SHPE - Spring08 - (Page 32)

CAREERS & EMPLOYMENT at www.shell.com/us/ecomarathon. “This is a great platform for future engineers to develop innovative technology and use green engineering principles,” said Alison Chassin, Shell external affairs manager, U.S. Western region. Chassin noted that like so many of the company’s green initiatives, Eco-Marathon embodies Shell’s principles of developing technology for sustainable mobility to help manage the world’s growing energy demand. Westinghouse: Cleaner Power radiation than a coal-burning power plant. Westinghouse Electric’s big R&D focus for green engineering is on its Third Generation Plant AP1000. The advanced 1117 to 1154 MWe nuclear power plant uses the forces of nature and a simple design to increase plant safety and operations while at the same time reducing construction costs. Mena pointed out that the quick build-out of this plant is an attractive consideration for utility companies weighing the options of nuclear over fossil-fuel energy. “As Westinghouse Electric Company has made continuous efforts to expand its company presence as well as its presence in the green engineering field, it has unremittingly sought after diverse employees encompassing a vast number of fields, all contributing to the company’s value in intellectual capital,” he said. Every year, Westinghouse Electric recruits engineers, technicians and others to successfully complete national and international assignments using their technical competency, computer proficiency and creative thinking. Added Mena, “In the new age of green engineering, new and innovative perspectives are needed to acquire a broader area in the environment efficiency spectrum. Consequently there is an increasing demand for engineers involved in green technology or green engineering development.” Pacific Gas & Electric: Capturing the Imagination with Innovative Technology At Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), delivering energy-efficient products and services to its 15 million customers in northern and central California is a top priority. Engineers play a critical role in the environmental initiatives of the natural gas and electric utility provider, according to spokesperson Kathleen Romans. PG&E’s Emerging Technologies Group (ETG) focuses on conducting research studies and running reports on energyefficient technologies. “Energy efficiency is the quickest, surest and least expensive way for our customers to fight climate change,” she said. ETG looks for opportunities within its commercial, industrial, mass market and lighting portfolios. For example, engineers have studied the airflow management in data centers, and tested and analyzed new technology for better aerodynamic designs for such equipment as fume hoods, which evaporate potentially toxic fumes in workspaces. Engineers working in the commercial portfolio look for ways to improve heating, ventilation and air conditioning in offices, retail, schools and hotels. PG&E has a well-established — since before the energy crisis – opt-in auto demand response program for its large business customers. Westinghouse’s AP1000 is the only Generation III+ plant to receive design certification by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Power plants are a major source of air pollution, with coal-fired power plants annually emitting 59 percent of total U.S. sulfur dioxide pollution and 18 percent of total nitrogen oxides. “The demand for green products has impacted Westinghouse Electric Company as well as all energy-producing companies worldwide,” said Garry Mena, engineer, Repair Replacement and Automation Services, in Westinghouse Electric Company. “The growing concern for finding a more efficient form of energy has driven Westinghouse Electric Company to continue its efforts in leading the world into a more reliable, efficient and environment friendly future.” The company is focusing on nuclear energy plants because they do not release environmentally harmful gases such as nitrogen oxide or sulfur oxide into the environment nor produce carbon dioxide or other harmful greenhouse gases that may cause global warming. Nuclear energy promotes wildlife preservation, according to Mena, because the water discharged from nuclear power plants is devoid of harmful pollutants. Its physical and therefore environmental footprint is minimal compared to other types of power plants, and it emits less 32 PG&E’s plug-in hybrid vehicle features vehicle-to-grid technology which allows for the bi-directional transfer of electricity between Electric Vehicles and Plug-in Electric Hybrid Vehicles and the electric power grid. SHPE R Spring 2008 http://www.shell.com/us/ecomarathon

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of SHPE - Spring08

SHPE - Spring08 Contents President’s Letter Browser Letters to the Editor Calendar of Events The Magic of Thinking BIG Five Steps to Easier Fundraising Designing Women ¡Viva Verde! The Education and Training of Ramon Flores Breakthroughs in Mobile Military Communications The Retention Doctor Success at School Begins at Home STAR Nominations Do Good Things Come to Those Who Wait? Programs & Services Regional Roundup Advertisers Index

SHPE - Spring08

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.