Potential of solar domestic hot water systems in rural areas for greenhouse gas emission reduction in Poland

Application of solar energy for preparing domestic hot water is one of the easiest methods of utilization of this energy. At least part of the needs for warm tap water could be covered by solar systems. At present, mainly coal is used for water heating at dwellings in rural areas in Poland. Warm tap water consumption will increase significantly in the future as standards of living are improved. This can result in the growth of electricity use and an increase in primary fuel consumption. Present and future methods of warm sanitary water generation in rural areas in Poland is discussed, and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are estimated. It is predicted that the emission of CO₂ and NOx will increase. The emission of CO and CH₄ will decrease because of changes in the structure of the final energy carriers used. The economic and market potentials of solar energy for preparing warm water in rural areas are discussed. It is estimated that solar systems can meet 30%–45% of the energy demand for warm water generation in rural areas at a reasonable cost, with a corresponding CO₂ emission reduction. The rate of realization of the economic potential of solar water heaters depends on subsidies for the installation of equipment.

     

Rural Energy

One of the most critical problems facing many developing countries is that of the alarming rate of depletion of traditional sources of energy, largely fuelwood and charcoal, which together command the largest share of energy used in rural areas. This has resulted in soil erosion, degradation of the land, reduced agricultural productivity and potentially serious ecological change. The social and economic impacts have been detrimental to the countries' populations, particularly for those living in the rural areas. Urgent action is therefore required to correct the fast deteriorating situation through evolution of fitting policies, establishment or strengthening of appropriate institutions and provision of adequate funding. But resolving the situation will be difficult and challenging for the problems are many, some of them complex. New sources of energy such as solar, wind, biomass, hydro and geothermal have a potential role to play in helping meet current and future energy requirements in the rural areas; but their widespread use and acceptance would be enhanced through increased research, development and demonstration, more funding, improved education and training and better flow of information on the advances in these fields.     

建筑行业发展与低碳生活的推广探讨

低碳生活是一种自然地节约各种资源的习惯,是一种生活习惯。气候变化是本世纪最严重的全球问题之一,不断推进低碳生活是减少人类生活对气候影响的重要途径。低碳生活推广后,消费者对建筑的规划、环境影响以及节能等关注将增加,进而影响建筑行业的发展。在分析低碳生活对建筑影响的基础上,提出了包括人才培养、政策支持和扩大宣传的多级支持发展建议。     

北方半干旱黄土丘陵区的农村能源建设

“七·五”期间，宁夏西吉县是半干旱黄土丘陵区域农村能源综合建设试点县．多年的综合建设有效地缓解了农村能源紧缺，促进了农村经济的发展．本文通过综合建设的后效应跟踪调查结果表明，在市场经济条件下，农村经济的发展已走向了不同层次，认为今后农村能源建设的基本路子应分三步走，逐步使农村能源真正成为产业，其生产、供应、服务均实现现代化．     

Energy transition in South and South-East Asia

Energy transition is the process whereby the volume and proportion of commercial energy increases so as to replace traditional fuels as the main energy source. In South and South-East Asia the extent to which this transition has taken place varies within and between countries. In general, in the urban areas, the process is more advanced than in rural areas. It is also more advanced in the larger towns than the smaller ones and more advanced within higher income groups. In rural areas industry is a large consumer of traditional energy and many rural peoples earn their livelihoods as suppliers of traditional energy to industry. For both economic and social reasons the transition process has been slower in rural households than in urban households. This must change as for much of the rural areas of South and South-East Asia, increasing population and increasing energy demand are creating pressures on the biomass which cannot be sustained.     

Particulates pollution management and economic analysis of small rural enterprises in mountain areas: A case study of Wenquan town in China

At present, many rural enterprises in China's mountainous areas are developing rapidly, and due to poor planning and improper management, in an uncontrolled manner. These small enterprises are making atmospheric pollution far more serious and more difficult to control than before. Thus, as is the case with most developing countries, China is facing the challenge of managing the increased environmental pollution that is accompanying its economic development. This paper examines the case of cement dust pollution in the town of Wenquan in Sichuan province in order to determine how to adjust the relationship between development of rural enterprises and atmospheric environmental pollution in mountainous areas. Using the single objective linear programming method, and based on the principle of overall optimization, an optimal control plan for different pollution sources was worked out and an economic assessment on reclamation of cement dust was completed. According to our analysis, after implementation of this plan for four years, two months, the concentrations of suspended particles in Wenquan will achieve the requirement of the national third-order ambient air quality standard; the current serious dust pollution will be completely controlled; and the reclamation of cement dust will totally compensate for the cost of dust control and will result in 92,000 yuan of pure profit per year. At that time, the economy and environment will be in harmony.     

Enhancing biomass energy use in Kenya

This paper argues that in Kenya, environmental and economic factors will favour the continued use of biomass as a primary fuel for household and institutional cooking for the next decade or longer. The paper describes several successful projects which have improved the efficiency of urban charcoal use and of rural woodfuel use. The Kenya Ceramic Jiko, a more efficient version of the traditional charcoal stove, is a model programme sustained by free market competition, artisans participation, and widespread public acceptance. The Maendeleo stove is the best example of a successful rural woodstove project. The performance attributes of the stove, and its promotion through Kenya's largest women's organization, have resulted in the distribution of an estimated 26 000 Maendeleo stoves. Rural stove efficiency will become important as the cash-based economy expands in those areas. Agroforestry will also be critical to an enhanced use of biomass energy in Kenya. Experience to date shows that successful agroforestry programmes will have to be appropriate to local conditions and crops .     

A Management-Orientated Comparative Analysis of Urban and Rural Anglers Living in a Metropolis (Berlin,Germany)

Increased efforts to analyze the human dimensions of anglers are necessary to improve freshwater fisheries management. This paper is a comparative analysis of urban and rural anglers living in a metropolis, based on n = 1061 anglers responding to a mail survey in the German capital of Berlin. More than two thirds of the anglers (71%) had spent most (>50%) of their effort outside the city borders of Berlin and thus were categorized as rural anglers. Compared to the rural anglers, urban anglers (50% of total effort spent inside the city) were younger and less educated. Urban anglers were more avid and committed, less mobile, and more frequently fished from boats and during weekdays. Rural anglers were more experienced, fished for longer times per trip, fished more often at weekends and on holidays, were more often members of angling clubs, and more frequently caught higher valued fish species. The achievement and fish quantity aspects of the angling experience were more important for urban than for rural anglers. Concerning management options, urban anglers more frequently suggested constraining other stakeholders and reducing regulations, whereas rural anglers more often proposed improving physical access to angling sites. Future urban fishing programs should offer ease of access, connection to public transportation, moderate prices, and diverse piscivorous fish stocks. In contrast to rural fisheries, the provision of high ecological and aesthetical quality of the angling waters can be regarded as of minor importance in urban fisheries. Rural fisheries managers need to consider the needs of stakeholders living in Berlin to minimize impacts on the less degraded rural water bodies and potential user conflicts with resident anglers. Ecosystem-based management approaches should guide rural fisheries policy.     

Combining Nature Conservation and Residential Development in the Netherlands,England and Spain

In this paper the function of protected nature in rural living environments is discussed in relation to residential choice, appreciation of the residential environment and rural development policy. In five case studies a comparison is made between the situation of protected natural areas in the Netherlands, England and Spain. The research results show that protected natural areas are an increasingly popular endogenous quality of rural regions as they have the ability to influence the residential choice and satisfaction of households. Therefore, they have not only become an important driving factor in the attraction of residential and other consumption-orientated activities towards rural areas but also need to be considered in policy formulation. After all, choices have to be made when different functions need to be combined in rural areas. Different activities may have both positive and negative effects on each other and regulatory measures are needed to tune their co-existence. For a sustainable and balanced development of rural areas it is therefore very important to create basic conditions that will make the combination of activities possible within the specific national and regional contexts.     

PATTERNS OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION BY THE RURAL AND URBAN POOR IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

From the rudimentary data available on the domestic energy consumption of the urban and rural poor in developing countries it appears that consumption by the poor in much of the developing world is at bare subsistence levels. Despite generally higher incomes, the domestic energy consumption of the urban poor appears to be no higher in Btu terms than that of the rural poor due to the more thermally efficient fuel supplies used by the urban poor. A further tentative conclusion is that for similar reasons related to the changing efficiency of the fuel supply system, energy consumption measured in quantity terms rises within a given area by less than the rise in income at lower income levels. As incomes rise there is a tendency to switch to more efficient fuels in a manner analogous to the contrast in energy consumption patterns between urban and rural areas. Thus a rising demand for energy services can be accomodated by a less than proportionate gross input. En examinant les données rudimentaires dont on dispose sur la consommation domestique en énergie des classes urbaines et rurales défavorisées des pays en développement, il ressort que la consommation de ces classes dans la plupart de ces pays se situe à des niveaux de simple subsistence. Malgré des revenus généralement plus élevés, la consommation domestique en énergie des classes urbaines défavorisées ne semble pas étre supérieure en termes d'unités thermiques britanniques à celle des classes rurales défavorisées en raison d'approvisionnements en combustibles thermiques à meilleur rendement dans les villes. Une autre conclusion provisoire envisage que pour des raisons similaires ayant trait aux fluctuations de l'efficacité du système d'approvisionnement en combustibles, la consommation énergétique mesurée en termes quantitatifs augments dans une zone donnée moins rapidement que les revenus aux échelons inférieurs. Au fur et à mesure que les revenus progressent, la tendance à utiliser des combustibles a meilleur rendement reflète le même contraste existant dans les modes de consommation en énergie entre les zones urbaines et rurales. On peut donc satisfaire les besoins croissants en matière d'énergie par des coûts de production proportionnellement moins élevés. Por los datos rudimentarios disponibles sobre el consumo doméstico de energía de los estratos probres rural y urbano de los países en desarrollo, parece ser que dicho consumo está en los límites del nivel de subsistencia. A pesar del relativo mayor ingreso de los estratos pobres urbanos, el consumo de energía de éstos no parece ser, en términos fíisicos, mayor que la de los estratos pobres rurales debido a que aquellos emplean combustibles que pueden usarse con mayor eficiencia térmica. Otra conclusión tentativa es que debido a razones similares a esta disparidad de eficiencia, la cantidad de energía consumida en un sector pobre aumenta en una proporción menor que el aumento del ingreso. En forma análoga a la deferencia entre las tendencias de consumo entre grupos ru rales y urbanos, a mayores niveles de ingreso en una misma área hay una tendencia a usar combustibles más eficientes. Como resultado una demanda creciente de energía puede ser satisfecha con un amento proporcionalmente menor de suministrode combustible.     

Women's role in rural water supply and development: Trends and expectations in Nigeria

Summary There has been a paucity of reliable data on the contribution of Nigerian women in rural development, particularly with respect to water projects. From a detailed survey of many rural settings, and an evaluation of the availability of sources of water and the existing methods of purification, it was discovered that rural women, especially those of younger years, were heavily involved in water collection. The time and energy involved in water fetching and purification could sometimes be so high that other economic and domestic activities were adversely affected. The participation of Nigerian women in water development and quality improvement is hindered by problems, such as their standard of education, low level of awareness of the benefits of a good water source, lack of funds and organisational constraints. In general, this study has recognised an urgent need for more imaginative, better funded and better co-ordinated water development projects for the enhancement of the quality of life, especially for women in rural settings.     

国外农村生活污水分散治理管理经验的启示

总结了在农村生活污水处理上日本的成功经验和新西兰的探索实践,提出我国今后推广农村生活污水治理要确定治理范围,制定相应的技术标准,明确强制性责任,建立专业化服务体系和信息平台。     

Quality of life in selected slums of Kolkata: a step forward in the era of pseudo-urbanisation

Urbanisation is the proportionate increase in the urban population with respect to the total population. In India urbanisation was never a result of a strong economic base of cities. It was distress and poverty in rural areas that resulted in a huge influx of rural migrants into urban areas. The pace of urbanisation gained momentum after 1941 with the percentage of people living in urban areas increasing to 31.16% in 2011. The pattern of urbanisation is characterised by continuous concentration of population in the megacities and in Class I cities. India’s urbanisation is best described as pseudo-urbanisation, a condition in which a large city is formed without a functional infrastructure to support it. Migration and pseudo-urbanisation lead to demographic explosion and a progressive concentration of poor migrants in the cities, followed by misery, poverty, unemployment, exploitation, rapid growth of slums and degradation in the quality of urban life. Slums are usually characterised by poor housing conditions, inadequate physical infrastructure, deprivations in socio-economic conditions, health, hygiene and lack of safety and security. Two slums were chosen within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation for assessing the quality of life. Despite government initiatives the condition of the slum dwellers has not improved much.     

农村沼气建设对四川省节能减排的贡献——以西昌市的典型调查为例

以西昌市农村能源利用结构为例,分析发展农村户用沼气后,在能源的需求量减少的情况下,可以获得更多的热能,并达到减排的目的。     

Understanding the factors that influence household use of clean energy in the Similipal Tiger Reserve,India

Biotic pressure in and around protected areas (PA) is the primary cause of biodiversity loss in many developing countries across the globe. The pressure comes partly from biomass energy dependency in the form of heavy extraction of fuelwood from the forests. Although biomass fuels provide easily accessible and affordable sources of domestic energy to the rural masses, their combustion results in environmental and health‐related hazards. The objectives of this paper are to assess the patterns of household energy use in a subsistence forest economy and analyze the factors that influence their energy use choice for cooking and lighting. The paper uses primary data collected randomly from 244 households located in and around the Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR), situated in the eastern Indian state of Odisha. Age of the household head, number of days in wage employment, number of adult males and females in a household, education of the household head and landholding size are found to be the major variables that determine household fuelwood collection sources inside the reserve. Considering household structure as an income indicator, the analysis clearly shows that non‐poor households prefer to use clean energy (i.e. solar) for lighting, while poor households tend to use solid fuel. Energy policies for development should be based on the realistic proposition that fuelwood will remain the major source of energy for cooking for substantial proportions of the world’s population. Promotion of public education, social forestry schemes and fuel‐efficient improved chulhas should be encouraged in order to reduce household dependence on fuelwood. Moreover, devolving sufficient property rights over forest resources to local communities may help secure their broad‐based and active participation in the decision‐making process, which may result in a positive change in the attitude of the local people towards biodiversity conservation.     

Energy and environmental challenges for developed and developing countries

A supply-oriented strategy which accepts current projections of development energy demands, and seeks to satisfy them, based on acquiring capital-intensive technologies requiring imported fuels is doomed to failure. Developing countries which follow such a strategy will be unable to meet either their energy needs or the basic development needs of their people. To the extent that their energy needs are thus met, it will be at horrendous cost of capital desperately needed for economic and social improvement in non-energy sectors and with tragic environmental consequences to the developing countries and to the world [17]. The opposite of a supply-oriented strategy is a demand-control one. Commercially available or near commercial energy efficient technologies will permit the developing countries to raise the standard of living of their people with only a modest increase in per capita energy consumption.     

Environmental Policy Implementation in Rural China: A Case Study of Yuhang, Zhejiang

The rapid growth of rural enterprises has transformed the Chinese countryside. Although rural industrialisation has resulted in increased financial well-being, it has also contributed to decreased environmental quality. While China has strong environmental protection laws, this paper will demonstrate that they are not being effectively implemented in a rural region in Zhejiang Province. This is due to a number of social, political, and economic barriers that prevent agencies from effectively enforcing environmental policies and regulatory mechanisms. This paper investigates the implementation of China's environmental policies through a case study in Yuhang County, Zhejiang Province. It demonstrates that the implementation of environmental impact assessment, discharge fees, and limited time treatment is limited by inadequate technology, low finances, limited human resources, poor public environmental awareness, faulty data, inferior agency reports, organizational conflict, relations based on guanxi, and low discharge fee prices.     

Renewable energy rural electrification

During the last 20 years Mexico has been fertile ground for rural projects using renewable energy technologies. In many cases, however, sustainability aspects were either improperly handled or essentially ignored. Such was the case, for instance, with solar thermal water pumping projects, solar water desalination, and even complete 'solar towns'. Painful but important lessons were learned from such failed projects. Now, sustainability is the focal point of a current rural electrification programme with renewable energy. As of this writing, over 24000 individual home photovoltaic lighting systems have already been installed in different regions of Mexico; another 12000 systems are estimated to have been installed in rural areas as a result of private commercial activities; seven village-size hybrid systems (photovoltaic–wind and photovoltaic–wind–diesel) have also been implemented. With this, the Mexican renewable energy rural electrification programme stands among the largest programmes of its kind in the world today. The question of the programme's sustainability has been a major concern at the Electrical Research Institute of Mexico (IIE), where activities have been under way since the start to lend it technical support. The lessons learned in the process will be discussed in this article .     

Women and energy resources management

Women need access to energy resources in order to meet their basic needs for food, shelter, clean water, health care and employment and to improve their family's living conditions. Due to population growth and economic development the demand for the main energy sources in low-income rural areas, biomass, is far greater than the supply, and women have no choice but to overexploit the increasingly scarce resources just to survive. Improvements in energy efficiency and an increased use of renewable energy sources could help women to balance their immediate livelihood needs and the long-term ecological needs. However, women generally lack access to these improved energy technologies. This article explores the causes of women's limited access to improved energy technologies and why energy polices and programmes often fail to address women's specific needs and concerns. Strategies of the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) are outlined as examples of approaches aiming at improving women's access to information and sustainable technologies and promoting women's full participation in environmental decision and policy making.     

农村沼气的可持续发展探析

农村沼气在为农户提供大量优质能源的同时,在改善农村环境卫生条件和减少病原体的孳生及传播方面还具有显著作用。当前我国农村的沼气建设资金投入不足,建设标准比较低,后续管理不善,农民对沼气缺乏认知,在使用方面存在安全隐患。发展沼气生态农业必须从加大宣传力度和资金投入、扩展服务体系等方面入手,实现我国农村沼气的可持续发展。