January 18, 2005
Calendar of Events
Last Week: “Power Applications of Superconductivity ” Philip Pellegrino
This Week: Exchange Teacher, Mayuree Prawirwan from Thailand
Next Week: Club Assembly
Coming Up:
February 1 : Club Officer and BOD Elections
February 15: Club Centennial Celebration Dinner & Program
Give suggestions for future programs to Rey Whetten or Linda LeTendre
Other Events Coming Up:
January 25: BOD & Chairs Meeting 5PM
January 25 Club Assembly
January 29 District Mid-Year Assembly
February 1: Club Officer and BOD Elections
Invocation: Garry Morrow, Dan Stec or Bob Youmans
Minute for Rotary: Mitch Frasier
Innovations in Electric Power Transmission:
A fascinating account was presented at last week’s meeting of how a Schenectady-based power business has moved to the forefront in the development of high temperature superconductor applications that can provide increased capacity and reliability for the transmission and distribution of electric power. Philip Pellegrino, President of SuperPower, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Intermagnetics General Corporation (also local with headquarters in Latham), described how SuperPower has developed second generation high temperature superconductors that will revolutionize the power industry. Mr. Pellegrino noted that more than 7% of the energy generated in the United States is lost during transmission and distribution. Application of the company’s research in replacing low temperature copper transmission wire with high temperature superconductor wire cooled with inexpensive liquid nitrogen rather than more costly liquid helium will cut energy loss in half. The new product, scheduled to be commercially available early next year, will produce savings that could amount to $16 billion per year and reduce the use of fossil fuels and the generation of greenhouse gases and pollutant emissions. The use of SuperPower’s superconducting devices compared to the conventional devices they will replace will result in:
• higher efficiency, lighter and more compact transformers with lower life cycle costs and they will contain no materials that threaten the environment or pose a fire hazard.
• fault current limiters which can limit damaging high current events such as lightning strikes
without shutting down sensitive electronic equipment.
• increased (3 to 5 times more) carrying capacity transmission cables that permit utilities to use existing cable ducts to increase power without digging up congested areas to lay new ducts.
Funding sources for the research came 70% from Intermagnetics and 30% from outside sources, primarily government. With power rationing and outages becoming more common and foreign oil supply presenting more cost and availability stresses, Mr. Pellegrino’s message that a power generation revolution is near at hand couldn’t come at a better time.
News Briefs:
Rotary Foundation Development Committee(RFDC) Formed: The RFDC members are Garry Morrow, Rey Whetten, Ken Crotty and Steve Caine. Each member of the committee attended the Rotary Foundation Seminar at Union College on December 11. The RFDC plans to develop a proposal for policies and procedures that deal with the allocation of Rotary Foundation recognition points to be considered at the BOD’s January 25 meeting When a current Paul Harris Fellow donates money to The Rotary Foundation (TRF), he or she earns recognition points proportionate to the donation that can go toward helping someone else who has not yet earned a Paul Harris Fellowship earn one. The donating Rotarian has the choice of designating these points to the person or persons of his or her choice or allowing the club to decide to whom the points will be awarded. An overall Club objective for this fiscal year is that our members donate $4,200 to The Rotary Foundation for good works before June 30, 2005. For this year, members will give their checks made out to “The Rotary Foundation” directly to Treasurer Ken Crotty. Ken will ensure the proper form has been completed and that the donor understands his or her options for the awarding of “recognition points”.
• Club Elections Planned for February 1:
The Nomination Committee of Paul Lewandowski, Chair; Bill Sewell; and Bob Youmans is scheduled to report by January 25 its list of nominees for club office in 2005-06 with the Club election set for February 1. At District 7190’s request the Board of Directors has approved a change in current titles for the 1st and 2nd VP’s to President Elect and President Nominee in the future, which is consistent with the past roles for these two positions in our club.
• Dues Are Due:
Semi-annual dues ($60) should be paid to Ken Crotty prior to January 31.
Steven Caine Paul Lewandowski Rey Whetten
Ken Drotty Fritz Neumann Earl Wilmont
Mitch Frasier Dick O’Rourke Bob Youmans
Bill Sewell
WEBSITES:
BHBL Rotary: www.bhblrotary.org
District 7190: www.capitalregionrotary.org