enero 2021 – Página 81

United Launches Industry-Exclusive Technology to Ease the Burden of COVID-19 Travel Restrictions

CHICAGO, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — United Airlines today launched the «Travel-Ready Center» – a new, digital solution where customers can review COVID-19 entry requirements, find local testing options and upload any required testing and vaccination records for domestic and international travel, all in one place. United is the first airline to integrate all these features into its mobile app and <a target="_blank"…

«While pre-travel testing and documentation are key to safely reopening global travel, we know it can be confusing for customers when they’re preparing for a flight,» said Linda Jojo, Executive Vice President for Technology and Chief Digital Officer, United. «Starting today, our ‘Travel-Ready Center’ gives customers a personalized, step-by-step guide of what is needed for their trip, a simple way to upload required documents and quickly get their boarding pass, fully integrated within our app and website.»

In the weeks and months ahead, United will add more innovative, industry-first features to the Travel-Ready Center platform to make navigating evolving entry requirements even easier. United customers will soon be able to:

Schedule a COVID-19 test at one of more than 15,000 testing sites around the world, right from the app or website.
Access the recently launched «Agent on Demand«, a United-exclusive feature that gives customers the ability to video chat live with a customer service agent to answer any questions about pre-travel requirements or documentation.
View details about visa requirements for the countries they plan to visit.

Customers with an active reservation can access the Travel-Ready Center through the «My Trips» section of the United App and on united.com. The Travel-Ready Center will provide tailored details on requirements for all travelers 18 and older on a customer’s itinerary, with status indicators noting if they are travel-ready based on specific requirements each individual needs to meet in order to board their flight, including any additional requirements for connecting flights. Documents uploaded by a passenger will be reviewed by designated personnel for verification. The individual status indicators for each passenger will then note whether they are «travel ready» and they will be allowed to complete the check-in process. Customers should still plan to bring the physical documents to the airport in case further inspection is needed along their journey.

The Travel-Ready Center is just one of many new technologies the airline has introduced to create a safer and more efficient experience for customers. United recently redesigned its mobile app with new enhancements intended to make travel easier for people with visual disabilities, introduced Destination Travel Guide, which allows customers to filter and view destinations’ COVID-19 related travel restrictions, and debuted a new chat function to give customers a contactless option to receive immediate access to information about cleaning and safety procedures.

This year, United made numerous enhancements to its business that improve the travel experience for its customers. The carrier eliminated most change fees, pledged to reduce its greenhouse gases 100% by 2050, teamed up with Clorox and the Cleveland Clinic to guide its cleaning and safety protocols as a part of United CleanPlus℠, extended MileagePlus® Premier® status to all customers through January 2022 and made earning status for the next two years easier for all MileagePlus members. United also announced this year that beginning in January, all customers will be able to fly standby on another flight to the same destination on the same day for free, and all MileagePlus Premier members will be able to confirm a new flight on the same day to the same destinations at check-in when space is available in the same fare class.

About United

United’s shared purpose is «Connecting People. Uniting the World.» For more information, visit united.com, follow @United on Twitter and Instagram or connect on Facebook. The common stock of UAL is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol «UAL».

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SOURCE United Airlines

Sixth Annual Advisor Authority Study Reveals COVID’s Impact on Women Investors: Less Optimistic, More Concerned and Less Prepared

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — As the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, women investors are more concerned about their finances and feel less prepared than they’ve been in years. Nearly three in four (72%) women with investable assets of $100,000 or more said the pandemic has negatively impacted their ability to retire. These are among the latest findings from Nationwide’s sixth annual Advisor Authority study, powered by the Nationwide Retirement…

Women investors in 2020 reported significantly higher levels of concern about a U.S. economic recession in the next 12 months than they did in 2019 (82% vs 60%) as well as greater concern about a bear market in the next 12 months than they did the prior year (74% vs 57%). Additionally, more than two-thirds of women (69%) believed that the COVID-19 pandemic would be the most likely cause of market volatility over the next 12 months. Four in ten women (40%) also cited the COVID-19 pandemic as the number-one macro factor that would most adversely impact their portfolio over the next 12 months.

«Women are concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their finances and the resulting uncertainty can make planning for the future—and their retirement—more difficult. For several consecutive years, our Advisor Authority study has revealed the disconnect between women’s growing concerns about their ability to retire and their level of preparation—and the pandemic has taken this to new levels,» said Ann Bair, SVP of Marketing for Nationwide Financial. «While women are acutely aware of the challenges they face, it’s critical that they take steps now to address gaps in their retirement plan, especially as we start a new year.»

Less Optimistic, More Concerned—and Less Prepared to Protect Assets
Given their concerns about the economy, the market and the impact of the pandemic, it follows that women investors were significantly less optimistic about their financial outlook in 2020 compared to 2019 (32% vs 56%). Likewise, men also cited a significant decline in optimism in 2020 (39% vs 53%).

Women were somewhat more likely than men to cite their biggest financial concern as losses in their portfolio related to the COVID-19 pandemic (36% vs 30%). In addition, even more women than men said that protecting assets was their top financial concern (36% vs 28%). In fact, the number of women who cited protecting assets as a top concern increased 10 percentage points in 2020, after steadily declining for the previous four years (2020: 36%, 2019: 26%, 2018: 28%, 2017: 30%, 2016: 32%).

Yet, despite greater concerns about losses to their portfolios and protecting their assets, findings revealed a preparation gap as women were somewhat less likely than men to have a strategy in place to protect their assets against market risk (60% vs 67%). Meanwhile, women were more than twice as likely as men to say they didn’t know if they have a strategy (15% vs 7%).

Preparation Gap Persists When Protecting Retirement
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted women’s retirement plans. Nearly three-fourths of women (72%) said the pandemic has had a negative impact on how long they could live off their retirement savings. Due to the pandemic, more than two in ten women investors (22%) said it’s likely they would need to delay taking retirement income for the next 12 months and nearly one-quarter of women investors (24%) said they would need to reduce the amount of their retirement income withdrawals for the next 12 months.

Meanwhile, women are likely to live longer than men and are likely to face a retirement income shortfall. Over one third of women (39%) expect to need 20 years of income in retirement. Another third (35%) say they’ll need 30 years or more. But only one in five women (20%) say they’ll be able to live off their current retirement savings for more than 30 years

Yet, women were also less likely than men to say they have a strategy in place to protect themselves against outliving their savings (76% vs 84%) and five times more likely to say they didn’t know if they have a strategy (11% vs 2%).

In addition, women were slightly less likely than men to cite saving enough for retirement as a top financial concern (16% vs 17%). Notably, the number of women who cited saving enough for retirement among their top financial concerns dropped eight percentage points this year compared to last year, after a slight decline over the prior four years (2020: 16%, 2019: 24%, 2018: 26%, 2017: 28%, 2016: 28%).

The Value of Financial Advice
The news isn’t all bad. For the first time since launching Advisor Authority, more than two-thirds of women reported that they worked with an advisor or financial professional—a nearly 10-point increase in 2020 over 2019 (67% vs 58%).

«Now more than ever, women are seeking the help of financial professionals to put a plan into place to protect their assets, manage volatility and save for retirement,» said Lori Hall, Director, Strategic Accounts Nationwide Financial. «Advisors and financial professionals have an opportunity—and a responsibility—to understand women’s retirement planning needs and help them establish a holistic plan to manage through the current uncertainty while remaining focused on long term goals.»

Advisors and financial professionals can help women bridge the preparation gap. Women with an advisor said the number-one reason they choose to work with a financial professional was to feel more confident in their financial future (35%). When markets are volatile, women with an advisor said the number-one benefit of working with a financial professional is to protect their assets against market risk (26%). Among women who did not have an advisor, 56% said it was because they prefer to manage their own assets.

Solutions to Bridge the Gap
The COVID-19 pandemic is driving the need for more guaranteed solutions to help women protect their financial futures. In fact, given the impact of the pandemic, nearly six in ten women (59%) said they’d feel more secure if a portion of their portfolio was invested in an annuity to protect against market risk and more than half (55%) said they would feel more secure if a portion of their portfolio was invested in an annuity to protect against outliving their savings.

Despite challenging markets, more than two-thirds of (67%) women and men said that they did not feel pressure to revise their investing strategy over the next 12 months. While women and men were most likely to protect against market risk using diversification (52% and 59%) and fixed annuities (39% and 34%), women were nearly twice as likely as men to say they used Fixed Indexed Annuities (26% vs 15%), while they were far less likely than men to use Registered Indexed Linked Annuities (3% vs 16%).

To help protect against outliving their savings, women and men were most likely to use Social Security (both 68%) and defined benefit plans/pensions (42% and 45%). However, women were somewhat less likely than men to use other guaranteed income solutions to protect against outliving savings, such as deferred income annuities (DIAs; 10% vs 12%), single premium immediate annuities (9% vs 16%) and qualified longevity annuity contracts (QLACs; 8% vs 11%).

For more insights on women investors this year, advisors and financial professionals can also download the latest Advisor Authority infographic at: https://news.nationwide.com/women-investors-concerns/

Nationwide’s sixth annual Advisor Authority study powered by the Nationwide Retirement Institute explores critical issues confronting advisors, financial professionals and individual investors—and the innovative techniques that they need to succeed in today’s complex market. This is the fourth in a series of ongoing releases from the sixth annual study.

About Advisor Authority: Methodology
The sixth annual Advisory Authority Survey was conducted online within the United States by The Harris Poll on behalf of Nationwide from May 27 – June 25, 2020 among 1,768 advisors and financial professionals and 817 investors, ages 18+. Among the 1,768 advisors and financial professionals, there were 758 RIAs, 642 Registered Reps, 500 Wirehouse and 165 other advisors. Among the 817 investors, there were 297 women and 520 men. Investors are weighted where necessary by age by gender, race/ethnicity, region, education, income, marital status, household size, investable assets and propensity to be online to bring them in line with their actual proportions in the population. Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Poll surveys. Because the sample is based on those who were invited to participate in the Harris Poll online research panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

About The Harris Poll
The Harris Poll is one of the longest running surveys in the U.S. tracking public opinion, motivations and social sentiment since 1963 that is now part of Harris Insights & Analytics, a global consulting and market research firm that delivers social intelligence for transformational times. We work with clients in three primary areas; building twenty-first-century corporate reputation, crafting brand strategy and performance tracking, and earning organic media through public relations research. Our mission is to provide insights and advisory to help leaders make the best decisions possible. To learn more, please visit www.theharrispoll.com.

About Nationwide
Nationwide, a Fortune 100 company based in Columbus, Ohio, is one of the largest and strongest diversified insurance and financial services organizations in the United States. Nationwide is rated A+ by both A.M. Best and Standard & Poor’s. An industry leader in driving customer-focused innovation, Nationwide provides a full range of insurance and financial services products including auto, business, homeowners, farm and life insurance; public and private sector retirement plans, annuities and mutual funds; excess & surplus, specialty and surety; pet, motorcycle and boat insurance. For more information, visit www.nationwide.com. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

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Contact: Meghan Busch
Bliss Integrated Communication
212-840-1661
MBusch@blissintegrated.com

Deborah Newman
Nationwide
502-587-3858
newmad4@nationwide.com

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SOURCE Nationwide

Natural Diamond Council And Lorraine Schwartz Announce Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative

NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — The Natural Diamond Council (NDC) and celebrated jewelry designer, Lorraine Schwartz announce the Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative with $1 million dollars of diamond credit dedicated to supporting emerging Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) jewelry designers.

Both the NDC and Lorraine Schwartz are committed to a more equitable future for…

Both the NDC and Lorraine Schwartz are committed to a more equitable future for the fine jewelry industry and the Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative will provide opportunities, remove barriers to entry, and offer unparalleled access to industry education and resources.

The program will promote inclusivity with a goal to serve as many BIPOC designers, with an interest in furthering their diamond jewelry business, as possible. A well-appointed selection committee including Lorraine Schwartz; NDC CEO, David Kellie; Fashion Director of Vanity Fair, Nicole Chapoteau; and Celebrity Stylist and Designer, Jason Rembert will review and approve designer applications until the $1 million diamond credit runs out. Honorary advisors Pharrell, Kelly Rowland, and Tina Knowles will also lend their expert opinions at various stages of the program.

Lorraine Schwartz stated, «It is past time for our industry to be more supportive and share the magic of diamonds with a larger, more diverse group of jewelers. Helping BIPOC designers, and more specifically the underrepresented Black designer community, gain entry to diamond vendors and credit financing as well as expand their businesses is a necessary step in the process towards a more equitable industry. This program is another opportunity for me to give back to those communities that have embraced me and have been a wonderful part of my journey as a designer over the last 20 years.»

Without a previous history with suppliers, or references in the industry, it can be notoriously challenging to purchase diamonds as an emerging designer with little resources. The Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative aims to help BIPOC designers establish credit in their own names and understand the process of diamond financing along with consignment and memo terms. The program will offer mentorship and $20,000 credit to each designer and stand as a guarantor with the diamond suppliers. Once credit and relationships are established, the designers will have access to the NDC and Lorraine Schwartz’s partners along with their wide networks and resources.

«Creativity and innovation are the forces that drive our industry forward and in order for that to happen, we need more diverse viewpoints,» said David Kellie, CEO, NDC. «This initiative is designed to support emerging BIPOC designers by giving them access to the diamond jewelry industry, which has traditionally been limited, and fostering their ingenuity and successes. We know that more diversity is needed in our field, and that this will benefit the designers and the industry as a whole.»

The Emerging Designers Diamond Initiative’s ultimate goal is to advance inclusivity, expand the number of BIPOC diamond jewelry businesses, and help those already established to expand. Designers will participate in mentorship and education sessions, new marketing opportunities, and gain supply chain and production know-how and resources. Pricing strategy advice and diamond tutorials will also be provided. NDC will promote the designers and their stories on owned channels, a resource for many in the industry.

Designers will be encouraged to utilize a variety of diamonds including those of differing colors and sizes, in order to celebrate the uniqueness of natural diamonds. Designers who do not presently work with diamonds are encouraged to apply.

Applications can be found at naturaldiamonds.com/eddi as of January 25, 2021. The initiative will be on a first come, first serve basis.

About The Natural Diamond Council (NDC):
The NDC aims to advance the desirability for diamonds by publishing in-depth engaging features, and sharing information with consumers on the ultimate timelessness and singularity of this remarkable natural stone. Our «Only Natural Diamonds» portal serves as a window of discovery into this natural diamond universe.

We work to support the integrity of the natural diamond industry, providing transparency, and insight on the ethics, sustainability and progress of this sector. We represent seven of the world’s leading diamond producers which account for 75% of the world’s rough diamond production. All of our members must follow our group’s ethical codes, with an emphasis on mindful and sustainable mining practices and the support of diamond-mining communities.

About Lorraine Schwartz:
Responsible for some of the most iconic jewelry moments of the 21st Century, Lorraine Schwartz is an American high jewelry designer and third-generation diamond dealer whose pieces have adorned some of the world’s most influential individuals – from royalty, to industry icons, and A-list celebrities.

Lorraine Schwartz supports Direct Relief, Feeding America, United Way Worldwide, and God’s Love We Deliver, among others. She is committed to finding a way to not only help those in need, but hopefully to also bring a little joy to the world.

Contact:
Manuela Villafana
mvillafana@fullpic.com

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SOURCE Natural Diamond Council

USW Commends Executive Order Supporting Domestic Manufacturing

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — United Steelworkers (USW) International President Tom Conway issued the following statement in response to the announcement that President Joe Biden would today sign an executive order tightening domestic content requirements and narrowing exceptions to existing domestic preference rules for federally funded projects:

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«Manufacturing is the backbone of our economy and remains essential to our national defense.

«When we undertake federally funded projects, we must ensure that our tax dollars support American production and jobs rather than our foreign competitors, who all too often seek to undermine our industries by flooding our markets with unfairly traded products.

«Today’s order strengthening domestic content requirements, closing loopholes in how domestic content is measured and calling for stricter enforcement of existing legislation like the Jones Act is an important step toward revitalizing our manufacturing base, as well as protecting and creating thousands of good, family-sustaining jobs.

«Further, taking concrete steps to make it easier to identify and utilize U.S. suppliers, as outlined in the order, will help ensure we are efficiently meeting our own needs as we look to rebuild our long-neglected domestic supply chains.

«The Covid-19 crisis demonstrated that we are sorely unprepared to meet our own needs, and this remains true of countless products. If we want to heal our nation in the wake of the deadly pandemic, we must take bold action to rebuild our economy, creating good jobs and broadly shared prosperity. President Biden’s executive order is a critical part of that effort.

«Our nation is long overdue for serious, robust investment in our crumbling infrastructure. Today’s action is crucial not only for rebuilding our nation’s broken economy and making our country safer, but for laying a foundation so that all of the work that stems from this investment supports American jobs.

«For too long, we have allowed foreign-made products to dominate our markets. We look forward to working with the Biden administration as together we seek to ensure our federal policies serve our country’s best interests.»

The USW represents 850,000 workers employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in health care, public sector, higher education, tech and service occupations.

Contact: Jess Kamm Broomell, 412-562-2444, jkamm@usw.org

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SOURCE United Steelworkers (USW)

ReneSola Power Announces $250 Million Registered Direct Offering of ADSs

STAMFORD, Conn., Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — ReneSola Ltd («ReneSola Power» or the «Company») (NYSE: SOL), a leading fully integrated solar project developer, today announced that it entered into securities purchase agreements with several institutional investors for the purchase and sale of 10,000,000 of American Depositary Shares (ADSs), each representing ten (10) ordinary shares, at a purchase price of $25.00 per ADS, in a registered direct offering. The registered…

H.C. Wainwright & Co. is acting as the exclusive placement agent for the offering.

The gross proceeds from the registered direct offering are expected to be $250.0 million before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses. The Company intends to use the net proceeds to expand its solar project pipeline (including combined solar/storage initiatives), to fund possible strategic acquisitions, and to meet general working capital needs.

The securities described above are being offered pursuant to a «shelf» registration statement (File No. 333-252137) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on January 15, 2021 and declared effective on January 25, 2021. Such securities may be offered only by means of a prospectus, including a prospectus supplement, forming a part of the effective registration statement. A prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering of the securities will be filed with the SEC. Electronic copies of the prospectus supplement and the accompanying prospectus relating to the offering of the securities may be obtained, when available, on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov or by contacting H.C. Wainwright & Co., LLC at 430 Park Avenue, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10022, by e-mail: placements@hcwco.com or by telephone: (646) 975-6996.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor there any sales of these securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

About ReneSola Power

ReneSola Power (NYSE: SOL) is a leading global solar project developer and operator. The Company focuses on solar power project development, construction management and project financing services. With local professional teams in more than 10 countries around the world, the business is spread across a number of regions where the solar power project markets are growing rapidly, and can sustain that growth due to improved clarity around government policies. The Company’s strategy is to pursue high-margin project development opportunities in these profitable and growing markets; specifically, in the U.S. and Europe, where the Company has a market-leading position in several geographies, including Poland, Hungary, Minnesota and New York.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains statements that constitute »forward-looking» statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Whenever you read a statement that is not simply a statement of historical fact (such as when the Company describes what it «believes,» «plans,» «expects» or «anticipates» will occur, what «will» or «could» happen, and other similar statements), you must remember that the Company’s expectations may not be correct, even though it believes that they are reasonable. Furthermore, the forward-looking statements are mainly related to our ability to complete the registered direct offering and satisfy the closing conditions related to the offering, the intended use of net proceeds from the registered direct offering, the Company’s continuing operations and you may not be able to compare such information with the Company’s past performance or results. The Company does not guarantee that the forward-looking statements will happen as described or that they will happen at all. Further information regarding risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements is included in the Company’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s annual report on Form 20-F. The Company undertakes no obligation, beyond that required by law, to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date on which the statement is made, even though the Company’s situation may change in the future, except as required by law.

For investor and media inquiries, please contact:

In the United States:

ReneSola Ltd
Mr. Adam Krop
+1 (347) 577-9055 x115
IR.USA@renesolapower.com

The Blueshirt Group
Mr. Ralph Fong
+1 (415) 489-2195
ralph@blueshirtgroup.com

In China:

ReneSola Ltd
Ms. Ella Li
+86 (21) 6280-8070 x102
ir@renesolapower.com

The Blueshirt Group Asia
Mr. Gary Dvorchak, CFA
+86 138-1079-1480
gary@blueshirtgroup.com

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SOURCE ReneSola Ltd.

How Unmanned Underwater Vehicles Could Become Easier to Detect – new research from Draper, MIT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Detecting the presence of an unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) is usually achieved by intercepting the noise radiated by its propeller. In a noisy harbor, this task is hindered because the acoustic signature of a UUV and the noise in the local environment often present too much signal complexity for current technologies to process.

That may be about to change. Researchers at Draper, Massachusetts Institute of…

That may be about to change. Researchers at Draper, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI) have developed an acoustic remote sensing method for high-precision propeller rotation and speed estimation of unmanned underwater vehicles.

The new method is detailed in a study published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America.

UUVs are marine platforms that are untethered and autonomous and often used for a variety of applications, including national security and ocean exploration. The robots selected for this study belong to the smallest class of vehicles called micro-UUVs, which have a diameter of six or fewer inches.

Detection, classification and tracking of ships are important tasks for improving port security and the security of coastal and offshore operations, explains Kristen Railey, who led the study as a Draper Fellow. «However, identifying UUV signatures and using those signatures to estimate a UUV’s speed for passive tracking is a relatively unexplored research area in comparison to other marine vessels.»

A state of the practice technique for identifying the presence of ships is by analyzing passive acoustic data with the Detection of Envelope Modulation on Noise (DEMON). The DEMON method, which operates by filtering propeller noise, varies by vessel, and can be challenged in a noisy and dynamic environment such as the shallow waters of harbors.

In the study, the authors set out to isolate and characterize motor noise, so they focused on brushless DC (BLDC) motors because of their prevalence in UUV propulsion systems. They designed a passive acoustic, high-precision method for estimating a micro-UUV’s propeller rotation frequency.

In field experiments, the new method outperformed the DEMON algorithm. When boats passed by the UUV, the new method could detect the motor noise, but the DEMON spectrum was dominated by the interfering boats’ propeller noise.

Quieter UUVs could have many benefits, the researchers explain in their paper. «Understanding the origins of acoustic noise in autonomous platforms can inform quieter UUV propulsion design to avoid interference with onboard sensors and disturbance to marine life. In the future, based on these findings, quieting techniques for BLDC motors in UUVs can be compared and assessed.»

While the current work is focused on micro-UUVs, the new method can apply to other robotic platforms that are powered by mass-manufactured BLDC motors. Brushless motors are found in electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, personal transporters and electric aircraft.

Co-authors of the journal paper include Railey, a Ph.D. candidate in mechanical and ocean engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) / Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI); Henrik Schmidt, Railey’s academic advisor and a professor of mechanical and ocean engineering at MIT; and Dino DiBiaso, a computer scientist, systems engineer and distinguished member of the technical staff at Draper.

Draper

At Draper, we believe exciting things happen when new capabilities are imagined and created. Whether formulating a concept and developing each component to achieve a field-ready prototype or combining existing technologies in new ways, Draper engineers apply multidisciplinary approaches that deliver new capabilities to customers. As a not-for-profit engineering innovation company, Draper focuses on the design, development and deployment of advanced technological solutions for the world’s most challenging and important problems. We provide engineering solutions directly to government, industry and academia, work on teams as prime contractor or subcontractor, and participate as a collaborator in consortia. We provide unbiased assessments of technology or systems designed or recommended by other organizations—custom designed, as well as commercial-off-the-shelf.

http://www.draper.com

Media Contact

Dan Dent, Draper, 6174292883, ddent@draper.com

SOURCE Draper

«San Gabán+ Chaglla» Energía Hidroeléctrica Verde, Beneficios Significativos

LIMA, Peru, 25 de enero de 2021 /PRNewswire/ — China Yangtze Power Co.,Ltd publica/divulga esta información de acuerdo con las condiciones operativas actuales de su empresa peruana (o proyecto o filial), y los detalles son los siguientes:

Practicar y promover la protección ecológica y el desarrollo verde es la base fundamental para el desarrollo a largo plazo de CTG (China Three Gorges Corporation). CTG (China Three Gorges Corporation) siempre persiste el concepto de desarrollo verde, respectando la Agenda 2030 para el Desarrollo Sostenible de las Naciones Unidas, promoviendo la construcción y gestión de proyectos verdes y con bajas emisiones de carbono, y fortaleciendo la cooperación en la adecuación del medio ambiente ecológico, conservación de la biodiversidad y lucha contra el cambio climático, con el fin de dar un nuevo impulso a lograr los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible de 2030 y también traer nuevas oportunidades para el desarrollo ecológico del lugar donde se ubica del proyecto.

En julio de 2016, Global HydroPower, Empresa Eléctrica de San Gabán y el Ministerio de Energía y Minas de Perú firmaron un acuerdo de cooperación empresarial sobre el Proyecto Hidroeléctrico San Gabán III (en adelante, el Proyecto San Gabán), se ha convertido en el único proyecto hidroeléctrico en la lista del segundo lote de proyectos de cosecha temprana en la cooperación de capacidad China-Perú. La capacidad instalada del proyecto es de 209,3 MW y la generación de energía anual promedio es de 1,252 mil millones de kWh. Calculado según la electricidad equivalente producida por la energía térmica, cada año la central hidroeléctrica puede ahorrar 159.000 toneladas de carbón estándar y reducir 338.000 toneladas de emisiones de dióxido de carbono. En agosto de 2017, HEGC (Hubei Energy Group Co., Ltd.), el Fondo ACE de CTGI (China Three Gorges International Corporation), CNIC CORPORATION LIMITED y Odebrecht firmaron el «Acuerdo de Adquisición de Acciones» de la Empresa de Proyectos Hidroeléctricos Chaglla de Perú, con lo cual la puesta en servicio de la Central Hidroeléctrica Chaglla puede reducir 800 mil a 1 millón de toneladas de emisiones de dióxido de carbono cada año. Las dos centrales hidroeléctricas invertidas y operadas por CTG (China Three Gorges Corporation) en Perú han jugado un papel importante en la optimización de la estructura de energía y la estructura de poder de la red eléctrica de Perú, reduciendo las emisiones de gases de escape y residuos de desechos, lo cual ha traído significativos beneficios.

Estricta gestión y aumento de la conciencia de prevención de riesgos
El proyecto San Gabán comenzó a construirse en septiembre de 2017. Desde el inicio de la construcción, el departamento de proyectos ha establecido un sólido sistema de gestión ambiental y ha elaborado «Reglamento para la Inspección de Seguridad y Protección Ambiental de la Central Hidroeléctrica San Gabán de Perú», «Reglamento para la Valoración de Seguridad y Protección Ambiental de la Central Hidroeléctrica San Gabán de Perú», «Reglamento para Premio y Penalidad de Seguridad y Protección Ambiental de la Central Hidroeléctrica San Gabán de Perú», «Reglamento para la Gestión Ambiental de la Central Hidroeléctrica San Gabán de Perú» y muchos otros regímenes de gestión. Además, la empresa ha definido las metas de trabajo y planes de monitoreo. A través de capacitación diaria y supervisión e inspección, se ha concretado el sistema de garantía plenamente y se ha mejorado la conciencia sobre la prevención de riesgos ambientales.

Elevar los estándares y fortalecer el reciclaje de recursos
Sobre el proyecto San Gabán se ha elaborado el informe de evaluación ambiental, obedeciendo estrictamente las cláusulas de responsabilidad ambiental en las leyes y regulaciones de protección ambiental de China y Perú, e implementando el estándar más escrito entre los estándares internacionales y nacionales. De acuerdo con los requisitos de la evaluación ambiental de Perú, una vez que el tratamiento de aguas residuales de producción cumple con los estándares, pueden ser descargado legalmente después de obtener un permiso.. Para reducir aún más el impacto de las aguas residuales en el medio ambiente, la gerencia de proyectos promovió el uso eficaz de las aguas mediante la construcción de tanques de sedimentación y el reciclaje de las aguas residuales de producción. De acuerdo con los requisitos legales de Perú, las aguas residuales domésticas se pueden disponer de dos maneras: descarga o reutilización después de ser tratadas por el sistema de tratamiento de aguas residuales. Entre ellos, el estándar de reutilización adoptó el estándar de tratamiento de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, que es más estricto que el estándar de descarga de aguas residuales domésticas en Perú, el departamento de proyectos adoptó altos estándares para reutilizar las aguas residuales tratadas mediante la reducción del polvo y el riego, contribuyendo así a la reducción de la contaminación ambiental.

Protección diversificada, mantenimiento del equilibrio del ecosistema
En agosto de 2017, HEGC (Hubei Energy Group Co., Ltd.), una subsidiaria de CTG (China Three Gorges Corporation), firmó el «Acuerdo de Adquisición de Acciones» de la Central Hidroeléctrica de Chaglla de Perú para operar conjuntamente la Central Hidroeléctrica de Chaglla. Durante la construcción de la Central Hidroeléctrica de Chaglla, se salvaron más de 3.000 especies de orquídeas y se plantaron 190 hectáreas de árboles en las montañas y en las selvas cerca del proyecto. Desde su puesta en operación, la Central Hidroeléctrica de Chaglla mantiene monitoreando la biodiversidad todos los años. Durante el monitoreo se descubrieron siete nuevas especies, y sobre los 4 de ellas se han editado y publicado libros.

El proyecto San Gabán en Perú también ha llevado a cabo el monitoreo de recursos vegetales y forestales, monitoreo de animales regionales, monitoreo de reptiles, mamíferos y aves, inventario de animales y plantas y restauración de la vegetación en las áreas afectadas por el proyecto. Además, se realizó el seguimiento y análisis continuo de especies biológicas, proporcionando datos y apoyo técnico para la conservación de la biodiversidad. El proyecto también llevó a cabo una serie de monitoreos ambientales que incluyen el monitoreo de ruido, monitoreo de la calidad del aire, monitoreo de la calidad del agua y monitoreo del suelo estipulados en la evaluación ambiental para mantener el equilibrio del ecosistema.

Comportarse como un ejemplo, difundir el concepto de protección ecológica y ambiental
Para resolver las preocupaciones de los habitantes que viven en las comunidades cerca del proyecto, la Central Hidroeléctrica de Chaglla recibía la inspección ambiental por parte del Comité de Supervisión Ciudadana de la Comunidad cada tres meses para garantizar que el agua, el suelo, el ruido y la radiación cumplan con los estándares relevantes y hacer que los habitantes conozcan y crean que el ambiente a su alrededor es completamente saludable. Con el fin de mejorar efectivamente el medio ambiente actual del río Huallaga, la Central Hidroeléctrica de Chaglla formó un equipo de limpieza de embalses, que retenía aproximadamente 50 toneladas de desechos sólidos orgánicos e inorgánicos del río Huallaga cada año para evitar que los desechos fluyan hacia el río Amazonas. Después de la clasificación, los desechos sólidos se envían al centro de desechos sólidos para su procesamiento y reutilización. La Central Hidroeléctrica de Chaglla realizó varias conferencias ambientales y actividades de plantación de árboles para compartir sus puntos de vista sobre el medio ambiente con los habitantes locales y expresar su respeto sobre el medio ambiente, haciendo que los habitantes sean promotores de la protección ambiental y protegen el medio natural conjuntamente.

FUENTE China Yangtze Power Co.,Ltd(CYPC)

Hertz Offers Chance to Win Free Home and Car Cleaning for a Year

ESTERO, Fla., Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Hertz – one of the world’s largest car rental companies – is offering the chance to receive gold standard service and cleanliness right at home by entering its Hertz Gold Standard Clean Sweeps to win a year’s worth of free home and car cleaning.

<a href="https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1425744/Gold_Standard_Clean_Sweeps.html"…

From January 25, 2021 to March 22, 2021, those who visit Hertz.com can register their email for a chance to win free home and car cleaning every week for a year. Hertz Gold Plus Rewards members will receive two entries when they register and an additional entry each time they rent during the sweepstakes period. Hertz Gold Plus Rewards is free to join and offers benefits such as free upgrades, counter bypass and more.

«We go the extra mile to ensure our customers have clean and safe cars for their travels with our Hertz Gold Standard Clean sanitized and sealed vehicles, and we’re happy to bring that same level of assurance to their doorstep with a chance to win free home and car cleaning for a year through our Hertz Gold Standard Clean Sweeps,» said Eoghan Slye, Hertz Senior Vice President of Marketing.

At the onset of the pandemic, Hertz raised the bar on its high standards for safety and cleanliness and introduced Hertz Gold Standard Clean – a 15-point process that concludes with every car being sealed after it has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized, which is a first-of-its-kind practice in the car rental industry.

Hertz also launched new mobile app features to facilitate a touchless rental experience, complementing existing touchless solutions offered through its free-to-join Hertz Gold Plus Rewards loyalty program, such as counter bypass and eReturn.

Hertz’s efforts to ensure customers’ safety and satisfaction has earned numerous awards and recognition in the travel industry including the No. 1 ranking for Customer Satisfaction in the J.D. Power North America Rental Car Satisfaction Study for the second consecutive year.

To register to enter the Hertz Gold Standard Sweeps and see official rules, visit: https://pub.emails.hertz.com/GoldStandardSweepstakes.

*About the Sweepstakes
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. The sweepstakes runs from January 25, 2021 until March 22, 2021 and is open to all legal U.S. residents residing in the 48 contiguous U.S. states and District of Columbia who are 20 years and older. Void where prohibited by law. The Hertz Corporation is the sponsor of the sweepstakes. See official rules: https://pub.emails.hertz.com/Gold_Standard_Clean_Sweepstakes_Terms.

About Hertz
Hertz, one of the most recognized brands in the world and currently ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction by J.D. Power, has a long-standing legacy of providing a fast and easy experience designed to make every journey special. It starts with top-rated vehicles to fit every traveler’s needs, delivered with a caring touch and personalized services including its award-winning Hertz Gold Plus Rewards loyalty program, Ultimate Choice, Mobile Wi-Fi, and more. Wherever and whenever you need to go, at Hertz, we’re here to get you there. To learn more or reserve a vehicle, visit Hertz.com.

Hertz pioneered the car rental industry more than 100 years ago and today is owned by Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. which includes Dollar and Thrifty vehicle rental brands and fleet management leader Donlen Corporation.

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/hertz-offers-chance-to-win-free-home-and-car-cleaning-for-a-year-301214016.html

SOURCE Hertz

Citizenship by Investment Researcher James McKay Forecasts Dominica’s Programme to Rank High in 2021 on «Plan B Podcast»

LONDON, Jan. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Plan B, a podcast about citizenship by investment produced by government advisory CS Global Partners, released a new season last week. In conversation with host Aisha Mohamed, CBI Index researcher James McKay discussed the Commonwealth of Dominica’s success in the index’s latest edition. McKay also projected that in the fifth CBI Index, due to launch later in 2021, will also see Caribbean nations, especially Dominica, rank high.

The CBI Index is an in-depth report that evaluates all the available Citizenship by Investment Programmes. It compares the programmes by ranking their overall performance and desirability and grades them based on nine ‘pillars’ ranging from freedom of movement and standard of living to family and certainty of product. This allows readers to decide which second citizenship might best suit their priorities. The index is published annually by the Financial Times’s Professional Wealth Management (PWM) magazine.

«The Caribbean nations, particularly Dominica, have typically scored highly on pillars such as the minimum investment outlay, mandatory travel residence, ease of processing, and due diligence since the beginning of the CBI Index. I just don’t see any significant changes there [in 2021]», said McKay on the podcast.

McKay also commented on the shifting priorities of investors looking for second citizenship in the pandemic era: «On many levels, there will be a reassessment of priorities taking place as a result of the pandemic. Because suddenly, due to the unprecedented closure of borders around the world, many investors just simply found themselves grounded in their own countries.»

«The all-important issue of where you can go with your entire family with fewer restrictions on movement is of rising importance. Perhaps parts of the world that are a little bit more remote and have fewer cases of COVID-19 may increase in desirability,» he added.

Dominica has been operating its CBI Programme since 1993. Under the Programme, an investor can obtain citizenship of Dominica upon a one-time contribution to the Economic Diversification Fund, or, as of 2014, upon the purchase of an approved real estate project. Benefits of Dominican nationality include visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 75 percent of the world, increased international business opportunities, and the ability to pass citizenship to kin for generations to come.

Contact: pr@csglobalpartners.com, www.csglobalpartners.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/citizenship-by-investment-researcher-james-mckay-forecasts-dominicas-programme-to-rank-high-in-2021-on-plan-b-podcast-301214062.html

SOURCE CS Global Partners

/R E P E A T — Claigan Environmental Webinar – Changes in US Restricted Materials Compliance/

Changes to Prop 65 warnings and five substance restricted under TSCA

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 19, 2021 /PRNewswire/ – On February 3 2020, Claigan Environmental Inc. (www.claigan.com) will present a webinar on the significant changes to both California Proposition 65 and US TSCA. Under the proposed Prop 65 changes, the generic small form warnings will be replaced by warnings that include identification of at least one chemical. Under TSCA, in January 2021, the US EPA has banned five substances in articles. In both cases, the deadlines are in 2022 – leaving companies with very little time to prepare.

California Proposition 65 (Prop 65) is the most heavily enforced restricted materials legislation in the world, with over 300 prosecutions per month. Prosecutions under Prop 65 have been avoidable by providing simple generic warnings on products or packaging. Under the proposed amendments, companies will now have to identify specific chemicals in their generic warnings. In the first half of the webinar, Claigan will go into specific detail on the changes including practical outcomes.

Unlike the EU and California, the US, at a federal level, has had very few chemical restrictions in products. Under the new final rules published by the EPA in January 2021, five substances will now be banned in articles. In the second half of the webinar, Claigan will describe the restrictions, deadlines, common uses of the chemicals, and practical approaches to compliance, considering the short deadlines involved.

The main topics to be covered in this webinar are –

Prop 65

Current warning rules
Changes to short form warning rules
Identification of chemical substances
Timelines
Practical approaches to compliance

US TSCA Final Rules

5 Substances newly restricted
Scope and deadlines
Common uses for each for the chemicals
Practical approaches to compliance

Due to the interest in these topics, two (2) webinars will be held on February 3 to accommodate a larger audience.

Webinars – Changes in US Restricted Materials Requirements
Date: 3 February 2020
Time: 10am and 2pm EST
Duration: 1 hour plus Q&A
To Register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/2816298291875716879 or on Claigan Website at www.claigan.com/webinars

Register now or send an e-mail to webinar@claigan.com. For more information on Claigan Environmental’s restricted materials services – see Claigan’s services at www.claigan.com

About Claigan Environmental (www.claigan.com)

Claigan is a leading provider of regulatory consulting and ISO 17025 accredited laboratory testing for restricted materials legislation. Claigan analyzes and tests hundreds of products a year for restricted materials compliance. Claigan is dedicated to providing practical solutions for supply chain due diligence and social responsibility. At Claigan, we believe in ‘More Results. Less Journey.’

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/claigan-environmental-webinar—changes-in-us-restricted-materials-compliance-301211071.html

SOURCE Claigan Environmental Inc.