Solar Power
Solar Panels and Feed-in Tariffs – The Intricacies of Solar Power
At its most basic, Solar Power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity; either directly using photovoltaics (PV), or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). CSP systems use a combination of lenses/mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area… Read more
Jul 25, 2011 | By carlor10
Industrial Automation
How Stuxnet (PLC virus) spreads – Part 2
Continued from How Stuxnet (PLC virus) spreads – Part 1 » Read here Stuxnet is a computer worm designed to infect Siemens SIMATIC WinCC and S7 PLC products, either installed as part of a PCS 7 system, or operating on… Read more
Jul 23, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
News
Siemens – CO2 Capture Technology Ready for Big Projects
A pilot project covered by Siemens and E.ON has shown that emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from any power plants can be effectively captured in projects they have demonstrated. More than 90% of the carbon dioxide (CO2) was… Read more
Jul 22, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
Industrial Automation
How Stuxnet (PLC virus) spreads – Part 1
The Stuxnet worm is a sophisticated piece of computer malware designed to sabotage industrial processes controlled by Siemens SIMATIC WinCC and PCS 7 control systems. The worm used both known and previously unknown vulnerabilities to install, infect and propagate, and… Read more
Jul 20, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
Lighting
Visibility and visual performance of good lighting
Human beings need to be informed about their surroundings in order to perform their activities in an easy and harmless fashion. Most information about the environment reaches human beings through their eyes. Therefore, it is of a visual nature. The… Read more
Jul 18, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
Wind Power
What Size Wind Turbine Do I Need?
The size of the wind turbine you need depends on your application. Small turbines range in size from 20 watts to 100 kilowatts. The smaller or “micro” (20–500-watt) turbines are used in a variety of applications such as charging batteries… Read more
Jul 16, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
News
ABB – The world’s first renewable energy island
A Spanish island in the Atlantic Ocean is set to become the first island in the world to be powered solely by renewable energy. The $87 million project will provide electricity for the island’s 11,000 inhabitants using a combination of… Read more
Jul 15, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
High Voltage
GIS vs AIS – Life cycle assessment
In order to ensure the future supply of electricity we require sustainable concepts that preserve resources and do not harm our environment. Humankind needs a reliable and secure power supply that is also environmentally friendly and economic – today and… Read more
Jul 14, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Fire Protection Measures
The measures to mitigate or lessen fire hazards are normally called “fire protection measures”. The National Fire Protection Association NFPA (U.S. organization charged with creating and maintaining minimum standards and requirements for fire prevention and suppression activities, training, and equipment,… Read more
Jul 13, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
High Voltage
Power Fuses in High Voltage
Power fuses are a generally accepted means of protecting power transformers in distribution substations. The primary purpose of a power fuse is to provide interruption of permanent faults. Fusing is an economical alternative to circuit switcher or circuit breaker protection…. Read more
Jul 11, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
Solar Power
Long history of solar energy
As with hydropower, solar energy has a long history. Many pre-historic cultures used it to warm their dwellings, dry their clothes, and cure their food. The importance of solar energy was so great that most cultures revered the Sun and… Read more
Jul 10, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Fuses – Principles of design and operation
A fuse consists of a replaceable part (the fuselink) and a fuse holder. Examples of fuse holders are shown in Fig. 1. The simplest fuselink is a length of wire. It is mounted by screw connections in a holder which… Read more
Jul 09, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Area classification in potentially explosive atmospheres
Area classification defines hazardous areas on the basis of the probability of a flammable atmosphere being present. It is a legal requirement under DSEAR for any employer whose business involves flammable materials in any form, and it results in the… Read more
Jul 08, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
Energy and Power
Generator tripping as stability control
Generator tripping is an effective (cost-effective) control especially if hydro units are used. Tripping of fossil units, especially gas- or oil-fired units, may be attractive if tripping to house load is possible and reliable. Gas turbine and combined-cycle plants constitute… Read more
Jul 06, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
SCADA
SCADA communication vulnerabilities
Cyber security engineering is expensive. However, the presence of vulnerabilities requires it. In this section we list vulnerabilities we typically see in SCADA systems. The order in the list of vulnerabilities does not reflect a priority in terms of likelihood… Read more
Jul 04, 2011 | By Edvard Csanyi
