Renewable energy in Australia: a wider policy discourse

ABSTRACT

This paper assesses the evolution of generation technology-mix in Australia, with specific emphasis on understanding how such evolution has been shaped by wider political and socio-economic influences. This assessment is predicated on the argument that the contemporary, quintessentially techno-economic, policy discourse on renewable energy is deficient, as it ignores climacteric political and socio-economic influences on generation technology-mix. The methodological framework employed in this paper is informed by the core tenets of technological change theory. The assessment suggests that generation technology-mix in Australia has historically been overwhelmingly influenced by the underlying technological paradigm of the electricity industry; and that this technological paradigm essentially draws its imprimatur from the wider political and socio-economic contexts. By implication, it suggests that a rapid uptake of renewables will have widespread ramifications, extending into political, socio-economic and cultural realms of a society. Clearly, existing policy discourse – that tends to focus on technical potentials, cost competitiveness, externalities and risks of various renewable technologies – is deficient. A much broader discourse is needed. This paper also made an attempt to develop a basis for such a discourse by reviewing broader aspects of the Australian society that would be affected by a rapid uptake of renewables.     

入湖污染河流对受纳湖湾水质的影响

为研究滇池重污染湖湾——福保湾的污染现状及入湖污染河流对湖湾水质的影响,并为福保湾污染底泥固化技术示范工程提供基础数据,在福保湾布设15个采样点,采集并分析表层水中营养元素氮、磷的含量. 结果表明,福保湾氮、磷等营养元素含量的空间分布规律明显,入湖河流污染负荷对湖湾水质有较大影响. 河口附近水域水质较差,ρ(TP)高达0.7 mg/L,以不溶的颗粒态磷为主;ρ(TN)为7 mg/L左右,其中的50%以上以NH₃-N的形态存在. 随与河口间距离的增加,上覆水中ρ(TN)和ρ(TP)逐渐降低. 在距河口300 m的水域范围内,ρ(TN)和ρ(TP)的空间分布规律与A.B.卡拉乌舍夫扩散模型计算结果相符.      

Denitrification potential enhancement by addition of external carbon sources in a pre-denitrification process

The aim of this study is to investigate the denitrification potential enhancement by addition of external carbon sources and to estimate the denitrification potential for the predenitrification system using nitrate utilization rate （NUR） batch tests. It is shown that the denitrification potential can be substantially increased with the addition of three external carbon sources, i.e. methanol, ethanol, and acetate, and the denitrification rates of ethanol, acetate, and methanol reached up to 9.6, 12, and 3.2 mgN/（g VSS.h）, respectively, while that of starch wastewater was only 0.74 mgN/（g VSS,h）. By comparison, ethanol was found to be the best external carbon source. NUR batch tests with starch wastewater and waste ethanol were carried out. The denitfification potential increased from 5.6 to 16.5 mg NO3-N/L owing to waste ethanol addition. By means of NUR tests, the wastewater characteristics and kinetic parameters can be estimated, which are used to determine the denitrification potential of wastewater, to calculate the denitrification potential of the plant and to predict the nitrate effluent quality, as well as provide information for developing carbon dosage control strategy.     

CDM Project Activities in China＇s Iron and Steel Industry：Current Status,Barriers and Development Strategies

China is now facing huge pressure from both the domestic concern of energy security and the global community's call for emission reduction commitment. As one of the major energy consumers and greenhouse gas emitters, China's iron and steel industry has a huge clean development mechanism (CDM) potential. This article both quantitatively and qualitatively analyzes the current status of CDM project activities in the iron and steel industry in China, including characteristics of approved project types, applicable methodologies, and potential technology fields. From the perspective of project implementation, the article summarizes development barriers such as high investment risk, difficulty in project identification, strict requirements on PPDs, long registration waiting time, and etc. Policy suggestions are also put forwarded to help better promote the development of CDM projects in the iron and steel industry.     

天津市工业行业全要素能源效率变动的影响因素分析

天津市作为一个典型的工业城市,工业行业能源效率水平决定了其能否完成"十二五"期间单位生产总值能耗比"十一五"末下降18%的国家节能降耗考核目标。正确把握影响工业行业能源效率变动的因素是天津市寻求节能降耗途径的关键。本文以1998-2008年天津市工业行业的能源消耗面板数据为样本,通过引入非参数Malmquist生产率指数,从技术进步、纯技术效率和规模效率指数角度分析天津市工业行业全要素能源效率变化情况,并运用Tobit模型估计工业化水平、工业内部结构、技术进步、产权结构、政府影响力、进出口贸易和能源消费结构等要素对工业行业全要素能源效率变化的影响程度。研究表明:1998-2008年期间,天津市工业行业间的能源效率差异显著,整体全要素能源效率不断提高,技术进步是其提高的主要原因,但技术效率表现为负增长;工业化水平、技术进步、进出口贸易和能源消费结构的调整对工业行业能源效率的提升具有不同程度的促进作用,但重工业和国有经济比重的增加及政府对能源市场的干预对能源效率的提升起负向作用。因此,天津市工业行业能源效率的进一步提高,需要大力开发、推广和使用先进技术及设备,加强对外开放力度,降低重工业和国有经济比重,充分发挥市场调节能源配置的优势。     

湖泊型水源地管理研究——以苏州市太湖水源地为例

饮用水安全是最大的民生工程,也是自然资源管理研究的热点。基于实地调研、部门访谈和制度条文的梳理与分析,以苏州市太湖水源地为例研究湖泊型水源地管理体制。研究表明：我国水源地管理由国家、省、市、县的法律法规、规章和规范性文件构成相对完善的制度体系,具有水资源和水环境分割管理、流域管理和行政区管理交错的制度特征,初步具备了综合管理的架构;水源保护缺乏流域管治的思维,农村面源污染治理制度支撑不足;在管理手段上以命令控制型手段为主,经济激励与公众参与不足。建立水源地综合管理协调机制,完善经济激励手段,推进公众参与,实施水源地管理共同责任机制将有利于提高水源地管理效率     

Urban Energy Efficiency from Cities in China and Policy Implications

Using 1995-2006 panel data for 210 cities, this article firstly measures total factor energy efficiency for Chinese cities with constant return to scale data envelopment analysis model,and then describes the features of regional differences. The results show that the changing trend displays four "reversed U" shapes. A turning point of widening gap occurred among cities in 2000 and there was a certain convergence among four regions. Urban energy efficiency level is unstable. Cities with low efficiency and high energy input will be the focus of energy-saving and reducing emissions. According to Tobit model, resource endowment, temperature, industrial structure, technology level and variety of policy factors should be treated differently in different situations.     

云南省能源消费及二氧化碳排放分析

根据云南省能源消费量,计算了由能源消费产生的CO2排放量及单位GDP碳排放强度。结果表明:近10年来,随着社会经济的快速发展,云南省能源消费及能源消费导致的CO2排放总量也呈现出显著上升的趋势。云南的碳排放强度高于全国平均水平,但人均碳排放量低于全国平均水平。以工业为主的第二产业是能源消费及碳排放的主体,其碳排放占总量的75%。     

基于行业增长的省级可再生能源规划目标分解

为了有效的把国家可再生能源规划分阶段的落实到各个省市,做好二者之间衔接工作,研究考虑了我国在从发展中国家过渡到中等发达国家时所需要考虑的如何平衡公平与效率之阀关系的问题,结合中国可再生能源发展实际特征,提出一种基于行业增长曲线的可再生能源阶段目标分解模型.模型首先求解出中国不同的可再生能源行业的增长曲线.然后给出可再生能源发展阶段目标函数.结合区域发展规划,给出了各省的阶段目标,为了验证该模型的正确性,以风电、水电和太阳发电为代表能源,结合国家可再生能源整体规划和资源需求分布状况,分阶段提出了各省域的可再生能源发展目标.目标分解参照两个原则(1)可分解原则.国家总量目标可以根据一定的标准在不同地区、部门和行业进行分解,由全社会共同完成发展目标.(2)公平性和区域差异的原则.考虑资源禀赋和社会经济发展水平差距,各地总量目标有所区别.研究对于可再生能源规划的整体实施和监管具有一定的借鉴意义.     

基于二次能源省际调配的中国分省CO2排放量计算

节能减排目标任务的制定需要依据科学合理的CO2排放量测算。现有的IPCC提供的CO2排放量计算方法仅考虑一次能源燃料所产生的CO2,未考虑到二次能源省际调配的情况,不能真实反映各省CO2排放情况。本研究提出了考虑二次能源省际调配情况下CO2排放量的计算方法,并以2009年的数据为例,对各省能源消费CO2排放量进行了计算。考虑二次能源省际调配后,传统的能源大省如内蒙古、山西的CO2排放总量下降,东部沿海省份的CO2排放总量上升。中西部地区的CO2排放强度仍显著高于东部地区。中西部地区存在能源利用效率低、能源加工技术设备落后的情况,导致了西部地区的CO2排放强度偏高。建议中央在实施西部大开发"十二五"规划时,应当加强对中西部地区能源加工行业的投资,改善能源加工技术,改良加工设备,提高能源加工效率,降低CO2排放强度。建议由能源调入省向能源调出省份实施补偿。该部分补偿资金用于调出省的能源产业升级改造,以顺利实现节能减排的目标。