Senator Jim Jeffords played the latest card in the public debate on climate change: legislation that would make California's carbon dioxide rules national.

POWERnews reports that the bill mandates all power plants built after 2012 achieve the greenhouse gas emission limit by 2016, achieved by combined-cycle natural gas turbine plants — an expected 60% reduction. The bill further seeks to mandate that 5% of generation be low-carbon by 2020. The bill says that the EPA must consider a "declining cap with a technology-based stop price" so that industry continues to reduce emissions rather than simply buying CO2 emission allowances.

AI-Tek TT 10/30 and TP 10/30 instruments are dual input, industrial tachometers measuring the rate of events from a given process. Using the proportional signal outputs from passive/active sensors, they can measure, monitor, and react to RPM of a shaft, or relate to differential speeds of two independent objects.

International and North American cordsets and power cords from stock, with no minimum order quantity. Class I and class II cords available with current ratings from 2.5 to 16 amps. Standard lengths of 2.5 meters/8.2 ft from stock; custom lengths available with short lead times. Complimentary evaluation samples available upon request.

Among the countless types of electrical connectors, Multilam equipped banana plugs have stood out for many years on the strength of excellent current carrying performance and minimal contact resistance. Multi-Contact stocks them in a wide selection of diameters, termination types, and designs, but also fabricates many custom plugs and sockets.

SmartFan Multi SR has been used to manage cooling systems by leading telecommunications OEMs since 2001. This new version will communicate with shelf management modules via dual IPMBs as specified by AdvancedTCA PICMG 3.0. The control provides FRU information, individual fan status, and temperature readings. Call for more details.

As reported in POWERnews, the chief executive of New England's National Grid USA said it would be a mistake of "monumental proportion" to return to pre-restructuring polices. These policies are being promoted by several other utilities in the region that believe competitive markets are to blame for pricing and reliability woes.

Alcoa's two existing and unsatisfactory options for infrared camera inspection of medium-voltage switchgear were to either wear 100-calorie protective gear or to operate the camera remotely from a safe distance. Plant Services reports that Alcoa found a new solution that allows closed-door thermal inspections of connected electrical switchgear through a lens/port system.

There are some places where hard wired monitoring is just too expensive. The best option for connectivity to these remote sites is often a cellular gateway. The Industrial Networking Solutions Web site shows how to select hardware, create a data plan, and choose a connectivity method for remote cellular monitoring and control.

APC Magazine reports that some Apple notebook power supplies have insufficiently protected power supply adaptors. The problem is caused by power cables that are constantly flexed, causing some of the many strands of braided wire within the cable to break. This leaves fewer of the thin wires to carry the DC current.

Okaya Electric announces new products including Transient Voltage Surge Suppression for Power, Telecom, and Data Lines; Gas Tube and SMT products for lightning and surge protection, low cost three-phase, and single-phase filters. Okaya's Display Division is now offering
TFT displays in sizes from 1.5 to 7.0 in.

An extensive range of toroids for 50/60 Hz operation is readily available from 15 VA-1000 VA with a variety of dual secondaries to choose from. Toroids offer benefits over laminated types with better weight, size, efficiency, assembly, noise, and stray field characteristics. All mounting hardware is included. Custom designs are also welcome.

Mold-Tech Electronics has provided custom cables to OEM's since our inception. Combining internal engineering, cable extrusion, over molding, and years of experience we provide solutions to the medical, telecom, military, and controls industry. MTE's custom cables will Make a Lasting Connection.

Niedax Cable Tray and Cable Management Systems in Pre-Galvanized, Hot-Dipped Galvanized, and Stainless Steel (304 and 316 Finish available). Niedax is the complete system! (Read more)

How closely related are RFID prices and volumes? Dr. Peter Harrop of IDTechEx forecasts RFID pricing for the next 10 years using projected volumes and other data. Current data are confusing because many new players virtually give away RFID tags to establish a market foothold. A detailed analysis filters out these and other discrepancies.

End users are moving away from thermocouples, RTDs, and thermistors to non-contact temperature sensors like infrared thermometers and fiber-optic temperature sensors. There is also a broader shift away from thermocouples to more accurate devices like RTDs and thermistors. These trends show that end users are prepared to pay more for desired features.

Conductivity sensors have long been used to measure water parameters. Engineer Live reports that advances in sensing technology now allow conductivity to be used for difficult measurements of aqueous concentrations of acids, bases, and salts. Conductivity usually changes with a solution's ion concentration, providing a means to measure concentration by weight of the solution. [A quick registration may be required to view originating article.]

Strangely enough, tradition and myth sometimes weigh heavily on engineering decisions. Such is the case when comparing gas insulated switchgear (GIS) with air insulated switchgear (AIS). GIS is the better alternative, and International Power Generation claims that continued use of AIS is due to customer preference and incorrect life cycle cost analysis.

Designed specifically for audio, instrumentation, medical, and sensor applications. Features: Low Noise (en <1 nv/hz @ 1 khz, 2 nv/hz @ 10 hz typ); Low Capacitance (crss=20 pf max); High Gain (Yfs=22 ms min); High Input Impedance; High Breakdown Voltage (40 Volts); SOIC-8, TO-71 6 lead packages. RoHS versions available. Data sheet and samples available.

Lapp has made product selection easier. Our Web site contains our catalog, which can be searched in a variety of ways. Product searches include selection by entering your requirements. You can now enter your cable part number and find the mating connector or cable gland. Visit www.lappusa.com to find the products for your application.

Micro Optics Technologies has added a low power consumption driver for its Fibersound fiber optic microphones. The EMI immunity and non-electrical mechanism of the FOM are now available for long life battery operation. For more information, including our new line of OCEP, power-by-light, optical communication earplugs, visit our Web site.

Register now for the IEEE Spectrum Career Accelerator Forum, October 12th. Industry experts share inside career tracks on entrepreneurship and computer sciences. Live Q&A with panelists and networking opportunities with educational institutions.

DiceEngineering.com offers thousands of quality engineering jobs at top technology and engineering companies. Find jobs in your area of expertise.

Search now.

For 16 years, the Power Quality & Reliability Exhibition/Conference has been raising awareness of the challenges in the field with an unparalleled education program and the broadest array of product solutions available.

The Nevada Power Company has a position open in fast-growing Las Vegas. This investor owned utility is seeking a Substation Design Engineer responsible for physical design, electrical design, and retrofit work. BSEE required. PE license or ability to obtain PE within two years also required. Competitive salary, benefits, and relocation package are included.

Many universities seem to spend more on research and vast campuses than on education. Neumont University in Utah is challenging this orthodoxy by offering a no-frills campus in an office park. Only serious engineering students need apply to this tech-only, private, for-profit college with no campus quad, football games, or frat houses.

Remember your boring college dorm room? Things have changed, as shown by two MIT students who applied automation to their ordinary room. Features include several lighting schemes, remote wireless Web access, voice activation, security systems, electric blinds, and more. Particularly popular is the one-touch button that plunges the room into the rave mode.

With its 22 ft wingspan and limited payload, an unmanned aircraft powered by a hydrogen fuel cell is not ready for commercial flights. As reported by ISA, the aircraft was developed by engineers at Georgia Tech and uses a lightweight carbon foam radiator, a pump from a liquid-cooled computer, and a hydrogen tank designed for a paintball gun.

Subscribe today to any one or more of the "soon to be released" product-centric e-newsletters from GlobalSpec and stay on the inside track in the product areas of most interest to you!

SMT Magazine covers the electronics of printed circuit boards assembly and manufacture, featuring cutting-edge topics and everyday manufacturing concerns surrounding the materials, processes, components, and equipment used in surface mount. Get your complimentary subscription here.

Download the engineering toolbar and put the power of GlobalSpec right at your fingertips.

Change your e-mail or edit your GlobalSpec profile here.

To continue receiving GlobalSpec's Electrical Components e-Newsletter in your e-mail inbox, please add announce@news.globalspec.com to your address book.

If a friend forwarded this e-newsletter and you'd like to receive it in the future, register here or subscribe directly.

To be removed from our e-newsletter mailing list, follow this link.