Networking among companies represents a potential for CO2 reduction

According to the Kyoto Protocol, by 2012 Norwegian emissions of greenhouse gases must be reduced to about 10% lower than the 1998 level. In order to achieve this target, the Government intends to give greater priority to energy efficiency measures. This article considers the Norwegian Energy Efficiency Network and describes experiences from the implementation of Energy Management in Norwegian industry. The conclusions are (1) co-operation through networking among companies is an effective way for them to work together to help them achieve lower energy consumption per produced unit and (2) energy schemes represent a CO₂ reduction potential that may be realised at short-term net cost savings.     

环境和质量管理体系一体化实质分析

阐述了过程方法在ISO14001（2004版）环境管理体系标准和ISO9001（2000版）质量管理体系标准中的运用。介绍了过程的概念、过程特性的概念、过程的输入和输出要求。分析了环境管理体系和质量管理体系一体化的实质及其意义。指出一体化管理体系不是将2个标准中要素的要求简单叠加。     

Implementing environmental with other standardized management systems: Scope,sequence, time and integration

The aim of this article is to analyze how the implementation of the environmental management system (EMS) in accordance with the ISO 14001: 2004 standard has been carried out in organizations having more than one standardized Management System (MSs). In particular, four implementation aspects will be discussed, namely the different management system standards (MSSs) used for registration, for example ISO 14001, ISO 9001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 27001 and SA 8000, the order in which they were implemented, the time required for each implementation, as well as the scope of integration of these MSSs into a single Integrated Management System (IMS).In order to do so, some of the results of a survey carried out in 176 organizations registered to, at a minimum, both ISO 14001: 2004 and ISO 9001: 2000 standards for environmental and quality management, respectively, are presented. As one of the few existing empirical studies regarding the integration of multiple MSs, this research reveals the importance of the different possibilities which organizations can opt for when considering EMS implementation. For example, while most respondents implemented ISO 9001 before ISO 14001, others did so simultaneously or even applied ISO 14001 first. Furthermore, although a large majority of organizations integrated their EMS with additional standardized MSs, a small percentage did not. Apart from illustrating the survey outcomes, the article contains a detailed case analysis of four specific organizations with high environmental awareness that have implemented quality and other standardized MSs.     

Assessing the uptake of small-scale photovoltaic electricity production in Argentina: the PERMER project

Supplying electricity to remote rural communities in lesser developed countries (LDCs) is key to improving livelihoods and reducing poverty. Decentralised renewable energy systems such as solar photovoltaic (PV) electricity have the potential to provide a viable and sustainable alternative to overcome the physical and economic barriers facing the expansion of low and medium tension grids. This paper critically assesses the impact of small-scale PV systems installed in homes, schools and public buildings over the last six years under the PERMER project—Renewable Energy Project for the Rural Electricity Market—co-funded by a range of public and private sources. The structure of financial subsidies has enabled these remote rural communities to receive an electricity supply that, in many cases, would otherwise not have been possible. Replacing traditional energy sources such as candles and kerosene lamps, the PV electricity systems are providing better quality light, reducing indoor air pollution levels, as well as a means to power communications technologies and extend hours for cultural and productive activities. There are, however, certain technical, organisational and intellectual barriers that remain to be overcome before the project can be considered to be operating optimally.     

An environmental impact assessment of quantum dot photovoltaics (QDPV) from raw material acquisition through use

Some emerging technologies are expected to be pivotal for solving many of the environmental challenges faced today, especially those related to energy. However, many of these technologies may incur significant environmental impacts over their life cycle, while having environmental benefits during their use. This paper presents results of a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a proposed type of nanophotovoltaic, quantum dot photovoltaic (QDPV) module. The LCA is confined to the stages of raw materials acquisition, manufacturing, and use. The impacts of QDPV are compared with other types of PV modules and energy sources - both renewable and nonrenewable. To provide a comprehensive comparative assessment, QDPV modules were compared with mature as well as emerging PV types for which data are available. Comparative assessment with other types of energy sources includes coal, oil, lignite, natural gas, diesel, nuclear, wind, and hydropower.QDPV modules may have the potential to overcome two current barriers of solar technology: low efficiencies and high manufacturing costs. If higher efficiencies are realized, QDPV modules could pave the way to large scale implementation of solar energy, helping nations move toward greater energy independence. On the other hand, candidate materials as quantum dots for solar cell applications are mostly compound semiconductors such as cadmium selenide, cadmium telluride, and lead sulfide which may be toxic and for which renewable options are limited. Toxic effects of these materials may be exacerbated by their nanoscale features.The LCA was carried out using the software SimaPro, and the Ecoinvent Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) database supplemented with available literature and patent information. Our results indicate that while QDPV modules have shorter Energy PayBack Time (EPBT), lower Global Warming Potential (GWP), SO_x and NO_x emissions than other types of PV modules, they have higher heavy metal emissions, underscoring the need for investigation of emerging technologies, especially nano-based ones, from a life cycle perspective. QDPV modules are better in all impact categories assessed than carbon-based energy sources but they have longer EPBT than wind and hydropower and higher GWP.     

Incentives for renewable energy in reformed Latin-American electricity markets: the Colombian case

Given the importance of renewable energy sources for reducing the threat of global climatic change without compromising economic development, this paper explores regulatory alternatives that may facilitate the introduction of renewable energy in the Colombian electricity market. The analysis is based on a simulation model of the electricity market that represents the behaviour of the agents involved, and their decision to invest according to proposed incentives. The possible expansion of renewable energy depending on different incentives is examined. This research is carried out in the Latin-American context, and accordingly we present the exploitation potential of renewable sources for electricity generation in the region. This paper shows how restructuring electricity markets, such as the Colombian and others in Latin America, may be an efficient means to promote the use of renewable energy.     

Integrated assessment of CCS in the German power plant sector with special emphasis on the competition with renewable energy technologies

The study presents the results of an integrated assessment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the power plant sector in Germany, with special emphasis on the competition with renewable energy technologies. Assessment dimensions comprise technical, economic and environmental aspects, long-term scenario analysis, the role of stakeholders and public acceptance and regulatory issues. The results lead to the overall conclusion that there might not necessarily be a need to focus additionally on CCS in the power plant sector. Even in case of ambitious climate protection targets, current energy policy priorities (expansion of renewable energies and combined heat and power plants as well as enhanced energy productivity) result in a limited demand for CCS. In case that the large energy saving potential aimed for can only partly be implemented, the rising gap in CO₂ reduction could only be closed by setting up a CCS-maximum strategy. In this case, up to 22% (41 GW) of the totally installed load in 2050 could be based on CCS. Assuming a more realistic scenario variant applying CCS to only 20 GW or lower would not be sufficient to reach the envisaged climate targets in the electricity sector. Furthermore, the growing public opposition against CO₂ storage projects appears as a key barrier, supplemented by major uncertainties concerning the estimation of storage potentials, the long-term cost development as well as the environmental burdens which abound when applying a life-cycle approach. However, recently, alternative applications are being increasingly considered?Cthat is the capture of CO₂ at industrial point sources and biomass based energy production (electricity, heat and fuels) where assessment studies for exploring the potentials, limits and requirements for commercial use are missing so far. Globally, CCS at power plants might be an important climate protection technology: coal-consuming countries such as China and India are increasingly moving centre stage into the debate. Here, similar investigations on the development and the integration of both, CCS and renewable energies, into the individual energy system structures of such countries would be reasonable.     

合同能源管理模式的中美比较研究

节约能源,降低能耗对于环境保护具有重要的意义。长期以来,中国节能多依靠政府的强制命令,企业缺少自觉节能的动力。合同能源管理是一种市场化的节能新机制,在90年代引入中国。这种新机制在不增加政府财政开支的前提下,通过市场来实现节约能源控制污染的目的,同时可促进成熟节能技术的推广,提高整个社会福利。合同能源管理这种节能新模式在美国已经发展了30多年,中关合同能源管理在政策、技术和行业标准等方面存在着各种差异,同时在中国不同地区和不同行业间也存在着差别,通过比较分析指出了促进中国合同能源管理发展时需注意的问题并提出了相关的措施。     

Portfolio-Based Electricity Generation Planning: Policy Implications For Renewables And Energy Security

Renewable generating technologies offer an effective means for climate change mitigation. Policy makers, however, are wary because of the widespread perception that these technologies cost more than conventional alternatives so that increasing their deployment will raise overall electricity generating costs. Energy planning represents an investment-decision problem. Investors commonly evaluate such problems using portfolio theory to manage risk and maximize portfolio performance under a variety of unpredictable economic outcomes. Energy planners need to similarly abandon their reliance on traditional, “least-cost” stand-alone kWh generating cost measures and instead evaluate conventional and renewable energy sources on the basis of their portfolio cost – their cost contribution relative to their risk contribution to a mix of generating assets. Energy security generally focuses on the threat of abrupt supply disruptions. This paper suggests a more profound aspect: mitigating fossil price volatility. An extensive body of research indicates that fossil volatility significantly disrupts the economies of consuming nations, potentially exacting hundreds of billions of dollars from the US and EU economies alone. Energy security is reduced when countries hold inefficient portfolios that are needlessly exposed to fossil price risks. This paper describes essential portfolio-theory ideas and uses three case studies to illustrate how electricity-generating mixes can benefit from additional shares of wind, geothermal and other renewables. Compared to existing, fossil-dominated mixes, efficient portfolios reduce generating cost while including greater renewables shares in the mix thereby enhancing energy security. Though counter-intuitive, the idea that adding more costly renewables can actually reduce portfolio-generating cost is consistent with basic finance theory. An important implication is that in dynamic and uncertain environments, the relative value of generating technologies must be determined not by evaluating alternative resources, but by evaluating alternative resource portfolios.     

Assessment of renewable energy potential and policy in Turkey – Toward the acquisition period in European Union

This paper aims to assess the renewable energy capacity of Turkey in order to consider main priorities in the energy policy of Turkey. In this paper, renewable energy potential and regulatory conditions are discussed in Turkey in comparison with European Union. The results of the study implemented within the framework of EnviroGRIDS project indicated a promising yet very susceptible future for the implementation of renewable energy power plants in Turkey. The forecasts have shown that the solar power potential utilization is becoming more significant after 2020. The projections for 2050 indicate that electricity consumption from small and medium renewable energy sources including solar and wind will constitute 15% of the total, whereas the solar thermal will constitute around 16%. Geothermal and other renewables will remain around 3%. According to the high demand scenario, in 2050 the share of hydropower in overall electricity generation will be 12%, followed by solar power at 7% and wind power at 3%. Additionally, renewable energy policy and regulations in Turkey and in EU are overviewed in this study. On the contrary to EU, the constant feed-in tariff amount does not consider capital investments of specific energy sources in Turkey that brings disadvantage to the implementation. However, new regulations published and currently applied should be accepted as milestones in acquisition period of Turkey in EU.     

Environmental management systems' awareness: an investigation of top 50 contractors in Egypt

The construction industry, as an economically strategic sector and a large contributor to pollution generation, is expected to face enormous obstacles if it doesn't respond to the new business and regulatory environmental requirements in an increasingly competitive market after international trade liberization. A practical tool to achieve sustainable construction is through adopting Environmental Management Systems (EMS). Movement towards environmental management systems is getting momentum in the construction industry of most developed countries. However this field is still a relatively new and the concept is still marginalized in most of the developing world. It is suggested that lack of awareness is a major contributor to this lag.This paper reports on the results of a research on the environmental awareness of the top 50 contractors in Egypt. It investigates their ISO 14001/EMS awareness, opinions about contractor's responsibility towards the environment, necessity of ISO 14001, and obstacles and potentials for ISO 14001 adoption. These results will pave the way for effective implementation of EMS by contractors in Egypt. The paper also discusses integrating sustainable construction principals with EMS. This integration should result in environmental, social, as well as economical benefits.     

Sustainable biofuels from algae

There is currently great interest in microalgae as sources of renewable energy and biofuels. Many algae species have a high lipid content and can be grown on non-arable land using alternate water sources such as seawater. This paper discusses in detail the issue of sustainability of commercial-scale microalgae production of biofuels with particular focus on land, water, nutrients (N and P) and CO₂ requirements and highlights some of the key issues in the very large scale culture of microalgae which is required for biofuels. The use of genetically modified algae is also considered.     

Renewable energy powered evacuated tube collector refrigerator system

This article presents a numerical study of an Evacuated Tube Collector (ETC) based Ammonia-Water absorption refrigeration system. This system utilizes solar energy as an energy source and does not depend on conventional energy sources for its operation. The present system involves the use of hot water as an energy carrier for generator in an absorption system. The analysis system is based on computational model being developed and the thermodynamic properties of working fluids have been used from the computer code. The variation of performance parameters such as heat load of different components, exergy loss, COP_COOLING, COP_HEATING and Exergy efficiency are studied with varying generator temperature. The results indicate that COP_COOLING as well COP_HEATING lies in the range of 0.012–0.498 and 1.012–1.498 respectively and the values obtained are based on the maximum available solar intensity of 0.9 kW/m² which corresponds to the collector area of about 431.7 m² and hot water in the range of 90 °C. It is concluded that the maximum exergy loss is in generator and it is lowest in condenser. The ETC based absorption refrigeration system can be powered by renewable energy sources and does not employ ozone depleting substances.     

Global Biomass Energy Potential

The intensive use of renewable energy is one of the options to stabilize CO₂atmospheric concentration at levels of 350 to 550ppm. A recent evaluation of the global potential of primary renewable energy carried out by Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) sets a value of at least 2800EJ/yr, which is more than the most energy-intensive SRES scenario forecast for the world energy requirement up to the year 2100. Nevertheless, what is really important to quantify is the amount of final energy since the use of renewable sources may involve conversion efficiencies, from primary to final energy, different from the ones of conventional energy sources. In reality, IPCC does not provide a complete account of the final energy from renewables, but the text claims that using several available options to mitigate climate change, and renewables is only one of them, it is possible to stabilize atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration at a low level. In this paper, we evaluate in detail biomass primary and final energy using sugarcane crop as a proxy, since it is one of the highest energy density forms of biomass, and through afforestation/reforestation using a model presented in IPCC Second Assessment Report (SAR). The conclusion is that the primary-energy potential for biomass has been under-evaluated by many authors and by IPCC, and this under-evaluation is even larger for final energy since sugarcane allows co-production of electricity and liquid fuel. Regarding forests we reproduce IPCC results for primary energy and calculate final energy. Sugarcane is a tropical crop and cannot be grown in all the land area forecasted for biomass energy plantation in the IPCC/TAR evaluation (i.e. 1280Mha). Nevertheless, there are large expanses of unexploited land, mainly in Latin America and Africa that are subject to warm weather and convenient rainfall. With the use of 143Mha of these lands it is possible to produce 164EJ/yr (1147GJ/hayr or 3.6W/m²on average) of primary energy and 90EJ/yr of final energy in the form of liquid fuel (alcohol) and electricity, using agricultural productivities near the best ones already achievable and biomass gasification technology. More remarkable is that these results can be obtained with the operation of 4,000 production units with unitary capacity similar to the largest currently in operation. These units should be spread over the tropical land area yielding a plantation density similar to the one presently observed in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, where alcohol and electricity have been commercialized in a cost-effective way for several years. Such an amount of final energy would be sufficiently large to fulfill all the expected global increase in oil demand, as well as in electricity consumption by 2030, assuming the energy demand of such sources continues to grow at the same pace observed over the last two decades. When sugarcane crops are combined with afforestation/reforestation it is possible to show that carbon emissions decline for some IPCC SRES scenarios by 2030, 2040 and 2050. Such energy alternatives significantly reduce CO₂emissions by displacing fossil fuels and promote sustainable development through the creation of millions of direct and indirect jobs. Also, it opens an opportunity for negative CO₂emissions when coupled with carbon dioxide capture and storage.     

论美国能源监管立法与能源管理体制

美国联邦政府从20世纪30年代开始制定能源监管立法。依据集中程度和立法主题,美国能源监管立法可分为电力管控、核能监管、能源安全、放松管制等4个发展时期。根据现行美国能源立法．美国能源管理体制分为联邦和州两个层次。在联邦层次,对能源进行监管的部门有美国能源部、联邦能源监管委员会、核能监管署、环境保护署、国会内政部等。其中,能源部主要负责能源发展和安全的大政方针的制定,联邦能源监管委员会的使命在于通过管制和市场的手段执行能源立法及能源政策。在州层次,一般由州能源委员会、州公用事业委员会以及州环保局负责州的能源监管。     

Renewable financial support systems and cost-effectiveness

This paper analyses the performance of ‘market-based’ and ‘feed-in tariff’ systems of renewable energy procurement, and comments on the impact of different procurement systems on investment in renewable energy. The ‘market-based’ British Renewables Obligation (RO) is not more cost-effective compared to the German feed in tariff. Although the nominal rates of payment per kWh of renewable energy are higher in Germany, this is more than offset by lower wind speeds in Germany producing a lower return on investment compared to the UK. A harmonised, EU-wide market-based system, would not improve cost-effectiveness, and may serve to reduce, rather than increase, local investment in renewable energy. On the other hand, nationally based green electricity certificate systems like the RO are not intrinsically biased against locally owned or co-operative ventures. Systems are needed which encourage a diversity of investment in renewable energy from local as well as institutional sources.     

Minimising emissions and energy wastage by improved industrial processes and integration of renewable energy

This article provides an introduction to this Special Issue of Journal of Cleaner Production (JCLP), which contains thirteen, carefully selected articles from the 12th Conference, “Process Integration, Modelling and Optimisation for Energy Saving and Pollution Reduction” – PRES'09. This issue builds upon the multi-year co-operation between the PRES conference planners and the JCLP. The articles cover important subjects of increased efficiency in energy generation and usage and in improvements in industrial process optimisation. The first group of five papers focuses upon recent advances in emissions reduction and the resulting energy penalties. The second group of four papers deals with improving the efficiency and reliability in the utilisation of renewable energy, where hydrogen and biodiesel are the key energy carriers. The final group of three papers focus on process integration challenges of sustainable energy systems and upon the challenges of industrial/societal integration of sustainable energy systems into regional sustainable development planning.     

An integrated approach to achieving campus sustainability: assessment of the current campus environmental management practices

Universities can nowadays be regarded as ‘small cities’ due to their large size, population, and the various complex activities taking place in campuses, which have some serious direct and indirect impacts on the environment. The environmental pollution and degradation caused by universities in form of energy and material consumption via activities and operations in teaching and research, provision of support services and in residential areas could be considerably reduced by an effective choice of organizational and technical measures. Although many environmental protection measures can be seen at some universities, but a more systematic and sustainable approach to reducing the negative impacts of those activities and making the campuses more sustainable, is generally lacking. Therefore, this paper proposes a framework of a more suitable approach to achieving campus sustainability that could remedy the limitations of the current environmental management practices in universities and ensures more sustainability through the integration of three strategies, namely: university Environmental Management System (EMS); public participation and social responsibility; and promoting sustainability in teaching and research.     

Energy transition towards economic and environmental sustainability: feasible paths and policy implications

This paper focuses on growth feasibility in an era of increasing scarcity of fossil fuels. A stylised dynamic model illustrates the implications of investing in smooth technological progress in the field of renewable energy. Positive rates of GDP growth sustained by fossil fuels entail, on the one hand, more income available for R&D in renewable energy sources, and on the other, an acceleration of the exhaustible resource depletion time. Our model explores such a trade-off and highlights the danger of high growth rates. Policies should target low growth rates, stimulate investment in alternative energy sources and discourage consumption growth.