A framework to minimise total energy consumption and total tardiness on a single machine

A great amount of energy is wasted in industry by machines that remain idle due to underutilisation. A way to avoid wasting energy and thus reducing the carbon print of an industrial plant is to consider minimisation of energy consumption objective while making scheduling decisions. To minimise energy consumption, the decision maker has to decide the timing and length of turn off/turn on operation (a setup) and also provide a sequence of jobs that minimises the scheduling objective, assuming that all jobs are not available at the same time. In this paper, a framework to solve a multiobjective optimisation problem that minimises total energy consumption and total tardiness is proposed. Since total tardiness problem with release dates is an NP‐hard problem, a new greedy randomised multiobjective adaptive search metaheuristic is utilised to obtain an approximate pareto front (i.e. an approximate set of non‐dominated solutions). Analytical Hierarchy Process is utilised to determine the ‘best’ alternative among the solutions on the pareto front. The proposed framework is illustrated in a case study. It is shown that a wide variety of dispersed solutions can be obtained via the proposed framework, and as total tardiness decreases, total energy consumption increases.     

The role of integrated performance model in sustainable envelope design and assessment

The issue of sustainable design and assessment of the residential building envelope is a complex process that requires considering many factors including life cycle performance. As such, in an effort to develop an integrated approach that combines relevant sustainable development factors and life cycle concepts for sustainable designs, an integrated performance model (IPM) was developed. The IPM is an essential tool to aid the sustainable design of the residential building envelope, reduce the carbon emission and the whole residential building energy consumption, thereby ensuring sustainable performance of the building envelope and building sustainability. The IPM application indicates that sustainable performance of the building envelope in extreme weather and climatic condition is significantly influenced by the energy efficiency performance of the development.     

Energy analysis of algae-to-biofuel production chains integrated with a combined heat and power plant

ABSTRACT

This study examines the energy and mass balances of algae cultivation and different post-processing pathways. Flue gases and excess heat from a combined heat and power (CHP) plant are used in algae cultivation, with nutrients from municipal wastewater. In the studied pathways, algae are cultivated in open ponds and photobioreactors with or without artificial lighting. Algal mass is used for methane, biodiesel or ethanol production, or it is combusted in a boiler. Results show that in most process pathways energy output exceeds the energy consumption in processing, and the energy returns are approximately twice as large as the electricity input. A large fraction of input energy is low-temperature heat, while the products have a higher value. Energy outputs from different pathways are similar, but heat and electricity consumption in processing vary significantly. Supercritical water gasification pathway is identified as a possible future option, whereas lipid extraction pathways are suggested to be the most likely candidates for industrial scale operations.     

The considerations and limitations of feedback as a strategy for behaviour change

Design for Sustainable Behaviour (DfSB) is a maturing research area concerned with the application of design strategies to influence consumer behaviour during a products use phase towards more sustainable action. However, current DfSB research has focussed on strategy selection with little research into understanding the real-world impact of the behaviour changing interventions debated. This article presents the results of an extensive literature review of one specific DfSB strategy, feedback – a user agentive performance indicator. These findings exemplify the considerations and limitations of this particular approach to behaviour change, drawing on empirical research conducted by a breadth of authors, including two of the only medium-term case studies in the field of DfSB. Considerations discussed include the frequency, duration and accuracy of feedback; the selection of metrics and the presentation medium and mode; the use of ambience and the location of the installation. Limitations of feedback include the need for additional information and comparisons; the issue with multiple users; technical issues; relegation to background technology and the potential rebound effects. This article provides insights to both improve the effectiveness of future feedback design efforts and also to help facilitate discussion on feedbacks position as a strategy within DfSB.     

Achievements,challenges and global implications of China’s carbon neutral pledge

China has been committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. China’s pledge of carbon neutrality will play an essential role in galvanising global climate action, which has been largely deferred by the Covid-19 pandemic. China’s carbon neutrality could reduce global warming by approximately 0.2–0.3 °C and save around 1.8 million people from premature death due to air pollution. Along with domestic benefits, China’s pledge of carbon neutrality is a “game-changer” for global climate action and can inspire other large carbon emitters to contribute actively to mitigate carbon emissions, particularly countries along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) routes. In order to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, it is necessary to decarbonise all sectors in China, including energy, industry, transportation, construction, and agriculture. However, this transition will be very challenging, because major technological breakthroughs and large-scale investments are required. Strong policies and implementation plans are essential, including sustainable demand, decarbonizing electricity, electrification, fuel switching, and negative emissions. In particular, if China can peak carbon emissions earlier, it can lower the costs of the carbon neutral transition and make it easier to do so over a longer time horizon. China’s pledge of carbon neutrality by 2060 and recent pledges at the 26^th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) are significant contributions and critical steps for global climate action. However, countries worldwide need to achieve carbon neutrality to keep the global temperature from growing beyond the level that will cause catastrophic damages globally.     

熵析污水处理资源与能源化

熵为热力学第二定律中的抽象概念.按熵之理论,自然熵增和逆熵增维系着生态平衡.人类生产、生活过程中摄取资源并排放污/废水等熵增产物会促进物质熵增并破坏生态平衡,加速生物消亡.而缓释、甚至抵消这种“人为熵增”则乃实现蓝色发展目标的重要一环.如今,人为熵增所引发的自然物质熵变循环塌陷是不争的事实,“自然熵增”之原生态方法显然已不适合大规模处理城市污水,“加速熵增”的传统污水处理技术显然也已不合时宜,只有发展“逆熵增”的污水处理资源、能源化技术才是人间正道.通过对熵的具象化释义,揭示出传统污水处理技术以及污泥填埋方式为“加速熵增”过程,对人类可持续发展十分不利.只有模拟元素循环的自然的“逆熵增”过程,才能使得污水处理走向可持续发展水平.因此,污水资源化与能源化首当其冲,一定是未来污水处理的发展方向.只有通过人工缓释熵增(高效低耗污水处理技术)和促进逆熵增手段(资源与能源化技术)才能抵消人为熵增造成的影响,从而维持生态平衡.     

广东省居民生活直接能源消费大气污染物与温室气体排放趋势研究

居民生活直接能源消费是重要的大气污染物和温室气体排放来源,识别其历史排放趋势是科学制定管控策略的基础.然而目前我国尚缺乏省级尺度居民生活能源消费排放趋势的研究.以广东省为研究对象,通过广泛收集居民生活直接能源消费数据和排放因子,建立了2006—2017年广东省居民生活直接能源消费大气污染物和温室气体排放清单,并采用情景分析法量化了能源结构变化对居民生活直接能源消费大气污染物与温室气体排放的影响.结果表明：①2006—2017年居民生活直接能源消费排放的大气污染物和温室气体均呈下降趋势,CO、PM_2.5、BC、OC、CH₄、CO₂和N₂O排放量分别下降70%、59%、59%、66%、77%、30%和73%;②城乡贡献上,乡村居民生活直接能源消费是大气 污染物和温室气体排放的主要来源,排放分担率分别在70%和60%以上;③空间分布上,2017年广东省居民生活直接能源消费大气污染物和温室气体排放主要集中在粤东、粤西传统燃料消费量较高的地区,以及广州、东莞和深圳等人口密度较大的城市地区;④能源结构清洁化所致的2006—2017年广东省居民生活直接能源消费大气污染物和温室气体减排比例为38%~88%;⑤以2025年为目标年,居民生活能源结构持续清洁化发展能够进一步降低居民生活直接能源消费大气污染物和温室气体排放,尤其对CO、PM_2.5、BC、CH₄和N₂O的减排比例均在80%以上.     

中国清洁电力发展对二氧化碳排放的空间效应及影响路径研究

有关清洁电力是否有效降低二氧化碳排放,有两种不同观点,本文分析了产生争议的原因,并基于机理分析,选取1998—2018年中国30个省份的相关数据,利用空间面板杜宾模型研究清洁电力发展对区域二氧化碳排放的影响。回归结果显示：①二氧化碳排放在省域之间具有显著的正向空间溢出效应。②清洁电力发展与二氧化碳排放之间呈倒U形关系并通过了一系列稳健性检验。③进一步地通过效应分解发现,清洁电力发展无论是直接效应还是间接效应,均需要达到一定的门槛值之后才会对区域二氧化碳排放产生促减效用。最后,通过中介效应模型检验发现,清洁电力发展带来的能源消费结构调整和能源利用效率改变是影响二氧化碳排放的作用机制。     

A dominant coalition and policy change: an analysis of shale oil and gas politics in India

This paper identifies the coalitions involved in the topic of shale oil and gas development in India and identifies the circumstances surrounding a change in policy in 2013 by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas to promote shale exploration. Using the Advocacy Coalition Framework as the theoretical lens, the data are collected primarily from newspaper articles from 2010 to 2015 to identify coalitions, including actors’ positions, priorities, and interactions. The findings show the presence of a dominant advocacy coalition in favor of shale oil and gas development with priorities about energy security and a regulatory framework. The findings indicate some internal coalition disagreement, but stronger internal coalition agreement. Policy change was preceded by a spike in disagreement internal to the dominant coalition. This paper shows how a change in a dominant coalition can precede a change in policy, offers a replicable method of identifying and measuring coalitions via newspaper content analysis, provides a rare application of the Advocacy Coalition Framework outside of North America and Western Europe, and provides evidence of support for shale oil and gas development in India.