Wind Energy: Opportunities and Challenges for Off-Shore Applications

Offshore Wind Energy will be the topic of the next IEEE Richmond Section meeting on Thursday, 7 September 2006 at the Hilton Garden Inn Innsbrook. Social, Dinner & Speaker: 5:30PM. RSVP by Noon, Friday, 1 September 2006

Wind Energy:
Opportunities and Challenges for Off-shore Applications

Professor Saifur Rahman
Advanced Research Institute
Virginia Tech
With the worldwide generation of electricity from wind power reaching almost 60,000 megawatts at the end of 2005, this has become a significant source of electricity worldwide. In fact wind turbine generators accounted for 2% of the worldwide capacity for electricity generation at the end of 2005. As the land-based sites for wind energy projects are facing organized opposition in some parts of the world, the interest in off-shore wind energy exploration is growing. While it is more expensive to install wind turbine generators and their associated infrastructure in the water than in land, the available wind regime is usually better, and cost of "land" is cheaper.

This presentation examines the opportunities and challenges provided by large-scale offshore wind energy power plants. It provides a detailed history of the growth of wind energy throughout the world during the last 15 years, and traces the cost, size and country-specific penetration issues of wind energy. In that regard the presentation looks at the situation in Germany, United States, Denmark, India and Spain – the five top performing wind energy markets in the world. The market penetration and energy cost issues as well as environmental concerns from wind energy technologies are explored.

Electronics Merit Badge Kit Available

The IEEE emeritbadges.org Program developed an electronics kit to be used in conjunction with the Boy Scout Electronics Merit Badge. The kit contains a PIC microcontroller that is preprogrammed with 4 modes of operation. Kit Parts consist of a 3"x 3" box, PC board, components, and battery holder. Kits can be purchased for a unit price of $15.00.

The kits were introduced and first used at the 2005 National Jamboree in Caroline County, Virginia.

Volunteer to Work with IEEE SoutheastCon 2007

SoutheastCon is the annual IEEE Region 3 Technical, Professional, and Student Conference. As the premier conference for the IEEE Region encompassing Jamacia and the Southeastern United States, it brings together electrical, computer and other engineering and science professionals, faculty and students to share the latest information through technical sessions, tutorials, and exhibits.

If you are interested in volunteering to help with the conference organization, you can review descriptions of the various committee/subcommittee responsibilities and assignments on the SoutheastCon 2007 Committees page.

Contact either of the SoutheastCon 2007 Steering Committee General Co-Chairs. Express your desire to volunteer and detail in what area(s) you might be willing work:

General Co-Chair:Sean Haynes
General Co-Chair:Adeeb Hamzey

IEEE-Power Engineering Society "Seminar on Protection"

IEEE-PES RICHMOND CHAPTER VA
S_Dev_Walia@DOM.COM Ph: 804-257-4077
Dan_Ward@DOM.COM Ph: 804 755-5302

Seminar On Protection
Transformer & Industrial Motors in Substation and Industrial Plants
Offered by IEEE-PES Richmond Chapter

Technical Seminar On Protection - Topic:
This program is intended to introduce the attendees to the topics of transformer, motor and circuit protection. You will learn about the theory and principles of basic protection and what is involved in determining the trip settings for protective equipment. The topics include transformer differential and backup overcurrent protection, motor protection, phase & ground overcurrent, under/over voltage and current unbalance protection.

Seminar Date: THURSDAY, June 22, 2006
Place: Dominion Virginia Power Building, 2501 Grayland Ave.
Richmond, VA 23220 – Tel: 804-257-4077

Registration & Coffee : 8:00 AM- 8:30 AM

Program: 8:30AM – 10:00 AM - Transformer protection – Lee Underwood, Schweitzer Engineering

10:00AM-10.15 AM - Coffee Break

10:15AM-11:30 AM - Motor protection - Mark Lanier, Schweitzer Engineering

11:30AM-12:15 PM - DOM Utility & Industry Application - Clyde Johnson, Dominion

12:15 – 1:30 PM - Lunch with Q & A period

Seminar & Lunch Cost: $50 with advance reservation & $60 on the day of seminar.
Reservations: We will accept payment at the meeting, but reservations should be made by no later than 19 JUNE 2006 by email or phone.
Checks should be made payable to the IEEE-PES Richmond Chapter and sent to Dev Walia P.E. Dominion Virginia Power, Substation Engineering, 2400 Grayland Avenue Richmond, VA 23220, S_Dev_Walia@DOM.COM, Ph 804-257-4077, 804-536-8979 (cell) OR
Dan Ward Dominion Virginia Power, 7500 West Broad St., Richmond, VA 23294-3608 dan_ward@dom.com Tel: 804 755-5302

Directions to Seminar:
From the Petersburg, VA area Take I-95 North to Richmond.Take the I-195 Downtown Expressway Exit. Continue on the Downtown Expresswayuntil the Boulevard Exit. Take the Boulevard to Grayland Ave. Make a right onGrayland Ave. The meeting room 2501 Grayland Ave. is located ahead on your right.
From northern Virginia Take I-95 South. Take the I-195 Downtown Expressway Exit. Continue on the Downtown Expressway until the Boulevard Exit. Take the Boulevard to Grayland Ave. Make a right on Grayland Ave. The meeting room 2501 Grayland Ave. is located ahead on your right

IEEE SoutheastCon 2006 Robot

Check out the VCU and VSU IEEE Branch Robots at the IEEE Richmond Section Meeting on Thursday, 4 May 2006.

The Robots are Coming from VCU and VSU … Last Meeting of the Season

SoutheastCon 2006 as seen by Engineering Students will be the topic of the 4 May 2006 IEEE Richmond Section Meeting. Each year IEEE Region 3 Student Branches participate in a Robot contest at the annual IEEE SoutheastCon. Students from the VCU IEEE Student Branch and the VSU IEEE Student Branch will bring their robots to our meeting.

Speakers will be Manan Thakkar, Souma Badombena-Wanta and Prof Salame Amr from the VSU IEEE Student Branch and the IEEE Student Branch members from VCU. The VCU and VSU "autonomous package loading" robots will, we hope, strut their stuff.

RSVP by high-noon on Friday, 28 April 2006.

Engineering & Technology In A Historic Setting - Richmond, VA

The IEEE Richmond Section serves the Richmond, VA metropolitan area. Richmond, the state capital, is located centrally in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Richmond, while a mid-sized city, offers cultural opportunities typically found only in large metropolitan areas, such as first-class museums, prominent universities, numerous theater companies and art galleries, and its own symphony, professional ballet and opera.

Richmond and Virginia are also not without their historical engineering achievements. For instance, the area was home to the first U.S. canal system and the world’s first commercially successful electric street railway system.

Indeed, it is often its long, distinguished history that characterizes the region. Nearby is America's Historic Triangle of Virginia's Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. This tiny place in Virginia gave birth to a great nation. In 2007, Jamestown, Virginia and America's first permanent English Settlement will turn 400. Come to Virginia and join us in commemorating America's 400th Anniversary.