Institutional Constraints on Cost‐Effective Water Management: Selenium Contamination in Colorado's Lower Arkansas River Valley

Ground and surface water selenium (Se) contamination is problematic throughout the world, leading to harmful impacts on aquatic life, wildlife, livestock, and humans. A groundwater reactive transport model was applied to a regional‐scale irrigated groundwater system in the Lower Arkansas River Basin in southeastern Colorado to identify management practices that remediate Se contamination. The system has levels of surface water and groundwater Se concentrations exceeding the respective chronic standard and guidelines. We evaluate potential solutions by combining the transport model with an assessment of the cost to employ those practices. We use a framework common in economics and engineering fields alike, the Pareto frontier, to show the impact of four different best management practices on the tradeoffs between Se and cost objectives. We then extend that analysis to include institutional constraints that affect the economic feasibility associated with each practice. Results indicate that although water‐reducing strategies have the greatest impact on Se, they are the hardest for farmers to implement given constraints common to western water rights institutions. Therefore, our analysis shows that estimating economic and environmental tradeoffs, as is typically done with a Pareto frontier, will not provide an accurate picture of choices available to farmers where institutional constraints should also be considered.     

Variability and Trends in Runoff Efficiency in the Conterminous United States

Variability and trends in water‐year runoff efficiency (RE) — computed as the ratio of water‐year runoff (streamflow per unit area) to water‐year precipitation — in the conterminous United States (CONUS) are examined for the 1951 through 2012 period. Changes in RE are analyzed using runoff and precipitation data aggregated to United States Geological Survey 8‐digit hydrologic cataloging units (HUs). Results indicate increases in RE for some regions in the north‐central CONUS and large decreases in RE for the south‐central CONUS. The increases in RE in the north‐central CONUS are explained by trends in climate, whereas the large decreases in RE in the south‐central CONUS likely are related to groundwater withdrawals from the Ogallala aquifer to support irrigated agriculture.     

An experimental apparatus for testing biodiesels based on a CFR engine—setup and validation with different methyl ester blends

A cooperative fuel research (CFR) engine was modified and instrumented in order to control operating conditions and to measure engine parameters and in-cylinder pressure diagrams. Aiming at the comparison of different alternative fuels, an experimental procedure was defined, including cetane number (CN) evaluation and the definition of engine operating quantities in different working points, for fixed levels of compression ratio (CR) and injection advance. An investigation was made considering several blends of methyl-esters of rapeseed oil (RME) and of a mix of vegetable oils (VOME) with conventional diesel oil. The defined experimental procedure was applied to assess CN, engine brake thermal efficiency (bte) and exhaust emissions. Results show that the biodiesel content has a positive influence on soot emissions, with strong reduction, while thermal efficiency and NO_X emissions are negatively affected, which can be justified taking into account fuel properties and changes in combustion process. As observed outcomes are generally in line with those presented in literature, the facility proved to be a suitable tool for basic investigations on alternative fuels to be used in specific applications.     

The synergistic effect of air mass on outdoor performance for different PV module in India

The effect of air mass (AM) on the performance of multi-crystalline silicon (m-Si), amorphous silicon (a-Si), and hetero-junction with intrinsic thin layer (HIT)-technology-based photovoltaic (PV) modules are evaluated for representative day of four seasons during the year 2011 for composite climate of India. To find the best performing PV module technology with respect to AM at the site, annual energy yields and performance ratio against different AM bands (AM 1–4.5) are plotted. It is found that HIT modules perform better than m-Si and a-Si at each AM band. Annual energy yields for all three technologies decrease with increasing order of AM bands. The performance ratio for HIT and m-SI modules initially increases and then decreases with increasing order of AM bands. However, for a-Si modules, the performance ratio decreases with increasing order of the AM bands.     

Energy efficiency and appliance’s characteristics considered prior to purchase: Differences and similarities between the United Kingdom,Germany, Portugal,Greece, Poland,Spain and Italy

This article reports country differences in the consumer’s most considered characteristics when choosing electrical appliances, including but not restricted to the energy efficiency aspect. A survey was performed to store customers from 7 countries: the United Kingdom; Germany; Portugal; Greece; Poland; Spain; Italy. Results showed consistency between countries in the top three characteristics considered: cost; quality; and a balance between price and quality. Differences were found for reported environmental attitudes and behaviours, purchase motives, and store employees evaluation. The results may support national policies and store level energy efficiency interventions. Specifically, they can provide input for store employee’s training, in persuading customers towards the purchase of energy efficient appliances.     

Experimental investigation of a 250-kW turbine organic Rankine cycle system for low-grade waste heat recovery

An organic Rankine cycle (ORC) is generally used for converting low-grade heat into electricity. In this study, an extensive literature survey was conducted to identify current research gaps on experimental ORC systems. Specifically, there is limited experimental data and limited details on thermal and expander efficiencies of ORC systems. In order to address these gaps, the objective of this study included developing a turbine ORC with a power output exceeding 50 kW and thermal efficiency exceeding 8% for a heat source temperature < 120°C. The experimental results indicated that the system achieved a net power output of 242.5 kW and a thermal efficiency of 8.3% (the highest value for a turbine ORC system for the heat source temperature below 120°C). Thus, the study addressed the gaps identified in the research area of ORCs.     

中国区域工业企业绿色技术创新效率及因素分解

本文基于两阶段创新价值链下工业企业绿色技术创新的过程,构建了中国区域工业企业绿色技术创新效率评价体系,同时运用主成分分析法对这些指标数据进行降维处理,分别计算出两个阶段的技术创新效率,再通过DEA法测算各区域工业企业整体绿色技术创新效率并进行因素分解。研究发现:1在绿色技术开发阶段,考虑环境因素比不考虑环境因素的效率要低,中、西部地区面临的环境问题更加严峻,三大区域绿色技术开发效率差距悬殊。2在绿色技术成果转化阶段,绿色技术创新效率仍存在较大提升空间,东、中和西部地区绿色技术创新效率从高到低依次排列。3中国工业企业绿色技术创新整体效率偏低,而纯技术效率是导致整体效率低的主要原因。区域差距悬殊且存在继续扩大的风险,中、西部地区在纯技术效率和规模效率两个方面均有很大提升空间。4辽宁、河北、黑龙江、新疆、山西、内蒙古、云南、青海等区域要注重提高区域技术,安徽、吉林、江西、广西等区域则要注重减少资源冗余,宁夏、甘肃则既要注重提高区域技术还要注意较少资源冗余。未来,中国应该建立低碳经济发展模式,将环境污染指标工业企业技术创新效率评价体系,提升绿色技术创新效率。以供给侧改革为突破口,加快区域协同发展,发挥东部地区引领作用,缩小中国东、中、西部地区差异。因地制宜,根据各省份绿色技术创新效率不高的根源,采取有针对性的政策。加大绿色技术开发、清洁生产设备等方面的投入,控制污染物排放,推动以科技创新为核心的全面创新。     

中国碳市场波动溢出效应研究

自2013年以来,中国已先后建立了七个区域性碳市场。研究中国碳市场之间的波动溢出效应,有助于发现在碳市场运行初期起价格引导作用的区域市场,为其它地区碳市场的发展和全国碳市场的建立提供建议。本文选择广东、湖北和深圳三个交易量最大的区域碳市场为样本,利用多元GARCH(1,1)-BEKK模型,检验其波动溢出效应。为了消除履约期的影响,本文根据履约期将样本划分为阶段一(2014年7月1日—2015年6月30日)和阶段二(2015年7月1日—2016年7月19日),分阶段进行了检验,并从市场有效性的视角解释了检验结果。波动溢出效应检验结果显示:在阶段一内,广东碳市场对湖北碳市场、湖北碳市场对深圳碳市场、深圳碳市场对广东碳市场分别存在单向的波动溢出效应;在阶段二内,只存在深圳碳市场对广东碳市场的单向波动溢出效应;在整个样本期内,只存在深圳碳市场对广东碳市场的单向波动溢出效应。基于方差比的市场有效性检验结果显示:无论是阶段一、阶段二或整个样本期,三个碳市场均没有达到弱式有效。本文进一步在多重分形检验的基础上,利用多重分形谱宽度,比较了三个碳市场的非有效性程度,结果显示:在阶段一、阶段二和整个样本期,三个碳市场有效性大小关系分别为:湖北广东深圳、深圳湖北广东、广东深圳湖北。可见,三个碳市场早期的波动溢出效应不完全符合市场有效性大小关系,而较晚期的波动溢出效应符合市场有效性大小关系,这证明了中国碳市场在阶段二相比阶段一更为成熟。本文最后对中国碳排放权交易市场的发展提出了政策建议。     

Rebound effect and its decomposition – an analysis based on energy types in China

Rebound effect derived from energy efficiency improvement has been widely invested. However, most of studies focus on the rebound effect of the energy composite level and neither distinguish nor compare different energy types. We compare the differences in energy saving and energy rebound between primary and secondary energy sources, and further decompose the rebound effect into production rebound part and final demand component. To do so, we add a module for rebound into a comparative state China-CGE model. We design and test two simulation scenarios using the model. In Scenario 1, all production sectors’ energy efficiency of using primary energy increases by 5%. In Scenario 2, all production sectors’ energy efficiency of using secondary energy increases by 5%. The results show that Scenario 2 leads to more GDP growth and more energy saving. Our scenarios show rebound effects range between 9.6% and 27.9%, and in general are higher when energy efficiency of using primary energy sources is improved. Our decomposition analysis shows that improving energy efficiency in production sectors would stimulates energy use of final demand. Indeed, the consumption side has significant contribution to rebound in secondary energy use, especially in crude oil and gas. This study reveals that improving efficiency of using secondary energy is better than improving that of primary energy, both in terms of economic impact and energy rebound. And complementary policies that prevent energy services prices from falling too much can be adopted to reduce rebound. Controlling residential energy use could also be effective in reducing rebound, this has particular implication to economies in which residential energy consumption are far from saturation.     

环境约束下大都市城郊土地利用结构评价——基于信息熵和非期望产出模型分析

土地利用过程中会产生期望和非期望产出,针对以往土地利用结构评价中忽略环境产生的非期望产出而影响土地利用结构效率真实性问题,以大都市城郊的上海青浦区为例,宏观上,运用信息熵模型对该区2005~2014年土地利用结构有序性进行评价;微观上,运用非期望产出模型测算青浦区研究期间土地利用结构效率,为寻求区域土地利用结构效率损失的原因及改善途径提供参考。结果表明:(1)2005~2014年青浦区土地利用结构信息熵值时序上呈现"M"形变化趋势,空间上由中部向东西两翼递减;(2)2005~2014年青浦区土地利用结构效率变化趋势在时间序列上呈现"W"形变化趋势,空间上由中部的中心城区向东西两翼递减格局;(3)将环境的负产出纳入非期望产出模型进行土地利用结构效率评价,能更加准确的反映土地利用结构效率的真实性;(4)影响青浦区土地利用结构效率水平变化的主要因素为纯技术效率的变化,资源过度消耗和环境污染物排放过量是制约青浦区土地利用结构效率提升的主要原因。针对土地利用结构效率损失的原因及区域差异提出效率提升途径。研究结果可为青浦区土地利用结构优化和可持续发展提供科学借鉴。