PJE B4 Group 10-UPS class
Friday, February 25, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Malaysia's first solar power plant
TNB to call for tender for the project in Putrajaya soon
PETALING JAYA: Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has completed the pre-qualification tender process for Malaysia's first solar power plant to be located in Putrajaya. The utility will “very soon” call for tenders for the project that is estimated to cost some RM60mil, according to TNB president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh.
The plant's generating capacity may be too small to make the profit-minded or renewable energy advocates jump, but it marks a major step forward in the country's drive to harness renewable energy sources to wean itself from an over-reliance on fossil fuels, which will run out one day, and its impact on climate change.
In an interview with StarBiz, Che Khalib said the solar power plant would take 12 months for completion and would be located in the buffer zone of an existing power station in Putrajaya.
“One of the main concerns about solar power is the need for large tracts of land. So, we've decided to build the solar power on the 500m buffer area in the existing power plant,” he said. “The added advantage is that the cost will also be lower as there is already a substation in the location and we can immediately connect to the system.”
Solar power and other renewable energy sources feature prominently in the Economic Transformation Programme
The cost of a solar power plant is estimated at US$4mil per megawatt (MW). For perspective, that makes it roughly six times more costly than putting up an open cycle gas-fired plant, four times more expensive than a combined-cycle gas plant and just under three times higher than a coal-fired plant.
“But that's not exactly an apple-to-apple comparison as coal and combined-cycle plants can go up to 80% load factor whereas a solar plant can only run on peak load,” said an industry analyst.
Che Khalib said: “This is our initiative. We know it's not going to give us an economic return based on the current tariff system but this will be a learning process for us. By doing this, we will have a head-start in terms of knowledge. Also, when we receive proposals for solar power, we will know (what it takes to set up such a plant).”
TNB will implement the project based on three types of solar technology silicon, thin film and polycrystalline. (There are various technologies used in the making of solar panels and they vary in terms of cost, panel surface, durability and longevity.)
“It will be 2:2:1 in any combination to provide our people with the knowledge of how solar projects can be implemented in the country,” he elaborated.
While Malaysia has a rich supply of sunlight and should be aggressively tapping solar power, Che Khalib said one dampener was the clouds which could diminish the efficiency of solar panels. Secondly, he pointed out that unlike some Western nations, Malaysia did not have unproductive land.
“The US has a lot of desert. They can't do anything much with the desert so they put up solar panels there. In Malaysia, there will be a trade-off as its soil is fertile. There will be an economic trade-off. We can still pursue it, but it's a question of cost and economic feasibility.”
Solar power, as well as other renewable energy sources, feature prominently in the Government's Economic Transformation Programme. Under the energy Entry Point Programme, the target is for Malaysia to build solar power capacity up to 1.25 gigawatt by 2020. The plan has also set a renewable energy target of 5.5% of total capacity mix in 2015, from less than 1% of energy mix today.
Globally, major countries have set far more ambitious targets in the race to be leaders in the realm of clean energy, including solar power or photovoltaic power generation. As it stands now, Taiwan boasts of having Asia's largest power plant which sits on a 2ha site and is capable of generating 100MW of clean energy.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/2/23/business/8114613&sec=business#12984581260461&if_height=678
PETALING JAYA: Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB) has completed the pre-qualification tender process for Malaysia's first solar power plant to be located in Putrajaya. The utility will “very soon” call for tenders for the project that is estimated to cost some RM60mil, according to TNB president and chief executive officer Datuk Seri Che Khalib Mohamad Noh.
The plant's generating capacity may be too small to make the profit-minded or renewable energy advocates jump, but it marks a major step forward in the country's drive to harness renewable energy sources to wean itself from an over-reliance on fossil fuels, which will run out one day, and its impact on climate change.
In an interview with StarBiz, Che Khalib said the solar power plant would take 12 months for completion and would be located in the buffer zone of an existing power station in Putrajaya.
“One of the main concerns about solar power is the need for large tracts of land. So, we've decided to build the solar power on the 500m buffer area in the existing power plant,” he said. “The added advantage is that the cost will also be lower as there is already a substation in the location and we can immediately connect to the system.”
Solar power and other renewable energy sources feature prominently in the Economic Transformation Programme
The cost of a solar power plant is estimated at US$4mil per megawatt (MW). For perspective, that makes it roughly six times more costly than putting up an open cycle gas-fired plant, four times more expensive than a combined-cycle gas plant and just under three times higher than a coal-fired plant.
“But that's not exactly an apple-to-apple comparison as coal and combined-cycle plants can go up to 80% load factor whereas a solar plant can only run on peak load,” said an industry analyst.
Che Khalib said: “This is our initiative. We know it's not going to give us an economic return based on the current tariff system but this will be a learning process for us. By doing this, we will have a head-start in terms of knowledge. Also, when we receive proposals for solar power, we will know (what it takes to set up such a plant).”
TNB will implement the project based on three types of solar technology silicon, thin film and polycrystalline. (There are various technologies used in the making of solar panels and they vary in terms of cost, panel surface, durability and longevity.)
“It will be 2:2:1 in any combination to provide our people with the knowledge of how solar projects can be implemented in the country,” he elaborated.
While Malaysia has a rich supply of sunlight and should be aggressively tapping solar power, Che Khalib said one dampener was the clouds which could diminish the efficiency of solar panels. Secondly, he pointed out that unlike some Western nations, Malaysia did not have unproductive land.
“The US has a lot of desert. They can't do anything much with the desert so they put up solar panels there. In Malaysia, there will be a trade-off as its soil is fertile. There will be an economic trade-off. We can still pursue it, but it's a question of cost and economic feasibility.”
Solar power, as well as other renewable energy sources, feature prominently in the Government's Economic Transformation Programme. Under the energy Entry Point Programme, the target is for Malaysia to build solar power capacity up to 1.25 gigawatt by 2020. The plan has also set a renewable energy target of 5.5% of total capacity mix in 2015, from less than 1% of energy mix today.
Globally, major countries have set far more ambitious targets in the race to be leaders in the realm of clean energy, including solar power or photovoltaic power generation. As it stands now, Taiwan boasts of having Asia's largest power plant which sits on a 2ha site and is capable of generating 100MW of clean energy.
http://biz.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/2/23/business/8114613&sec=business#12984581260461&if_height=678
Saturday, February 19, 2011
LNG may be insufficient to power Sabah
KUALA LUMPUR: The proposed use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to generate power in Sabah following the scrapping of plans for a coal plant in Lahad Datu may be insufficient to power the state, said a local research house yesterday.
In the note to clients, OSK Research reiterated its earlier stance that merely building up renewable energy capacity in Sabah would not solve the state’s electricity supply problems.
“A reasonably sized power plant still needs to be located in east Sabah given that it is currently dependent on smaller diesel-fired power plants and the East-West grid connection, which has resulted in numerous disruptions,” it said.
“In our view, we still consider it a more economically viable option to build a coal plant on the east coast of Sabah rather than delve into solutions such as an LNG terminal, which may be an overkill.”
It also highlighted that a move towards LNG was not without additional costs and considerations despite the view that gas-fired power plants were cleaner than coal given lower emissions.
Firstly, it raised the question of whether Sabahans would be willing to pay more for electricity given the fact that LNG would likely be imported at market prices.
“There will still be a need to build the regasification plant although the storage and receiving terminals will likely be converted to LNG ships. There would still be some environmental impact,” it added.
OSK Research also raised the question of which industries would be promoted in the state to make the building of an LNG plant economical, given the limited demand for natural gas in Sabah’s east coast presently.
To recap, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said on Wednesday that the state and federal governments had decided against building the proposed plant in Felda Sahabat, Lahad Datu.
The decision was said to be made during a recent National Economic Advisory Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The government is said to be studying plans to use biomass and biodiesel-based power plants to supplement the energy needs of Sabah.
According to Bernama, the east coast of Sabah is presently served by a 200MW diesel-based power plant.
There was strong objection from local and international environmental activists who expressed concern about the proposed plant’s environmental impact on Sabah’s natural environment.
On how the news would impact listed players, OSK Research said the move to scrap the coal plant, while unsurprising given the sensitivity of the issue, would retain its earnings forecast on Tenaga Nasional Bhd on which it has a “neutral” call.
“We believe TNB will continue to receive its diesel subsidies for Sabah given this development and eventually may have to build a gas- fired power plant,” it said.
“On the other hand, just as it has been awarded the ownership of the LNG terminal in Melaka, we expect Petronas Gas Bhd (PetGas) will stand a good chance of owning any other LNG plants across the country, which will be a boost to its bottomline.
“As an indication, the company is spending RM1.1 billion on its 3.8 million tonnes per annum plant in Melaka,” said OSK, adding that it was positive on PetGas.
TNB closed unchanged yesterday at RM6.15 with 2.62 million shares done, while PetGas gained two sen to RM11.14 with 326,300 shares traded.
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/in-the-financial-daily/181843-lng-may-be-insufficient-to-power-sabah.html
In the note to clients, OSK Research reiterated its earlier stance that merely building up renewable energy capacity in Sabah would not solve the state’s electricity supply problems.
“A reasonably sized power plant still needs to be located in east Sabah given that it is currently dependent on smaller diesel-fired power plants and the East-West grid connection, which has resulted in numerous disruptions,” it said.
“In our view, we still consider it a more economically viable option to build a coal plant on the east coast of Sabah rather than delve into solutions such as an LNG terminal, which may be an overkill.”
It also highlighted that a move towards LNG was not without additional costs and considerations despite the view that gas-fired power plants were cleaner than coal given lower emissions.
Firstly, it raised the question of whether Sabahans would be willing to pay more for electricity given the fact that LNG would likely be imported at market prices.
“There will still be a need to build the regasification plant although the storage and receiving terminals will likely be converted to LNG ships. There would still be some environmental impact,” it added.
OSK Research also raised the question of which industries would be promoted in the state to make the building of an LNG plant economical, given the limited demand for natural gas in Sabah’s east coast presently.
To recap, Sabah Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman said on Wednesday that the state and federal governments had decided against building the proposed plant in Felda Sahabat, Lahad Datu.
The decision was said to be made during a recent National Economic Advisory Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak.
The government is said to be studying plans to use biomass and biodiesel-based power plants to supplement the energy needs of Sabah.
According to Bernama, the east coast of Sabah is presently served by a 200MW diesel-based power plant.
There was strong objection from local and international environmental activists who expressed concern about the proposed plant’s environmental impact on Sabah’s natural environment.
On how the news would impact listed players, OSK Research said the move to scrap the coal plant, while unsurprising given the sensitivity of the issue, would retain its earnings forecast on Tenaga Nasional Bhd on which it has a “neutral” call.
“We believe TNB will continue to receive its diesel subsidies for Sabah given this development and eventually may have to build a gas- fired power plant,” it said.
“On the other hand, just as it has been awarded the ownership of the LNG terminal in Melaka, we expect Petronas Gas Bhd (PetGas) will stand a good chance of owning any other LNG plants across the country, which will be a boost to its bottomline.
“As an indication, the company is spending RM1.1 billion on its 3.8 million tonnes per annum plant in Melaka,” said OSK, adding that it was positive on PetGas.
TNB closed unchanged yesterday at RM6.15 with 2.62 million shares done, while PetGas gained two sen to RM11.14 with 326,300 shares traded.
http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/in-the-financial-daily/181843-lng-may-be-insufficient-to-power-sabah.html
Friday, February 18, 2011
Malaysia 2010 GDP expands 7.2pc
Malaysia's economy outperformed expectations to chalk up a commendable growth of 7.2 per cent last year compared with a contraction of 1.7 per cent in 2009, bolstered by a rebound in manufacturing and services as well as brisk exports and imports.
The government, which implemented a RM67 billion stimulus package two years ago to boost the economy severely affected by the global downturn, had earlier forecast gross domestic product to grow by 5-6 per cent last year.
However, the continued inflow of foreign direct investments, a healthy reserves position maintained by the central bank, a record performing ringgit, as well high commodity prices boosted growth and aided the rebound last year.
Bank Negara Malaysia today said the economy grew by 4.8 per cent in the fourth quarter (Q4) from 5.3 per cent in Q3, driven by domestic demand following higher private and public sector spending.
On the supply side, all economic sectors, with the exception of the primary sectors, continued to expand during the quarter, the central bank said in a statement.
Bernama
Read more: Malaysia 2010 GDP expands 7.2pc http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20110218170948/Article/index_html#ixzz1EIvD6tAV
The government, which implemented a RM67 billion stimulus package two years ago to boost the economy severely affected by the global downturn, had earlier forecast gross domestic product to grow by 5-6 per cent last year.
However, the continued inflow of foreign direct investments, a healthy reserves position maintained by the central bank, a record performing ringgit, as well high commodity prices boosted growth and aided the rebound last year.
Bank Negara Malaysia today said the economy grew by 4.8 per cent in the fourth quarter (Q4) from 5.3 per cent in Q3, driven by domestic demand following higher private and public sector spending.
On the supply side, all economic sectors, with the exception of the primary sectors, continued to expand during the quarter, the central bank said in a statement.
Bernama
Read more: Malaysia 2010 GDP expands 7.2pc http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20110218170948/Article/index_html#ixzz1EIvD6tAV
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Hybrid m-bikes to revolutionise industry
Revolution Manufacturing Sdn Bhd expects to revolutionise the local motorcycle industry with the country's first hybrid motorcycles.
The company yesterday unveiled two hybrid models called GW 800HB and GW 500HB, which will be made available to the public next month.
Essentially a scooter, the 80cc GW 800HB will have a price tag of RM8,000, while the smaller 50cc GW 500HB will cost around RM7,000.
The motorcycles' hybrid drive-system combines a conventional internal combustion engine with an electric propulsion system.
Senior company executives said the hybrid motorcycles are a "successful collaboration of local engineers and researchers" over the past four years.
Revolution Manufacturing chairman Datuk Dr Mohd Yahya Nordin said the company had spent some RM6 million to develop the "green" motorcycles.
Revolution Manufacturing and its marketing arm Serunai Emas Sdn Bhd expect to sell 16,000 units of the vehicles this year. This should translate into a 2 per cent share of the total motorcycle sales volume.
For 2012, the companies aims to grab a bigger market share of 3 to 3.5 per cent.Serunai Emas chief executive officer Aubrey Insley O'Hara said the motorcycles will also be exported to countries in the region as well as South Africa and Eastern Europe. The initial export focus, however, will be Indonesia, Bangladesh and Vietnam."We are in talks with the local parties there," O'Hara said during the motorcycles' media preview and test ride in Dengkil, Selangor, yesterday.
He added that the company plans to set up its maiden overseas plant in Bangladesh.
The hybrid motorcycles are produced by Hybrid Scooters Sdn Bhd, another subsidiary of Revolution Manufacturing, at its factory in Dengkil.
Hybrid Scooters has the exclusive manufacturing licence for hybrid motorcycles from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.
Company executives said the GW 800HB is capable of travelling 220km on a full tank of fuel and a fully-charged battery.
"This makes it a practical mode of transportation for long-distance travel as well as short hops, where the user may opt for the use of only the electrical motor," Mohd Yahya said.
O'Hara, meanwhile, said: "One of the hybrid motorcycle's most distinctive advantages over a full-electric motorcycle is that the former is not completely dependent on battery power.
"This is the major contributing factor to the unpopularity of full-electric motorcycles in the market today."
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/seeka/Article/index_html
The company yesterday unveiled two hybrid models called GW 800HB and GW 500HB, which will be made available to the public next month.
Essentially a scooter, the 80cc GW 800HB will have a price tag of RM8,000, while the smaller 50cc GW 500HB will cost around RM7,000.
The motorcycles' hybrid drive-system combines a conventional internal combustion engine with an electric propulsion system.
Senior company executives said the hybrid motorcycles are a "successful collaboration of local engineers and researchers" over the past four years.
Revolution Manufacturing chairman Datuk Dr Mohd Yahya Nordin said the company had spent some RM6 million to develop the "green" motorcycles.
Revolution Manufacturing and its marketing arm Serunai Emas Sdn Bhd expect to sell 16,000 units of the vehicles this year. This should translate into a 2 per cent share of the total motorcycle sales volume.
For 2012, the companies aims to grab a bigger market share of 3 to 3.5 per cent.Serunai Emas chief executive officer Aubrey Insley O'Hara said the motorcycles will also be exported to countries in the region as well as South Africa and Eastern Europe. The initial export focus, however, will be Indonesia, Bangladesh and Vietnam."We are in talks with the local parties there," O'Hara said during the motorcycles' media preview and test ride in Dengkil, Selangor, yesterday.
He added that the company plans to set up its maiden overseas plant in Bangladesh.
The hybrid motorcycles are produced by Hybrid Scooters Sdn Bhd, another subsidiary of Revolution Manufacturing, at its factory in Dengkil.
Hybrid Scooters has the exclusive manufacturing licence for hybrid motorcycles from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry.
Company executives said the GW 800HB is capable of travelling 220km on a full tank of fuel and a fully-charged battery.
"This makes it a practical mode of transportation for long-distance travel as well as short hops, where the user may opt for the use of only the electrical motor," Mohd Yahya said.
O'Hara, meanwhile, said: "One of the hybrid motorcycle's most distinctive advantages over a full-electric motorcycle is that the former is not completely dependent on battery power.
"This is the major contributing factor to the unpopularity of full-electric motorcycles in the market today."
http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/seeka/Article/index_html
Sunday, February 13, 2011
MMC unit extends pact with EQ Solar
MMC Corp Bhd said its unit Senai High Tech Park Sdn Bhd has extended a memorandum of understanding with EQ Solar Technology International Sdn Bhd until February 10 2012.
China-based EQ Solar plans to invest US$500 million (RM1.52 billion) to produce solar modules at the park in Johor.
Read more: MMC unit extends pact with EQ Solar http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20110212000632/Article/#ixzz1DpKNwLom
China-based EQ Solar plans to invest US$500 million (RM1.52 billion) to produce solar modules at the park in Johor.
Read more: MMC unit extends pact with EQ Solar http://www.btimes.com.my/Current_News/BTIMES/articles/20110212000632/Article/#ixzz1DpKNwLom
Friday, February 11, 2011
No Electronic Flaws In Toyota, Government Says
Courtesy: National Public Radio
The government has released the results of a 10-month investigation into Toyota vehicles' unintentional acceleration and other safety problems. Above, Toyota tested the brakes of a 2008 Prius in front of television cameras.
Published: February 08, 2011
by The Associated Press
The Obama administration's investigation into Toyota safety problems has found no electronic flaws to account for reports of sudden, unintentional acceleration and other safety problems. Government investigators said Tuesday the only known cause of the problems are mechanical defects that have been addressed by previous recalls.
The Transportation Department, which was assisted by engineers with NASA, said its 10-month study of Toyota vehicles concluded there was no electronic cause of unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyota. The study, which was launched at the request of Congress, responded to consumer complaints that flawed electronics could be the culprit behind Toyota's spate of recalls.
"We enlisted the best and brightest engineers to study Toyota's electronics systems and the verdict is in. There is no electronic-based cause for unintended acceleration in Toyota,'' Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.
Toyota has recalled more than 12 million vehicles globally since fall 2009 to address sticking accelerator pedals, gas pedals that became trapped in floor mats, and other safety issues. The recalls have posed a major challenge for the world's No. 1 automaker, which has scrambled to protect its reputation for safety and reliability.
Toyota paid the U.S. government a record $48.8 million in fines for its handling of three recalls. The company has said it has not found any flaws in its electronic throttle control systems and said the previously announced recalls have addressed the safety concerns.
LaHood said NASA engineers "rigorously examined'' nine Toyota driven by consumers who complained of unintended acceleration. NASA reviewed 280,000 lines of software code to look for flaws that could cause the acceleration. Investigators tested mechanical components in Toyota that could lead to the problem and bombarded vehicles with electro-magnetic radiation to see whether it could make the electronics cause the cars to speed up.
A preliminary part of the study, released last August, failed to find any electronic flaws based on a review of event data recorders, or vehicle black boxes.
Despite its findings, LaHood said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was considering new regulations to improve safety. They include requiring brake override systems on all vehicles, standardizing keyless ignition systems and requiring event data recorders, or vehicle black boxes, on all new vehicles.
Transportation officials said they would also consider conducting more research on electronic control systems and review the placement and design of accelerator and brake pedals.
In Tokyo on Tuesday, Toyota reported a 39 percent slide in quarterly profit but raised its full-year forecasts for earnings and car sales. It is a mixed picture for the automaker, which is enjoying booming sales in high-growth markets in Asia, Africa and South America, while facing lingering worries about quality lapses in the U.S.
In addition to the recalls, Toyota began installing brake override systems on new vehicles. The systems automatically cut the throttle when the brake and gas pedals are applied at the same time. The company also created engineering teams to examine vehicles that are the subject of consumer complaints and appointed a chief quality officer for North America amid complaints its U.S. division did not play a large enough role in making safety decisions.
Consumer advocates and safety groups raised concerns that flawed electronics could be causing unwanted acceleration in the Toyota. They have questioned the reliability of the event data recorders studied by the government, saying they could be faulty or fail to tell the whole story of the individual crashes.
Toyota's safety issues received broad attention from the government after four people were killed in a high-speed crash involving a Lexus near San Diego in August 2009.
NHTSA has received about 3,000 reports of sudden acceleration incidents involving Toyota vehicles during the past decade, including allegations of 93 deaths. NHTSA, however, has confirmed just five of them.
Congress considered sweeping safety legislation last year that would have required brake override systems, raised penalties on auto companies that evade safety recalls and given the government the power to quickly recall vehicles. But the bills failed to win enough support, and it remains unclear if Congress will pursue similar legislation before the 2012 elections.
The National Academy of Sciences is conducting a separate study of unintended acceleration in cars and trucks across the auto industry. The panel is expected to release its findings this fall.
[Copyright 2011 National Public Radio]
The government has released the results of a 10-month investigation into Toyota vehicles' unintentional acceleration and other safety problems. Above, Toyota tested the brakes of a 2008 Prius in front of television cameras.
Published: February 08, 2011
by The Associated Press
The Obama administration's investigation into Toyota safety problems has found no electronic flaws to account for reports of sudden, unintentional acceleration and other safety problems. Government investigators said Tuesday the only known cause of the problems are mechanical defects that have been addressed by previous recalls.
The Transportation Department, which was assisted by engineers with NASA, said its 10-month study of Toyota vehicles concluded there was no electronic cause of unintended high-speed acceleration in Toyota. The study, which was launched at the request of Congress, responded to consumer complaints that flawed electronics could be the culprit behind Toyota's spate of recalls.
"We enlisted the best and brightest engineers to study Toyota's electronics systems and the verdict is in. There is no electronic-based cause for unintended acceleration in Toyota,'' Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement.
Toyota has recalled more than 12 million vehicles globally since fall 2009 to address sticking accelerator pedals, gas pedals that became trapped in floor mats, and other safety issues. The recalls have posed a major challenge for the world's No. 1 automaker, which has scrambled to protect its reputation for safety and reliability.
Toyota paid the U.S. government a record $48.8 million in fines for its handling of three recalls. The company has said it has not found any flaws in its electronic throttle control systems and said the previously announced recalls have addressed the safety concerns.
LaHood said NASA engineers "rigorously examined'' nine Toyota driven by consumers who complained of unintended acceleration. NASA reviewed 280,000 lines of software code to look for flaws that could cause the acceleration. Investigators tested mechanical components in Toyota that could lead to the problem and bombarded vehicles with electro-magnetic radiation to see whether it could make the electronics cause the cars to speed up.
A preliminary part of the study, released last August, failed to find any electronic flaws based on a review of event data recorders, or vehicle black boxes.
Despite its findings, LaHood said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was considering new regulations to improve safety. They include requiring brake override systems on all vehicles, standardizing keyless ignition systems and requiring event data recorders, or vehicle black boxes, on all new vehicles.
Transportation officials said they would also consider conducting more research on electronic control systems and review the placement and design of accelerator and brake pedals.
In Tokyo on Tuesday, Toyota reported a 39 percent slide in quarterly profit but raised its full-year forecasts for earnings and car sales. It is a mixed picture for the automaker, which is enjoying booming sales in high-growth markets in Asia, Africa and South America, while facing lingering worries about quality lapses in the U.S.
In addition to the recalls, Toyota began installing brake override systems on new vehicles. The systems automatically cut the throttle when the brake and gas pedals are applied at the same time. The company also created engineering teams to examine vehicles that are the subject of consumer complaints and appointed a chief quality officer for North America amid complaints its U.S. division did not play a large enough role in making safety decisions.
Consumer advocates and safety groups raised concerns that flawed electronics could be causing unwanted acceleration in the Toyota. They have questioned the reliability of the event data recorders studied by the government, saying they could be faulty or fail to tell the whole story of the individual crashes.
Toyota's safety issues received broad attention from the government after four people were killed in a high-speed crash involving a Lexus near San Diego in August 2009.
NHTSA has received about 3,000 reports of sudden acceleration incidents involving Toyota vehicles during the past decade, including allegations of 93 deaths. NHTSA, however, has confirmed just five of them.
Congress considered sweeping safety legislation last year that would have required brake override systems, raised penalties on auto companies that evade safety recalls and given the government the power to quickly recall vehicles. But the bills failed to win enough support, and it remains unclear if Congress will pursue similar legislation before the 2012 elections.
The National Academy of Sciences is conducting a separate study of unintended acceleration in cars and trucks across the auto industry. The panel is expected to release its findings this fall.
[Copyright 2011 National Public Radio]
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Cyberjaya to have solar-powered bus shelters soon
SOLAR-powered bus shelters and covered carparks are among the plans for Cyberjaya’s green projects for the upcoming year.
These and issues like solid waste production, urban planning and public transportation schemes, were discussed at the recent Information on Green Technology (iGreet) seminar, but it will take more than buzz words to change Selangor’s environmental report card.
Organised by Cyberview, the first session of iGREET for 2011 brought together representatives from across industry sectors and government departments to introduce green technology possibilities to the Cyberjaya community especially with Cyberjaya’s developers and stakeholders in mind.
Speakers at the event included Selangor Town and Country Planning Department deputy director Norasiah Bee Mohd Haniff, who touted the conference as “a chance to share knowledge and experience in order to move towards developing green technology in this state and the country.”
But she was also quick to stress the importance of transforming Selangor’s metropolises into green cities that are self-contained and well-planned before it is too late.
“We need sustainable development to remedy these environmental wrongs,” she warned. “We cannot deny the local environment’s status in Selangor — issues still exist. It’s not a choice anymore, it’s a must.”
Green cities are compact with open spaces and green corridors, maximising the efficiency of urban land to meet current needs without jeopardising resource availability for future generations.
Norasiah said this vision could only be achieved by enforcing best planning practices and by regenerating dilapidated regions in order to strike a balance between development and the environment.
She urged her department and other government sectors to better regulate development in collaboration with developers to create green cities.
“Gone are the days when we can just put through all the developments that fall onto our lap.
“We must be selective with our developments and we must also work to phase out polluting industries by moving them towards cleaner mechanisms in their daily operations,” she said.
While Selangor is currently the only state with a commitment to sustainable development in Malaysia, it is also one of the most heavily polluted.
With high population density, rapid sprawl and an urbanisation rate expected to reach 94% by 2020, Selangor is one of Malaysia’s least eco-friendly states.
Another issue high on the iGreet agenda was solid waste generation, with Selangor’s large manufacturing and construction sectors contributing heavily to pollution in the region.
Community members at the forum said existing initiatives to combat solid waste production, such as the “No plastic bags on Saturdays” and Pay As You Throw (PAYT) regulations, are too limited and need to be expanded.
Selangor currently produces more than 4,300 tonnes of waste per day, with estimates suggesting this figure will rise to 5,500 tonnes per day by the year 2020.
Strategies were also suggested to change the current modal split between public and private transportation.
Currently, the statewide ratio of private and public transportation is 90:10 respectively.
There are plans under the 2009 economic stimulus package to reduce this disparity to a 50:50 split by the year 2020 as part of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP). However, participants debated whether these goals were realistic, given that reduction targets at the federal level were revised down to a 30:70 split after a review of the second national physical plan.
Selangor Department of Environ-ment assistant director (Develop-ment) Amirul Aripin, said an important initial step towards achieving a green future would be to make people think of themselves as “environmental citizens”.
“Our goals cannot be reliant on government action alone,” he said.
“All individuals have a role to play in becoming environmental citizens, citizens of planet earth.”
He said individuals should conduct “purposeful action” towards greener living by taking simple steps at home, such as turning off taps after use, buying energy efficient appliances, and installing water-saving devices in showers and toilets.
But as participants at the forum suggested, opportunities to enact environmental citizenship are limited without new infrastructure, such as separate bins for recycling and garbage and a holistic waste management system.
The recent iGreet forum was the seventh of the series, which aims to support the government’s aspiration to develop Cyberjaya as a pioneer green city.
It was also the first session to be open to the public.
Among the ambitious green energy plans on the horizon in Cyberjaya are solar panels on bus shelters and carpark shelters, shaded pedestrian walkways and cycle paths to help reduce the region’s carbon footprint.
In Cyberjaya, around 2,500 less vehicles each day use the roads due to an integrated public transport system, with free parking at bus stops and free shuttle services helping to ease traffic congestion.
The iGreet initiative has future plans to broaden its educational arms through school visits and social media to further engage the community with the latest in green technology.
http://www.starproperty.my/PropertyScene/TheStarOnlineHighlightBox/10026/0/0
These and issues like solid waste production, urban planning and public transportation schemes, were discussed at the recent Information on Green Technology (iGreet) seminar, but it will take more than buzz words to change Selangor’s environmental report card.
Organised by Cyberview, the first session of iGREET for 2011 brought together representatives from across industry sectors and government departments to introduce green technology possibilities to the Cyberjaya community especially with Cyberjaya’s developers and stakeholders in mind.
Speakers at the event included Selangor Town and Country Planning Department deputy director Norasiah Bee Mohd Haniff, who touted the conference as “a chance to share knowledge and experience in order to move towards developing green technology in this state and the country.”
But she was also quick to stress the importance of transforming Selangor’s metropolises into green cities that are self-contained and well-planned before it is too late.
“We need sustainable development to remedy these environmental wrongs,” she warned. “We cannot deny the local environment’s status in Selangor — issues still exist. It’s not a choice anymore, it’s a must.”
Green cities are compact with open spaces and green corridors, maximising the efficiency of urban land to meet current needs without jeopardising resource availability for future generations.
Norasiah said this vision could only be achieved by enforcing best planning practices and by regenerating dilapidated regions in order to strike a balance between development and the environment.
She urged her department and other government sectors to better regulate development in collaboration with developers to create green cities.
“Gone are the days when we can just put through all the developments that fall onto our lap.
“We must be selective with our developments and we must also work to phase out polluting industries by moving them towards cleaner mechanisms in their daily operations,” she said.
While Selangor is currently the only state with a commitment to sustainable development in Malaysia, it is also one of the most heavily polluted.
With high population density, rapid sprawl and an urbanisation rate expected to reach 94% by 2020, Selangor is one of Malaysia’s least eco-friendly states.
Another issue high on the iGreet agenda was solid waste generation, with Selangor’s large manufacturing and construction sectors contributing heavily to pollution in the region.
Community members at the forum said existing initiatives to combat solid waste production, such as the “No plastic bags on Saturdays” and Pay As You Throw (PAYT) regulations, are too limited and need to be expanded.
Selangor currently produces more than 4,300 tonnes of waste per day, with estimates suggesting this figure will rise to 5,500 tonnes per day by the year 2020.
Strategies were also suggested to change the current modal split between public and private transportation.
Currently, the statewide ratio of private and public transportation is 90:10 respectively.
There are plans under the 2009 economic stimulus package to reduce this disparity to a 50:50 split by the year 2020 as part of the Government Transformation Programme (GTP). However, participants debated whether these goals were realistic, given that reduction targets at the federal level were revised down to a 30:70 split after a review of the second national physical plan.
Selangor Department of Environ-ment assistant director (Develop-ment) Amirul Aripin, said an important initial step towards achieving a green future would be to make people think of themselves as “environmental citizens”.
“Our goals cannot be reliant on government action alone,” he said.
“All individuals have a role to play in becoming environmental citizens, citizens of planet earth.”
He said individuals should conduct “purposeful action” towards greener living by taking simple steps at home, such as turning off taps after use, buying energy efficient appliances, and installing water-saving devices in showers and toilets.
But as participants at the forum suggested, opportunities to enact environmental citizenship are limited without new infrastructure, such as separate bins for recycling and garbage and a holistic waste management system.
The recent iGreet forum was the seventh of the series, which aims to support the government’s aspiration to develop Cyberjaya as a pioneer green city.
It was also the first session to be open to the public.
Among the ambitious green energy plans on the horizon in Cyberjaya are solar panels on bus shelters and carpark shelters, shaded pedestrian walkways and cycle paths to help reduce the region’s carbon footprint.
In Cyberjaya, around 2,500 less vehicles each day use the roads due to an integrated public transport system, with free parking at bus stops and free shuttle services helping to ease traffic congestion.
The iGreet initiative has future plans to broaden its educational arms through school visits and social media to further engage the community with the latest in green technology.
http://www.starproperty.my/PropertyScene/TheStarOnlineHighlightBox/10026/0/0
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
'Alarming' Amazon Droughts May Have Global Fallout
Courtesy: National Public Radio
'Alarming' Amazon Droughts May Have Global Fallout
Major droughts in 2005 and 2010 cut into the Amazon's ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Drought reduces carbon-absorbing tree growth, and opens the door to more forest fires, which release carbon into the air. Seen here, a Peruvian section of Amazonia.
Published: February 07, 2011
by Christopher Joyce
The world's largest tropical forest, the Amazon, experienced something rare last year — a drought. It wasn't the earth-cracking kind of drought that happens in the American Southwest or the Australian outback, but it did stunt or kill lots of trees.
It was the second such drought in the Amazon in five years, and forest scientists are trying to understand why these droughts are happening, and what their effects will be for the planet.
The 2005 drought in the Amazon was so unusual that scientists called it a "100-year event" — something supposed to happen only once a century.
"This is what's quite alarming — that we've seen these two very unusual events," says Simon Lewis, a forest ecologist at the University of Leeds in Great Britain, who watched both droughts hit the Amazon. Lewis notes that several of the computer models that calculate the effects of climate change do predict that parts of the planet are going to get drier.
"And those two unusual events are consistent with those predictions that suggest that the Amazon may be severely impacted over the next few decades by these droughts," he says.
How Droughts Affect Forests
Writing in the journal Science, Lewis and his scientific team say the droughts are probably caused by the northward movement of especially warm water in the Atlantic Ocean. That shift carries moisture north, robbing big chunks of the Amazon of rain it normally would get.
The droughts can create a different forest — thinner, smaller and with a different mix of tree species. That, in turn, could affect the Earth's climate. As trees grow, they suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and store it, so a big forest like the Amazon is a carbon "sink."
But drought slows that process down — more carbon remains in the atmosphere, and that could warm the planet.
If the forest gets dry enough, air can get into the vessels that carry water through a tree — kind of like an air bubble in a fuel line — and a tree dies. If enough die, that too could affect the atmosphere.
"As these dead trees rot and release their carbon in their trunks and roots into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, then we see it probably turning into a source of carbon emissions," Lewis says.
Fires And Agriculture
The droughts are big, covering an area about the size of Argentina. They hit parts of the Amazon that are especially vulnerable, like the southern edges.
Michael Jenkins, who runs a research organization called Forest Trends, says "it looks like the epicenters of the drought map up very well with the forest frontier, and this is where you have agriculture expanding into the Amazon."
And where there's agriculture, there is fire — that's how land is cleared for planting or for cattle grazing. And fires make drought even worse.
"You introduce fire," says Jenkins, "you convert a lot of forests, you are drying out those forests. When drought comes along, the forest is not as resilient as it used to be."
Last year during the dry season, smoke from the fires disrupted air traffic and closed airports in Bolivia, and the country declared a state of emergency in its Amazon territory. [Copyright 2011 National Public Radio]
'Alarming' Amazon Droughts May Have Global Fallout
Major droughts in 2005 and 2010 cut into the Amazon's ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Drought reduces carbon-absorbing tree growth, and opens the door to more forest fires, which release carbon into the air. Seen here, a Peruvian section of Amazonia.
Published: February 07, 2011
by Christopher Joyce
The world's largest tropical forest, the Amazon, experienced something rare last year — a drought. It wasn't the earth-cracking kind of drought that happens in the American Southwest or the Australian outback, but it did stunt or kill lots of trees.
It was the second such drought in the Amazon in five years, and forest scientists are trying to understand why these droughts are happening, and what their effects will be for the planet.
The 2005 drought in the Amazon was so unusual that scientists called it a "100-year event" — something supposed to happen only once a century.
"This is what's quite alarming — that we've seen these two very unusual events," says Simon Lewis, a forest ecologist at the University of Leeds in Great Britain, who watched both droughts hit the Amazon. Lewis notes that several of the computer models that calculate the effects of climate change do predict that parts of the planet are going to get drier.
"And those two unusual events are consistent with those predictions that suggest that the Amazon may be severely impacted over the next few decades by these droughts," he says.
How Droughts Affect Forests
Writing in the journal Science, Lewis and his scientific team say the droughts are probably caused by the northward movement of especially warm water in the Atlantic Ocean. That shift carries moisture north, robbing big chunks of the Amazon of rain it normally would get.
The droughts can create a different forest — thinner, smaller and with a different mix of tree species. That, in turn, could affect the Earth's climate. As trees grow, they suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and store it, so a big forest like the Amazon is a carbon "sink."
But drought slows that process down — more carbon remains in the atmosphere, and that could warm the planet.
If the forest gets dry enough, air can get into the vessels that carry water through a tree — kind of like an air bubble in a fuel line — and a tree dies. If enough die, that too could affect the atmosphere.
"As these dead trees rot and release their carbon in their trunks and roots into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, then we see it probably turning into a source of carbon emissions," Lewis says.
Fires And Agriculture
The droughts are big, covering an area about the size of Argentina. They hit parts of the Amazon that are especially vulnerable, like the southern edges.
Michael Jenkins, who runs a research organization called Forest Trends, says "it looks like the epicenters of the drought map up very well with the forest frontier, and this is where you have agriculture expanding into the Amazon."
And where there's agriculture, there is fire — that's how land is cleared for planting or for cattle grazing. And fires make drought even worse.
"You introduce fire," says Jenkins, "you convert a lot of forests, you are drying out those forests. When drought comes along, the forest is not as resilient as it used to be."
Last year during the dry season, smoke from the fires disrupted air traffic and closed airports in Bolivia, and the country declared a state of emergency in its Amazon territory. [Copyright 2011 National Public Radio]
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Energy savings: COOKING BY TOASTER OVEN
Energy savings: COOKING BY TOASTER OVEN
A toaster oven uses about half the energy of a conventional oven to cook the same meal. And with a convection toaster oven, the savings increase.
Of course, whether you're using a full-sized oven or a toaster oven, it's important to cook efficiently:
Only preheat when necessary (usually only baking requires it),
Don't open the door to peek – it can lower the temperature by as much as 25 degrees.
Turn off the oven several minutes before the recipe indicates. The residual heat will keep the food warm enough to finish cooking.
Use glass or ceramic cookware. Glass and ceramics conduct and retain heat better than metal. If you switch to glass or ceramic, you can lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
Courtesy: British Columbia Hydro, Vacouver, Canada
Compiled by: Foo
A toaster oven uses about half the energy of a conventional oven to cook the same meal. And with a convection toaster oven, the savings increase.
Of course, whether you're using a full-sized oven or a toaster oven, it's important to cook efficiently:
Only preheat when necessary (usually only baking requires it),
Don't open the door to peek – it can lower the temperature by as much as 25 degrees.
Turn off the oven several minutes before the recipe indicates. The residual heat will keep the food warm enough to finish cooking.
Use glass or ceramic cookware. Glass and ceramics conduct and retain heat better than metal. If you switch to glass or ceramic, you can lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
Courtesy: British Columbia Hydro, Vacouver, Canada
Compiled by: Foo
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Najib visits carbon-neutral Masdar City
ABU DHABI: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said a study will be conducted on alternative energy being developed by Abu Dhabi to see whether the technologies involved can be adopted in Malaysia.
"If this is the case, then we'll encourage Masdar City and the Mubadala Development Company to invest or collaborate with partners in Malaysia to develop the alternative energy in our country," he said.
He told the Malaysian media this before departing for home after a one-day working visit to Abu Dhabi where he opened the "Invest Malaysia 2011" forum Sunday.
Najib took the opportunity to visit Masdar City, a carbon-neutral development costing billions of dollars in the desert of Abu Dhabi.
Masdar City is a high-density and pedestrian-friendly development where current and future renewable energy and clean technologies are showcased, marketed, researched, developed, tested and implemented.
Elaborating, Najib said the study would look into, among others, the cost aspects of using renewable energy sources like the sun and wind.
"We want to know, for example, the cost of solar energy per kilowatt hour, whether this is a viable option vis-a-vis the energy that is being produced through the national power grid," he said.
Malaysia, he said, was also keen to learn more about UAE's experience in nuclear energy development.
With a planned population of 50,000 as well as hundreds of businesses, Masdar City will integrate the full range of renewable energy and sustainability technologies, across a living and working community.
Masdar, a multi-faceted renewable energy company, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mubadala Development Company, the investment vehicle of the Abu Dhabi government. - Bernama
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/1/31/nation/20110131143151&sec=nation
"If this is the case, then we'll encourage Masdar City and the Mubadala Development Company to invest or collaborate with partners in Malaysia to develop the alternative energy in our country," he said.
He told the Malaysian media this before departing for home after a one-day working visit to Abu Dhabi where he opened the "Invest Malaysia 2011" forum Sunday.
Najib took the opportunity to visit Masdar City, a carbon-neutral development costing billions of dollars in the desert of Abu Dhabi.
Masdar City is a high-density and pedestrian-friendly development where current and future renewable energy and clean technologies are showcased, marketed, researched, developed, tested and implemented.
Elaborating, Najib said the study would look into, among others, the cost aspects of using renewable energy sources like the sun and wind.
"We want to know, for example, the cost of solar energy per kilowatt hour, whether this is a viable option vis-a-vis the energy that is being produced through the national power grid," he said.
Malaysia, he said, was also keen to learn more about UAE's experience in nuclear energy development.
With a planned population of 50,000 as well as hundreds of businesses, Masdar City will integrate the full range of renewable energy and sustainability technologies, across a living and working community.
Masdar, a multi-faceted renewable energy company, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Mubadala Development Company, the investment vehicle of the Abu Dhabi government. - Bernama
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/1/31/nation/20110131143151&sec=nation
RON97 now RM2.50 per litre
PETALING JAYA: The price for premium petrol RON97 will be 10 sen higher at RM2.50 per litre from today.
Malaysian Petrol Dealers Association president Datuk Hashim Othman said it had received the confirmation about the price increase from the Finance Ministry.
“It’s a monthly review based on the world oil price.
“The Finance Ministry performed the assessment and decided on the price increase,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Hashim added that other fuels – RON95 and diesel – were unaffected.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/2/1/nation/7913991&sec=nation
Malaysian Petrol Dealers Association president Datuk Hashim Othman said it had received the confirmation about the price increase from the Finance Ministry.
“It’s a monthly review based on the world oil price.
“The Finance Ministry performed the assessment and decided on the price increase,” he said when contacted yesterday.
Hashim added that other fuels – RON95 and diesel – were unaffected.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/2/1/nation/7913991&sec=nation
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