A utility based in Atlanta has pledged funds to support an energy efficiency program in its four-state service territory. The Southern Company said it will help fund the efforts of the Southeast Energy Efficiency Alliance over the next three years.

"The Southeast is the fastest-growing region in the nation, which offers tremendous opportunity to foster green buildings and clean industries to compete in world markets by using energy wisely," said Marilyn Brown, a professor of public policy at the Georgia Institute of Technology who chairs the Alliance. "By engaging with regional energy leaders such as the Southern Company, SEEA seeks to make energy efficiency the most important resource to meet growing energy demand in the Southeast."

In 2006, the Southern Company invested more than $73 million to promote energy efficiency through its operating subsidiaries. Coupled with energy efficiency programs for customers, this investment has lowered costs to consumers, reduced overall energy consumption, helped protect the environment, and eliminated the need for the company to build an additional 2,800 megawatts of new generating capacity.

Southern has 4.3 million customers and more than 42,000 megawatts of generating capacity.

Take your average iron—the domestic one. While the iron might not seem like a complicated product, its design includes detailed geometric contours and intricate internal mechanisms.

Engineers at Rowenta, a home appliance manufacturer in Erbach, Germany, wanted to reuse digital iron components in their varied CAD designs to avoid having to redesign the same part again and again for each new product. For this, they turned to their upgraded NX CAD software from UGS of Plano, Texas. UGS has recently upgraded NX to version five. Although Rowenta has been using NX for 16 years, the engineers appreciate the reuse capabilities included in the new version, according to Ralf Kremer, the company's CAD manager.

The upgrade gives users direct access to the UGS product lifecycle management application, Teamcenter. It also enables companies like Rowenta to reduce rework by giving engineers a library tool that displays standard parts and reusable content. Engineers browse existing folders and directories for the company's standard parts, catalog parts, and designed parts, which they can include in their own designs.

Another feature lets users drag icons of parts to the model and automatically positions them.

Klaus Reining, manager of information technology at Rowenta, said that engineers there appreciate the reusability features.

"We began developing components as parametric models whose dimensions can quickly be adjusted to fit newer products," he said. "At the same time, we began building parametric assembly models that automatically update to match a change to one component."

Maybe it would help to think of all the technology that goes into your simple household appliance the next time you set up the ironing board with dread for the task ahead.

Is the United States missing the boat on geothermal energy? The Geothermal Energy Association certainly thinks so. In a report titled An Assessment of Geothermal Resource Development Needs in the Western United States, the trade group calls geothermal "an underestimated, underreported, underexplored, and understudied natural resource."

Report author Daniel Fleischmann said that the U.S. geothermal industry has nearly 60 projects capable of producing more than 2,000 megawatts in the pipeline. If they all reach completion, they will double U.S. domestic capacity.
Fleischmann said another 150,000 megawatts of near-term capacity is possible. This is equivalent to an estimate of U.S. geothermal resources by the U.S. Geological Survey in 1978. Fleischmann said that the 1978 survey vastly underestimated the technology's potential.

The report considered only conventional hydrothermal reservoirs shallower than 3,000 meters with water temperatures greater than 150°C. Fleischmann, on the other hand, noted that some geothermal projects tap reservoirs down to 6,000 meters, and others use water at temperatures as low as 72.5°C.

The range of possible resources has also widened. According to Fleisch- mann, researchers believe they can extract electric power from most oil and gas fields by tapping geopressured hot water, natural gas, and hot wastewater reservoirs. He sees geothermal potential for power and cascaded heating for alternative fuel production, aquaculture, greenhouses, and mineral and vegetable processing facilities. Geothermal resources can also be used for heating.

The Geothermal Energy Association calls for several policy changes. They include extension of the production tax credit that makes alternative fuels more competitive; incentives for geothermal distributed generation and direct use projects; more funding for the Department of Energy's Geothermal Technologies Program; more interagency coordination on transmission, environmental, leasing, and permitting issues on federal lands; and a new survey on geothermal resources.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration, total U.S. generating capacity was 978,000 megawatts in 2005. If the United States develops all 150,000 megawatts of geothermal potential, it would be equivalent to 15 percent of current U.S. capacity.

Fleischmann writes that if it all 150,000 megawatts came online by 2015, it would provide about half the new energy demand of the 13 states that make up the Western United States.

Sales of Profibus nodes, the networking system for manufacturing plants and machinery, are on track to exceed 20 million by 2008.

That's the assessment of the umbrella organization representing 25 regional Profibus offices around the world and more than 1,400 member companies.

By selling 3.4 million Profibus nodes in 2006, according to PI (Profibus and Profinet International), the number of units installed worldwide climbed to 18.8 million, remaining on track to reach the 20 million mark forecasted for 2008 by the group in 2004.

According to the industry, Profibus suits the majority of process applications because they often require process instruments and discrete functionality to run side-by-side.

A technology company based in Gibraltar has entered an agreement with Delta Air Lines to develop a system to use electric motors to move jets under their own power on the ground with their engines off.

Current methods of moving aircraft across airports are to tow them with an external vehicle or to use the thrust of the main turbines. Using the turbines burns much more fuel than is needed to roll an airplane at taxiing speed.

Using the aircraft's auxiliary power unit to drive electric motors would free the airplane from relying on a tow vehicle, and would consume less fuel than using the turbines. A system using the APU and electric motors would also generate less noise than using the plane's big turbines.

The system, developed by WheelTug plc, uses electric motors in the nose wheel so pilots can back planes away from gates without a tow tug and taxi to a remote point before starting the turbines. After landing, the pilot can turn off the jet engines and switch power to the motors.

WheelTug demonstrated a proof of the concept in 2005.

A representative of Delta said design issues include questions of economics. Adding the system will make a plane heavier, so it will require more fuel to fly. The system must be powerful enough to move a commercial jet and light enough so it does not cost too much of the fuel it is intended to save.

According to a statement by Delta, approval of the system is expected in 2009.

Delta said the agreement gives it the option of deciding whether or not to go into the business of installing and maintaining WheelTug systems for itself and other airlines. Delta is already running a maintenance business that serves more than 100 customers. The airline also said it has warrants to buy as many as 600,000 shares of WheelTug at $36 per share.

An office representing ASME in India is due to open in Delhi on July 1. ASME has contracted a consulting company, Tecnova India Pvt. Ltd., to conduct market research and to operate the office for the Society for the next three years.

Tecnova will look at opportunities in India to sell ASME products or services, and will expand relationships with various organizations and institutions in the country, including the Indian Institutes of Technology, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and the Confederation of India Industry.

India has become a major force in global engineering. The Society believes that ASME is widely known in the gas and oil sector there, and sees opportunities to become established in other key areas of activity in India, including nuclear power and biotechnology.

According to John Corcoran, ASME's managing director, services, the current plan is that, after three years, Tecnova will turn over operation of the office to the Society. At that time, the India office staff members are expected to become employees of ASME.

The Delhi office will be the second major initiative launched in Asia by ASME this year. The Society announced in late February that it had received approval to establish a company, ASME Asia Pacific LLC, to conduct business in China.

New England's first zero-emission fuel cell-powered hybrid bus made its debut last month in Hartford, Conn.

The 40-foot transit bus began its run on a free downtown shuttle route. In a few months, it will move to other routes that serve the capital city and surrounding towns. This will be done to meet the project goal of testing the bus in all types of typical transit service, including low and high speeds, and routes with steep grades.

CT Transit and its project partners will analyze data on fuel economy, maintenance costs, and reliability.

According to UTC Power, which provided the fuel cell power plant, benefits of the bus include zero harmful tailpipe emissions, along with smooth and quiet operation and fuel efficiency that is expected to be two times better than a standard diesel-powered bus.

"The people who live and work in Hartford and the people who visit the city are not only going to enjoy riding this quiet bus, but also will like the fact it emits nothing but water vapor, making for cleaner air for all of us to breathe," said Jan van Dokkum, UTC Power's president.

A $2.9 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration to the Greater Hartford Transit District funded the bus and infrastructure to support this and future fuel cell transportation projects in Greater Hartford.

UTC Power has provided fuel cell power plants for fleet transportation since 1998.

A standards-issuing organization, ASTM International, wants to hear from engineers who have an interest in cavitation erosion testing.

The organization's Subcommittee G02.10 on Erosion wants to hear from people who have used ASTM Method G 32 for cavitation erosion testing or have used any other cavitation erosion, or liquid impingement erosion, test method (for example, ASTM G 73 or G 134). The group says it also wants to hear from anyone who has a concern with cavitation erosion as a field problem or research topic.

People who fall into any of these categories should send a note with a brief explanation to Frank J. Heymann, the task group chairman, at 25 Thornton Way, No. 205, Brunswick, ME 04011, or by e-mail to marseah@gwi.net.

The group says the objective of this effort is to help determine the degree of interest in, and importance of, cavitation erosion test methods at the present time. People who get in touch with the subcommittee will receive a followup questionnaire, according to Paul A. Swanson, the subcommittee's chairman.

One of the original pioneers of aviation has won a hefty contract. Curtiss-Wright Corp. of Roseland, N.J., through its motion control segment, received a contract from Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. for the supply of RAST probes to be fitted on 28 of the H-92 helicopters destined for the Canadian Maritime Helicopter Program. Valued at more than $13 million, the contract includes design, development, testing, and delivery of production probes for the helicopters.

The helicopter probe is required to interface with the shipboard RAST system provided by Curtiss-Wright to the Canadian Department of National Defence. RAST is a helicopter handling system that integrates all of the functions required to safely operate and stow large ship-borne helicopters. In addition to enabling safe launch and recovery, RAST facilitates the securing, maneuvering, and hangaring of helicopters, day or night, even in adverse weather and high sea state conditions.

The RAST system is used by a number of navies around the world, including those of the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, Spain, and Taiwan. The helicopter-installed probe forms an integral part of the securing and handling system by providing the structural attachment point between the ship-installed RAST system and the aircraft.

Work for this contract will be performed at Curtiss-Wright's facility in Mississauga, Ontario. RAST Production deliveries are scheduled to be made from 2008 to 2010.

Sikorsky is in Stratford, Conn.

The Timken Company says it has been selected as the authorized supplier of tapered roller bearings for the axle-riding final drives of the new Siemens Velaro E high-speed train, billed as Europe's fastest. The train can reach speeds up to 217 miles per hour on the Madrid-to-Barcelona route. The drives are made by Voith Turbo GmbH & Co. KG.

Education textbook publisher Sheet Metal Guy LLC of Cincinnati has published a new book, Customizing SolidWorks for Greater Productivity. Writer Neil Bucalo is a certified SolidWorks support technician and co-author of the series, SolidWorks for the Sheet Metal Guy.

Spartan Chassis Inc. of Charlotte, Mich., has purchased a pair of manufacturing facilities near its headquarters. The facilities, which total 80,000 square feet, will help Spartan meet anticipated increased demand from its military customers to supply and integrate key chassis components for mine-resistant ambush- protected vehicles, while also creating capacity at Spartan's other facilities for fire truck and motorhome chassis production.

Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide Inc. of Irvine, Calif., has signed an agreement in China for the distribution and sale of compressed natural gas cylinders into international markets. Through this agreement, Quantum gains access to lower-cost Type II steel tanks and Type III aluminum-lined, carbon fiber-wrapped, high-pressure CNG cylinders, enabling entry into broader international market segments.

The U.S. Department of Defense awarded the University of Missouri-Columbia a $10 million grant to develop alternative energy sources and bioweapon sensors. The university's International Center for Nano/Micro Systems and Nanotechnology will partner with the Picatinnny Arsenal in New Jersey to produce the devices.

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© 2007 by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers