Disincentives to energy efficiency can be fixed

June 4, 2013 ? A new study finds that utilities aren't rewarded for adopting energy efficiency programs, and that reforms are needed to make energy efficiency as attractive as renewables.

The article, just published in the current issue of Environmental Law, examines key differences between energy efficiency projects and renewable resources. Author Inara Scott, an assistant professor at Oregon State University, outlines ways to increase the amount of energy utilities save each year through efficiency programs.

"Right now, the system actually discourages utilities from building programs to increase efficiency," she said. "We need to start addressing efficiency as we do renewable energy -- by looking at it systemically and removing the barriers."

Scott spent a decade as a lawyer specializing in energy and regulatory law. Her research in the College of Business centers on the transformation of utility systems, clean energy, energy efficiency, and utility regulation.

Her study makes four key recommendations: redesigning rate structures, setting hard targets, streamlining cost-effective tests and addressing market barriers.

Cost-recovery systems for many investor-owned utilities in the United States are based on an old rate structure model -- the more energy that is produced, the higher return for shareholders. "You don't want to penalize utilities for selling less energy," Scott said.

Instead, she said, states can use ratemaking mechanisms to decouple the link between utility sales and revenues and establish performance incentives for the adoption of efficiency programs.

"Decoupling mechanisms may add complexity to utility rate structures, but they are essential to eliminating environmentally nonsensical ratemaking models that reward utilities for higher sales and penalize them for efficiency."

Setting hard targets is doable, she said. The state of Oregon has set a goal for 25 percent of its energy to be consumed through renewables by 2025. Scott said other states also could set aspirational goals for energy efficiency.

"If states are committed to reducing the strain on the electric grid, diversifying utility resource portfolios, reducing dependence on foreign markets, and reducing carbon emissions through the adoption of renewable resources, they should be just as willing to do so through the adoption of energy efficiency as they are through the purchase of renewable resources."

Streamlining cost-effectiveness tests will be difficult, Scott said, because a simple, accurate way to measure energy efficiency does not exist. "The difficulty is that you're trying to measure energy you didn't use. So really, you're measuring something that doesn't exist."

Many of the tests that do exist are so complicated that they may discourage utilities from adopting energy efficiency. Issues with cost-effectiveness testing will be difficult to fully remedy, Scott said, but these steps -- conducting assessments at a programmatic level, streamlining the precision of tests, and considering the development of national standards -- will move the bar forward.

Market barriers, Scott said, can be addressed through incentives. Some states, including Colorado and Michigan, have increased the size of incentives for consumers to take on energy efficiency programs (including, in some cases, reimbursing consumers 100 percent of their investment) and finding ways to make incentives more attractive to customers through advertising and education.

"There needs to be better marketing around efficiency," Scott said. "We need to make increasing energy efficiency as attractive as opting for 'green' or 'salmon-friendly' renewables."

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/most_popular/~3/y92bEl22kQw/130604153518.htm

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Card.biz Adds Google Apps Integration To Its Org Chart And Company Directory Service

Card.biz originally launched in Summer 2012 as a me-too offering along the lines of About.me. But as startups are wont to do, the Paris-based company, backed by Kima Ventures, has since pivoted to offer a service that enables companies to create an org chart and staff directory hosted in the cloud.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/GajSkA35GcY/

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Obama, Xi to talk cybersecurity, other issues

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Alleged high-tech spying from inside China will top the agenda when President Barack Obama sits down this weekend in California with Chinese President Xi Jinping, but other topics including Syria and China's record on human rights also will be discussed, senior Obama administration officials said Tuesday.

The White House sees cybersecurity as a leading threat to the U.S economy and national security.

A recent government report found that more than 40 Pentagon weapons programs and nearly 30 other defense technologies have been compromised by cyber intrusions from China. The cybersecurity firm Mandiant also has linked a secret Chinese military unit to years of cyber-attacks against U.S. companies.

The Chinese government denies it engages in such spying against the U.S.

The Obama administration officials said they expect the cybersecurity issue to become a standing one in relations between the two countries going forward. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be quoted by name previewing the meeting.

Two days of private meetings between Obama and Xi are scheduled to begin Friday evening at Sunnylands, a 200-acre estate in Rancho Mirage, Calif., once owned by the late publishing tycoon Walter Annenberg. It will be their first get-together since Xi took power in March.

The schedule also includes a private dinner on Friday followed by additional talks on Saturday morning.

Beyond cybersecurity, Obama also will raise China's record on human rights, ranging from censorship to the illegal detention of dissidents.

The civil war in Syria is another likely topic for discussion, though China is seen as having less influence on that issue than Russia, because of Russia's steadfast support of Syrian President Bashar Assad, including its supplying weapons to the Assad government.

North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons will also be a topic of discussion. In a shift from his predecessor welcomed by the U.S., Xi has taken a stern tone with North Korea and has told the North to return to nuclear talks with the U.S. and other world powers. The U.S. long has pushed China to take more aggressive action against North Korea. China is the North's strongest ally and biggest trading partner.

The Obama-Xi talks will be followed by a July meeting between U.S. and Chinese officials that will focus on cyber espionage.

Taking the bilateral talks outside of the White House and to a Southern California venue with sweeping mountain views and a lush golf course is aimed at forging more personal ties between the leaders as relations between the global powers they represent become increasingly complex.

The expectation by the White House is that the setting at Sunnylands will encourage a more informal and less scripted set of discussions between Obama and Xi than U.S. and Chinese officials have had to date.

Xi and Obama first met last year when Xi was vice president and he visited the White House. Xi has a warm relationship with Vice President Joe Biden that blossomed when they traveled together throughout China during Biden's 2011 visit.

___

Follow Darlene Superville on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/dsupervilleap

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-xi-talk-cybersecurity-other-issues-215737090.html

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ASUS shows off new touchscreen, USB and gaming monitors at Computex (eyes-on)

We came to ASUS' Computex booth to see the new 4K monitors, but it turns out the company had a lot of other (albeit slightly less exciting) models on display too. First up (starting with the stuff you can actually buy), the company is showing off a 15-inch USB-powered monitor -- a first for ASUS. In fact, the company has teased this guy before, but with a lower-res 1,366 x 768 display. Now, we're told a 1080p version is also on the way, with the 1,366 x 768 one coming in July for $159, and the full HD model shipping in August for around $209. Either way, you get a matte, anti-glare panel, and the whole thing weighs in at less than 800g (1.8 pounds). And, as is customary for monitors like this, it comes with a carrying case that doubles as a stand.

Moving on, we saw two touchscreen monitors (one 19.5 inches, the other 23.6), both of which have 1080p screens -- and some fairly thick bezels. The big differences, so far as we can tell, are that the bigger version has an HDMI panel and IPS, whereas the smaller guy makes do with a lowlier TN panel. No word on price, or even whether this will go on sale in the US, though an ASUS rep did confirm it'll reach select markets sometime in Q4. Wrapping up, ASUS also outed a tri-panel gaming setup, with three 27-inch, 1080p IPS displays. In particular, the company is touting the skinny bezels. Are they skinny enough not to distract gamers, though? Check out our hands-on photos and judge for yourself.

Filed under: Displays, ASUS

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/04/asus-monitors-computex-2013/?utm_medium=feed&utm_source=Feed_Classic&utm_campaign=Engadget

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Chairman Issa, what exactly did Jay Carney lie about? (Americablog)

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Egypt parliament ruled illegal, but to stay on

By Tom Perry

CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's top court ruled on Sunday that parliament's Muslim Brotherhood-led upper house was illegal but could stay on until elections, dealing the Islamists a moral blow but letting them keep their grip on lawmaking for now.

The decision resolves an area of legal uncertainty hanging over a political transition repeatedly upset by the courts.

The ruling by the Supreme Constitutional Court upheld the upper house's right, as set out in a new constitution, to legislate in the absence of a lower house. That chamber was dissolved last June following a similar legal challenge. Dates for new elections have yet to be set.

The upper house, elected as a consultative assembly on a 7 percent turnout, has angered the opposition by broaching areas of controversy since it assumed legislative powers in December.

These include a new civil society law criticized by human rights groups and the West as a threat to democratic freedoms, and proposals for judicial reform that are fuelling tensions between judges and Islamists who see the judiciary as hostile.

Analysts said Sunday's ruling seemed likely to irritate both sides in Egypt's political conflict: the Islamists would be angry that the chamber's legitimacy had been rejected, and the opposition would be annoyed that the house wasn't not dissolved.

"If the Shura Council still has legislative authority, then this is a moral blow but not a legal one," said Nathan Brown, a George Washington University professor and expert on Egypt.

The case against the upper house of parliament, brought by an independent member of parliament, follows a similar challenge that led to the dissolution of the Brotherhood-led lower house last year on the grounds of defects in the election law.

The Supreme Constitutional Court cited election law flaws as the reason for finding the upper house to be illegal. But it said implementation of the ruling should wait given the legislative role given to the chamber by the new constitution.

"The Shura Council is continuing to play its complete legislative role until the institutions of the state are completed and legislative power passes to the new parliament," the presidency said in a statement.

Mohamed ElBaradei, a leading opponent of the Brotherhood, assailed the court ruling as "an expected result of a low-level understanding and political thuggery that has toppled the concept of legitimacy and the rule of law".

COURT RULES AGAINST DEFUNCT ASSEMBLY

Court rulings, many of them against the Brotherhood's interests, have repeatedly turned the transition on its head.

The court also ruled as unconstitutional a provision used by President Mohamed Mursi to declare a state of emergency in three Suez Canal cities during violent protests earlier this year.

Last week, the Supreme Constitutional Court struck down parts of a revised parliamentary election law, casting doubt over the date of polls originally called by Mursi for February.

The Islamists believe the judiciary is stacked with Mubarak-era appointees dedicated to undoing its gains at the ballot box.

The issue came to a head in April when a party allied to the Brotherhood tabled a draft law that would have forced 3,000 judges into retirement. Mursi and top judges have agreed to seek a compromise, though some see it as only a temporary truce.

The Supreme Constitutional Court also ruled as illegal the rules that led to the selection of the assembly that drafted the new constitution, a controversial document fast-tracked into law by Mursi last year. But it said that this did not affect the legitimacy of the constitution "approved by the people".

Yasser El-Shimy, Egypt analyst with the International Crisis Group, said the court ruling would "further weaken the image of the Shura Council, as well as cast some doubt over the process by which the constitution was produced, and all of this is unwelcome for the Brotherhood".

(Writing by Tom Perry; Editing by Alistair Lyon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/egypt-parliament-ruled-illegal-stay-091033826.html

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02 | June | 2013 | Mada (Qatar Assistive Technology Center)

June 2013 Training Schedule

All of our training is offered free of charge at Mada. Registration is mandatory.

To register and for more details, contact Ohood Al Sheeb, Head of Training, at oalsheeb@mada.org.qa

Title: Introduction to Physical Disabilities
Date: 5th June 2013
Language of Instruction: English
Targeted Audience: Parents and professionals
Description: This course is designed to introduce learners to some of the main technologies that can support people with physical disabilities. Physical disabilities can range from mobility issues, includes problems in using your hands or arms and can include complex and multiple physcial needs. A physical disability is no indicator of intelligence or potential, however ! This course will help understand some of the main barriers to daily life and learning that a physical disability presents and how technology can help an individual or family overcome those barriers.

Title: ClaroRead Arabic / Software Solutions for Dyslexia in Arabic
Date: 18th June 2013
Language of Instruction: Arabic
Targeted Audience: Parents and professionals
Description: Many people with Dyslexia find that technology is a major help in overcoming their disability at home, at school or in the workplace. This source will focus on three solutions that people find helpful, Claroread, Mada reader and writer and mind mapping for Arabic speakers.

Title: Clicker 5 Part 1: Introduction to Clicker
Date: 10th & 11th June 2013
Title: Clicker 5 Part 2: Advanced Clicker
Date: 24th & 25th June
Language of Instruction: Arabic
Targeted Audience: Parents and professionals
Description: This two session course will introduce the basic and advanced features of clicker 5. Clicker 5 is a powerful multimedia tool supporting the literacy and communications needs of children with special needs. During the course you will learn how to use Clicker 5 and how to design and share your own Clicker 5 resources.

Title: Introduction to Assistive Technology
Date: 19th June 2013
Language of Instruction: Arabic
Targeted Audience: Parents and professionals
Description: This course introduces a full range of assistive technology for people with a disability or special needs. You will learn about the features that are built into computers as well as the wide range of products that enhance the use of technology for people with a disability. At the end of the course people report that they are amazed at what is available and have also learned how Mada can help make a difference.

Title: Voice Recognition
Date: 24th June 2013
Language of Instruction: English
Targeted Audience: Parents and professionals
Description: Did you know that you can control every feature of your computer with just your voice ? Did you know that for English speakers software can give you 98% accuracy when you dictate speech ? did you know that voice recognition software is available for free on many computers and tablets ? If the answer to one or all of these is ?No? then this is the course for you. Voice recognition can help people with physical disabilities, reading and writing problems and is even used by people with low vision. Come and explore the possibilities at Mada center on this course.

Title: Switch Access for iPad/Android Tablets
Date: 26th June
Language of Instruction: English
Targeted Audience: Parents and professionals
Description: Tablet computers are revolutionizing the ways in which we access information and communicate. This course will introduce you to how those new devices can be used by people using only a single switch for access. New equipment now allows almost any switch user to have full access to an iPad or Android tablet. This course will explain how to set up, install and make best use of the new options available.

Source: http://mada.org.qa/en/news/2013/06/02

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