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Illinois Fuel cell technology makes its debut at the AlEC's annual meeting More than 400 Illinois electric cooperative leaders catapulted into the future when they witnessed a demonstration of space-age energy and the signing of an unprecedented partnering agreement to market fuel cell technology. Cooperative leaders came to Springfield to learn about fuel cells and how they might help serve rural power needs, during the AIEC's 58th Annual Meeting, held July 29-30. As electric cooperatives nationwide seek additional products and services to offer their consumer-members, alternative power sources such as fuel cells are under consideration. A multi-million dollar partnering arrangement to market this new technology was signed by H Power and Energy Co-Opportunity. Frank Gibbard, chief executive officer at H Power said, "The electric cooperatives are an ideal commercialization path for residential and small commercial Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells." Rene DuBois, director of sales and marketing for H Power, powered a 50-watt light bulb with a portable fuel cell during the meeting to give the crowd a close-up and personal look at the technological breakthrough. H Power is the largest producer of fuel cells in the world. Its new partner, Energy Co-Opportunity, is a national energy cooperative formed to provide assistance to electric co-ops seeking to diversify into additional energy supply and services. A fuel cell converts chemical energy to electrical energy. It uses the electro-chemical reaction of hydrogen and an oxidant such as oxygen to product electrical energy silently, without combustion. "It's really exciting - Popular Science kind of stuff," said John Lowrey, editor of the Illinois Country Living magazine. Several other items of note transpired at the meeting. First, two Illinois elected leaders were recognized for their support of rural Illinois. Congressman Ray LaHood of Peoria, and Representative Mike Smith of Canton, were each honored as recipients of the Illinois Electric Cooperatives Public Service Awards. Members also heard from Erin George of Hoopeston. George represented Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative in Paxton on the "Youth to Washington" tour in late-June. She was elected as the Illinois delegate to the NRECA Youth Leadership Council and will represent the electric cooperatives of Illinois at several regional and national events during the coming year. During the association's reorganization meeting, Marion Chesnut of Rossville was re-elected chairman of the board of directors. Dexter Edmison of Belle Rive was re-elected vice chairman, Jimmy L. Ayers, of Rochester was elected secretary, and W. Dean Bame of Ava was elected treasurer. William Griswold of Rockbridge was re-elected as Illinois representative to the NRECA board of directors. Griswold also serves as director on the board of Illinois Rural Electric Cooperative, Winchester. Top consumer complaints Auto sales, home improvement and auto repair top the list of hot topics for consumer complaints. This is from a survey conducted by the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators (NACAA) and the Consumer Federation of America (CFA). Here are the top 10 problem areas for consumer complaints and the percentages of agencies that listed them:
1. Auto Sales (new and used), 74 percent
The biggest jump in the survey came from complaints of slamming and cramming. Slamming is the unauthorized switching of a consumer's phone service and cramming is when telephone companies charge consumers for services they have not purchased. Another area of growth was the Internet. From 1996 to 1997 complaints about problems with Internet service providers, scams and fraud on the Internet and problems with merchandise ordered through the Internet increased by an average of 23 percent. NACAA and CFA also looked at trends in the past five years of survey data. One of the biggest changes in this time period is the rise of credit complaints. Number seven in 1994, these complaints have risen to fourth place in the most recent survey. Credit complaints include identity theft, bogus debt consolidation plans, and fraudulent credit protection plans. Source: U.S. Consumer Information Center, Pueblo, Colo. 6 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING SEPTEMBER 1999 Don't torch your home with a torchiere lamp In the past few years, halogen torchieres have become tremendously popular. They are inexpensive to buy, and they soften the look of a room or hallway by casting light up toward the ceiling. However, halogen torchieres are very expensive to operate because they use so much electricity. They can also present safety hazards - they can get hot enough to fry an egg! And all that excess heat adds to cooling costs. An ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent torchiere looks the same as its halogen counterpart and emits an equivalent amount of light, but it runs 80 percent cooler. It is also more cost effective to operate, saving more than $300 over the lifetime of each fixture. You might want to begin converting the lighting in your home with a torchiere that uses a pin-base compact fluorescent. For a list of ENERGY STAR residential light fixtures, call the toll-free Hotline at 1-888-STAR-YES (1-888-782-7937), or visit www.epa.gov/energystar. ENERGY STAR torchieres can be ordered on-line at www.lightsite.net, or by calling 1-800-379-4121. Feeling safer at home: more Americans invest in security systems Everyone wants a sense of security and peace of mind for themselves and their loved ones. So it will come as no surprise that, with an average of one burglary committed every 10 seconds in the U.S., more and more people are investing in electronic home security systems. Today, one in six homeowners has invested in electronic protection. Home security system sales are projected to be $1.65 billion in 1999 a 49 percent increase over the past five years. A growing number of Americans are discovering the convenience and safety of home security systems and would like to have them available in their homes, said Gary Shapiro, president of the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association. Studies show that burglars attack homes without an electronic security system three times more often than homes with a system. Most burglars are scared off by the signs, decals, and sensors indicating the mere presence of a security system. Professionally installed home security systems can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, depending on the level and extent of protection. There are a variety of professionally installed and do-it-yourself home security systems for all types of budgets. In addition, you could qualify for discounts of up to 30 percent on your homeowners insurance policy if you have a home security system. The basic elements of most standard home security systems include a control pad, a siren, an inside motion detector, and door and window contacts. In addition, many people prefer electronic linkage to a central monitoring station. This system feature has the capability to notify an outside agency of a break-in when you're not home. State-of-the-art systems integrate smoke, fire, and flood protection, and can be linked to a home or remote computer to control your thermostat, automate your lights and appliances even open and shut your draperies! Additional consumer information on home security systems is available through the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association (301-907-7897, Web Site: the Consumer Electronics Manufacturers Association (703-907-7897, Web Site: and the Central Station Alarm Association (301-907-0045, Web Site: www.csaaul.org). Source Electric Co-op TODAY article by Anne Schleiger Hall
Have time to give? Take time on the net to find a worthy cause
The spirit has moved you, and you want to volunteer your time or make a contribution to a worthy cause. Are you suited to building communities on another continent? Teaching language skills in a foreign country or mentoring a child in your community? Perhaps you have some items or cash that you want to donate to a charity. Or you've decided to form your own non-profit group. Where to begin? The paths to selflessness have converged in one hospitable place: the 4anything. com network, which is home to http:// 4Volunteer.com and http://4Nonprofits. com. 4Volunteer.com links directly to dozens of recognized volunteer organizations in several categories. Volunteers can link directly to national organizations such as Teach for America, Peace Corps, Big Brothers Big Sisters, World Wildlife Fund, Greenpeace, and others. Volunteer Vacations, with opportunities to contribute efforts toward public lands across the United States, such as state park and forests. Get involved with organizations devoted to disaster relief, children who are victims of war or poverty, world hunger, and disease. For more listings of volunteer opportunities, users can locate directories of organizations such as Youth and Children Net, and Volunteer Centers Online. Sites such as ServeNet allow individuals or organizations to post opportunities. 4Nonprofits.com provides links to a range of information and services, for anyone seeking to make a contribution, non-profit groups looking for fund-raising ideas, or even for those seeking to start a non-profit organization. The information is easy to find. Learn to write an effective grant proposal, and find the tools for getting started, such as guidelines and forms for tax-exemption, links to foundations, and to sites that match volunteers with nonprofits. SEPTEMBER 1999 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING 7 Fuel neutral standard approved After a bitter, three-year battle between the electricity and natural gas advocates, the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) approved a fuel-neutral "Standard 90.1 Energy Efficient Design of New Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings." This represents a big win for the electricity industry which had fought hard to keep the standard from favoring natural gas. In March 1996, ASHRAE released its 1,400 page proposed Standard 90.1 which discriminated against the electric industry by allowing less insulation and weather stripping in building construction using any form of heating other than electrical resistance heating. Buildings heated or cooled by highly efficient electric heat pumps were listed as resistance heated because of the back-up electric coils in heat pumps. Communities that work Some cities just seem to work better than others. What does it take to build and maintain a successful, healthy community? A report recently released by the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs (IIRA) at Western Illinois University says that it requires diligence and hard work by residents and community leaders alike. According to the reports author, Peace Corps Fellow and WIU geography graduate student Scott Paskiewicz, another necessary ingredient is social capital: a solid employment base, quality public services, responsive government and residents willing to invest in the future of the community. Successful cities must recognize resource limits and not follow a development strategy that depletes these resources and degrades the quality of life. This decision can be difficult when local public officials must choose between expanding the tax base and increasing employment versus controlling resource usage and adopting a smart growth policy, Paszkiewicz said. Rural communities, especially those bordering expanding metro areas, face serious land-use issues. Sustainable communities use their resources efficiently, Effective community leaders incorporate the needs of all types of residents in local decisions. Active involvement tends to give ownership to local decisions and make residents feel they are part of the decision-making process. Conflicts are less likely to arise and the overall quality of life is higher in these types of communities. The report contains case study examples of communities that have successfully used this process for projects which strengthen their economy and environment. For more information, contact the Illinois Institute for Rural Affairs at 309/298-2237. The report is also available on the Web at www.iira.org. Stop changing light bulbs! Compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs last 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs - 10,000 hours versus 1,000 hours. Energy conscious consumers are changing to longer life but the associated energy cost savings (up to 75 percent) as well. A 15-watt CFL will save $36 over its life versus a 60 watt Soft White bulb and provides nearly the same light output. GE's decorative CFL Globe and 75-95 and 100 watt equivalent replacements save even more. The carbon disappearance mystery More than 7 billion metric tons of carbon enter the atmosphere in the form of CO2 each year. But when scientists measure the increase in CO2 concentrations in the air, they can only account for about half of the carbon. Where are the missing 3 billion metric tons? That's about the amount of coal burned for electricity during a three to four year period in the United States. Some of the missing carbon might be stored in Nevada's high deserts, Oklahoma's prairies, or in grasslands near you. Plants take in CO2 and convert the carbon to leaves, stems, roots, and fruit. Since rangelands cover half the Earth's land area and contain one-third of the plant life, they're a logical place to look for the missing carbon. Scientists at 11 locations across western rangelands are doing just that. They're using sophisticated meteorological instruments to understand how CO2 moves between the air and vegetation on U.S. rangelands. If rangelands store excess carbon, we will find that the amount of carbon in the plants and soil organic matter increases over time, says Phillip L. Sims, a rangeland scientist at Woodward, Okla. So far researchers have learned that the amount of CO2 absorbed by the vegetation fluctuates significantly from location to location and even over short periods at each site. 8 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING SEPTEMBER 1999 |
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