Author Archives: Salman Zafar

About Salman Zafar

Salman Zafar is the CEO of BioEnergy Consult, and an international consultant, advisor and trainer with expertise in waste management, biomass energy, waste-to-energy, environment protection and resource conservation. His geographical areas of focus include Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Salman has successfully accomplished a wide range of projects in the areas of biogas technology, biomass energy, waste-to-energy, recycling and waste management. Salman has participated in numerous national and international conferences all over the world. He is a prolific environmental journalist, and has authored more than 300 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. In addition, he is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management and environmental sustainability through his blogs and portals. Salman can be reached at salman@bioenergyconsult.com or salman@cleantechloops.com.

6 Tips to Save Money On Your Electricity Bill

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Utilizing energy more efficiently not only saves you money on your electricity bill, but also helps meet the ever-growing energy demand. High energy efficiency reduces greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants and water usage. It also stabilizes electricity volatility and prices. Here’s how you can save big on your electricity bill.

tips to reduce electricity bill

1. Switch your provider

Switching your energy supplier can help you cut your electricity bills significantly. Shop around to find the cheapest rates for your business and home to save money each month. You can use a price comparison site to find the fairest offers in the market. You may also shift to retail energy providers such as Energy Texas for affordable green energy options. Consider managing your electricity bills online because sending paper bills may attract additional costs.

2. Conduct an energy audit

An energy audit gives you a clear picture of your home’s energy usage, safety, and comfort. It helps you determine how much energy you’re using, what part of your home is inefficient, and what you can improve. It helps know the changes and improvements you can make to become more energy-efficient, so consider conducting your energy audit before finding ways to reduce energy usage to identify cost-saving opportunities.

3. Use programmable thermostats

A programmable thermostat allows you to control your home’s temperature regardless of your location, helping you save money on your heating and cooling costs. Your thermostat settings will differ depending on seasons, local climate, and your home’s condition. With a programmable thermostat, you can use a pre-set schedule to regulate the times your heating and cooling system turns on.

eco friendly business practices

Don’t set your thermostat at settings colder than usual when turning your AC to unnecessary energy expenses. Place your thermostat far from windows, doors, direct sunlight, kitchen, drafts, and hallways to prevent it from changing the temperature unnecessarily.

4. Insulate your roof

If your home is adequately insulated, less warm air will escape during the winter and summer, reducing the amount of heating and cooling energy. Insulation reduces heat exchange through walls, attic, roof, and ducts. Well insulated walls, ceilings, and floors require less energy to heat and cool your home. Seal and insulate your ducts to heat and cool your home. Warm or cool air can escape through gaps and cracks, so consider weather stripping and caulking to prevent air leaks, saving energy.

5. Be careful with lighting

While switching off your lights when not in use can save energy, changing your lighting can yield more energy savings. Consider replacing your bulbs with energy-efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) to make your home more energy-efficient. Place lamps in corners and use daylighting techniques and automatic dimmers for improved energy efficiency. You can also use task lighting, including reading lamps, bedside and desk lights, to meet specific needs.

Reasons to Convert to LED Lighting

6. Use energy-efficient appliances

Using energy-efficient appliances reduces home energy bills, saving you money. When shopping for energy-efficient appliances, consider available space to ensure ventilation clearance. Look for the Energy Star logo to ensure your appliances are energy-efficient. Consider replacing your clothes dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, and other appliances in your home with Energy Star labels to save electricity.

Endnote

If not controlled, your monthly energy costs can be very high. Use these tips to save big on your electricity bill.

How to Give Recognition to Employees

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These days it has become really important to provide recognition to the employees of any organization or company for their hard work, efforts, and contributions. The success and growth of a company highly depend on different factors, such as employee satisfaction, employee morale, employee motivation, employee engagement, etc. And all these factors are heavily reliant on employee recognition.

When an employee gets recognized for their efforts and good performance by the higher-ups of the company, it highly increases their morale. They feel happy and satisfied to work in the company. As the employees feel appreciated and valued if they are provided with the recognition they deserve, it gets them highly engaged with their work and the workplace. As a result, they get highly motivated to keep doing better at their jobs, and bringing in better results for the company. Also, the employee retention rate increases in the company, so it gets to retain the best talents.

Ways to Give Recognition to Employees

If a company invests in providing recognition to its employees and implements a proper employee recognition program, it will get a great return on investment. If the achievements and good work of the employees are acknowledged and recognized, a company can experience a 50% increase in the employee productivity level, and around a 20% increase in the business outcomes. Also, it creates an emotional connection between the employees and the company. All these cater to the massive growth and success of the company. So, it’s really important to give recognition to your employees.

Here are some ways that you can go for to give recognition to your employees–

1. Sending Employee Care Packages

You can make care packages for your employees that will be full of an assortment of things like gift certificates, hand-written notes, beautiful stationeries, wholesome snacks, etc. that will show them that you care. You can provide your employees with these care packages to recognize their good work. If the items of the care packages are selected carefully based on the likings of your employees, it will create a great impact on them. They will feel highly valued and appreciated. It will also get them highly engaged with the workplace.

2. Employee Wellness

One of the most effective ways to provide employees with recognition is to arrange wellness programs for them. If you focus on various aspects of employee wellbeing and make sure that your employees are being able to maintain their good health, it will make them feel highly valued and cared for. Based on a recent survey on workplace wellness, around 70% of the employees think that they need help from their employers to stay healthy. So, it’s important that you arrange special wellness programs for your employees such as yoga classes, exercise sessions, etc. It will help your employees keep healthy, and make them feel highly engaged with the company.

3. Giving Creative Feedback

One of the best and most original forms of recognition is providing employees with thoughtful and positive feedback. It is also a really simple and effective way to make the employees feel highly appreciated. It motivates them to keep doing better in their jobs. Also, it helps them understand what they are doing right, and what they are not. It can help them to do better in their jobs and grow professionally. So, it will increase the employee engagement and satisfaction level by a lot.

4. Spot Bonus

If any of your employees manage to do something praiseworthy, meet a target, complete an important project, or go above and beyond for the company, you can show your appreciation to them immediately with words of praise, and recognize them by sending them a spot bonus through the recognition platform you are using. Spot bonuses are an effective way to encourage collaboration between employees. Also, it motivates the employees to highly to keep doing a great job at the office.

5. Company-Wide Shoutout

One of the best ways to provide recognition to employees is to give them a company-wide shoutout through the employee recognition platform you are using, or through social media. You can acknowledge your employees for their achievements, good work, great performance through heartfelt and nice words, and let everyone in the company know about them. It will make your employees feel highly appreciated and valued.

6. Thank You Notes

Sending personalized and simple thank you notes to employees is one of the simplest and most effective ways to provide recognition to employees. You can easily send a note through email or send them a handwritten note that shows them how grateful you are for their good work and efforts for the company. It doesn’t take much time or effort, but it will make your employees feel highly appreciated. Also, they will feel highly motivated to keep going.

How to Boost Employee Wellbeing

7. Celebrating Work Anniversaries

You can recognize your employees for their special achievements, and great performance. But you can also recognize them by celebrating their work milestones and work anniversaries, which are glorious achievements for any employee. If you celebrate the work anniversaries of your employees in a thoughtful and joyous manner with the other employees of the workplace, it will make them feel highly valued and recognized. You can send them special gifts and heartfelt messages on the occasion of their work anniversaries, which will get them even more engaged with the workplace.

8. Taking Your Employees Out for Lunch

You can take your employees out for lunch, and provide them with their much anticipated one-to-one time with their higher-ups. During lunch, you can give your feedback to your employees, and listen to whatever feedback and suggestions they have for the company. If they have any concerns, you can listen to them. Also, you can make them know how much you appreciate all their hard work and contributions to the company. It will make them feel highly recognized.

9. Sending Gift Cards

You can try sending gift cards to your employees as a token of appreciation for their efforts and good work. You can send them gift cards from their favorite restaurants, fashion houses, or something similar. It will make them really happy, and they will also feel highly valued. This is a great way of providing recognition to your employees.

Final Words

These days nothing is as important as providing recognition to employees in a company for its success and growth. Employees of a company are the foundations and life of a company. You can’t get your desired results without keeping your employees happy and satisfied. You can increase their morale, happiness, and engagement level with the company by recognizing their contributions, good performance, and hard work. If your employees feel valued, appreciated, and engaged, it will motivate them to do better and be more productive. The company will enjoy massive growth and success in return.

How to Resolve Scratch Disk Photoshop Error

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This error that comes about in Photoshop usually takes place when you are short of space on your hard disk. This causes Photoshop not to save its files on your computer. When this error pops up, the two things that happen with Photoshop is that either it manages to crash or it doesn’t load further at all.

A problem arising doesn’t mean that it cannot be fixed because like every other problem for your PC, we have brought a solution for this issue as well. There are a number of things that you can do to fix the “scratch disks are full” issue that comes up on Photoshop. Here you can let Photoshop use more of your RAM or delete temporary files that will help you regain space on your computer back. If you are reading this article then surely you are a graphic designer and you should also read What is CorelDraw to learn more about graphic designing software.

We are going to talk about these solutions below so make sure to stay till the end if you want to know how to solve this issue.

How to Clear Scratch Disk Photoshop

Free Up Space

The root cause for this Photoshop error to show up is because your computer doesn’t have enough space on it. You will need to get rid of all junk files in your PC. If you do not have much space left in your hard disk then you can do adobe photoshop CS6 Free Download as it is the old version so it does not take much space while running. Once you manage to free up memory space you can then use this space to store the temporary files on your computer. Do this by following these steps:

  • Open Settings
  • Click System on the screen that shows up
  • Select Storage to view the storage details of your computer
  • You’ll see what is occupying your memory and that will help you decide what you will need to delete

Get Rid of Temporary Files

Photoshop creates and manages to store the temporary files on your storage. You can safely delete these files after you’ve managed to close Photoshop. This is a small effort on how you can manage to regain the memory on your computer which you’ve lost. To download every type of photoshop Getintopc is recommended website.

  • Press the Windows + R keys at the same time to open Run, type the following into it, and press Enter
  • When the temporary folder opens, find the files named Photoshop or PST
  • Right-click those files and select Delete
  • Right-click the Recycle Bin on your desktop and select Empty Recycle Bin
  • On Mac, use Spotlight to search for temporary files and delete them

Change Scratch Disk When Your System Starts Up

If on Photoshop you have multiple disk scratches assigned then you can go on and switch between them on the Startup menu of your Photoshop. The solution works perfectly well when Photoshop isn’t able to open due to the scratch disk issue.

  • On Windows, launch Photoshop and press and hold down the Ctrl and Alt keys at the same time
  • On Mac computer, open Photoshop and press and hold down the Command and Option keys simultaneously
  • Select a new scratch disk from the Startup dropdown menu and click OK

Change Scratch Disk Drive

Photoshop only manages to use your operating system’s drive as its scratch disk. If you have several drives in your system then you can make Photoshop use them and avoid the scratch disk error whenever it pops up.

You will need to launch Photoshop on your computer and go on preferences after which you will choose performance. You will now enable and then disable scratch disks in the section of scratch disks.

Disable Auto Recovery Feature

Photoshop will automatically manage to save your files whenever you’re working on them but this is going to increase its memory usage on your computer. Go ahead and disable the auto-recovery feature if it manages to take up a lot of space on your system. This is another way on how more space is used on your PC.

You can disable this feature and make space on your scratch disk so that the scratch disk issue does not show up every now and then whenever you try to access Photoshop on your PC.

Hopefully after working these methods you will be able to clear the scratch disk feature on Photoshop!

Analysis of Agro Biomass Projects

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The current use of agro biomass for energy generation is low and more efficient use would release significant amounts of agro biomass resources for other energy use. Usually, efficiency improvements are neglected because of the non-existence of grid connections with agro-industries.

Electricity generated from biomass is more costly to produce than fossil fuel and hydroelectric power for two reasons. First, biomass fuels are expensive. The cost of producing biomass fuel is dependent on the type of biomass, the amount of processing necessary to convert it to an efficient fuel, distance to the energy conversion plant, and supply and demand for fuels in the market place. Biomass fuel is low-density and non-homogeneous and has a small unit size.

Crop_Residues

Consequently, biomass fuel is costly to collect, process, and transport to facilities.  Second, biomass-to-energy facilities are much smaller than conventional fossil fuel-based power plants and therefore cannot produce electricity as cost-effectively as the fossil fuel-based plants.

Agro biomass is costly to collect, process, and transport to facilities.

The biomass-to-energy facilities are smaller because of the limited amount of fuel that can be stored at a single facility. With higher fuel costs and lower economic efficiencies, solid-fuel energy is not economically competitive in a deregulated energy market that gives zero value or compensation for the non-electric benefits generated by the biomass-to-energy industry.

Biomass availability for fuel usage is estimated as the total amount of plant residue remaining after harvest, minus the amount of plant material that must be left on the field for maintaining sufficient levels of organic matter in the soil and for preventing soil erosion. While there are no generally agreed-upon standards for maximum removal rates, a portion of the biomass material may be removed without severely reducing soil productivity.

Technically, biomass removal rates of up to 60 to 70 percent are achievable, but in practice, current residue collection techniques generally result in relatively low recovery rates in developing countries. The low biomass recovery rate is the result of a combination of factors, including collection equipment limitations, economics, and conservation requirements. Modern agricultural machinery can allow for the joint collection of grain and residues, increased collection rates to up to 60 percent, and may help reduce concerns about soil compaction.

Thermocouples: Types and Uses

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Thermocouples are sensors used to measure temperatures. These devices consist of different metals to form two wire legs forming a junction. Manufacturers weld together these two wire legs to make sure the connection is stable. Thermocouple junctions are used to check for changes in temperatures. There are different types of thermocouples available in the market, and these models have distinct characteristics and features.

The Types of Thermocouples

The manufacturing of a thermocouple requires producers to classify units with distinct color codes. Manufacturers classify these codes in either ANSI/ASTM E230 OR IEC60584. The thermocouples, their calibrations, and their color designations (in ANSI/ASTM E320) are:

  • Type K: Yellow (+) / Red (-)
  • Type T: Blue (+) / Red (-)
  • Type N: Orange (+) / Red (-)
  • Type S: Black (+) / Red (-)
  • Type C: N/A
  • Type J: White (+) / Red (-)
  • Type E: Purple (+) / Red (-)
  • Type R: Black (+) / Red (-)
  • Type B: Black (+) / Red (-)

Conversely, here are the thermocouples once more and their calibrations, but with their IEC 60584 color designations:

  • Type K: Green (+) / White (-)
  • Type T: Brown (+) / White (-)
  • Type N: Rose (+) / White (-)
  • Type S: Orange (+) / White (-)
  • Type C: N/A
  • Type J: Black (+) / White (-)
  • Type E: Purple (+) / White (-)
  • Type R: Orange (+) / White (-)
  • Type B: Orange (+) / White (-)

Thermocouple Temperature Range

Aside from the color codes, thermocouple types have specific melting points and continuous maximum temperatures. For example, the thermocouple Type B with a platinum 30% rhodium (+) composition may have a temperature range of 2,500 to 3,100 degrees Fahrenheit. Conversely, a platinum 6% rhodium (-) composition of the same thermocouple type may yield a similar temperature range.

Another example is a thermocouple type E with a chromel (+) composition. For this model, you may use it for handling temperature ranges of 200 to 1,650 degrees Fahrenheit. Still, consider the environment before using specific thermocouple types.

Uses of Thermocouples

Different thermocouple types may have diverse uses. Hospital thermometers, automotive technologies, and machines handling renewable energies might use thermocouples to help users detect changes in temperatures. Here are a few thermocouple types and their uses:

  • Type J

This thermocouple type may have an iron and Constantan leg. Various organizations in different industries find this model to be helpful in several operations. For example, it may be useful in reducing, oxidizing, and vacuuming atmospheres. Type J models may have durable constructions. Thus, these units may not require sensitive handling when installing them in other machines or industrial environments.

  • Type K

This thermocouple has a Chromel and Alumel composition for its wire legs. Consider using this type to oxidize or inert atmospheres with temperatures of up to 2,300 Fahrenheit. Companies may use this thermocouple model thanks to its relatively accurate and stable readings even at high temperatures.

  • Type N

Type N thermocouples may be akin to better Type K models. This type has a Nicrosil and Nisil composition for its wire legs. It also has a similar temperature range as the Type K. However, type N models might have better resistance than its type K counterparts thanks to its temperature cycling features. Furthermore, its hysteresis and green rot allow type N models to be more cost-effective units than type Ks.

  • Type T

A copper and Constantan composition reside in the wire legs of type T thermocouples. Like the type J models, type Ts help users reduce, oxidize, vacuum, and inert atmospheres. Still, this thermocouple class has excellent resistance against corrosion in several atmospheres. It may also offer high-stability readings at sub-zero temperatures.

  • Type E

For this thermocouple, it has one Chromel and one Constantan leg. Like the type T thermocouple, it may also be resistant to corrosion in various atmospheres. However, there’s one characteristic that may put type E thermocouples better than other models: Type Es may have the highest EMF per degree in comparison with different thermocouple types. Nonetheless, it might not be resistant to sulfurous environments.

  • Type C

Environments that have sweltering temperatures may use type C thermocouples. This model has a tungsten and rhenium composition for its wire legs. Organizations may use this thermocouple type in extremely high-temperature environments of up to 4,200 degrees Fahrenheit. While it can withstand high temperatures, this thermocouple may have a brittle construction. Proceed with caution when handling it as one false move might break the device.

Conclusion

Always consider the right thermocouple type when you want to read temperatures accurately in specific environments. For instance, consider the right thermocouple when reading temperature levels in automotive technologies and their hot engines. These devices may also activate gas shut-off modules aside from reading temperatures. Take time in researching the right model for the job to avoid complications.

Manage Trees With Sustainability In Mind

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There is growing concern as forest land outside of conservation areas is steadily decreasing. There has been a disturbing reduction in primary forests of 40 million hectares in the last decade. The total area of forest within protected areas has increased by 94 million hectares in the past two decades and now accounts for 13% of the total of forests globally.

ways businesses can become greener

 

Tree healthcare for humans

Trees are well known for providing oxygen as a result of their photosynthesis process. It is in fact the carbon dioxide (CO2) that is removed during this process therefore helping to mitigate the negative effects of burning fossil fuels ie. CO2 production. The benefits to the world of this process make the existence and importance of the Amazon rainforest especially significant.

Trees benefit cities too

Not only are trees a beautiful addition to any city, they also serve a practical purpose by absorbing pollutants. Their presence makes a city appear more vibrant and more friendly. For example, San Francisco is home to 105,000 trees. Tree planting should be kept in pace with tree mortality and tree removal. A tree management plan is essential to ensure sustainability.

Tree management for woodland

Trees should be checked for health and also for the merchantability of the trees. When areas of the woodland require thinning out it is useful to produce a product that has a commercial value. This way waste management has been prioritized and has turned a Liability into an Asset.

The harvested wood/logs can be considered an asset and can be sold as fuel. Always ensure trees are removed when over-crowding is an issue to allow for tree growth of the remaining trees. The woodland is sustainable by including sufficient planting of new trees.

Arborists are trained to evaluate the health and ongoing sustainability of a tree. Oftentimes they can prescribe solutions to prolong a tree’s life, thereby protecting the environment as well as improving surrounding property values.

Most cities have tree service companies that offer trained arborists who can provide consultations. Depending on the depth of the consultation it may be free or at a very low price.

An ISA-certified arborist can make qualified decisions on whether a tree needs to be removed or if it can be saved.

Additionally, during their consultation, they will be careful to not damage the tree further. Trufast Tree Care has a certified arborist on staff for helping with these tree evaluations

Maintaining the urban trees

Your arborist can advise you of local procedures and the law regarding your trees which if not properly managed can become a legal liability. Some types of trees do not take well to heavy pruning, for example the Southern Live Oak is best not located in restricted areas where heavy pruning to clear avenues may be required. It is better to grow it in a larger landscaped area where it can grow with minimal pruning. They often reach 60 to 80 feet in height with a 60 to 100 foot spread. Check this website if you are looking for a reliable tree care service in San Jose, CA.

trees-sustainability

The branches of Live Oak tend to droop as they grow so some careful pruning will be necessary especially as this type of growth can be a problem for vehicular or pedestrian clearance beneath. Many trees are not permitted to be removed without obtaining a tree removal permit first. This is good as it provides some protection for the trees.

Other tree varieties to grow with sustainability

The beautiful red maple is a great yard tree being very tolerant and is able to grow in nearly any conditions but especially in acid to neutral soils. Plant away from paths etc. as the roots can raise sidewalks if too close. A good layer of organic mulch should be placed around the roots to feed and help retain moisture.

Presence of trees make a city appear more vibrant and eco-friendly

Another commonly found tree in the US is the Loblolly Pine. When found in plantations it provides the perfect habitat for wildlife such as deer, squirrels making it a very sustainable choice. Being a faster growing tree it requires more regular pruning.

Enjoy our future with sustainability for trees

Sustainability ensures we leave the world in a good state for future generations to enjoy, whilst still meeting the needs of the current population. Keep your trees maintained moving forward and always pay attention to the type of tree and manage accordingly. This way you can enjoy the many beautiful trees around you.

How Much Water is Used in Arizona Daily?

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Arizona boasts a robust water system and keen management practices. Arizona water supply comes from a diverse portfolio featuring the Colorado River, groundwater, in-state rivers, and reclaimed water. So how much water does the state of Arizona use per day?

Current Arizona Water Supply

According to the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR), the average daily water consumption per resident is 146 gallons. The latest census puts the Arizona population at more than seven million, so the average water consumption of the state is well above a billion gallons per day.

Current Arizona Water Supply

About 20% of the state’s water supply goes to municipal use, mostly residential. As much as 70% of the residential supply goes outdoors for irrigation, swimming pools, car washing, and more. Indoor activities consume the remaining percentage.

Arizona Water Sources

The state of Arizona gets its water from a robust network drawing from multiple sources. While a portion of the Arizona water supply comes from groundwater, more than 80% of the population relies on water from the Colorado River through projects such as CAP – Central Arizona Project. Arizonans also collect water from in-state rivers and reclaimed water.

Below is an overview of the primary water sources:

1. Surface Water

The surface water comes from lakes, rivers, and streams and is a major renewable resource. Arizona’s desert climate means the amount of surface water varies from season to season and over the years. The state has various storage reservoirs and delivery systems to make the most of available surface water. Notable rivers include those set in River Salt, Gila, Verde, and Agua Fria.

2. Colorado River Water

The Colorado River is the largest source of renewable water supply in Arizona, and the state is allowed to use 2.8 million acre-feet annually. Some AZ counties like La Paz and Yuma use Colorado River water. The CAP project also delivers Colorado River water to the Pima, Pinal, and Maricopa counties.

3. Groundwater

For many years, groundwater was the primary source of water in Arizona and many other regions. Groundwater is non-renewable, so the government passed laws in 1980 to improve management. The laws were also created to help reduce the state’s reliance on the resource. Arizona still gets a considerable portion of its water from groundwater found beneath the earth’s surface in natural aquifers.

4. Reclaimed Water

Arizona has seen an increase in the reclaimed water supply as the population grows. Reclaimed water is treated to a safe quality for agriculture, industrial cooling, wildlife areas maintenance, and parks.

Arizona Water Usage Over the Years

Despite the population growth, the state of Arizona uses less water today than in the past. According to ADWR, Arizona used about 7.1 million acre-feet of water back in the 1950s, a figure that is lower than the 7.0 million acre-feet recorded in 2017. An acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons of water, or the volume needed to cover one acre of land with water.

Water demand in Arizona has gone through fluctuations over the years. Today, the demand has leveled out, although the population has grown from about 1 million to 7 million within the last 50 years.

Summary

Arizona uses water from the Colorado River and groundwater but has seen increased reclaimed water supply and surface reservoirs. To remedy this issue, the government has various compacts and strategies in the area to help preserve enough water for future generations.

Water conservation and knowledge are both critical to the state’s wellbeing. About 20% of the water supply goes to municipal use while 70% goes to agriculture. Learn more about Arizona water resources and facts by contacting an Arizona water supply company.

How to Properly Scale Up Your Environmental Consulting Firm?

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Environmental laws are important to keep our planet safe, especially from large industries that can unknowingly impact our world. Hence, these laws are strictly enforced, with punitive measures that are apt for its necessity. That’s why an environmental consulting firm is necessary for every business, to ensure the highest level of compliance in terms of such laws.

Now if you’re reading this article, then, most you most likely already know this. What you’re probably really interested in is how you can expand your business and cast a wider net across different states and possibly tap a global market. So here are a few things you must know to properly scale up your environmental consulting firm.

environmental-consultancy

Perfect your Fundamentals

The reason I started this article with a pretty basic definition about what an environmental consulting firm is tasked to do is because I want to remind you of the core value that such companies should impart on their clients. If you’re failing to do this, then it’s not yet time for you to scale up. Perfecting your fundamentals like proper project management and follow through is important because you should polish your current services before thinking about growing the business itself.

Any business for that matter must be scalable to an extent and for that you would need an organized business plan that can make your enterprise repeatable and enforceable no matter where you go.

Prepare a budget ready for any situation

This goes without saying but a sufficient budget is necessary if you really want to expand your business. It will take a big enough money for you to add to existing operations and to prepare for any emergency situation that may arise from it. However, if you do have a business plan and follow it by heart, you will most likely be able to use your funds more efficiently.

Know who to trust

Scaling up a consultancy firm relies heavily on how big a network you have already built for yourself over the years. This network will not only give you a reliable supply of clients wherever you go, but also a good team of suppliers that you can trust for all your operational needs.

For example, you definitely need to tap a construction materials supplier who can keep up with your demand as your business grows. You also need a good mobility partner for all transport needs such as renting your fleet that can travel far and wide to bring the materials, supplies, and manpower to any site across different states.

You can also expand by experimenting on trustworthy subcontractors that could do the job for you at a fraction of the cost. Let’s face it, it may take more managerial work but it removes a lot more responsibilities off your plate, which is pretty valuable once you’re already growing your business.

Improve your Efficiency

Improving your efficiency may be something you’d want to do before actually trying to scale up your business. But it’s also better if you can explore ways to automate processes like basic consultations and your financing. You can also try to develop an application or look for an existing software that can do most of the dirty work for you.

environmental-engineers

Know your End-Goal

What’s the point of expanding your consulting business? Do you want to make a bigger impact for the environment? Do you want to offer more jobs to people especially during this time? Or do you simply want to earn more money and make a name for yourself in the industry? To be honest, any of the aforementioned reasons are perfectly valid. However, you should once again keep in mind that your business thrives for a reason: you keep big corporations in check against possible environmental issues and make them sustainable. This means you have a social responsibility to keep that and ensure that this happens especially to all your clients.

Your end goal should guide you in how you will operate your consulting firm. There must always be an objective and an endpoint so you can properly rest on your laurels and won’t allow yourself to be a corporate slave for the rest of your life. Remember that there are ways you can let go especially if you feel like it’s already time.

Blindly pushing to expand your environmental consulting firm has serious repercussions not just for your company but also for the environment in general. So you must do your part and understand the list above so you can successfully scale up and be known as one of the best eco consultants not just in your area, but perhaps in the entire world.

Bioenergy Developments in Malaysia

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Malaysia is blessed with abundant renewable sources of energy, especially biomass and solar. Under the Eighth Malaysian Plan, renewable energy was added in the energy mix to unveil a Five-Fuel Strategy to achieve 5 percent contribution by 2005.

Among the various sources of renewable energy, bioenergy seems to be the most promising option for Malaysia. The National Biofuel Policy, launched in 2006 encourages the use of environmentally friendly, sustainable and viable sources of biomass energy. Under the Five Fuel Policy, the government of Malaysia has identified biomass as one of the potential renewable energy.

Malaysia produces atleast 168 million tonnes of biomass, including timber and oil palm waste, rice husks, coconut trunk fibres, municipal waste and sugar cane waste annually. Being a major agricultural commodity producer in the region Malaysia is well positioned amongst the ASEAN countries to promote the use of biomass as a renewable energy source.

Malaysia has been one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of palm oil for the last forty years. The Palm Oil industry, besides producing Crude Palm Oil (CPO) and Palm Kernel Oil, produces Palm Shell, Press Fibre, Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB), Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME), Palm Trunk (during replanting) and Palm Fronds (during pruning).

Malaysia has approximately 4 million hectares of land under oil palm plantation. Over 75% of total area planted is located in just four states, Sabah, Johor, Pahang and Sarawak, each of which has over half a million hectares under cultivation. The total amount of processed FFB (Fresh Fruit Bunches) was estimated to be 75 million tons while the total amount of EFB produced was estimated to be 16.6 million tons. Around 58 million tons of POME is produced in Malaysia annually, which has the potential to produce an estimated 15 billion m3 of biogas can be produced each year.

Malaysia is the world’s second largest producer of crude palm oil. Almost 70% of the volume from the processing of fresh fruit bunch is removed as wastes in the form of empty fruit bunches, palm kernel shells, palm oil mill effluent etc. With more than 451 mills in Malaysia, this palm oil industry generate around 100 million dry tonnes of biomass. Malaysia has more than 2400 MW of biomass and 410 MW of biogas potential, out of which only a fraction has been harnessed until now.

Rice husk is another important agricultural biomass resource in Malaysia with good potential for power cogeneration. An example of its attractive energy potential is biomass power plant in the state of Perlis which uses rice husk as the main source of fuel and generates 10 MW power to meet the requirements of 30,000 households. The US$15 million project has been undertaken by Bio-Renewable Power Sdn Bhd in collaboration with the Perlis state government, while technology provider is Finland’s Foster Wheeler Energia Oy.

Under the EC-ASEAN Cogeneration Program, there are three ongoing Full Scale Demonstration Projects (FSDPs) – Titi Serong, Sungai Dingin Palm Oil Mill and TSH Bioenergy – to promote biomass energy systems in Malaysia. The 1.5MW Titi Serong power plant, located at Parit Buntar (Perak), is based on rice husk while the 2MW Sungai Dingin Palm Oil Mill project make use of palm kernel shell and fibre to generate steam and electricity. The 14MW TSH Bioenergy Sdn Bhd, located at Tawau (Sabah), is the biggest biomass power plant in Malaysia and utilizes empty fruit bunches, palm oil fibre and palm kernel shell as fuel resources.

9 Amazing Things You Didn’t Know About Tesla Solar Batteries

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Tesla has been making headlines for a while, but they’re not just about their electric cars. They’ve also made some waves with Tesla solar batteries. Tesla solar batteries store solar energy from solar power systems.

We’ll take you through 9 of the most amazing things that you may not know about Tesla’s solar battery products, so let’s get started!

facts about tesla solar battery

1. Tesla solar batteries are the most efficient on the market

The Tesla Powerwall is the most efficient solar storage solution on the market. Tesla’s new product is 30-40% more efficient than its competitors! This increased efficiency translates to a cost saving of about $3000 for every 20 years you use the battery (depending on energy prices).

2. Tesla’s solar batteries can last up to 20 years with little maintenance

Nobody wants to be bothered with repair problems! With Tesla solar batteries, you don’t have to be. These babies deliver long-lasting performance (up to 20 years) with little required maintenance.

Just in case you’re wondering what happens after those 20 years? The Tesla solar battery will still hold about 80% of its capacity after that time! So although not recommended to keep using a solar battery forever, your investment will last a good while.

3. Tesla is aiming to produce 3,000 GWh of energy storage by 2030

Yes, Tesla is ambitious! And it plans on producing an astounding amount of Tesla solar battery storage by 2030. You see, Tesla manufactures the Tesla Powerwall and commercial-grade Tesla batteries that can power electric vehicles, entire buildings and larger communities!

All this means you’ll probably have access to Tesla’s large scale energy storage technologies much sooner than you thought! And it may not cost so much more either.

4. The Tesla solar battery has a built-in inverter that converts DC power into AC power

A Tesla solar battery eliminates the need for a separate solar inverter. That’s a huge plus – considering a solar inverter can be the most expensive part of a solar energy system. The Tesla battery uses its built-in inverter to convert the DC power into AC and send it directly to your home or business.

This integrated conversion feature is one reason many experts say that Tesla batteries could help bring down the cost of solar electricity even more – making it available for everyone!

5. The battery works best in areas with a high electricity demand or zones that suffer from frequent blackouts

The ideal use cases for Tesla solar batteries are areas that can generate a lot of solar energy and have high utility costs or frequent blackouts. If you’re looking to invest in Tesla solar batteries, consider how much daily sunlight your location receives!

Tesla’s new Powerwall battery is not the same as an AC coupled system. There are no complicated wiring configurations required. Just plug your generator into the wall outlet, and voila! You now have all the benefits listed above at your disposal without spending thousands on traditional UPS systems. You can also use a generator to charge the Tesla solar battery!

6. It also stores surplus renewable energy during off-peak hours to use during peak hours when prices are higher

Not sure you can use all the free electricity you generate during the day? No worries! A Tesla solar battery allows you to sell any extra energy your solar panels generate back to the power grid.

What does this mean? It means that if there is an excess of electricity generated during off-peak hours, your Tesla Powerwall will store it in its battery bank until peak hour begins. Then, as soon as prices shoot up (which they tend to do at around mid-day), your system kicks in and starts selling all the stored power right back to the electric company’s grid.

This way, you can optimize all the solar electricity generated by your system!

7. The cost of Tesla solar batteries is decreasing as the technology improves

Yes, terrific news! Tesla solar solutions keep dropping in price as the technology improves. Tesla solar batteries have no moving parts, which means they can last for decades with absolutely zero maintenance costs.

Their design also allows them to run at 100% efficiency even after a few years of use without needing replacement. Traditional batteries used by UPS systems degrade over time and lose their capacity to store power safely. With Tesla, you buy it once and never again!

8. Installing a Tesla solar battery can be done in a few hours

With a Tesla approved installer, you can have your solar battery system up and running in as little as a few hours. This quick installation is a tremendous advantage over traditional solar storage systems that could take days to install correctly.

Tesla solar battery

Tesla’s solar batteries are perfect for home or business owners who want to go off the grid or reduce their reliance on traditional utilities. Thanks to Tesla’s innovation, this is now more affordable than ever before!

9. The payback time for a TESLA solar battery is 2-5 years.

The payback time for a TESLA solar battery will vary depending on the size of your home, the amount of sunlight your location receives, and the current cost of electricity. That said, here’s a general overview of what you can expect:

  • If you live in a sunny location and have a large home, your payback time for a TESLA solar battery could be as few as two years.
  • If you live in a less sunny location or have a smaller home, your payback time could be closer to five years.

Why you should get a Tesla solar battery

Tesla’s solar batteries are the most efficient on the market. The battery has a built-in inverter that converts DC power into AC power to help with electricity needs in areas with high demand or frequent blackouts. It also stores surplus renewable energy during off-peak hours, which can be used during peak hours when prices are higher.

Tesla solar batteries will only become more popular as their efficiency improves. Discover how you can take advantage of solar storage technology in your home or business!