Do lower electricity storage costs reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

In the electricity sector, innovation in large-scale storage is anticipated to reduce costs and improve performance. The effect on greenhouse gas emissions of lower storage costs depends on the interactions between storage and the entire grid. The literature has disagreed on the role of storage in reducing emissions. In this paper we present a stylized model, which suggests that the effect of storage costs on emissions depends on the supply responsiveness of both fossil and renewable generators. Under common conditions in the United States, lower storage costs are more likely to reduce emissions when wind investment responds to equilibrium electricity prices and when solar investment does not. Simulations of a computational model of grid investment and operation confirm these intuitions. Moreover, because of its effect on coal and natural gas–fired supply responsiveness, introducing a carbon dioxide emissions price may increase the likelihood that lower storage costs reduce emissions.     

Reduction of water usage in industry by using the MINLP coordinates technique

Natural resources are limited, so we need to handle them carefully. Wastewater also belongs as a significant natural resource. The re-usage of wastewater is to save fresh water and for the preparation of raw materials or/and utilities. The wastewater re-usage distribution can be optimised using mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP), as a tool in combinations using the coordinates technique. The main goal of this MINLP coordinates technique was: i) wastewater and condensate, as produced during different industrial processes, could be collected for: utilities for steam-generation, and the preparations of raw materials; ii) wastewater and condensate could be collected within the main reservoir; iii) distributions from the main reservoir could be used with including different alternatives, which can reduce pollution, based on the re-usage of wastewater. Alternatives included in the optimization model represent potential solutions, which need to be evaluated on appropriate way.The MINLP coordinates technique for wastewater re-usage distribution was tested on existing formalin and methanol industrial processes, thus allowing the saving of water and generated by 280 kEUR/a profit.     

The value of flexibility in conservation financing

Land‐acquisition strategies employed by conservation organizations vary in their flexibility. Conservation‐planning theory largely fails to reflect this by presenting models that are either extremely inflexible—parcel acquisitions are irreversible and budgets are fixed—or extremely flexible—previously acquired parcels can readily be sold. This latter approach, the selling of protected areas, is infeasible or problematic in many situations. We considered the value to conservation organizations of increasing the flexibility of their land‐acquisition strategies through their approach to financing deals. Specifically, we modeled 2 acquisition‐financing methods commonly used by conservation organizations: borrowing and budget carry‐over. Using simulated data, we compared results from these models with those from an inflexible fixed‐budget model and an extremely flexible selling model in which previous acquisitions could be sold to fund new acquisitions. We then examined 3 case studies of how conservation organizations use borrowing and budget carry‐over in practice. Model comparisons showed that borrowing and budget carry‐over always returned considerably higher rewards than the fixed‐budget model. How they performed relative to the selling model depended on the relative conservation value of past acquisitions. Both the models and case studies showed that incorporating flexibility through borrowing or budget carry‐over gives conservation organizations the ability to purchase parcels of higher conservation value than when budgets are fixed without the problems associated with the selling of protected areas.     

SLFP: a stochastic linear fractional programming approach for sustainable waste management

A stochastic linear fractional programming (SLFP) approach is developed for supporting sustainable municipal solid waste management under uncertainty. The SLFP method can solve ratio optimization problems associated with random information, where chance-constrained programming is integrated into a linear fractional programming framework. It has advantages in: (1) comparing objectives of two aspects, (2) reflecting system efficiency, (3) dealing with uncertainty expressed as probability distributions, and (4) providing optimal-ratio solutions under different system-reliability conditions. The method is applied to a case study of waste flow allocation within a municipal solid waste (MSW) management system. The obtained solutions are useful for identifying sustainable MSW management schemes with maximized system efficiency under various constraint-violation risks. The results indicate that SLFP can support in-depth analysis of the interrelationships among system efficiency, system cost and system-failure risk.     

网络重要基础设施脆弱性评价模型及其应用

为了评价网络重要基础设施的脆弱性,基于网络图论,构建一个数学规划模型。利用ArcGIS将网络重要基础设施的弧段和节点赋值,将网络拓扑结构以数字形式表示;利用数学规划软件对该模型进行优化求解,得出网络重要基础设施中的脆弱性组件(弧段或节点)。结果表明这些组件的破坏会使网络脆弱性达到最大值,需要对这些组件进行优先防护。将该模型应用于京津冀高速公路交通网络系统,得到该交通网络系统的脆弱性路段。     

基于非线性规划的冬小麦生产碳足迹优化研究

农田是重要的温室气体人为排放源,在全球气候变化研究中占有重要的地位.碳足迹是评估农作物生产生命周期温室气体排放的有力工具.因此,本研究以我国典型冬小麦生长区山西省晋中市为例,采用生命周期评价的方法估算该区单位质量小麦生产的碳足迹,并在此基础上用非线性规划的方法对冬小麦生产碳足迹进行优化,旨在寻求小麦增产减排的途径.结果表明,研究区在传统的耕作方式下,生产1 t小麦的碳足迹为1357.28 kg(以CO2当量计),其中,生长阶段的温室气体排放的碳足迹和尿素生产环节所占比例较大.通过优化尿素与有机肥的施用量,可将研究区生产1 t小麦的碳足迹降低到469.99 kg,同时使单位面积产量增加9.13%.本文结果与相关研究差异较大,可能与氮肥施用量及N2O排放系数的取值有关.本研究对于了解冬小麦生产的综合碳排放情况,探索农业增产减排途径等方面具有重要意义.     

基于修正A值法估算西安市大气环境容量研究

采用以单箱模型法为基础的A值法对西安市大气容量进行估算,并将干沉降、湿沉降和化学转化三个消除过程引入模型测算中,借鉴国内外对于大气常规污染物的清除系数的科学研究成果,对研究区域的SO2、NO2、PM10及PM2.5等4项常规污染物的环境容量进行估算。结果表明,执行2012年新的环境质量标准下,西安市SO2、NO2、PM10及PM2.5大气环境容量分别为13.86×104吨/年,9.24×104吨/年、1.62×105吨/年及8.09×104吨/年。     

Optimal nonpoint source pollution control strategies for a reservoir watershed in Taiwan

The purpose of this study is to develop a model for optimal nonpoint source pollution control for the Fei-Tsui Reservoir watershed in Northern Taiwan. Several structural best management practices (BMPs) are selected to treat stormwater runoff. The complete model consists of two interacting components: an optimization model based on discrete differential dynamic programming (DDDP) and a zero-dimensional reservoir water quality model. A predefined procedure is used to locate suitable sites for construction of various selected BMPs in the watershed. In the optimization model, the objective function is to find the best combination of BMP type and placement, which minimizes the total construction and operation, maintenance, and repair (OMR) costs of the BMPs. The constraints are the water quality standards for total phosphorus (TP) and total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations in the reservoir. A zero-dimensional reservoir water quality model of the Vollenweider type is embedded in the optimization framework to simulate pollutant concentrations in Fei-Tsui Reservoir. The resulting optimal cost and benefit of water quality improvement are depicted by the model-derived trade-off curves. The modeling framework developed in the present study could be used as an efficient tool for planning a watershed-wide implementation of BMPs for mitigating stormwater pollution impact on the receiving water bodies.     

洪涝灾害后区域水环境中污染物迁移转化控制研究

洪涝灾害发生后,大量洪水会携带污水与各类垃圾,以及形成的径流冲刷,将导致水体中的污染物明显增加,严重破坏生态环境。以多环芳烃为例进行了洪涝灾害后区域水环境中污染物迁移转化控制研究,分析污染物吸附机理,分别建立吸附动力学方程与等温线模型,确定污染物在挥发去除作用中的速度,计算挥发损失程度;并结合对流作用、分子扩散、放射性衰变等方面的影响,构建迁移数学模型;以海南省三亚市为例,利用迁移模型对多环芳烃的控制方案进行筛选与优化,通过格朗日乘数法计算多环芳烃的控制率。研究结果表明,多环芳烃控制方案结合了多目标组合优化,使控制方案更符合实际情况,从而最大程度上减少洪涝灾害对水体环境的污染。     

Sperm allocation in an uncertain world

Models of optimal sperm allocation are constructed using stochastic dynamic programming techniques, yielding predictions about sperm allocation when males mate sequentially, breeding time is finite, sperm stores are limited and females vary in quality. The models suggest that uncertainty of future reproductive opportunities should favour withholding of sperm, so that males tend to allocate less (for a given level of stored sperm) earlier in the breeding season. This effect is more pronounced the greater the variance in female quality. We also show that while allocation will be influenced by mate value, it is not necessarily optimal to allocate preferentially to high-quality females, since the benefits of a higher-quality mate may be offset by increased risk of rejection of sperm or higher sperm competition. The relationship between mate quality and level of allocation will depend strongly on the amount of remaining stored sperm, with males whose supplies are depleted being more likely to favour lower-quality partners. Received: 12 September 1997 / Accepted after revision: 28 June 1998