One thing the recent record-setting storms around the country have taught us—or at least reminded us—is that sometimes the power goes out. And stays out. Some locations are especially vulnerable, such as coastal areas that experience tropical storms and hurricanes. The results can be as devastating as they are unexpected—in terms of revenue lost for businesses, and in terms of safety for critical sites like hospitals, schools, and care facilities.
Emergency power outages cost US industries between $40 billion and $150 billion a year. Although for most of us in the stormwater field, keeping the lights on and the equipment running is not a primary part of the job, power outages very often accompany the events—storms, floods—that we are concerned with, and it’s worth knowing what the options are.
A webinar taking place tomorrow looks at combined heat and power, or cogeneration—a method facilities can use to ensure their own uninterrupted supply of power. More businesses and organizations are taking this route not only to prepare for emergency outages but also to save money, reduce CO2 emissions, and protect themselves from the instabilities of the congested power grid. “Combined Heat & Power: Enabling Resilient Infrastructure for Critical Faciliies” is presented by Anne Hampson, a senior manager at ICF International. It takes place at 11 a.m. PDT/2 p.m. EDT. There is still time to sign up: click here for more details and registration.
As always, past webinars are available from Forester University as webcasts that you can view at your convenience and still earn PDH or CEU credit. Click here for a complete list of webcasts.
Janice Kaspersen
Janice Kaspersen is the former editor of Erosion Control and Stormwater magazines.
