Biofuels and agriculture: a past perspective and uncertain future

The US corn ethanol industry has grown from virtually nothing in the early 1980s to over 14 billion gallons in 2011. Subsidies have been an important impetus for the industry, and they have existed in one form or another throughout the life of the industry. This paper provides (1) a brief look at the history of the linkages between energy and agriculture and how they have changed with biofuels; (2) a review of some of the major impacts of the US corn ethanol program; and (3) analysis of prospective impacts of cellulosic biofuels. There is no doubt that biofuels have brought about a new era for global agriculture. Historically, the prices of agricultural and energy products moved in response to supply and demand factors relevant to each market, but moved largely independent of one another. Corn ethanol has changed that, and today there is a link between crude oil and corn that is driven by the demand side. Since agricultural commodity prices are linked both on the demand and supply sides, the corn–crude oil link spills over to other agricultural commodities as well. Development of cellulosic biofuels has been much slower than hoped. The feedstocks are more expensive than initially believed. Conversion technologies remain uncertain and expensive. There are many uncertainties through the cellulosic supply chain, and government policy remains uncertain as well. Thus, the future of the cellulosic biofuels industry is, at this point, an open question.     

Incorporating greenhouse gas effects to evaluate energy efficiency in China

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions without hampering economic growth is a significant issue for China. Taking into account environmental sustainability principles, this study analysed the energy efficiency of 30 regions of China for the period 2002–2007. By employing a data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach, this study included undesirable CO₂ and SO₂ outputs and the desirable GDP output in the model. Empirical outcomes demonstrated that the overall average technical efficiency (TE) of China is 0.843, indicating a 15.70% input inefficiency. Among three geographic areas, the east has the highest technical efficiency, with the highest ability to set up clean-burning power plants based on best technology available. Performance in the west is less good because of much inefficient technology. Finally, the study demonstrates detailed management implications of the BCG matrix. The most important contribution of this paper is a detailed demonstration of an energy performance evaluation mechanism for China. The valuable results and insights gained can be equally effectively applied to studies in other developing countries facing the same gaseous emissions.     

Fostering food and energy security through by-product valorization within agricultural and agro-industrial networks: study of the province of Santiago de Cuba

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study is to investigate of how the concept of ‘integrated food and energy systems’ or IFES production networks could be applied – within the specific context of Eastern Cuba’s agricultural and agro-industrial sectors – as an innovative approach to improve food and energy security. The Province of Santiago de Cuba in southeast Cuba was the focus of this study; its existing operations, infrastructure, resource flows and scarcities, and actor relationships provide the basis of the data used for the evaluation.

The authors investigated the regional context, identify potential members of an agricultural and agro-industrial network in three municipalities of the province, and identify the main residuals and by-products of key facilities. Potential avenues for by-product valorization are investigated along with the possible influence/impacts on the sustainability of the surrounding systems and actors. A conceptual model for a regional network for integrated food and energy production is then provided based upon the development of three agricultural/agro-industrial scenarios: influence at the farm level, regional agro-industrial networks, and ‘anchor tenant’ eco-industrial systems. The main challenges and opportunities for the development of the networks are described with recommendations for addressing such where possible.     

六溴环十二烷(HBCD)对斑马鱼发育早期能量代谢及软骨、肌肉和鱼鳍发育的影响

六溴环十二烷(hexabromocyclododecane, HBCDs)是一种添加型阻燃剂,在环境中广泛存在。由于具有持久性、生物蓄积性和毒性等特征,HBCD很可能在水生生物体内富集并对其生长发育产生影响。将斑马鱼胚胎暴露于不同浓度的HBCD(0.1、0.5和1 mg·L^-1),通过油红O和阿尔新蓝染色观察幼鱼发育状况,并通过能量代谢及发育相关基因探讨可能的作用机制。结果表明,HBCD暴露影响了幼鱼对卵黄囊内生脂肪的吸收,并对幼鱼躯干骨骼肌、头部软骨和鱼鳍的发育产生损害。进一步研究发现,暴露组幼鱼体内ATP含量降低,ATP合成酶及电子呼吸链中还原性辅酶Ⅰ(NOX)和细胞色素C氧化酶(COX)等的活性显著降低;同时,早期发育相关基因如骨形成蛋白bmp、肌肉决定因子myod以及sox9a和wnt等基因的转录水平均受到显著抑制(P<0.05)。上述结果表明,HBCD会影响早期发育阶段的斑马鱼对卵黄囊营养物质的吸收,干扰体内能量代谢,导致能量供应不足,并通过bmp-sox9和wnt-myod等信号通路影响软骨组织、鱼鳍和骨骼肌的正常发育。     

Nexus security: governance, innovation and the resilient city

Nexus security is a compound mix of ideas: reconciling human needs and wants with access to multiple resources; diversity of access to those resources and services; resilience in the face of weather- and climaterelated variability; resilience likewise in the face of infrastructure failure; and the personal, individual sense of belonging. At the level of Systems Thinking there is a very close relationship between resilience in the behavior of natural (ecological) systems and resilience in the social dynamics of governance within communities, where such resilience establishes the viability of these communities over centuries, which in turn entails successful stewardship of the man-environment relationship. We use insights from this cross-system mapping — across natural, built, and human systems — to assess, first, the role of city governance in achieving nexus security (or not) and, second, the role of technological innovations in serving the same purpose. More specifically, eight principles, covering resilience and diversity of access to resources and services, are used to gauge security-enhancing features of city buildings and infrastructure. Case studies include new designs of resilient office blocks, nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) recovery systems for sanitation and wastewater treatment, and the reconstruction of urban parks for the provision of ecosystem services. Throughout the paper, matters of risk in the face of meteorological variability are prominent. We do not conclude, however, that the presence of risk implies nexus insecurity.     

On water security, sustainability, and the water-food-energy-climate nexus

The role of water security in sustainable development and in the nexus of water, food, energy and climate interactions is examined from the starting point of the definition of water security offered by Grey and Sadoff. Much about the notion of security has to do with the presumption of scarcity in the resources required to meet human needs. The treatment of scarcity in mainstream economics is in turn examined, therefore, in relation to how each of us as individuals reconciles means with ends, a procedure at the core of the idea of sustainable development. According to the Grey-Sadoff definition, attaining water security amounts to achieving basic, single-sector water development as a precursor of more general, self-sustaining, multi-sectoral development. This is consistent with the way in which water is treated as “first among equals”, i.e. privileged, in thinking about what is key in achieving security around the nexus of water, food, energy and climate. Cities, of course, are locations where demands for these multiple resource-energy flows are increasingly being generated. The paper discusses two important facets of security, i.e., diversity of access to resources and services (such as sanitation) and resilience in the behavior of coupled human-built-natural systems. Eight quasi-operational principles, by which to gauge nexus security with respect to city buildings and infrastructure, are developed.     

缓释氮肥对菊芋生长季土壤CH4和N2O排放的影响

设置尿素+硝化抑制剂(U+DCD)、尿素+脲酶抑制剂(U+HQ)、脲甲醛(UF)、钙镁磷肥包膜尿素(CM-CU)、树脂包膜尿素(PCU)、硫包尿素(SCU)6种缓释氮肥处理以及普通尿素(U)处理,在江苏大丰进行小区试验,采用静态箱-气相色谱法同步观测沿海滩涂能源植物——菊芋(Helianthus tuberosus)生长季土壤的CH4和N2O排放通量及其减排潜力。结果表明,在2010年整个菊芋生长季,U、PCU、UF、SCU、CMCU、U+HQ和U+DCD处理土壤CH4排放总量依次为1.25、0.59、0.43、0.27、0.25、0.26和-0.21 kg.hm-2。与普通尿素处理相比,除U+DCD处理外,其余施用缓释氮肥处理可使CH4排放量减少53%～80%。生长季PCU、SCU、CMCU、U、UF、U+HQ和U+DCD处理的N2O排放总量分别为2.94、2.44、2.27、2.24、1.77、1.47和1.34 kg.hm-2。与普通尿素处理相比,施用化学型缓释氮肥(U+DCD、U+HQ和UF处理)使N2O排放量减少21%～40%,而施用物理型缓释氮肥(CM-CU、PCU和SCU处理)则使N2O排放量增加1%～31%。从全球增温潜势看,各化学型缓释氮肥处理均表现出显著的减排效果。     

变频器在高炉出铁场除尘系统中应用的优势

介绍了传统的节能调速方式及变频器调速的节能原理,并结合工程实例综合分析了高炉出铁场除尘系统采用变频器调速在节能和设备运行等方面的优势。     

绿色施工评价指标体系与方法研究

作为传统的高能耗产业,建筑业的节能减排对我国节能减排工作大局意义重大。绿色施工以节能减排为核心理念,是建筑业实施可持续发展战略重要措施。通过对我国建筑施工活动中的污染源和能耗源进行追溯和辨识,综合管理、技术、经济等要素,并参照我国绿色施工相关规定,探讨构建了基于我国国情的绿色施工综合评价标准体系,进而利用突变级数法,设计了绿色施工综合评价方法。结合相关工程进行实例评价,结果表明该评价指标体系与方法评价结论客观与准确,并可以发现建筑企业绿色施工生产活动中缺陷,提高企业管理水平,促进技术创新,降低生产成本。     

300m3易燃易爆湿式氢气贮柜爆炸事故分析

针对某动力公司300m^3易燃易爆湿式氢气贮柜发生燃烧爆炸事故的现场情况,首次给出了湿式氢气贮柜发生爆炸的可能原因和事故的技术分析过程,建立了相应的事故数学分析模型和爆炸燃烧方程,提供了湿式氢气贮柜发生爆炸事故的数学模拟计算方法,确定了300m^3湿式氢气贮柜发生爆炸事故原因,为我国类似企业开展湿式氢气贮柜火灾爆炸事故分析提供了可借鉴的理论和方法依据。