Green energy production is an evolving industry. For many years, the methods used to produce electricity for public consumption remained relatively unchanged, extracting fossil fuels from the earth and burning them in order to move turbines. The movement within these turbines generates electricity which is able to be harnessed and stored, then supplied to individual consumers through a grid system.  While there have been technological improvements over the years to the power grids themselves, as well as to the storage and transport mechanisms, the method of creation has lagged technologically. Instead of moving towards alternative methods of moving the turbines themselves, industry has experimented with alternative fossil fuels, simply concentrating on getting the most energy produced by the burned fuel system. Even though it is common knowledge that there are methods that can move the turbines just as effectively without burning a fuel source, cost hindered the development and advancement of these industries. Due to the fact that the energy production industries are for-profit businesses, their interest is creating the product as cheaply as possible within any regulations that exist. Regulations will almost always center on the negative by-products of the process, so industries find that it is cheaper to lobby for removal of the regulations than it is to develop alternative processes. The green energy methods have existed for many years, but have never been fully adopted by the major players in the market simply because it was always cheaper to use fossil fuels, even though there are negative side effects. Technology will advance even if there is not widespread adoption, and although it has taken significantly longer than it would have with major support, we are finally entering a time period where the major industries will more fully support green technology simply because it makes good business sense. Green energy production is finally hitting a point where it is both cleaner and cheaper.

The major factors that were hindering the adoption of green technologies were costs due to necessary repairs to equipment. The technological processes used in wind and solar energy production rely upon computerized equipment that is continually in harm’s way, due to the fact that it is positioned in the field and exposed to hazards like lightning strikes. In wind turbines, the physical makeup of the structure that is necessary in order to achieve maximum efficiency also makes them a prime target for lightning. The wind turbines sit in remote and unobstructed areas where wind flow will be maximized, and they are generally the tallest structure in that vicinity. Lightning strikes to the blades are common as a result, and the surge of power that follows a lightning strike will produce damage to equipment that is connected to the structure. As a result, a lightning strike to a wind turbine not only destroys the blades, but also destroys the computer equipment attached to it. These costs are being reduced through the evolution of more technologically advanced surge protection devices, lowering the costs of production as a result. Surge protection devices are developed for the purpose of reducing surge related damage to equipment in all industries, so the technological evolution of the devices is not tied to adoption by one industry. The more advanced and efficient these surge protection devices become, the more they can be used to bring down the prices of green energy, ultimately forcing the fossil fuel production methods to be reconsidered in favor of the less expensive methods. Surge protection is a key to the future of the climate, and casual observers probably do not even realize it.

Photovoltaic Surge Protection

Solar panels need surge protection as well as overhead protection from lightning.  Photovoltaic systems that produce energy through the conversion of sunlight in both the residential and industrial markets are susceptible to damage as a result of lightning strikes.  These strikes can be both direct and indirect and still cause significant amount of damage to system components.  The main reason behind this susceptibility is physical makeup of the panels.  They are large and flat and have fully exposed surfaces, and additionally they are located geographically in unobstructed areas that are many times remote. (more…)

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You may think that the damage that is caused by lightning strike to an industrial business will be seen in the form of fire or explosion at the point where the lightning hits something. In reality, damage that is significant is rarely seen in this form due the fact that most businesses will provide overhead shielding or other forms of protection positioned above the structures.  These protection forms attract the lightning to strike them instead of the structures that they are positioned above.  This will allow for the effective mitigation of the surge is associated with a lightning strike, as well as draw the damage associated with the strike itself to be localized.  (more…)

So called “new” or “renewable” energy methods such as wind power and solar power have long been looked to as hopeful alternatives to the pollution of fossil fuels and representing a better the future for the planet. Even if you do not believe that climate change is manmade, it is undeniable that burning fossil fuels pollutes our environment. There are few that would ever try to argue that pollution is better than no pollution, and ultimately the discussion about fossil fuels vs alternatives like wind power come down to economics. Opponents of wind technology cite as their argument that wind turbines are a blight upon the landscape, and also that they cannot produce enough electricity on their  own to replace the fossil fuel systems that service our major cities, and other cities around the globe. They also often state that wind is a more expensive technology to run, that produces the same product, ultimately making the argument rest on the listener to decide  if a certain amount of pollution is worth the cost savings. Because fossil fuel systems produce power less expensively than wind does, those that are money-conscious will many times vote to support the system that will be cheapest, as long as they cannot readily see the consequences in front of them. Their opinion is often swayed by arguments against wind technology development that are being put forth by the fossil fuel companies themselves. If it is not harming you right now they think, then it is better to pay less money for the product. This entire argument would fall apart if wind power could fill all the existing demands and also be a cheaper way to produce the product. That day is coming soon. (more…)

Today’s world is an interconnected one, and highly technologically advanced systems interact with our daily lives almost constantly.  Each year, statistics show that people are more reliant upon their phones and wireless devices to conduct their business, even if that business is as simple as using a search engine to answer simple questions about home improvements.  We are continually exposed to information that is housed on computers and data centers elsewhere, and our access to this information is one of the main reasons that modern life is considered easier than the past.  Access to knowledge is the greatest accomplishment of modern man. (more…)

The world of industrial surge protection has gone through many changes over the years, essentially evolving as technology, demand and needs increased. It has generally been the technological advances that are discovered and enhanced by private companies that propel the next levels of protection, creating better quality products also led by the need to push margins lower. The industrial surge protection devices that are employed by major companies in their applications are the ones that can save the operations most through superior performance. In industries where loss expectations have a direct correlation to profitability, any way to reduce those expected operating losses contributes to the bottom line. This is the reason for the ever evolving surge protection device industry, and it is why the best technology will always be the one most in demand. (more…)

To say that the telecommunications industry is competitive is an understatement. The telecom companies have been fighting a battle for customers over the last 25 years that rivals the airline industry. The increasing expectations of customers of higher levels of capacity, wider areas of coverage, faster download speeds and cheaper monthly prices have driven the telecom giants to make attempts to shave costs nearly everywhere. In today’s environment, they need to produce more satisfaction from customers using less machinery and more technology support than ever before, and this is no easy task. As performance demands from the public increase, so do the costs of the technologically advanced equipment necessary to the process. Equipment that becomes outdated is being replaced by equipment that now costs hundreds of millions, and telecom companies have no choice but to invest in order to stay competitive. If you are not offering the latest “data-hungry” options to your customers, as well as nearly instantaneous download speeds and uninterrupted coverage, they will simply move over to the nearest competitor who will give it to them. Customers within the cellular space are only as loyal to their company as their latest billing cycle. (more…)

Green technologies are changing the world, essentially by making electricity more available to consumers while impacting the environment less. The general discussion points around green technology is its ability to generate the same power products without the necessity of burning fossil fuels in order to accomplish that task. This reduces the amount of pollutants that impact our bodies and the environment, while allowing us to turn the lights on and off without noticing any difference. There is no “better electricity” that is being manufactured using green technology, and instead the improvement to the world is that it being created in a cleaner way. This has caused much debate in society, as some people see the importance of cleaner production methods while others do not see it as being an issue. The main argument between the two groups is that the cleaner products generally come at a higher production cost, and most people who do not see the older methods as problematic are not willing to pay more for a cleaner method. Few are trying to argue that the burning of fossil fuels is superior in that it is cleaner, and instead they argue its superiority based on cost. If they cannot directly see the impact to the environment, they feel they cannot justify the cost. (more…)

When a discussion of “industrial surge protection” happens, the majority of people who are not involved in the decision making process for large production facilities will probably not understand the critical nature of the industry. The term “industrial” is used to describe a wide variety of installations, generally having some characteristics that are common but for the most part simply meaning “beyond the scope of residential.” Industrial facilities must always be protected, whether they range from light industrial to large installations of equipment designed to work in unison in order to produce or manage a product or service. Products or services beign manufactured can range from the production of electricity for residential use to the production of a simple consumer product, but nearly every industrial facility tends to have the same weaknesses and strengths. The isolated nature of the facilities themselves make them less of a nuisance and irritation to communities, as well as allowing them to function in a way more conducive to the production of products. The larger consumption levels of power and materials allows them to produce products at larger capacities, thus driving costs lower and making prices more affordable. The larger scope of equipment and machinery involved allows the capacities necessary for these increased production levels to be met. They are bigger, more isolated, more exposed to the elements and involve more expensive equipment than anything that most people will ever come in contact with. All of these strengths are also weaknesses if not properly protected. (more…)

A lightning strike causes a significant amount of damage to nearly anything it hits. Most people have seen pictures or videos of the damage that is caused in the area that the strike happens, generally resulting in explosion and fire, and most times resulting in the destruction of the thing that is struck. In order to prevent lightning from striking structures that are known to be vulnerable due to their physical makeup and positioning, precautionary measures like the installation of nearby lightning rods and overhead shields is usually the consideration. The main idea is to divert the lightning away from the structure that would be damaged by the strike, and to a different area that would see less costly damage. Lightning always travels to earth, so the methods of diverting lightning strikes involve positioning these protection mechanisms away from expensive equipment and connected to the ground. Hopefully, the lightning will be attracted to them instead of the more expensive structure in the event of bad weather. (more…)