What does it really mean to conserve energy?

How many times have you heard something along the lines of: “Turn the lights out! Electricity doesn’t grow on trees...”

Sure, we all know the world consumes too much energy – that’s been becoming increasingly more obvious over the last half-century. But what does that mean exactly? Is it too many air conditioners trying to combat hotter summers? Too many cars on the road? Poor building insulation?

Well, turns out scientist aren’t all that certain. Through careful analytic study, they’re learning more each and every day. Economists at MIT and the University of California, Berkeley recently launched E2e, a new project which will attempt to address global energy consumption and all its complexities.

 “Almost all of the previous work on energy efficiency comes from engineering studies, which look at what’s possible under ideal conditions,” says Michael Greenstone, co-director of the E2e project. “We wanted to ask a slightly different question — what are the actual returns you could expect in the real world?”

Back in 2009, McKinsey & Co, a consulting firm that focuses on solving global issues, released a surprising study proving that countries like the United States can save roughly $680 billion dollars over the next decade through strategies like sealing building ducts and upgrading old appliances.

Economists continue to analyze, challenge, and debate strategy. ”Those engineering studies can’t account for the behavioral changes you might see in response to efficiency improvements,” says Christopher Knittel, an economist with the E2e project. “People could, for instance, start adjusting their thermostat if it becomes cheaper to cool the house.”

A recent study out of Mexico showed that a government-funded program promoting energy-saving refrigerators actually curbed electricity use. However, a similar program involving air conditioners had the exact opposite effect — when people got more efficient ACs, they used them more often, and energy consumption rose.

“The point is that policymakers aren’t going to spend an infinite amount of money trying to save energy or reduce greenhouse gases,” says Greenstone. “So the motivation is to find the places where the return is the greatest. If you could reduce a ton of carbon-dioxide for $100 or two tons for $50, you’d choose the latter.”

[ ana shell, energy conumption, environment, fossil-fuel generator, nrglab, nrglab pte ltd, nrglab singapore, research council nrglab, zeev drori israel, nrglab, nrglab sh-box ]

Energy Investments: how diverse is your portfolio?

Today, more and more asset management firms are racing to invest in the next big breakthrough in the energy industry. The American-based Carlyle Group, which specializes in private equity, market strategies, real assets, and fund of funds, has recently formed a six person energy team in hopes of better estimating the growth potential for this industry across the global market.

Carlyle recently ended its decade-long relationship with Riverstone Holdings, the firm which helped Carlyle secure half-a-dozen projects in the energy industry. The new team intends to raise an additional $1.5 billion in private equity.

According to a statement released by Carlyle, “Experts forecast global energy demand to grow dramatically over the next decade. Energy production and infrastructure is expected to grow dramatically in Europe, Africa, the Americas and Asia to meet this demand. [This] will increase the need for capital investment globally."

Carlyle has already invested close to $30 billion in alternative energy funds, but those investments have all been within North America. The new team will scour for opportunities abroad, especially in struggling markets like Europe, Africa, and Latin America.

It’s fairly common in today’s economy for asset management firms to diversify their portfolios with energy projects. Just last year, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts raised approximately $1.25 billion to invest in natural resources. Blackstone Group more than doubled that – over $2.5 billion!

Clearly, the Carlyle Group and others like them are realizing that energy demand isn’t go anywhere anytime soon. People will always need to get from point A to point B. They’ll always need lights to see. Channels to flip through. Food to microwave. What happens when the oil and natural gas run dry, and electricity becomes a premium luxury?  Sure, that may be decades away. Perhaps even a century. But unless we begin investing serious efforts into developing clean renewables, our descendants will pay the price for our hubris.

How is your investment portfolio looking? Have you ever considered investing in a carbon-free, low-cost alternative to the fossil-fuel generator?

Well, if you have, then you’re in luck! NRGLab introduces the SH-Box, the world’s first polycrystalline electrical generator that’s guaranteed to change the world. To learn how you, your family, your community or business can achieve energy independence once and for all, visit www.nrglab.asia.

[ ana shell, Carlyle Group, Cina, fossil-fuel generator, GE, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, nrglab pte ltd, nrglab singapore, nrglab сингапур, NRGLab 项目, Riverstone Holdings, sh-box, Siemens ]

Harga yang Terlalu Mahal untuk Energi Semesta? Jutaan Orang Tanpa Listrik Tidak Setuju

Tahukah Anda bahwa di zaman yang dikuasai teknologi seperti sekarang, jutaan orang masih hidup tanpa memiliki akses tetap ke bahan bakar atau listrik? Itu berarti mereka tidak bisa menghangatkan rumah mereka di musim dingin. Mereka tidak bisa memasak, atau menyimpan makanan di kulkas. Sementara orang lain telah jauh lebih maju, mereka masih tertinggal untuk mengurus diri mereka sendiri.

Menurut makalah yang baru-baru ini diterbitkan oleh International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, dibutuhkan sekitar $65 miliar dan dua dekade untuk membangun jaringan energi semesta. Harga tersebut termasuk pembangkit tenaga listrik, ekspansi dan pemeliharaan jaringan, dan dana untuk tungku yang ramah lingkungan. Tungku-tungku ini akan bermanfaat bagi lebih dari 40% orang yang tidak memilikinya dan mengurangi hingga 1,8 juta kecelakaan fatal, klaim penelitian tersebut.

Lalu apakah kehidupan jutaan orang sepadan dengan $65 miliar?

Shonali Pachauri, penulis pendamping makalah tersebut, setuju. “Skala investasi yang dibutuhkan terhitung kecil dari sudut pandang global,” katanya. “Tanpa usaha dan kebijakan baru, akses semesta pada energi modern tidak akan tercapai hingga tahun 2030. Sebenarnya, untuk memasak, situasinya mungkin akan memburuk...”

Pachauri benar. $65 miliar setara dengan kurang dari 4% dari investasi di sektor energi saat ini. Jadi kita tidak perlu berinvestasi LEBIH BANYAK– melainkan berinvestasi LEBIH CERDAS.

Ikut serta dalam salah satu proyek energi NGRLab, akan menjadi langkah finansial paling cerdas yang pernah Anda lakukan.

NGRLab telah mengembangkan cara untuk meningkatkan efektivitas dari generator turbin gas. Dengan Metode “Eco-SV” (patent-pending), turbin mencapai level efisiensi listrik antara 53% dan 72%. Bandingkan ini dengan efisiensi dari kebanyakan turbin lain, yang beruntung jika bisa mencapai level 35%.

Usaha patungan (JV) dengan Viscoil Holdings mencakup daur ulang material-material limbah menjadi bahan bakar yang bermanfaat. NGRLab memiliki hak eksklusif terhadap teknologi ini untuk seluruh Asia Tenggara. Batu bara telah dijadwalkan untuk didaur ulang di Indonesia. Minyak mesin di Malaysia. Produk pertanian di Singapura dan Malaysia. Di Singapura, misalnya, NGRLab mampu mendaur ulang 2000 ton limbah per hari menjadi 800m3 bahan bakar! Bayangkan kemungkinan yang ditawarkan sistem ini untuk jutaan orang yang tidak memiliki akses listrik...

NGRLab adalah bisnis yang mengubah hidup. Jika Anda tertarik, hubungi kami dengan mengunjungi www.nrglab.asia.

Diterjemahkan dari Bahasa Inggris, artikel asli di publikasikan tanggal di 14 Oktober:

[ energi, konsumsi energi, Pentingnya Energi, nrglab, nrglab singapore, nrglab sh-box, Viscoil, Eco-SV, nrglab pte ltd, proyek nrglab ]

Too high a price for universal energy? Millions without power don’t think so

Did you know that in today’s technology-driven age, millions of people still live without regular access to fuel or electricity? That means they can’t heat their homes in the winter. They can’t cook, or keep their food refrigerated. While the rest of the world advances by leaps and bounds, these people are left to fend for themselves.

According to a paper recently published by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, it would cost an estimated $65 billion and take two decades to construct a universal energy grid. The price tag includes power generation, grid expansion and maintenance, and grants for clean-burning stove. These stoves would benefit the more than 40% of people without them and reduce accidental fatalities by up to 1.8 million, the study claims.

So are the lives of millions worth $65 billion?

Shonali Pachauri, co-author of the paper, seems to think so. “The scale of investment required is small from a global perspective,” she says. “Without new policies and efforts, universal access to modern energy will not be achieved by 2030. Actually, for cooking, the situation may even worsen…”

Pachauri is right. $65 billion equates to less than 4% of current investments in the energy sector. So we don’t need to be investing MORE—we need to be investing SMARTER.

Participating in one of NRGLab’s many energy projects may just be the shrewdest financial move you’ve ever made.

NRGLab has developed a way to increase the efficiency of gas turbine generators. With the patent-pending “Eco-SV” Method, turbines achieve electrical efficiency levels between 53 and 72%. Compare this to the efficiency of most other turbines, which are lucky to register 35%.

A joint-venture with Viscoil Holdings involves recycling waste materials into useable fuel. NRGLab possesses exclusive rights to this technology for all of Southeast Asia. Coal is scheduled to be recycled in Indonesia. Engine oil in Malaysia. Agricultural byproduct in Singapore and Malaysia. In Singapore, for instance, NRGLab is able to recycle 2,000 tons of waste on a daily basis into 800 m3 of fuel! Imagine the possibilities this holds for the millions without access to power...

NRGLab is in the business of changing lives. If you’re interested in opportunities, contact us by visiting www.nrglab.asia.

[ ana shell, energy, gas turbines, GE, nrglab, nrglab pte ltd, nrglab singapore, nrglab сингапур, pakistan, research council, sh-box, Siemens, STIG, Verizon] 

了解气化和能源循环

NRGLab有一个目标：为所有人创建一个更好的未来。要达成这一目标，我们采用的一个方法就是改革能源行业。现在，我们正在开发许多实惠又智能，且对环境友好的项目，其中最有前途的可能是我们新开发的气化技术。

我们的气化厂能回收废物，与同类转化技术相比，能更有效、更大规模地提取能源 。

老实说——仅仅是废物回收也是有意义的！为什么我们要依赖有限的资源，或者是类似于风和太阳等不可靠的替代物，而不审视一下我们自己浪费的习惯呢？

气化不仅有多种用途——它还是一支不可忽视的力量！它能加工农业废物、水稻和天然气，让其在将来发挥作用，我们的加工方法不会浪费一滴潜在的能源。

通常情况下，废物中的能源会被丢弃。无论采用土埋或是火烧的方式，都会对环境造成极大危害。有害物质可能会污染我们的水。更多的温室气体可能会污染我们的大气。我们的气化技术将这些废物利用起来，而不是，嗯——让它随废物而去（变成废物）！

另外，我们的气化技术将会降低我们对地球上有限的化石燃料储量的依赖。

一个常见的误解是，能源回收等于焚烧垃圾，除此之外，什么都不是。错、大错、特错！气化是一种截然不同的加工方法。在分子级出现的化学反应会让物质蒸发成汽，几乎不会产生碳排放。

另一个常见的误解是，气化会减少回收量。再一次——错、大错、特错！本地回收倡议会促进消费意识和社区精神，并在气化开始之前，实实在在地过滤掉不需要的材料。

NRGLab 站在了绿色能源技术的前沿。请前往访问我们的网站nrglab.asia，了解更多信息。

未来还是一片空白。团结一致，我们就能确保明天更美好。为了我们的孩子。为了他们的孩子。一切都始于可再生能源项目，例如气化项目。

希望您现在对能源回收有了更深入的了解！

从英文版翻译而来。原文于 7 月30日,http://annie65j.blogspot.com/2013/07/understanding-gasification-and-energy.html

[ 气化, 能源循环, NRGLab 项目, NRGLab推出的SH-box, 全球变暖, 志愿, 政府, 能源消耗, 新技术, annie j, ana shell nrglab, nrglab, nrglab pte ltd, nrglab singapore ]

Memahami Gasifikasi dan Daur Ulang Energi

NRGLab memiliki satu tujuan: menciptakan masa depan yang lebih baik bagi seluruh umat manusia. Salah satu cara mencapainya adalah dengan merevolusi industri energi. Saat ini, kita sedang mengembangkan sejumlah proyek-proyek ramah lingkungan yang cerdas secara ekonomi, yang mungkin merupakan teknologi gasifikasi baru kami yang paling menjanjikan.

Pabrik gasifikasi kami mendaur ulang sampah sekaligus memperoleh energi secara lebih efisien dan pada skala yang lebih besar daripada teknologi konversi yang setara lainnya.

Sejujurnya - daur ulang sampah layak dipertimbangkan! Mengapa kita mengandalkan sumber daya yang terbatas, atau sumber daya alternatif yang tidak dapat diandalkan seperti angin dan matahari, bukan melihat kebiasaan boros kita sendiri?

Gasifikasi tidak hanya serbaguna - ini adalah kekuatan yang harus diperhitungkan! Gasifikasi mampu memproses limbah pertanian, beras, dan gas alam menjadi sesuatu yang bisa digunakan di masa depan, prosesnya tanpa membuang energi potensial sedikit pun.

Biasanya, energi dalam limbah dibuang dengan cara dipendam, atau dibakar, sehingga menyebabkan kerusakan besar terhadap lingkungan karena menghasilkan bahan-bahan berbahaya yang bisa mencemari air dan lebih banyak gas rumah kaca yang dapat meracuni atmosfer kita. Teknologi gasifikasi kami memanfaatkan limbah ini dan bukan hanya membuangnya ke pembuangan (sampah)!

Selain itu, teknologi gasifikasi kami akan mengurangi ketergantungan kita pada keterbatasan cadangan bahan bakar fosil planet kita.

Sebuah kesalahpahaman umum adalah bahwa daur ulang energi hanyalah membakar sampah. Salah, salah, salah! Gasifikasi adalah proses yang sama sekali berbeda. Reaksi kimia pada  tingkat molekul menyebabkan bahan menguap menjadi gas, sehingga emisi karbon sedikit.

Kesalahpahaman lain yang umum adalah bahwa gasifikasi tidak mendukung daur ulang. Lagi - salah, salah, salah! Inisiatif daur ulang lokal meningkatkan kesadaran konsumsi dan semangat komunitas, dan benar-benar memilah bahan yang tidak diinginkan sebelum gasifikasi.

NRGLab berada digaris depan teknologi energi ramah lingkungan. Untuk mempelajari lebih lanjut, kunjungi website kami di nrglab.asia.

Karena masa depan tidak ada yang tahu. Bersama-sama kita dapat memastikan hari esok yang lebih baik. Untuk anak-anak kita. Dan anak-anak mereka. Semuanya dimulai dengan proyek terbarukan seperti gasifikasi.

Semoga sekarang Anda dapat sedikit lebih baik memahami energi daur ulang!

Diterjemahkan dari Bahasa Inggris, artikel asli di publikasikan tanggal di 30 Juli: http://annie65j.blogspot.com/2013/07/understanding-gasification-and-energy.html

[ Daur Ulang Energi, Gasifikasi, nrglab, gasification, gasification nrglab, ana shell nrglab, nrglab pte ltd, nrglab singapore, proyek nrglab ]

Understanding gasification and energy recycling

NRGLab has one goal: create a better future for all of mankind. One way we intend on achieving this is by revolutionizing the energy industry. Right now, we’re developing a number of economically smart, eco-friendly projects, the most promising of which might be our new gasification technology.

Our gasification plants recycle waste while recovering energy more efficiently and on a grander scale than comparable conversion technologies.

Honestly – waste recycling just makes sense! Why are we relying on limited resources, or unreliable alternatives like wind and solar, instead of looking at our own wasteful habits?

Gasification is not only versatile – it’s a force to be reckoned with! Capable of processing agricultural waste, rice, and natural gas into useable future, our process doesn’t waste a single drop of energy potential.

Usually, the energy in waste is discarded. It’s buried, or burned, which causes tremendous harm to the environment.  That’s hazardous material that could be contaminating our water. More greenhouse gases that could be poisoning our atmosphere.  Our gasification technology utilizes this waste instead of just, well - letting it go to waste (pun intended)!

Additionally, our gasification technology will reduce our dependence on our planet’s limited reserve of fossil fuels.

One common misconception is that energy recycling is nothing but incinerating trash. Wrong, wrong, wrong! Gasification is an entirely different process. Chemical reactions at the molecular level cause matter to evaporate into gas, resulting in few carbon emissions.

Another common misconception is that gasification cuts back on recycling. Again – wrong, wrong, wrong! Local recycling initiatives promote consumption awareness and community spirit, and actually filter out unwanted materials prior to gasification.

NRGLab stands at the forefront of green energy technology. To learn more, visit our website at nrglab.asia.

Because the future is unwritten. Together we can ensure a better tomorrow. For our children. And their children. It all starts with renewable projects like gasification.

Hopefully you understand energy recycling a little bit better now! 

[ gasification, gasification nrglab, gasification plant, energy recycling, nrglab, nrglab pte ltd, nrglab singapore, ana shell, ana shell nrglab, annie j ]

Menjadi sukarelawan dapat memperpanjang hidup Anda dan planet ini!

Ada orang menjadi sukarelawan karena mereka memiliki hati mulia. Sementara yang lain menjadi relawan untuk terlihat baik di mata orang lain. Dan ada juga yang terpaksa untuk bekerja karena perintah pengadilan. Namun, menurut sebuah penelitian terbaru yang dipublikasikan dalam Jurnal  kesehatan publik BMC , menjadi seorang sukarelawan benar-benar dapat membuat Anda panjang umur!

Para peneliti di Universitas Exeter mengkaji puluhan makalah akademik dan menemukan bahwa subjek yang menjadi relawan di waktu luang mereka, mempunyai kemungkinan untuk meninggal dalam 4-7 tahun ke depan seperlima lebih kecil daripada rata-rata orang lainnya. Mereka menilai bahwa perasaan depresi mereka juga  tergolong rendah, dan mengklaim bahwa mereka lebih menikmati hidup secara keseluruhan.

Jadi, periksalah koran lokal Anda. Kerjakan PR Anda. Lihat apakah ada organisasi yang bisa Anda ikuti. Lebih baik lagi - jika Anda tidak menemukan sebuah organisasi yang sesuai dengan gaya Anda, buatlah sendiri! Keluarlah dan buat perbedaan.

Menjadi sukarelawan bukan berarti melakukan kunjungan ke rumah sakit saja. Anda bisa berada di luar ruangan, menikmati udara segar dan sinar matahari sambil memungut sampah misalnya. Atau, mulailah dengan membuat kompos. Membuat kebun masyarakat. Membuat taman Anda sendiri. Anda tidak memiliki halaman? Cobalah tanam sendiri tomat di sebuah pot dan taruh di ambang jendela (Anda merasakan sendiri kalau rasanya jauh lebih enak daripada  tomat yang Anda beli di toko!). Ada banyak proyek sadar lingkungan yang bisa Anda ikuti. Berhentilah  membuang-buang waktu menonton acara TV untuk keseribu kalinya. Sudah waktunya untuk berubah.

Tua, muda - tidak masalah! Menjadi sukarelawan berarti mencoba untuk membuat diri Anda menjadi orang yang lebih baik. Dan, sementara Anda mencoba membuat diri menjadi lebih baik, mengapa tidak sekalian membuat bumi ini menjadi tempat yang lebih baik juga? Menjadi sukarelawan itu baik karena membuat Anda aktif secara sosial, aktif berpikir, dan berolahraga. Bahkan dapat mengurangi tekanan darah! Penelitian BMC menunjukkan korelasi yang jelas antara siswa SMU dan kesehatan kardiovaskular yang lebih baik.

Diperkirakan bahwa 36% dari penduduk di Australia mendedikasikan setidaknya sebagian waktu luang mereka untuk menjadi sukarelawan, dibandingkan dengan 27%  di Amerika, dan 22,5% di Eropa. Dan angka-angka tersebut perlu terus meningkat!

"Review sistematis kami menunjukkan bahwa menjadi sukarelawan berkaitan dengan peningkatan kesehatan mental, tetapi dibutuhkan penelitian lebih lanjut untuk menentukan apakah benar menjadi relawan adalah penyebabnya," kata Dr Suzanne Richards, kepala peneliti penelitian tersebut. " Masih belum jelas juga apakah faktor-faktor biologis dan budaya, dan sumber daya sosial yang sering dikaitkan dengan kesehatan yang lebih baik serta kelangsungan hidup juga terkait dengan kesediaan untuk menjadi sukarelawan."

NRGLab telah bertahun-tahun mendedikasikan diri untuk mengembangkan teknologi yang akan "memberi kembali" kepada jutaan orang di seluruh dunia. Dari generator portabel SH-Box yang bebas karbon sampai ke  Turbin-SV inovatif untuk gasifikasi, revolusi energi hijau akan mencetak kemenangan besar. ertanyaannya adalah: di pihak mana Anda akan berdiri ketika bom pertama jatuh?

Untuk menunjukkan dukungan Anda untuk esok yang lebih baik - masa depan yang lebih hijau - ikuti kami di Facebook  atau kunjungi  nrglab.asia

Diterjemahkan dari Bahasa Inggris, artikel asli di publikasikan tanggal di 1 September http://annie65j.blogspot.com/2013/09/volunteering-can-add-years-to-your-life.html

[ Menjadi sukarelawan, sukarelawan, listrik indonesia, listrik murah, nrglab, nrglab pte ltd, nrglab singapore, nrglab сингапур, sh-box, saving energy ]

可再生能源的重要性

大家好，我叫Alex，是NRGLab研究委员会的一名工程师。在过去的15年里，我都在使用CAD-CAM计算机技术，帮助其他工程师准确而详细的说明他们的设计。NRGLab推出的SH-box（多晶体发电机）将改变世界，我会告诉您原因：因为它是一种可再生能源。

在使用计算机模型时，我们经常解读各种数据，借此来预测未来的趋势和倾向。而在我们看待世界时，也应采用同样的方法。通过分析当前的信息，我们可以调整根植于前工业传统的系统，优化我们的未来。我们无法回避目前严峻的形势：世界正慢慢地死去。人口增长过快。燃料消费已增加到失去控制的地步。是时候应用我们所知的一切，来防止环境走向目前看来不可避免的不幸结局了。

解决方案就是可再生能源。可再生能源能让能源实现民主化，还能让信息、科技、稳定和和平茁壮成长。目前，为了争夺对有限的自然资源的控制，世界各地的国家都在相互竞争。石油、煤炭、天然气。让我们消除这一动机吧，否则，我们可能会见证这场竞争以战争而结束。

在20世纪，我们目前对石油和燃气的依赖是没有问题的。但现在，石油正在耗尽，而路上再多几辆混合动力汽车也将不能抵消排放到大气中的碳。伤害已经造成。幸运的是，改变正在发生。

但是，重大改变要求有开放的心态。首先，我们要想象一个没有加油站或燃煤发电厂的世界，以便将这个世界变成现实。我们急需能插入现有电网中的新技术，立即为数亿个挣扎着勉强维持生计的家庭提供援助。我们需要团结在一起，反对现有的能源基础设施。能源，就像我们呼吸的空气一样，不应被当做一种贴有价格标签的商品。它应该被视为人们学习、交流、在夜间感觉更安全的机会。能源就是力量。在NRGLab，我们的目标就是将这种力量还给人民。

想要成为能源解决方案的一份子吗？有兴趣成为NRGLab团队的一员吗？您可以通过下列链接，就如何加入研究委员会了解更多信息：

 https://www.box.com/ResearchCouncilNRGLab

原文于2013年8月21日发表在http://annie65j.blogspot.com/2013/08/the-importance-of-renewable-energy.html

[ 全球变暖, 政府, 新技术, 能源消耗, nrglab, nrglab pte ltd, nrglab сингапур, nrglab singapore, NRGLab 项目, NRGLab推出的SH-box, sh-box, annie j, ana shell ]

Volunteering can add years to your life and the planet’s!

Some people volunteer because they have great big hearts. Others volunteer to look good. Some are forced to work off a court-ordered sentence. But, according to a recent study published in the BMC Public Health journal, volunteering can actually ensure you live longer!

Researchers at the University of Exeter reviewed dozens of academic papers and discovered that subjects who volunteered in their free time were a fifth less likely to die within the next four to seven years than the average person. They also rated their feelings of depression lower, while claiming to enjoy a greater overall quality of life.

So check your local newspaper. Do your homework. See what organizations you can get involved with. Better yet – if you don’t find an organization that suits your style, start your own! Then get out there and make a difference.

Volunteering isn’t relegated to hospital visits, either. You can be outside enjoying the fresh air and sunshine while picking up litter, for instance. Or, start a compost heap. Start a community garden. Start your own garden. Don’t have a yard? Try growing your own pot of tomatoes on the windowsill (You’ll see how much better they taste than the ones you buy at the store!). There are tons of environmentally conscious projects you can get involved with. Stop wasting time watching that TV show for the millionth time. It’s time for a change.

Old, young – doesn’t matter! Volunteering is about trying to make yourself a better person. And while you’re at it, why not make the Earth a better place, too? Volunteering is great because it keeps you socially active, thinking, and exercising. It even reduces blood pressure! The BMC’s study showed a distinct correlation between High School students and improved cardiovascular health.

It’s estimated that 36% of people in Australia dedicate at least some portion of their free time to volunteering, compared to 27% in America and 22.5% in Europe. Those numbers need to go up!

“Our systematic review shows that volunteering is associated with improvements in mental health, but more work is needed to establish whether volunteering is actually the cause,” says Dr. Suzanne Richards, the study’s head researcher. "It’s still unclear whether biological and cultural factors and social resources that are often associated with better health and survival are also associated with a willingness to volunteer in the first place."

NRGLab has dedicated years to developing technology that will “give back” to millions of people around the world. From the portable, carbon-free SH-Box generator to the innovative SV-Turbine for gasification, the green energy revolution is about to score a major victory. The question is: what sideline will you be standing on when the first bomb drops?

To show your support for a better tomorrow – a greener future – follow us on Facebook or visit nrglab.asia

[ BMC Public Health journal, University of Exeter, Dr. Suzanne Richards, SV-Turbine, SH-Box generator, nrglab, nrglab singapore, nrglab pte ltd ]

India makes game-changing commitment to green energy

India is known for a lot of things – a dense population, an economy on the rise – but green energy certainly hasn’t been one. That all changed last week, when the electricity regulatory committee in Maharashtra (MERC), India's most industrialized state, ordered 93 separate companies to reach renewable power obligations (RPOs) by March, 2014. This mandate pertains to both government distribution companies as well as private consumers.

Companies that fail to comply will be fined 13.40 RS per unit, the highest penalty the state has ever threatened to levy. Maharashtra and Punjab, another one of the country's wealthier areas, are the only two states in India really pushing green energy.

Until now, India hasn’t made much progress on that front, mainly because their government has failed to enforce energy and environmental laws. In April, a report published by Greenpeace found that 22 of India’s 29 states failed reach their RPO goals. Maharashtra was one of the worst offenders.

"This announcement is a fundamental game-changer for the Indian solar industry," says Ameet Shah, co-chairman of Astonfield Renewables, a solar company vying for more work in India. "RPOs are essential to installing more power, alleviating shortages, and helping our economy run at full speed. Maharashtra, making such a big policy move towards enforcement confirms explicitly that non-compliance will not be tolerated any longer."

But is solar the answer? That technology has been around for decades now – plenty of time to prove itself on the global market. Solar simply hasn’t been able to provide enough power for large areas. It fails on cloudy days. Requires expensive instillation. Needs to be maintained regularly. Solar literally comes with a laundry list of problems.

Maybe solar isn’t the answer. That’s OK. The findings in India are “a significant step," claims Greenpeace campaigner Abhishek Pratap. “But it's going to be difficult for the [government] to impose such fines. Many [companies] are in very poor financial condition, so it's probably better to make the private entities pay up first."

Pratap goes on to blame regulatory boards for having limited the powers of local law enforcement. "The question is: who will regulate the regulators? We need a revamp of all electricity laws to give electricity regulatory boards more power." Sounds like they need to tear down the past and start from scratch.

NRGLab and other green energy groups are praying that Maharashtra’s initiative in India serves as a game-changing precedent. For far too long, governments have relied on incentivizing people. Perhaps it’s time to inflict a little punishment. Some “tough love.”

NRGLab believes there’s an easier – less painful – solution. With energy breakthroughs like the SH-Box – a carbon-free electrical generator that’s also portable – and the SV-Turbine – a device used in the gasification of agricultural byproduct into useable fuel, our company is dedicated to solving the energy problems of tomorrow, today.

For more information on NRGLab, visit nrglab.asia. And be sure to follow me for more news and updates. 

[ green energy, Maharashtra, MERC, renewable power, Punjab, Ameet Shah, Astonfield Renewables, Abhishek Pratap, sh-box, nrglab, nrglab singapore, nrglab pte ltd ]