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npower Hometeam Hunts For Britains Oldest Boiler

npower hometeam has overseen the removal of hundreds of ancient boilers across the length and breadth of the country since the Government’s boiler scrappage scheme launched in January. Now npower hometeam is on a nationwide hunt to find Britain’s Oldest Boiler.

With record numbers of Brits taking advantage of the boiler scrappage scheme, which offers consumers £400 off a new, energy efficient boiler when replacing one which is G-Rated, hometeam engineers have uncovered several antique systems.

Inspired by these discoveries, npower hometeam is launching a nationwide hunt to find Britain’s Oldest Boiler.

Richard Cotton, head of sales for npower hometeam, commented: “If your boiler is particularly old – perhaps the same age as your grown-up children, or has been in the house longer than you have been married – you could be the owner of Britain’s Oldest Boiler.”

The owner of the oldest system uncovered will win £3,000 towards a brand new A-rated energy efficient boiler, and installation.

npower was the first energy supplier to pledge to continue its boiler scrappage scheme once the Government scheme closed, meaning consumers could still be eligible to receive as much as £400 towards the cost of a new boiler; almost a third off the cost of a typical installation.

Via EPR Network
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npower Kicks Off A Football-Filled Summer With The Hairy Bikers

npower is kicking off its ‘Big Cook Off’ with the Hairy Bikers in an effort to introduce Britain to Smart Cooking, great football and great food. As the nation gets ready for football fever this summer, npower has teamed up with the Hairy Bikers to prepare a football-themed cookbook.

npower Kicks Off A Football-Filled Summer With The Hairy Bikers

The 32 energy-rated dishes are all inspired by the nations taking part in the big tournament. The recipes, cooked by energetic chefs and football fans the Hairy Bikers, have all been given star ratings to indicate how energy efficient they are to prepare.

The Hairy Bikers have filmed their own energy saving tips, together with simple demonstrations of how to prepare a selection of the dishes, to help budding cooks save both power and money. The cookbook contains a delicious array of options, f r o m England’s Steak and Ale pie to host nation South Africa’s Pumpkin Fritters.

npower is an Official Supporter of the campaign to bring the FIFA World Cup(TM) to England in 2018 and is encouraging the public to do their bit to Back the Bid this summer by visiting the npower website to download smart cooking recipes and register their support for the Bid campaign.

Via EPR Network
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npower Receives A Tail Wagging Hello From Guide Dogs

npower has been receiving visits from the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association at sites across the north east of England to raise awareness of its services for blind and partially-sighted people.

npower Receives A Tail Wagging Hello From Guide Dogs

Over the past two months staff f r o m npower have been meeting guide dog owners and their respective guide dogs during selected lunchtime visits to its offices across the north east. Guide Dogs had previously been invited to the npower site in Worcester and was selected by npower to receive a £20,000 donation, which was used to sponsor four guide dog puppies through their training.

At these visits npower employees have been encouraged to sponsor a puppy, recycle for the charity and get involved in volunteering and payroll giving.

Nicola Wilson, Guide Dogs’ Development Fundraiser for the North said: “We are extremely grateful for the opportunity to visit the north east sites of npower. We’ve had an incredibly warm welcome so far and thanks to everyone’s support Guide Dogs will receive an extra £792 annually and we still have three more site visits to attend. npower and their staff have been extremely supportive of Guide Dogs and we simply cannot thank them enough for their continued generosity and support.

“The dogs love all the attention they receive at these visits and the volunteers who dedicate their time enjoy answering all the queries and talking about their experiences as guide dog owners and/or volunteers.”

npower currently sponsor four guide dog puppies at Tibury power station and its offices in Swindon and Worcester. Orbie, a five month old golden Labrador is sponsored by the offices in the North East.

Gary Doig, npower’s Community Investment Manager in the North East said, “npower was delighted to sponsor our own guide dog puppy, Orbie, through the corporate charity committee. The Guide Dog visits to our North East sites will undoubtedly create a lot of interest amongst our employees, enabling them to learn more about the dogs themselves as well as increase awareness of the great work done by the charity. Hopefully Guide Dogs will also be able to recruit some future fundraisers f r o m amongst our people.”

There are around 4,600 guide dog partnerships throughout the UK; each costing about£50,000. The charity relies entirely on voluntary donations to funds its guide dog service.

Nicola explained: “Without the help of employers and staff like npower, Guide Dogs couldn’t provide its services for visually impaired people.

“There are still thousands of blind or partially sighted people who never leave the house alone because they lack the confidence and support to do so. Guide Dogs want to change this and provide independence and freedom to every visually impaired person who needs it.”

Via EPR Network
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npower Launches New Wallace & Gromit Ad – Hand Of Dog

While many England fans still bear the scars of the fateful game where Maradona proclaimed that the ‘Hand of God’ knocked England out in 1986, Wallace and Gromit exact their revenge in the new npower TV ad.

npower Launches New Wallace & Gromit Ad - Hand Of Dog

The new TV ad supports the Back the Bid 2018 campaign for England to host the FIFA World Cup(TM). As an official supporter of the bid npower is getting behind England 2018, as hosting the World Cup would provide a huge boost for British businesses large and small.

In one of the funniest football ads to be shown on British TV for many years, Wallace & Gromit, the eternal entrepreneurs, are all set to profit from a tournament in England with their madcap pie-making business – “WAG’s Pies Ltd”. As usual, their best-laid plans are threatened when Wallace’s latest invention – a pie-delivery machine – threatens the game with an errant pie.

Gromit sprints through the stands and onto the pitch making a leap for the runaway pie. As he flies through the air and catches hold of the pie, his other paw accidentally makes contact with the football sending it hurtling past the goalie and into the goal.

The advert ends with Wallace smugly viewing the success of his small business venture and Gromit enjoying a read of the local rag. The front page carries a photo of a very familiar dog scoring a goal under the headline “Hand of Dog”.

Via EPR Network
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Biogas Set To Power Our Homes

Biogas was once the domain of third world countries, but people at build-a-biogas-plant.com show that as energy costs skyrocket and new biogas designs come on the market, even people in a Western city can benefit from a biogas digester.

Biogas Set To Power Our Homes

Biogas is produced when organic matter is broken down by bacteria. The organic matter could be cow dung, but equally it could be the food scraps we throw away every day in our homes. Instead of these scraps going to landfill, they could be put far better use and go into a digester to produce biogas.

The biogas is made up of a large amount of methane, and methane is the important ingredient in biogas. Like natural-gas, biogas can be burned and used to heat water, create lighting or run our cooking stoves and it can even be used to run generators which produce electricity.

“We have been overwhelmed by the response to access the biogas information,” said Simon, a staffer at www.build-a-biogas-plant.com. “Our digester designs cater for individual’s household use, but larger systems are also available for communities, farms and other commercial businesses”.

In the United States alone, billions of tonnes of manure are produced each year by millions of cattle, pigs and chickens. Imagine how much electricity would be produced if all this dung was processed in biogas digesters? Not only would it replace a lot of natural gas but the residue makes a wonderful fertilizer (often better than commercially prepared products).

Via EPR Network
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npower Assists Companies With The CRC

npower has launched a new service to help organisations manage compliance with the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC), and benefit from the incentives it offers.

CRC Assist offers a full service provision to organisations affected by the carbon reduction commitment It provides support to help businesses understand the CRC; assists them with the development of an energy management strategy; and manages their participation in the scheme.

Dave Lewis, head of business energy services at npower, said: “We believe it’s crucial that organisations understand the CRC and the management strategies they should implement to succeed within it. The scheme has been developed to offer significant incentives for the most successful participants and we have developed CRC Assist to ensure organisations are best placed to benefit from these.”

CRC Assist offers support for businesses across the full scope of the CRC legislation and provides an understanding of the CRC. It’s vital that all of the expected 5,000 full participant organisations, and the additional 15,000 participants who will need to register, understand the scheme and what is required of them. CRC Assist promises to cut through the complexities and help businesses understand their involvement in the scheme.

As part of CRC Assist, npower will help participants develop energy management strategies. In the longer term, it will also assist them with managing their performance in the CRC’s league table, which will detail the best and worst performers in terms of emissions reduction. Through effective energy management, organisations will be able to achieve a higher position on the league table.

CRC Assist also offers businesses advice on carbon allowance purchasing, helping to make the ‘cap and trade’ element of the scheme easy. In addition, npower will also support organisations with their records and submissions within the scheme.

The CRC Assist proposal from npower will be specific to the size, scope and strategic objectives of each organisation it works with and is available to all organisations affected by the CRC – whether current, former or prospective customers of npower.

Via EPR Network
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Brit’s Nasty TV Habits Revealed Due to Lack of Family Shows

Millions of Brits are wasting energy by watching one of their three household televisions alone while housemates or relatives watch the same TV show in another room*, according to new research by energy supplier npower.

Lack of family friendly programmes has led to this division in the home showing that the days of family bonding over a favourite television show are sadly long gone – and 46% of Brits have absolutely no idea how much energy they are wasting as a result of this fragmented viewing.

The poll of 2,000 people showed that the reason behind the nation’s disjointed viewing habits seems to have come down to what’s on the box. Last year there were only two shows which brought the family together for communal viewing and both are thanks to Simon Cowell – X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent.

With three televisions on average per household and no shared preference regarding what’s on, it’s no surprise that the overall energy consumption in homes is responsible for over a quarter of all UK emissions of carbon dioxide. Cutting out certain behaviours like wasteful TV consumption can reduce carbon emissions and save households over £300 a year.

Further figures showed:
– 47% of Brits put the telly on just to keep them company
– 42% of the nation is glued to the screen for approximately four hours a day
– 19% of Brits have a TV dinner every night of the week
– 15% of Brits put the telly on while they’re getting ready in the morning even though they don’t watch it

Reassuringly, the poll revealed that people are not happy with this state of affairs. 32% of the population think television should be a sociable activity and 21% of viewers would prefer to watch television in the company of the rest of the household.

In response, npower has launched its smartpower campaign to encourage the public to watch TV programmes as a unit again and then monitor the difference in their energy consumption and bills via a free smartpower electricity monitor.

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Wallace & Gromit Get Smart With npower On The Small Screen

Fans of Oscar-nominated Wallace and Gromit are to be treated to another dose of the favourite duo as they appear in npower’s new TV advert.

The nation’s favourite animated characters are up to their usual ‘inventive’ mischief in delivering npower’s message of sensible energy consumption in the home. The loveable duo soon learns a valuable lesson in monitoring energy, as another invention goes wrong.

The new advertising campaign created by VCCP for npower is in a 30 and a 40 second format and breaks on 29 March until 7 May on ITV (Mid West & North) and Channel 4.

The 30 second advert opens in a darkened room where Wallace is in a state of panic. Hidden behind a cushion he watches a horror movie on his latest invention, a homemade widescreen TV. Wallace’s widescreen TV defies convention, consisting of multiple TV’s taped together.

However, a scary movie is not the only thing poor Wallace has to worry about when the penny finally drops that his pile of TV’s has in fact become an energy consuming monster.

Luckily, the savvier Gromit saves the day when he receives advice from customer care advisor Penny on how to cut energy consumption.

Our heroine informs Gromit about the npower smartpower electricity monitor, which allows customers to keep an eye on how much energy is being eaten up by all household appliances.

The 40 second advert actually shows the viewers what movie is scaring the life out of Wallace – Revenge of the Killer Watts – as well as having an additional scene of Gromit creeping up on Wallace and passing family photographs of Frankenwallace and Dracuwallace along the way. The end of the advert cuts straight back to the ominous pile of televisions ‘sparking’ to life.

The new Wallace & Gromit advert is part of the energy supplier’s smartpower campaign to help customers monitor and reduce energy consumption in the home with the offer of free smartpower electricity monitors when existing and new customers sign up to an online account.

Kevin Peake, marketing director at npower, commented: “We’re all guilty of being like Wallace and Gromit and wasting too much energy in the home, but we want to show that there are ways where we can help our customers save energy and money.

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npower Urges Businesses To Make CRC A Board Level Priority

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npower has launched a plea for businesses to make the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme (CRC) a board level concern and develop a strategy to manage participation to avoid financial loss and reputational damage.

npower Urges Businesses To Make CRC A Board Level Priority

This is the message of a new film – Understanding the CRC from energy firm npower, designed to help businesses prepare for the scheme and avoid potential pitfalls. npower’s film provides guidance on qualification for the CRC, the importance of managing energy and carbon emissions to succeed under the scheme, and the reputational implications of the CRC league table that will name and shame those participants failing to reduce emissions.

It also points out the potential financial benefits of the scheme. DECC calculates that the CRC will stimulate £1bn of cost savings for participants through better energy efficiency.

A further message coming through loud and clear from the film is the importance of having a board member responsible for the CRC. Annual ‘evidence packs’ detailing participants’ energy consumption must have board level sign off. The CRC will also require enterprise-wide investment and behaviour change to improve energy efficiency, which typically can only be sanctioned at the highest level.

Dave Lewis, head of business energy services at npower said: “A lot of businesses are turning to us for advice on the CRC and it’s clear that many are still unclear on the obligations it places on them, and the opportunities and challenges it presents. Our film answers these questions and will hopefully go some way in addressing the concerns that some organisations have. Those affected by the scheme only have until the end of September to register, so it’s important they understand what they need to do and how they can make the CRC benefit their business. This must be driven from the very top if businesses are to realise all the advantages the CRC offers.”

npower helps companies monitor and manage energy consumption to bring commercial and environmental benefits. To help achieve this, npower has developed a monitoring and targeting (M&T) tool – encompass. A web-based system, encompass gives businesses accurate and timely information on their energy consumption, providing them with the data they need to implement cost and CO2 reduction policies. The system automatically collects data from half-hourly and smart meters, providing a detailed report on a business’ energy consumption behaviour, and the related cost and environmental impacts of this. With this data, benchmarks can be set and consumption tracked, alongside mapping of carbon use and cost.

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npower Reports Solar Energy Boost From Cashback Scheme

npower has reported that, thanks to a new government cashback scheme, those who use solar power to generate their own electricity could soon earn approximately £960 per year.

npower Reports Solar Energy Boost From Cashback Scheme

Introduced by the government in April 2010, Feed in Tariffs, or FITs, as they’re more often referred to, offer homeowners with solar photovoltaic (PV) panels a payment of up to 41.3p for every unit of electricity they generate.

James Morgan, solar expert for npower, commented: “This is great news for homeowners. Put simply, owners of solar photovoltaic panels, which produce electricity, will be paid for all the energy they generate – regardless of whether they use it themselves or sell it back to the grid. So not only will your energy bills be reduced, but you will also be receiving a regular income from the energy you generate.

“Consequently, there’s never been a better time to be installing solar panels on your home. Since the introduction of the scheme, we’ve seen a huge increase in the number of people interested in going solar, as the extra financial benefit offered by FITs means that the payback period has been reduced to around 15 years for a typical installation costing around £12,000.”

Solar photovoltaic (PV) uses energy from the sun to create electricity to run appliances and lighting in the home. Solar PV requires only daylight – not direct sunlight – to generate electricity, making it incredibly efficient. The system also generates no greenhouse gases, helping to reduce homeowners’ carbon footprint.

Ronald and Wendy Jordan from Cornwall are one couple who will benefit from Feed-in-Tariffs. They run their own beef farm and bed and breakfast near Lostwithiel and decided to invest their savings in solar PV panels while interest rates were low.

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npower Boosts Barclaycard Freedom Scheme With Reward Worth Up To £160

The reward, the first in the scheme to be paid regardless of the amount the customer spends on their card, is recorded in pounds not points, and can be spent by customers immediately with tens of thousands of participating retailers across the UK.

npower Boosts Barclaycard Freedom Scheme With Reward Worth Up To £160

Celebrating the partnership, npower is doubling its sign-up incentive to £60* of Reward Money for Barclaycard Freedom customers transferring their gas and electricity to npower before May 17th 2010. Along with the £100 annual loyalty payment for both new and existing npower customers paying by monthly direct debit for both fuels, Barclaycard Freedom holders could earn enough in a year to buy a meal out for the entire family, special treat for someone or have a shopping spree online, simply by choosing npower as their gas and electricity supplier.

Giuseppe Di Vita, Managing Director of npower Retail Markets, commented: “Our customers have told us that they would like more freedom of choice in the way that they are rewarded for joining and staying with npower. Participating in the Barclaycard Freedom scheme enables us to give our customers the choice of up to 30,000 retailers to redeem their Reward Money. Our customers will benefit from a straightforward, simple and transparent way to get more value for their money.”

Barclaycard Freedom, which launches in March, offers the concept of a rewards programme to many small and medium retailers for the first time. In addition to encompassing household names, including npower, over 30,000 retail outlets have been invited to be part of the scheme at launch. On average there will be 200 retailers within a five mile radius of where a Barclaycard cardholder lives and many more retailers are expected to join in the coming months.

Sarah Newman, Managing Director of Barclaycard Freedom, commented: “Barclaycard Freedom incorporates all of the best elements of a rewards scheme with no vouchers or coupons to collect and no points to calculate – the rewards are quite simply in pounds and pence. Offers like npower’s – the first of its kind in the Barclaycard Freedom scheme – give customers a new way that they can build up their reward balance. We hope that customers enjoy spending their Reward Money.”

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Guide To Stay Safe And Warm In A Winter Power Cut

Householders are being urged to cut out and keep a handy guide on staying safe and warm in the event of a winter power cut. The guide was pulled together by uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service, after many households were left without power during the recent big freeze.

Emma Bush, energy expert at uSwitch.com, says:”With this winter expected to be the coldest in 30 years and more snowfall predicted to be on the way, consumers should be as prepared as possible for any further power cuts.

“Energy companies will always try to get the supply back up and running again as quickly as possible, but in severe weather such as snow this can take time. If you are disabled, chronically ill, elderly or have young children in your home, let your supplier know as they may need to make you a priority.”

The uSwitch.com cut out and keep guide to surviving a winter power cut:

1.Be prepared - make sure you keep torches, spare batteries, candles and matches in an easy to get to cupboard or drawer and that all your family knows where they are. Keep a battery-powered radio tuned into a local station for information and have important numbers stored on a charged mobile phone.
2.Check - turn off all your electrical appliances and lights, but leave one light switched on so you know when the power is back on. Check whether neighbours have power or not. If it’s just your home affected, check your fuse box first before calling your supplier.
3.Stay warm - this is a priority. If a power cut leaves you without any heating move the whole family into one room, preferably south facing, and make sure you wear several layers of clothing, including a hat, scarf and coat if necessary. Use sleeping bags for extra warmth.
4.Stay safe - you can use other forms of heating such as paraffin stoves, but always read the instructions carefully and make sure the room is well ventilated. If you’re going to cook on a BBQ make sure you only do it outdoors. Never leave candles or heating appliances in unoccupied rooms.
5.Store water - if a power cut lasts for more than a few hours you will need to start storing water as the water supply may start to be affected. Fill saucepans, buckets, empty bottles or even the bath with water. If you are able to boil some water keep it in thermos flasks for warm drinks and fill hot water bottles to help stay warm.
6.Keep food fresh - if the freezer loses power do not open the door unless you have to, frozen food can last for around a day. The fridge is more of a problem, but if it is cold enough you can store food outside. Use a cardboard box with newspaper to stop it from freezing though.
7.Be a good neighbour - check on any elderly or vulnerable neighbours. If they’re struggling to keep warm invite them into your home – the more bodies, the more heat and the safer they should be.
8.Sub zero - if the temperature falls below freezing use towels and blankets to help insulate exposed water pipes. The last thing you need is a burst pipe.
9.After the power cut - check water pipes for leaks, reset electric timers and clocks and check the food in your freezer. If food has thawed do not refreeze as it could make anyone eating it ill.

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£319 Million Investment Could Spell Future Bill Misery For Consumers

Ofgem yesterday published final proposals for funding the first tranche of projects from a potential GBP1 billion package of extra investment in Britain’s high-voltage networks. The first tranche, totalling GBP319 million, will help connect Great Britain’s growing renewable electricity generation. However, this is just part of a much broader GBP233.5 billion investment programme that is expected to add GBP548 a year in total onto household energy bills, warns uSwitch.com, the independent price comparison and switching service. And while the investment is needed, consumers must start preparing for the eventual impact on their energy bills.

Will Marples, energy expert at uSwitch.com, comments: “This announcement is one of many that consumers can expect to hear about huge investments being made to secure our longer-term energy supplies. The investment is crucial, but there can be no doubt that it will have an impact on our future energy bills and this has to be explained to consumers now so that they can start taking action to protect themselves in the future.

“The average household energy bill today is GBP1,239 a year and the additional cost of investment alone is expected to add GBP548 a year onto our bills. Ongoing pricing trends coupled with this investment could see household energy bills hit as high as GBP4,733 a year by 2020, nearly four times higher than they are today.

“This is a wake-up call for us all. The GBP5,000 a year energy bill may seem like an outside possibility, but we have to remember that energy bills doubled in the last five years alone and that the huge investment needed to keep the lights on in Britain will alone add GBP548 a year onto our bills. The fact is we are entering a new era of high cost energy and households will have to adapt their behaviour accordingly.

“Consumers have to start taking action now to future-proof themselves against far higher energy bills. My advice is to invest in making your home more energy efficient, reduce the amount of energy you use and make sure you are paying the lowest possible price for it. Big projects such as a new energy efficient boiler or home insulation can be expensive, but you can speak to your supplier or the Energy Saving Trust to see if you can get any financial support to help with it. Any savings you make through cutting the price of your energy could also be re-invested into energy efficiency measures so that you reap even greater rewards in the future.”

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Door Step Energy Salesmen Must Provide A Written Quote From Today

The move is in response to growing concerns over doorstep selling and particularly the fact that many consumers end up on a worse deal after speaking to an energy company salesman. According to uSwitch.com research almost 7 million UK households have taken out an energy plan through a direct salesman, but less than a quarter of these (22%) believe they got a good deal.

Door Step Energy Salesmen Must Provide A Written Quote From Today

The new system of providing written quotes means that consumers will have proof of the deal they have been offered. But, importantly, the onus will still be on consumers to check for themselves whether it is the best plan they could be on.

Ann Robinson, Director of Consumer Policy at uSwitch.com, says: “This new rule is not about making sure consumers get the best deal, or even a better deal. It’s about making sure they have written proof of what they’ve been offered. It is then down to them to take this information and check for themselves whether they will be better off or not.

“The key thing is that consumers understand that the quote is not a guarantee that they will be saving money. Direct salesmen are not obliged to tell people about their company’s most competitive plans. These tend to be online and are around GBP300 a year cheaper than standard plans so consumers signing up with a salesman without comparing first could still lose out.

“Over a third of people (37%) think that energy salesmen don’t present them with enough information to make an informed decision while almost half (45%) don’t like the fact that the seller only represents one energy supplier. The new quotation system doesn’t tackle these issues, but it does mean consumers can protect themselves by taking the quotes and comparing prices before signing on the dotted line.”

As well as the requirement for written quotes, Ofgem is also increasing the threshold for debt blocking for prepayment meter (PPM) customers from GBP100 to GBP200. This means that those with a debt on their meter of up to GBP200 could now switch to a better deal opening up the opportunity for them to save money. The regulator has also brought in new rules on SME energy, but has backed off banning suppliers from rolling SME contracts over.

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Space Time Insight’s New Geospatial Composite Solution For The Oil And Gas Industry Is Purpose-Built To Help Oil And Gas Executives And Operations Teams To Get Every Drop Of Value From Each Asset

Oil & gas companies have mobile and stationary assets distributed across thousands of square miles – and have immense volumes of with data on every aspect of their business growing by the hour. Composite applications f r o m Space-Time Insight (www.spacetimeinsight.com) leverage oil and gas companies’ prior investments in technology to deliver real-time, comprehensive situational awareness all on one screen – and the ability to take action f r o m the same screen. This helps oil and gas companies realize their vision of managing operations in real-time and on-demand. Oil and gas companies that do manage their operations in real-time and on demand can dramatically increase field productivity, decrease operating costs, and increase average production rates.

Space-Time Insight CEO, Mark L. Feldman, PhD, predicts, “Using geospatial composites f r o m Space-Time Insight, oil and gas companies will be able to realize the same dramatic benefits our customers in other industries have already experienced: improved asset performance, reduced costs, and decreased downtime, increased profit margins and the ability to prevent crises f r o m turning into catastrophes.”

The Space-Time Insight solution for the oil and gas industry is available now and includes the Space-Time Asset Composite and Space-Time Crisis Composite, tailored for the oil & gas industry.

For more information on the solution, to see a recorded product demonstration, or read a white paper about how Space-Time Insight delivers benefits to the oil & gas industry, visit www.spacetimeinsight.com.

Space-Time Insight composite applications for the oil and gas industry automatically integrate features and data f r o m geographic information systems (GIS), real-time weather, data feeds, real-time environmental and equipment sensor data feeds, and data f r o m enterprise systems for asset management (EAM), production forecasting, field engineer scheduling and dispatch, cost analysis, environmental, health, and safety (EHS), and compliance, and inventory systems. Composite features include visual environmental impact indexing and features enabling condition-based and proactive maintenance. Benefits include the ability to prevent minimize downtime, prevent or proactively mitigate leaks and spills, and increase production rates through improved asset performance.

About Space-Time Insight:
Space-Time Insight products deliver intuitive, geospatial-temporal visualizations, contextual real-time analytics, condition-based alerts, remedial action schemes, and workflow links that enable accelerated, geo-aware responses – f r o m a single screen.

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Eupelix LLC Develops Low Energy, Low Emission Process Of Refining Petroleum

Scientists of Eupelix, LLC have developed an ecologically clean, energy efficient method modifying properties of crude petroleum, including braking down long molecules (cracking) into smaller molecules, at room temperature. 

First demonstration experiments were carried out recently by Eupelix staff with the assistance of researchers from the University of Illinois College of Engineering, the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center and the Illinois State Geological Survey.

Eupelix personnel used high frequency, solid-state pulse generators in proprietary circuits and reactors to produce fast electromagnetic fields which affected the physical and chemical properties of crude oils in large volumes. The process decreased the content of heavy oil fractions, breaking them into more valuable, lighter fractions. There also are decreases in the viscosity and the content of toxic sulfur compounds.

For more than 70 years, traditional thermal cracking processes have been carried out by oil refineries at extremely high temperatures. Temperatures exceeding 500 °C have been used to break heavy oil fractions into lighter fractions to produce gasoline and diesel fuels.

“Using these high temperatures involves the extensive power consumption contributing to the cost of fuels and negative environmental impact,” said Eupelix CEO Dmitri Novikov.

Now important steps in upgrading oils can be accomplished without the use of heat, minimizing energy consumption and the impact on the environment, Novikov said.

Petroleum desulfurization is also an important issue for the oil industry trying to reduce the content of sulfur in the end products. This decreases the environmental toxicity of burned fuels. The new process facilitates desulfurization.

The method uses modern pulse equipment, which has been utilized in applications related to radar modulators, particle accelerators and lasers.

“About a decade ago, the project was in the nascent stage because the pulse equipment was not nearly as efficient as it has become in recent years. Hardly anyone tried applying it for processing of petroleum. ” said Igor Pyzh, Eupelix visiting engineering consultant.

Pyzh came from the Ukraine to assist with test experiments for prospective industrial partners and collaborators in the United States.

Using available powerful pulse equipment, hundreds of thousands of barrels of oil per day can be processed satisfying commercial-scale refining. Pyzh says, it is just a matter ofadjusting the equipment to the kinds of processed oils. This can be done in the new Euplex lab in Illinois.

“There are also other interesting, ecologically clean applications that we are exploring together with our collaborators,” Novikov said.

The major efforts of the company are focused on applying this process to large scale petroleum refining for industrial partners in Illinois, the State of Eupelix registration, and for partners in the Ukraine, the home country of the invention.

CONTACT: Dr. Dmitri V. Novikov 
dmitri.novikov@eupelix.com 
217-351-3542 Eupelix, L.L.C.

Via EPR Network
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Energy, Oil & Gas, Products, Services

Many struggling oil and gas producers have big ideas, but may find their projects postponed indefinitely or pass them by while they struggle to find funds, not anymore

Commonwealth Capital Advisors (CCA) reached yet another milestone when it released a new software module of Financial Architect®. OIL & GAS Producer™ is revolutionizing the way start-up and early-stage Oil & Gas producers are raising substantial amounts of capital using the techniques of Wall Street investment banks.

OIL & GAS Producer™ is an addition to the highly acclaimed Financial Architect® for operating companies that simplifies equity financing for start-up and early-stage companies. The easy-to-use software based OIL & GAS Producer™ generates the required securities offering documents and investor leads, which enable start-up and early stage Oil & Gas producers, Oil & Gas Drillers and Field and Production Engineers raise and manage an unlimited amount of capital for oil and gas acquisition and or production.

CCA is a ten-year-old investment banking advisory firm comprised of Wall Street Investment Bankers, Securities Attorneys and CPAs who invented Financial Architect®, a patent pending system designed to substantially reduce the cost (in time and money) of raising capital, through the selling of securities.

“The goals of Financial Architect®, and the module we’re announcing for oil and gas production companies are simple,” said Timothy Hogan, CCA’s Chairman and CEO. “We want to help entrepreneurs involved in the oil and gas industry to significantly lower the costs and increase the speed of raising equity capital. Just as important, we want to provide oil and gas producers and their professional management teams with an easy-to-use expert system that will enable them to choose the right deal structure for the capital they need, and manage those funds in compliance with federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations.”

“We believe there’s significant and growing demand among entrepreneurs for control over their financing strategies. The software components of Financial Architect® are designed to meet this ‘do-it-yourself’ approach,” he concluded. More importantly, Commonwealth Capital Advisors has developed and now provides

Financial Architect® as the Premier Expert System for start-up, early-stage and seasoned companies, that seek capital. The patent pending, software based, Financial Architect® is a system and method of reducing the cost of raising capital, as so states the abstract of its patent application.

Financial Architect® enables entrepreneurs to: valuate their company pre and post-money; create “marketable deal structures” for securities to be offered that are designed to sell into today’s private equity markets; create the required securities offering documents compliant with federal and state securities laws, rules and regulations; and access to accredited “angel” investors, private equity funds, hedge funds, registered investment advisors, broker-dealers and many other sources of capital, around the world, that have a specific interest in funding start-up and early-stage companies. Access to investors, more Wall Street secrets and techniques, as well as, regulatory guidance is located in the password-protected “Commonwealth Capital Club” located on CCA’s website and is part of Financial Architect®.

“When it comes to raising capital, there are no guarantees — only degrees of probability. To further ensure success, simply increase the probability to the highest degree possible. Financial Architect® is designed to increase your probability of raising capital to the highest degree possible. How can we make such a claim? Because this is the Wall Street process and without it, Wall Street wouldn’t exist. We’ve simply brought the “Wall Street” process to “Main Street” companies.”

Timothy D. Hogan, Founder & CEO: Commonwealth Capital Advisors “When it comes to raising capital, there is no simpler way to explain how to effectively raise substantial amounts of capital while maintaining voting control. If you read just the first 2-Chapters of the Ebook, “The Secrets of Wall St. – Raising Capital for Start-Up and Early Stage Companies,” it would be time well spent. By doing so, you will be able to make an informed decision if our process is right for your company’s capital raising needs. At a minimum, you will save a significant amount of time, money and headaches trying to figure out how the world of capital really works,” Hogan concluded.

If you have not been through the process before and have a limited appreciation and understanding of it, then we suggest you educate yourself first, by reading the abridged edition of: “The Secrets of Wall Street – Raising Capital for Start-Up and Early Stage Companies.” (It’s Complimentary)

Entrepreneurs around the world are revolutionizing the way capital is raised using Financial Architect®.

Via EPR Network
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Alternative Fuels, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Clean Energy, Energy, Ethanol, Green Energy, Oil & Gas, Synthetic Fuels

Additron Technologies has received approval from the Shanghai Municipal Committee Secretary to proceed with the acquisition of approximately 1.8 square kilometres in Pudong New District, Shanghai to build its Strategic Fuels and Chemicals Center

Additron Technologies, Inc. today announced that it has received approval from the Shanghai Municipal Committee Secretary to proceed with the acquisition of approximately 1.8 square kilometres in Pudong New District, Shanghai. Additron intends to build its Pudong Strategic Fuels and Chemicals Center at the site.

The facility will produce Additron’s ultra-clean synthetic transportation fuels and specialty chemicals.

Alexander Chen, Additron’s President and Chief Executive Officer stated, “We are pleased to have located this site for our synthetic fuels and chemicals facility. The site is ideally located with access to multiple feedstocks (pet coke, coal and biomass), central to several product distribution channels.

Chen continued, “The aquisition of this site is instrumental in moving this project forward. By using domestic resources, facilities such as this one will play a critical role in increasing China’s energy security while reducing the regions greenhouse gas footprint.”

Based on a study conducted by the Shanghai CPC Department of Energy, Additron’s proprietary Nano Enhanced ICL process was free of virtually all carbon dioxide emissions.

Xi Jinping, former CPC Party Secretary said, “Shanghai is excited about Additron’s decision to commit to exercise the option on the site. This project will be a great enhancement to the economic progress of not only the Pudong New District, but to all of Shanghai.”

Using Additron’s proprietary Nano Enhanced ICL process, the Pudong Strategic Fuels and Chemicals Center will be designed to use petroleum coke or coal supplemented with biomass as gasification feedstocks.

The project will initially produce 40,000 barrels per day of ultra clean synthetic fuels and specialty chemicals and will be expandable to 80,000 barrels per day.

About Additron Technologies, Inc.
Additron Technologies, Inc., founded in 1997, provides clean energy solutions. The Company developed the Nano Enhanced ICL Process which transforms coal into valuable and clean alternative fuels and chemicals.

Additron Technologies is an innovative energy company aiming to revolutionize the ethanol, diesel fuel, jet fuel and waste-to-power industries with new products and services targeting totally clean, environmentally sensitive, economical and renewable power solutions, and to help solve global problems regarding pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Via EPR Network
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Electricity, Energy, Heating, Natural Gas, Oil & Gas, Products

Cost Efficient Way to Heat Homes or Shops This Winter With Wood

With the heat still affecting much of the USA, sitting back in the easy chair in a warm home is probably the last thing homeowners would be thinking about in late September. However, it is time to be thinking of an alternative heating solution for your home. Instead of letting your money go up the chimney, why not look into a forced air wood burning furnace that sits outside.

Scott Bradley an expert in outside wood heaters at Bradley Enterprises suggests that now is the time to be selecting a heater and getting it installed prior to the heating season.

“Now before fall or winter even arrives is the time to be thinking about what to do with those high heating bills you will have coming.” Scott Bradley says, sales manager of Bradley Enterprises in Ozark, Missouri. “Waiting till late fall is not a good option since demand will outstrip supply of outside wood furnaces like last fall and winter. You will be faced with a long wait for a furnace. This could have you installing on a cold winter day instead of a nice fall afternoon.”

If you have access to wood, and live in a mainly rural area an outdoor wood heater would be the ideal alternative heat source for your home or shop. Always be sure and check with your local zoning board to make sure a unit could be installed on your property.

Several factors that will influence the prices of heating oil, propane, natural gas, and electricity in the upcoming winter season October 2007 thru March 2008 include:

1. China and India and other areas of the world have a strong demand for diesel fuel which is similar to home heating oil.

2. Tight crude supply and political unrest in several areas of the world (Middle East tension, Iran, Nigeria just to name a few places).

3. Hurricane related interruptions in supply.

4. A lack of excess production capacity, in the past other areas of the world could make up for production disruptions in another area. Now, with an increase in demand all over the world the excess does not exist.

5. The amount of winter weather we have as transportation of heating oil can be slowed by snowy roads or frozen rivers.

These are just some of the reasons heating your home could be more expensive this winter season. All the different heating source usually follow one another in pricing during a winter season.

Homeowners that are interested in burning wood in a outside wood heater should find them priced from $1400.00 to $7-8000 dollars it will depend on the style, options or size of the heating unit.

More information on outside heating units can be found online very easily by using a search engine like Google or Yahoo. Looking for information by using “outside wood heater, outside wood furnace, outdoor furnace” will bring up a variety of manufacturers product lines.

For more information on the news included in this release (or an interview) contact Scott Bradley or visit www.outsidewoodheater.com.

About Bradley Enterprises:
In business over 19 years selling forced air outside wood furnaces locally and shipping throughout the entire USA from the website. Number one in sales volume of the Lil’house outside the house forced air wood furnace.

 

Via EPR Network
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Alternative Fuels, Battery, Biodiesel, Biofuels, Clean Energy, Cogeneration, Composting, Electricity, Electricity Generation, Energy, Energy Conservation, Energy Distribution, Energy Saving Appliances, Ethanol, Fossil Fuel, Fuel Cells, Geothermal Energy, Green Energy, Hydrogen Power, Methanol, Natural Gas, Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Power Plant, Nuclear Waste, Oil & Gas, Power Supplies, Projects, Recycling, Refueling Stations, Renewable Energy, Services, Solar Power, Solid Fuel, Solid Waste, Turbine, Waste Management, Wastewater, Wind Power

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