International
Electrotechnical
Commission
April 2011 edition
2.57 Mb
Managing Editor e-tech :
Editor in Chief:
Articles may be reproduced in whole or in part provided the source, "IEC e-tech" is mentioned in full.
 |
Electrified transportThe price of oil continues to rise – it hit almost $120 in March 2011. As people become more conscious of the implications of climate change, so the motor industry looks to the EV (electric vehicle) as an alternative means of transport both for personal and for public use.
|
 |
EVs depend on modernization of the gridIEC Vice-President Enno Liess opened the Fully Networked Car workshop organized co-jointly with ITU and ISO. It brought together key players involved in the development of ICT and standards in the automotive industry. He warned how the successful roll-out of EVs was dependent on the modernization of the grid infrastructure.
|
 |
CANENA focusing on the futureFormer IEC Vice-President Frank Kitzantides was a speaker at the recent CANENA annual meeting where he gave an update on some of the key topics and activities of the IEC.
|
 |
2011 nominations for the Lord Kelvin Award openCreated and first granted in 1995, the pre-eminent Lord Kelvin Award is named after the IEC’s distinguished first President. It is the IEC’s highest tribute and though not necessarily always awarded each year, is only granted to a maximum of three outstanding individuals in any one year, in recognition of their outstanding long-term technical contributions to the IEC's work.
|
 |
Global relevanceIn this latest IEC Global Visions interview, Keith Nosbush, Chairman and President of Rockwell Automation, the world's largest industrial automation and information company, shares why his organization participates in IEC standardization work and why he encourages other companies to join the process to further increase the quality and relevance of IEC International Standards.
|
 |
Centenary celebrations for the IEC National Committee of the NetherlandsAnother IEC NC has reached a major milestone in its electrotechnical activities. On 17 March 2011, after a 100 years of activity, it was the turn of NEC, the Netherlands IEC NC, to celebrate in the Haagse Diligentia.
|
 |
IECEE keeps engines running with safety and performance certification of batteriesElectric vehicles are not alone in relying on batteries as a source of power. Fuel combustion and hybrid cars, trucks, buses, trains and aircraft also depend to a great degree on their batteries, either for starting the engine or as an auxiliary power unit.
|
 |
IECEx Schemes help reduce risksEx or explosive atmospheres are not restricted to oil refineries, offshore oil rigs, gas plants or mines. Many other industries also operate in potentially hazardous environments: sugar refineries, flour mills, grain silos and the paper and textile sectors, to name a few. Ex risks also exist in transportation.
|
 |
United Nations endorses IEC with a regulatory framework for Ex areasIn January 2011 the United Nations, via UNECE (the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe), recommended the IEC and IECEx, one of the three IEC Conformity Assessment Systems, as the world’s best practice model for the verification of conformity to International Standards.
|
 |
IECQ helps make travelling saferToday, all modes of transportation rely on electronics for navigation, communication or engine-control management as well as for entertainment. Electronic devices and systems are designed to bring more safety, reliability and comfort to pilots, drivers and passengers alike.
|
EVs key to sustainable individual transportationWorldwide concerns about diminishing oil supplies and rising oil prices, and the adverse environmental consequences of burning fossil fuels, are leading the quest for more sustainable transportation models in many countries. This applies in particular to the road transport sector, which is still almost entirely dependent on ICEs (internal combustion engines) and consumes more than half of the world's crude oil production.
|
|
 |
Curbing driver distractionDriver distraction is not new; it is as old as driving. Driving is a complex task that requires constant attention and complex coordination between mind and body. International Standards should help reduce driver distraction.
|
 |
Electric vehicles: The first 50 years of early trials and triumphsAs early as 1899, Nikolaus August Ott, inventor of the four-stroke liquid gas engine, was convinced that electric propulsion would eventually have its hour of glory. His forecast was ultimately confirmed this year. The automobile industry may be on the threshold of a new era 130 years after Gustave Trouvé built his tricycle....
|
 |
Power on the go – the electric vehicle and its batteryThe breakthrough for EVs (electric vehicles) will be directly dependent on technical advances for its key component, the battery. Today, all available automotive battery technologies have distinct advantages and disadvantages in terms of safety, performance, cost and other parameters.
|
 |
How far will it go?A major challenge for the electric vehicle (EV) is its technical ability to store enough energy to reach its destination. How far is far enough? How can range anxiety be circumvented?
|
 |
Water and heatFuel cells have the advantage of being non-polluting, non-combusting and producing no dangerous emissions, only water and heat. How close to broad-scale commercialization is this technology? What are the major opportunities and challenges?
|
 |
NominationsIn addition to its regular Technical Committees, the IEC has a number of Strategic Groups, Sector Boards and Technical Advisory Committees which report to the Standardization Management Board. This month, e-tech announces various changes and nominations.
|
 |
Plug them in and move them on!Electrification is essential for the long-term sustainability of individual transportation and manufacturers are now offering a wide choice of EVs (electric vehicles). Some of these plug-in EVs require charging from the electrical grid. Experts in IEC Technical Committees have produced various International Standards for EV charging.
|
 |
IEC TC 9 holds 50th meeting in ChinaThe recent IEC TC 9 meeting in China highlights the growing importance of Asia in TC work in the electrotechnical domain. The importance industries or countries attach to a particular sector are good pointers to their actual participation in the work of IEC Technical Committees.
|
 |
Updating Smart Grid methodologyExperts from industry, utilities and regional standards organizations from 13 countries attended an IEC international workshop in Paris, France. Organized by IEC TC 8: Systems aspects for electrical energy supply, its purpose was to debate Smart Grid use cases to build up requirements from existing practices.
|
 |
Performance and reliability testing for EV propulsionResponding to global concerns about CO2 reduction and energy security and the turn towards battery, hybrid and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, one IEC TC has already responded with two new International Standards on the high-power and high-energy density traction batteries that will be necessary for the EV of the future to move forward.
|
 |
Send it to a friendThe IEC Webstore was the first section of the IEC website to take on the new look and fresh design. Now, a new "send to a friend" feature will help others discover the many facets of International Standards and the broad areas covered by the IEC and its publications.
|
 |
From breadcrumbs to IEC NC pagesHints and tips on finding your way around the new IEC website using the breadcrumbs and shortcuts.
|
