Cracking the Achilles’ heel of energy performance contracting projects: the credit risk identification method for clients

ABSTRACT

A credit risk identification model is established to examine the credit status of Energy performance contracting (EPC) project clients (i.e., energy-using companies) in China based on rough set theory. The model is verified with data from 120 listed companies at different times. Study shows that lack of credit is one of the main obstacles to the implementation of EPC projects, and information asymmetry is the main reason for this lack of credit among potential clients in China. The credit risk identification method based on rough set theory can make up for the shortcomings of existing EPC projects in terms of credit risk identification, including redundant information and indicators, and unclear decision rules. Credit risk identification indicators of clients are dynamic. The research results can help energy service companies (ESCOs) determine the credit status of clients, facilitate cooperation between ESCOs and clients, and help explain the various dynamics of clients’ credit risk identification indicators over time.     

A convective wind resource model for Solar Vortex power generation

ABSTRACT

Climate change has increased the need for clean, nonpolluting energy sources to decrease dependence on fossil fuels. Alternative energy sources, mainly solar and horizontal wind, have been the primary focus for producing clean energy. New technologies are being developed, such as the Solar Vortex (SoV), which was developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and relies on a vertical wind resource to generate power. The National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) has resource models representing solar and horizontal wind resources across the 48 United States. This research developed a vertical wind resource model that is comparable in resolution to NREL’s solar and horizontal wind resource models and uses the model for estimating power output for the SoV. This model complements NREL’s existing resource models and supports the deployment of an additional clean energy generation technology. The model was applied to Mesa, Arizona to find feasible sites for a small-scale vertical wind farm.     

Integrated energy management strategy of powertrain and cooling system for PHEV

ABSTRACT

Energy management strategy (EMS) is crucial in improving the fuel economy of plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). Existing studies on EMS mostly manage powertrain and cooling system separately which cannot get the minimum total energy consumption. This paper aims to propose a novel EMS for a new type of dual-motor planetary-coupled PHEV, which considers cooling power demand and effect of temperature on fuel economy. Temperature-modified engine model, lithium-ion battery model, two motors, and cooling system models are established. Firstly, the separated EMS (S-EMS) is designed which manages powertrain and cooling system separately. Sequentially, after the analysis of thermal characteristics of the powertrain and cooling system, the thermal-based EMS (T-EMS) is then proposed to manage two systems coordinately. In T-EMS, cooling power demand and the charging/discharging energy of motors are calculated as equivalent fuel consumption and integrated into the object function. Besides, a fuzzy controller is also established to deicide the fuel-electricity equivalent factor with consideration of the effect of temperature and state of charge on powertrain efficiency. Finally, the hardware-in-loop experiment is carried out to validate the real-time effect of EMS under the New European Driving Cycle. The result shows that cooling power demand and temperature can significantly affect the fuel economy of the vehicle. T-EMS shows better performance in fuel economy than S-EMS. The equivalent fuel consumption of the cooling system of T-EMS decreases by 27% compared with that of S-EMS. The total equivalent fuel consumption over the entire trip of PHEV using T-EMS is reduced by 9.7%.     

Natural gas engine driven heat pump system – a case study of an office building

ABSTRACT

An eQUEST model was developed to conduct a simulation study of a natural gas engine-driven heat pump (GEHP) for an office building in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada. Prior to the installation of the GEHP, the heating and cooling demands of the office building were provided by rooftop units (RTUs), comprising of natural gas heater and electric air conditioner. Energy consumption for both GEHP and RTUs were monitored for operation in alternating months. These recorded energy consumptions along with weather data were used in the regression analysis. The developed eQUEST models were validated and calibrated with the regression analysis results with respect to the ASHRAE Guideline 14–2014. The eventual models were then applied to investigate the potential annual energy consumption, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and energy cost savings achieved by using the GEHP in Woodstock, and other cities in Canada, particularly in Ontario.     

Energy consumption estimation model for dual-motor electric vehicles based on multiple linear regression

ABSTRACT

The drive range of electric vehicle (EV) is one of the major limitations that impedes its universalism. A great deal of research has been devoted to drive range improvement of EV, an accurate and efficiency energy consumption estimation plays a crucial role in these researches. However, the majority of EV’s energy consumption estimation models are based on single motor EV, these models are not suitable for dual-motor EVs, which are composed of more complex transmission mechanisms and multiple operating modes. Thus, an energy consumption estimation model for dual-motor EV is proposed to estimate battery power. This article focuses on studying the operating modes and system efficiency in each operating mode. The limitation of working area of each mode ensures the vehicle dynamic performance, then PSO algorithm is adopted to optimize the torque (speed) distribution between two motors to improve the system efficiency in the coupled driving mode. Finally, the energy consumption estimation model is established by multiple linear regression (MLR). The result shows that the proposed model has a high precision in energy consumption estimation of dual-motor EV.     

Risk-based optimal operation of hybrid power system using multiobjective optimization

ABSTRACT

This paper solves an optimal generation scheduling problem of hybrid power system considering the risk factor due to uncertain/intermittent nature of renewable energy resources (RERs) and electric vehicles (EVs). The hybrid power system considered in this work includes thermal generating units, RERs such as wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) units, battery energy storage systems (BESSs) and electric vehicles (EVs). Here, the two objective functions are formulated, i.e., minimization of operating cost and system risk, to develop an optimum scheduling strategy of hybrid power system. The objective of proposed approach is to minimize operating cost and system risk levels simultaneously. The operating cost minimization objective consists of costs due to thermal generators, wind farms, solar PV units, EVs, BESSs, and adjustment cost due to uncertainties in RERs and EVs. In this work, Conditional Value at Risk (CVaR) is considered as the risk index, and it is used to quantify the risk due to intermittent nature of RERs and EVs. The main contribution of this paper lies in its ability to determine the optimal generation schedules by optimizing operating cost and risk. These two objectives are solved by using a multiobjective-based nondominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) algorithm, and it is used to develop a Pareto optimal front. A best-compromised solution is obtained by using fuzzy min-max approach. The proposed approach has been implemented on modified IEEE 30 bus and practical Indian 75 bus test systems. The obtained results show the best-compromised solution between operating cost and system risk level, and the suitability of CVaR for the management of risk associated with the uncertainties due to RERs and EVs.     

Analysis of the recycling system for aluminum cans,focusing on collection,transportation, and the intermediate processing methods

In this article, the systems for the collection and intermediate processing of used beverage cans (UBCs) are compared and analyzed, focusing on the time taken and the cost of processing, the energy consumption, and the emissions of CO₂, SO _x , and NO _x , during the process. We found that cases where the UBCs were crushed in the discharging process gave better results, and how the UBCs were collected was the most important factor. It was more desirable to treat UBCs in one place than in two places. When the transportation distance was longer, the pressed form of UBCs was more convenient. When the transportation distance was short, the original form, the crushed form, and the shredded form of UBCs were all suitable. That is, the contribution of the transportation process to the evaluation was large when the transport distance was long, and the contribution of the treatment process was large when the transport distance was short.     

利用煤矸石制备低环境负荷型水泥的研究

煤矸石是我国排放量最大的工业废渣之一,破坏生态环境,不利于可持续发展。本文分析与研究了煤矸石的综合利用现状,着重探讨了煤矸石在我国水泥工业中的应用,并从材料学、热学和环境学等交叉学科入手研究了利用煤矸石生产低环境负荷型水泥的控制理论与技术及其社会经济效益。     

Sustainable Development in Small Island Developing States

This paper explores the status of sustainable development in small island developing states (SIDS), through the presentation of a case study on the Maldives, which is a typical small island developing state in the Central Indian Ocean. At the outset, a brief history of sustainable development as related to SIDS on the international agenda is outlined, starting from Rio to Barbados to Johannesburg. SIDS are expected to face many challenges and constraints in pursuing sustainable development due to their ecological fragility and economic vulnerability. It is the position of this paper that issues related to environmental vulnerability are of the greatest concern. A healthy environment is the basis of all life-support systems, including that of human well-being and socio-economic development. Priority environmental problems are: climate change and sea-level rise, threats to biodiversity, threats to freshwater resources, degradation of coastal environments, pollution, energy and tourism. Among these, climate change and its associated impacts are expected to pose the greatest threat to the environment and therefore to sustainable development. For small islands dependent on fragile marine ecosystems, in particular on coral reefs, for their livelihoods and living space, adverse effects of climate change such as increased frequency of extreme weather events and sea-level rise will exacerbate the challenges they already face. It is concluded that the paper path from Rio to Barbados to Johannesburg has made significant progress. However, much remains to be done at the practical level, particularly by the developed countries in terms of new and additional efforts at financial and technical assistance, to make sustainable development a reality for SIDS.     

关于异常降水预报的思考

洪水灾害是我国的一种主要自然灾害,其产生的原因是异常降水。因此,研究并准确确定异常降水无疑具有重要的意义。基于对洪水发生原因以及太阳黑子变化率与降水量关系的分析结果,初步提出了从某一地区能量以及能量连续变化的观点,来分析与降水有关的能量过程。从宏观一能量的角度,来考虑与降水有关的主要过程以及这些过程之间的定量关系,是一种值得探讨的方法。