Ash deposition impact on the energy performance of photovoltaic generators

A little known side effect of the atmospheric air pollution is the degradation of photovoltaic (PV) cells’ performance due to the deposition of solid particles varying in composition, size and origin. In this context, an experimental-based investigation is conducted in order to compare the energy performance of two identical pairs of PV-panels; the first being clean and the second being artificially polluted with ash, i.e. a by-product of incomplete hydrocarbons’ combustion mainly originating from thermal power stations and vehicular exhausts. A series of systematic measurements of current intensity, voltage output and solar radiation are executed simultaneously for the clean and the polluted PV-panel, so that the effect of several mass depositions on the PVs’ power output, energy yield and conversion efficiency may be determined. According to the results, a considerable deterioration of the PV-panels’ performance is obtained, i.e. almost 30% energy reduction per hour or 1.5% efficiency decrease (in absolute terms) for ash accumulation on the panels’ surface reaching up to 0.4 mg/cm².     

Barriers to the adoption of proactive environmental strategies

This study contributes to the knowledge of the difficulties or barriers found by firms when adopting proactive environmental strategies, providing empirical evidence from 240 Spanish industrial firms. A set of 25 barriers are initially evaluated by the managers of the sample firms and are grouped into four types of difficulties facing firms: external barriers, endemic limitations of the firm, limited environmental motivation and limited preparation of employees and operational inertia. The estimation of a structural equation model leads us to conclude that only the barriers identified as endemic limitations of the firm can be characterized as “effective barriers”, defined as problems preventing firms from progressing toward proactive environmental behavior.     

Assessment of eco-labelling criteria development from a strategic sustainability perspective

To turn current patterns of consumption and production in a sustainable direction, solid and understandable market information on the socio-ecological performance of products is needed. Eco-labelling programmes have an important role in this communication. The aim of this study is to investigate what gaps there may be in the current criteria development processes in relation to a strategic sustainability perspective and develop recommendations on how such presumptive gaps could be bridged. First a previously published generic framework for strategic sustainable development is described and applied for the assessment of two eco-labelling programmes. Data for the assessment is collected from literature and in semi-structured interviews and discussions with eco-labelling experts.The assessment revealed that the programmes lack both an operational definition of sustainability, and a statement of objectives to direct and drive the criteria development processes. Consequently they also lack guidelines for how product category criteria might gradually develop in any direction. The selected criteria mainly reflect the current reality based on a selection of negative impacts in ecosystems, but how this selection, or prioritization, is made is not clearly presented. Finally, there are no guidelines to ensure that the criteria developers represent a broad enough competence to embrace all essential sustainability aspects.In conclusion the results point at deficiencies in theory, process and practice of eco-labelling, which hampers cohesiveness, transparency and comprehension. And it hampers predictability, as producers get no support in foreseeing how coming revisions of criteria will develop. This represents a lost opportunity for strategic sustainable development. It is suggested that these problems could be avoided by informing the criteria development process by a framework for strategic sustainable development, based on backcasting from basic sustainability principles.     

基于ARDL方法分析福建省资源利用与经济增长关系

运用物质流分析方法以及最新发展的自回归分布滞后模型(ARDL),对福建省1990~2008年资源利用和实际GDP二者关系进行检验和分析.采用了物质流分析指标中直接物质投入来表征区域资源利用量.ARDL边界检验结果表明,资源利用和经济增长间存在稳定的长期均衡关系.进一步通过ARDL模型揭示了区域经济增长对资源利用长期弹性系数,其值约为0.73,通过误差修正模型揭示了短期弹性系数,表明了经济增长到资源利用的长期格兰杰因果关系.对福建省经济增长和资源保护战略提出了政策建议.这一研究思路和方法具有普适性,可以适用于其他地区关于资源利用和经济增长的问题的讨论和研究.     

南方红壤丘陵区粮食生产的完全成本 ——以湖南省祁阳县为例

针对目前我国农业生产中的资源环境问题,指出粮食生产成本核算的不完整性,粮食生产造成的资源耗减和环境降级得不到补偿。运用环境经济学原理和可持续发展理论对粮食生产的完全成本进行分析,提出粮食生产的完全成本除包括直接生产成本外,还应包括粮食生产的资源环境成本。论文以南方红壤丘陵区的湖南省祁阳县为研究对象进行案例分析,研究表明,2008年该区域粮食生产的资源环境成本相当于当年农业总产值的36.55%;早、中、晚稻的完全成本分别达到4.27、3.84和4.40元·kg^-1,其中资源环境成本分别为1.38、 1.65和1.64元·kg^-1,直接生产成本分别为2.89、 2.19和2.76元·kg^-1,而实际市场价格分别仅有1.76、 1.90和1.84元·kg^-1。研究结果对有关部门制定相关农业政策、调整粮食生产布局、促进区域粮食生产和可持续发展具有一定的参考价值。     

1株脱氮除磷菌的筛选及其特性研究

采用YG培养基,结合蓝白斑筛选、异染粒染色及好氧除磷能力检测等实验,从城市生活污水处理厂好氧生化池的活性污泥中分离出7株好氧除磷菌;再经硝酸盐还原产气和缺氧培养实验,筛选出1株高效脱氮除磷菌;通过16S rRNA基因同源性比较和生理生化鉴定,初步将其鉴定为Pseudomonas grimontii,命名为C18.菌株C18在好氧培养24h后,培养基中上清液磷浓度从38.7mg/L降低到2.28mg/L,除磷率达94.1%.C18在缺氧培养24h后,培养基中上清液磷浓度从44.5mg/L降低到5.21mg/L,除磷率达88.3%;上清液硝酸盐氮浓度从184.2mg/L降低到30.6mg/L,脱氮率达83.4%.菌株C18最适脱氮除磷温度为30℃;最适脱氮除磷pH为7.5.     

Specific features of the growth of Scots pine vegetative organs in the forest-steppe zone of Cisbaikalia

The dependence of the annual increment of vegetative organs on air temperature and humidity and the amount of precipitation per phenophase, as well as the period of their growth in Scots pine, were studied in the forest-steppe zone of Cisbaikalia. The multiple effect of variation in environmental conditions on the annual increment of organs increased when precipitation in September of the previous year was taken into account. These factors proved to have a stronger effect on variation in the annual increment of needles (R ² = 0.59, p = 0.00005) than that in the annual ring width (R ² = 0.38, p = 0.0002).     

Specific features of phenetic structure of the terrestrial snail <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cepaea vindobonensis</Emphasis> (Pulmonata; Helicidae) in urbanized and natural populations

The phenetic structure of natural and urbanized populations of the terrestrial snail Cepaea vindobonensis has been studied with respect to polymorphism in the shell-band color and pattern. It is noted that C. vindobonensis snails populating different artificial habitats in the city of Nikolaev and its suburbs are characterized by a higher level of both intra-and interpopulation diversity with respect to the type of this polymorphism. In addition, urban populations show a very wide range of variation in the frequencies of particular morphs or their groups. Conversely, natural populations are characterized by a more uniform frequency structure with respect to polymorphism of the shell banding pattern.     

西北干旱区中小城市水价探析

为了促进西北干旱区中小城市的快速、稳定的发展,解决该地区中小城市的水资源短缺问题,以水价作为出发点,充分利用水价格的经济杠杆作用,制定出该地区中小城市的水价。以西北干旱区中具有代表性的城市石河子为例,通过实地调研,得到石河子居民、居民生活用水情况、现行水价、居民家庭节水情况、居民的心理承受水价以及平时生活的节水意识等情况,通过分析,得出居民的心理承受偏低,现行水价仍有一定的上调空间,调价范围为1.58~2.31元/m3,最高可调至4.11元/m3。结合石河子的水价,为西北干旱区的中小城镇的水价改革、提高水资源的利用率等提出一些切实可行的建议。