iGo Mains, Car and Aircraft Laptop Power Adapter

The power adapter for my laptop stopped working so I purchased an iGo Slim Universal Laptop Power Adapter from Kogan. In addition to the 240 volt mains plug (to suite Australia) it also has an EmPower plug to run a laptop from in an aircraft or car cigarette lighter receptacle. The adapter also has a USB socket for charging.

The adapter came with interchangeable plugs for a large range of laptops. It took quite a bit of time to work out exactly which one would fit my laptop (as may look the same but are slightly different sizes). The plugs fit firmly on the adapter and are unlikely to fall off (and be lost). One problem is because of the need for interchangeability, the plugs are large and it is not easy to fit the Ethernet plug next to it on my laptop.

The brief but readable manual for the iGO makes much of its energy saving features. But in practice I found these make the unit harder to use.

The adapter will switch off when it detects the laptop is fully charged and then wake up every 15 minutes to check if more charging is needed. This sounds a good idea, saving the "phantom power" adapters normally consume. But several times the adapter has failed to switch back on, resulting in my laptop battery completely discharging.

Also the designers of this device have failed to realize that people don't just use the adapter to recharge batteries but also to power a laptop for stationary use. When the adapter shuts off power, my laptop switches to low power mode, which is annoying when I am using it at a desk.

In addition, the adapter has not proved very useful for charging USB devices. My phone beeps briefly when changed. So when plugged into the iGO it beeps every fifteen minutes (when the iGO wakes up and briefly charges the phone). This is very annoying.

The adapter would not power my wireless router via the USB socket. The router would start up, but then power would be lost after a few seconds.

Also the iGO came with another set of adapter cables which I can't find a socket on the adapter they fit into.

The iGO would be more useful if there was a way to switch off the power saving feature of the iGO. But the inclusion of an aircraft plug makes up for this inconvenience.

Australian Energy Expertise In the Asian Century

Greetings from the ANU Energy Change Institute Open Day at the Australian National University in Canberra. Speakers are discussing the technology and policy of how to reduce the climate change effects of energy production and tours of real working systems. After lunch I will be discussing "Cloud computing and energy efficiency".

One theme which seems to be emerging is responding to Asia's energy demand. This is timely with the release yesterday of the "Australia in the Asian Century White Paper" by the Prime Minister. Dr Paul Burke is talking on "Greening Indonesia’s energy". My colleague Dr Idris F. Sulaiman, is currently working on a green development project in Indonesia. Next week I will be presenting a seminar on Teaching Green ICT Online in Indonesia at the Faculty of Science and Technology, UIN Suska University of Riau.

ANU Energy Change Institute – Open Day 2012

Climate Change is the challenge.

Energy Change is the key.

Open Day Programme: Monday 29th October, 2012 

09.00 – 09.20 Highlights of the year,  Professor Ken Baldwin, ECI Director

09.20 – 09.30 Address by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Research, Professor Margaret Harding, RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR

09.30 – 10.00 Energy economics & policy, Climate economics and policy, Dr Frank Jotzo, Director, Centre for Climate Economics and Policy, Crawford School, College of, Asia and the Pacific

Greening Indonesia’s energy, Dr Paul Burke, Research Fellow, Crawford School, College of Asia and the Pacific

10.00 – 10.45 Solar (Centre for Sustainable Energy Systems – CSES), Introductory overview, Dr Tom White, Research Fellow, CSES, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Silicon engineering, Fiacre Rougieux, ASI Fellow, CSES, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Laser processing, Dr Andreas Fell, ASI Fellow, CSES, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Plasmonics and nanostructures, Dr Niraj Lal, ASI Fellow, CSES, College of Engineering and Computer Science

III-V materials, Dr Sudha Mokkapati, Super Science Fellow, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Sliver solar cells, Dr Evan Franklin, Research Fellow, CSES, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Back contact solar cells, Dr Evan Franklin, Post-Doctoral Fellow, CSES, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Thin films, Dr Andy Thomson, ASI Fellow, CSES, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Micro-modules, Dr Liz Thomsen, ASI Fellow, CSES, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Micro-concentrators, Dr Vernie Everett, Fellow, CSES, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Solar cooling, Dr Mike Dennis, CSES, College of Engineering and Computer Science

Hi-temperature thermal, Dr John Pye, ASI Exchange Fellow, CSES, College of Engineering and Computer Science

10.45 – 11.15 Morning tea and posters
11.15 – 11.30 Artificial Photosynthesis, Bio-mimetic challenges for artificial photosynthesis and hydrogen production - current prospects, Dr Ron Pace, Research School of Chemistry, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Plasma technologies for hydrogen fuel cells and artificial photosynthesis, Professor Christine Charles, Head, Sp3, Research School of Physics and Engineering, College of, Physical and Mathematical Sciences

11.30 – 12.00 Energy regulation & governance, Scientific and governance challenges for global artificial photosynthesis, Professor Tom Faunce, ARC Future Fellow, College of Law and College of Medicine, Biology and, Environment

Winds farms and planning law, Dr James Prest, Lecturer, Centre for Climate Law and Policy, Australian Centre for Environmental, Law, College of Law

Global energy governance, Professor Neil Gunningham, Regulatory Institutions Network and Fenner School of Environment, and Society, College of Asia and the Pacific and College of Medicine, Biology and Environment

Energy, technology and property: how they fit together, Professor Peter Drahos, Regulatory Institutions Network, College of Asia and the Pacific

12.00 – 12.15 Biosolar, The cultivation of microalgae to produce liquid biofuels: assessing the prospects, Associate Professor Michael Djordjevic, Research School of Biology, College of Medicine, Biology, and Environment

The cultivation of thermophilic cyanobacteria for biofuels, Dr Warwick Hillier, Research School of Biology, College of Medicine, Biology and Environment

12.15 – 12.30 Nuclear Science, Nuclear energy post-Fukushima, Vanessa Robertson, Master of Nuclear Science, Research School of Physics and Engineering,, College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences

12.30 – 13.30 Lunch and posters

13.30 – 13.45 Carbon capture and storage and Enhanced oil and gas extraction, Why energy conservation policies are unnecessary, Dr Rowena Ball, ARC Future Fellow, Mathematical Sciences Institute, College of Physical and, Mathematical Sciences, Using the ANU X-ray micro-CT to better understand the microscopic mechanisms of oil recovery, and subsurface CO2 trapping, Dr. Adrian Sheppard, ARC Future Fellow, Research School of Physics and Engineering, College of, Physical and Mathematical Sciences

13.45 – 14.00 Fusion Power, The physics of burning plasmas, Dr Matthew Hole, Fellow, Research School of Physics and Engineering, College of Physical and, Mathematical Sciences

Development of optical diagnostics for enhancing fusion power performance: from ANU H-1 to, ITER, Dr Clive Michael, Research Fellow, Research School of Physics and Engineering, College of, Physical and Mathematical Sciences

Plasma surface interactions for fusion plasmas, Cameron Samuell, Research School of Physics and Engineering, College of Physical and, Mathematical Sciences

NEW RESEARCH IN THE ECI

14.00 – 14.15 Energy Efficiency and Demand Management, The ECI launches a new research group focusing on energy efficiency and demand management, bringing together ANU expertise in this field across the College of Engineering and Computer, Science and the Fenner School of Environment and Society. Michael Smith will provide an, overview of the breadth of research being undertaken in this field by ANU researchers, lecturers, and policy experts. The work on energy efficiency and ICT will be featured as an example of ANU, expertise in this field. Tom Worthington, will discuss topical issues such as how cloud computing, is growing in popularity, but what are its energy demand profile and level of greenhouse gas, emissions? He will discuss how to measure and reduce ICT energy use and show how these, techniques are researched at ANU and used for training students on practical projects in industry, and government., Energy efficiency and demand management research group - an overview of recent achievements

Dr Michael Smith, Research Fellow, Fenner School of Environment and Society, College of, Medicine, Biology and Environment, Cloud computing and energy efficiency,

Tom Worthington, Adjunct Lecturer, Research School of Computer Science, College of, Engineering and Computer Science

14.15 – 14.30 Energy Sociology and Risk, Energy change raises a host of social and political issues. How are risks associated with existing, energy systems, and their alternatives, distributed? Why do some risks capture our collective, attention more than others? How best can transformation in the consumption of energy be, facilitated? The ANU School of Sociology hosts a range of projects concerned with the social, dimensions of safety, risk and disasters as well as the social dimensions of consumption. This, presentation will address current research in the sociology of risk management and energy, consumption and with a view to clarifying barriers to acceptance and action., Safety in design, Dr Jan Hayes, Senior Research Fellow, School of Sociology, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Institutionalizing risk management in the nuclear power industry, Catherine Wong, School of Sociology, College of Arts and Social Sciences, Consumption as social practice, Professor, Stewart Lockie, Head, School of Sociology, College of Arts and Social Sciences

14.30 – 15.30 Posters and afternoon tea

15.30 – 17.00 Tours of ECI facilities:

Tour 1: RSPE energy facilities / Big dish

Tour 2: PV Solar / Biosolar

ANU Energy Change Institute Open Day

The ANU Energy Change Institute Open Day is 29 October 2012. There are free presentations at the Australian National University in Canberra on the technology and policy of how to reduce the climate change effects of energy production and tours of real working systems (Please register to attend). During the day I will be discussing my course "ICT Sustainability: Assessment and Strategies for a Low Carbon Future".

ANU Energy Change Institute – Open Day 
Climate Change is the challenge.  Energy Change is the key.

Open Day Programme, 29th October 2012
Hedley Bull Centre 09.00 – 15.00

08.30 – 09.00 Poster setup and registration
09.00 – 09.20 Highlights of the year. Prof Ken Baldwin, ECI Director
09.20 – 09.30 Address by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Research. Prof Margaret Harding

 Research highlights of the year

09.30 – 10.00 Energy economics & policy
10.00 – 10.45 Solar
10.45 – 11.15 Morning
October 29 tea and posters
11.15 – 11.30 Artificial Photosynthesis
11.30 – 12.00 Energy regulation & governance
12.00 – 12.15 Biosolar
12.15 – 12.30 Nuclear Science
12.30 – 13.30 Lunch and posters
13.30 – 13.45 Carbon capture and storage and Enhanced oil and gas extraction
13.45 – 14.00 Fusion Power

New Research in the ECI
14.00 – 14.15  Energy Sociology and Risk
14.15 – 14.30  Energy Efficiency and Demand Management
14.30 – 15.00  Discussion panel
15.00 – 15.30  Posters and afternoon tea
15.30 – 17.00  Tours of ECI facilities 

Please register to attend