"The economy is quite uncompetitive. Such a re- balancing of PRSI would mimic the effect of a wage cut on competitiveness," Prof Fitzgerald told the conference organised by the Dublin Economic Workshop in Kenmare, Co Kerry. Around 100 economists from universities, research centres, government, banks and stockbrokers are attending the annual gathering.
The ESRI believes the Irish economy needs to cut costs to get the maximum benefit from a global recovery, but it is concerned that there is little evidence of any widespread pay reductions in the private sector.
"To achieve the necessary improvement, we need a further cut in wage rates across the board, public and private, of at least five per cent," Prof FitzGerald told the conference. The ESRI believes if business costs do not fall and public spending is not reined in, that it could be 2015-2017 before strong employment growth returns. With measures such as those proposed by Prof FitzGerald, they forecast that the economy could rebound strongly by next year.
"This would see a temporary rise in the average growth rate to between 5pc and 6pc over the period 2010 to 2015, before the economy returned to its long- term growth rate of 3pc," Prof FitzGerald said.
www.greenpowerscience.com
STJEPAN5:43PM April 30, 2010
“Wind power has the potential to provide 20 percent of our electricity and create hundreds of thousands of jobs,” said Secretary Chu. “We need to position the United States as the clear leader in this industry, or watch these high-paying jobs go overseas. The investment we’re making today will help ensure that America has both the talent and the technology we need to compete.”
Three university-led consortia have been selected for up to $24 million to support university research and development programs to improve land-based and offshore wind turbine performance and reliability, as well as provide career educational opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students in wind energy technologies. The three competitively selected, university-led projects will include partners from private industry, state and local governments, and other universities. The projects selected today support the Obama Administration’s focus on increasing clean energy generation, while supporting the long-term development of a clean energy workforce.Over the next two years, the university consortia will acquire utility-scale and prototype wind turbines that will provide researchers and students with hands-on R&D and educational opportunities on the most rapidly growing form of renewable energy in the country. Universities will also use the DOE funds to enhance their wind technology curricula and provide financial assistance to students for research fellowships and internships with the rapidly expanding wind industry.
The following projects have been selected for negotiation of an award:
Illinois Institute of Technology (Chicago, Ill.) – up to $8 million
The Institute will use this funding to install a test turbine, a GE 1.5 MW turbine, at an existing wind project owned by a consortium partner at Marseilles, Illinois. The university consortium’s research and development plan includes advanced concepts for rotor control and drive train control, robust sensors for blades, and improved aero elastic models to improve wind turbine performance and reliability. The close proximity of the University’s turbine to an existing wind farm provides an ideal opportunity to study turbine to turbine wake interaction, wind farm interaction, and wind energy efficiencies. The Institute will develop and offer wind energy courses addressing the technical, operational, social, and environmental aspects of wind energy in consultation with industry. Fellowships will be offered annually to masters and undergraduate students in wind energy engineering fields of study.
University of Maine (Orono, Maine) – up to $8 million
The University of Maine plans to design and deploy two 10 kW and one 100 kW floating offshore turbine prototypes. Two turbines will be located at the University of Maine’s Deepwater Offshore Wind Test Site that will be located in a pre-selected site in state waters and one turbine will be operated at an offshore test site in the Isle of Shoals by the University of New Hampshire. The University consortium’s research and development plan includes optimization of designs for floating platforms by evaluating: (1) options for using more durable, lighter, hybrid composite materials, (2) manufacturability, and (3) deployment logistics. Educational initiatives include a model Master of Science Degree in Renewable Energy and the Environment with a focus on deepwater wind energy and a new undergraduate minor in Deepwater Wind Energy. The University will target educational grants at individuals who are participating in Maine-based wind energy education and training in order to enter the job market.
University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.) – up to $8 million
The University plans to install a new Siemens 2.3 MW turbine research facility at the University of Minnesota Outreach Research and Education (UMore) Park in Rosemount, Minnesota to study novel mechanical power transmission and electric generator systems. The University consortium’s research and development plan includes active and passive flow control strategies to increase energy capture, broaden the operational envelope of the turbine, and reduce structural loads and fatigue. The University of Minnesota’s turbine will be in close proximity to an existing wind farm, providing an opportunity to further validate and reinforce research findings regarding turbine wake interaction, wind farm interaction, and wind energy efficiencies. The educational initiatives include new graduate and undergraduate web-based course modules, programs specifically focused on wind power technologies and integration with other renewables, and student internships with industrial partners at consortium field sites.
Final award amounts are subject to final project negotiations. Learn more information about the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind and Hydropower Technologies Program.
A shock proposal to reduce PRSI payments for employers and increase them for workers was made to the country's major economic conference last night.
John FitzGerald, research professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), said the controversial plan could help restore competitiveness if private sector workers were not willing to take pay cuts.
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buchhibabu of IN 12:18PM March 19, 2013
STJEPAN 5:43PM April 30, 2010
STJEPAN 5:42PM April 30, 2010