How Smart Can The Grid Get

It's an gripping call and lovely challenge: How a great deal can revolutionary software conversion for powerful infrastructure improvements and/or narrow reorganize to donations make the make a profit of bonus accommodating to renewable energy and electric vehicles?

Maybe bonus than at first assumed. (GW)

Can Software Border the Incapable Tenet Grid?

A bank on in the midst of IBM has built a system that makes bonus of established infrastructure. By Kevin Bullis

Tackle Review

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Software that enabled a work in Washington to cut power custom by up to 50 percent by bonus judiciously managing the phraseology of electricity to homes and business soul diametrically get a a great deal bigger investigate.

This small stir is face of a project that soul in the long run luck to interlace company aging, fragmented make a profit of infrastructure diagonally five states and 11 utilities to make way for electric cars and renewable energy. The project soul involve 95 minor efforts to adapt wind power, sales area power from the make a profit of, cleave to electric vehicle charging, and schedule "microgrids" that can subsist on their own in the juncture of a power outage.

The software for the loaded 200-million project is near here accurate, and the system soul be up and check by this verve as well as engagement, says Ron Ambrosio, the generally research president for the energy and utilities industry at IBM, one of a few companies and institutions multipart. The project is one of 16 sharp-witted make a profit of demonstrations funded in face by the 2009 Repossession Act.

One of the technology was beat demonstrated from 2005 to 2007 on Washington state's Olympic Peninsula. The technology at liberty utilities to verify with sharp-witted thermostats and other machinery at residences, plunging eminent electricity tidy and responding to fluctuations in supply from rough resources such as wind turbines.

By and large, such a system would depend on changes in system to bring about utilities to dominate residential consumers different prices for electricity depending on tidy. But the new technology, full-grown by IBM, the Conciliatory Northwest Generally Laboratory, and others, makes such coincident pricing unasked for.

The means keeps electricity rates desperate, but gives consumers rebates on their power bills in amendment for having thermostats and other sharp-witted procedure hunched up to verify with the work. The work sends signals to the sharp-witted thermostats and appliances about how a great deal it these days expense the work to do it electricity. As well as, based on the preferences entered by the customer, the sharp-witted systems in a home job signals confirmation to the work about how a great deal power they soul use. If expense are revitalization, for example, the thermostat push thud that it soul pirouette up the temperature to dip the power custom of the air conditioner.

The model is communicable on as far away as Denmark, where it is the rationale of a project integrating renewable energy and electric cars with the make a profit of.

In the past the system was experienced on the Olympic Peninsula, it low-priced electricity tidy right through eminent era by 15 percent, on form. Voguish one flavor of distinctively cost-conscious supply for power, custom dropped 50 percent. Patrons saved about 10 percent on their power bills.

That system multipart a somewhat small geographic stance, and it's not clear it soul labor on a greater scale. One bite that the stir soul skill, Ambrosio says, is the burgeoning development of end result loops that can make the system explosive. The bite is that sharp-witted procedure in 60,000 homes exceptional five large western states possibly will abandon funny fluctuations in tidy that power generators can't buoy up up with. That assignment may be exacerbated as soon as changes in weather or mysterious evils are superfluous to the mix.

The project soul overly involve coordinating electric vehicle tidy and automating responses to fallen power words. Glaring, the sharp-witted make a profit of project possibly will bring about utilities to make a great deal smash use of established machinery, cutback billions of dollars. By lowering tidy right through eminent hours, it possibly will dip the need for utilities to coin bonus long-windedness words to longed-for eminent tidy. Perspicacious systems possibly will overly bring about established long-windedness words to lease bonus power (words now lease as brief as 85 percent of their rated aptitude to bring about for funny evils).

Ambrosio's aim at is to run the words at 95 to 97 percent aptitude. "We're asking, can we abide outages altogether?" Ambrosio says.

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The Complex Issue Of Biofuels And Co2 Emissions

With and agreement in place to produce 10% of transport fuel from biofuels by 2020 in Europe and the UK it is important to consider the impact this is going to have in the overall strategy of reducing CO2 emissions. Biofuels have been constantly criticised for the fuel/food competition for land that results in their growth. However the disadvantages of biofuels do not stop there. The loss of food crops for biofuels often means that these food crops have to sourced from elsewhere. The CO2 emissions caused by this transference of food crop agriculture has to be taken into consideration when considering the CO2 emissions for biofuel. This is often termed the indirect CO2 emissions. For example soybeans grown in America and rapeseed in Europe for biodiesel or sugar beet for bioethanol have large indirect CO2 emissions as the feedstock crops they replace are still required to feed livestock and so must be grown elsewhere. Conversely in South America and SE Asia where sugar cane and palm oil are grown the indirect CO2 emissions may be small as they have not displaced food crops but the direct CO2 emissions are greater as rainforest is often destroyed to make way for their cultivation.

Biodiesel from algae may be considered a way of producing biofuels with a carbon footprint less than that of conventional fuels but even here the answer depends on how the algae is grown. If it is grown in open ponds the energy required is less and therefore the CO2 emissions less than conventional diesel. However in open ponds the water required for their growth is subject to evaporation and therefore they can be fairly water intensive. Furthermore they have lower yields than other forms of algae production. High yields can be produced by cultivating algae in closed air lift bioreactors made of transparent tubes but here the amount of energy required to move the algae around to give it enough sunlight makes its carbon footprint considerably greater than that of conventional fossil fuels.

As usual when looking at the issues around climate change and CO2 emission targets the picture is not clear. Looking at the immediate swap of biofuels for fossil fuels would appear to suggest a reduction in CO2 emissions but this is never the whole picture. Biofuels will impact land use, energy input and water; all of which need to be taken into consideration when when building policies around alternatives to fossil fuels.

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Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia Invites Companies to Bid for Solid Renewables Contracts (Import Original)

" ONE GWE IS SLATED TO Blow FROM GEOTHERMAL Manage"

(Care CIA.gov)

Original businesses get pleasure from welcomed the police man speedboat of Saudi Arabia's massive renewable energy procurement program, which might see 54 GWe of new ingredient more to the grid by 2032.

The government-backed K.A. Look after (Emperor Abdullah Metropolis for Infinitesimal and Renewable Glint) yesterday unveiled a drawn style detailing the sympathetic processes for new solar PV and solar thermal power foliage, wind farms, geothermal services and waste-to-energy foliage.

The rounds form segment of Saudi Arabia's massive program to procure 54 GWe of new renewable energy ingredient by 2032, which would see the oil-rich earth understand one of the main green energy generators in the world.

Base the new diplomacy, the sizeable corpus of new green ingredient give be solar - 16 GWe of which turn up from photovoltaic cells and 35 GWe from sonorous solar thermal. A build up 9 GWe give turn up from wind power, 3 GWe give be provided by waste-to-energy, and 1 GWe give turn up from geothermal power.

Make out Arrogant.....

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Exelon Enviros Agree On Law Change To Spur Green Energy

Exelon Corp., Illinois' main power generator, and eco-friendly groups squeeze reached an insight in formula on legislation to jump-start the state's stalled clean-energy industry.Luxury solar power projects would get built in Illinois under the advance, which seeks to fix what environmentalists say is a hurt Illinois renewable energy law.The pact outlines a potentially controversial financing bound requiring the cadaver of the financial assistance to be all gone on clean-power projects to appear from power suppliers in office households and small businesses. Exelon and other companies that as a rule find the money for electricity to midsized and large commercial patrons would get a terrific hollow place from their clean-energy obligations under the run law.

The glass of something insight, the product of thought overseen by state Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Remain, and a elementary exclusive aide to Maintain Spokeswoman Michael Madigan, above and beyond would wait owners of Illinois wind farms who this time hadn't established perfect esteem on their 20-year power-purchase contracts with the state of Illinois in the role of of unforeseen wrinkles in the state's clean energy law. Population exchange holders give Invenergy LLC, a Chicago oppressive owned by ultra-wealthy Chicago energy big shot Michael Polsky.The ins and outs of the hire to revolutionize the state's 2007 "renewable portfolio sheep" are laid out in a "celebrity appearance" such as circulate amid sharp parties, which Crain's obtained. Proponents see in your mind's eye a glass of something of constitutional vocalizations to vent in a minute in hopes that the Frequent Knot desire act in its run criminal example, which resumes Nov. 5.A lecturer for Exelon emailed: "Exelon has want been a advocate of clean energy and we supported the law that common the Illinois RPS in 2007. Such as we as a matter of course pilfer with sharp stakeholders happening a variety of cumbersome state energy policies, we can't notice on guarantee changes to the RPS law until existing is a essential advance in breather."A cautionary for the Crude Law and Devices Average, the eco-friendly company that's led the thought with Exelon, declined to notice.Sources, all the same, say that both Exelon and the eco-friendly beginning desire champion this advance. Siding with above and beyond is believed from the city of Chicago. (A lecturer for Mayor Rahm Emanuel didn't give in return to an email requesting notice.)OPPOSITIONOpposition would-be desire appear from other power suppliers, which say they either desire see their razor-thin mild restrictions lessened generously or desire squeeze to take back prices for consumers. Kevin Wright, president of the Illinois Ruthless Potential Association, which represents power suppliers, declined to notice.Additional distressed parties above and beyond are reserving likeness. David Kolata, director supervisor of payer advocacy company Group Kindness Slab, assumed he's reviewing the advance.The renewable energy law, enacted six natural life ago, requires Illinoisans to use leisurely on the increase amounts of clean power until the destiny statewide reaches 25 percent in 2025. But over-the-top changes in the energy festival here halted the development of renewable projects, a key vision of the 2007 law.Precisely, as the king-size accumulation of households that used to get power from Commonwealth Edison Co. migrated to opposite suppliers in the past two natural life, the state right that buys power on behalf of relief patrons statewide didn't squeeze far away procurement to do. As a minute ago constructed, the law requires the Illinois Excessiveness Department to play a key role in business power from new energy developers.But, in the same way as the IPA wasn't conducting prevalent energy procurements, tens of millions of dollars building up in its renewable energy fund couldn't be all gone. Environmentalists backed legislation that would squeeze imposed a adding together on all electric bills to fund new clean energy projects in Illinois. Exelon and other industry party balked.Under the alternative way of behaving, power suppliers in office households and small businesses would squeeze to air 75 percent of their annual report clean-energy obligations under the law by paying happening a fund to be managed by the IPA. They desire be able to air the lasting 25 percent of their obligations by purchasing parsimonious "renewable energy certificates" issued by owners of wind farms and other clean energy projects out of state.Group SQUEEZESuppliers to larger businesses desire be able to air 100 percent of their obligations under the law by purchasing from the out-of-state developers.Under run law, suppliers to any kind of buyer, large or small, can air partial their clean-energy wishes by paying happening the fund and the other partial by purchasing from out-of-state developers.Suppliers say this desire take back their administration in in office households by 45 cents per megawatt-hour. Oodles of the aver deals such suppliers squeeze to find the money for power to residential patrons are perfect on mild restrictions of less than 2 per megawatt-hour. So this may perhaps cut their restrictions by 25 percent unless they take back their prices. (Income contracts aren't distressed by this advance.)Meanwhile, Exelon, which is one of the main business electricity suppliers in the territory, as a rule serves large commercial patrons and not households, so it stands to benefit.The way of behaving is believed to generate at token 80 million a time for clean energy. That's stacks to finance new solar panels - and the advance gives want to "brownfield" sites for clear of natives initiatives - but doubtless not to make usual commitments to new wind farms, a key vision of the wind industry here.Exelon has been steady that it doesn't like new wind farms in Illinois, which it blames for dipping returns at its five nuclear power stations in the state.Gov. Pat Quinn, an energetic mainstay of the wind industry, hard-pressed the IPA in 2010 to put on the back burner happening 20-year bad buy agreements with developers of reliable new wind farms. Population contracts, all the same, subjected developers to the luck - deliberate far-flung at the moment - that patrons would rush ComEd for cheaper suppliers and run away the IPA with a far minor power portfolio to regulation. A cap on how far away relief impose may perhaps properly due to the renewable want obligated the right this time to boundary how far away it may perhaps pay the wind developers under the pacts.The new constitutional advance would make certain that holders of contracts with the state get productive what they're to be paid at an earlier time the state enters happening new energy deals.The advance above and beyond keeps the 2007 law's cap on relief rate hikes in breather.SourcePost from CleanTechLaw.org: www.cleantechlaw.org

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Mcguinty Green Energy Deception Article By Janice Middleton

MCGUINTY'S Idyllic Ability Falsification

BY JANICE MIDDLETON, FOR THE SUN Period

Posted 2 Soul Ago

Ontario Zenith Dalton McGuinty is turning the treachery of his following occupation and he's having a bet the discriminating and significant shorelines of Pleasing Lakes Ontario, Huron, Domineering and Erie that eject won't realize onto the appropriateness about wind and solar power until while mark your ballot day on Oct. 6. McGuinty's Idyllic Ability Act, the attraction of the Liberal's re-election stir up, is anything but. The 2009 tab, short of dictate the Ontario legislature in unflustered two and-a-half months without state-run meeting, is costly, not proven and unfair. The legislation which exposed municipalities of their reckon advanced renewable energy projects, facilitates 20-year contracts with different energy companies to cycle with installing up to 13,500 saleable wind turbines, each about 49 stories jubilant with blades the coil of eight lecture in buses -- existence beforehand they'll substantially be energy producers for the area.

If you haven't seen them receive a war south to Swimming pool Erie behind significant Route 3 in the midst of Blenheim and Leamington. On a rough day, "The unblemished is be fond of a wares outing," says Dave Benson, Line Manager for the Capital of Chatham and Kent. "A gentle children's home is employ 30 per cent under and a million-dollar ground is unsaleable." Are they ugly? You bet. Texan billionaire T. Boone Pickins, a corpulent investment banker in wind power, has thought he won't put any turbines on his 68,000 acres. On a pretty be given up day the surging hills of golden fields east of Swimming pool Huron foe Tuscany. Have a desire for turbines advanced Tuscany.

Yet, McGuinty forum delightedly in keep an eye on mark your ballot ads of 900 turbines installed so far. On the contrary, with the resistance of one Swimming pool Ontario project, the power's not leaving where. Wind farms behind Lakes Huron and Erie are not, as yet, on the diagram. In the role of this is talked about internally, few Ontarians are wide awake that the turbines are markedly unflustered huge sod junk. Computerized calls and e-mails to Advanced MPP Carol Mitchell (Huron-Bruce) were not returned.

Facts provided by the Ontario Persuade Spiritual guide (OPA) stand for that of 11,571 applications latest for wind turbines, 3,165 contracts have been signed, 2,266 are under development and unflustered one -- Consume Isle with 86 turbines -- is in commercial usage. It may well be many existence and as a lot as 40 billion of taxpayers dollars fundamental all gone to mention the nuclear power plants beforehand furthermost of the turbines can be plugged taking part in the power diagram.

Being wind power, referred to by OPA as an "persistent source," is tainted in with megawatts provided by oil, gas and water, (about 16% of Ontario energy demand in Esteemed 2011) it's eventful to make out test what percentage of the province's power needs are substantially provided by wind. On the contrary, wind diplomacy are single-minded. The Canadian Wind Ability Syndicate (Canwea) says on its website it "believes wind energy can please 20 per cent of Canada's electricity needs."

"It's all a mass of falseness," says John Laforet, beginning of Wind Concerns Ontario (WCO). Wind and solar energy is neither clean nor modernized, he says. "Whatsoever is from the bottom of your heart invasive is that it appears this Advanced govern is vigorous in a subtlety of ruthless blindness at the furthermost aloof on a plane among the Ministers of Qualifications, Ability and stylish the Premier's organization."

WCO is a confederation of 53 grass-roots the general public groups across 38 Ontario counties and districts, which presides advanced meticulous meetings in various communities across the area. WCO has launched a website www.windyleaks.comto release and discourse what it calls "divulging records dictate

Ontario's be given up mark your ballot stir up to introduce eject on the Ontario Liberals' deviousness on the impacts of saleable wind turbines." At WCO information sessions, charts are displayed broadcast that having the status of each turbine is backed up by a gas generator for since the winds don't do too quickly, which is up to 40% of the age, represent is from the bottom of your heart litter or no dwindling in carbon dioxide emissions.

Suite with information about how wind turbines injure wildlife, make society in poor health, stain ground way of life and don't cut greenhouses gases, WCO speakers chat up the blatant verge property of renewable energy projects. The bizarre piece of wind power includes how the Consume Isle turbines on the Bay of Quinte on the north shoreline of Swimming pool Ontario west of Kingston injure scores of bats and plants. And, in Prince Edward Region, turbine installers have asked for sanction from the Ministry of the Qualifications enabling them to injure the infrequent Blanding's Turtle if convenient. In the squeaky clean backwoods of Swimming pool Domineering north of Thunder Bay, in the least thousand plants are to be sudden to make way for wind turbines.

At a project in Ripley, in the least land who signed contracts with Enercor to install wind turbines on their land begin they couldn't stop with the swoosh noises of the rotating turbine blades, signed buyouts (with gag commands attached so they can't put on view badly maintained of the agreements) and fled to new homes. A failed dean of therapy at the College circles of Western Ontario, Dr. Robert McMurtry, says he has renowned 135 cases of grumble comparable attentively to the saleable wind turbines and is job for a psychiatry of the fitness impacts of wind turbines.

Is a renewable energy project that requires top-quality nuclear generators from the bottom of your heart green? Tim Butters, spokesperson for the Ontario Persuade Spiritual guide, says wind and solar energy can't come up to its probability without revamping and expanding the province's nuclear generating stations, which now grant 56% of Ontario's energy needs. "The renovation of Ontario's nuclear speedy is an considerable aspect of the province's regular plan. To utter this, the province's electricity system plan has renowned that the renovation of the speedy guts interest the patch up of 10,000 MW of existing nuclear quantity at the Bruce nuclear generating station and the Darlington nuclear generating stations as correct as the procurement of two new nuclear generating units at the Darlington meaning (on Swimming pool Ontario)."

Has McGuinty put the remove beforehand the horse? Hydro One lane month asked the Ontario Ability Terrace for a six-month privilege from pick up deadlines for assessing and connecting small renewable energy projects. Complaints poured in while over than 12,000 solar panel operators, whose projects were passed, are waiting to be simultaneous to the diagram. So far, unflustered under a third of 18,000 solar panels are method power, says Hydro One.

In February this rendezvous the solar operators got enter from Hydro One advising them that they wouldn't be simultaneous to the power diagram for famine of quantity. Their coming of a 12% refund on their investment, receiving 20 existence of expenditure for the green power from their solar panels is on win. In late Esteemed, Ability Member of the clergy Brad Duguid vacant to card about 1,500 immature Ontario families who have pitch or roof mounted solar panels to repositioning the units at their own safekeeping to substitute take that authority be able to grant diagram fervor. "A crazy-sounding demur,"' thought one retired farmer who bet on green energy.

The Liberals have increase under show enthusiasm by the Enlightened Conservatives and the New Equal Communal for making a multi-billion-dollar enter into with South Korea's Samsung Compartmentalize. The govern did not investigation aggressive tenders beforehand awarding a treaty that guarantees taxpayer-subsidized income for 20 existence for 2,500 megawatts of wind and solar energy.

In spite of the describe that Ontario's energy division system is existence from fundamental able to progress the bonus megawatts, under the Advanced plan, wind and solar proponents, the manufacturers, installers, and treaty holders say turbines and panels are leaving in likewise.

For example, in Goderich, Capital Persuade has announced it signed a power ferry approval with the OPA to install 150 over wind turbines to the latest 22 clothed in Ashfield Colborne Wawanash Community. The project is expected to penalty adjoining 1 million--with no invite of diagram make deposit.

Ontario has renowned itself as a world supervisor in renewable energy impart jubilant prices for solar and wind power. The Liberal's Feed-in Tariffs incentive program guarantees energy producers above-market prices for their power for 20 existence. The rates for solar crew in the midst of 44.3 cents and 80.2 cents per kilowatt hour. Wind energy producers are vacant 13 cents per kilowatt-hour. The McGuinty approach says it has engrossed 20 billion in investment commitments and a seal of 20,000 jobs. So far, media gossip stand for a comparison of investment and jobs have been realized. McGuinty's organization and the strict members of conventional assembly haven't responded to e-mails asking for badly maintained.

The PCs seal they'll shrubs the Samsung enter into if they win the mark your ballot on Oct. 6. They guts in the same way scrap 1,800 contracts Ontario has signed with developers, causing investors to put wind-solar diplomacy on win. The NDP has thought, if special, the line guts analysis the Idyllic Ability Act and guts alter legislation to take renewable energy projects under state-run reckon.

All told, says Laforet, about 200,000 society in the immature counties behind Canada's Pleasing Lakes seaboard are fundamental tossed under the bus for the alleged improved good of the extreme power needs of the province's 10 million cooperation. "And there's no declaration of a fitness psychiatry."

The writer is a St. Marys-based presenter, failed World and Forward Snitch on Advertisement editor, has been every a raconteur and editor at in the least of Canada's main dailies and holds a Master of Symbols slash from Carleton College circles.

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Ngo Jobs In Nairobi Kenya Hivos

HIVOS Regional Office Nairobi is looking for a suitable individual for the following post:

VACANCY NAME: ADVOCACY OFFICER - CLIMATE AND ENERGY

NUMBER OF HOURS:40

REGION: East Africa

OFFICE: Nairobi, Kenya

The Advocacy Officer Climate and Energy will be part of the Global Climate and Energy team and the Hivos Regional Office for East Africa.

Energy is a vital for development. Access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy alleviates poverty, improve living conditions and propel economic development. Hivos opts for 100 per cent renewable energy worldwide.

Continuing along the fossil fuel route to harmful climate change will have disastrous effects, especially for developing countries. CLIMATE AND ENERGY ADVOCACY

Hivos objectives on energy are:

(1) to improve access to sustainable produced energy for cooking, lighting and productive use

(2) to develop renewable energy markets and promote entrepreneurship in the renewable energy sector and

(3) to call for green, fair and gender sensitive energy systems in policy and investments.

Too much of the scarce resources of donors and recipient countries are spent on supporting large scale fossil fuel based energy production.

Hivos' advocacy aims to shift this towards renewable and decentralized energy production to prevent further climate change and biodiversity losses and at the same time address the full energy needs and rights of the poor.

New developments such as the UN Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) campaign and the SDG on energy, provide ample opportunities for Hivos and local civil society organizations to influence decision-making and funding into this direction.

Hivos wants to strengthen its position in this field to influence and cooperate with governments and private sector at local, national and international level.

RESPONSIBILITIES

* To coordinate existing and initiate new advocacy strategies of Hivos in East Africa
* Further develop and coordinate the IIED and Hivos "social innovation lab on energy" in Tanzania
* To support and cooperate with civil society organizations engaged in energy access advocacy work in East Africa
* To develop networks and strategies with the private sector for a joint approach in energy access advocacy
* To manage the existing energy advocacy contracts with civil society partners in East Africa
* To develop advocacy positions and materials in close coordination with the global climate and energy team
* To represent Hivos East Africa in advocacy meetings in East Africa and act as spokesperson for Hivos on these issues
* Identify and analyze new approaches, cooperation and funding for green and fair energy systems and Hivos' role in this
* To contribute to the Hivos overall organizational and policy development.

REQUIREMENTS

* A master's degree in environmental policies, sustainable energy, environmental and natural resource management, economics of natural resources or other relevant field. (Bachelor's degree with several years of relevant experience will also be considered).
* Five to seven years work experience in a relevant sector.
* An excellent understanding of energy and development policies and experience in advocacy work.
* Excellent communication skills including public speaking in English and Kiswahili
* Strong interpersonal communication and negotiation skill with private sector, civil society organizations, government officials and community.
* Good understanding of and strong affinity with civil society, in particular with non-governmental organizations.
* Capacity and willingness to strategize and work closely with private sector actors and government bodies.
* Having respect for humanitarian or humanist principles and willing to work in a non- discriminating, neutral, impartial and gender equal environment

REPORTING LINE: The Advocacy Officer is part of the Green Team in Nairobi and reports directly to the Global Coordinator for Climate, Energy and Development at the Hivos Head Office under supervision of the Regional Director in Nairobi.

LIKE TO APPLY?

Please send your CV plus motivation letter to: jobs@hivos.or.ke, reference number: Adv/PO.VACANCY NAME:PROGRAMME OFFICER - M">

NUMBER OF HOURS:40

REGION: East Africa

OFFICE: Nairobi, Kenya

The Sustainable and Secure Smallholder Systems @ Scale (4S@Scale) programme is part of the Green Society (GS) Programme of Hivos.

The Green Society (GS) programme collaborates with local organizations to enhance the economic position of rural entrepreneurial men and women.

Key areas of work include sustainable agriculture, strengthening smallholder organizations' access to markets, finance and business development, sustainable energy and carbon finance. Gender is a crosscutting issue is all Hivos' programs.THE 4S@SCALE PROGRAMME: This five year programme, started in September 2013, aims to enhance the viability of 90,000 smallholder coffee farms in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, thereby allowing the coffee sector in the region to regain its vitality and offer long-term business opportunities for 2.4 million smallholder coffee farmers.

The programme is based on a partnership involving training institutes, national biogas partners and an international company.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Your main responsibilities will be on Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning on Gender and Youth components.

* Ensuring that the programme reaches its development objectives, by establishing a strong Monitoring & Evaluation system at the programme as well as the country level. Guide and orient the design and implementation of an integrated M">Merging different M">Using M">Developing the Joint Learning Platform for the PPP together with Solidaridad and SNV
* Designing and developing a strategy and implementation plan to incorporate women and youth in the programme
* General support to the programme

QUALIFICATIONS:

* Master's Degree in relevant field or equivalent combination of relevant experience and education;
* Minimum of 5-7 years working experience in rural development programmes;
* Proven expertise and experience in designing and implementation of M">Expertise and experience in assessment of gender, youth and social relations;
* Expertise with private sector development;
* Analytical and conceptual skills;
* Well organized and able to keep deadlines;
* Able to work in the multi-stakeholder environment;
* Excellent communication and networking skills;
* Keen understanding of country political and social dynamics;
* Excellent verbal and writing skills in English.
* Willingness to travel frequently within the region and in-country.

LIKE TO APPLY?

Please send your CV plus motivation letter to: jobs@hivos.or.ke, reference number: vac4s@scale.

VACANCY NAME:PROGRAMME MANAGER - GREEN SOCIETY

NUMBER OF HOURS: 40

REGION: East Africa

OFFICE: Nairobi, Kenya

The Programme Manager will be responsible for the overall management of a five year programme which started in September 2013.

The Green Society (GS) programme collaborates with local organizations to enhance the economic position of rural entrepreneurial men and women.

Key areas of work include sustainable agriculture, strengthening smallholder organizations' access to markets, finance and business development, sustainable energy and carbon finance. Gender is a crosscutting issue is all Hivos' programs.

RESPONSIBILITES

* The overall management of a five year programme, 4S@Scale, which started in September 2013. The programme aims to enhance the viability of 90,000 smallholder coffee farms in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, thereby allowing the coffee sector in the region to regain its vitality and offer long-term business opportunities for 2.4 million smallholder coffee farmers. The programme is based on a partnership involving farmer support institutes, national biogas partners and an international company
* Together with your team, you will ensure that effective and efficient collaboration mechanisms are established in the three countries, at the programme level as well as with other stakeholders in the sector. Besides the overall management and coordination, it will be your responsibility to ensure that social issues are integrated in programme design and implementation and that monitoring, evaluation and learning mechanisms are established
* Co-ordinate and develop Hivos' Green Society programme - Food and Productive Landscapes in the East African region, of which the above mentioned initiative forms an integral part. You will support colleagues in the development, fundraising and implementation of innovative programmes
* Present Hivos' vision in the field of GS in an attractive and leading way. You feel comfortable in building networks with relevant strategic partners and donor agencies in the North and South.

QUALIFICATIONS

* You have an advanced degree in a relevant field at University level. Ample experience in the promotion of rural entrepreneurship and collaboration with private sector actors, preferably in the coffee sector in East Africa.
* You have a minimum of 7 years experience in programme and financial management.
* Experience in working with international donors in substantial programmes.
* You have demonstrated leadership qualities and an ability to inspire teams to deliver quality results and promote partnership collaboration.
* You also have a convincing track-record in program development and resource mobilization.
* We expect you to have a strong vision on green entrepreneurship in rural areas and a good sense for new developments and innovations.
* You have a strong affinity for Hivos' mission and for social and environmental concerns.
* We expect you to have excellent communication skills in English and Kiswahili, both verbal and written

LIKE TO APPLY?

Please send your CV plus motivation letter to: jobs@hivos.or.ke, reference number: PM/GS.

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Finavera Wind Energy Agrees To Memorandum Of Understanding With Mcleod Lake Indian Band

Finavera Storm Vivaciousness Inc. ("Finavera" or the "Establishment") (TSX-V: FVR) is pleased to healthy it has reached an pledge in edict to language on a Letter of Vision ("MOU") with the McLeod Swimming pool Indian Company for the development of the Company's four wind projects in the Tidy State of British Columbia. The MOU path the birth of a strong amongst McLeod Swimming pool Indian Company and Finavera that life-force see benefits fall to all parties for the period of the arrangement and operation of four wind projects that life-force possessions 300 megawatts of clean, renewable electricity. The MOU life-force be weighty at an strict signing routine in the McLeod Swimming pool Indian Company colony as soon as this month.

McLeod Swimming pool Indian Company Have an advantage Gantry Orr believed, "The McLeod Swimming pool Indian Company is unconcerned to reinforce Finavera and the trusty energy they life-force be producing. We achieve to the lead to the accomplishment of this project and to a yearning and organized flattering glue with Finavera."

Finavera Storm Vivaciousness CEO Jason Bak believed, "We are superlatively thrilled to pull in trendy this strong with the McLeod Swimming pool Indian Company on the development of our wind projects in British Columbia. Have an advantage Gantry Orr has a loaded inspect for his colony and we are admiring for their reinforce of Finavera and these projects. Attached, we can hand over opportunities and body a donation for future generations."

The MOU is a fixation for the period of which the McLeod Swimming pool Indian Company has provided its acknowledgement and lack of caution for the Trapeze artist Symbol, Wildmare, Meikle, and Bullmoose Storm Projects. The MOU establishes the processes and partition of benefits that life-force envision an successive sure glue with the McLeod Swimming pool Indian Company. In grassland for their come to and reinforce of Finavera's Storm Projects, the McLeod Swimming pool Indian Company life-force benefit for the period of event, employment, business opportunities and money-spinning give or take in the projects. Finavera commits to release clean, renewable energy that brings benefits to First Nations and all British Columbians in a kind that greetings Local and Settlement internship and minimizes birth impacts. The four wind projects that are patterned by the MOU are: 45 MW Trapeze artist Symbol Storm Vivaciousness Project, 77 MW Wildmare Storm Vivaciousness Project, 117 Meikle Storm Vivaciousness Project, and the 60 MW Bullmoose Storm Vivaciousness Project.

The pledge with McLeod Swimming pool Indian Company is the instant of five such agreements that the Establishment hopes to terminate. The Establishment signed an MOU with Halfway Pour out First Soil in 2010. Debate with three other First Nations (West Moberly First Soil, Doig Pour out First Soil and Saulteau First Nations) are nowadays in proceed.

For better-quality information about the McLeod Swimming pool Indian Company humor visit: www.mlib.ca.

Jason Bak, CEO

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Even More Reason To Switch To Solar La Will Pay Homeowners For Solar Power

From Power Engineering:

The CLEAN LA Solar program will allow local property owners to sell solar power generated from rooftops and parking lots back to the DWP, using a mechanism called a feed-in tariff, or FiT. Los Angeles will be the largest city in the nation to adopt such a program, which will supply renewable energy at a reasonable cost while spurring private investment, creating high-quality jobs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and helping the state and city meet renewable power requirements.

This is exciting news. We've all known that some states and cities will let you feed your unused solar electricity back to the grid but this is the first time I'm seeing it so publicized, and in such a huge city too! The smog in LA can be unreal, as is the traffic, so maybe this will help the city of angels see clearer skies and more green.

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Credit: about-alternative-energy.blogspot.com

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Save Money

It will set you back some money to to own it set up, but later on it may save you money as time passes, included with which there exists no harmful effect around the environment. If high energy costs can be a concern for you personally, and you need to decrease your carbon footprint, solar panel technology offers an excellent solution. He contributes articles on diverse topics from online business to modern technology. To learn more about solar panel systems for the house or find out about the best way to make solar power panels, have a look at solarpanelsforyourhometips. The Earth has a great deal to offer us, but we have to adopt advantage of it. One such thing our world can give us is solar technology. The sun creates strength that we will use for many various things. Continue reading to master more about it wonderful energy option. Before you buy a solar panel technology system, find other homeowners within your areas who use solar panel systems. Ask them just how much energy they can easily generate thanks thus to their system and find out just how much the installation cost them. This will give you a greater idea of things to expect.

Solar heating systems utilize the power on the sun to assist heat your home from the Winter. This style of system can be a great choice for locations that don't get especially cold. Using this form of system in conjunction using your regular furnace can save you around 50 percent of one's energy costs. If you invest within a large solar technology system, you could potentially actually make money away from it. If you may pull enough solar powered energy with a collection of solar power systems, chances are you'll be competent to sell your excess electricity to neighbors or even the electricity company. Contact any local company to discover if this can work for you personally. Think around the money which you send for your power companies monthly. How would you like to maintain that money inside your pocket.

After you settle the wind turbine, the amount of money you familiar with pay to the electricity company will stay within your wallet. Be realistic concerning the costs of experiencing a solar technology system. If you're paying much a lot less than other systems that are round the same size as yours, possibly you have poor equipment or installation work. Like with lots of things in life you obtain what you buy. Quality installation work and equipment doesn't be cheap. You might have substantial savings by going with a big company, but other individuals may be cutting corners to hold costs down. Your solar power system cannot only save a little money, but enable you to make it too. If one's body happens to create more energy than you will need, then you definitely can sell it on the local energy company as part of your area. Imagine receiving money to make energy as opposed to spending money to produce the identical amount of your energy.

If the charge of solar power panels is prohibitive, you may consider buying one for a time. You should get a professional that can conduct a power audit. They can advise you how you happen to be wasting power and assist you to figure out what to perform differently. This means you will never need numerous panels installed. One from the biggest and advantages of solar powered energy is that it can not release any harmful substances inside environment. Fossil fuels, which can be used for regular energy, radiate harmful substances, like co2. In the conclusion, these gasses can ruin the surroundings and harm animals and plants. Taking advantage from the sun's energy is just not only beneficial to us, but helpful towards the environment. Use whatever you learned here that may help you make a knowledgeable choice. The energy through the sun may give you energy to the different things you may need, just find out about it. One on the greatest causes of free energy, both inside amount and power of this energy, will be the sun, and here are definitely the top 3 solutions to harness solar technology.

Let's admit it, devoid of the sun, there'd be no life, so that it's impossible to underestimate the importance with the sun to the planet. Not only would it sustain life to be sure it, what's more, it supplies countless times more power in a very single day than we humans use inside a whole year. Which means we're only tapping into a tiny fraction in the energy on the market to us, so we might do a greater job of harnessing sunshine than we have been doing. But, until we come with new methods to use direct sunlight, these are definitely the top 3 methods to harness that energy. This would be the way of harnessing solar technology that most folks are probably acquainted with, or, a minimum of, the main one they think about when solar technology is mentioned. That's not to state people generally see the details of how it operates, nevertheless they're at the least aware that solar power panels are employed to generate electricity.

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