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.     

Toward sustainable use of natural resources: Nexus between resource rents,affluence, energy intensity and carbon emissions in developing and transition economies

Sustainable use of natural resources would entail ensuring that derived economic benefits today do not undermine the welfare of generations to come. On this basis, this study examines the nexus between natural resource rents and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions disaggregated into production and consumption-based (i.e., trade-adjusted) CO₂ emissions for a selected panel of 45 developing and transition economies over the period 1995–2017. The empirical model also incorporates the impacts of population, affluence, and energy intensity. The results show that affluence increases production-based CO₂ emissions by 1.407%, with the EKC's predicted inverted U-shaped curve only explaining consumption-based CO₂ emissions. Economic reliance on natural resource rents and energy intensification contribute 0.022% and 0.766%, respectively, to CO₂ emissions embedded in territorial production inventories and 0.035% and 0.583%, respectively, to CO₂ emissions embedded in consumption inventories. The bootstrap non-causality test shows that historical data on each variable has significant predictive power for future CO₂ emissions from both sources. The historical information about natural resource rents has significant predictive power over the future levels of affluence and energy intensity. Clearly, the results show that the environmental impact of natural resource rents is stronger when CO₂ emissions are adjusted for trade and varies among the countries, with Bangladesh, Guinea, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe among the most affected countries. Overall, this study provides motivation for policies to keep the use of natural resources within sustainable limits.     

The accounting method and application of CO2 emissions responsibility by the electricity sector at the provincial level in China

When accounting the CO₂ emissions responsibility of the electricity sector at the provincial level in China,it is of great significance to consider the scope of both producers’ and the consumers’ responsibility,since this will promote fairness in defining emission responsibility and enhance cooperation in emission reduction among provinces.This paper proposes a new method for calculating carbon emissions from the power sector at the provincial level based on the shared responsibility principle and taking into account interregional power exchange.This method can not only be used to account the emission responsibility shared by both the electricity production side and the consumption side,but it is also applicable for calculating the corresponding emission responsibility undertaken by those provinces with net electricity outflow and inflow.This method has been used to account for the carbon emissions responsibilities of the power sector at the provincial level in China since 2011.The empirical results indicate that compared with the production-based accounting method,the carbon emissions of major power-generation provinces in China calculated by the shared responsibility accounting method are reduced by at least 10%,but those of other power-consumption provinces are increased by 20% or more.Secondly,based on the principle of shared responsibility accounting,Inner Mongolia has the highest carbon emissions from the power sector while Hainan has the lowest.Thirdly,four provinces,including Inner Mongolia,Shanxi,Hubei and Anhui,have the highest carbon emissions from net electricity outflow- 14 million t in 2011,accounting for 74.42% of total carbon emissions from net electricity outflow in China.Six provinces,including Hebei,Beijing,Guangdong,Liaoning,Shandong,and Jiangsu,have the highest carbon emissions from net electricity inflow- 11 million t in 2011,accounting for 71.44% of total carbon emissions from net electricity inflow in China.Lastly,this paper has estimated the emission factors of electricity consumption at the provincial level,which can avoid repeated calculations when accounting the emission responsibility of power consumption terminals（e.g.construction,automobile manufacturing and other industries）.In addition,these emission factors can also be used to account the emission responsibilities of provincial power grids.     

Effects of EGR on performance and emissions of a diesel engine fuelled with balanites aegyptiaca/diesel blends

In this study, balanites Aegyptiaca (L.) Del biodiesel was blended in proportions of 10% and 20% on the volume basis with diesel fuel and tested in a single cylinder, VCR diesel engine under measured load conditions with varied EGR rates (0, 10 and 20%). The results showed that B10 and B20 blends shown a significant reduction rate in terms of NO_x emissions that were familiar with biodiesel blends. At peak load conditions, BTE increased slightly for test fuel blends compared with pure diesel fuel while the BSFC rate and EGT suffered from increasing and decreasing nature with respect to blending percentage. From the emissions point of view, with the increase in blends percentage, a significant reduction rate is observed in terms of CO and HC concentrations (up to 12.34 and 17.5%, respectively) while NOx emissions decreased at peak load conditions (up to 24.34%). HC and CO emissions decreased with increase in blends percentage. However, lower levels of NO_x and EGT (up to 21.37 and 8.47%, respectively) and the average increase in terms of BTE and BSFC (up to 2.83 and 2.9%, respectively) can be realised with B20 test fuel blend under 20% EGR rate.     

工业用煤气燃烧装置二氧化硫减排方式的讨论

工业用煤气是工业生产中普遍采用的气体燃料,煤气燃烧过程会产生二氧化硫,减少煤气燃烧过程的二氧化硫排放可采用煤气脱硫和烟气脱硫两种方式。本文通过对煤气脱硫工艺及烟气脱硫工艺原理及参数进行对比的方式,讨论工业用燃气燃烧装置的两种二氧化硫减排方式的优缺点,为该类装置脱硫设计提供参考。     

排污权交易指标关联要素探讨

目前,排污权有偿使用和交易作为各地环保工作体制、机制创新的热点,是利用经济手段促进环境保护的有益尝试。本文从指标来源、指标使用期限、与污染减排的关系、技术支撑以及指标交易后续监管五个方面分析了排污权交易指标关联要素,得出交易指标与国家政策、污染减排以及环境监管密切相关的结论,从完善国家政策、强化与污染减排衔接和突出指标后续监管三个方面提出了相应的对策建议。     

掺甲醇汽油对国III汽油机排放性能影响

在一台整车试验满足国III排放法规要求的多点电喷汽油机上,采用甲醇掺入汽油的混合燃料（甲醇的体积分数分别为0%、15%和50%）进行台架试验,使用傅里叶变换红外光谱分析仪（FTIR）在线检测了常规车用三效催化转化器前后的常规和非常规排放.研究结果表明：怠速工况下,掺醇燃料对NOx排放基本没有影响,但CO和HC随掺醇比增加而普遍降低,非常规排放中乙醛排放有所降低,甲醇和甲醛则随掺醇比的增加有较大幅度升高,热怠速时经催化后掺醇燃料对各种排放均无影响,可被控制在极低的水平;其它工况下,随掺醇比增加,CO和HC减少,NOx在高掺醇比下低速低负荷和高速高负荷时有较为明显的改善,非常规排放甲醛和甲醇排放随掺醇比增大而急剧增加,乙醛排放则随之减少.经三效催化转化器作用,无论常规排放NOx、CO和HC,还是非常规排放甲醛、甲醇和乙醛基本上能够实现零排放.     

长白山温带森林挥发性有机物的排放通量

2010年夏季,在长白山温带森林开展了挥发性有机物(VOC)排放通量以及气象参数、PAR的综合测量.VOC排放通量采用松弛涡度积累(RelaxedEddyAccumulation)技术在森林冠层上进行测量.初步发现长白山阔叶林主要排放α-蒎烯、β-蒎烯、莰烯、香桧烯、月桂烯、蒈烯、柠檬烯、罗勒烯、松油烯、繖花烃、萜品油烯、三环烯等.研究表明,长白山阔叶混交林VOC排放有明显的日变化——早晚较低和中午前后较高.2010年夏季,单萜烯总排放通量的平均值为0.242mg·m·h-2-1,其变化范围为0.005～1.668mg·m·h-2-1;各成分排放通量的平均值(和最大值)分别为α-蒎烯0.072(0.234)、莰烯0.028(0.356)、月桂烯0.027(0.433)、蒈烯0.023(0.173)、柠檬烯0.037(0.197)、罗勒烯0.016(0.168)、萜品油烯0.053(0.320)、繖花烃0.067(0.755)mg·m·h-2-1.研究还发现VOC排放通量与气温之间存在一定的联系.     

杂质对废塑料裂解产物及污染物排放的影响

从垃圾中分选出的废塑料混有大量杂质,杂质对现有废塑料裂解工艺有直接的影响.针对这一问题,对混有厨余、纸、织物和渣土等杂质的废塑料裂解产物和污染物排放进行了研究.同时检测和分析了厨余、纸、织物和沙土等常见杂质所含N、Cl、S元素向裂解油、裂解气中的迁移规律.研究表明,厨余的混入将对裂解油的产物产生严重不利影响,如热值降低至27 MJ/kg,油品的含水率高达25%以及多环芳烃含量大大提高,因而应在分选过程中除去.厨余、织物和纸张等杂质的混入导致裂解气体中污染物浓度的显著上升.渣土的混入对气体产物有有利影响,对油品无明显不利影响.     

中国能源消费碳排放影响因素分析

利用改进的主成分回归分析技术考察1990年以来中国人口和经济因素对化石能源消费碳排放的影响作用。研究发现：以人口总量、人口城市化和居民收入水平为代表的人口因素和以经济规模、产业结构、能耗结构及碳排放强度为代表的经济因素对碳排放均具有显著的正向影响;其中,经济规模和人口总量是能源消费碳排放的关键决定因子。研究结果为国家制订合理的节能减排政策、协调人地关系提供了参考依据。