Solar Power Fundamentals

PSEC, formerly known as the Power Systems Engineering Course, has been providing energy executives with strategies to maximize planning, operations and expansion initiatives for more than 60 years.

The courses, held at GE's Energy Learning Center in Schenectady, New York, U.S., are offered in many flexible education options, including four-and-a-half month, four-week and two- to four-day programs. The PSEC program has four quarters: power systems planning and application I; power systems planning and application II; energy economics, power markets and strategic planning; and emerging generation technologies and analysis. There are six different classes offered in each quarter and all are certified continuing education units.

Throughout PSEC's 61-year history, the courses have continually evolved to keep up with changes in the energy industry, and the curriculum has been revised to reflect the needs of its students. Recent updates to the program include topics such as fuel flexibility, wind power integration, utility economics, strategic transmission planning, smart grid and deregulation.

PSEC started with four students in 1949, focusing on power systems engineering invented by forefathers of the industry. Over time, the reach of the program has expanded internationally to where PSEC has attracted attendees from 57 different nations. As the number of attendees grew so did the curriculum, which has evolved to include energy economics, strategic planning and emerging generation solutions.

“In addition to insightful lectures by industry experts, the learning experience includes valuable tours of research centers and manufacturing facilities, as well as use of the Energy Learning Center's power labs and latest industry software,” said Martin Shalhoub, PSEC program manager. “The new curriculum, coupled with the existing high-quality courses, allows participants to stay on the cutting edge of energy knowledge.”

PSEC is the largest corporate education partner of IEEE, which is the world's leading professional association for the advancement of technology. IEEE has more than 375,000 members, each eligible for a 10% discount on PSEC courses.
PSEC | www.ge-energy.com/psec

Cargo Monitoring Intelligence Service

Following rigorous operational tests with customers worldwide, Savi Networks now is poised to field high volumes of the 10^th wireless cargo tracking device leveraged by SaviTrak, the company's supply chain execution intelligence service built on an open technology platform.

SaviTrak can provide real-time intelligence on the global location, security and condition of inventory transported by container shipments through its integration with an innovative tag device that includes GPS, cellular and active radio-frequency identification with sensor technologies.

The multi-wireless device, which clamps onto a container door, receives GPS location information at configurable time intervals. Sensors embedded in the tag detect and record security breaches of the container doors, as well as changes inside the container of temperature, light and humidity. The device then communicates the information to either active RFID or GSM cellular networks using GPRS, which has the world's largest cellular coverage.

The new device has been tested for nearly one year in real-world operational environments involving global customs authorities, major international shippers, terminal operators and third-party logistics service providers of tagged shipments throughout Asia and between Asia, the United States, the Middle East and Europe.
Savi Networks | www.SaviNetworks.com

Tool Manager Program

Dynamic Systems Inc., a software developer specializing in data-collection applications, announces the release of a low-cost tool manager program based on bar code technology.

The Basic Tool Manager is targeted for contractors who want to reduce the loss of tools and save time tracking down tools for the jobs. In just one minute, a staff member can check a tool out or in, which reduces overhead costs by eliminating time spent searching for tools.
Dynamic Systems Inc. | www.click2barcode.com

Lifetime Pole Guarantee

Resin Systems Inc. announces that its RStandard modular composite poles will now feature a 41-year warranty and a lifetime guarantee. In the unlikely event that a utility customer discovers a manufacturing defect with an RStandard pole, the RS warranty will provide for a replacement pole at no additional charge if the defect is reported and verified within 41 years of the date of its delivery to the customer.

Under the new lifetime guarantee, RS will replace any pole that fails as a result of the physical loads imposed by ice, snow, wind or lightning strikes.
Resin Systems Inc. | www.grouprsi.com

Virtual Grid Management

Verisae and AREVA have teamed to provide a comprehensive suite of software and services that manages and automates a variety of electricity transactions across multiple ISO, RTO and utility territories.

Virtual Grid Management encompasses Verisaes' behind-the- customer meter modules, such as meter data management and load controls, including measurement and verification, carbon management, rebate and incentives, and a host of related facility automation and end-user applications. Verisae's customer and meter data feed into AREVAs' market solutions, including ISO interfaces, market bidding and settlement systems, as well as contract management, demand event management, scheduling, risk management, forecasting and optimization.

The Virtual Grid Management solution set is modular and can be used in concert with existing software and meter solutions or stand-alone. Also, using Verisae's platform, the solutions can be deployed in software as a service mode.
Verisae Inc. | www.verisae.com

Solution to Reduce Outages and Improve Reliability

Osmose Utilities Services announces a new solution for electric utilities seeking to improve distribution network reliability. Osmose has formed an alliance with Exacter Inc. that enhances both companies' ability to help customers eliminate or reduce outages and meet their reliability targets. The alliance combines Osmose's nationwide team of professional-grade technicians and project managers with Exacter's proprietary predictive-maintenance technology.

Utility companies are under increasing pressure from consumers and regulators to improve reliability and power quality while maintaining low delivery costs. Reliability initiatives typically include expansion of tree-trimming programs and the installation of animal guards to exposed electrical equipment. But equipment failures persist as a leading cause of outages, and defective equipment has proven to be difficult to identify prior to failure.

At the heart of the alliance is Exacter's outage-avoidance technology that can identify failing overhead equipment so that it can be repaired or replaced before outages occur. Exacter has an extensive database of equipment failure information on more than one million poles from nearly 100 utilities. Exacter's field test data shows that its failing equipment findings are 97.8% accurate.

The Osmose/ Exacter alliance offers utility companies some key benefits:

• A technology-enabled process to accurately identify failing equipment

• Improved speed to large-scale deployment with Osmose manpower

• Improved SAIFI and mitigation of worst-performing circuits

• Reduced complaints from LAN and AMI operators.

Osmose | www.osmoseutilities.com

Exacter | www.exacterinc.com

Arc-Flash Detection Relay

Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. announces the immediate availability of arc-flash detection (AFD) capability in the SEL-751A Feeder Protection Relay, providing fully automatic protection against dangerous arc-flash events. Without AFD, the arc flash can cause severe personal injury, extensive equipment damage, and lengthy system outages. In contrast, AFD interrupts power to the arc flash before it can cause significant damage. Anyone with metal-clad switchgear will benefit from using the SEL-751A with AFD.

The SEL-751A AFD solution uses fiber-optic, arc-flash light sensors to detect the light produced by an arc-flash event. To prevent false tripping, the SEL-751A looks for an overcurrent that coincides with the light flash. When both conditions are met, the SEL-751A sends a trip signal to the circuit breaker in as fast as 2 ms. This fast tripping significantly reduces the damage-causing energy released by the arc-flash event.
Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Inc. www.selinc.com/Arc-Flash/

Identification and Labeling System

Automation Systems Interconnect announces the availability of MARKINGenius2, a high-resolution, high-speed printer based on thermal transfer technology. It is capable of producing markers for wires and cables, legends for panel components such as switches, pilot lights, contactors and markers for all of the most popular terminal blocks on the market. All of these various types of labels, legends and markers are printed with minimal changes and set-up to the machine and they can be printed with Windows True type fonts in black or in color. The MARKINGenius2 is even capable of reproducing Clipart images, Logos, drawings, barcodes, and bitmaps down to very small sizes making it ideal for printing informational labels for equipment and panels.

Compact, ergonomic, clean and silent operation make the MARKINGenius2 ideal for locating and operating the machine in an office, like any other peripheral. At 10 times faster than a regular plotter system, the MARKINGenius2 can print over 1000 labels with up to eight characters each in only 6.5 minutes. The software controlling the printer features an economizer function that makes maximum use of the entire monochrome ribbon so that it can easily print over 150,000 labels before replacement.

This terminal printer is capable of printing on both flexible low-cost media such as wire markers or on rigid media such as terminal block, switch and panel labels. The carriage loading and unloading operations are rapid; support templates are easily and quickly interchanged, and as the pigment deposited on the label from the ribbon dries instantaneously, the printed labels are immediately ready to use.
Automation Systems Interconnect | www.asi-ez.com

Graphics Module for MicroTCA and AdvancedTCA

GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms, a unit of GE Enterprise Solutions, announces the Telum 3001 Graphics Adapter AdvancedMC. Designed to deliver substantially more graphics performance and functionality than previously has been available for MicroTCA and AdvancedTCA, the Telum 3001 includes advanced features such as provision for dual digital and/or analog displays, very high resolutions and support for ganged (configuring multiple graphics cards on the same platform) operation, giving even greater performance. These features make the Telum 3001 ideal for demanding video- and still-image applications, such as design engineering, board development and debugging, laboratory analysis and testing.

Customer choice is optimized by the Telum 3001's support for Windows XP/Vista, Linux, Carrier Grade Linux, Solaris and VxWorks.

At the heart of the Telum 3001 is a single silicon package that integrates the ATI M72-CSP128 GPU, 128 MB of onboard memory and x8 PCI Express, maximizing graphics throughput while minimizing impact on the host processor, for optimum performance — and at the same time minimizing power consumption. The M72 GPU leverages ATI's extensive expertise in PC gaming — the standard by which graphics quality is typically judged — and is capable of exceptional 2D, 3D and multimedia performance. Maximum resolutions supported by the Telum 3100 are 1920 by 1200 (DVI/digital) and 1600 by 1200 (VGA/analog), allowing customers to generate high-quality, detailed images, while maximum flexibility, compatibility and performance are provided by two DVI- and two VGA connections, DirectX 10.0 compliance, OpenGL 2.0 support, MPEG 1/2/4 hardware acceleration and full-speed 32-bit floating point processing.

Features such as PowerPlay balance performance and power for optimal energy efficiency, while CrossFireX substantially increases graphics processing capability by supporting multiple graphics cards in one system operating in ganged mode. The Telum 3001 also provides support for legacy applications with its VESA mode. DirectX 10.0 compliance is featured, as is OpenGL 2.0 support. MPEG 1/2/4 hardware acceleration and full-speed 32-bit floating point processing per component optimize graphics processing.

The Telum 3001 includes an AMC.0 Module Management Controller subsystem that is IPMI v2.0 compliant and initializes board-level parameters, monitors board voltage and temperature conditions, maintains system status and manages hot swap operation for high-availability applications. A microcontroller is used as the IPMI intelligence and connects to the AdvancedMC management bus. The Telum 3001 is hot swap capable and is field replaceable in accordance with AMC.0.
GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms | www.gefanucembedded.com

Protection Relay Tester

With six independently controlled current outputs, the new FREJA 306 protection relay test set from Megger provides an easy-to-use and economical solution for testing protection relays, including differential types. To further enhance its versatility, the FREJA 306 features extended high-current outputs, rugged construction and a wide operating temperature range, making it ideal for field use.

The FREJA 306 test set is suitable for use as a stand-alone device, or in conjunction with a PC running the FREJA WIN software package. In either case, the operation of the instrument is straightforward and intuitive, with FREJA WIN adding the benefits of a highly intuitive graphical user interface, as well as enhanced options for automated testing.

The outputs of the FREJA 306 can be configured as 3 × 15 A plus 3 × 35 A, or as 1 × 100 A. The outputs with a 35-A rating are particularly useful when testing 5 A relays, while the capability of these outputs for generating up to 50 V facilitates the testing of many types of electromechanical relay. The FREJA 306 also provides both low-level analog inputs, which are designed for transducer measurements, and high-level inputs for normal voltage and current measurements.

Static and dynamic tests can be performed with the instrument including, for example, pre-fault and fault generation, simultaneous ramping of multiple quantities and waveform editing. The FREJA 306 can also be used, in conjunction with FREJA SIM software, as a disturbance simulator with the capability of importing recorded disturbances. Static and dynamic tests can be performed with the instrument including, for example, pre-fault and fault generation, simultaneous ramping of multiple quantities and waveform editing.
Megger | www.megger.com

Elbow Arresters

Hubbell Power Systems' elbow arresters provide linemen with protection exceeding industry standards for compliance and safety by performing best under the worst of circumstances. These elbow arresters feature fiberglass- wrapped blocks and sealed, isolated chambers for enhanced safety.
Hubbell Power Systems www.hubbellpowersystems.com