基于SimaPro利用废弃餐饮油脂炼制生物柴油的生命周期环境影响评价

基于生命周期评价(LCA)理论和SimaPro(Version7.3.3)软件,利用Eco-indicator99(生态指数法)环境影响评价指标体系,分析生物柴油生命周期环境影响;并将其与具有相同功能单位的石化柴油进行比较。结果表明:1 MJ生物柴油生命周期环境负荷单一值为0.006 8 Pt,其中,生产阶段造成的环境负荷较显著。1 MJ石化柴油生命周期环境负荷单一值为0.014 8 Pt,表明生物柴油产品较石化柴油更具环境协调性。     

基于生命周期评价的化学法合成生物柴油能耗与CO_2净排放评价方法

针对化学法合成生物柴油生命周期过程中化石能源投入以及各环节CO2气体排放,以生命周期评价方法学为基础,初步建立了生物柴油生命周期净能量和化学法合成生物柴油过程中CO2气体净排放量计算方法,为科学评估该工艺的能源效率和CO2排放量提供了方法依据.     

A grey-based group decision-making methodology for the selection of hydrogen technologies in life cycle sustainability perspective

The objective of this research is to develop a grey-based group decision-making methodology for the selection of the best renewable energy technology (including hydrogen) using a life cycle sustainability perspective. The traditional grey relational analysis has been modified to better address the issue of uncertainty. The proposed methodology allows multi-person to participate in the decision-making process and to give linguistic evaluation on the weights of the criteria and the performance of the alternative technologies. In this paper, twelve hydrogen production technologies have been assessed using the proposed methodology, electrolysis of water technology by hydropower has been considered to be the best technology for hydrogen production according to the decision-making group.     

Environmental and life cycle analysis of a biodiesel production line from sunflower in the Province of Siena (Italy)

The Directive 2009/28/EC established the overall target that 20% of energy consumption should be represented by renewable energy sources by 2020 in each European member state. Furthermore, the Directive sets a mandatory 10% minimum target for biofuels in the transport sector.Biofuels are potentially an important alternative to mineral diesel. We propose a pilot production line of biodiesel from sunflower on local scale in the Province of Siena (Tuscany) to research a possible reduction of fossil fuel consumption in the transport sector.This study might represent an opportunity to reduce petroleum dependence in the transport sector.Environmental Impact Indicators were provided by Material Flow Accounting, Embodied Energy Analysis and Emergy Accounting. Results showed that agricultural phase is the critical step in the production line.A comparative Life Cycle Assessment analysis for the biodiesel production line with mineral diesel production showed environmental advantages of the biofuel production, however requiring a higher land demand. Therefore, biodiesel may not the optimal solution on large scale but might be a good alternative to fossil fuel. This would depend upon the entire production cycle taking place in a limited area. This is necessary in order to fulfill the needs of local farms and small enterprises.     

The testing of the effects of cooking conditions on the quality of biodiesel produced from waste cooking oils

In this study, the effects of cooking conditions on the cold flow properties and kinematic viscosity of biodiesel produced from cooking oils were investigated. Sunflower, corn and canola oils were used as vegetable oils. Salt content, water content, cooking time and cooking temperature were selected as the experimental parameters. Some of the physical properties such as kinematic viscosity, density, cloud point and pour point were examined. In addition, total polar material contents, heating values and acid values of biodiesel produced from waste cooking oils were analysed. The results of the study revealed that increase in salt and water content, cooking time and temperature led to deterioration in the physical properties and cold flow properties of B100 biodiesel samples from waste cooking oils of sunflower, corn and canola oils. On the other hand, the heating values of all biodiesels were found to improve with the increasing salt content.     

Sustainable development benefits of clean development mechanism projects: A new methodology for sustainability assessment based on text analysis of the project design documents submitted for validation

The clean development mechanism (CDM) is part of the global carbon market developing rapidly in response to global warming. It has the twin objective to achieve sustainable development (SD) in host countries and assist Annex-1 countries in achieving their emission reduction targets in a cost-efficient manner. However, research has shown that trade-offs between the two objectives exist in favour of cost-efficient emission reductions and that left to the market forces, the CDM does not significantly contribute to sustainable development. The main argument of the paper is the need for an international standard for sustainability assessment—additional to national definitions—to counter weaknesses in the existing system of sustainability approval by designated national authorities in host countries. The article develops a new methodology, i.e. a taxonomy for sustainability assessment based on text analysis of the 744 project design documents (PDDs) submitted for validation by 3 May 2006. Through analysis of the SD benefits of all CDM projects at aggregated levels, the strengths and limitations of the taxonomy are explored. The main policy implication of the research is to propose the taxonomy as the basis of an international verification protocol for designated operational entities (DOEs) for reporting, monitoring and verifying that potential SD benefits described in the PDDs are actually realized.     

The impact of rate design and net metering on the bill savings from distributed PV for residential customers in California

Net metering has become a widespread mechanism in the U.S. for supporting customer adoption of distributed photovoltaics (PV), but has faced challenges as PV installations grow to a larger share of generation in a number of states. This paper examines the value of the bill savings that customers receive under net metering, and the associated role of retail rate design, based on a sample of approximately two hundred residential customers of California's two largest electric utilities. We find that the bill savings per kWh of PV electricity generated varies by more than a factor of four across the customers in the sample, which is largely attributable to the inclining block structure of the utilities' residential retail rates. We also compare the bill savings under net metering to that received under three potential alternative compensation mechanisms, based on California's Market Price Referent (MPR). We find that net metering provides significantly greater bill savings than a full MPR-based feed-in tariff, but only modestly greater savings than alternative mechanisms under which hourly or monthly net excess generation is compensated at the MPR rate.