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Texas Instruments builds an alternative energy for the Internet of Things - Computerworld

The Internet of Things is nothing without batteries and plugs. But it's possible to build a sensor network that uses harvested energy that comes from changes in temperature, vibrations, wind and light, as Texas Instruments (TI) will demonstrate at the Consumer Electronics Show in January.
The idea of harvesting power has a long history and there are many applications of it today. However, big solar panels or large sensors that can capture energy from vibrations, heat and light are impractical in many Internet of Things sensor applications, which are tiny in size.

ti system diagram energy — The diagram shows how Texas Instrument's wireless sensor network would work.

TI said it has developed electronics capable of taking small amounts of power generated by harvested sources and turning them into a useful power source. This means that the sensors used to collect the energy can be small as well.
All these ambient energy sources, such as the difference in temperature in a pipe carrying hot water and the outside air, can generate 300 to 400 millivolts, which isn't enough to power anything. TI has built an "ultra-low powered" DC-to-DC switching converter that can boost this power to 3 to 5 volts, which is sufficient to charge a battery, according to Niranjan Pathare, senior marketing development manager at TI.
To power wearables, the company has demonstrated drawing energy from the human body by using harvesters the size of wristwatch straps, Pathare said. It has worked with vibration collectors, for instance, about the same size as a key.
It's possible that a smartwatch could use two harvested power sources, light and heat, from the body. These sources may not gather enough power to keep a smartwatch continuously operating without action by the user to charge it, but it may give the user's device a lot more battery life.
"Obviously, the longer you can make that [battery] last the happier the consumer is going to be with its performance," said William Cooper, a TI product marketing engineer.
The technology has many applications in industrial and home environments. If a device or sensor isn't connected to a power network, it will need a battery. Vendors will say that these batteries have the potential of lasting for years since they are only transmitting small amounts of data. But, still, who wants to worry about a battery?
Of the work done by Texas Instruments, Steve Ohr, an analyst at Gartner, said, "they have the parts that will take this micro-power input and actually make some useful voltage and current that could power something."
Ohr said there's a lot of work that needs to be done before this technology finds its way to the market in uses such as powering a smartwatch, specifically in improving the sensors that collect energy.
"You really need a big surface area to generate a very small amount of electricity," Ohr said, and it will take more work on the materials used to make the sensors before they are ready for the wearable market, in particular.

Energize the Future Through Landfill Gasification

Landfill gas (LFG) is a complex mix of many different gases created through the action of microorganisms within a landfill. As the putrescible materials in the landfill begins to breakdown, landfill gas production results. When the chemical reactions and microbes act upon the waste. Production rate is directly affected by landfill geometry and by the waste composition. These factors influence the bacterial populations within the landfill, its chemical makeup, entry of moisture, escape of gas and its thermal characteristics.

Landfills are by nature heterogeneous. Within most sites, there is a wide range of biological ecosystems and physical conditions. The heterogeneity and the unclear nature of the contents makes LFG production difficult to calculate and control compared to the standard industrial bioreactors in sewage treatment. The constant production of landfill gas causes the gas' discharge into the atmosphere. Environmental, security problems and hygiene issues become great concerns emanating from such emissions. Additionally, the risks of fire, explosion, and the contamination of groundwater by organic compounds exist in nearly all landfills.

Gas produced in the landfills must be monitored due to the risk presented by the LFG as some of these gases produced are hazardous. Monitoring techniques have been developed. To measure methane levels and total VOC levels, flame ionization detectors can be used. Monitoring of the surface, the sub-surface as well as the ambient air has to be carried out regularly.

LFG is about 40% to 60% methane and the rest is mostly carbon dioxide. It also contains varying quantity of water vapor, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen sulfide and other contaminants that are non-methane organic compounds (NMOCs). These NMCOs typically make up less than 1% of the LFG. Mercury, an inorganic contaminant may also be found in landfill gas.

LFG are managed through
• Flaring
• Boiler (heat making)
• Internal combustion engine (electricity production)
• Gas turbine (electricity production)
• Fuel cell (electricity production)
• Conversion of methane to methyl alcohol

It has been estimated that there are about six thousand landfills in the US alone. Most of these landfills are composed of municipal waste, thus already producing methane. These are principal sources of anthropogenic methane emission in the US contributing to an estimated 460 billion cubic feet of methane each year.

Gases produced from landfills can be collected and be used to generate heat or electricity. Landfill gasification (converting methane gas into power) projects have increased since 2005. They have been very popular because they control energy costs and lessen greenhouse emissions. Waste management uses LFG as its energy source. It can generate enough energy to power 400 thousand homes every day which in effect can offset nearly 2 million tons of coal each year.

Cogeneration: The Heat and Power Combination Meant to Be

Cogeneration or Combined Heat and Power (CHP) is one great method to save energy by recapturing and reusing heat that would have been wasted. CHP, heat reclamation, heat recovery or cogeneration is combining heat and power and is well developed, in use by many industries. Keeping the surroundings comfortable as it generates eco friendly electricity, reducing the harmful greenhouse gases and cutting utility costs are the benefits to consider maximizing before installing any combined heat and power systems in the homes.

The development in cogeneration is towards a quiet, clean, reliable micro turbine generator that does not need generally require special (additional) permits to install. They do not emit any environment damaging emissions.

During electricity production, all thermal power plants emit heat that is released into the natural environment through flue gas, cooling towers and other means. Cogeneration captures some or most of the end product heat and uses it in different ways.

Cogeneration is common in pulp and paper mills, chemical plants and refineries. It has been practical since the earliest installations of electrical production. Before the central station distributes power, industries generate their own power by using exhaust steam for their process heating. Shopping malls, hotels commercial buildings and offices commonly generate their own power and they use waste steam for building heat. Combined power and heat continues to be available for many years now because of the economy and the incessant increase of power costs.

Thermal power plants, including those plants that use fissile elements (burn coal, natural gas or petroleum) and heat engines, do not convert all the thermal energy into electricity. Most heat engines, more than half is lost as excess heat. Capturing the excess heat, combined heat and power (CHP) uses heat that would have been wasted in a conventional power plant. CHP can reach an efficiency of up to 80% for the best conventional plants. This is better because less fuel is needed to produce the same amount of useful energy.

Cogeneration's viability depends on a good base load of operation (more especially on the smaller CHP installations) for both the onsite electrical demand and heat demand. In reality, an accurate match of heat and electricity rarely exists. A CHP plant can either meet the need for heat or be run as a power plant with a little use of its waste heat. Its viability is greatly increase in trigeneration, in which case, the heat from the CHP plant is used also as a main source to deliver cooling through an absorption chiller.

CHP is considered as one of the most cost efficient methods of reducing carbon emissions of heating during winter time and in cold climates.

Energy Consultant Benefits In Saving You Money And The Environment

An increasingly larger number of households and business owners are getting troubled with the higher utility bills. Several companies have to reduce the number of employees or shutdown their businesses due to financial distress resulting due to high bills. Homeowners need to cut down on expenses to meet these high costs; therefore, an excellent way to reduce the bill is to take the help of an energy consultant.

Such professionals can guide homeowners and enterprises to find different methods that can reduce their electricity bills. The first thing the consultants do is to analyze the past bills in details. This enables them to identify if the service providers have charged more than the normal tariffs, which is often the case.

Although, the service providers may not overcharge their clients the possibility of errors does exist. Often such amounts are very small and generally overlooked by the customers as well as the service providers. However, when such errors occur regularly, the result may be a significant increase in the total expense for the utility.

These professionals are experienced and knowledgeable about the industry. Moreover, they are well connected to all the major and minor service providers within the community. Therefore, the consultants are able to provide the best possible solutions based on your personal requirements.

Another major advantage of hiring the services of these professionals is that they can provide numerous methods to reduce the consumption of energy in your homes and offices. Moreover, they can suggest alternative methods to generate the required electricity to satisfy your demand. Therefore, in addition to reducing your energy bill, you will also be able to protect the ecological balance and prevent environmental damage.

Homeowners and business owners do not have to pay the service fees of such consultants. This is because the suppliers compensate these professionals for every client generated by him or her. Therefore, you are able to reap the advantages of their services without incurring any expense, which makes this an excellent option for every home and business owner.

The professionals work with all the suppliers in the neighborhood. Therefore, based on your requirements, the professionals are able to procure the best possible rates to meet your demand. Thus, you are able to save a significant amount of money by lowering your electricity bills.

One of the important drivers for the growth of such professionals is the increasing awareness about the various renewable energy sources. The growth in this segment is forecast to continue increasing for the next several years. Therefore, the demand for experienced and qualified professionals who are able to work in this industry is increasing.

In addition to the above mentioned benefits, an energy consultant provides homeowners and business owners guidance on basic mechanisms that can significantly lower the utility bills. Some of these recommendations can be simple like keeping the windows closed or turning the boilers off over the weekends. In addition, they can provide other complex methods that can result in saving as much as thirty percent on your total electricity bill.

Energy Storage: Pumped Hydro Storage Solution

Pumped hydro storage is one type of hydro electric power generation and storage used by utilities for load balancing. This method of energy storing is in water form, pumped from a lower elevated reservoir to a higher elevation reservoir. The pumps are run by low cost off peak electric power. The stored water is released during periods of high electrical demand through traditional turbines to generate electric power. This system adds electric power during peak demand periods when electricity rates are highest. The largest capacity form of grid energy storage available is the pumped storage. It accounts for more than 99% of storage capacity worldwide.

Most facilities use the elevation differences between bodies of water or artificial reservoirs. Pure pumped storage plants shifts the water in between reservoirs. A combination of this and conventional hydro electric plants is called the pump back approach. It uses natural stream flow. Conventional hydro electric plants do not use pumped storage.

Considering the evaporation losses from the exposed water surface and the conversion losses, an estimated 70% to 80% of the electric energy used to pump the water up to the higher reservoir can be recovered. This method is the most cost effective means in storing large amounts of electric energy in an operating basis. Critical decision aspects include capital cost and the appropriate geographical locations (i.e., proximity to demand and transmission capacity). It is a requirement for low energy density pumped storage systems to have large bodies of water or large variations in height.

One effective way to store a great amount of energy is through a large body of water situated on a hill. This occurs naturally in some places while it is man made in other places. This is very cost effective because it flattens out load difference on the power grid, allowing thermal power stations like coal fired plants, nuclear plants and renewable energy power plants to provide base load power to continue operating during peak efficiency. Capital costs for purpose built hydro storage however are relatively high. Thermal plants are less able to respond to sudden demand in electric power, while for pumped storage plants like any other hydro electric plants can respond to load changes even in just a few seconds.

Italy and Switzerland were the first two countries to use pumped storage in the 1890s. The United States first use pumped storage in 1930 by the Connecticut Electric and Power Company.

The five largest operational pumped-storage plants in the world now are the following:
1. Bath County Station- Virginia, United States (with a 3,003 megawatt capacity)
2. Guangdong Power Station - China (with a 2,400 megawatt capacity)
3. Okutataragi Hydroelectric Power Station - Japan (with a 1,932 megawatt capacity)
4. Ludington Power Plant - Michigan, United States (with a 1,872 megawatt capacity)
5. Tianhuangping Power Station- China (with a 1,836 megawatt capacity)

Pumped storages' new use is to level fluctuating outputs of intermittent power sources. Pumped storages supply a load at times of high electricity output and during low demand of electricity, making it possible for additional system peak capacity. Pumped storage systems help in controlling electrical network frequency and generate reserve generation aside from energy management.

Events That Rely on Temporary Power Solutions

Without the invention of temporary power solutions, many events that have become so intrinsic to 21st century culture wouldn't even be possible. Can you imagine a life without the occasional outdoor festival or sporting event? Have you ever thought about how much the little community spirit we have left these days relies on the availability of electricity?

Outdoor Markets

Market culture is alive and well throughout the world from souks in the Middle East, to travelling vintage markets in Australia, to farmers' markets in the United Kingdom. Many retailers sell chilled or warm food stuffs and beverages, some operate electronic cash registers.

Not all markets are permanent features in permanent locales. Many now operate as "pop up" events once a month or even less often. Due to their temporary nature, they rely on power generators to provide them with the electricity needed to power devices such as fridges, grills, and tills.

Village Fêtes

Many smaller communities still keep up the age old tradition of organising village fêtes. These are a great way for neighbours to get to know each other and establish close community ties. Often held as charity events on village greens, church or school grounds, the fêtes feature attractions like talent shows, dances, games, raffles, and food stalls. They are organised by teams of local volunteers.

Sound systems are a common feature to enable speeches to be made, and music to be played. Food stalls are also likely to be kitted out with refrigerators, grills or microwaves. Of course, for these to function, power generators are required.

Festivals

Music festivals would be very primitive without access to power. Think of all those shows without half the amount of instruments, no microphones, and no light effects!

Obviously, music festival grounds aren't permanent. Most equipment is acquired on a rental basis from marquees to stage lighting for the duration of the event.

Food vendors travel from near and far to make money from festival goers who love at least one warm meal a day. They need access to equipment that will let them preserve, heat and chill food and beverages. For all this to be possible, electricity is a must.

Sporting Events

From school sports days, to marathons, to the Olympic games, all outdoor sporting events are possible thanks to generator rental. The temporary power solution ensures the provision of sound systems, big screens, and electronic score keepers.

It also lets food and drinks be served from temporary stalls, and in certain cases bets to be placed on individual athletes or animal sports stars.

Five Advantages of Solar Energy

Solar energy has received much attention in the media recently. Rising power costs and the impact of fossil fuels on our environment are just two of the issues that are leading green-minded and cost-conscious consumers to choose solar power. There are many reasons to consider solar energy for your power needs, but the top five remain:

Advantage #1 - Reduced Energy Costs

One of the greatest advantages of solar energy is that the more you use your solar power system, the less you have to rely on your local electric utility company. After all, the sunlight is available for free -- it is only the installation and maintenance of the solar energy system that represents a cost to the consumer. In fact, investing in a high-performing, high-output system can actually result in you being able to resell electricity back to the utility, allowing you to make money on your system!

Advantage #2 - Clean Energy

The sun provides clean, natural energy without the associated particular air pollution of traditional energy sources from fossil fuels. Even nuclear power, a relatively recent development in alternative power, produces radioactive material that must be managed at great cost and danger. Solar power is a renewable, sustainable power source that is good for the planet.

Advantage #3 - Ease of Installation

While it's true that the installation of solar panels can be done by a savvy home or business owner, a qualified, knowledgeable installer can have your system up and running in no time with few modifications to the existing structure.

Advantage #4 - Emergency Power

Does your area suffer from power outages during storms or from an overtaxed power grid system? If your home or business does not have a back-up generator this can translate into uncomfortable living conditions and even loss of revenue, for businesses. Solar energy systems typically are designed with a battery that stores power for use when the sun is not shining and for when electricity is not available, so no matter what takes the power down in your neighborhood, you can be sure with solar energy that you can still be up and running!

Advantage #5 - Tax Incentives

Due to the current emphasis on alternative power sources, the federal government offers significant tax incentives for home and business owners to choose solar energy. In fact, even some states have gotten on the bandwagon and offer their own incentives to consumers. Between state and federal government incentives, you might find that the cost of your system is nearly paid for!

Regulation and Energy - Let's Be Fair and Not Cut Off The Hand Which Feeds Us

Most folks would agree we need at least some regulation when it comes to energy and fuel, still, most of those screaming about more regulation focus all their attention on the fossil fuels, than on the alternative energy side of things. Believe me when I tell you that there are laws of physics involved in conversion of energy into electricity or fuel, and anytime you harvest or generate from type of energy to create work, you run into issues of waste, efficiency, and production challenges - that's the reality, so let's discuss this shall we?

Not so long ago, an individual explained to me that he'd certainly like to see more oversight when it comes to energy regulation, and he'd also like to create new innovative ways to make energy as well. Okay, that sounds great. Still, before we get into all this, one should take a look at where we are falling down. Such things as the CO2 needed to make concrete, or the steel towers for win-turbines for instance, and really that's just one of the issues of our lopsided and bias energy regulations.

You see, it takes coking coal to get the temperature correct for making steel and that puts out soot and CO2. And CO2 is a waste product of making concrete as well, and I am not saying CO2 is evil as some do, but why the double standards? Therefore, I indicated to my acquaintance, that when he mentions his desire to develop and regulate new energy forms, that we need to consider other issues too, so I asked; "what specifically do you feel would be the first order of business?"

Again some more examples and thinking here; for instance, wind turbine ultrasound issues, solar cell etching compound use, fracking oversight, subsidies on biofuels, ocean wave energy sea life mitigation, clean-coal capture, hydrogen cell advection fog creation, hazardous waste car battery disposal, hydro-power over regulation, tar sands water treatment? What issues should we be concerned with here?

And when it comes to alternative energy such as large solar farms what about putting in the power transmission lines to the middle of nowhere into the desert to connect up to it? Then for those in the steel pipe sector, again it takes CO2 to make those pipes, and how about the need to require ethanol pipe ceramic linings and spill catch systems when moving biofuels?

You see, the reality is, we need energy, lots of it, and it must be low-priced, abundant, and completely reliable - regardless of what's used? Perhaps, you my reader would you agree or do you have other thoughts on this - or other points of contention? Indeed, I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Straight Talk On The Peak Oil Scare

Well, in the 1970s they claimed peak oil theory, but obviously that hasn't happened yet. We keep finding more oil around the globe, and more fossil fuels, and it doesn't look like we're going to run out anytime soon, or leave you stranded on the side of the road because there is no gas at the gas station. All of that was just fear-based nonsense, and bad scientific figuring. It is amazing how technology and entrepreneurs will always find a way. Okay so let's talk about this for second shall we?

You see, not only are we finding more oil reserves, we are finding better ways to get more oil out of what's there. The Wall Street Journal had a decent piece published on June 27, 2012 titled; "Investment Boom Means Fears of Peak Oil Have Peaked" by Liam Denning which noted that we are doing extremely well in the US with regards to oil and gas, thanks to fracking and shale oil.

On that same day CFR or the Council on Foreign Relations had posted a talk with "Rex W. Tillerson, chairman and chief executive officer of Exxon Mobil Corporation, discussing North America's natural gas and oil resources, technological innovations, and their effect on the global energy market."

He noted that today North America produces today million barrels a day (Mexico, Canada, and USA) and by 2020 he predicts 18 million barrels no problem - with an earnest goal to do more. So you see Peak oil is pure fantasy. And even if there will be a time when we are very close to running out of oil, it's not going to be in the next couple of decades, so there is plenty of time for an alternative energy transition for our transportation fuels before then.

Apparently, many folks believe global warming will be the death of us all, but the reality is that a warming period is much better and more abundant for life on earth than the opposite or an Ice Age for instance. Therefore we should welcome the warmth, and stop complaining. It also means that the alternative energy sector, and the global warming alarmists need to pony up, advance their technologies, and compete in the free market at a fair and equitable price.

These new technologies currently can't compete with gas and oil, although maybe someday they will. Until then, let's use what we've got, keep our economy strong, and stop worrying that were going off some sort of a climate cliff because that's just insanely naïve, and we don't need any more of that purported nonsense or scare tactics from environmentalists. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Tracking Solar PV Systems Explained

Solar tracking systems are a great way to maximize the efficiency of solar panels. They track the sun's motion across the sky and depending on the type of system, the increase of energy output in solar panels may increase by 25% to 45%. Tracking systems are easily installed and needs little to no maintenance depending on the kind of solar trackers installed.

Types of Solar Trackers

Passive Trackers (Thermally operated). These trackers are inexpensive and quite reliable for they require no electrical parts. These are thermally operated and use a low boiling point working fluid (Freon 12). The fluid is driven to one side by solar heat vaporizing the fluid, driving the hydraulic dampers which are used to control the movement of these trackers. Passive trackers work best in places where sunlight is abundant. They perform less well in cold and windy places. The drawbacks include the requirement of solar heat making it ineffective during winter months. Also, it takes an hour in the morning to heat the system enough to operate. Another disadvantage is that it only tracks the sun's east to west axes and does not track the seasonal north to south motion of the sun. This results to manual adjustments at least four times annually to compensate for the seasonal differences.

Active Trackers (Electrically operated). These are mechanized devices that require routine maintenance. Active trackers use motors and gear trains to lead the tracker as directed by a controller responding to the solar direction. They are extremely precise in measuring the sun. The dual axis trackers track the sun's movement from east to west and the seasonal changes along the south to north axis. The photovoltaic (PV) array is always perpendicular to the direction of the sun. These trackers do not rely on temperatures so it can efficiently operate even on winter months. The only concern about active trackers is the regular maintenance required to run them.

Solar trackers are one great way in making the best out of the solar panels. Choose the solar tracker that will work best in your area of location. Passive or thermally operated trackers will be most efficient if you live in a place with temperate and have a lot of sun. On the other hand, active or electronically operated trackers would be the best system that can be used in colder climates and cold winters.

Whichever system is chosen and use, it may be practical and beneficial to have one on any PV system when affordable.

Utility Scale Solar Power

Utility scale solar power pertains to large power plants and solar farms to generate and supply power to many users. It is enjoyed by US states like Nevada, Arizona and California and in southern parts of Europe and Asian countries. Utility Scale Solar Power brings clean and dependable power for homes and establishments including residential, commercial and industrial users. Since time in memorial, solar energy has been there and in the past decades it has moved forward to the point that it is now possible to generate power in sunny areas supplying commercial solar power on a large scale, enough to power communities.

There are two primary categories of solar energy: Solar thermal and solar photovoltaic (PV) cells.

1. Solar thermal. The sun warms a fluid to generate steam which is used to drive a steam turbine and generator to produce electric power. In utility scale projects, mirrors can be used to accurately concentrate the sun's light more intensely to produce heat.

2. Photovoltaic cells. PV cells use a semiconductor to absorb the sun's energy and convert it to electric power. The most common semiconductor material being used for solar cells is silicon. The moment the silicon semiconductor absorb sunlight, the energy is then released into the semiconductor as electrons. The free electrons which are bouncing haphazardly create consumable energy when they begin to move in the same direction through an electrical field. This process creates electrical current that can be used to power houses, equipment and appliances.

Photovoltaic solar cells must be combined in order for utility energy to come from a solar array. Concentrated PV technologies installed as linked cells can use a multi junction system to join the cells creating a significant increase in the energy output.

Small PV applications include powering up a flashlight, garden lights, calculator, cell phones, street signs and small hydro pumps. For midsize uses, PV use includes powering up a part of a home, farm equipment or big box stores. For large scale uses, it can be used as central power plants.

In many ways, energy efficiency for commercial solar power has improved. Fresnel lenses are used to increase the energy collection and output efficiently. These lenses are the same as the ones being used in theater lighting and video projectors. The lenses focus on large quantities of sunlight into the concentrated PV cells and increase the energy output efficiently. Additional components are required in order to track the position of the sun in relation to the PV solar array. This positions the arrays in the best direction and location to absorb the sun's rays, thus increasing the system's efficiency.

Utility scale solar power for large uses is new and constantly developing, allowing more general interests and governmental focus. Modern technology have come up with many solar technologies making it possible for commercial solar power meet its needs or even increasing to fuel an entire city.

ReTech Power and Water Engineering specializes in leading edge renewable energy development, with a history of tackling some of the most challenging engineering problems of the day. Our global experience spans 35 years of diverse project engagement and positions us perfectly to address the current thrust into the much needed renewable energy development of today.
For more information on renewable energy, visit our website at http://www.retecheng.com/

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Pump gas prices turn an average $ 3 per gallon (AP)

NEW YORK — the average price of a litre of petrol per week continued to March steadily to $ 3 per gallon. In some parts of the country is above that already exists.

On Friday, the average price for a gallon of regular over United States almost $ 2.98, according to AAA, Wright Express and Oil price Information Service. It is 2 cents from Monday and 10 cents more than a week ago. Drivers on the West Coast, pay an average of $ 3.21 a gallon. Gas is about $ 3.09 a gallon in New England, $ 3.05 in the mid Atlantic States, $ 2.98 around the Great Lakes region and $ 2.82 in the Southwest.

A dime a gallon might not sound like much, but it adds up to 40 million dollars of the driving public pocket.

The rising price of oil has pushed up the petrol prices. Crude oil prices have climbed about 5 percent in the past 10 days, and on Tuesday the topping the $ 90 for the first time in over two years. On Friday, lost benchmark oil 58 cents to settle at $ 87.79 per barrel on Schwartz Mercantile Exchange.

The retail price of petrol could go higher, even if the oil price levels out. Gasoline deliveries have been affected by unexpected refinery shutdowns in the West and Midwest. "There has been much unscheduled recently and who has made ... petrol markets nervous," energy consultants Cameron Hanover said.

PFGBest Analyst Phil Flynn in Chicago said shutdown of a refinery in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, contributed to a tight supply on the East Coast, which can add a couple of cents per gallon gas prices.

Prices of oil and petrol is unlikely to drop significantly if demand picks up. Last Friday, The International Energy Agency raised its forecast of demand for this year and in 2011. IEA, based in Paris, considers consumption in North America and Asian emerging countries, particularly China, will be larger than the previously expected. If this happens, THE IEA said OPEC could increase goods prices to rise. In 2008, up OPEC production levels as oil shot past the $ 100, on the road to a record $ 147 per barrel.

The Organization of Oil exporting countries meet this weekend in Ecuador. "Before the meeting of THE OPEC ministers statements suggesting group is planning on a quick agreement to roll over the existing output target," THE IEA said.

In other trading on Nymex heating oil fell 0.93% to settle $ 2 per gallon gasoline, 4575 gave up 3,12 cents to settle at $ 2 per gallon and NG 3093 decreased 1.8 cents to settle at $ 7,011 per 1 000 cubic feet.

London Brent crude fell 51 cents to settle at $ 90; 48 per barrel on the ICE Futures Exchange.

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Laos inaugurates controversial hydropower dam (AFP)

HANOI (AFP) – Laos on Thursday its largest hydropower plant inaugurated, a controversial project hailed by supporters as decisive for the impoverished nation's development, but long opposition from environmentalists.

Asian Development (ADB) said the move opened "a new era" for growth, development and poverty reduction in the Communist country, where most people still live on less than two dollars a day.

"The importance of this hydroelectric projects to the Lao economy cannot be overemphasised," said president Haruhiko Kuroda, ADB, at a ceremony to officially inaugurate the Nam Theun 2 power station.

Critics say tens of thousands of people continue to be affected by the project, which has been ravaged by years of controversy.

After five years of construction and development costs more than $ 1.4 billion plant started supplying neighbouring Thailand with power in March.

With a production capacity of 1,070 MW owned joint development of Communist Laos, Electricite de France and Electricity Generating Public Company in Thailand.

Project on the Nam Theun River, a tributary of the Mekong, contributes two billion dollars to Laos-medium during its first 25 years, according to the company, the operation of it.

"Funds earmarked for basic education and health service improvement, rural electrification and other national poverty poverty alleviation programs," said ADB.

According to said an advance copy of his speech, Kuroda project will also reduce this country's dependence on international aid and to contribute to the deeper integration of the greater Mekong surroundings.

Laos, a highly dependent on foreign donors, rural-based society has a population of approximately six million.

ADB said power project contributes seven to nine percent of the country's national budget and approximately three percent of gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

GDP was last year nearly $ 5.6 billion.

However, environmentalists long-accepted Nam Theun 2 project.

United States-based watchdog international rivers says there are still questions about sustainability for supplies for more than 6 000 villagers moved for the dam, and tens of thousands more downstream.

-There is way too early to call this project a success, "says Ikuko Matsumoto, Lao Program Director for the group.

ADB said the vast majority of the villagers moved to consider their lives better.

"It is, of course, still challenges to ensure sustainable supply of affected people, monitor and respond to downstream impacts and protect area watershed which constitutes one of the few remaining wildernesses in the planet," said Kuroda.

Logging and outside commercial interests threaten the area's natural resources, constitutes a major challenge, says the statement from ADB, 120 million dollars in the dam.

French Foreign Trade Minister Pierre Lellouche called project's concern for the environment and the population "exemplary."

Most power goes to Thailand, but also the installation complies with up to 20% of peak demand, said Lao EL operator Nam Theun 2 companies (NT2).

"NT2 has defied the doubters who claimed such a complicated project could not be done in a poor country," said Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Executive Director of the World Bank Group, which is supervised and monitored.

Eight additional dams on the Mekong River, suggest the mainstream in Laos.

The project "could have profound and wide-ranging socio-economic and environmental consequences", a study released in October by the Mekong River Commission, an intergovernmental consultative bodies.

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OPEC ministers make no change in the output (AP)

QUITO, Ecuador – OPEC ministers decided Saturday to keep oil output at current levels, giving ample inventories of sustained global economic uncertainty and a price of just $ 90 per barrel.

12-member of the cartel said after an unusually short meeting that it based its decision on the projections show the demand for crude oil would grow more slowly than in the year 2011.

The statement also cited "challenging the risks to the weak global economic recovery," including "fear of a second crisis in the banking sector in Europe."

The world's major industrial countries continue to face "lower industrial production," lagging behind private consumption as well as continuing high unemployment, to Ministers.

"The market is to balance and is stable," oil minister Ali Naimi in Saudi Arabia, OPEC largest producer, says Reporters. -The economic fundamentals are sound. Suffering a cold, he quickly after closed-door meeting lasted less than two hours.

OPEC next scheduled collection is 2 June in Vienna, at home. Asked whether it could convene earlier if prices were to postpone, the Group's Secretary-General, the said Abdulla Salem El-Badri, this is always a possibility.

"OPEC is always ready to respond when there are important changes in the market," he says.

There was much discussion about whether oil would soon take up barrage psychological price $ 100 – or even climb closer to its historical peak of $ 147 2008 per barrel.

Venezuela's minister, Rafael Ramirez, said he believed such price was "right" is considering how much producers invest in removing oil from the ground up.

"No change" announcement was anticipated General and four cartel Ministers – from Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and Nigeria – not even made the journey, send lower level delegates to this Andean capital.

OPEC, which is responsible for 35 per cent of global oil production has not changed its output quotas since the end of 2008. Last month, said Naimi was the price from $ 70 to $ 90 per barrel tolerable for consumers. On Saturday, he high end to $ 80 when prompted.

The 50-year-old cartel has had a good year, with prices soar in the interval 80 mid $ and prizes 32 percent in 2009 to 750 billion dollars, according to the u.s. Energy Department estimates. OPEC does not release the profit figures.

Oil reached a two-year high of almost $ 91 on Tuesday – traders infer dimensions for 2011 demand and responded to a particularly severe onset of winter in Europe.

Paris-based International Energy Agency, or IEA, said Friday that stronger than currently expected consumption next year in North America and Asia's emerging economies, led by China could force the OPEC to increase the supply "prices continues its inexorable rise."

Issue its demand forecast, saying it is foreseen an increase in THE IEA demand next year to 88.8 million barrels per day, 260000 daily FAT more than previously forecast.

OPEC market monthly report released Friday, forecast a boost in demand for 1.2 million barrels per day 2011 year levels to an average of 87.1 million.

While Ministers expect demand for crude oil will continue to grow, "at this moment, demand is not good," said Iran's oil minister, Masoud Mir-Kazem, Reporters.

-If the demand does not turn out to be stronger than expected, there is still a safety cushion out there and they can come back later and increase production, says analyst David Kirsch of PFC energy in Washington, the Associated Press. "Or likely, what happens is that the individual members cheat."

EL-Badri said that currently about 60%.

Oil supplies in major industrial countries and China are currently well above normal and OPEC forecasts a demand boom in North America and China in the monthly market report was published on Friday, but consider Western Europe festering debt crisis will dampen consumption there.

EL-Badri said oil stocks was seven days above the average of five years. -There is enough oil in the market, "he added. "On OPEC has six or seven million barrels per day overcapacity."

OPEC average 29.1 million barrels of production last month, a drop of 70 000 barrels from October, Platts, which studies the industry officials and analysts.

OPEC last modified output at the end of 2008 when the ceiling of a record series of cuts to increase prices had plummeted with the global economic collapse.

Some analysts believe conditions now is conspiring against much more upward pressure on prices as effects wear from the US Central Bank ECB decision to issue or buy up to $ 2.3 trillion in u.s. Treasury bonds.

Post theme footer – essentially money – made U.S. exports cheaper abroad and increased the price of oil. It also encouraged the Chinese to buy and store more oil.

Many analysts believe 100 dollars per barrel oil is inevitable in 2011 if it could be months before it gets there.

"All worked up about 100 dollars per barrel," said Barbara Shook, a Houston-based analyst with energy intelligence group. It is a psychological speech. A hundred dollar oil means that you have received $ 3 gasoline on each market in the United States

"And there is another tipping point. It can drop consumption, reduction in discretionary driving, things, "she added.

Ecuador, which entered THE OPEC 2007 after 15-year absence, holds the rotating Presidency of the year. Iran will take over for 2011.

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Liquefied natural gas station opened in Conn. (AP)

HARTFORD, Conn. — a new type of gas station opening in Connecticut, sells LNG to trucks to reduce polluting diesel smoke while potentially saving money.

Bill Malone, owner and operator of Enviro Express Inc., transporting waste and landfill and transfer stations open LNG station Friday at his company in Bridgeport near busy Interstate 95, a major East Coast Highway stretching from Maine to Florida.

Bridgeport station will also sell CNG as a fuel cars. Malone and other promoters of LNG for vehicles say fuel stations, established years ago in the Western world, is only now beginning to move to the East, begins with the Connecticut.

the 53-year-old Malone, who said that he has been in business with trucking because he was 18, looking to reduce pollution from its fleet of diesel fuel trucks. He heard of Clean Energy Fuels Corp., which designs, builds and manages natural gas fueling stations. Malone said 2008, he met with t. Boone Pickens, a co-founder of man oil Seal Beach, California, and Texas, now a booster of alternative fuels.

"He convinced me to be profitable as a trucking company, I need go LNG," Malone said.

Liquefied and compressed gas used initially for corporate and Government fleets. Malone is planning to begin converting 18 in their own trucks to LNG, and said he has won a commitment from AT&T Inc. to buy fuel for 48 trucks.

The station will be open for trucks and cars which can fill with a credit card linked to their fleet of company accounts.

Promoter of natural gas is, LNG and CNG is cleaner than gasoline and reduce U.S. dependence on imported oil as the most natural gas is from North America.

Cost savings will grow as oil prices continue to climb, with a distinction between 50 cents and $ 1 per gallon, "said Bruce Russell, spokesman for the Clean Energy Fuels Corp. large trucks can consume up to 20,000 gallons a year or more," he says.

Patrick Davis, vehicle technology program manager at the u.s. Department of energy, said the Bridgeport station is among the many projects that may total 300 million dollars in federal stimulus funding. Representing approximately one third of the total investment in these projects, which includes money committed by companies such as Enviro Express.

6.2 million dollars the cost of the Bridgeport station divided between Enviro Express and federal stimulus money.

"I would buy new trucks anyway. I couldn't have planned better, "said Malone.

Bridgeport station, Davis said is only open to the East of the Mississippi River, and other LNG and CNG stations are intended primarily to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil and fuel that does not pollute.

Liquefied natural gas is liquefied after being taken for temperatures as low as minus 200 degrees, "says Bruce Wilding, researcher at the Idaho National Laboratory. Compressed natural gas can be used for cars, which he said is more common in the West than the East Coast.

Russell said LNG "will" as an alternative fuel for transport, trucking.

Clean energy has reached an agreement to install LNG stations at truck stops nationwide and is building three stations, one in Texas and two in Southern California.

LNG vehicle has plied the motorways in California before moving to other States because of the demands for cleaner air, said Russell.

Malone said in the meantime, he will keep his diesel trucks as backups for LNG station has technical problems.

"If we have a problem with the fueling station, I can't run the road to another fueling station," he says.

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Oil rises to near $ 89 for OPEC meeting (AP)

Sofia – Oil prices increased to near $ 89 a barrel Tuesday in Asia traders looked to the weekend OPEC meeting for changes in cartel's crude production.

Benchmarking of oil for January delivery was up 40 cents to $ 88 77 per barrel in the late afternoon of Singapore time in electronic trading on Schwartz Mercantile Exchange. Contract to 9 cents to settle at $ 88 37 on Thursday.

Analysts say officials in 12-nation organization of petroleum exporting countries are likely to leave the Group's production quotas unchanged at Saturday's meeting in Ecuador.

OPEC, which is responsible for 35 per cent of global oil production has not changed its output quotas since the end of 2008. Last month, said the Saudi oil minister Ali Naimi that oil between $ 70 and $ 90 per barrel was acceptable to consumers.

Some analysts are worried that the sluggish economic growth in the developed countries cannot justify high prices for commodities such as oil, which reached a two year high earlier this week.

"The threat of bubbles is greatest in commodity markets, says Capital Economics in a report."If commodity prices will be maintained at these levels, the final demand from consumers also be consistently strong. "

"Since the major developed economies recover only gradually from recession, this placing an awful lot of weight on the rise in emerging economies."

In other Nymex trading in January contract, heating oil rose 1.5 cents to $ 2.48 a gallon of gasoline futures to 0.2 per cent to $ 2.34 slipped a gallon and NG 0.5% to $ 4.43 per 1,000 cubic feet.

In London, Brent crude oil increased 50 cents to $ 91.49 per barrel on the ICE Futures Exchange.

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Iraqi Kurd leader says Kirkuk belongs to Kurdistan (Reuters)

ARBIL, Iraq, Dec. 11 (Reuters)-Iraqi Kurdish leader Massoud Barzani said Saturday that his autonomous region shall have the right to self-determination and contested city of Kirkuk, above some of Iraq's largest oil reserves.

Kirkuk destiny is one of the most important issues in contention between the Kurdish region and the Central Government in Baghdad, are locked in disputes over land and some of the world's richest oil fields.

Barzani told a Conference of his Kurdish Democratic Party in Arbil right to Kirkuk to Kurdistan was non-negotiable.

-Kurdish identity of Kirkuk is not a matter of bargaining, "he says.

At the same event said Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki he would keep the constitutional deadline to form the new Iraqi Government. He was charged on November 25, with putting together a cupboard and had 30 days to deliver.

Iraq has been without a new Government for more than nine months after the March elections failed to produce a clear winner.

Sunni and Shi'ite, Kurdish factions squabbled over position and power for months before it finally reaches a compromise last month, which would cover all the major political blocs in the next Government.

KIRKUKS HOME?

Barzani's region and the Iraqi central Government submits in the year of Arbil had the right to sign oil development contracts with foreign oil companies. Baghdad says Iraqi oil assets are under its jurisdiction and calls Kurdish region contract unlawful.

The disagreement is closed oil exports from the region last year and they have yet to start, even if both sides oil ministers have said recently that exports should begin early next year.

Central to the territorial disputes is the fate of Kirkuk, American officials say can sit at 4% of world reserves. The city's population is a mixture of Kurds, Arabs, Turkmen and others.

Iraq deferred recently a national inventory that could determine what percentage of the population is Kurdish Kirkuks, an important step towards resolving the city should be part of Kurdistan.

Tensions surrounding census has escalated recently. Some Arab families have said they are ordered to leave the city before the number of population.

Barzani tried to allay fears about Kirkuks future.

"If there were concerns that the Kurds would exclude unilaterally on Kirkuk connects to Kurdistan, I would like to reassure everyone that we want to make an example of coexistence of Kirkuk," he says.

Even former party congresses were discussed and "confirmed the right to self-determination" Kurdistan, Barzani said this year it is a fundamental question on the agenda.

Malikis promise to name his new Government through constitutional deadline can be an indication of the difficulty to reach an agreement with rival political blocs on specific candidates for CABINET posts. He had earlier said he would name a cabinet from mid-December.

"The Government sees the light of this constitutional period and before the time limit of 30 days," said Maliki THE FOUNDERS OF THE Congress.

"I urge all blocks to accelerate submit their candidates and do not stay long on minor issues," he says.

(Additional reporting by Waleed Ibrahim and Muhanad Mohammed; writing by Jim Loney)

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Factbox: OPEC ministerial level comments in Quito meeting (Reuters)

QUITO (Reuters) – OPEC agreed to maintain the current oil production levels at their meeting last Saturday while Saudi Arabia reiterated that $ 70-$ 80 per barrel was its favoured the price of crude oil.

Group scheduled its next meeting on 2 June to discuss the production policy.

Below are comments from OPEC ministers and officials at the Saturday meeting:

Saudi Arabia

-Asked by reporters in Quito, what price range Saudi favoured, Saudi Oil Foreign Minister Ali al-Naimi said:-$-$ 80 is a good price.

OPEC SECRETARY GENERAL

-"If there is a problem with the basics and then we would be interested, but if the fundamentals are okay and there is enough oil in the market and prices shoots to $ 147 as it happened in 2008, it is not our problem. This is a problem, "said Secretary General speculation, Abdullah al-Badri.

"There are lots of oil on the market, there is no shortage."

-Asked if the producer group could hold an extraordinary meeting before June, "said al-Badri" OPEC is always ready to respond when there is an imbalance in the market. "

-"If prices are high because of speculation, we can do something about it."

-"When you go to buy oil and you can't find it, it is OPEC will intervene and solve it."

-"If you have six days above the average of five years in stock, what more do you need? If you have six million barrels per day of spare capacity, what more do you need?

"If you go to buy oil, you can find it anywhere you go."

-"We are comfortable with the price now and we have not a forecast prices."

OPEC PRESIDENT

-"The recent increase in basket price has been driven by the bullish sentiment is mainly attributable to the weakening dollar," says Wilson pastes, current President of OPEC oil Ministers of Ecuador.

"However, there was a general feeling in the market that today's levels are convenient for both producers and consumers."

Venezuela

-"We believe that the market should compensate for the high production costs. $ 100 per barrel seems to be an acceptable price, "said Venezuela Oil minister Rafael Ramirez.

-"We must maintain the same production, even though in the end of 2011, because the market is affected by speculation," Ramirez told Reporters after OPEC agree not to modify the supply.

Iran

-Iranian Oil minister Masoud Mirkazemi said demand was "not good" and "nominal prices is good, real prices are not".

Algeria

-"Currently prices are totally fair," said Algeria's Oil minister Youcef Yousfi.

Libya

-Shokri Ghanem, Chairman of the Libyan National Oil Corporation, said the fundamentals, rather than price was crucial.

"When there is a shortage on the market, or when we believe that there is a shortage on the market, we will, of course, to increase production, but it is not only a function of price, says Ghanem.

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Group: Leasing decline in the West have serious effects (AP)

CHEYENNE, Wyo. – Environmental red tape has contributed to a 79 percent reduction of oil and gas leasing on public land in the Rocky Mountain States, taking a toll on the region's economy, says a petroleum industry group.

Members of the Denver-based Western Energy Alliance is prepared to spend $ 3.9 billion to drill in the West, 16 000 jobs, says Kathleen Sgamma, Group Director of Government Affairs.

Bureaucratic uncertainty which causes them to look elsewhere to invest, "she said.

"They simply cannot be authorized, they cannot recover their approved projects" Sgamma said Thursday.

An Alliance report released this week documents falling numbers, although questioned an environmental campaigner's characterization of the Federal authorisation procedure that is stuck in bureaucratic control.

"Oil and gas is like a child with 10 sticks. It can only put one in his mouth. But if you try and take one of the 10 away, it will cry and scream, "says Erik Molvar, biodiversity conservation Alliance.

U.s. Bureau of land Management in seven States — Colorado, Dakotas, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming — issued 60 percent fewer parcels for leasing and 70% less areas for rental in 2010 than in 2005, according to the report.

The result, the group said, has been a 46 percent decrease in revenues from leasing, from US $ 190 million to $ 102 million. It is money that goes to the Federal Government and the Governments of the struggling with budget deficits, "said Sgamma.

Not only is less sea lease sale on BLM auctions, "she said, but fewer leases are issued to companies under very stringent environmental review since the Obama administration took office nearly two years ago.

"There are already three layers of analysis in the process of leasing. This Administration has another couple of other layers of analysis, "said Sgamma. We think it's probably time to scale back some of that redundant analysis and enable development review, to go further, to create jobs in the West and economic activity.

Less drilling in the West has been the industry itself, said Molvar.

Companies have to be drilled to the point where they have created a natural gas glut that has pushed down prices, Molvar said Friday. Economy, more than anything, has caused leasing downturn, "he says.

"It is disingenuous to suggest that the reduction of the lease is driven by some form of Government policy or supervision of environmentalists, because it is the oil industry itself which is requested by a much smaller area to leased lines," Molvar said.

Companies nominate parcels BLM oil and gas leasing. Western Energy Alliance Report shows the number of nominated parcels reduces from about 3,000 in 2007 to $ 300 in 2010, said Molvar.

"No wonder you may decrease," he says.

Sgamma said lease nominations "not just disappear" and there is a "huge backlog" of nominated lease before the BLM.

"What companies in the right mind would continue to nominate and again when there is no progress?" she said.

Molvar said companies exercising their right to drill on only a small number of leases that they acquire – just 30 percent in Wyoming. He also said that several large drilling projects, and thousands more wells, approved in recent years.

Sgamma said companies often do not drill in leases since the examination shows that the loan is not viable. Focus on high-profile projects with thousands of new wells, "she said, overlooking the bigger picture of many small developer does not have permission to drill through only a handful of wells.

The overall result, Sgamma said, is well on the West cost more, causing companies to ensure gas plays, mainly in private land in the East and South.

"We want to put Western European States at a disadvantage to the rest of the country? We do not think that should be present, "she says.

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IEA lifts oil demand forecast in United States, Asia growth (AP)

PARIS-the International Energy Agency on Friday raised its forecast of demand for 2010 and 2011, quoted the stronger than expected consumption in North America and Asian emerging countries, particularly China

The Paris-based noted that OPEC under such conditions may be under pressure in the next year to increase the supply.

Global demand next year should hit 88.8 million barrels per day, 260000 daily FAT more than previously expected, the Agency said. THE IEA also raised their 2010 appreciation to 87.4 million barrels per day, up from its 130,000 daily BARRELS earlier forecast.

Oil is taken care of in the top-$ 1980s this week – to reach a two-year high of $ 90.76 on Tuesday – as traders have seen how much the global crude demand can grow in 2011.

Officials in the 12-nation organization of petroleum exporting countries are expected to leave the Group's production quotas unchanged at Saturday's meeting in Ecuador, THE IEA said in its latest monthly report.

"Before the meeting of THE OPEC ministers statements suggesting group is planning on a quick agreement to roll over the existing output target," said the report from the Agency, which is energy arm of the Organization for economic cooperation and development, a grouping of the world's richest countries.

But "in the light of the much stronger than expected global oil demand growth, but OPEC may come under pressure to increase the supply to the market for the new year prices continues its inexorable rise," the report said.

The Agency said that because of the higher than expected global demand next year, OPEC will probably need to produce an estimated 29.5 million barrels per day – 100 000 daily FAT more than the IEA's previous estimate.

Preliminary data from China suggests that demand was up 12.6 percent in October 2010, compared with a year earlier, THE IEA said.

"The strength of China's demand for oil is compatible with other indicators that suggest that the economy is in danger of overheating, said the report."It is not only has a GDP growth rate continues to hover around 10 percent mark, but inflation also creeping up. "

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