A Window Shop viewer sent us this week's challenge: It's often said that Miata is always the answer, but what if Miata isn't the answer? What would we buy instead? Contributor John Pearley Huffman had the exact same idea and deputy editor, host of this recorded Zoom call, and author of this sentence, Tony Quiroga decided that perhaps he could put the Window Shoppers to work to find him a replacement for his beloved 1995 Mazda Miata.

To tailor the task to himself, Quiroga set a $10,000 budget, requested cars that offer an interesting driving experience, low mileage, and Miata-like reliability (as if such a thing is possible). He also suggested that a manual gearbox and rear-drive would be preferred, but not mandatory, and opened the possibilities to cars and SUVs.

Huffman didn't pick a rear-drive car, but his second-gen Honda CRX nailed the fun-to-drive and reliability aspects. Unfortunately, his CRX suffered from some aggressively applied tire sheen and he also ran over the $10,000 budget. Contributor Jonathon Ramsey also picked a two seater, a high-revving Honda S2000 with nearly 200,000 miles, but the listing left too much to the imagination. Deputy testing director K.C. Colwell and senior editor Joey Capparella went outside the two-seater box entirely. Colwell went with an E39 BMW 528i manual and Capparella cleverly chose a 2002 Toyota Tacoma, which somehow meets all of this week's requirements.

If you make it to the end, you'll notice that we miscounted the votes and mistakenly thought there was a tie. There wasn't a tie. One vehicle emerges above the rest, but it really doesn't matter, because Quiroga was only interested in buying his choice.

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When Miata Isn't the Answer: Window Shop with Car and Driver - Car and Driver

While you may be a fan of home improvement in general, doing something about the aging windows is another matter. For the most part, they still work except for a few minor issues. Would it really be a good idea to look into the idea of new Vancouver windowsfor the home? Consider these benefits that come when you choose to arrange an update using the right type of new windows.

The Place Gets an Immediate Boost in Appearance

Its hard to appreciate the way that windows impact the look of a home until you invest in new windows. Even with great landscaping and a nice facade, older windows that are obviously past their prime will drag down the look of the entire place. By contrast, new windows will make the home look better than ever.

The real test is when you drive up after the new windows are in place. You can tell the house looks a lot better. This is reinforced when friends drop by, notice youve done something to the place, and remark how nice the house looks.

No More Drafts Around the Windows

During certain times of the year, you tend to avoid sitting or standing near a window. Why? Theres a noticeable draft. Even using different approaches to block the drafts are only partially successful. Its easier to close the drapes and stay away from the windows altogether.

Reclaim all of your space by investing in new windows. With better construction and more energy-efficient glass, its easier to leave the drapes open and enjoy the view. You can also pull up a chair and enjoy the sunset without getting chilly.

Lower Heating and Cooling Costs

With the drafts no longer a problem, youre in for another nice surprise. The homes heating and cooling unit doesnt run as often. Even so, the temperature and humidity level in the home is perfectly comfortable.

Things get even better when the utility bills arrive. Theyre lower than normal. Your lower energy costs are due to the superior construction of those new Canadian Choice Windowsand the features they offer. Think of what you can do with the money thats saved every month!

Improving the Homes Market Value

New windows are one more way to ensure the structure is sound. If you decide to sell the property in the next several years, you can bet that prospective buyers will check out the condition of the widows. When they see how well they operate, the fact that the sashes are snugly fitted into the frames, and that the glass is designed for energy efficiency, they have one more reason to put in a bid for the place.

See the windows as a way to be comfortable now and also to ensure you can get a good price for the property if you decide to sell. You may be amazed at how those windows make it to receive offers sooner rather than later.

If you need more reasons to move forward with a residential window replacement, talk with a contractor. Youll learn more about how they help with issue like noise reduction, ventilation, and even security. Once you know more about all the benefits, making the decision to replace those old windows will be easy.

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What Good Comes From Installing Replacement Residential Windows? - California Herald

The doors and windows of our homes are some of the most heavily used functions, and as such, every few years many Baltimore residents choose to replace them and install new ones. However, for residents in Baltimore, there is only one choice of who should be up to the task.

J Younghans & Sons started life as a small family run business in Baltimore over 25 years ago. Now, an established cornerstone of the area, theyve been serving the local public and providing exceptional quality and customer satisfaction for decades.

But why is this family-run business such a hit with Baltimore residents? It all comes down to quality, price, and gratification:

If youve ever tried to replace a window or door yourself, youll know how difficult and time-consuming it can be. First you need to make sure the design suits your home, then you need to consider energy-saving, the material, the dimensions, and the price, and thats all before even trying to fit them with the right tools and techniques.

Its undebatable fact that when you buy through J Younghans & Sons, youre not just buying new windows and doors. Youre buying expertise, experience, guidance, and quality. You do not run a business for this long without doing it to the highest of standards.

At the start of the project they emphasize satisfaction by ensuring that you receive personal attention, that everything is well communicated, and that efficiency and cost-effectiveness is well considered. Then, their specialist technicians, who are highly qualified and have extensive experience in installing all types of windows and doors for homeowners and businesses, ensure that the implementation is smooth and professional.

Sometimes its because our doors or windows have become old and outdated, and sometimes a neighbor refits their home and we feel a little jealous. Whatever the reason, J Younghans & Sons team have seven product lines available in wood, vinyl, fiberglass, and aluminum cladding. Not only can they design the type of window or door that you feel would best suit your home, but they can provide key guidance on the types of styles that you may want to choose from, the materials, the color and the fitting techniques. That is all backed up by a professional installation, and your customer satisfaction.

J Younghans & Sons guarantee that the windows they offer are durable, energy-efficient and work at a lower cost, saving you money over time. Not only are their actual products money-savers, but the price that they charge for design and implementation is incredibly reasonable. Their high-end quality finish enhances the look of your home and often adds greater value to it. Before shopping around, take a look at some of the projects and customers J Younghans & Sons Baltimore Maryland have provided for through their website, with pictures and stories a-plenty, youll get a great idea of pricing and quality.

Are you a resident of Baltimore Maryland and considering new doors or windows for your home or business? J Younghans & Sons should be your first choice.

When it comes to door replacement Baltimore MD and window installation Baltimore MD, you may have already heard of J Younghans & Sons. However, if you havent, they should be your first stop when it comes to information gathering, choosing a style, discussing your options, and finding a team of experts who can manage everything from start to finish. With energy efficiency at the heart of what they do, and a code of honor to satisfying their customers, you wont be disappointed.

More information

J Younghans & Sons is a door replacement and window installation company operating in Baltimore. With over 25 years of experience, their reputation has grown to that of one of the absolute best options in the local area for updating your home or business. To view pictures of their work, read customer reviews and get a free estimate, take a look at their website: https://younghanshardwoodfloorsbaltimore.com/ or to contact them directly, ring (410) 541-1836.

Source:https://thenewsfront.com/a-family-run-window-and-door-installation-business-in-baltimore-is-making-residents-open-doors-and-sing-from-the-windows/

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A Family-Run Window and Door Installation Business in Baltimore Is Making Residents Open Doors and Sing from The Windows - The News Front

With a combined leftover balance and expected revenue totaling $5.8 million and anticipated expenditures clocking in at $5.1 million, Ozark Countys 2021 budget is the largest in the countys history.

The uptick in sales tax revenue from 2020 and expected revenue for the coming year meant there was plenty of money to go around, making this years budgeting process easy and relatively uneventful, the county commissioners say.

Most county offices received a similar budgeted amount as they had in 2020, with the exception of the Ozark County Sheriffs Department, which received about $50,000 more than last year to provide some much-needed improvements to the jail.

A roof in need of repair

Ozark County Sheriff Cass Martin says the current jail, which was built in 1996, has some dire needs that must be addressed immediately.

Martin says the department is currently gathering and formulating estimates for all of the needed repairs, an amount he estimates will likely cost upward of $300,000 in total.

The repairs will have to be made over several years, the sheriff says.

Were going to try to tackle one issue at a time, Martin told the Times, explaining that a badly deteriorating roof is at the very top of the list of needs. Once we get the roof done, then we can start working on the walls and other elements, because if we put a new coat of paint on them and fix the window seals now, all its going to do is happen again. Its like putting a band-aid on a bullet hole. Weve got to get the roof fixed first.

Martin says the flat-top roof covering the current jail is almost gone, and the building has been suffering the effects of water damage for years that has led to issues in much of the buildings interior ceiling, wall structure and windows.

The deteriorating roof has created damaged walls, bubbled paint and rusted window seals, and it also caused ceilings to sag and fall in some areas, among other issues.

A scary thought

The department has also begun repairs on one pod within the jail and plans to tackle the others as time and funds allow.

Weve started work on this. Weve done a lot of painting. Were taking the green trim back to its original gray and just trying to get a fresh coat of paint on everything, Martin said. Tables, bunks, just about everything in here will be repainted.

The jail showers, many of which are missing handles and fixtures, will also be repaired.

Although the pods will get a facelift, Martin says the more important issues and repairs include ensuring there is a working intercom system in each cell.

The sheriff says each jail cell should be equipped with an intercom device that allows a prisoner to push a button in order to reach a jailer in another section of the building. Martin says all of the cells were at one time outfitted with the devices, but he said when he took office this year, the devices in all of the cells had either been removed or were not working.

So, if this cell door is shut and we have an inmate in here who is in cardiac arrest or having another medical emergency, theyve got to try to shout past this locked cell door and then that locked pod door, he said. We lock down after a certain time at night, so if youre in here by yourself and youre having medical issues I mean, thats a scary thought.

Windows and broken glass

The other major issue Martin plans to fix involves windows throughout the facility. Currently, several of them have been broken.

Weve already pulled a bunch of the broken glass out, said Ozark County Reserve Deputy John Russo, who has helped Martin and the OCSD identify issues and build a plan for renovations. By jail standards, the cells are supposed to have natural light.

Martin and Russo said that many of the jail cell windows had been removed after they were damaged, and steel plates were welded over the window opening, leaving the cell without natural light and often causing heating and cooling issues as the steel plate is exposed to outdoor conditions without any insulation materials.

Several of the tall, thin glass windows on the cell doors separating the cell from to the main pod have been broken over time too, and Martin plans to remove all the broken glass and replace it with new glass panels.

Heres some of the windows we took out of the cell doors, Martin said, pointing to a box of broken window panels. With this being busted like it is, I mean, thats a glass shard. Thats a dangerous weapon. But when we got here, they were installed, broken like that inside the cells.

Recreation yard

Martin says OCSD has been able to fix the recreation yard fencing to allow prisoners to use the space to get some fresh air.

When we first got here, the rec yard wasnt even being utilized. The fence was still busted from the escape, Martin said, referring to a September 2020 incident in which inmate Robert Abbott and another prisoner cut a hole in the chain link fencing that allowed Abbott to escape. But we got that fixed, so now were able to actually utilize it. Now, with the cold weather and on nasty days, we dont use it, but when we do have the opportunity for our guys to come out and use it, its available.

Martin also spoke with the Ozark County Commissioners earlier this year about helping to maintain a clear fencerow on the west side of the jail.

Its both a security and escape risk, Russo said, pointing out the tangled vines that cover the fence. Believe it or not, thats barb wire over the 6-foot chainlink fence.

Martin said he spoke with Ozark County Western District Commissioner Layne Nance, who said he would have the western district Road and Bridge Department employees begin working to clear the fencerow and keep it free from trees, vines and other foliage.

The little things add up

Martin says a big part of the repair and renovation job is just knocking out dust, cobwebs and lint from all the nooks and crannies of the facility, which has built up to create some unsafe conditions.

If you look at the exhaust fan on the outside of the building, you can see soot from the dryer. It caught fire at some point because of all the lint packed in there, he said. So we got in there and cleared all that out to make it safe again.

Other little touches include replacing bathroom faucets and completing other smaller repairs to restore working facilities throughout the building.

The department is also replacing its current fixed lighting with LED bulbs to help with energy efficiency and lower monthly electric bills, Martin says.

A new training room

Martin says hes excited about the conversion of a previously under-utilized space that the department has transformed into a new law enforcement training center.

We had a class in here the last couple of days, Martin told the Times Friday, referring to a class on Fundamentals of Court Security held at the sheriffs department Feb. 11-12. We had different officers from Jasper County to New Madrid County, Oregon County, Howell County, and some of our guys were in on this class, Martin said. And MOJO (a jail training and consulting company) came down and put it all on. So its nice to have our own training rooms to allow that to happen.

Martin said a defendant who was sentenced to community service provided the labor involved with removing a wall that separated the space into two smaller rooms.

That gentleman was able to come take it down for us, and now were better able to use the space. We also fixed the lights, where there were some panels out. It used to just be an old catch-all room, and now were really making it a space that works for us, he said.

County revenue

The countys budget includes an expected revenue balance of $5,802,052 for the coming year. That total comprises $1,157,799 cash available at the start of the year, paired with $496,000 in expected property tax, $1,420,000 in expected sales tax, $1,017,915 in intergovernmental revenues, $191,000 in charges for services, $1,885 in interest, $1,241,929 in other revenues and $275,522 money transferred in.

This years revenue will not include the potential of $200,000 of revenue derived from the Ozark County Sheriffs Departments housing contract with Greene County Sheriffs Department. The contract, which ended in December 2020, was an agreement put into place by former Sheriff Darrin Reed in early 2019 that allowed Ozark County to house Greene County inmates for a daily housing fee.

Martin says he also sees the benefit of housing out-of-area prisoners in the Ozark County Jail in order to generate revenue, and hes been actively discussing future partnerships with different jurisdictions.

Martin says he hopes to hear back on one particular potential prisoner-housing contract agreement in early March.

Expenditures

In the countys summary funds, the following expenditures were allotted for each office: prosecuting attorney, $214,800; assessor, $182,049; county collector, $99,210; county clerk, $90,700; county commission, $85,732, treasurer, $54,526; public administrator, $50,956; recorder, $35,563; circuit clerk, $15,760; court administration, $9,775; juvenile officer, $27,645; and coroner, $28,305.64.

The budget allows for $91,000 for county employee fringe benefits, $79,300 for buildings and grounds, $37,936 for elections, $9,696 for health and welfare among other smaller budget items.

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OCSD to receive increased budget for repairs, renovations to jail - Ozark County Times

Microsoft has released the first preview build of Windows 10 version 21H1, and just a couple of days ago the company confirmed the existence of this update.

As already announced, this is a minor update and wont bring major changes. Most of the important new features have been reserved for the larger 21H2 update.

List of changes:

Microsoft very gradually rolled out the largest update of its operating system last year the May update of Windows 10 (version 2004).

And only now, 8 months after the release; Microsoft announced that the Windows 10 May 2020 Update is finally ready for widespread deployment.

Essentially, this means Windows 10 version 2004 is free of major bugs for most configurations; and is ready to be installed on all PCs.

Microsoft initially didnt provide Windows 10 May 2020 Update for all PCs. This version ended up with a long list of recognized issues; and the company blocked propagation to systems with certain parameters. Despite all the limitations, users faced Blue Screens of Death for a variety of reasons; refusing to work with the Google Chrome browser and other similar troubles.

Work on eliminating numerous critical failures was carried out for many months and only in January 2021; all locks and installation prohibitions were removed.

The widespread status also means that users can now directly install Windows 10 May 2020 Update on an earlier version of Windows 10, even if the PC has compatibility issues.

Meanwhile, Microsoft is gearing up to launch the next major update Windows 10 21H1. We expect the release in May or June.

Microsoft is currently finalizing its new Windows 10X operating system, with its first release expected in 2021. Meanwhile, screenshots began to appear on the network first, and then videos showing the OS interface.

Now, enthusiast developer XDeltaXForce has posted a video showing Windows 10X fully running on an existing device, the 2019 Microsoft Surface Pro 7 tablet.

Earlier demos used a traditional keyboard and mouse, but now you can see the OS control using the touch screen.

The video quickly guides viewers through the Start menu, settings and proprietary applications; it differ from their counterparts in traditional Windows 10. It also shows multitasking and fast switching between applications.

The first single-screen Win 10X devices should launch before the end of 2021. Models with two screens should appear next year.

Excerpt from:
Microsoft releases Windows 10 21H1 preview and here is a list of new features - Gizchina.com

Wood is an ancient material humans have been using for millions of years, for the construction of housing, ships, and as a source of fuel for burning. Its also a renewable source, and one way to capture excess carbon dioxide from the Earths atmosphere. Today, the main component of wood cellulose is produced annually at 20 times the volume of steel.

One thing you wouldnt use wood for is making windows. Instead, we rely on glass and plastic, which are transparent and, when toughened, can give structural support. But buildings lose a lot of heat through glass, and while light can bring some heat through the material, its not a good insulator. This is why we need double glazing. Wood, on the other hand, is highly insulating but its not transparent. Usually.

In recent years, materials scientists have been experimenting with making wood transparent. Making wood see-through, and retaining its high mechanical properties, would provide a good alternative to glass from a sustainable and renewable source. Previous methods of doing this were highly energy-intensive and used harmful chemicals, but a new study has shown a way to make wood transparent without using huge amounts of energy in the process.

Woods lack of transparency comes from the combination of its two main components, cellulose and lignin. The lignin absorbs light, and the presence of chromophores light-activated compounds in the material makes the wood look brown. The fibers in the wood, which mainly comprise cellulose, are hollow tube-like structures. The air in these hollow tubes scatters light, further reducing the materials transparency.

Previous work on making wood transparent has involved removing the lignin completely from the structure and replacing it with a resin material. The removal of lignin requires a lot of environmentally harmful chemicals, and it also considerably reduces the mechanical properties of the material makes it weaker.

The new study, by researchers at the University of Maryland, demonstrates how to make wood transparent using a simple chemical hydrogen peroxide commonly used to bleach hair. This chemical modifies the chromophores, changing their structure so they no longer act to absorb light and color the wood.

The chemical can be brushed onto the wood, and then activated using light to produce a brilliant white material blond wood if you like. The chemical reaction of wood with hydrogen peroxide is well known. Its the basis for bleaching wood pulp used for paper making one of the reasons why paper is brilliant white.

The other reason paper is white is because pores or holes in its structure scatter light, just like the hollow cellulose fibers in wood. Filling these fibers with resin reduces that scattering, allowing light to pass through the wood and making it transparent, while retaining its original mechanical properties.

This is a very exciting development that uses well-known chemical reactions of hydrogen peroxide with lignin. The approach could also be applied to large pieces of material, leading to production of transparent building materials, offering a real potential to replace glass.

Because the chemical is brushed onto the wood, there might be opportunities for decorative effects to be added to the material. This could make panels of material popular for indoor applications, while also offering additional insulation.

Further work needs to be done to optimize the reaction with wood, and to incorporate it into an industrially automated process. But one day, in the future, you might be sitting in a home or working in a building with wooden windows.

This article bySteve Eichhorn, Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Bristol,is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Read next: This Slack bot lets you relive StumbleUpons glory days

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Scientists are making see-through wood, and it could replace glass - The Next Web

Weve all seen it. As snow or ice falls, a car is parked with its windshield wipers lifted up, off the glass.

Then, you think, should I be doing that?

As New Jersey braces for an ice storm Monday into Tuesday, this is a good time to weigh the pros and cons behind this technique.

The idea behind getting the wipers off the glass is that they wont freeze to the windshield and it will be easier to clear the snow or ice with a couple of unobstructed swoops of the snow brush.

Robert Sinclair Jr., manager of media relations at AAA Northeast, says it also eliminates the chance of burning out the windshield wiper motor when you start your car and the blades try to push their way through the frozen stuff.

But the convenience of an easy-to-clean windshield could cost you.

The National Weather Service says leaving your wipers pointed up can cause stress on the springs that hold them to the windshield and can lead to cracks in the glass if the ice-covered wipers slap down too hard when you lower them or if theyre blown down by the wind or some other force.

Glass.com puts it this way, a windshield wiper blade costs about $25 and takes about five minutes to replace. A windshield costs, on average, $350 and can take several hours to be replaced by a professional.

Instead of lifting your wipers, some suggestions are to cover the windshield with a blanket or tarp that you can later lift off, along with the snow or ice; cover the wipers with a towel; park in a garage; or just be patient and let your cars defroster do what its designed for.

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Allison Pries may be reached at apries@njadvancemedia.com.

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Should you leave your windshield wipers up during a storm? Its debatable. - NJ.com

Artists in a Nottinghamshire town have been left disappointed after an arranged display in a former Argos store's window was paused due to concerns over Covid-19.

Creatives in Beeston had planned to install some of their work into the empty shop window in the town's square to "lift hearts" during the pandemic and improve what can be a "lifeless" area with a display called The Beeston Showcase.

Organised as an off-shoot of the Beeston Street Art Project, the display was put on hold after concerns were raised over a potential Covid-19 risk despite organisers saying social distancing measures were observed and only one household bubble being inside the premises.

The full display - which was due to be installed on Monday (February 15) and seen by artists as a way to keep spirits high in the town during the lockdown - has now been put on hold until restrictions have eased.

Local artist Jet Black, who lives in neighbouring Attenborough and had a number of pieces due to be displayed at the empty shop, said: "We are all in extreme anxiety right now and the lockdown will have some sort of post-traumatic impact on people.

"I live on my own with my cat and it can be really lonely. People are hardly going into Beeston's Square because of the restrictions.

"This a mass experience of fear - none of which is joyful.

"Seeing some art and creativity really lifts the heart and can open people's eyes. There's a sense of joy and perspective that it brings and that's what the Beeston Street Art Project aimed to do here.

"It would be a great pleasure in a time of gloom for The Square which is lifeless at the moment.

"People are stopping to look at the partial display that has gone up and that's good to know.

"So many artists are self-employed or freelancers. They're out of work right now, not eligible for furlough, and their incomes have been drastically hit.

"I think the council made this decision without fully looking to see if its organisers were operating safely, which I believe they were."

A letter written by Jet and sent to Broxtowe Borough Council regarding it's u-turn over the display has been signed by 76 people.

Jet believes the display offered the artists opportunities to make a sale on their work. It currently only has around half as many pieces of work on display as planned.

Jeanie Barton, a local musician who organised The Beeston Showcase and Beeston Street Art Project was dressing the shop window with art pieces when she was told to leave the site.

She said: "It's disappointing that the installation was stopped by a complaint. I look forward to completing and improving the windows as soon as I'm allowed."

A spokesperson for Broxtowe Borough Council added: "The Governments current Covid regulations and restrictions do not allow non-essential activity.

"As a local authority, we are required to provide a community leadership on public health issues, therefore we continue to retain a prudent and cautious approach to prevent the spread of Covid infections.

"Previously, due to a misunderstanding, the premises were opened mistakenly, and once this was discovered, we were required, under government guidance, to close the premises.

"Over the coming months, we will review the position, in line with the Governments announcements on easing Covid restrictions."

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Disappointment in Beeston as art installation in empty shop window is stopped - Nottinghamshire Live

It is not complicated at all know the installation date of applications or programs installed in Windows 10. We are going to teach you four extremely simple methods that anyone can perform in a matter of seconds.

In this way, you will be able to know the exact date an application or program was installed on your Windows 10 computer.

We can use the Control Panel to find out when we have installed a certain program. We press Start and we are going to write Control Panel we give it Enter and then we will have to go to the top right and click on View by and we are going to select Large icons.

Now we are going to click on Programs and Features and from the Was it installed column we will be able to know when that program was installed.

Certainly the Control Panel does not show all the dates, especially of the applications that we install from the Microsoft Store. To be able to find the date of these applications. What we must do is press Windows + i to open the Windows Settings.

After this we will have to go to Applications and we will have to consult the list of installed applications in the Applications and features tab. Just on the right side of each app, we will see the date it was installed.

While it does not show the exact install date. What you can do is show the modification date of the applications, it can help in some occasions.

We are simply going to have to open the Microsoft Store on our computer. We are simply going to open the Microsoft Store. Then we will have to click on the three points that appear in the upper right part of the store and we will click on Library. Here you can see all the Microsoft Store apps that you have installed on your PC.

If we use a program to uninstall applications and other programs that we have in Windows, some, like Revo Ininstaller in its free version, collect information about all the apps and programs that we have installed in Windows. In this way we can know the exact date of when said program or application was installed.

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Know installation date of applications or programs in Windows 10 - Explica

This Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015 photo shows a Dow Chemical plant in La Porte, Texas. Dow Chemical and ... [+] the DuPont will attempt to merge in an all-stock deal that would create a colossal chemical producer worth $130 billion, before splitting into three separate companies. The deal announced Friday, Dec. 11, 2015 is being billed a merger of equals, to be called DowDuPont. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

As the Biden administration makes good on its promises to heat up the conversation on climate change, owners of refineries and chemical plants are zeroing in on ways to cut their use of carbon-emitting fuels.

Refineries and other industrial plants are widely recognized as significant contributors to carbon emissions: industrial processes accounted for 27% of all carbon emissions in 2019, according to data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The challenge is that industrial processes require massive amounts of energy for the transformative processes that make gasoline or cement. Many of these processes require really high temperatures sometimes 1000 degrees or more; and heating is responsible for more than half of carbon emissions. The remaining emissions mostly come from the electricity required to run motors and other equipment, and from carbon dioxide produced as a byproduct in in some of the processes.

There are several reasons oil refining and chemical companies in the US are thinking hard about their carbon footprint.

The first is the growing acknowledgement by the vast majority of the public that climate change exists and is a result of human behavior.

An added incentive is the very real possibility that carbon pricing might be adopted by the Biden administration, given worldwide trends.

And then there is the growing investor and shareholder interest in how companies are making the transition.

Independent refiners are absolutely feeling the same pressure and the same premise of the energy transition as majors like BP and Shell, said Pavel Molchanov, an energy analyst at Raymond James RJF . The independent refiners are also subject to shareholder pressure to decarbonize.

So, what are the options for refineries hoping to lessen their carbon contribution, other than abandoning the sector?

Theres a number of them, according to Alan Rossiter, the executive director, external relations and educational program development for UH Energy at the University of Houston. Rossiter spent much of his career as a chemical engineer advising refineries and chemical plants on how to become more energy efficient.

Energy efficiency is great place to start decarbonization, as it not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions, but also brings in cost savings from reduced energy consumption, Rossiter explained. And there is a range of improvements plants can make for example, operational improvements, better maintenance, and facility improvements. The first two options are relatively cheap for plants, but facility improvements typically require additions and upgrades, or even completely new plants, which can be extremely costly.

The most common applications of energy efficiency in a refinery or a chemical plant are around recovering and reusing heat, Rossiter explained. This means recovering heat that would otherwise be wasted.

As a result, improvements like upgrading an inefficient boiler system can reduce the need to burn fuel. Yet while these improvements are significant, a typical boiler upgrade, for example, only reduces energy demand by two to three percent. More can be achieved by major process revamps, but even these have limitations.

There is just so far you can go with energy efficiency, Rossiter said. These plants make chemical transformations and separations that require a certain minimum amount of energy, and well before you get to these limits, you find that the equipment gets very expensive and you run into practical problems.

Using electricity to replace natural gas or coal-fired heating is another option for plants. However, the electricity must come from low-carbon or carbon-free sources, or electrification would simply move the plants emissions to power generation facilities.

Electrification can reduce your steam demand, therefore reducing the cost of environmental upgrades, said James Turner, an executive director of process technology for engineering company Fluor FLR FLR , in a recent webinar. Burning less fuel already means that youll make less CO2, which is a strategic driver for many companies.

One of the biggest hurdles in using electricity to replace fossil fuels in industry will be the delivery of power to the industries that need it. A multibillion-dollar investment in power transmission and distribution lines will be needed, along with huge batteries.

Furthermore, Inside the plant youll need a whole lot of investment for new equipment to electrify processes that currently use natural gas or other fossil fuels for heating, Rossiter said.

In theory, about 70% of the services that currently burn fuel in these plants could use electricity to replace it.But for the oil refiners, the biggest challenge will be the costs of revamping the equipment.

Using hydrogen as fuel is another interesting option for refineries under investigation.

It is a virtually unlimited store of energy, and it is available everywhere. It is contained in water, Rossiter said. However, it takes much more energy to convert it into a fuel than you get when you burn it. This is a major challenge.

The use of hydrogen in cars is already popular in California, which now has more than 40 hydrogen fueling stations. And hydrogen is also being used as a fuel in refineries and chemical plants but only in small amounts, mixed with natural gas.

The leap to using pure hydrogen as a fuel is still under development, with companies like Shell and Dow Chemical studying the challenges involved in a transition from natural gas to hydrogen.

If you want to burn it, you can, but you might have to do a lot of redesign on the furnace, Rossiter said. Hydrogen is very corrosive, and damage can occur to conventional materials if you expose them to hydrogen in high concentrations.

Biofuels are yet another option. And while used cooking oil and algae tend to capture the publics imagination when discussing biofuels, synthetic natural gas is actually a better option for decarbonizing refineries and chemical plants, as it can directly replace natural gas. This is a big advantage, as plants can use their existing equipment pretty much as is, greatly lowering the investment bar.

Yet biofuels face production challenges, as they take precious water and land resources as well as additional energy to produce.

All of the options involve a balancing act. Its all part of the transition, while keeping an eye on containing the costs to ensure that the business itself remains competitive.

Emily Pickrellis a veteran energy reporter, with more than 12 years of experience covering everything from oil fields to industrial water policy to the latest on Mexican climate change laws. Emily has reported on energy issues from around the U.S., Mexico and the United Kingdom.Prior to journalism, Emily worked as a policy analyst for the U.S. GovernmentAccountability Office and as an auditorfor the international aid organization, CARE.

UH Energy is the University of Houstons hub for energy education, research and technology incubation, working to shape the energy future and forge new business approaches in the energy industry.

Excerpt from:
With A Decarbonized Future Bearing Down, Refineries Look At The Nitty-Gritty Of The Transition - Forbes