Green Scene
EnOcean, TI expand energy harvesting tech partnership
EnOcean and Texas Instruments (TI) have expanded their partnership to provide wireless solutions for building automation. Under the agreement, the companies will jointly create solutions enabling self-powered wireless sensor networks. »
ITT connector targets geothermal app
ITT Interconnect Solutions offers a BIW Wellhead feedthru and surface power connector for electric submersible well pumps. These connectors are available in sizes and configurations to fit almost any electrical submersible pump (ESPs), downhole instrument and gauge (smart well equipment), and downhole heater applications. »
EU research project targets energy efficiency
A publicly-funded European research project is targeted at developing new products and technologies aimed at energy-efficiency improvements, while advancing Europe's competitiveness. Participants include STMicroelectronics, Numonyx, NXP and ON Semiconductor. »
EU drops RoHS proposal to ban all BFRs
Due to efforts by IPC -- Association Connecting Electronics Industries to bring scientific analysis to the RoHS Directive, the European Union announced plans to drop amendments calling for a ban of all brominated flame retardants (BFRs), including tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA), that have been found safe under European Union risk assessment. »
ST, Micropelt demo thermoharvesting power supply
STMicroelectronics and Micropelt have announced a jointly-developed autonomous wireless sensor evaluation kit that combines thermal electrical harvesting with a solid-state thin-film battery. »
Acer, Dell, HP and Sony Ericsson urge the EU to ban BFRs, PVC
Acer, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Sony Ericsson, together with ChemSec, Clean Production Action and the European Environmental Bureau, are calling on EU legislators to ban the use of all brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in electronics put on the market from the end of 2015. »
EPA unveils tougher requirements for Energy Star TVs
Starting May 1, 2010, TVs that carry the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star label are, on average, 40 percent more efficient than conventional models. »
DA5 consortium to develop high-lead solder alternatives
Bosch, Freescale Semiconductor, Infineon Technologies, NXP Semiconductors and STMicroelectronics have formed a consortium to develop alternatives for high-lead solder for attaching die to semiconductor packages during manufacturing. The new DA5 consortium is soliciting input from die attach material suppliers to jointly evaluate and develop possible alternatives. »
Electronics firms tackle sustainability issues
While it may be in part due to Earth Day this week, many electronics companies -- including AMD, IBM, Motorola and UMC -- are rushing to release their corporate sustainability reports and goals, aimed at driving down both energy consumption and carbon emissions. It also impacts their supply chain. »
Ford delivers greener vehicles
Ford Motor Company continues to make its vehicles more eco-friendly through an increased use of renewable and recyclable materials, including soy and bio-based seat cushions and seatbacks on the 2010 Ford Taurus. »
Touch user interfaces have made significant advances in the consumer electronics market particularly for mobile phones and notebook computers, opening the door for adoption in other applications including white goods, computer peripherals, medical equipment, and instrumentation. Synaptics made its debut in the home appliance market earlier this year with the launch of the Samsung Hauzen ZERO air conditioner.
Smaller distributors were the only ones to post sales gains in 2009. Interestingly, two of the five distributors that posted growth last year -- Interstate Connecting Components and Sherburn Electronics -- derive 100 percent of their sales from interconnect products. Both of them also target the military/aerospace industry. Here are the top 10 sales leaders by ICs, passives/electromechanical devices, interconnects and computer products as well as sales growth.

NXP offers a low-power IC aimed at MPPT applications using PV cells or fuel cells.
C&K Components offers a series of low-cost, miniature slide switches. The OS Series of RoHS-compliant switches feature a new high-temperature option for lead-free soldering.