Ahorra energía en tu cocina

>

23 de Septiembre del 2013 | Editorial Metroscubicos

La cocina es una de las áreas de la casa con mayor consumo de energía eléctrica. Sin embargo, hay varias acciones que te ayudan a tener un uso más eficiente de tus electrodomésticos y a ahorrar energía. Tómalas en cuenta:

Refrigerador

Es el aparato que más energía consume. Sigue estos sencillos consejos para lograr que tu refri tenga un buen desempeño y una mayor funcionalidad:

• Ubícalo lejos del horno u otras fuentes de calor.
• Procura abrir la puerta lo menos posible. Se estima que cada vez que se abre, se pierde aproximadamente 30% de frío, lo que incrementa el consumo de electricidad.
• Verifica que todas sus puertas cierren correctamente.
• Evita guardar alimentos calientes, esto provoca que el refrigerador consuma más energía para enfriar.
• Ajusta el termostato a la temperatura ambiente. En invierno, puede estar menos frío que en verano.

Horno de gas

• Evita abrir la puerta mientras está en uso, ya que se pierde una gran cantidad de calor.
• Aprovecha el calor que se concentró al interior del horno y apágalo un poco antes de terminar la cocción de los alimentos.

Estufa

• Las estufas eléctricas no utilizan piloto y son la mejor opción para el ahorro de consumo de gas. Al cocinar utiliza tapas, así reduces el tiempo de cocción y el consumo de gas.
• Usa una olla a presión, de esta forma la estufa estará encendida menos tiempo.
• Cocina con materiales que sean buenos conductores del calor como el acero inoxidable.

Lavavajillas

• Retira los residuos de comida de los platos para facilitar la limpieza.
• Limpia con regularidad el filtro, eso hará que funcione adecuadamente.
• Úsalo con agua a baja temperatura, así se reduce el consumo de energía.
• Coloca una carga adecuada, de esta forma reduces la cantidad de agua y luz que utiliza.

Consejo: Desconecta todos los electrodomésticos cuando no estén en uso, sobre todo aquellos que tienen una pantalla pues consumen energía aunque no los utilices.

Agradecemos estas recomendaciones a The Home Depot México www.homedepot.com.mx

Comparte ésta liga: http://www.metroscubicos.com/shrt/0deSuK

5 consejos para ahorrar energía en un edificio habitacional

03 de Marzo del 2014 | obrasweb.mx

La instalación de dispositivos de regulación en los ventiladores, así como de sistemas de automatización son sólo algunos de los requisitos básicos que Schneider Electric publicó en su 'Guía Práctica de Eficiencia Energética' para optimizar los recursos energéticos en un edificio habitacional.

1. Iluminación automática en áreas comunes

Contar con detectores de movimiento permite una iluminación controlada sólo en los momentos y las áreas que se necesite. No habrá necesidad de encender a través de interruptores manuales, lo que brinda accesibilidad universal a la iluminación a través de los sistemas de automatización.

2. Ventilación en estacionamientos

La instalación de dispositivos de regulación en los ventiladores, tales como variadores de velocidad, permite que éstos usen sólo la potencia necesaria al entrar en funcionamiento. Esta solución, además de reducir el consumo energético, también disminuirá el ruido emitido comúnmente por los sistemas de ventilación.

3. Administración del cuadro eléctrico comunitario

Un contador de energía permite a los administradores tener la lectura precisa del consumo eléctrico en las diversas instalaciones de cada edificio, lo que hará posible identificar las zonas donde haya un consumo excesivo. Asimismo, colocar un limitador de sobretensiones podría ayudar a proteger los equipos eléctricos y electrónicos.

4. Gestión automática en interiores

A través de controles para persianas se puede aprovechar al máximo la luz y el calor del sol en invierno, y controlarlos en verano, lo que permitirá un uso racional de los sistemas de clima artificial. Existen también termostatos programables que permiten al usuario definir la temperatura de cada habitación, acorde a sus usos, lo que además se puede controlar mediante sistemas domóticos diferenciados en cada espacio

5. Control de riego en áreas verdes

Instalar un interruptor horario permite controlar el consumo de agua para el mantenimiento de áreas verdes, pero puede ocasionar altos consumos energéticos. Este efecto puede contrarrestarse con una central de medida para definir cuál es la programación ideal para el riego.

Fuente: Guía Prática de Eficiencia Energética, Schneider Electric

Comparte ésta liga: http://www.metroscubicos.com/shrt/0dBdDo

Mexico: the Final Piece in North America’s Energy Renaissance

By Rory Johnston | Tue, 19 November 2013

oilprice.com

 

 

The energy renaissance in the United States and Canada has left Mexico largely behind. While American and Canadian crude production has jumped over thirty percent in the last decade, Mexican production has fallen by over a quarter. This trend has not been lost on the Mexican government, which this past summer announced plans to dramatically reshape its oil industry by reforming constitutional rules pertaining to the role of international oil companies (IOCs).



Source: EIA


Now another bill has been proposed in the Senate, one that will go much further than the plan introduced by President Enrique Peña Nieto in August. Peña Nieto’s plan was a step forward for Mexico’s wilting oil industry, but it was a half-measure that only allowed for IOC profit sharing while maintaining exclusive Mexican ownership of all reserves. The Senate proposal, on the other hand, allows for partial ownership of oil reserves, enabling the IOCs to “book” oil reserves as assets.

This is a far more appealing proposition for IOCs, which would prefer to buttress the strength of their balance sheets by holding physical oil instead of simply an uncertain revenue stream. Ownership is also far more politically controversial. As public intellectual Enrique Krauze mused in La Reforma last week, “in other countries oil issues are essentially economic, but in Mexico petroleum policy is a ‘secular theology … an existential dilemma, as if to allow [private investment] would signify the loss of the Nation’s soul.’”

Investment—let alone ownership—by private firms has been banned since 1938, when President Lázaro Cárdenas declared all mineral and oil reserves to be property of the state and nationalized the Mexican oil industry. He then established a state-owned oil company, Petroleous Mexicanos (Pemex), which has held a monopoly on the exploration, extraction, and refining of oil within Mexico’s borders since.



Former President Lázaro Cárdenas Signing Oil Reforms, 1938


However, conventional oil production in Mexico has been declining and Pemex does not possess the capital or technology necessary to exploit shale or deep-sea reserves. For instance, while the United States contracted for the drilling of 137 deep-water wells last year, Pemex only drilled six. This has led to significant reductions in Mexico’s total oil reserves, which have shrunk by over one third in the last ten years. These reforms would allow much needed capital and foreign expertise to flood the Mexican oil market, revitalizing the industry and the entire Mexican economy.

More than simply an industrial shift, “this will be the most significant change in Mexico’s economic policy in 100 years,” according to Duncan Wood, director of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center. Passage of these reforms is far from certain, but Alberto Bernal-León, head of research at Bulltick Capital Markets Miami, is optimistic. “Energy reform is critical for Mexico and next year will be make or break for the country … and I believe there is an 85 percent chance that the reform will be approved.”

A booming Mexican oil industry is good for Mexico, good for global oil markets, and good for North American energy security. Until its passage, however, only time will tell whether or not the economic imperative of industrial reform will overcome a history and “secular theology” of nationalistic resource policies.

By. Rory Johnston

Alstom Agrees to Build $40 Million Geothermal Project in Mexico

12/11/2013

alstom.com

 

Alstom signed a contract worth €30 million with the Mexican Federal Electricity Commission¹  (CFE) to build the geothermal power plant “Los Humeros III – Phase A”, located in Chignautla, state of Puebla. This power plant will have an installed capacity of 25 MW and will produce an average of more than 200 GWh per year of renewable energy, equivalent to the annual energy used by 40,000 people in Mexico.

“Over the last decade, Alstom has participated in numerous geothermal power projects in Mexico, that all combined add up to nearly 200 MW of installed capacity. We are happy that Alstom’s technology will contribute to the diversification of non-fossil energy sources in the country, a goal that the current government has set to reach 35% by 2024.” said Cintia Angulo, Alstom Mexico Country President.

This Alstom turnkey project includes all of the engineering, as well as the power plant construction, set-up equipment, steam turbine, turbo generator, systems control and high voltage electric substation, and related equipment. The power plant is expected to start operations during the second quarter of 2016, and will operate using heat obtained by drilling steam extraction wells at a depth of up to 3,500 meters (11,500 ft.).

Mexico has the fourth biggest geothermal power reserves in the world, just behind the United States, the Philippines and Indonesia. “Los Humeros III Phase A” power plant will operate in tandem with 2 other geothermal power plants recently installed by Alstom in the same area (Los Humeros IIA, and Los Humeros IIB). Combined with the new power facility, those three projects will have an installed capacity of 75 MW, meeting the annual power needs of 120,000 local inhabitants.

During nearly five decades of Alstom’s presence in Mexico, the company has installed over 11,000 MW of power generation equipment in the country, which represents almost 20% of the country’s total power capacity.

El Río Quelite, los Arroyos del Zapote, La Noria y de Los Cocos forman parte de los recursos hidrológicos del municipio.

 

lovemazatlan.es.tl

Mazatlán.-
 
El Río Quelite, los Arroyos del Zapote, La Noria y de Los Cocos forman parte de los recursos hidrológicos del municipio en su vertiente suroccidental y suroriental; estas corrientes durante la estación de lluvia aumentan su caudal considerablemente.

La corriente del Río Quelite registra una cuenca de captación de 835 kilómetros cuadrados por donde escurren anualmente un promedio de 107 millones de metros cúbicos con variantes que oscilan de 78 a 163 millones de metros cúbicos. Esta corriente hidrológica a su paso por el municipio de Mazatlán toca los poblados de El Castillo, Las Juntas, Amapa, Los Naranjos, El Quelite, Estación Modesto y El Recreo entre otros. Tras recorrer una distancia de 100 kilómetros desde su nacimiento, descarga sus aguas en el Océano Pacífico. Los arroyos de El Zapote y de Los Cocos, escurren en dirección sureste para desembocar en el Río Presidio a la altura de los poblados de los que toman sus nombres.Sobre la vertiente suroriental de la sierra del Quelite nace el Arroyo de La Noria y en la vertiente norte de la misma, algunos afluentes del Río Quelite. El arroyo de La Noria escurre en dirección sureste tocando en su curso el poblado de igual nombre para finalmente desembocar sobre el Río Presidio.

El arroyo del Zapote se forma en la vertiente occidental de la sierra de La Noria y se desplaza en dirección suroeste, a su paso toca los pueblos del Zapote y El Recreo, y desemboca en el Océano Pacífico.

En la vertiente norte de la sierra del Salto, en las proximidades del pueblo del mismo nombre en el estado de Durango, nace el Río Presidio que en dirección sureste efectúa un recorrido de 167 kilómetros. Su cuenca de captación es de 5,614 kilómetros cuadrados, con un gasto promedio anual de 900 millones de metros cúbicos, una máxima de 2,225 y un mínimo de 550 millones de metros cúbicos. Las poblaciones en su margen son Los Cocos, El Zapote, El Placer, El Tecomate, Copala, El Recodo, Porras, Villa Unión, Callejón del Ostial y Callejón Rosa.

Macquarie fund to invest in Mexico energy project

 

 

Agencia EFEAugust 1, 2013 14:33

(Globalpost/GlobalPost)

Mexico City, Aug 1 (EFE).- The Macquarie Mexican Infrastructure Fund, or MMIF, said Thursday it planned to invest 465 million pesos (about $37 million) in a power project being developed by Spain's Acciona in the western Mexican state of Nayarit.

The fund will provide 49 percent of the capital for the project, with Troy Energia investing the other 51 percent, the Bank of New York Mellon, which is the depository bank for Macquarie, said in a filing with the Mexican Stock Exchange.

Mexican state-owned development bank Nacional Financiera, or Nafin, will provide 522 million pesos (about $41 million) to finance the debt for the project.

Acciona is building a 28.8 MW hydroelectric power plant "within an existing dam on the Santiago River," Macquarie executive Nick O'Neill said.

The project's goal "is to regulate water discharge from the existing hydroelectric infrastructure belonging to (the state-owned) Federal Electricity Commission," O'Neill said.

The electricity "will be sold via a self-supply agreement" with an unidentified Mexican company that will run for 15 years, Macquarie said.

Acciona will handle the engineering, hiring and construction of the power plant.

Construction of the power plant is slated to start this month and be completed in late 2015.

Energy-saving tips for renters

By Sarah Morgan of SmartMoney

realestate.msn.com

As consumers grow more energy-conscious, and environmental advocates push for greater awareness, there is no shortage of suggestions for new ways to cut energy bills and help the planet in the process. The cost-savers can be great for homeowners — but what about renters?

It turns out that many leases prevent tenants from making changes that could lead to substantial energy savings. For example, blocking drafts with caulking or foam sealant could be considered an illegal alteration or improvement in most leases. So might installing a programmable thermostat. "The things you can do as a renter are fairly limited," says Bomee Jung, a member of the board of directors of Green Home NYC, a volunteer-run organization that helps New York residents make their buildings more sustainable.

What’s more, tenants aren’t necessarily motivated to be energy-efficient. Some aren’t responsible for paying their own heating bills, and are therefore less conscientious. Others have small apartments, so even if they install insulation — which can reduce heating costs by up to 20% — they "may not see any difference in (their) bills," says Jennifer Thorne Amann, the buildings program director at the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.

When do you need to consult your landlord about energy-saving renovations? Here are some tips:

No permission needed

If saving money is your main concern, start by taking small, simple steps to cut your electricity bill, like replacing incandescent lights with compact fluorescent or halogen bulbs and unplugging electronics when they’re not in use, or plugging them into a power strip that you can easily turn off. Some power strips now come with remote controls to save you having to "crawl back behind the desk," Jung says.

Even assuming your landlord is responsible for providing the refrigerator and other major appliances, you can still look for Energy Star-certified products when shopping for home electronics. Products like TVs, DVD players, computers and cable boxes now come with Energy Star ratings, says Ronnie Kweller, a spokeswoman at the AlliancetoSaveEnergy. A list of qualified products can be found at EnergyStar.gov. Buying an LCD television instead of a plasma screen will also save electricity.
For the winter, take out any window air conditioners. Putting a cover over the outside of the unit is better than nothing, but, "You’ve basically got a hole in your wall if you’ve still got the air conditioner in," Jung says. Another no-permission-needed strategy: Install heavy drapes and close them at night. That can help block cold air that seeps in from your windows, making you more comfortable and potentially saving on heating costs.

Ask before you try

Closing up drafts with caulking or foam sealant, or putting plastic film over your windows to keep heat in may seem noninvasive. But in a standard lease, both would be prohibited because "anything that you affix to the property is considered an improvement legally, or an alteration," says Janet Portman, co-author of the book "Every Tenant’s Legal Guide."

One solution: See if your landlord would be willing to share the cost with you. Caulk and foam sealant are eligible for federal tax credits, so you could offer to do the work and let your landlord take that credit, Kweller says. Whoever pays the heating bills will see some savings, and you’ll feel more comfortable.

Start negotiating

It could be worth your while to talk to your landlord about bigger improvements. "The biggest electricity user in your apartment is your refrigerator," Jung says. You’ll save on your electric bill if you can persuade your landlord to replace an old fridge with a new Energy Star model, even if you have to share the cost of the new appliance, she says.

If you already have an Energy Star-compliant fridge or other appliance in your apartment and it needs to be replaced, your landlord must replace it with something that meets the same standard. A tenant whose landlord attempts to replace an appliance with something less efficient could go to small claims court, Portman says. "It’s a classic, garden-variety contract claim. I’m paying for a steak; you can’t give me a hamburger," she says.

If your apartment is drafty and windows need to be replaced, raise the issue with your landlord. "Even a good landlord, they’re going to try to postpone those kinds of investments as long as they can," and likely won’t take action unless they hear tenants complaining, Amann says. In today’s tight real-estate market, tenants do have some leverage in such negotiations, particularly if a lease is coming up for renewal.

Mexico Profits Big from Natural Gas

By Justin Williams
energyandcapital.com
Monday, July 29th, 2013

The U.S. boom in natural gas is giving the energy landscape south of the border the push it needs to make some big profits of its own.

It’s been 75 years since Mexico first nationalized its oil and gas sector, but little has been done in that time to make Mexico little more than a blip on the energy radar.

But the times, they are a-changin’.

With a changing of the guard and a declaration of new Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, along with his political allies, the proud nation is opening up to oil and gas exploration.

A natural gas compression station in Mexico’s Tamaulipas state is being offered by national utility CFE, with bids taking place as we speak.

The groups vying for the bid, according to BNamericas, includes Spain's Enagás (MCE: ENG) in consortium with Servicios de Compresión SLM; a consortium of Mexican firms Servicios Integrales de Compresión and Taylor Servicios Técnicos; and U.S. firm Sempra's (NYSE: SRE) local unit IEnova.

These proposals are under review and are scheduled to be awarded July 31.

Mexican Energy Production

Mexico has been an utter mess through the years. And I don’t need to remind you about all the headlines it’s been making more recently – none seem to be good. And its electricity generation is shoddy at best – there were 22 critical alerts last year that forced industrial users to reduce the use of natural gas, and it cost the country $1.5 billion.

That’s where Mexico stands right now. It couldn’t really get any worse, so things can only get better.
And you may not see it yet, but the U.S.-Mexico relationship grows stronger every day. We are neighbors, after all. A system of gas interconnections and pipelines are in progress to see Mexico unify with the U.S. as it turns away from costly oil-burning power plants.

A major natural gas line is under construction right now that runs from Arizona into the Sonora and Sinaloa states – regions that until now have suffered economically because of energy constraints.

What Mexico needs now are investors who are willing to overlook the pitfalls of power generation in the country and recognize the growth and its full potential.

Sempra's Role

One such company is Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) out of San Diego, California, which seems to be going for all the marbles. The company has operations in Mexico, Peru, Chile and Argentina, and it is more than eager to lead the way into the new Mexican frontier.

For the past 15 years, since it first entered Mexico in the 90s, it's seen the potential – licensing, developing, building, and operating pipelines. Now it's poised to see its success reach the entirety of the country and make the bond with the U.S. even stronger.

It was instrumental in transmitting natural gas between Baja California and the U.S. network with its Costa Azul natural gas terminal – its largest project to date – under contract with clients like Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A) and Russian giant Gazprom (MM: GAZP). According to U-T San Diego, it has contracts that extend through 2028.

Once hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling burst onto the scene, Costa Azul became a cornerstone to natural gas transport. It also delivers to Asian markets, where prices are much higher than in the U.S.

 

Sempra is the company heading the gas line project from Arizona with its Mexican unit, and to date Sempra has pumped $2.4 billion into energy assets in Mexico.

The Mexico unit, Infraestructura Energetica Nova, or Ienova (MEX: IENOVA), is a major player in Mexico’s rapid expansion of its natural gas transport network.

In March, it went public with its Mexican holdings on the Mexican stock exchange and was able to raise $600 million. Sempra retains an 81 percent interest in IEnova that is worth an estimated $3.7 billion.

IEnova is building a pipeline across Chiapas, Tabasco, and Veracruz that will ignite Mexico’s petrochemical industry.

Investing
Sempra and IEnova are positioned perfectly for any future bids in Mexico’s territory and will be able to hang with international competition, no problem. Their well-established footing already gives them the upper hand as big timers such as TransCanada (NYSE: TRP) and Kinder Morgan (NYSE: KMI) start to sniff around.

With Mexico at full throttle in exploration and development nowadays, IEnova is the early bird that gets the worm. It already has the resources and the infrastructure to get where it wants to go – north or south.

¡Viva México!

International investment in Mexico continues to rise in key industries

by Catherine Krantz on July 24, 2013
adip.info.com

 

Tourism and Hospitality industries see growth

 Latin America is one of the world’s fastest growing vacation and leisure markets. After a very slow 2012, hotel and tourism developers are back to building with high expectations for 2014. Developers are adding new properties in Mexico and the Caribbean in record numbers, the number of hotel construction projects in Mexico has more than doubled in the last 6 months.

Only five hotels (with a total of 354 rooms) opened in the region in 2012. As of today, 131 hotels are under construction with a total of 21,957 rooms being added in Mexico and the Caribbean, of those 4,000 rooms are in the luxury segment.

An example is Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., who announced plans this month for a 50 percent expansion into Latin America during the next five years. Starwood CEO, Frits van Paasschen, sees, “strong growth in lodging demand and many opportunities for Starwood to expand in the region.” In the last two years, the company has opened 13 hotels in Latin America including its first hotel in Mexico City.

Other countries showing hotel construction booms: Dominican Republic (2,475 rooms), Bahamas (2,271 rooms), Puerto Rico (709 rooms), Aruba (320 rooms), and Jamaica (238 rooms).

Mexico in line to become one of the world’s top 10 aviation suppliers

 With the close proximity to the US, the world´s main consumer for military and aviation, Mexico is prime real estate for aviation related industries. With 50% shorter delivery times to the US than Asia and 30% savings on wages for skilled labor, Mexico is very competitive in all areas of manufacturing. Mexico has developed a solid industry for automobile manufacturing and now a new industry is emerging, aviation. The aviation supply manufacturing industry, mainly devoted to supplying parts to US based manufactures, has seen a 20% annual growth in Mexico since 2006.

About 20 new projects are expected this year, worth $1.3 billion dollars and aviation exports doubled between 2009 and 2012 to reach $5.4 billion in Mexico. Says Carlos Bello Rocha, head of Mexico’s Aerospace Industry Federation (Femia): “Our country is attracting the biggest share of aerospace investment worldwide.”

A facility that will eventually employ 3,000 specialist technicians is under construction near Querétaro and it is the result of a joint investment of $40 million dollars between Aeroméxico and Delta Air Lines. Canada’s Bombardier has had a large presence in Mexico, since 2005, when they built a $200 million dollar site. They have since then spent a further $300 million dollars in Mexico, and they employ 1,800 people. Eurocopter came in to Mexico in February of 2013 and opened a 12,000 square meter facility that will employ 200 people by next year. They have invested $100 million dollars to produce parts for Airbus and plan to invest $500 million more dollars over the next 15 years. In 2012, French conglomerate Safran opened an engine workshop in Querétaro and it is now Mexico’s largest aerospace firm, with 4,000 employees.

Femia forecasts that there will be 450 companies working in this field by 2020, representing 110,000 jobs and $12 billion dollars in export sales.

A lot of money is coming into Mexico from investors across the globe. This represents some serious opportunities for businesses, investors and real estate practitioners.

Mexico reforms seen as key to North American energy alliance

WASHINGTON, DC, July 24

07/24/2013

By Nick Snow
OGJ Washington Editor

 

 

Efforts to reform Mexico’s oil and gas regime appear likely and could provide the necessary stimulus for a North American energy alliance with Canada and the US, experts suggested at a discussion hosted by Washington, DC, think tank NDN.

Mexico President Enrique Pena Nieto is politically smart, skilled, and delivering on his promises, former US Sec. of Energy Bill Richardson said. The country’s two biggest political parties have similar oil and gas reform proposals and control enough seats in Mexico’s congress to enact some major changes, he indicated.

“It’s not going to involve privatization of [national oil company Petroleos Mexicanos], but it will involve partnerships for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, natural gas development, and renewable and alternative energy projects,” Richardson said.

Mexico’s reforms won’t happen immediately, but when they do, they could provide a foundation for a geopolitical energy partnership with Canada and the US, he said. “Once Mexico makes its reforms, it will be possible for the three countries to work more closely together,” said Richardson, who also is a former US ambassador to the United Nations.

Duncan Wood, who directs the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars, said energy sector reforms that are being discussed in Mexico—combined with Canadian and US technology—are the biggest driving force in formation of a North American energy alliance.

The conservative National Action Party (PAN) proposed offering oil and gas concessions, which gives Pena and the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) room to maneuver and possibly get legislation allowing some joint ventures, primarily involving tight oil and gas, he said.

Under pressure

But the country clearly is under pressure to make changes in its oil and gas regime, Wood continued. “Unless there is serious energy reform, Mexico’s energy demand and production will cross in 2018-20,” he said. “It will need to face the fact that US refineries, which now refine Mexican oil and send the products back across the border, will soon refine more US and Canadian crude.”

Prospects for reform are good, Wood emphasized, adding, “Between now and Christmas, you’ll see reforms in Mexico that will lay the foundation for a strong North American energy alliance.”

Rick Van Schoick, energy portfolio director at the North American Research Partnership in San Diego, meanwhile, said, “We are at an energy crossroads, but many things stand in our way, starting with 100 jurisdictions in our three countries which are trying to maximize their individual gains from this energy opportunity.

He said the US Department of Energy had a North American working group that was disbanded soon after George W. Bush became president, and which energy secretaries for Bush’s successor, Barack Obama, have not revived.

“We need to talk more intensively about energy with our three neighbors,” Van Schoick said, adding that a summit of Canada, Mexico, and US leaders this fall in Mexico might be a good place to start.

“There are good times ahead,” he said. “Mexico may hold the key to meeting North America’s energy challenges.”

 

Mexico Poised to End State Energy Monopoly, Pemex Official Says

 

 

businessweek.com

By Nacha Cattan and Veronica Navarro Espinosa

July 10, 2013

Mexico is on the cusp of opening its energy industry to outside investment as a wide consensus has developed that the constitution must be changed to end the government’s monopoly on production, according to a board member of state-controlled oil producer Petroleos Mexicanos.

The country needs “very deep” reforms to lure investment to its natural gas and crude fields, and proposed changes could be ready by the end of this summer, Hector Moreira, who also is a former official in the country’s Energy Ministry, said today at the Bloomberg Mexico Conference in New York.

Mexico is “on the eve” of much-needed changes that will open the way for faster growth and a stronger currency in the region’s second-largest economy, Gray Newman,
Morgan Stanley’s chief Latin American economist, said today at the event. Officials from JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Grupo Financiero Banorte said they were optimistic that President Enrique Pena Nieto will lead a successful effort at reforms this year.

“This administration doesn’t only have the willingness, but the political power and political capital” to enact the changes, Gabriel Casillas, Banorte’s chief Mexico economist, said at the event. Casillas said he was “very bullish” on the peso, the best-performing major currency against the dollar this year, and that investors hadn’t yet priced in the reforms.

A slowdown in economic expansion is putting pressure on Pena Nieto to gain approval to open the energy industry and change laws to boost tax collection, reforms he says may lift growth to 6 percent. The ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party has the ability to pass the key bills, which will attract investment and bolster Mexican markets, according to Eduardo Cepeda, the senior country officer for JPMorgan in Mexico.

There will be “appetite” for Mexican securities in the second half of the year, Cepeda said.

Prepara tu casa antes de salir de vacaciones

               

09 de Julio del 2013 | Editorial Metroscubicos

 

 

Antes de salir de vacaciones, ya sea por un período largo o sólo algunos días, debes preparar tu casa para dejarla en buenas condiciones y encontrarla en buen estado al regresar.

 

En primer lugar, guarda todo lo que haya que guardar. Lava toda la ropa sucia, sécala, plánchala y colócala en su lugar. Guarda los elementos u electrodomésticos de uso cotidiano (como la cafetera, la licuadora, la tostadora de pan, el exprimidor o lo que fuera), o bien, cúbrelos con sus fundas.

 

En el refrigerador, retira todos los alimentos perecederos para evitar que se descompongan. Luego, ya bien guardado todo, haz una buena limpieza. Deja la casa reluciente, esto te permitirá minimizar el trabajo de aseo al regresar de tus vacaciones.

 

Mientras limpia, aprovecha para revisar que no haya elementos que pudieran ocasionar malos olores. Revisa la lavadora y secadora para corroborar que no haya ropa dentro, también el horno y el microondas, no debe quedar comida allí.

 

También limpia el fregadero y el ducto de desagüe, eliminando cualquier resto de comida. No olvides vaciar el cesto de residuos, retirando la bolsa contenedora y dándole un buen enjuague para evitar el mal olor.

 

Vacía los cestos de residuos de todas las habitaciones, incluyendo el del cuarto de baño, de las recámaras y sala de TV. Vacíalos, enjuágalos y déjalos fuera de casa o en un sitio ventilado.

 

Si cuentas con plantas de interior, procura regarlas bien. Puedes asentarlas sobre platos o recipientes con agua para que se mantengan húmedas durante tu ausencia.

 

Al finalizar las tareas de limpieza, haz una ventilación adecuada. Retira los elementos que produzcan aromas y fragancias, ya que el encierro podría hacer que actúen de manera indeseada. Finalmente, apaga la estufa y cierra las llaves de paso tanto de gas como de agua. Antes de salir, corta la luz general si esto no afecta el sistema de seguridad de la casa. Si debes dejarla conectada, desconecta todos los aparatos eléctricos para evitar un deterioro por causa de una tormenta o descarga.

 

10 tips para una casa segura en vacaciones

 

1.- Cierra perfectamente todas las puertas y ventanas, asegura con candados las puertas de servicio o portones.

 

2.- No hagas público que saldrás de vacaciones. Si resulta conveniente avisa a vecinos y amigos de confianza.

 

3.- Habla con algún vecino o amigo para que retire la correspondencia y publicidad de tu casa. Así se verá que hay alguien en casa.

 

4.- No dejes objetos de valor a la vista. Si tienes una caja de seguridad utilízala o deja tus objetos a resguardo con alguna persona de confianza.

 

5.- Procura instalar un sensor de luz en la puerta principal para que se encienda cada vez que alguien se acerque.

 

6.- Puedes adquirir un temporizador y hacer que se enciendan algunos aparatos electrónicos dentro de la casa. Puedes programar la reproducción de una canción, que se enciendan las luces, la televisión o la radio y se apaguen a la hora que tu elijas. El mejor momento para tenerlos activos es alrededor de la media tarde y durante la noche.

 

7.- Si no tienes otra opción y tienes que salir en taxi, evita las grandes conversaciones, el taxista puede preguntarte lo típico: ¿A dónde va? ¿Por cuánto tiempo? Evita dar demasiada información a los extraños.

 

8.- Si alguien visitará la casa para atender tus plantas o una mascota, trata de que lo haga con un horario irregular, de ese modo nadie podrá predecir a qué hora hay una persona presente.

 

9.- Deja un automóvil estacionado en la entrada o frente a la casa. Si es posible, pídele a un vecino que estacione su carro para que se vea entrar y salir.

 

10.- Entrega un juego de llaves de la casa y de tu carro a alguien de confianza, así como los teléfonos donde podrá localizarte.

 

 

Cómo bajar el consumo de energía eléctrica en casa

19 de Octubre del 2012 | Editorial Metroscubicos

      
El Gobierno de México anunció un acuerdo para modificar las tarifas de suministro de energía eléctrica, con lo cual más de 15 millones de familias han visto una reducción de aproximadamente 7% en su recibo de luz, que representa un ahorro de 530 millones de pesos.

El acuerdo anunciado tiene cinco ejes fundamentales que es conveniente conocerlos para que te enteres si puedes tener un ahorro en el pago de electricidad.

Primero que nada debes saber que la Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) tiene siete tarifas que se dividen de acuerdo a los kilowatts por hora (kwh) consumidos. El número de tarifa viene impreso en tu recibo y varía en función del aumento en el consumo. Pero ahora veamos en qué consisten los cambios anunciados:

1.- Ajuste en cálculo de consumos excedentes: Antes, si el consumo rebasaba en 1 kwh el gasto establecido en la tarifa base, el pago se calculaba con la siguiente tarifa para todo el consumo, de tal modo que el cobro en el recibo llegaba a crecer hasta 40% por el consumo extra de apenas unos cuantos kwh. Ahora sólo se calcularán los kwh excedentes con la tarifa más alta, con esto se evitarán los grandes saltos en el pago de energía eléctrica.

2.- Tarifas prepagadas: Esta modalidad operará a través de una tarjeta recargable con el saldo que el usuario desee. Es un esquema parecido a los teléfonos. La idea de contar con esta opción es que planifiquen los consumos, así, si una familia requiere más energía de la que pagó tendrá que acudir a realizar una recarga. Esta modalidad está disponible desde 2010 en algunas ciudades de México, pueden realizar recargas desde $30 pesos y los medidores funcionan bajo este esquema e informan que el saldo está próximo a terminarse.

3.- Cobros programados: Los usuarios podrán pagar el servicio eléctrico por medio de tarjeta de crédito o débito en los módulos de la CFE, a través de la página web de CFE  o llamando al número 071. Es un esquema de domiciliación que permitirá asociar el cobró a una tarjeta de crédito o débito. Los usuarios podrán elegir la fechar recurrente en que se realizarán los cargos.

4.- Esquemas para Pymes: La CFE puso en marcha un programa con Nacional Financiera para que más de 200,000 pequeñas empresas implementen acciones de eficiencia energética, como el cambio de iluminación o maquinaria. Con este programa se busca dar crédito para brindar asesoría en ahorro de energía y reducción de costos a clientes comerciales o industriales.

5.- Nueva Tecnología: Esto tiene que ver con la implementación de un sistema de infraestructura avanzada de medición que en un principio funcionará en algunas colonias de la Ciudad de México. Este sistema, sin costo para el cliente, incluye medidores digitales exactos y con más funciones que permiten la toma de lectura a distancia. Además, posibilita la detección remota de fallas en el suministro de energía eléctrica. El objetivo es reducir la pérdida de energía y los apagones, así como dar respuesta inmediata a las solicitudes de reconexión.

Tips para reducir el consumo de energía eléctrica

En muchos hogares, es alto el costo que hay que pagar por el consumo de energía eléctrica, lo cual obliga a tomar medidas que ayuden a reducir este gasto donde los electrodomésticos, aunque estén apagados, son los principales consumidores porque mientras estén conectados siguen "chupando" electricidad, de ahí que también se les conoce como "vampiros eléctricos".

Aparatos como las cafeteras, hornos de microondas, televisores, decodificadores de señal, computadoras, impresoras, fax, teléfonos inalámbricos, contestadoras, DVD, módem, cargadores de celular, entre otros, pueden aumentar el costo del recibo entre 10 y 20%.

La forma más evidente de evitar este consumo excesivo es desenchufando los aparatos, pero esto puede ser engorroso si dispones de muchos dispositivos. Para ello puedes utilizar multicontactos con interruptor, de esta manera puedes desconectar de la red varios electrodomésticos a la vez.

Hay otros aparatos que también son "vampiros eléctricos", por lo que hay que tomar medidas para no derrochar energía, entre las opciones que puedes implementar están:

Refrigerador. - Es el electrodoméstico que más energía consume. Por ello debes colocarlo alejado de la estufa y fuera del alcance de los rayos del sol. Comprueba que la puerta selle perfectamente y revisa periódicamente el empaque, si no cierra bien puede generar un consumo hasta tres veces mayor al normal. Deja enfriar los alimentos antes de refrigerarlos. La posición correcta del termostato es entre los números dos y tres. En clima caluroso, entre los números tres y cuatro.

Si piensas comprar refrigerador nuevo, selecciona el que consuma menos energía. Revisa la etiqueta de eficiencia energética, que indica que ese aparato cumple con la Norma Oficial Mexicana.

Recuerda que los de deshielo automático consumen 12% más de electricidad y eso significa mayor gasto.


Horno de microondas y tostador.- Mantenlos siempre limpios de residuos y utilízalos sólo que sea muy necesario. Siempre prefiere calentar o tostar en las hornillas de la estufa, esto te permitirá un ahorro considerable e el consumo de energía eléctrica.

Lavadora.- Cada vez que laves carga la lavadora al máximo permisible, así disminuirás el número de sesiones de lavado semanal. Utiliza sólo el detergente necesario, el exceso produce mucha espuma y hace trabajar al motor más de lo conveniente.

Plancha.- Es otro aparato que consume mucha energía. Utilizarla de manera ordenada y programada, ahorra energía y reduce los gastos. Plancha la mayor cantidad posible de ropa en cada ocasión, dado que conectar muchas veces la plancha ocasiona más gasto de energía que mantenerla encendida por un rato. Plancha primero la ropa gruesa o que necesite más calor y deja para el final la delgada; desconéctala poco antes de terminar para aprovechar la temperatura acumulada.

Licuadora.- Una licuadora que trabaja con facilidad dura más y gasta menos; comprueba que las aspas siempre tengan filo y no estén quebradas.

Audio y video.- No dejes encendidos radios, televisores, DVD u otros aparatos eléctricos cuando nadie los está utilizando. Aunque sólo esté encendido un pequeño piloto, estas unidades consumen energía sino se desconectan.

Iluminación.- Utiliza preferentemente focos fluorescentes. El costo inicial es elevado pero a la larga resultan más económicos. Entre los principales beneficios están: vida útil 10 veces mayor, consumen 25% de la energía requerida por los incandescentes. Limpia las lámparas y focos, el polvo bloquea la luz que emiten y apágalos cuando no sean necesarios. Cuando trabajes en un escritorio utiliza lámparas de mesa con focos fluorescentes.

Instalación eléctrica.- Periódicamente revisa si el medidor de energía eléctrica funciona correctamente. Para eso desconecta todos los aparatos eléctricos, incluyendo relojes y timbre; apaga todas las luces y verifica que el disco del medidor no gire; si el disco sigue girando manda a revisar la instalación.