The Best Way To Select The Right Lamp Shades

The lamp shade is the fixture that covers the bulb in the table lamp. The purpose of the lamp shade is to diffuse the light which is emitted from the light bulb. Apart from this, the lamp shade also serves as a room dcor. The lamp shade is available in a wide variety of styles and patterns.When shopping around, make sure the size of the lamp shade fits with the lamp. Most people assume that the lamp shade is measured by the vertical distance. Despite that, the proper way to find out the size of the lamp shade is by measuring the slanted distance. In addition, the lamp shade fit properly on the lamp.The lamp shade should be neither too large nor too small. If the lamp shade is too large, it will obscure the light that is emitted from the lamp. Small lamp shade gives the impression that it is not fitted for the lamp. The height of the lamp shade should be at least 1/3 of the base. It should also have the same height as the socket base.
There are a wide range of styles which you can choose from. The style of the lamp shade should match with the lamp. You can easily find a matching design by taking into account the pattern, and color of the lamp.Forget Fracking: 2012 Was A Powerful Year For Renewables.There are about twenty five types of lamp shades including candelabra, shantung and drum. Each type of lamp shade will produce a different light diffusion effect. Despite that, all the lamp shade can be used as long as it match with the lamp.The lamp shade can be made from made from different materials such as silk, genuine leather and linen. The material will have influence on the price and durability of the lamp shade.
You will pay for the value of the lamp shade material. Lamp shades with cheaper material tend to be less durable and easier to be damaged. Many owners regret purchasing cheap lamp shade when they find out that it is damaged within a short time. Therefore, price should not be the primary factor which you take into account when shopping for lamp shade.Finding the right lamp shade is an easy task. The most important thing is that it fits with the lamp. In order for the lamp shade to fit the lamp, it must have the right size. By measuring the size of the lamp and taking note of the lamp's design, you will be able to buy a lamp shade that fits your need. Lamp shades are available for sale at the local brick and mortar home decor store. If you cannot find what you are searching for, you can visit the online store since they offer a larger selection.

Rooftop solar systems get even more enticing

The Desert Sun salutes Palm Springs Motors.Not that enormous flag it flies, although we're proud to see any business celebrate this great nation. We're impressed with its new 650-kilowatt solar system it has installed. With 2,743 panels atop carports at the Ford dealership in Cathedral City, it is one of the largest solar installations in Riverside County, not counting the utility-size solar farms in the eastern desert.The system is expected to generate 1.1 megawatt-hours of power, enough to power 750 to 1,000 homes. It will provide 80 percent of the power needed to run the dealership's equipment and light its 100 service bays.While we applaud this big step toward reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and helping California move toward its goal of generating a third of its electricity from renewable resources by 2020, it's not really an altruistic decision. It's a smart business move.The cost of solar panels has dropped 30 percent since 1998. The Palm Springs Motors solar system will pay for itself in six years. Solar systems are expected to last at least 20 years.
In the past, some homeowners have balked at making the investment in solar systems because of concerns that the payments might last longer than the effective life of the panels. That's no longer the case. And no-money-down leases are now available.The more solar power generated in the Coachella Valley, the less we'll need the new Sentinel peaker plant being constructed north of Palm Springs.There's also some urgency in investing in solar power because the 30 percent federal tax credit is scheduled to expire in 2016.Southern California Edison provides another incentive: In November, the California Public Utilities Commission approved rate increases for Edison of 5 percent this year, 6.3 percent next year and another 5.9 percent in 2014.Investing in solar power also is an important way to help our valley meet the state's goal of reducing carbon emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. The Coachella Valley has some of the dirtiest air in the country because smog blows in from the Los Angeles basin.The Desert Sun encourages homeowners, business, cities and other public agencies to follow the example of Palm Springs Motors. It makes economic sense and can help us all breathe easier.This is another serious policy, and politically vexed, issue. On one hand is the possibility of low-cost solar power (on the basis of cheaper imported modules with access to low cost debt) leading to higher deployment and thereby increased jobs in project construction and long-term operation and maintenance cost.

Forget Fracking: 2012 Was A Powerful Year For Renewables

Natural gas may have reshaped the domestic energy market in 2012, lowering energy prices and marginalizing the coal industry, but America's shale boom hasn't undermined renewables.In fact, while analysts were paying attention to fracking this year, a record number of solar panels were being slapped on roofs — enough to produce 3.2 gigawatts of electricity.That sounds like a lot, but solar is still providing just .05 percent of the country's total energy. Still, the solar industry keeps expanding. Roan Resh, who heads the Solar Energy Industries Association, said that's because solar panels are becoming cheaper to make and to install."Just to give you perspective," Resh said, "in Washington, D.C., where I live, when I installed solar on my house six years ago, the average install cost was about $14 a watt. Today it's about $4 a watt."
So if you're installing solar panels, business is good. But there's a flip side to that equation. Prices are low because of a global manufacturing glut. Solar manufacturers have the capacity to produce way more panels than consumers are asking for right now, and many panel producers are struggling.The bulk of solar growth is happening at businesses; companies are installing panels on roofs so that they don't have to buy as much energy from the grid. State and federal policies are making that an easy decision for companies. Businesses who install panels can qualify for grants and tax breaks, and laws in 38 states require a certain amount of electricity to be generated by solar, wind and other renewable sources.Wind was up this year, too.Solar Light Post Caps Make a Big Difference.The federal Energy Information Administration says the industry could add 1.2 gigawatts of capacity this year. Wind only provides a small portion of domestic power, about 3 percent.
Wind is on a strong streak with consumers as well, says Rob Gramlich, a vice president at the American Wind Energy Association. "Where we were serving the equivalent of 6 million homes at the end of 2008, we're serving 13 million today," he says.In three of the last five years, wind has been the fastest-growing energy sector. That was the case in 2012, but this year's totals leave a bit of a false impression. There's been a flurry of activity in December, and in fact more than half of new wind farms will likely come online this month."The single-most reason for that is the tax support system which we all rely upon is expiring at year-end," explains Jim Spencer, the president and CEO of New York-based EverPower, which runs wind farms in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio and California. "We really accelerated projects that might otherwise have been built next year."

Solar Light Post Caps Make a Big Difference

Some homeowners struggle with the concept of lighting when building their deck. While many think of a deck as something to be enjoyed on hot summer days, perhaps with the accompaniment of a cookout, the fact is that you probably don't want to be restricted to enjoying your new construction project only when the sun is out. That means putting in lighting, but that can mean a process nearly as arduous as building the deck in the first place. But, there are solutions you can easily implement during the building process. One such solution comes in the form of solar light post caps.You can't turn around these days without hearing about this "green" option or this "environmentally friendly" appliance, but what does it all mean? When taking on any new construction project, it's important to consider all of your options, and if an option includes being able to reduce your carbon footprint, that's all the better! Solar light post caps are certainly "green." By using the sun's energy to power themselves, they require no electricity.
Now, this is an area where you can make a difference with lighting options that don't require electricity. While turning on a small lamp outside from time to time isn't going to make or break your electric bill, some homeowners like to use their decks on a nightly basis. Who knows, you might find that it makes the perfect place to read in the evenings. You may not feel comfortable unless your deck is lit up continuously from dusk until dawn. If so, solar light post caps can save you quite a bit of money. Because they use sun panels for power instead of the grid, you won't have a big bill at the end of your first month of usage.
Of course, some homeowners don't care anything for the green movement and don't foresee using their outdoor lighting enough to make a substantial difference in their monthly electric bill. However, there is still a good reason for choosing solar light post caps, which is the style factor. Everyone wants their deck to stand apart from the pack in some way. By using remarkable accessories like these, you can ensure that your deck won't be just another in a long assembly line of same construction projects. You will have something unique and stylish, which is of great importance all by itself. Residential solar power is the electricity relies on sunlight or even the power of your sun to supply electricity in offices, residences, etc. You may produce this sort of power if you have solar technology panels set up on the home. True, you can get panels or simply a solar powered kit for this specific purpose, but, if affordability is the best priority, you're better off with Diy solar panel.

Philips Taiwan Sets Ambitious Goal for 2013 LED Lighting Sales

Philips Taiwan plans to boost its sales of LED lighting equipment in Taiwan by two to three folds in 2013 from 2012 and the number of its residential lighting showrooms will increase to seven by the end of 2012, according to Philips Taiwan President Edward Po.The company promoted its iF-awarded and Red Dot-awarded LED residential lighting products as well as LED intelligent lighting control system at an international building-materials trade show recently held in Taipei.Po stressed that the intelligent control system is one of the crucial developments in the LED lighting industry, providing residences, marketplaces and commercial sites with energy-saving and light-color changing merits, not to mention quality lighting environment.
He said the company has released a number of indoor lighting applications and solutions in hope of building a quality living environment for Taiwan's residents in cooperation with homebuilders, architects, and indoor-decoration designers.Philips Taiwan executives pointed out that in light of increasing popularity of LED bulbs among consumers the company has begun briskly promoting 6W, 9W and 12W bulbs, with 9W lamp declining to NT$369 (US$12.7 at US$1:NT$29) in end-user price. Its 12W bulb has won U.S. Energy Star label and iF Design Award, maxing out at 825 lumens.Mehlville schools powering up with solar panels.The company's 6.5W bulb is a replacement for 50W halogen lamp, popular among residential-decoration designers and showcase providers.Making the switch from incandescent to LED is helping many Christmas light displays go green this season.
LEDs are currently the most efficient light bulbs you can buy.Six hours of daily use of 600 incandescent lights will cost you $80 per month, while the same number of LEDs runs up your bill by only $7."Some people put their lights up late November, keep them up until early January. So, there's quite a bit of cost-saving that can be realized when using the LED bulbs," notes Duke Energy's David Scanzoni.Retailers charge up to three times more for the LEDs compared to the incandescent bulbs, but they last longer and over the long haul are greener in more ways than one."They're very green, they use less energy. Less electricity has to be produced by the power company," Scanzoni explains.The issue is that, in principal, the integrated-driver approach appears straightforward. Depending on the type of control gear that has been fitted, the contractor will simply need to modify the existing fluorescent control gear by using a fuse link in place of the starter for magnetic ballasts. Alternatively, the contractor can bypass electronic ballasts completely and wire the lamp end caps directly to mains voltage rather than having to mount and wire up a new LED driver module as well.

Several Benefits of Led Spotlight and Led Lamp

Today, in many households, spotlights have become an vital part. It provides a great way to maintain the security of the house and prevent any unwanted intruder from entering the house. Spotlights can also be used as a very good decorative piece of equipment. It can be used in the garden and made to hang around the trees and plants during special occasions such as anniversaries and birthday parties.There are different types of spotlights available in the market today. However, LED Spotlight has become very popular, as these lights are energy efficient and emits less heat compared to other type of LEDs. The amount spent on making electricity bill payments will be drastically reduced as of the energy efficient nature of these LEDs.
LED spotlight comes in different configurations. For spotlights, 12V LED lights are the most commonly used forms. More and more families across the country are going for solar powered LED lights for decorating their outdoor space as solar power supplied LED spotlights are slowly becoming popular.For lighting portraits or family photographs, LED spotlights are particularly used in indoors. Thus in addition to lighting up outdoor events, they are also effectively used as indoor decorative equipment. Because LED Spotlight emits less heat they are ideally suited for lighting indoor accessories such as photo frames. Traditional LEDs emit a higher amount of heat and this will damage the piece of art.
Now LED lamp is used in several offices and homes. These LED lamps are not heated, which eliminates the risk of fire due to heat lamps. Also, it reduces the cost of air conditioning facilities. They are very durable. LEDs do not break, even falling from a height of 20 meters. In the consumer environment is very, very comfortable. It is important to note that in the design of LEDs do not use mercury, which completely eliminates mercury poisoning.Indeed, more and more designers are using LEDs in their compositions; they observe strict lines and full compliance with representations of the twenty-first century! But each new development, there are also disadvantages. And light - emitting diodes found one negative point - it's a high price. The price of LED lamp is almost fifty times more than the price of an ordinary incandescent bulb. But the price for this bulb is very much justified, after considering all the advantages of LED lamps.Despite the negative side LEDs, more good things and they are more significant. In modern science, the LED industry is a leader; this direction is promising, functional and prestigious. In today's world, more and more attention is paid to the environment. And in this direction, LED lamp has huge advantages.

Mehlville schools powering up with solar panels

Students looking for news or cartoons on the new flat-screen television at Beasley Elementary School will be disappointed.Instead, the screen shows a variety of bar and line graphs, numbers and illustrations demonstrating the number of kilowatt hours being produced by 104 solar panels on the roof.The information brings a new meaning of the words "sunny day" to students in five schools in the Mehlville School District.Besides Beasley, the other schools include Oakville High School, the Witzel Alternative Academy, Bernard Middle School and Hagemann Elementary School.Each facility has 104 solar panels that each day can provide 25 kilowatts, depending on the weather. That's about 2 to 5 percent of each building's needs. A kilowatt-hour of convention energy costs 7.8 cents, compared to 5.2 cents for solar power.St. Louis company StraightUp Solar installed the panels during the past six weeks. The company has a 20-year lease with the district to provide and maintain the equipment. The terms call for a $186 monthly payment  for each building, eventually rising to $333 monthly near the end of the lease.
Both parties estimate the district will save about $130,000 during 20 years at the five schools combined.Companies Extend European Collaboration to U.S. Solar Market.That's a small amount, compared to the district's estimate that each building's annual energy costs average about $100,000.It still presents some savings, Superintendent Eric Knost said. The lease is set for 20 years, no matter how much conventional energy costs might rise."This is not just a science experiment," Knost said. "Years ago, we started to talk about solar power as a way to save some of the taxpayers' money. That came first. Then, we saw a chance to use it as a curricular opportunity. The students can look at the monitor, see how much energy is produced and learn about it in science classes."Any amount of solar power also helps the environment, said Eric Swillinger, vice president with StraightUp Solar.
"One kilowatt-hour of sunlight is the equivalent of burning one pound of coal," Swllinger said. "Two homes can be powered by 112 kilowatt-hours. Any amount of reducing fossil fuels is worth it."Solar power already is a subject for science classes. At Oakville High, students are using solar panels to power model cars, Knost said.Just looking at the monitor and its information is a learning experience for the students, Beasley Principal Andrea Deane said."It will say that this amount of energy can power four cars or is like planting 17 trees to help the environment," Deane said. "We want to use it for our science classes. Right now, we’re still figuring out the lesson plans."The five schools were chosen because their roofs are flat and are in good condition. No repairs are planned. If work needs to be done, StraightUp Solar will remove the panels, then reinstall them when the work is finished.

Companies Extend European Collaboration to U.S. Solar Market

Krannich Solar and Renusol America have extended their relationship in the U.S. solar market with the introduction of the Renusol VS Line and the Renusol CS60 mounting solutions into the Krannich Solar line of solar products and components carried in the United States. The companies share a heritage of excellence in German engineering and a history of collaboration on solar projects across Europe through their German-based parent companies.The Renusol VS is a flexible and light on-roof system for easy installation of photovoltaic systems for pitched roofs. Pre-assembled clamps, fastener-free splice connectors, and slide-free L-feet minimize installation time.  Stainless steel hardware and aluminum rails provide strength and long life along with high strength-to-weight ratio rail design that keeps cost low, while allowing longer spans. This system offers a "one-size-fits-all" mounting solution, easy inventory maintenance and simple installation.
The popular, American-made Renusol CS60 is a ballasted mounting system for flat roof applications available in 10° and 15° tilts. Made of durable high molecular weight polyethylene (HMWPE), this compact system transports easily, sets up quickly, and requires no roof penetration with the addition of ballast. Specifically enhanced and wind tunnel tested for the U.S. market, the Renusol CS60 more evenly spreads point load weight across the roof surface. With only one Renusol CS60 needed for every PV module, roof design layouts and job inventory can now be 'sized per panel', simplifying the project engineering and reducing installation costs. The system design is based on Renusol's highly successful European console design that has several hundred MW installed.
"Everything about the Renusol mounting system solutions—from design to installation—was developed with the installer in mind," says Juan Romera-Wade, CEO of the United States branch of Krannich Solar's. "They are easy to put together, saving the installer time, and Renusol is well-known in the industry for the full package of expertise in system planning and for the support service they provide.""Renusol mounting solutions are now in place in solar projects in 28 states across the U.S.," states Renusol CEO and President, Bart Leusink. "Becoming a Krannich Solar manufacturer partner means that even more installers can take advantage of simpler, more cost-effective mounting solutions for their solar projects."The company's new photovoltaic test services feature a calibration certificate that indicates the measured total area of your device, its spectral response and I-V curve, and the electrical performance parameters with stated uncertainties.  Measurements are made according to the American Society for Testing Materials or ASTM standard E948-09.

Replacement lights claimed fast at Utilities event

The Colorado Springs Utilities holiday light exchange and open house keeps growing, but still can't keep up with demand.About 1,500 strings of LED lights and 10,000 CFL bulbs were handed out during the annual event Saturday at the Conservation and Environmental Center on Mesa Road."People were in line before 7 a.m.," said Nikki Richardson, Utilities spokeswoman.Customers could exchange two old holiday light strands for two money-saving LED strands. They could also exchange up to 16 light bulbs for CFLs.Holiday lights were gone by 9:30 a.m., and the supply of CFLs lasted until 11 a.m., she said.Utilities brought more lights to give away this year, but ran out of them in record time, said, Doug Bursnall, energy conservation specialist with Utilities.
The holiday lights turned in Saturday will be recycled, and the money from stripping the copper out will benefit Project COPE, a utilities assistance program.LED lights use 75 percent to 90 percent less energy than traditional bulbs, he said. They are also a lot cooler, which cuts down on fire risks.LED lights are more expensive, but people can replace them a little at a time, Bursnall said.Analysis: Georgia quietly approves solar power shift.Energy savings usually covers the increase in start-up costs in a few years.People still dropped off old strings in the hours after free replacement lights ran out.
This is a unique opportunity for creative minds from across the globe to come together and be a part of something truly life changing', continued Mr Blease.
"Whether you are an engineer, a designer, a film maker, a business entrepreneur, or a university student or group, we want to hear from you if you think you have the skills to turn one of the shortlisted ideas into reality."This opportunity is equivalent to chart-topping artists finding stardom through a talent TV show, with the big exception that success on this stage will change the lives of 17 million people around the world living with cerebral palsy."Sounds like a very worthy cause that could certainly end up helping each Australian child born with cerebral palsy every 15 hours, the 17 million people around the world with cerebral palsy, and the 350 million people "who are closely connected to a child or adult with CP".The two wheelchairs would also help anyone that ever has the need for a wheelchair in fold-up form, solar-powered form or perhaps even both in the one unit!Wouldn't that be something that could help make the lives of people with wheelchairs so much easier and more convenient.Some kind of easily deployable, or removable but wired solar panels are things that are in my mind, so the wheelchair doesn't have to be in the hot sun to recharge.Wireless solar panels to charge a battery, could that be done? Or retractable solar panel(s) of enough size and efficiency… and what about the batteries and their charge?