Latest news with #VDE
Business Wire
24-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Global Risk Consultants Corp. and VDE Americas Announce Strategic Partnership to Enhance Catastrophic Hail Risk Assessment for Solar Power Projects
WOODBRIDGE, NJ & SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Global Risk Consultants Corp. (GRC), the world's leading provider of unbundled property risk engineering services, and VDE Americas, a recognized authority in solar hail risk analytics, today announced a strategic partnership to integrate VDE's hail probable maximum loss (PML) analytics into GRC's comprehensive Natural Hazards risk assessment reports for the solar power industry. By incorporating VDE Americas' specialized hail risk assessment capabilities into our Natural Hazards risk engineering services, we're providing our solar power clients with even more complete and actionable risk mitigation insights in hail-prone regions. Share 'This strategic partnership delivers a powerful solution and a broader service outreach to our clients having solar power among their assets, to help navigate increasingly severe convective storm weather events,' said Greg Bates, President and CEO of GRC. 'By incorporating VDE Americas' specialized hail risk assessment capabilities into our Natural Hazards risk engineering services, we're providing our solar power clients with even more complete and actionable risk mitigation insights in hail-prone regions.' The enhanced Natural Hazards risk assessment reports will combine GRC's 67 years of global, independent property risk consulting experience with VDE's proprietary hail risk modeling expertise. VDE's methodology integrates radar and ground-based meteorological data with the hail resilience characteristics of specific project equipment to deliver highly detailed, site-specific financial loss estimates. 'Our hail risk technology was purpose-built to address the catastrophic losses we've witnessed in the solar industry,' said Brian Grenko, President and CEO of VDE Americas. 'Partnering with GRC allows us to expand our impact and help more organizations quantify and mitigate hail risk—which now represents over 50% of total insured losses in the solar sector, despite accounting for less than 2% of claims by volume.' This partnership strengthens a shared commitment to data-driven risk management and risk transfer best practices. The integrated Natural Hazards PML risk reports support better-informed design, procurement, and operational decisions—helping project stakeholders improve resiliency through equipment selection and best practices like 'hail stow' tracker positioning. These risk reduction strategies may also lead to more favorable insurance terms, including potentially greater capacity being offered, and premium reductions. The announcement comes amid an active 2025 hail season, with elevated risk predictions expected through September. About Global Risk Consultants Corp. Global Risk Consultants Corp. (GRC) is the world's leading unbundled property risk engineering solutions provider, servicing Fortune 1,000-sized clients with a 97%+ client retention rate. GRC offers a full portfolio of site-specific property risk identification, assessment and mitigation services including Fire Protection Engineering, Boiler & Machinery Engineering, Natural Hazards Engineering, Infrared Thermography, Property Valuation, and more. For more information, visit: Global Risk Consultants Corp. | TÜV SÜD and LinkedIn page: Global Risk Consultants Corp.: Posts | LinkedIn About VDE Americas VDE Americas provides technical advisory and risk mitigation services to equipment manufacturers and those who develop, finance, construct, own, operate, and insure large-scale solar power generation and energy storage facilities. The company's products and services have facilitated the financing of over $15 billion in operating renewable energy assets. VDE Americas is the world's leading expert in solar project hail risk intelligence and loss prevention. About VDE VDE, one of the largest technology organizations in Europe, has been regarded as a synonym for innovation and technological progress for more than 130 years. VDE is the only organization in the world that combines science, standardization, testing, certification, and application consulting under one umbrella. The VDE mark has been synonymous with the highest safety standards and consumer protection for more than 100 years.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Should You Invest in the Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE)?
Launched on 09/23/2004, the Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE) is a passively managed exchange traded fund designed to provide a broad exposure to the Energy - Broad segment of the equity market. An increasingly popular option among retail and institutional investors, passively managed ETFs offer low costs, transparency, flexibility, and tax efficiency; they are also excellent vehicles for long term investors. Sector ETFs also provide investors access to a broad group of companies in particular sectors that offer low risk and diversified exposure. Energy - Broad is one of the 16 broad Zacks sectors within the Zacks Industry classification. It is currently ranked 16, placing it in bottom 0%. The fund is sponsored by Vanguard. It has amassed assets over $6.78 billion, making it one of the largest ETFs attempting to match the performance of the Energy - Broad segment of the equity market. VDE seeks to match the performance of the MSCI US Investable Market Energy 25/50 Index before fees and expenses. The MSCI US Investable Market Index (IMI)/Energy 25/50 is made up of stocks of large, mid-size, and small U.S. companies within the energy sector. Investors should also pay attention to an ETF's expense ratio. Lower cost products will produce better results than those with a higher cost, assuming all other metrics remain the same. Annual operating expenses for this ETF are 0.09%, making it one of the least expensive products in the space. It has a 12-month trailing dividend yield of 3.34%. It is important to delve into an ETF's holdings before investing despite the many upsides to these kinds of funds like diversified exposure, which minimizes single stock risk. And, most ETFs are very transparent products that disclose their holdings on a daily basis. This ETF has heaviest allocation in the Energy sector--about 99.90% of the portfolio. Looking at individual holdings, Exxon Mobil Corp (XOM) accounts for about 24.48% of total assets, followed by Chevron Corp (CVX) and Conocophillips (COP). The top 10 holdings account for about 48.47% of total assets under management. So far this year, VDE has lost about -2.66%, and is down about -4.14% in the last one year (as of 06/09/2025). During this past 52-week period, the fund has traded between $105.87 and $136.78. The ETF has a beta of 0.76 and standard deviation of 26.25% for the trailing three-year period, making it a high risk choice in the space. With about 114 holdings, it effectively diversifies company-specific risk. Vanguard Energy ETF holds a Zacks ETF Rank of 1 (Strong Buy), which is based on expected asset class return, expense ratio, and momentum, among other factors. Because of this, VDE is an excellent option for investors seeking exposure to the Energy ETFs segment of the market. There are other additional ETFs in the space that investors could consider as well. IShares Global Energy ETF (IXC) tracks S&P Global 1200 Energy Sector Index and the Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE) tracks Energy Select Sector Index. IShares Global Energy ETF has $1.69 billion in assets, Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF has $26.69 billion. IXC has an expense ratio of 0.41% and XLE charges 0.08%. To learn more about this product and other ETFs, screen for products that match your investment objectives and read articles on latest developments in the ETF investing universe, please visit Zacks ETF Center. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Vanguard Energy ETF (VDE): ETF Research Reports Chevron Corporation (CVX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) : Free Stock Analysis Report ConocoPhillips (COP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLE): ETF Research Reports iShares Global Energy ETF (IXC): ETF Research Reports This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
NZ Autocar
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- NZ Autocar
BMW says driving pleasure will survive the autonomous revolution
BMW has made it clear the 'joy of driving' will remain a core value in its vehicles, even if they self-drive some of the time. Speaking at the Shanghai motor show, BMW's head of product, Bernd Körber, emphasised that future models will embrace advanced driver assistance. But they will continue to deliver engaging experiences behind the wheel. The Bavarian brand showcased its Vision Driving Experience (VDE) prototype. It is a quad-motor super-saloon based on the Vision Neue Klasse concept. While it is not going into production, plenty of its tech will turn up in the electric M3. BMW calls it 'the fastest test bench in the world', boasting 18,000 of torque, 1200kg of downforce and lateral forces of up to 3g. Evidently 98 per cent of braking operations can be achieved using recuperation. The VDE surprised onlookers in Shanghai with a run up a 55-degree ramp. Körber said that even as automation becomes mainstream, BMW will remain loyal to its brand DNA. 'While everyone is looking towards automation, why do we focus on driving? Because for BMW, it's core to who we are,' he explained. Körber argued that as cars take over more commuting duties, people will choose to drive for pleasure. Driving engagement, he said, will be even more important. 'In boring situations like city traffic and commuting, people will want the car to drive itself. But when they decide to drive for fun, they'll want a car that delivers,' he added. Körber drew parallels to China's growing trend of leisure motorcycling. There riding is seen increasingly as recreation rather than pure transport. The 'Heart of Joy' system, BMW's new power and dynamics management unit showcased in the VDE, is central to this strategy. It promises sharper, more responsive handling across BMW's upcoming electric range. BMW's design chief, Adrian van Hooydonk, reinforced this vision, stating that even highly autonomous models will leave control firmly in the customer's hands. 'We want our customers to decide when they drive or when the car drives for them,' he said. 'Our new Heart of Joy system will take handling to the next level.' The first production model featuring this new tech will be the next-generation BMW iX3, due for official unveiling at the Munich motor show in September. In an industry increasingly obsessed with turning cars into rolling lounges, BMW's Shanghai presentation served as a reminder that for some brands, emotional connection still matters. Körber summed it up: 'The worst thing we could do is follow every trend and lose our identity. That would not be BMW anymore.' BMW's stance is different and its future products still take aim at driving enthusiasts. While the industry rushes headlong towards autonomous driving, not all companies are embracing it fully.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Balcony solar took off in Germany. Why not the US?
Raymond Ward wants to see solar panels draped over every balcony in the United States and doesn't understand why that isn't happening. The technology couldn't be easier to use — simply hang one or two panels over a railing and plug them into an outlet. The devices provide up to 800 watts, enough to charge a laptop or power a small fridge. They're popular in Germany, where everyone from renters to climate activists to gadget enthusiasts hail them as a cheap and easy way to generate electricity. Germans had registered more than 780,000 of the devices with the country's utility regulator as of December. They've installed millions more without telling the government. Here in the U.S., though, there is no market for balcony solar. Ward, a Republican state representative in Utah who learned about the tech last year, wants that to change. The way he sees it, this is an obvious solution to surging power demand. 'You look over there and say, 'Well, that's working,'' he told Grist. 'So what is it that stops us from having it here?' His colleagues agree. Last month, the Legislature unanimously passed a bill he sponsored to boost the tech, and Republican Governor Spencer Cox signed it. H.B. 340 exempts portable solar devices from state regulations that require owners of rooftop solar arrays and other power-generating systems to sign an interconnection agreement with their local utility. These deals, and other 'soft costs' like permits, can nearly double the price of going solar. Utah's law marks the nation's first significant step to remove barriers to balcony solar — but bigger obstacles remain. Regulations and standards governing electrical devices haven't kept pace with development of the technology, and it lacks essential approvals required for adoption — including compliance with the National Electrical Code and a product safety standard from Underwriters Laboratories. Nothing about the bill Ward wrote changes that: Utahans still can't install balcony solar because none of the systems have been nationally certified. These challenges will take time and effort to overcome, but they're not insurmountable, advocates of the technology said. Even now, a team of entrepreneurs and research scientists, backed by federal funding, are creating these standards. Their work mirrors what happened in Germany nearly a decade ago, when clean energy advocates and companies began lobbying the country's electrical certification body to amend safety regulations to legalize balcony solar. In 2017, Verband der Elektrotechnik, or VDE, a German certification body that issues product and safety standards for electrical products, released the first guideline that allowed for balcony solar systems. While such systems existed before VDE took this step, the benchmark it established allowed manufacturers to sell them widely, creating a booming industry. 'Relentless individuals' were key to making that happen, said Christian Ofenheusle, the founder of EmpowerSource, a Berlin-based company that promotes balcony solar. Members of a German solar industry association spent years advocating for the technology and worked with VDE to carve a path toward standardizing balcony solar systems. The initial standard was followed by revised versions in 2018 and 2019 that further outlined technical requirements. The regulatory structure has continued to evolve. Ofenheusle has worked with other advocates to amend grid safety standards, create simple online registration for plug-in devices, and enshrine renters' right to balcony solar. Politicians supported such efforts because they see the tech easing the nation's reliance on Russian natural gas. Cities like Berlin and Munich have provided millions of euros in subsidies to help households buy these systems, and the country is creating a safety standard for batteries that can store the energy for later use. Meanwhile, the United States has yet to take the first step of creating a safety standard for the technology. U.S. electrical guidelines don't account for the possibility of plugging a power-generating device into a household outlet. The nation also operates on a different system that precludes simply copying and pasting Germany's rules. The U.S. grid, for example, operates at 120 volts, while that country's grid operates at 230 volts. Without proper standards, a balcony solar system could pose several hazards. One concern is a phenomenon called breaker masking. Within a home, a single circuit can provide power to several outlets. Each circuit is equipped with a circuit breaker, a safety device within the electrical panel that shuts off power if that circuit is overloaded, which happens when too many appliances try to draw too much electricity at the same time. That prevents overheating or a fire. When a balcony solar device sends power into a circuit while other appliances are drawing power from the circuit, the breaker can't detect that added power supply. If the circuit becomes overloaded — imagine turning on your TV while a space heater is running and you're charging your laptop, all in the same room — the circuit breaker might fail to activate. This was a concern in Germany, so it developed standards that limit balcony solar units to just 800 watts, about half the amount used by a hairdryer. That threshold is considered low enough that even in the country's oldest homes, the wiring can withstand the heating that occurs in even the worst of worst-case scenarios, said Sebastian Müller, chair of the German Balcony Solar Association, a consumer education and advocacy group. As a result, Ofenheusle said there haven't been any cases of breaker masking causing harm. In fact, with millions of the devices installed nationwide, Germany has yet to see any safety issues beyond a few cases where someone tampered with the devices to add a car battery or other unsuitable hardware, he said. Another issue in the U.S. is the lack of a compatible safety device called a ground fault circuit interrupter, or a GFCI. They are typically built into outlets installed near water sources, like a sink, washing machine, or bathtub. They're designed to minimize the risk of electric shock by cutting off power when, for example, a hairdryer falls into a sink. Yet there are no certified GFCI outlets in the U.S. designed for use with devices that consume power, like a blender, and those that generate it, like a balcony solar setup. Germany's equivalent of a GFCI, called a residual current device, can detect bidirectional power flows, said Andreas Schmitz, a mechanical engineer and YouTuber in Germany who makes videos about balcony solar. Some people have raised concerns about the shock risk of touching the metal prongs of a plug after unplugging a balcony solar device. German regulators accounted for that by requiring the microinverter — which converts currents from the panel into electricity fed into the home — shut down immediately in an outage or when it is suddenly unplugged. Most of them already have this feature, but any U.S. standard will likely need to formalize that requirement. The lack of an Underwriters Laboratories, or UL, standard is perhaps the biggest obstacle to the adoption of balcony solar. The company certifies the safety of thousands of household electrical products; according to Iowa State University, 'every light bulb, lamp, or outlet purchased in the U.S. usually has a UL symbol and says UL Listed.' This assures customers that the product follows nationally recognized guidelines and can be used without the risk of a fire or shock. While some companies have sold plug-in solar devices in the U.S. without a UL listing, the company's seal of approval typically is a prerequisite for selling products on the wider market. Consumers might be wary of using something that lacks its approval. Utah's new balcony solar policy, for example, specifies that the law applies only to UL-listed products. Read Next How Germany outfitted half a million balconies with solar panels Akielly Hu Achim Ginsberg-Klemmt, vice president of engineering at the plug-in solar startup GismoPower, has been working on creating such a standard for more than a year and a half. In 2023, the Department of Energy awarded his company a grant to work with UL to develop a standard. GismoPower sells a mobile carport with a roof of solar panels and an integrated electric vehicle charger. Unlike rooftop solar, the system doesn't need to be mounted in place but can be rolled onto a driveway and plugged in, generating electricity for the car, house, and the grid. 'We're basically taking rooftop solar to the next level' by making it portable and accessible for renters, Ginsberg-Klemmt said. The product is in use at pilot sites nationwide, though a lack of standardized rules for plug-in solar has forced the company to negotiate interconnection agreements with local utilities — a time-consuming and sometimes costly process. GismoPower's product avoids one of the biggest technical challenges with balcony solar by plugging into a dedicated 240-volt outlet, the kind typically used for dryers. Such an outlet serves a single appliance and uses a dedicated circuit, sidestepping the risk of overloading. But it runs headlong into the same obstacle of lacking a compatible UL standard. Ginsberg-Klemmt is working with researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, other entrepreneurs, and engineers at Underwriters Laboratories to develop such a standard, but it hasn't been easy. 'We have found so many roadblocks,' he told Grist. One major sticking point is that any standard must comply with the National Electrical Code, a set of guidelines for electrical wiring in buildings that does not allow for the installation of plug-in energy systems like balcony solar. The rules are issued by the National Fire Protection Association, a nonprofit trade association, and adopted on a state-by-state basis. The code is updated every three years, with the next iteration due later this year for the 2026 edition. Ginsberg-Klemmt and his working group submitted recommendations for amending the code to allow plug-in solar — and every one of them was rejected in October. Jeff Sargent, the National Fire Protection Association's staff liaison to the National Electrical Code committee, told Grist that this is the first time the organization had received public comments about plug-in solar systems. For now, it cannot consider amendments to allow their use until a compatible ground fault circuit interrupter exists, he said. Once that's available, he said, the association can ensure that outdoor outlets can be safely used for balcony solar. Electrical standards are constantly evolving, and it often takes more than one cycle of code changes to allow for new products, said Sargent. Ginsberg-Klemmt said his group will continue to pursue other avenues to amend the codes. Until that happens, a UL standard for plug-in solar is unlikely to go anywhere. But interest in plug-in energy solutions isn't going away, and decision-makers will have to adjust to that reality eventually, Ward said. It happened in Germany, where people across the political spectrum have embraced the technology. Ward believes the same thing will happen here. The way he sees it, 'It's just a good thing if you set up a system so people have a way to take care of as much of their own problems as they can.' This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Balcony solar took off in Germany. Why not the US? on Apr 25, 2025.
