Solar-powered Cars

One of the ways we can reduce the amount of pollution from traffic seems to power our vehicles using I renewable resources. To demonstrate I this, the World Solar Challenge Car | Race from Darwin to Adelaide annually involves dozens of cars that are powered only by the energy of the Sun. The cars are reported to use photovoltaic (PV) cells to convert sunlight into electricity. A single PV cell is known to produce only a small amount of electrical power (approximately 0.5 volts). To increase the power, lots of PV cells are connected together to make a 'solar panel'. Panels can be linked to form a large solar array that is certain to produce enough electricity to power a car.

When the World Solar Challenge teams design their electrical systems they have to take into account variations in the intensity of sunlight. The Sun's energy is supposed to power the car's motor and also charge a battery for use at night or at times when the Sun U hidden by a cloud. If в car is designed to put all its energy toward driving and keeps nothing in reserve, it is sure to atop completely in cloudy weather. If too much energy is diverted to the battery, the engine is found to run too slowly.

Engineers still have many questions and problems to tackle before solar power becomes an efficient and economical way to fuel vehicles. Today's solar-powered cars яге rather expensive but qs the pressure on fossil fuel resources is certain to increase scientists will continue to search for alternative energy sources, including harnessing the Sun's energy to drive vehicles. The most fascinating part of using solar power as an energy source is that it is considered to be pollution-free and inexhaustible. If research continues, stopping for petrol is likely to become a thing of the past.

Flexible Logistics Systems

Several organisations are expanding beyond their national borders as a strategy to improve competitiveness and their ability to offer diverse products to an expanded market. Many companies have become very proficient at supplying products throughout the world. The task requires not only the ability to recognize opportunities, but also an information system to co­ordinate the supply of goods and materials to places where they are needed throughout the world.

Logistics is supply, distribution and replacement of materials, goods and personnel. It is a problem for all organisations, both public and private. For instance, there were tremendous logistics challenges of moving the US military - army, navy, and air force - to carry out the military operations called "Desert Storm", problems which were even more complex when other nations belonging to the United Nations assisted with the operations. Large logistical problems are faced by relief agencies which are trying to give public assistance to people during emergencies.

In a small warehouse, improvements can be obtained from better information systems, productivity improvements, inventory (инвентаризация) savings, reductions in returns (возврат, оборот, прибыль), space saving (10-30 per cent), and extra customer service profit. That is, for a warehouse of 80.000 sq. ft. 50 staff, and $100 million sales per annum, and inventory of $40 million, it is possible to save over $2 million per annum from improved methods. The costs of such improvements can be retrieved after just three months.

The logistics aspects of the distribution chain (цепочка) in any organisation relate to the use of information to manage more effectively the functions of transportation, storage, warehousing, and freight forwarding (пересылка груза). The information system has to co-ordinate a distribution network which consists of transportation services between suppliers to factories, factories to storage facilities, ports and warehouses, storage services in the warehouses, transportation services between the warehouses and buyers and linkages between countries. As a result of implementing an efficient information system and computer network, McDonald's restaurants are able to receive food products from various suppliers, repackage them to meet McDonald's specifications, and then deliver them to their restaurants throughout the world, and still maintain consistent (соответствующие) standards.

Some companies perform logistics services themselves, but many are contracting these services to specialists who have information systems to offer a package of services - from simple storage and ware­housing to a total package or complete service which might include consolidation (объединение) of cargo, transportation, storage and inventory management. Companies within the logistics sector distin­guish themselves by the totality of the services they offer. Generally, smaller firms may have less sophisticated information systems and may only provide services such as warehousing and transportation. Large firms have the resources and economies of larger scale to develop more sophisticated information and computer systems. However, developing a sophisticated and centralized information and mechanized warehouse may not necessary lead to a success.

Certain larger companies choose to rely on more flexible systems, which allow for learning and adaptation.