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Friday, September 14, 2001
Will computers really consume 50% of electricity generated in the US by 2010? Not even close, but social planners are concerned by power hungry computers. See the following article in American Scientist Friday, August 03, 2001
New report by Jennifer Mitchell-Jackson of Lawrence Berkeley National Labs on Electricity used by data centers. This study explains why most estimates of power used by data centers are significantly too high, and gives measured power use data for five such facilities. Total power use for the computer room area of these data centers is no more than 40 W/square foot, including all auxiliary power use and cooling energy. Download a PDF copy. Wednesday, April 25, 2001
LIPA to use Internet to control air conditioners April 23, 2001 NEW YORK - "The Long Island Power Authority has come up with a novel way to conserve electricity, it plans to regulate central air conditioning in homes and small businesses remotely through the Internet. "Using this new Internet-based, wireless technology will help stretch Long Island's electric supply all summer long," said LIPA Chairman Richard Kessel. New York utility experts said Long Island and New York City would be short of meeting energy-reserve requirements this summer without more power plants. New plants should be available this summer, but to ensure power supplies remain available on the hottest summer days when air conditioning demand pushes loads to annual peaks, a combination of energy conservation and new generation is necessary, they said. The program, called LIPAEdge will save the 5,000 customers 10 percent to 15 percent of the cost of running central air conditioning units this summer, and will allow the utility to save about five megawatts (MW) of electricity during each control period, enough to power about 5000 average Long Island homes, according to a statement from LIPA. The program uses a programmable thermostat made by Carrier, a unit of United Technologies Corp. of Hartford, Conn. LIPA will supply for free the $200 thermostat, underwrite the $100 installation cost, and provide volunteers with a $25 cash bonus for enrolling in the program. In return, LIPA will have the ability to remotely control the volunteer's central air conditioning systems on only seven occasions between June 1 and September 30 of each year for about 14 hours. The thermostat has an override feature allowing the customer to reset the temperature, if needed. To date, 50 of the thermostats have been installed and over 300 customers have registered for the program. LIPAEdge is just one of several programs being implemented as part of LIPA's Clean Energy Initiative, which seeks to help customers conserve electricity and use it efficiently. LIPA is seeking to conserve about 130 MW this summer to help meet peak demand needs and help ensure the availability of power for Long Island. The LIPAEdge program will cost about $14 million when fully implemented in 2002. " Friday, April 06, 2001
Technology Note: Internet-controlled remote switch saves energy and offers grid improvement "The tiny Ebox switch can be used for any electrical item, either pre-set to a specific time of day or to avoid bottlenecks on the grid. Switching can be controlled via the Internet. Avoiding costly grid improvements, Ebox enables grid owners to control their customers' low-priority electricity use. At home the switch can be set to turn down space heating at night and heat rooms in the mornings and evenings, with different settings at weekends. Several large companies are already using or testing Ebox, including ENFO, the organisation of electricity utilities in Norway. Statoil, an electric utility company, and the Oslo Energy Efficiency Foundation currently provide a grant (approximately half the purchase price) for private buyers. Last year the developer, Elink AS of Bergen, Norway, measured energy savings in 17 apartments using only one Ebox for their electric space heaters. Electricity consumption was reduced by 5-10% with no adverse effects for consumers." Source: Norwegian National Team
Local weather forecasts transmitted via internet control the HVAC system in buildings Local weather forecasts, combined with new information technology, saves more energy compared to conventional control systems. Honeywell INUcontrol AB in Sweden has together with SMHI, the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, launched a new type of energy and management control system - a weather forecast control system - which saves energy and increases indoor comfort. The system reduces heating requirements by 10% and saves of 5 SEK/m2 in energy consumption and costs 3 SEK/m2. Using the Internet to provide real-time feedback, monitoring and analysis of energy use In St. Paul, Minnesota, the Market Street Energy Company (an affiliate of District Energy St. Paul) has developed an interactive, web-based tool (called ClearStory™) designed to help district energy and district cooling customers monitor and forecast their energy usage. ClearStory provides customers with instant access to a wide range of information on metered energy usage in their buildings. Customers of District Energy St. Paul are using this analysis tool to help self-diagnose and solve efficiency problems, resulting in increased conservation and reduced control costs. A brief report on the tool is available via the link above. Tuesday, March 20, 2001
Presentations from a recent New York University symposium called "Information and the Urban Future" are available online at www.informationcity.org City distribution and e-logistics ---Recent research in the Netherlands Newsletter No.4 Bart Kuipers, TNO Inro, The Netherlands In two other research projects the effects of e-logistics and the new economy on transport flows of goods in the Netherlands have been further investigated. First Runhaar and Kuipers made an assesment of the logistical structures of traditional and ‘e-supply chains’. They found that e-distribution generates more traffic than traditional distribution. However, the expected development of new logistical concepts and methods for consolidation willl increase logistical efficiency and hence reduce traffic flows. They concluded that the traffic growth expectations of TLN are probably too pessimistic (or optimistic as seen from the point of view of the transportation industry). The current ways of distributing goods by European and regional distribution centres, combined with wholesale and retail-channels also offers many logistical inefficiencies. Next: new e-logistics third parties will develop, specialised in the distribution by internet. These new parties will be able to realise much more economies of scale in focussed logistical operations as compared to current hybrid operations. In addition to these new parties, Runhaar and Kuipers expect the rise of city-distribution centres related to e-distribution. Finally: new, much more flexible distribution solutions will appear, whereby the small truck will be replaced by the e-scooter, the e-delivery bicycle or by e-electrical vehicles reducing negative externalities for distribution. Furthermore, Runhaar and Kuipers conclude that innovative and new flexible distribution concepts using bicycles or scooters are absolutely necessary because of shortage of labour available in the Netherlands—people without a driving license also must be able to operate a distribution vehicle. The second research is devoted to the design of a environmentally friendly e-distribution vehicle and is in a way a answer the to need for flexible distribution solutions, as formulated by Kuipers & Runhaar. Roeland developed, while working for the Amsterdam based company Springtime Industrial Design, such a vehicle. His research started with an analysis of urban trends, combined with societal, economic and logistical trends. One important issue in his research is the interplay between urban morphology and the different characteristics of the urban fabric, related to wealth, attitude, age et cetera. A high rise building occupied by the urban poor has a quite different demand for e-commerce and e-distribution than fashionable inner city districts occupied by wealthy and young urban professionals. In addition, Roeland designed an urban transport scenario for e-distribution called ‘Urban-Cargo-Web’. The basis of this urban transport scenario is a ‘virtual courier service’. By using internet applications a pool of virtual couriers will be used for the e-distribution. The most important part of his research however is the product-design: an environmentally friendly e-distribution vehicle. Roeland developed a scooter (see illustration) with a large box in front for the final delivery of goods—for instance groceries. This box can be adapted to the needs of the distribution by installing a refrigerated unit. The vehicle will be powered by a fuel cell and has on on-line connection to the internet. With an alternative power source and when adapted by important e-distribution related parties like e-tailers, e-logistic service providers and vehicle producers, this vehicle can be driving through the streets of Dutch inner cities within one or two years. References TLN (Transport & Logistiek Nederland), Nieuwe wijn in oude zakken, Zoetermeer, TLN, 2000 H. Runhaar & B. Kuipers, ‘E-distributie. De aanleiding voor de volgende logistieke revolutie?’ In: Tijdschrift voor vervoerswetenschap, oktober 2000, jrg.36, nr.3, pp.41-47. Peter Roeland: Urban Transport Solution, Amsterdam: Springtime Industrial Design, 2000. For more information: TLN Delft University of Technology Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research TNO Springtime Industrial Design Friday, March 09, 2001
Digital Futures - final report now available Back in February 2000, Forum for the Future set up the Digital Futures project to explore the potential for e-commerce to bring wider benefits to society and the environment. Last week saw the launch of our final report, which outlines ten 'dot-commandments' for a sustainable digital economy. The report is available free to download from www.digitalfutures.org.uk A book containing the full findings of the project has also been published - "Digital Futures: living in a dot-com world" (Earthscan, March 2001). Although Digital Futures has now ended, we will be continuing to work on this agenda through e-Lab, a new policy laboratory dedicated to researching and promoting the social and environmental opportunities of digital technologies. The press release below outlines our plans. We're keen to collaborate with others, so please get in touch if you'd like more details. James Wilsdon Press release - 1.3.01 Forum for the Future launches e-Lab Forum for the Future today announced the launch of e-Lab, a policy laboratory dedicated to identifying social and environmental solutions for the new economy. Building on the success of the Digital Futures project, e-Lab will be a UK centre of excellence in promoting the sustainability opportunities of the new economy, and will contribute to research projects and policy development in the UK, across Europe and internationally. Sun Microsystems and Vodafone also announced today that they will become the New Report: Our Future - Our Environment RAND has released a new report that explores future environmental issues, including the impacts of information technologies, genetics, and changes in production systems. The report contains over 20 audio and video interviews (in QuickTime format), dozens of links, and on-line polling and reader input mechanisms. The URL is: http://www.rand.org/scitech/stpi/ourfuture/ Monday, February 26, 2001
E·Space: The Electronic Space Project The goals of this Michigan State University Project are to investigate the economic, social, and political forces that shape application and use of information technology (IT), and the impact of IT on economy and society.
New Report to be Released March 1, 2001: By Mitchell L. Moss and Anthony M. Townsend Taub Urban Research Center, New York University "Competition in the telecommunications industry, spurred by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, is revitalizing America’s cities. By phasing out the complex system of cross subsidies which used to force urban businesses to subsidize rural telephone subscribers, and breaking monopolies on local telecommunications markets, the new regulatory environment has let innovative firms forge ahead in building a new communications infrastructure for the 21 st Century. Over the last two years, a fundamental physical transformation has taken place in metropolitan America. A nearly invisible construction project involving thousands of buildings, tens of thousands of workers, and hundreds of thousands of miles of fiber optic cable, has silently built a new communications infrastructure for North America. This report examines the four major components of the nation’s new communications infrastructure. These components serve similar functions for production, storage, and distribution in the Information Economy that earlier infrastructures did for industrial and mercantile economies. These four components are: These facilities are the result of tens of billions of dollars of private investment in the five years following the Telecommunications Act of 1996. This investment will provide a solid foundation for economic growth in America’s cities and metropolitan areas for decades to come." Friday, February 23, 2001
Call for Papers: Innovations for an e-Society: Challenges for Technology Assessment [Navigational hint: click on "News" tab to reach the call for papers] Berlin, 17-20 October 2001 A congress organized by the Institute for Technology Assessment and Systems Analysis (ITAS), Germany, and VDI/VDE-IT Information Technologies GmbH, Germany Wednesday, February 21, 2001
New Publication from Digital Futures Project: Dot-com Ethics: e-business & sustainability by James Wilsdon "Beyond all the hype about dot-coms, WAP phones and e-entrepreneurs, what are the social and environmental opportunities of the new economy? Can e-commerce become a powerful ally of sustainable development, or will it be a spur to greater social exclusion and environmental destruction?" New Report Now Available: E-Commerce and the Environment Monday, February 12, 2001
Journal of Industrial Ecology Call for Papers: Special Issue on E-commerce, the Internet and the Environment The goal of this special issue is to explore the environmental implications—good and bad—that e-commerce, the Internet and more generally, the pervasive growth of information technology and networking, pose for the environment. Thursday, February 08, 2001
Finnish Researchers Join with International Computer Science Institute (ICSI) and UC Berkeley to Study Technology and the Information Society 01 Feb 2001 Berkeley - Researchers from one of the world's most technologically-advanced countries, Finland, and researchers at the International Computer Science Institute (ICSI) and the University of California, Berkeley, will launch a collaboration to spark new discoveries in computer science, e-commerce, intellectual property rights and the sociology of the information society. The collaboration is being sponsored by the National Technology Agency of Finland (TEKES), the principal funding agency for applied research and development in Finland. TEKES and industry giants like Nokia Corp. and Sonera Group, a Finnish telecommunications provider, have led the way in bringing technology to Finnish consumers. One of the goals of the collaboration is to learn more about how technology affects human beings and their interactions. "We (American society and Finnish society) are working on similar problems in terms of the impact of technology on social and economic life," said Hal Varian, dean of the UC Berkeley School of Information Management & Systems. "These questions involve economic, business, legal and technological considerations, and UC Berkeley is a leader in all four areas." The research projects launching the collaboration include: Wednesday, February 07, 2001
New book to be published this Spring: Ecology of the New Economy: Sustainable Transformation of Global Information, Communication, and Electronics Industries by Jacob Park and Nigel Roome (eds.) (Greenleaf Publishers, 2001) "A 'revolution' is taking place in the development of global informationand communication technologies. Case in point: in slightly more than a decade, the World Wide Web has gone from an idea of an obscure English scientist to a consumer-oriented technology system with an expected one billion users, including 700 million people outside the US, by 2005. The technologies that enable this to happen are advancing rapidly and this is provoking new companies as well as a series of new alliances between companies. The growth has been so rapid and unexpected that little research and analysis has yet been done on what impact this transformation has had or will have on the ability of companies to meet the global sustainability challenge. As environmental strategy has traditionally been portrayed in terms of risk cutting and resource efficiency, there is a danger that critical business issues such as information technology R&D and e-commerce development are examined separately and away from the wider sustainable business perspective. This book explores, documents and raises awareness of sustainability concerns arising from the emerging global information economy. The information economy is defined in the broadest sense possible, including software, hardware, telecommunication - traditional and wireless - and advanced communication technologies. Some key issues and questions that will be examined in the book include: * Case studies of how and to what degree sustainability concerns are being integrated into the business model of electronic, telecommunication, and .com firms Tuesday, February 06, 2001
Call-for-Papers -- 6th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of ITS in Hong Kong The theme of this conference is "Information Infrastructure and Sustainable Development: Challenges to Government Policy and Corporate Strategies" "Sustainable development has increasingly become a critical issue facing both developing and developed countries. In addition to global warming and environment deterioration, the emerging information-based economy has raised attention of policy-makers in almost all countries. No country can afford to lose this new round of competition. There are many factors that are critical to the success of the new economy. Among them, a decent and effective information infrastructure is undoubtedly of the highest importance. It might not be exaggerating to claim that a sustainable economy is to a large extent based on a sustainable information infrastructure. For this reason, developing countries are struggling hard to achieve the objectives of universal service and universal access, while at the same time, government in developed economies are committed to accelerating the public’s access to both wireline and wireless broadband services. To guarantee the sustainable development of the information infrastructure and henceforth the sustainable development of the society and economy, appropriate policy and strategy are therefore extremely critical. The Conference Chair is now inviting submissions on all topics related to the conference theme. Suggested topics of interest include but not limited to the following: The Role of Information Infrastructure Submission Guidelines Electronic version of an abstract of 300-400 words with affiliation and details for correspondence should be submitted to Dr. Karl Lang via its2001@ust.hk or via Department of Information and Systems Management, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clearwater Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong, on or before 31 March, 2001. Distinguished papers will be fast-tracked to special issues of related academic journals such as INFO and Telecommunications Policy Thursday, February 01, 2001
Will the Internet Affect Environmental Consulting and Engineering Firms? "A June 2000 study by Environmental Business Journal and KPMG surveyed environmental consulting & engineering (C&E) firms to find out how they are using the Internet and how they perceive its value. The survey found that many C&E firms are still in an uncertain, wait-and-see mode. Development efforts are sporadic and unstructured, and perceptions of increased efficiency and enhanced value are all over the map." Click on the link above for more detail....  |