The value of energy efficiency programs for US residential and commercial buildings in a warmer world

US residential and commercial buildings were responsible for about 41 exajoules (EJ) of primary energy use per year in 2002, accounting for approximately 9% of the world fossil-fuel related anthropogenic carbon (C) emissions of 6.7 Gt that contribute to climate change. US Government-sponsored building energy efficiency research and implementation programs are focused on reducing energy consumption in US residential and commercial buildings and reducing these carbon (C) emissions. Although not specifically intended for adaptation to a warmer climate and less effective than under today’s cooler climate, these programs also could help reduce energy demand in a future warmer world. Warming scenarios projected by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2001 imply net overall decreases in both site energy and primary energy consumption in US residential and commercial buildings, largely because of the reduced need for heating. However, there would be as much as a 25% increase in building space cooling demand and a significant part of the increase could be offset by energy-efficiency improvements in buildings. Overall, in the US, buildings-related energy efficiency programs would reduce site energy consumption in buildings in the US by more than 2 EJ in 2020 and primary energy by more than 3.5 EJ, more than enough to offset the projected growth in cooling energy consumption due to climate change and growth in the US building stock. The savings would have an estimated annual net value at 2005 energy prices of between $45.0 and $47.3 billion to consumers.

Integration of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell in a sugar-ethanol factory: analysis of the efficiency and the environmental profile of the products

The effect of the integration of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technology in a sugar-ethanol factory on the environmental profile/footprint of the products (sugar, ethanol, electricity) is evaluated. The sugarcane is the primary feedstock and sugar, ethanol and electricity are the main products of the system, where the functional unit is defined as 9.86 ton/h of sugar, 2.195 ton/h of hydrated ethanol (96% w/w) and 847 kWh of electricity. A detailed set of material and energy inputs and outputs was obtained from a local factory and was completed using simulation data by Aspen Plus^®.The environmental impacts (greenhouse gases and air pollution), exergy efficiency and a renewability parameter have been considered as indicators for the comparative assessment with conventional sugar, ethanol and electricity production technologies. The results show that the use of a SOFC technology involves a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (52-55%) and non-renewable resources (60-64%) when compared with the conventional integrated sugar and ethanol plant. The higher renewability index (0.93) and exergy efficiency (38%) are noticed for the Solid Oxide Fuel Cell technology integrated in the sugar-ethanol factory than conventional sugar-ethanol plant.     

资源型城市转型效率时空格局及影响因素探析：以陕甘宁能源富集区为例

基于数据包络分析、标准差椭圆和地理探测器方法,引入产业多样化指数和产业专业化指数,综合探讨陕甘宁资源型城市的转型效率、时空格局及其影响因素,得到2011—2020年陕甘宁资源型城市转型绩效综合得分及分布、不同发展阶段资源型城市转型绩效以及三省区各自资源型城市的转型绩效。结果表明：（1）2011—2020年陕甘宁资源型城市转型效率具有显著的时间和空间差异。（2）研究期内陕甘宁资源型城市转型效率空间分布格局基本保持稳定,仍以东西方向为主导。（3）地方财政一般预算内支出、城市建设用地面积、地区生产总值是影响资源型城市转型效率空间分异的主导因子。揭示了研究区资源型城市转型效率的发展演变态势及驱动因素,可为其持续优化转型提供决策依据。     

Sustainable recovery of nickel from spent hydrogenation catalyst: economics, emissions and wastes assessment

Economic viability, carbon emission profile and waste management associated with nickel recovery from spent hydrogenation catalysts are studied from sustainability perspectives. The purpose is to determine and compare the economic, environmental and social implications of different nickel reclamation techniques towards clean, safe and sustainable recovery of nickel from spent catalysts. Sustainability evaluation models are formulated to understand and improve the cost, carbon footprint and resource efficiency of a closed-loop nickel recovery process. The economic viability of the process highly depends on market values of recovered nickel and the production batch size. At a selling price higher than $12.60/kg, an operation with a batch size as small as 50 kg/batch would be profitable. The current rising nickel market, at ∼$18-24/kg, favors recovery operations although it also casts a dual effect on production costs. About 73-82% of carbon emission of the process is from the use of energy in the recovery operation. Energy efficiency is therefore identified as the most critical factor to improve the carbon footprint. The closed-loop process also improves resource use efficiency and minimizes toxic waste generation.     

村域尺度旅游效率空间分异及形成机理——以洛阳市375个旅游村为例

以“人地业”耦合协调、旅游系统为理论基础,构建了乡村旅游效率评价体系,识别并分析影响效率的因素和机理。在此基础上,结合使用洛阳市375个旅游村调研数据、地理数据、交通数据,综合运用地理探测器、Bootstrap-DEA、冷热点分析方法,围绕乡村旅游资源的配置效率、空间格局及形成机理开展实证研究。研究发现：综合技术效率平均值达到0.41,洛阳市乡村旅游效率偏低;旅游综合技术效率高值区具有显著集聚性,高值区分布具有显著的交通指向性;影响综合技术效率及空间分异的主要因素是村域人口密度、地形条件、贫困村因素。从系统论角度揭示系统要素、系统结构、系统间嵌套对村域旅游效率的影响,可为乡村旅游发展要素配置与制度安排提供科学依据。     

城市绿地系统生态服务效能评价及优化研究——以淮安生态新城为例

通过运用生态服务效能指数的概念,选择5种指标因子(吸收二氧化硫量、吸收热量、蒸腾水量、涵养水源量、滞尘降尘量)构建了淮安生态新城绿地系统生态服务效能评估模型,并运用全排列多边形图示指标法,针对"现状条件"、"概念规划"、"控制性详细规划"、"理想状态"4种情景下的绿地系统进行了生态服务效能评价与预测.结果表明,4种不同的土地利用方式下,绿地系统生态服务效能综合指数分别为0.24、0.56、0.70和0.89,生态服务效能逐步改善.研究结果进一步表明,在"概念规划"和"控制性详细规划"两种情景下,应使城市绿地系统面积大于1200hm2,采用复合式绿地结构并调整林地与草地面积的比例达到7∶3,同时应保证本地植物指数大于70%,研究结果可为生态城市建设提供一定的参考.     

Environmental effects of shipping imports from China and their economic valuation: the case of metallic valve components

This paper aims to consider the total cost, including polluting environmental emissions, of imports from China to Europe of five valve components in aluminium, steel and iron. These are compared with locally produced alternatives to investigate whether internalising such external costs affects their price competitiveness. Seaborne trade represents 90% of international trade and is growing faster than the world’s economy, but marine pollution emissions are not reflected in market prices. Chinese aluminium, iron and steel production are about 2.5 times more polluting than their European counterparts, but this is also not reflected in prices. In this paper both types of extra emissions are calculated, valued and added to the cost of the components analysed, for comparison with locally produced alternatives. The locally produced components generally remain uncompetitive with Chinese imports for all likely values of external cost, except for heavy aluminium components under high external cost assumptions. The Chinese iron components analysed are simply too low in cost for European (in this case Spanish) equivalents to be competitive even allowing for environmental costs; while the stainless steel ones are so small and light that transport cost, even including externalities, is not significant. While these specific results are of limited generalizability, they provide insight into an issue of considerable and growing importance. Some suggestions are offered for further research.     

Late Variscan exhumation histories of the southern Rhenohercynian Zone and western Mid-German Crystalline Rise: results from thermal modeling

Thermal modeling techniques constrained by published petrological and thermo-chronometric data were applied to examine late orogenic burial and exhumation at a Variscan suture zone in Central Europe. The suture separates the southern Rhenohercynian zone from the Mid-German Crystalline Rise and traces the former site of a small oceanic basin. Closure of this basin during Variscan subduction and subsequent collision of continental units were responsible for different tectono-metamorphic evolutions in the suture's footwall and hanging wall. Relative convergence rates between the southern Rhenohercynian zone and western Mid-German Crystalline Rise can be inferred from the pressure-temperature-time evolution of the Northern Phyllite Zone. During Late Viséan-Early Namurian times, horizontal thrusting velocities were at least 20 mm/a. Thermal modeling suggests that exhumation of the Mid-German Crystalline Rise occurred temporarily at rates of more than 3 mm/a. Such rapid exhumation cannot be produced by erosion only, but requires a substantial contribution of extensional strain. Exhumation by upper crustal extension occurred contemporaneously with convergence and is explained by continuous underplating of crustal slices and thrusting along faults with ramp-flat geometry. Finally, implications for the tectono-metamorphic history of the study area and the thermal state of the crust during late Variscan exhumation are discussed.     

红色旅游发展效率评价及影响因素研究——以黔北黔西红色旅游区为例

红色旅游发展效率表征旅游区红色旅游高质量发展水平。以黔北黔西红色旅游区为研究对象,借助DEA模型及Malmquist指数对2014—2019年该区域17个县（市、区）的红色旅游发展效率进行测度,同时利用核密度函数和多元线性回归模型分别剖析了其空间演化特征与关键影响因素。研究发现：（1）研究区域内红色旅游发展效率整体偏低,受技术进步的积极影响,多数县（市、区）红色旅游发展效率呈稳步提升状态;（2）红色旅游发展效率具备空间集聚性和异质性的特征,整体呈现“M”型双峰分布,区域分布差异较大;（3）技术创新、红色旅游资源优势度、交通便利性是影响该区域红色旅游发展效率的主要因素,政府对旅游经济干预程度、经济发展水平和人才规模对该区域红色旅游发展效率的影响较小,产业结构对改善该区域红色旅游发展效率的积极影响尚未凸显。     

区域产业结构转型升级水平与旅游扶贫效率耦合关系——以武陵山片区为例

以武陵山片区42个国家级贫困县（市、区）为案例地,综合运用SBM模型、改进的熵值法与耦合协调模型,揭示产业结构转型升级水平与旅游扶贫效率耦合协调关系的时空演化特征。结果表明:（1）武陵山片区整体及各分片区产业结构转型升级指数均呈波浪式变化,湖北片区、重庆片区以及武陵山片区整体的旅游扶贫效率呈上升态势,而湖南片区和贵州片区略有下降;（2）产业结构转型升级水平与旅游扶贫效率不耦合、不协调的县域单元主要集中在武陵山片区中部,数量逐年减少,实现耦合和协调的县域数量显著增加并向边缘地带形成集聚态势;（3）不耦合失调（类型1）向耦合协调（类型2）转变是核心转变路径,促使类型2的地区数量显著增多,并逐渐在研究区域边缘形成带状分布。研究可为集中连片特困地区产业结构优化升级和跨越贫困陷阱提供参考借鉴。     

县域国土空间主体功能区土地资源空间配置效率及管制策略——以江苏赣榆为例

从县域出发,深化主体功能区概念应用,探究土地资源空间配置效率及其管制策略对深化我国国土空间治理体系具有重要意义。通过梳理主体功能区与土地资源空间配置理论关系,借助C-D生产函数考察江苏赣榆主体功能区土地资源空间配置效率,并差别化提出管制策略。研究表明,主体功能区建设实质是“以地为本”,功能区划理念下土地资源空间配置应遵循边际净收益相等的转化度,具有增进用地效率、减少自发优势竞争效率损失的可能。对赣榆区研究发现,不同主体功能区农用地转为建设用地数量存在过量配置,具有帕累托改进空间,其根源在于现行土地计划管理缺乏弹性机制调节指标,造成实际落地中的空间错配。因此,赣榆区应从全区统筹主体功能定位,协调国土空间发展格局,其中优化开发区“革新土地空间结构,转变经济与产业发展方式”、重点开发区“助力城镇工业化进程,确保土地资源利用效益”、限制开发区“着力粮经产品安全,创新农业生产用地经营模式”、禁止开发区“划定生态空间红线,探索农旅生态用地结构布局”。     

农地流转对农地与劳动力资源利用效率的影响——基于甘肃省农户调查数据的实证研究

本研究采用倾向得分匹配法（PSM）分别就农地流转对农地、农业劳动力、非农劳动力和总劳动力资源利用效率的影响进行了分析。结果表明,农户的农地转入和转出行为都能有效提高总劳动力资源利用效率,而农地转出行为在一定程度上降低了农地资源利用效率。农地转入户的总劳动力和农业劳动力资源利用效率比未参与流转的农户分别高2026.153元/人和4844.289元/人,两组农户间的农地资源利用效率差异不显著;农地转出户的总劳动力和非农劳动力资源利用效率比未参与流转的农户分别高3315.577元/人和2581.883元/人,其农地资源利用效率比未参与流转的农户低466.488元/亩。因此,农地流转不一定会提高农地资源利用效率,但有利于促进农村劳动力专业化,从而提高农村总劳动力资源利用效率。     

从深圳经济特区透视中国土地政策改革对土地利用效率与经济效益的影响

深圳经济特区是中国改革开放最早的地区之一, 其城市土地政策改革在全国范围内具有超 前性与典型性。论文旨在通过回顾1980 年以来深圳经济特区的土地政策改革过程, 分析中国城市 土地政策改革对经济与社会发展产生的影响。文章首先从土地产权制度和地租、地价体系两个方面 分别回顾了深圳经济特区土地政策改革的过程。在此基础之上, 采用工具变量法对政策变化进行量 化, 并将其与土地利用效率与经济效益进行相关分析, 从而得出土地政策影响土地利用效率与经济 效益的程度。结果表明, 土地政策变化对土地利用效率与经济效益的影响是显著的, 相关系数分别 为0.743 和0.879。这一结果也从侧面说明了中国土地管理体制改革为经济与社会发展带来的积极 推动效应。     

石英Al心和Ti-Li心电子自旋共振信号测年结果对比：以腾格里沙漠白碱湖地区BJ14钻孔中沉积物为例

早—中更新世沉积年代的确定是第四纪研究领域亟待解决的难题,电子自旋共振（ESR）测年法为该时段沉积物定年提供了可能。但已有的研究发现：石英Ti心和Al心ESR信号完全衰退“回零”或达到较稳定“残留”所需时间较长,因而其可信性备受质疑。本研究选取腾格里沙漠白碱湖地区BJ14钻孔中5个不同深度的沉积物,分别基于其中石英Ti心和Al心信号进行了ESR定年。测年结果显示：（1）2个样品基于Al心ESR信号与基于Ti-Li心ESR信号的测年结果在年龄误差范围内一致,其它3个样品Al心ESR测年结果较Ti-Li心测年结果偏老200—500 ka;（2）与该孔的古地磁测年结果对比表明,石英Ti-Li心ESR测年结果相对可靠。上述研究结果表明石英Ti-Li心的ESR测年结果至少能提供中更新世更为可信的沉积年龄。