Monitoring air quality with lichens: a comparison between mapping in forest sites and in open areas

Four different methods of epiphytic lichen mapping were used for the assessment of air quality in the region under the influence of the Sostanj Thermal Power Plant (Salek Valley, Slovenia). Three methods were based on the presence of different lichen species (VDI, EU and ICP-Forest), the fourth on a frequency and coverage assessment of different growth forms of epiphytic lichens, e.g. crustose, foliose and fruticose (SI). A comparison of the results from the assessment of air quality between forest sites (ICP-Forest, SI) and open areas (VDI, EU and SI), obtained by the different methods of epiphytic lichen mapping, is presented in the contribution. Data showed that lichen species richness is worse in forest sites in comparison with open areas. From the data obtained it can be concluded that epiphytic lichen mapping in open areas is a better method for the assessment of air pollution in a given area than mapping in forest sites. The species-based methods in open areas are more powerful and useful for air quality assessment in polluted research areas than the SI and ICP-Forest methods.     

The Influence of a Coal-Fired Power Plant in Turkey on the Chemical Composition of Rain Water in a Certain Region

In this study, the chemical composition of the rainwater in Yatağan, which is a region surrounding a coal power plant was investigated from February to April 2002. Rainwater samples were obtained from Yatağan, located northwest of Muğla City in Turkey. pH values and concentrations of major ions (Ca²⁺, Na⁺, K⁺, , , ) in the rainwater samples were analyzed. The pH varied from 5.1 to 7.9 with an average of 6.7 which was in alkaline range considering 5.6 as the neutral pH of cloud water in equilibrium with atmospheric CO₂. In the total of 30 rain events, only three events were observed with water in the acidic range (<5.6), which occurred after continuous rains. The equivalent concentration of components followed the order: Ca²⁺ > > Na⁺ > > > K⁺ > H⁺. The anion and cation concentrations in the rainwater samples showed a high sulphate concentration (131 μEq/l), as well as high sodium (40 μEq/l) and calcium (298 μEq/l) concentrations. These values indicate that one probable source of the high sodium concentration is fly ash, after the coal burning process and the power plant can be effective on level concentrations in rainwater. In addition, the dust-rich local and surrounding limestone environment might have caused the high concentration of Ca²⁺ in rainwater of the Yatağan Basin. Due to a large contribution of these cations to the sulphate neutralization action, the rainwater of this region displays only a moderate acidity, which does not cause significant environmental impact.     

Relation of waste generation and composition to socio-economic factors: a case study

To develop an effective waste management strategy for a given region, it is important to know the amount of waste generated and the composition of the waste stream. Past research has shown that the amount of waste generated is proportional to the population and the average mean living standards or the average income of the people. In addition, other factors may affect the amount and composition of waste. These are climate, living habits, level of education, religious and cultural beliefs, and social and public attitudes. This paper presents the findings of a study carried out in a suburban municipal area in Sri Lanka to determine the solid waste generation rate and waste composition based on field surveys and to determine the related socio-economic factors. A database was developed that included information on the quantity and composition of waste generated in a sample of households in the study area over a time period. The collected data was analysed to relate waste generation and composition data to various socio-economic factors. Over 400 sample households were selected for the study using a stratified random sampling methodology based on municipal wards and property values. A technique that considers both the number of households in a particular income group (property value range) and the standard deviation of property values within a given income group was used to determine the appropriate sample size for each municipal ward. Through category and regression analyses, the quantities of waste and waste composition were related to several socio-economic factors. The paper describes the basis for the sample selection, the methodology adopted for data collection, the socio-economic parameters used for the analysis, and the relationships developed from the analysis.     

中国煤电和核电的环境影响与健康风险比较

将煤电与核电的环境影响和健康风险从全燃料链角度进行比较 ,结果表明 ,煤电燃料链的环境影响和健康风险比核电燃料链大。     

资源和环境的存在价值的经济学基础

资源与环境的存在价值为独立与人们对资源的现期使用的价值。在资源,环境的代际问题中,存在价值会成为重要的决策参数。本文对存在价值的同予以分陈、归纳,并以反映其特点的结构进行表述;其次对存在价值与其它类别的价值尤其是期权价值,准期作出区分。     

智能家电的低待机功耗研究

从智能家电待机工作状态入手,分析电器产品中参与待机工作的各部分电路原理,提出降低潜在功耗设计思路和计算方法,从家电设计研发阶段对待机功耗进行控制,同时对待机功耗精确测量方法关键点进行解读以控制低功耗测试不确定度,有助于低待机功耗设计和测量的标准化和规范化。     

Photovoltaic-thermal (PV/t) panel to minimize electrical and air conditioning energy consumption of a typical office in Beirut

A combined photovoltaic–thermal (PV/t) panel is proposed to produce simultaneously electricity and heat from one integrated unit. The unit utilizes effectively the solar energy through achieving higher PV electrical efficiency and using the thermal energy for heating applications. To predict the performance of the PV/t at a given environmental conditions, a transient mathematical model was developed. The model was integrated in a heating application for a typical office space in the city of Beirut to provide the office needs for electricity, heating during winter season, and dehumidification and evaporative cooling during the summer season. To minimize the yearly office energy (electrical and heat) needs, the PV/t panel cooling air flow rate and the dehumidification regeneration temperature were determined for opimal unit operation. Thermal energy savings of up to 85% in winter and 71% in summer were achived compared to conventional systems at a payback period of 8 years for the panels.     

Suitable error evaluation criteria selection in the wind energy assessment via the K-means clustering algorithm

In this paper, wind energy potential of four locations in Xinjiang region is assessed. The Weibull distribution as well as the Logistic and the Lognormal distributions are applied to describe the distributions of the wind speed at different heights. In determining the parameters in the Weibull distribution, four intelligent parameter optimization approaches including the differential evolutionary, the particle swarm optimization, and two other approaches derived from these two algorithms and combined advantages of these two approaches are employed. Then the optimal distribution is chosen through the Chi-square error (CSE), the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test error (KSE), and the root mean square error (RMSE) criteria. However, it is found that the variation range of some criteria is quite large, thus these criteria are analyzed and evaluated both from the anomalous values and by the K-means clustering method. Anomaly observation results have shown that the CSE is the first one should be considered to be eliminated from the consequent optimal distribution function selection. This idea is further confirmed by the K-means clustering algorithm, by which the CSE is clustered into a different group with KSE and RMSE. Therefore, only the reserved two error evaluation criteria are utilized to evaluate the wind power potential.     

Economic dispatch of power system containing wind power and photovoltaic considering carbon trading and spare capacity variation

The drying up of the fossil energy sources and the damage from unchecked carbon emissions demand the development of low carbon economy, which promotes the development of new energy sources, such as wind power and photovoltaic. However, the direct connections of wind/photovoltaic power into power grid bring great impacts on power systems, thus affecting the security and stability of power system operations, which challenges the power system dispatching. In despite of many methods for power system dispatch, lack of the models, for power system containing wind power and photovoltaic considering carbon trading and spare capacity variation (PSCWPCCTSCV), restricts the further optimal operations of power systems. This paper studies the economic dispatch modeling problem of power system containing wind power and photovoltaic, establishes the model of economic dispatch of PSCWPCCTSCV. On this basis, adaptive immune genetic algorithm is applied to conduct the economic operation optimization, which can provide the optimal carbon trading price and the optimal power distribution coefficient. Finally, simulations based on the newly proposed models are made to illustrate the economic dispatch of PSCWPCCTSCV. The results show that optimization with the proposed model can not only weaken the volatility of the new energy effectively, but also reduce carbon emissions and reduce power generation costs.     

Coalition of injustice? Bodies,business, and the biosphere in struggles against unwanted land uses

Scholars of environmental injustice have pushed to see beyond the spatial distribution of environmental harms in studies of unwanted land uses. Building upon this work, this article examines how the complex geographies of environmental injustice play out in a coalition to prevent the construction of a coal-fired power plant in Surry County, Virginia. While spatially dispersed coalitions of negatively affected actors can strengthen efforts to prevent the construction of an unwanted land use, they can also perpetuate the environmental injustices surrounding it. To make this argument, particular attention is paid to the diverse reasons and ways differentially situated actors oppose an unwanted land use. It is demonstrated how the disparate concerns and differential tactics deployed by actors in coalitions against unwanted land uses are often embedded in and potentially contribute to longer histories of social injustice.