PM Sh. Narendra Modi Inaugurated a Manufacturing Facility named "Brilliant Factory"

American Giant GE Corporation's first multi-modal integrated manufacturing facility inaugurated by PM Sh. Narendra Modi on 14th February 2015 in Pune. The facility named "Brilliant Factory" is situated in Chakan, Pune. This manufacturing facility will export 50% of its output to other GE sites located around the world. This factory will manufacture products & solutions for power sector, oil & gas, transportation industries in first phase and will include manufacturing capability for new generation aviation engine components and machining and sub-assembly for the latest rail locomotives and diesel engines in next phase.

IIT-Madras invented indigenous way of low voltage, brown-out dc power distribution

IIT-Madras has developed an indigenous way of power distribution in which houses will be able to receive an uninterrupted 24 X 7 electricity. The project includes distribution of low voltage, brown-out mode of power distribution in which Alternating Current is also converted into Direct Current before supplying electricity to houses. Here, brown-out means is that say 10 percent of power is transmitted. Instead of 100 percent power cut you can have 90 percent power cut and meet the demand for a few critical devices in every home like fans, lights, TVs and cellphones. Under this project each house will receive 100 watts of DC power, which is sufficient to run 1 or 2 fans along-with 2 to 3 tube-lights and mobile charger.

Apart from this, some features are that houses covered under this project will also receive power through a separate line supplying Alternating Current to meet rest of their needs. Both lines will be separate and houses will get power supply through separate energy meters. Also, value of direct current is so low so that electricity boards will not be needing to cut power to do repairs.

The pilot project has been completed in which around 200 houses in Madurantakam have been chosen to implement and study the project. 

NFC ( Near Field Communication )

     Near Field Communication, as the name suggests is a short range communication technology, which helps in wireless data exchange between two devices having NFC technology. However, the data transmission rates are not very high but NFC establishes a faster connection between two devices as connection is made only by touching two devices or bringing them very close to each other instead of doing manual connection. It also provides a good security as data exchange is only possible if two devices are brought very near to each other. Communication is also possible between a powered NFC enabled device and an un-powered NFC chip. For example, touching ticket card to panels of automatic gates of a railway system to enter the railway station.  Now a days, most smart mobile phones are build with this technology and soon, it can be expected, that these phones will replace all such older systems which uses wireless communication between two devices because of certain advantage like faster and easier connection between two devices and high level security.

SAR or Specific Absorption Rate

What is SAR or Specific Absorption Rate ?

     SAR or Specific Absorption Rate is referred to rate of energy absorbed per unit mass of human body when it is exposed to radio frequencies. It's unit is W/kg or Watts per kilogram. Mobile phones also emit such waves of different levels of SAR value. Therefore, it is especially considered to buy a mobile handset with safe level of SAR value because during the use of mobile phone, it remains near to human head and thus human head is exposed to RF energy emitted by handset. Exposure of human bodies to RF energy may cause adverse biological effects.

What is the maximum SAR value for mobile phones as per Indian Standards ?

      It is 1.6 W/kg. Telecom Department of Government of India had revised SAR value standard for mobile phones last year. Telecom Department made it mandatory that all mobile phones with reduced SAR value of upto 1.6 kg W/kg will be allowed to manufacture or import in India w.e.f from 1st Sept., 2013. It is also directed to all manufacturers to display SAR value information on Mobile Handsets like IMEI number. However, different manufacturers provide SAR value information of mobile phones on their respective websites also. To check SAR level of your phone handset, dial *#07# from your mobile phone handset.

To reduce effect of SAR, following steps are useful ;

1. Keep mobile handset away from body during call, use ear-phones or bluetooth as much as possible.

2. When mobile signals are weak, do not use hanset because in such case mobile handset emits more powerful radiation to search signals.
3. Purchase a mobile handset having safe level of SAR value. Ask seller to make available information related to SAR of particular handset you want to buy.
4. Avoid voice calls as much as possible, do more text and prefer landline phones over mobile phones.
5. Use mobile handsets for short durations as much as possible.

Significance of Energy Label given by Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)

       Many organizations of government sector around the world have been involved directly or indirectly through partnering with organizations of non-government sector, in reducing energy consumption of industrial and house-hold electrical and electronic appliance through developing standards, policies and schemes for their manufacturers. In India, Bureau of Energy Efficiency (a statutory body under Ministry of Power, Government of India) has been continuously working in assisting in developing policies and strategies with a thrust on self-regulation and market principles, within the overall framework of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 with the primary objective of reducing energy intensity of the Indian economy. BEE has provided an Energy Label for electrical & electronic appliance of industrial and house-hold use. Energy Label helps consumers in easily selecting more efficient appliance. Electrical and Electronic appliance are rated based on energy efficiency through number of stars ranging from 1 star to 5 stars shown on energy consumption label. More number of stars means more energy efficient device and more saving on energy units. However, choosing an appliance with more number of stars may initially cost more, but such appliance may prove to be more economical on the long run as the cost of energy units is keep on increasing rapidly and running cost is a significant amount over the period of equipment life. Choosing an appliance with 5 energy stars will leave least impact on environment, will consume least power and have least running cost than same appliance with less number of energy stars. BEE has made it mandatory for manufacturers to label some appliance, like refrigerators, air-conditioner, etc., through energy consumption label.

Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) has also launched a similar Energy Label for Computer Laptops / Notebooks.

Such Energy efficiency Label on Computer Laptops / Notebooks will indicate the effiiency of Computer Laptops / Notebooks and gives a means of comparing more efficient and eco-friendly Computer Laptops / Notebooks.

BENEFITS OF USING ENERGY EFFICIENT APPLIANCE ;

            Saving energy units through using more energy efficient appliance helps both individuals and nation as well.

# 1.      Although many nations are using nuclear power to fulfill their electricity needs yet major part of world's electricity consumption is produced by burning fossil fuels, which means spending more energy units will add extra amount of CO2 gas in the atmosphere. CO2 gas creates a Green House effect, thereby raising the level of global warming. We can contribute in maintaining the level of global warming by not spending extra energy units and by choosing more energy efficient devices.

# 2.      Cost of running an electrical appliance over a long period of two or three years becomes a significant amount which can be controlled by selecting more energy efficient devices as the energy units rapidly becoming costlier. So, no doubt there is a big save on money when we select more energy efficient appliances.

# 3.      In countries like India, where the supply of electricity is much less than its demand, we can help the country to grow evenly in its all parts by selecting more energy efficient devices. Because when we save energy units, then electricity distribution companies will be able to supply those saved energy units to other parts of the country where the supply of electricity is almost zero or much less than its demand thereby helping the country to grow evenly in its all parts and can become a National Hero.

Useful Links ; http://bee-india.nic.in