any shower hose to deliver significant water savings while still allowing for an enjoyable showering experience. Available in chrome, the eco handset features rub clean nozzles for easy cleaning.

Quote from ‘Heating & Plumbing Monthly Nov 2009’

Judith Gibbons, head of marketing at Bristan, said:

“Greater awareness of the potential problem of water shortage is driving more people to think about how they can be more water efficient in the home. Our ecosmart range has been developed to make saving water as easy as possible for consumers and, as heating water accounts for around 25% of our energy bills, the range can help people save money too.”

GW Supplies (Gurney & White Ltd)  not only stock the Bristan ecosmart range of Taps, Showers and Flow Limiters but also sell similar products from ‘DEVA’ and ‘House of Ultra’. Visit their web site at www.gwsupplies.co.uk to see the ranges of modern, stylish products that will not only enhance the look of a bathroom but will also save  money by saving water and energy thus reducing the household’s carbon footprint.

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Concentration:FLABEG pools Know-How

FLABEG, the international glass finishing specialist, now provides its customers with even more transparency. With the formation of FLABEG Deutschland GmbH the company will concentrate its key competences in the field of automotive and technical glass, in future FLABEG GmbH will focus simultaneously on the development of the solar mirror business.

“The significant expansion of our worldwide business locations made it necessary to re-organize our key competences,” said Axel Buchholz, CEO of the FLABEG Group, explaining the new structure. The automotive and technical glass divisions will operate under the umbrella of FLABEG Deutschland GmbH. The mission: to create a powerful, flexible center of competence for partners in the automotive, consumer electronics and aerospace industries.

For FLABEG customers the pooling of expertise in the solar mirror business and the automotive, technical glass has distinct advantages. FLABEG provides its partners from consulting to support up to the individual precision solution all from one source. “Even with expansion, it is important for us to retain the flexibility and structure of a medium-sized company,” said Axel Buchholz. “Utilizing the concentrated development expertise of our all locations, we are able to produce tailor-made high-tech glass products for our customers in a timely manner. A key competitive advantage for FLABEG customers.”

FLABEG, founded in 1882, is an independent company with production facilities in Europe, America and Asia. FLABEG is an expert in all types of glass processing. Precision bending and coating are among the core competencies of the company.

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20% Of The Cost Of Most Domestic Electricity Bills Is From Lighting

Although energy-saving light bulbs are more expensive to buy than ordinary bulbs they can last up to 15 times longer, depending on the type of the bulb you buy.

Changing saves energy and thus money.

The November 2009 ©Which? report on Megaman® GSU111d 11w Dimmerable® (fully dimmable with standard dimmers) had this to say:

“Test score 75%. Megaman® GSU111d Dimmerable® Warm White 11W.

Pros. One of the best bulbs for starting up, this one produces a good amount of light quickly and light output meets the manufacturer’s claim. It lasts well, too – we test bulbs for up to 8,000 hours, and every one of the Megaman® bulbs lasted the duration. It handles frequent switching on and off well and can be used with dimmer switches.”

With many traditional light bulbs disappearing from the shops for good, now is the time to change to more energy-efficient lamps & bulbs.

In September the phase out of traditional bulbs started with 100w clear and most pearl/frosted wattages being discontinued, all others will go over the next few years.

The humble light bulb is dead….. to be replaced by more efficient lighting such as compact fluorescent lamps — known as CFLs, or energy-saving light bulbs.

This has caused a lot of consumer concerns. Gurney & White Ltd, stockist of Megaman energy efficient light bulbs, have provided answers to the most frequently asked questions:

Q. For how long will I be able to buy ordinary bulbs?

A. 75W clear bulbs will be phased out from 1 September 2010, 60W clear bulbs from 1 September 2011, and all remaining clear bulbs from 1 September 2012.”

Q. Can I get energy-saving bulbs in different shapes?

A. Yes. You can get a variety of shapes including globe, golf ball, twisted and candle shapes.

Q. Do low-energy bulbs start at full brightness or do they need to warm up?

A. Some bulbs produce more than 40% of their claimed light output within the first few seconds, but others take longer to warm up. Megaman Dimmerable lamps have a quick start-up.

Q. Where can I dispose of low-energy light bulbs?

A. Compact fluorescent lamps contain a small amount of mercury, which is a hazardous material, so they must not be thrown in your domestic rubbish bin. You can dispose of used bulbs at more than 90% of civil amenity sites.

GW supplies has a wide range of energy saving bulbs and because they can buy in bulk they can offer excellent prices.

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FLABEG Solar U.S. Corp. Opens New Solar Mirror Plant

FLABEG, global leader in high-tech glass and mirror applications, is opening a new production facility for solar mirrors which are used to help generate electricity at large-scale solar power plants. The new 209.00sq.ft manufacturing facility is erected in the Clinton Commerce Park near Pittsburgh International Airport.

The factory will have a annual capacity to deliver parabolic curved mirrors up to 450 MW for PT plants. This production site is therefore equipped to produce tempered solar mirrors in addition to the established monoliths, untempered mirrors.

“Our philosophy has undergone no change, nevertheless we want to be fully prepared for all possible changes in the law,” commenting FLABEG CEO Axel Buchholz on the extended production range. “We expect some federal states will introduce standards for safety glass for Concentrated Solar Power applications. Our core production will remain with untempered solar mirrors.”

Field tests indicate a breakage rate of 0.027% for FLABEG untempered solar mirrors. At such low levels breakage is not an issue.

“As always FLABEG continues to keep abreast oft he changing demands of the market,” says Buchholz. The facility will in future also be home to thinglass applications for Solar Dishes and Concentrated PV and also flat mirrors for Power Tower heliostats and Linear Fresnel power plants.

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Home Owners Find Energy Bill Cuts in Surprising Ways

Again, San Diego Gas & Electric raised its base rates for electricity and natural gas by some $136 million in 2008. We are also expecting successive annual base rate hikes of $44 million in 2010 and an additional $44 million in 2011. For the average residential customer, that translates to a 7% increase in their electricity bills from last year with additional raises in years ahead. While some homeowners are getting into buying expensive solar panels that will pay for themselves in 10 to 30 years, other rate-hike victims are finding energy cuts in surprising ways.

Your Solar Link was started by a LEED accredited professional and designers in an effort to educate local homeowners on the best available solar gadgets on the market.

“As a homeowner, I never thought that those little garden electric lights that are placed along my garden pathway actually can cost me up to $140 a year on my electricity bill? I do not need so much light to light up that trail, but the benefit of using solar pathway lights is enormous”, says Barbara White, who just purchased her first solar pathway lights that cost her only $64.99 for a set of 4.

Your Solar Link started as a hobby but quickly grew into something more. It became a place of contribution by its members and their clients. Your Solar Link doesn’t just sell solar powered products; it plants a TREE for every solar light that is purchased. So not only do you get the benefits of free energy, but you become part of a bigger movement for the future of our planet.

“It’s that simple, replacing your outdoor electric water fountain pump with a solar powered pump will save you around $100 a year. You can find little things around your house that can generate a pretty substantial amount of cash in your pocket by the end of a year: your garage light, your motion sensor lights, your lit home address or lit mailbox, spot lights for your trees, you name it! It adds up every quickly” says Mario Villalobos, one of the founders of Your Solar Link. “I am also surprised that the government, which is so concerned about night sky light pollution, is not interested more in using solar lights. Solar lights are easy to install, cost almost as much as a regular lights and are not as expensive as solar panel systems. Solar lights don’t emit as much light into the atmosphere as conventional electric lights, thus clearing up the sky at night. ”

What’s next for Your Solar Link? “We are in the process of setting up a recycling program for used solar lights. Some of the old solar lights that were sold before us, because of the poor quality, will be thrown out soon. We are looking into figuring out a way to take them apart and to recycle solar lights components,” the Team of Your Solar Link concluded.

For more information on Your Solar Link products visit: http://www.yoursolarlink.com.

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npower Funds Solar Panels For Swimming Centre

Funding from npower means that a swimming pool that is part of a multipurpose centre on the Stackpole Estate in Pembrokeshire has been installed with enough renewable technology to make it the largest collection of solar thermal panels across the National Trust.

npowersolarpanel.jpg (182×120)

Funding from npower – as part of the National Trust Green Energy Fund – enabled a total of 19 flat-plate solar panels to be installed on the roof of the pool at the Stackpole Centre by local contractor West Wales Solar Heating. The Green Energy Fund project invests in small scale renewable energy generation and other carbon saving projects at Trust sites across Wales and England.

The Welsh produced solar panels now provide free heat to a pool that used to cost thousands of pounds a year to heat. The result is not only lower running costs for the Trust but another important small step towards lowering environmental impact and reducing climate changing carbon emissions

The project, which cost £18,000, will enable the pool’s water to be heated by the power of the sun; supplemented for now with a gas system but with plans to move to a biomass heating system in the near future. The system works by water continually being pumped from the pool into a storage tank where it is heated up by energy created from the solar panels.

Keith Jones, Environmental Practices Advisor for the National Trust in Wales, said: “The National Trust is committed to reducing our own energy footprint and in developing projects that can enable people to learn about adaptation and efficient resource use and saving money. This is the largest solar panel system of its kind within the National Trust, and it is estimated it will produce 58,400Kw every year or the equivalent of almost 160 electric heaters left on for an hour every day of the year (saving over a third of its previous energy consumption).

“As far as we were concerned this was a very simple calculation – an investment equivalent to 18 months’ worth of gas costs to heat the pool and it will have paid for itself in six years. In summer and the warmer days this system will provide most if not all the heat for the pool.”

The solar panels also have a digital display, which will enable members of the public and resident guests using the pool at Stackpole Centre, to see exactly how much energy is being produced by the solar panels during their visit.

Allan Robinson from npower said: “npower is proud to have funded the National Trust’s largest ever solar heating system at Stackpole. In partnership with the National Trust, npower is providing expertise and financial support to help those looking for ways to be more energy efficient and make financial savings along the way.”

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Free Flow Power Corporation Announced Today That David J. Youlen Will Join The Company As Chief Operating Officer Of Its Development Subsidiary, Free Flow Power Development LLC

Free Flow Power is developing hydrokinetic generation and new conventional hydropower generation on existing dams to extract clean renewable energy from moving water without building new dams or diversions. Mr. Youlen is the former head of North American Generation Development for Brookfield Renewable Power where he was responsible for development activities for hundreds of hydropower, pumped storage, and wind projects. Prior to development at Brookfield, he was VP Operations for 75 operating hydroelectric facilities in four states.

David J. Youlen

Mr. Youlen remarked, “This is the most exciting time to be involved in hydropower development in my lifetime. The hydrokinetic technology development is very important to the growth of hydropower in this country. My priority is to be at the right place to capitalize on the tremendous growth opportunities that lie ahead for this industry. I think this is a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ kind of opportunity, and the team I’m joining is well positioned to take advantage of it.”

Mr. Youlen has 35 years of experience in the development and management of electric generation, transmission and interconnection facilities. Prior to joining Brookfield, Mr. Youlen was the former Managing Director of Hydroelectric Generation at Reliant Energy.

Mr. Youlen is a member of the board of directors and past president of the National Hydropower Association (NHA), and serves on the board of directors of the Independent Power Producers of New York. He is the 2009 recipient of NHA’s Dr. Kenneth Henwood Award, the hydropower industries highest honor, and the 2007 recipient of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Rickey Medal for achievement in the field of hydroelectric engineering. He holds a bachelors of science in civil engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and is a licensed professional engineer in the State of New York.

Dan Irvin, CEO of Free Flow Power Corporation commented “Dave fills a key position in our management team. We admire what he has accomplished over his career, have great respect for his talent and experience and are completely impressed at how clearly he sees the landscape in hydropower.”

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Free Flow Power Corporation, A Hydropower And Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Company, Welcomes TheAddition Of J. Mark Robinson To The Company’s Advisory Board

Mr. Robinson retired in June as the Director of the Office of Energy Projects at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), where he was responsible for FERC’s regulatory approval of new energy infrastructure development projects, including hydropower projects, transmission facilities, gas pipelines, liquefied natural gas terminals and certain forms of energy storage facilities. Mr. Robinson is currently the principal of JMR Energy Infra, which provides strategic consulting services concerning the development of major energy infrastructure.

J. Mark Robinson

Dan Irvin, CEO of Free Flow Power, commented, “Mark has been a respected leader at the center of US energy policy for many years. His experience and judgment are an invaluable resource for any company working to transform America’s energy infrastructure. We are delighted to have him join Free Flow Power’s team.”

Mr. Robinson remarked, “Free Flow Power clearly represents the new vision needed to spur development of our Nation’s hydropower resources. I am very pleased to be a part of what will be a strong effort to deliver more clean energy from our working rivers and oceans.”

About Free Flow Power Corporation:
Free Flow Power Corporation (FFP) is a hydropower developer and technology company focused on using the force of rivers, streams, ocean currents, and tides to generate electricity without building new dams or diversions. FFP operates through two subsidiaries: Free Flow Power Technology LLC is manufacturing the SmarTurbine™ system to capture energy from free-flowing water, and Free Flow Power Development LLC is developing hydropower and hydrokinetic generation projects in the US, primarily in the Mississippi River Basin.

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Dr. Edward Lovelace Has Been Appointed By Free Flow Power as Executive VP of Engineering

Free Flow Power Corporation announced today that Dr. Edward Lovelace has joined the company as Executive Vice President of Engineering at its wholly-owned subsidiary, Free Flow Power Technology LLC. Dr.

Lovelace will also be joining Free Flow Power Technology’s board of directors. Free Flow Power is a hydropower and hydrokinetic technology and project development company with offices in Gloucester, Massachusetts, New Orleans, Louisiana and Bellingham, Washington.

Dr. Lovelace was formerly Director of Engineering Development at Satcon Technology Corporation (NASDAQ CM: SATC), a market leader in power inverters that aggregate electricity from large-scale solar installations and synchronize it with the grid, and a developer of machinery and controls technology for propulsion and power conversion.

Prior to his nine years with Satcon, Dr. Lovelace spent six years with General Electric, where he was a Senior Control System Engineer in the Aircraft Engines Business Group. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, M.S. and Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, and a minor in Technology and Policy, all from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He received the three-year Eisenhower Doctoral Fellowship award and has published and presented several papers primarily in the field of permanent magnet machinery and controls, including a first-prize paper for the IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications.

In announcing the new hire, Daniel Irvin, the CEO of Free Flow Power, commented“This is a key position for us. Ed is the perfect guy to optimize utility scale systems that bring output from many variable speed generators to the grid or a large industrial consumer.”

Dr. Lovelace remarked, “I have followed Free Flow Power’s developments since last year and became captivated by their whole approach from the product technology to the business strategy. I feel like this is a great opportunity for me to put my skills to work driving the engineering development plan through successful commercialization, and joining a team that has everything we need to succeed in this environment. Hydropower has been undervalued as a clean renewable resource, which is truly amazing given how significant the opportunity is in this arena.”

Free Flow Power Corporation is a hydropower and hydrokinetic generation company operating through two subsidiaries, Free Flow Power Technology and Free Flow Power Development. Free Flow Power Technology has developed the SmarTurbine Generator hydrokinetic technology to extract energy from moving water without building new dams or diversions or causing other adverse environmental impacts. The company is developing projects to deploy its hydrokinetic generators and to install hydroelectric generators on existing dams. Most of these projects are on the Mississippi River.

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Distributor Wire & Cable Focuses on Wind Energy Industry

Due to the increasing popularity and need for alternative energy sources, Distributor Wire & Cable has decided to stock inventory specifically used for the wind farm industry. Beyond just a business decision, DWC also viewed this as part of their efforts towards being social responsible.

wind farm

“Although we’re not a pioneer in this growing form of energy, we do believe it’s a necessity to search for alternative energy sources outside of coal and other environmentally damaging energy producers. It’s critical that every business does their part to protect our planet,” said Bryce Huett, Owner of Distributor Wire & Cable.

Major proponents of alternative energy include entrepreneur and advocate T. Boone Pickens. For decades he has been at the fore front of this battle by encouraging businesses and the government to explore a variety of energy sources. The most popular in alternative energy is wind generated power. It’s been shown that its annual growth rate is 29% which makes wind power the country’s largest source of new energy. With no byproducts such as hazardous or toxic wastes, and the fact that it doesn’t need fuel of any type, makes it an extremely green option. In addition, with no cost needed to produce wind besides in the collection of its energy, it’s a long term winner over all other energy choices.

“Wind is a free, inexhaustible energy that does not have the price volatility as the normal traditional fuels do,” Bryce goes on to say. “With the increased use of wind power it is only natural that the ripple effect caused will in time help to lower the costs of other resources such as electricity, fossil fuels and natural gas by driving down the demand.”

In order to help build and support growing wind farms, Distributor Wire is now stocking Diesel Locomotive Cable, or “DLO” as it’s commonly referred to. DLO cable is usually used to run power between Diese Locomotive Wiregenerators and transformers as well as to provide energy to various motorized devices. DWC is also carrying SOOW portable cord and tray cable for running turbine control and instrumentation. Medium and high voltage cables, along with Aluminum ACSR, are stocked for power transmission for various applications. These are only a few of the many options available to the electrical wholesaler at Distributor Wire & Cable for the wind farm industry.

To learn more about Distributor Wire & Cable, and the products they offer to the electrical wholesaler, visit www.distributorwire.com or call 888-439-2947.

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CO2 Reduction Not A Business Priority In Current Economic Climate Reports Npower

Npower has released data that shows more than eight out of ten businesses feel that Government targets to reduce CO2 emissions are unrealistic, with many not seeing the benefit of a small carbon footprint and relegating carbon reduction measures to concentrate on managing costs.

These are among the findings of the npower Business Energy Index, an annual report tracking business opinion on energy use and carbon emissions.

In this latest index, the majority of businesses (83%) said the target to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050 was unrealistic. Attitudes on the potential commercial opportunities of a small carbon footprint are equally downbeat; only 31% think new business will occur as a result of reducing emissions, compared to 47% in npower’s 2008 index.

The findings also reveal that the economic downturn is leading businesses to prioritise finances over CO2 reduction; 97% said they are currently more concerned with reducing costs than emissions.

68% of businesses believe it is still important for the UK to take a leading role in reducing global emissions. This is a drop f r o m the 2008 index in which 88% of businesses backed the Government’s emission reduction plans.

Despite these opinions the Business Energy Index reveals a renewed focus on energy efficiency measures, with the importance attached to energy efficiency at its highest level since 2005. Furthermore 80% of businesses say they are likely to increase energy efficiency initiatives and, while this was primarily for cost benefit, the same measures would also lead to emission reduction.

Energy efficiency was also rated as the most popular action for businesses to take to reduce emissions, with 43% giving this answer ahead of changing processes (22%) or switching to a green tariff (18%). However, the Index suggests that more needs to be done to support businesses, with 51% of those questioned saying they thought the Government did not offer enough useful advice on the issues of carbon reduction and energy efficiency.

Julia Lynch-Williams, director of energy services at npower, said: “The Index shows that most businesses do not see the commercial benefits f r o m having a small carbon footprint, but we can’t escape the fact that climate change legislation and the strength of public feeling means that CO2 reduction remains important. The Government has set the UK on a path toward a low carbon economy and must now continue to stress to businesses the opportunities that will come f r o m low carbon operations.

“Energy efficiency is an excellent way to save money and it’s encouraging that many businesses are looking at this to reduce costs. While it’s understandable that businesses are more focused on the bottom-line in the current economic crisis, we would encourage them to see energy management as an effective means of reducing emissions as well as costs.

“Our advice to businesses is to make energy efficiency a priority now and in the long term.”

In-depth telephone interviews were conducted in January 2009 with a representative sample of 300 UK businesses, comprising 200 small-to-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with significant energy usage and 100 major energy users (MEUs).

The npower Business Energy Index (nBEI) is sponsored by npower, in association with the Major Energy Users Council (MEUC) and Federation of Small Businesses (FSB). The nBEI is designed and executed by Moffatt Associates, an independent research consultancy.

About npower:
npower is one of the top energy suppliers to the UK business market, serving over 230,000 small to medium sized enterprise sites and around 15,000 industrial and commercial customers, with over 100,000 sites.

npower is dedicated to helping UK businesses use energy more efficiently and therefore spend less money on their bills. 

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