Preparing the Grid to Deal with the Heat

Preparing the Grid to Deal with the Heat Preparing the Grid to Deal with the Heat Preparing the Grid to Deal with the HeatMany areas of the US and the world in general have experienced periods of hotter-than-usual weather recently, but how those changes will affect the electricity grid within urban areas hasnt really been studied.Until now.As it stands, urban energy grids face significant challenges and uncertainties, including the increased frequency and intensity of heat waves and droughts, says Kristen Cetin, an assistant professor of construction engineering at Iowa State University. No one wants another blackout, much less the specter of commonplace blackouts as grids become overloaded in hot weather.To help cities prepare for increased demand on the electric grid, researchers at two universities recently began collecting and consolidating electricity-use data from areas close to their homes, Cetin says. Shes the principal investigator on the project.In August, researchers at bo th Iowa State and the University of Texas-Austin began sampling consumer data from municipalities in Des Moines, IA, and Austin, TX.The researchers models bring together disparate sources, including historical observations. Cetin and her fellow researchers have collected about 60 years of historical weather data for the areas studied as well as current global and regional climate models.Kristen Cetins research on energy production would impact power plants during times of peak usage. Image Kate Tindall / Iowa State UniversitySynthesizing the data should help them understand what the weather will be like in these locations in the future.You can look at different emission scenarios of the future that have been developed and understand what weather would be like for different locations, Cetin says.Then, theyll produce climate models of extreme conditions those areas could face, she says. The models will depict how an areas power plants will be affected by weather in the future.While cl imate models exist on a national and global scale, few climate models have been created for smaller, more specific areas such as cities. But cities experience unique climate anomalies. Urban heat islandslarge, paved areasdemonstrate how parts of a city can experience vastly different temperatures, Cetin says.The models the researchers will build with the information theyve collected can give a citys energy providersthe types of information they need to make plans for their grids, she adds.A challenge that cities face when you have these extreme weather events is trying to maintain reliability of the electric grid, Cetin says. If youve got uncertainties associated with certain scenarios, theres a higher risk of there being an issue with your grid.Utilities must balance electricity production and consumption at all times, she says. And for that, they need to be prepared for how to respond to times of peak use. If you have higher energy consumption and lower production thats where ther es an issue, she adds. The teams findings and the models they create could significantly impact the way cities and electric utility operators manage electric grids in extreme heatand drought, Cetin says.Utility companies could use the models as an assessment tool to look at the issues they anticipate happening and what they need to plan for, she adds.Todays electrical providers use a system called demand response that adjusts the demand for power rather than the power supply. One of the demand-response techniques involves building owners allowing the electric company to remotely operate thermostats in return for reduced energy costs. During times of peak energyuse, utilities can remotely turn up the thermostat for a certain amount of time.After the researchers city models are complete, a second stage of the project will allow utilities to simulate different demand response scenarios in response to climate forecasts, Cetin says. The utilities can then choose ahead of time how to resp ond to peak energy use, and to heat that could last for longer periods of time than it does now.Utilities may look at raising rates during peak times to discourage energy use, for example.Or maybe theyd look at energy storage, where they store some of the energy prior to peak time and use it to cool the building where they want to consume less electricity form the grid, she adds.Maybe if a utility company was going to raise rates during peak-use times, that would change how a building owner would operate their building.Prof. Kristen Cetin, Iowa State UniversityWhile the project starts with Des Moines and Ames, Cetin hopes models like these will be created for other cities across the United States, Cetin adds.And because Cetins work in general focuses on building and construction, shes thought about how the models will impact building owners as well as utility operators.Maybe if a utility company was going to raise rates during peak-use times, that would change how a building owner w ould operate their building, Cetin says.Utilities cant shy away from the problem of prolonged periods of heat. It needs to be addressed head on. And simulation and modeling gives energy companies a tool to do just that.Jean Thilmany is an independent writer. For Further Discussion

Conformity Assessment Shows Support to Certificate Holders thr...

Conformity Assessment Shows Support to Certificate Holders thr... Conformity Assessment Shows Support to Certificate Holders thr... Conformity Assessment Shows Support to Certificate Holders through Certification 360 WorkshopsASMEs Conformity Assessment department will host three ASME Certification 360 Workshops (go.asme.org/cert360) in 2016. The first will be offered in Shanghai, China (go.asme.org/cert360shanghai), on April 11 and 12, to be followed by workshops in Columbus, Ohio, from Aug. 9 to 12, and Bergamo, Italy, from Sept. 26 to 30.Intended for ASME certificate holders, authorized inspection agencies, government agencies, and companies that are interested in becoming certified, the workshops have been designed to help attendees understand the certification and renewal process, interact with ASME Conformity Assessment representatives, and network with certificate holders and others in the field who are dedicated to ensuring public safety. The workshops also offer attend ees the opportunity to learn the roles of the major players in the certification process and to enhance their standing within the certification community. We created these workshops because we value our certificate holders and want to provide them better erleichterung and guidance in the areas where they live, said ASME Director of Auditing and Inspection Paul Lang. Its important that we work together to apply ASME best practices, efficiency, and sustainability - with the overall goal of enhancing public safety.The program for the Certification 360 Workshop in China, to be held at the Parkyard Hotel Shanghai, will be comprised of three sessions an informational session, ASME Standards and You a second session consisting of three workshops addressing requirements for welding and non-destructive evaluation, boilers and pressure vessels, and the ASME Section III Nuclear Code and a final segment concentrating on the conformity assessment process. For more information and to register, visit http//go.asme.org/cert360shanghai. Workshops will be customized according to issues relevant at each particular geographical region. For more information on the ASME Certification 360 Workshop program, visit http//go.asme.org/cert360 or contact Bibi W. Rahim, manager, Conformity Assessment Operations, at (212) 591-7575 or by e-mail at caasme.org.

Returnship- Re-Entering the Workforce

Returnship- Re-Entering the WorkforceReturnship- Re-Entering the WorkforceReturning to work after taking time off to care for young children or ill family members can be a challenge. Things may have changed in your field during your time away from the workplace. If you neglected to keep your skills and knowledge current, it might be difficult to find a job now that you are ready to restart your career. Many employers are reluctant to hire applicants whose resumes show lengthy employment gaps even when you can easily explain them. A returnship can provide a solution to these problems. Returnship Returnships are adult internships that are specifically geared toward experienced professionals who are re-entering the workforce after an extended absence. Participants typically include parents who have taken a career break for caregiving, but retired military or those who have been out of work because of a temporary illness should also consider these programs. Most returnships are short -term, typically lasting for a finite amount of time ranging from 10 to 16 weeks. Most pay a salary or stipend. They are available in a variety of occupations including, but elend limited to, engineering, marketing, finance, law, sales, and technology. Participants in a returnship can expect to work regular hours doing work similar to what they would have been doing at the same point in their career had they not taken a hiatus. iRelaunch, a company that specializes in career re-entry, reports they have identified over 80 companies around the world with paid returnships.This estimate only includes formal programs. Returnees to the workforce can make informal arrangements as well. How Doing One Can Benefit You During your career break, you may not have given much thought to your career. After all, you were busy tending to other things, which is why you took time off in the first place. During your hiatus, there may have been significant changes in your line of work. Technology is continually evolving and, even if your occupation isnt tech-based, these changes are likely to have had a significant impact on it. Additionally, your old skills may have become a bit rusty from lack of use. Doing a returnship will allow you to identify the skills that are currently essential to the career you are trying to re-enter. Some may be transferable skills acquired through prior experience and others may be entirely new. This experience presents an opportunity to sharpen your old skills and learn new ones. According to reporter Rebecca Jarvis in a story about returnships on Good Morning America, if you couple acquiring those hard skills with soft skills such as communication skills, you will be an in-demand job candidate (Jarvis, Rebecca. How a Returnship Can Boost Your Career (video). Good Morning America. August 14, 2018). A returnship can also open the door to permanent employment, according to Jarvis. Participants have a 50 to 100 percent chance of getting hired full-t ime once their returnship ends. To increase your chances, she suggests going above and beyond while you are there. Returnships also serve another purpose, as do regular internships done by college students or recent graduates. They can help you define- or redefine- your goals. You can decide what trajectory your career should take, or perhaps even choose a different path if this one is no longer appealing. How to Find a Returnship Path Forward, a non-profit organization that helps companies create and run internships for individuals who have taken time off to be caregivers and are re-entering the workforce, lists returnships on its website. They work with employersin San Francisco, Colorado, LA, and New York, and New Jersey.Programs are 16 weeks long.Participants must have taken at least 2 years off from work to be a caregiver andhave at least five years of professional experience. The organizations list of 32 partnering employersincludes Walmart, Verizon, NBC Universal, Oracle Data Cloud,Cloudier, Intuit, Udemy, and Campbells. iRelaunch, in addition to offering for-fee services for individuals who need help relaunching their careers, also provides a free listing of returnships on the companys website. behauptung opportunities are in a variety of fields like STEM, education, legal, medical, and non-profit. You can also use job search websites such as Indeed.comand LinkedIn to search for opportunities.Jarvis, in her report on Good Morning America,advised those seeking workplace reentry to ask employers if they offer returnships since many do. Networking is also essential when it comes to looking for these opportunities. If you did not keep your network alive during your career break, this is a good time to reactivate it.