African Wind Farm Deal
November 4, 2008
A French company will soon begin construction on the African continent’s largest wind farm. Ethiopia signed a $300 million (220 million euro) contract with Vergnet, the French wind turbine manufacturer.
The Ethiopian group is the Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation (EEPC), which hopes to meet 15 percent of its electric needs with the wind farm. The Power Corporation and Vergnet both anticipate an eventual production level of 120 megawatts. The timeline for reaching this production level is two and a half years.
EEPC chairman Meheret Debebe said the project is a strategic one for the area, and will “help us fill the gap of hydrological risks we are facing in Ethiopia with the droughts,” he said.
Ethiopia, like every African nation, has been hard hit by the recent droughts. Besides the tremendous toll on human life and the agriculture community, the lack of water has been a deathblow to many of the nation’s hydroelectric dams. These dams provide for the largest part of the nation’s energy needs, and the lack of water has forced frequent power cuts in recent months.
Ethiopia is a land-locked nation in the Horn of Africa, and is the continent’s second most populous country.
France is also pleased with the deal, with the Minister for Foreign Trade, Anne-Marie Idrac calling it an important contract that symbolizes France’s commitment to developing renewable energies and energy products.
Glasstech Corporation
November 1, 2008
Glasstech Corporation has led innovation and problem solving in the auto-glass industry since 1971, and continues to head the industry into the new century.
Their innovative processes continue through today. For example, in 2000, they introduced the EPB-T systems that set the bar higher for sidelite glass, creating new industry standards. Plants using the EPB-T system are able to meet rigorous quality standards, such as those set by Volkswagen/Audi, and do it at a reasonable cost.
EPB-T stands for External Press Bender Tempering/Head strengthening system. It’s designed for creating and tempering the smaller pieces of glass in a automobile: the sidelite windows, sunroofs, and backlites. It’s an incredibly flexible and innovative system that can handle whatever the engineers throw at it. Complex part shapes are no problem for the EPB-T system.
For those with less demanding needs, Glasstech has other options available with fewer features and lower costs. For example, the original Quick Sag system, an industry breakthrough in 1979, is ideal for turning out glass with extremely high optical quality and highly precise tolerances when the requirement is for simpler shapes. The system can even be modified to accommodate single or double side exit models in a manufacturing facility.
Glasstech systems can handle any process, such as roller hearth transport, bending in the heat, horizontal processing minus the long tong marks, flexible precision tooling, modular construction, prototype production, and auto glass inspector.
Glasstech is the recognized leader in automotive glass production systems. Their equipment is known for its dependability, reliability and versatility. For flexibility, precise tolerances, the highest quality glass with the best safety ratings, Glasstech systems are the answer. Read more
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