Influencing climate change regulations: examining responses from large-scale firms

Recent climate change projections and a push towards a universal agreement on carbon emission reductions suggest that firms will need to respond to future regulatory changes. This paper employs an influencing strategies lens to examine how large-scale firms might respond to future climate change regulations. The study uses a structured qualitative methodology to explore and explicate the strategic responses from 21 international firms to the proposed emissions trading scheme outlined in Australia's Garnaut Climate Change Review. The results of the analysis show that firms can use pre-emptive influencing strategies in attempts to shape and mould regulatory design parameters, secure high levels of transitional economic support, and shift the balance of public policies and expenditure. Complementary defensive strategies may also target policy makers and regulators with some of the potential negative consequences of the new regulations.     

Performance,combustion and emission characteristics of a single-cylinder,four-stroke,direct injection diesel engine operated on a dual-fuel mode using Honge oil methyl ester and producer gas derived from biomass feedstock of different origin

Renewable and alternative fuels have numerous advantages compared with fossil fuels, as they are renewable and biodegradable, and provide food and energy security and foreign exchange savings besides addressing environmental concerns and socio-economic issues. In this context, present work was carried out to investigate the feasibility of alternative and renewable fuels derived from biomass feedstock of different origin for engine applications. The present study was also extended to study the effect of producer gas composition derived from different biomass feedstock on the performance, combustion and emission characteristics of a single-cylinder, four-stroke, direct injection stationary diesel engine operated on a dual-fuel mode using Honge oil methyl ester (HOME) and producer gas induction. The performance of the engine was evaluated with a constant injection timing of 27° before top dead centre, an injection pressure of 205 bar for the diesel–producer gas combination and 230 bar for the HOME–producer gas combination and a compression ratio of 17.5. The results showed that the performance of the dual-fuel engine varies with the composition of the producer gas and depends on the type of biomass feedstock used in the gasifier. Experimental investigations on the dual-fuel engine showed that brake thermal efficiency values for the engine operated using HOME–producer gas derived from babul, neem and honge woods were found to be 17.2, 14.3 and 11.56% respectively, compared to 23.8% for diesel–producer gas operation at 80% load. However, the results showed better engine performance with lower exhaust emission levels for the operation of HOME–producer gas derived from the ordinary or babul wood compared with the operation of that derived from the neem and Honge woods. In view of this, present study reveals that use of alternative and renewable fuels for dual fuel engine can be considered as an immediate solution for the development of rural areas and emergency use in the event of severe diesel fuel shortage.     

An experimental apparatus for testing biodiesels based on a CFR engine—setup and validation with different methyl ester blends

A cooperative fuel research (CFR) engine was modified and instrumented in order to control operating conditions and to measure engine parameters and in-cylinder pressure diagrams. Aiming at the comparison of different alternative fuels, an experimental procedure was defined, including cetane number (CN) evaluation and the definition of engine operating quantities in different working points, for fixed levels of compression ratio (CR) and injection advance. An investigation was made considering several blends of methyl-esters of rapeseed oil (RME) and of a mix of vegetable oils (VOME) with conventional diesel oil. The defined experimental procedure was applied to assess CN, engine brake thermal efficiency (bte) and exhaust emissions. Results show that the biodiesel content has a positive influence on soot emissions, with strong reduction, while thermal efficiency and NO_X emissions are negatively affected, which can be justified taking into account fuel properties and changes in combustion process. As observed outcomes are generally in line with those presented in literature, the facility proved to be a suitable tool for basic investigations on alternative fuels to be used in specific applications.     

Environmental pollution,hydropower and nuclear energy generation before and after catastrophe: Bathtub-Weibull curve and MS-VECM methods

In this paper, the life span of hydro and nuclear energy generations and the relationship between hydro and nuclear energy generations, environmental pollution, and economic growth were investigated for Japan covering the period of 1960–2018 by employing the Bathtub-Weibull curve and Markov switching-vector error correcting (MSVEC) method, respectively. According to the Bathtub-Weibull curve analysis, a rising failure rate for nuclear energy was found, indicating that the life of nuclear energy has expired, but a decreasing failure rate for hydroelectric energy has been detected. Then two different MSVEC models were used. The MSVEC method, unlike traditional approaches, determines the relationship between variables under different regimes. The results of MSVEC methods indicate three important points. First, regime-dependent asymmetry and regime changes are crucial for policy recommendations. Second, the shocks to hydropower and nuclear energy generations cause temporary deviations from the long-run growth path in both regimes. Lastly, the increase in hydropower generation leads to a decrease in environmental pollution and an increase in GDP, and an increase in nuclear power generation increases pollution and growth in both regimes.     

Comparative study on effect of blending,thermal barrier coating (LHR) and injector nozzle geometry on biodiesel-fuelled engines

Increased petroleum prices, increased threat to the environment from exhaust emissions and global warming have generated intense international interest in developing renewable and alternative non-petroleum fuels for internal combustion engines. Evolving suitable technology for addressing energy crisis creates a continued investigation into the search for sustainable and clean-burning renewable fuels. This work investigates suitability of different non-edible-derived biodiesels such as cotton seed oil methyl ester (COME), Honne oil methyl ester (HnOME) and Rubber seed oil methyl ester (RuOME) to four stroke, single cylinder compression ignition (CI) engine. Engine tests were conducted to study the effect of fuel blending, thermal barrier coating (TBC) or Low Heat Rejection (LHR) and injector nozzle geometry on the performance, combustion and emission characteristics of COME, HnOME and RuOME in the modified CI engine. Blends of biodiesels with diesel were varied from 20 to 80% in steps of 20%. Two thermal barrier coatings of partially stabilized zirconium (PSZ) and aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) were provided on the engine to make it fully adiabatic. Nozzle injectors of 3, 4 and 5 holes, with size of orifice varied from 0.2 to 0.3 mm size were selected for the study. It was concluded that B20 biodiesel blend, PSZ-coated engine and four hole nozzle injector of 0.2 mm size resulted in overall better engine performance with increased brake thermal efficiency (BTE) and reduced HC, CO, smoke emissions for the fuel combinations tested. Combustion analysis to study the effect of biodiesel blends, LHR coatings, injector nozzle geometry on the performance of the biodiesel-fuelled engine has been presented to give more insight into the behaviour of operation.     

大气污染排放窗口机制研究

以2种典型的污染排放源(点污染源和线污染源)为基础,提出排污窗口的概念,通过参数转换分解源强对污染扩散进行研究。首先在高斯污染扩散模型的基础上,对非持续性污染源强建模,然后以某烟囱的周期性排污分析,检验排污窗口设置的合理性。对于单双号限行的窗口性质的污染排放研究中,首先对交通流建立线污染扩散模型,然后融合元胞自动机(9元胞互影响)模拟区域多角度污染的扩散平衡,最后对"单双号限行"下北京市不同区域空气质量指标进行分析与仿真。分析结果表明,合理的排污窗口能够减轻污染程度及对人们日常生活的影响。     

Fuel efficiency improvement of a dual-fuel engine fuelled with Honge oil methyl ester (HOME)–bioethanol and producer gas

Renewable and alternative fuels have numerous advantages compared with fossil fuels as they are renewable and biodegradable and provide food and energy security and foreign exchange savings besides addressing environmental concerns and socio-economic issues (Yaliwal et al. 2013. International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, doi:10.1080/19397038.2013.801530. Zhu et al. 2011a, Applied Thermal Engineering 31 (14–15): 2271–2278; Zhu et al. 2011b, Fuel 90: 1743-1750; Banapurmath, Tewari, and Hosmath 2008, Renewable Energy 33: 2007-2018; Banapurmath 2009, “Performance, Combustion and Emission Characteristics of a Single Cylinder Direct Injection CI Engine Operated on Dual Fuel Mode Using Honge Oil and Producer Gas.” PhD thesis, 1–195; Banapurmath et al. 2011, Waste and Biomass Valorization 2: 1–11). In this context, the main objective of the present work is to study methods of biofuel production such as Honge oil methyl ester (HOME) using a conventional transesterification process and bioethanol from the Calliandra calothyrsus shrub using a new pretreatment method known as hydrothermal explosion. Further, experimental investigations were carried out on a single-cylinder, four-stroke, direct-injection stationary diesel engine operating in a dual-fuel mode using HOME, bioethanol and producer gas combinations to determine its performance, combustion and emission characteristics. The performance of the dual-fuel engine was analyzed at optimized engine conditions. HOME-Bioethanol (BE) blends such as HOME+ 5% bioethanol (BE5), HOME+ 10% bioethanol (BE10) and HOME+ 15% bioethanol (BE15) were prepared by adding bioethanol to HOME (on volume basis) in different proportions ranging from 5 to 15% with an increment of 5%. In this present work, the effect of different BE blends on the performance of producer gas fuelled dual fuel engine was studied. Experimental investigation on dual fuel engine using BE5-Producer gas operation resulted in up to 4–9% increased brake thermal efficiency with decreased hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO) and marginally increased nitric oxide (NOx) emission levels compared to HOME-Producer gas, BE10-producer gas and BE15-producer gas mode of operation. However, it was observed that, the overall performance of BE-producer gas operation was found to be lower compared to diesel-producer gas operation.     

全球低碳发展评估及中国低碳发展的实现路径

低碳发展日益成为国际关注的热点问题,中国正处在快速工业化和城镇化进程当中,通过低碳发展实现经济社会转型尤为迫切。在全球大背景下正确判断中国的低碳发展水平,汲取各国有益的低碳发展经验,寻求适合中国的低碳发展路径尤为重要。从低碳发展特征指标变动出发,通过统计分析,得出全球低碳发展历史和现状水平,以及中国所处的位置。研究表明,近20年来全球碳生产力水平不断提高,近年来中国的碳生产力水平飞速提升,但是中国的碳生产力仍然远远低于全球平均水平,离先进国家的差距更大,不足法国的1/10,人均二氧化碳排放增速位居世界前列,减排压力巨大。因此,结合国内外实践经验,总结了中国低碳发展的5个实现路径,分别是调整能源结构、发展低碳产业、倡导低碳消费、建设低碳城市和加强碳汇建设。     

基于小流域尺度的目标抗生素排放量估算方法——以梅江流域为例

抗生素的大量使用和排放造成的环境污染和生态风险问题日益突出,抗生素排放量的估算是评价流域内抗生素污染程度的重要指标,但目前抗生素排放量估算方法尚不完善。本研究以梅江流域为例,建立了适合小流域尺度的典型抗生素排放量估算方法,计算了四环素类抗生素(TCs)向不同环境相的排放量并分析了其主要来源。结果表明:2016年梅江流域TCs排放量为8 558.1 kg,不同行政区抗生素排放量差异较大,其中梅江镇受人口密度及养殖密度影响,抗生素排放量最大,高达1 224.4 kg;同时流域内不同抗生素的排放量也有所不同,其大小顺序为强力霉素(DXC)土霉素(OTC)四环素(TC)金霉素(CTC);TCs受排放源、排放途径等因素影响,以进入环境水相及土壤相为主,其中进入水相中的抗生素主要来自人类及生猪粪便,进入土壤相中的抗生素主要来自生猪及三黄鸡粪便。梅江小流域抗生素具有潜在的生态风险,应加强抗生素使用管理。该研究为我国小尺度流域目标抗生素排放量的估算提供了十分有效的方法。     

机动车尾气对人体健康的危害

随着城市机动车保有量的不断增加,机动车尾气已经成为影响我国城市大气环境的主要问题之一。本文以儿童和交通警察两类人群为例,分析了机动车尾气污染给人体呼吸系统、免疫系统、心脑血管系统等造成的危害。结果表明,由于儿童的呼吸带与机动车尾气排放带非常接近,交警在机动车尾气环境中暴露事件太长,导致这两类人群的呼吸系统极易遭到破坏,发生支气管炎等疾病的概率大大增加;而免疫球蛋白水平和血压发生改变导致了抵抗能力的下降。最后建议通过采取发展公共交通、加强城市交通管理、完善检查维修制度等有效措施加强机动车尾气治理,减少对人体健康产生的危害。