Factors influencing the public intention to use renewable energy technologies in South Korea: Effects of the Fukushima nuclear accident

The Fukushima accident has influenced public attitudes toward energy sources and technologies, including not only nuclear energy, but also other energy sources. Therefore, it is worth investigating how the accident influenced public perceptions of renewable energy and its technologies, between the time before the accident and after the accident. This study aims to explore the effects of the Fukushima accident on the public perceptions of renewable energy technologies in South Korea, the closest nation to Japan. This study found that there were notable differences of public perceptions, including public attitudes, perceived benefits, trust, intention to use, knowledge and risks between before and after the earthquake. In addition, the perceived cost of renewable energy technologies was the primary determinant of the intention to use the technologies before the accident, whereas public attitudes toward the technologies became the main antecedents of the intention after the accident. After the accident, we found that there is a multi-dimensional matrix of perceived trust-benefits (with risks)-attitude-intention to use, in explaining the public acceptance of renewable energy technologies. Moreover, we found significant roles of the perceived trust, benefits and risks in the research model. Based on the empirical findings, both implications and suggestions are presented.     

Thermal–mechanical modelling around the cavities of underground coal gasification

Underground coal gasification (UCG) is an efficient method for the conversion of the deep coal resources into energy. This paper is concerned with a feasibility study of the potential of deeply lying coal seams (>1200 m) for the application of UCG combined with subsequent storage of CO₂ for a site located in Bulgaria. A thermal–mechanical coupled model was developed using the ABAQUS software package to predict the heat transfer, the stress distributions around the UCG and the consequent surface subsidence. Material properties of rocks and coal were obtained from existing literature and geomechanical tests which were carried out on samples derived from the demonstration site in Bulgaria. Three days of gasification has been simulated by assigning a moving heat flux on a cell of 2 m × 2 m × 2 m at a velocity of 2 m/day. Results of temperature and stress distribution showed that the developed numerical model was able to simulate the heat propagation and the stress distribution around cavities under a thermal–mechanical coupled loading during the UCG process. Also, the surface subsidence was found to be 0.08 mm after three days of gasification for the case studied. It is anticipated that the results of this paper can be used for the prediction and optimization of the UCG process in deep coal seams.     

Environmental,economic, social and political drivers for increasing use of woodfuel as a renewable resource in Britain

Present woodfuel usage in Britain is negligible. Historically, Britain has been fortunate in having abundant coal, oil and gas.At an EU level, biomass is seen as an important element of energy, environment and agriculture/forestry policy. In the European context, biomass is taken to include agricultural and industrial wastes in addition to forest woodfuel, and it is regarded as a potential source of heat, fuels and electricity. In the UK, energy policy as a whole is based on four considerations—environment, energy reliability and security, affordability for the poorest in society and competitive pricing for businesses, industries and households. Within UK policy, the dominant driver for greater use of biomass as a renewable source of energy is climate change mitigation; energy security is an emerging driver; all other potential benefits of biomass as a renewable resource are of limited significance. At the moment, the UK focus is narrower than in Europe. National targets are set only for electricity generation. Furthermore, expansion of energy crops, which are defined in the major regulations as ‘crops planted since 1989 and grown primarily for the purpose of being used as a fuel’ and, therefore, do not include material from extant forests, is seen as the main way to ensure energy security and minimise carbon expended to transport the raw material to the point of end use. Nevertheless, woody biomass from forests, sawmills, urban areas and transportation corridors is already available in vastly greater quantities than ‘energy crops’.At a regional and local scale, global environmental issues are of lower relative importance and a much wider range of potential benefits tend to be taken into consideration. For example, the economic benefits of woodfuel heating in areas without connections to the gas grid have been an important consideration in the steady increase in woodheat developments. In other areas where there is a less obvious financial driver, rural development is a powerful determinant of support for woodfuel projects.     

Underground coal gasification: From fundamentals to applications

Underground coal gasification (UCG) is a promising option for the future use of un-worked coal. UCG permits coal to be gasified in situ within the coal seam, via a matrix of wells. The coal is ignited and air is injected underground to sustain a fire, which is essentially used to “mine” the coal and produce a combustible synthetic gas which can be used for industrial heating, power generation or the manufacture of hydrogen, synthetic natural gas or diesel fuel. As compared with conventional mining and surface gasification, UCG promises lower capital/operating costs and also has other advantages, such as no human labor underground. In addition, UCG has the potential to be linked with carbon capture and sequestration. The increasing demand for energy, depletion of oil, and gas resources, and threat of global climate change have lead to growing interest in UCG throughout the world. The potential for UCG to access low grade, inaccessible coal resources and convert them commercially and competitively into syngas is enormous, with potential applications in power, fuel, and chemical production. This article reviews the literature on UCG and research contributions are reported UCG with main emphasis given to the chemical and physical characteristic of feedstock, process chemistry, gasifier designs, and operating conditions. This is done to provide a general background and allow the reader to understand the influence of operating variables on UCG. Thermodynamic studies of UCG with emphasis on gasifier operation optimization based on thermodynamics, biomass gasification reaction engineering and particularly recently developed kinetic models, advantages and the technical challenges for UCG, and finally, the future prospects for UCG technology are also reviewed.     

Cleaning up the world with renewable energy: From possibilities to practicalities

The increased exploitation of renewable energy sources is central to any move towards sustainable development. However, casting renewable energy thus carries with it an inherent commitment to other basic tenets of sustainability: openness; democraticization etc.The implications of this commitment for the developers of renewable energy projects are significant. Moreover, a failure to apply these broader principles to the development process risks alienating the very public whose views will determine the political future of renewable energy.From recent experience of the development of wind power in the UK, it is clear that it is no longer enough just to know the future technical potential of renewable energy, or even the regulatory and/or fiscal framework that would enable that potential to be realised. Increasingly we must concentrate on the practical politics of developing renewable energy that will ensure it is accepted and embraced by the public. Drawing on UK experience, guidelines can be established for renewable energy developers such that the principles of sustainable development are as central to exploitation renewable energy as renewable energy is to sustainability.     

Public and stakeholder perceptions of 2030 bioenergy scenarios for the Yorkshire and Humber region

This study develops contrasting 2030 bioenergy scenarios for the Yorkshire and Humber region of the UK, primarily for wood, and documents the associated opinions of policy stakeholders and members of the public with a practical interest in renewable energy. Use of the region's wood resource for small- and medium-sized CHP and heat plants was found to be more attractive to these groups than use of the same resource for large or small electric power plants. Key reasons mentioned by stakeholders and the informed public groups are the higher energetic efficiency of CHP and heat relative to electricity, and perceptions of better performance in terms of local employment, local environmental impact and associated social benefits. There was also a common feeling that small-scale electric power plants were, to date, less technologically proven.     

积极推进煤炭地下气化技术的试验研究和示范应用

本文简要介绍了国内外煤炭地下气化的发展概况。与传统的煤炭地下开采相比,煤炭地下气化技术具有安全、高效、污染少等优点,是我国开展节能减排、调整能源结构和发展绿色经济的重要途径。积极推进煤炭地下气化技术研究和示范应用具有战略意义。提出我国煤炭地下气化技术需要尽快由目前的工业化试验阶段转入示范应用阶段。本文总结了影响我国煤炭地下气化技术发展的3个方面的主要问题,提出了积极推进煤炭地下气化技术的试验研究和示范应用的6项建议。     

Underground coal gasification: A new clean coal utilization technique for India

Energy demand of India is continuously increasing. Coal is the major fossil fuel in India and continues to play a pivotal role in the energy sector. India has relatively large reserves of coal (253 billion tonnes) compared to crude oil (728 million tonnes) and natural gas (686 billion cubic meters). Coal meets about 60% of the commercial energy needs and about 70% of the electricity produced in India comes from coal, and therefore there is a need for technologies for utilization of coals efficiently and cleanly. UCG offers many advantages over the conventional mining and gasification process. UCG is a well proven technology. Due to the site-specific nature of the process, possibility of land subsidence and surrounding aquifer water contamination, this technology is still in a developing stage in India. Potential for UCG in India is studied by comparing the properties of Indian coals with the properties of coal that are utilized by various UCG trials. The essential issues are elaborated for starting UCG in India based on the reported information from the successful field trials conducted all over the world. Indian industries are in the process of initiating pilot studies of UCG at various sites. This study will help to motivate both applied and theoretical research work on UCG sites in India and after detailed analysis it will provide basic data to interested industries.     

Renewable and nuclear electricity: Comparison of environmental impacts

Given the widely acknowledged negative impacts of fossil fuels, both on human health and on potential climate change, it is of interest to compare the impacts of low carbon alternative energy sources such as nuclear energy, hydropower, solar, wind and biomass. In this paper, we review the literature in order to summarise the impacts of the different technologies in terms of their materials and energy requirements, their emissions during operation, their health effects during operation, the accident risks, and the associated waste streams. We follow up these comparisons with some more anecdotal evidence on selected impacts that are either particularly topical or are important but less commonly addressed. These include impacts of wind turbines on persons and on bird life, the underestimated problems with biomass, and concerns about biodiversity reduction. Finally we address the public attitudes towards both renewable energy technologies and to nuclear power. The conclusion is drawn that energy policies of many countries are perhaps more strongly influenced by public and political perceptions of available technologies than they are by rational assessment of the actual benefits and drawbacks. Policy recommendations follow from this conclusion.     

Risk perception,trust and public engagement in nuclear decision-making in Hong Kong

The extent to which nuclear energy can be a feasible energy option has re-emerged as a subject of widespread debate following the Fukushima accident in Japan. However, relatively little is known about how public inputs can improve nuclear decision-making. This paper aims to provide a better understanding of public opinions regarding nuclear energy by examining its risk perception, trust and public engagement dimensions. Based on a survey of Hong Kong residents (n=509), we make some observations. Firstly, we offer empirical evidence that affirms the theoretical connections between risk perception, trust, and public engagement in the context of nuclear energy. Secondly, our logistic regression analysis indicates that demographics, trust, and perceptions of the efficacy of public engagement are factors explaining perceptions of greater risks and nuclear opposition. Thirdly, our conceptual model sheds light on the complexity of the trust concept, and specifies aspects of trust that are influential in the contexts of risk perception and nuclear choices. Our findings suggest that the Hong Kong government must ensure trust building receives prominent attention in nuclear decision-making, and that it should avoid excessive reliance on the business sector and should assume a key role for itself in enhancing trust in nuclear decision-making.     

Exergy analysis in the assessment of hydrogen production from UCG

The demand for H₂ increases rapidly with the gradual recognition of the potential of H₂ as an important secondary energy. At present, coal gasification is the main way to obtain hydrogen on a large scale and at a low cost in China. The underground coal gasification (UCG), as a kind of in-situ utilization technology that can exploit the unreachable deep coal resources, could become an alternative H₂ production pathway. This paper presents comparative study of energy utilization and resource consumption in H₂ production by UCG and typical surface coal gasification (SCG) technology, namely Lurgi fixed bed gasification, with 1.2 billion Nm³/a throughput of H₂ as example, to offer corresponding data support. The efficiency and the amount of resources consumed in constructing and operating each coal-to-hydrogen system under different conditions have been researched from exergetic point of view, which is not reported in existing literatures. In this paper, the exergy efficiency is calculated to be 40.48% and 40.98% for hydrogen production using UCG and SCG. The result indicates the competitiveness of UCG in the field of hydrogen production comparing with widely used coal gasification technology. The resource consumption is measured by cumulative exergy consumption (CExC), which is 8.17E+10 MJ and 6.57E+10 MJ for H₂ production from UCG and SCG. The result shows that although the H₂ production from UCG has higher CExC, it can significantly reduce the resource consumption of equipment comparing with H₂ production from SCG, indicating its advantage in total investment. It is found that the exergy efficiency increases with the rise in H₂O-to-O₂ and O₂-to-CO₂ ratio, while the value of CExC decreases with the appreciation of H₂O-to-O₂ ratio yet increases as the O₂-to-CO₂ ratio rises. In addition, the sensitivity analysis of production capacity reveals that the exergy efficiency gap and CExC gap between hydrogen production by UCG and SCG diminishes at smaller scale production capacities, showing that UCG is more suitable for small-scale hydrogen production.     

Public perceptions of opportunities for community-based renewable energy projects

It now widely acknowledged that the UK needs to increase renewable energy capacity and it has been claimed that community-based renewable energy projects, with high levels of public participation, are more likely to be accepted by the public than top-down development of large-scale schemes and may bring additional benefits such as increased engagement with sustainable energy issues. However, little research has investigated public expectations of how people would like to participate in such projects and why. The aim of this study was to explore one rural community's response to a proposed sustainable energy project. A questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews provided quantitative and qualitative data. There was widespread support for local generation and use of renewable energy, with respondents expecting benefits from a project in terms of increased community spirit and conservation of natural resources. However, desire for active involvement was lower and residents viewed themselves participating as consultees, rather than project leaders. We suggest community renewable energy projects are likely to gain public acceptance but are unlikely to become widespread without greater institutional support.     

Production of power using underground coal gasification

Underground coal gasification (UCG) is a process that converts deep, un-mineable coal resources into syngas, which can then be converted into valuable end products such as electric power. This paper provides a summary of the options to combine UCG with electric power production and focuses on commercial-scale applications using a combined-cycle power plant including integration options and syngas cleanup steps. Simulation results for a UCG power plant with carbon capture are compared against the results for an equivalent Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant using the same feedstock. Relative capital cost savings for a UCG power plant are estimated based on published IGCC process unit costs. The UCG power plant with carbon capture is shown to provide a higher thermal efficiency, lower CO₂ intensity, and lower capital cost than an equivalent IGCC plant. Finally, the potential of UCG as a method for producing cost-effective, low-emissions electrical power from deep coal is discussed and some of the challenges and opportunities are summarized.     

煤基燃料的经济性和风险分析

随着世界石油危机再度显现,研发和生产石油替代品成为人们关注的热点。我国石油资源匮乏,煤炭资源相对丰富,大力发展以煤为原料的煤基燃料是解决能源安全供应问题的重要途径之一。本文论述了三种不同的煤基燃料——煤制油、煤制甲醇和二甲醚的市场潜力和发展趋势,并深入分析了其经济性和面临风险。与煤制油相比,甲醇和二甲醚具有明显的技术和经济优势。煤基燃料项目将面临国际原油市场价格波动风险、国内煤炭市场价格波动风险以及国家产业政策等风险。     

Renewable energy sector development in the Caribbean: Current trends and lessons from history

Island regions and isolated communities represent an understudied area of not only clean energy development but also of innovation. Caribbean states have for some time shown interest in developing a regional sustainable energy policy and in implementing measures which could help to protect its member states from volatile oil markets while promoting reliance on local resources. Here we examine four case studies of renewable energy advancements being made by public utility companies and independent energy companies in the Caribbean. We attempt to locate renewable energy advances in a broader historical framework of energy sector development, indicating a few policy lessons. We find that different degrees of regulatory and legislative sophistication have evolved in different islands. Islands should have specialized policy focus, contrasting the ad-hoc nature of current regional energy policy discussion. We also conduct a cost benefit analysis which shows that these early, innovative alternative energy projects show themselves to be both profitable and significant sources of emissions reduction and job creation. This lends support to the potential benefits of regional energy policy.     

Exploring public perceptions of energy security risks in the UK

Along with climate change and affordability, concerns about energy security are key drivers behind proposals for major energy system change in the UK and numerous other countries. Unlike climate change we know very little about how the public thinks and feels about this aspect of sustainability and energy policy. Beyond engaging critically with conceptual and theoretical discussions, empirical data from two surveys (Cardiff postal survey, N=520; online UK survey, N=499) using a ten item energy security scale are presented and discussed. Here we show that aspects of energy security are certainly of concern to the UK public, with particularly high concern around dependence on fossil fuels/imports and relatively lower expressed concern for actual disruption of energy supply. However public concerns around energy security are only emerging, and likely to change depending on the context in which it is discussed (e.g. in comparison to climate change). In addition, findings from public interviews are used to further contextualise the survey findings, showing unfamiliarity among the UK public with regards to the term “energy security”. We discuss implications, and further work that would be useful for understanding public perceptions in more depth.     

Factors affecting public support for forest-based biorefineries: A comparison of mill towns and the general public in Maine,USA

Community views toward the risks and benefits of emerging renewable energy technologies are important factors in facility siting decisions and their eventual success. While the actual socioeconomic and biophysical impacts of proposed industrial developments are fraught with uncertainty, understanding public perceptions is critical in managing costs and benefits to local citizens. Here, we explore the social acceptability of forest-based biorefineries in Maine using random utility modeling to identify how project attributes and citizen characteristics interact to affect level of support. Using a statewide sample (Statewide) and a subsample of mill towns (Mill Towns), we found that: (1) in both samples, individual characteristics had similar coefficients and significance levels except for pro-environment attitudes; (2) the coefficients related to the industry’s negative attributes were notably different between the two samples, while positive attributes were not; (3) in both samples, positive industry attributes such as “producing products from a sustainable resource” and “increased economic development” were the most influential variables in determining the level of support for a new biorefinery in an individual’s community; and (4) in general, Mill Town respondents were more accepting of potential negative attributes such as increased levels of truck traffic, odor, noise, and air and water pollution.     

我国煤炭清洁利用战略探讨

中国在一定时期内能源结构仍将以煤为主,而煤炭的清洁利用将是我国未来能源战略的关键问题。目前煤炭清洁利用单元技术主要有整体煤气化联合循环(IGCC)、煤炭地下气化技术(UCG)以及以煤气化为龙头,以碳一化工技术为基础,合成、制取化工产品和燃料油的现代煤化工。现代煤化工包括煤制油、煤制天然气、煤制烯烃、煤制乙二醇、煤制乙炔等,其产品大多属于石油化工产品的替代品。现代煤化工在世界范围内还没有完全成熟的技术和成功的工业化经验可借鉴,尚处在探索、验证阶段,发展前景仍存在不确定性。为此有学者提出,煤化工项目应与IGCC发电等一起发展多联产系统,从而实现经济效益最大化、环境污染最小化。煤基多联产比单纯的IGCC发电具有更好的经济性、更高的能量效率以及更加灵活的操作性,而作为先进的洁净煤技术,IGCC将成为未来能源系统的核心技术和重要基础之一。煤气化是IGCC的核心技术,煤炭地下气化技术开辟了煤炭高效、清洁、低碳开发利用的新途径,是从根本上解决传统开采方法存在的一系列技术和环境问题的重要途径。近年来,我国现代煤化工产业发展迅速,但同时也呈现出过热和无序发展态势。目前煤化工的经济性并没有得到充分论证和认可,国内当前正在运营的项目较大部分仍处于试点阶段。以煤气化为龙头的IGCC多联产是我国煤炭清洁利用的战略方向。目前我国IGCC和多项现代煤化工技术已具备技术推广的条件,国家应该从管理体制、政策法规、融资等方面给予大力扶持。     

Evaluation method of the energy conversion efficiency of coal gasification and related applications

Traditional gasification parameters, such as cold gas efficiency, hot gas efficiency, or thermal efficiency, only evaluate the heat energy utilisation efficiency of gasifiers and do not take into account the gasification processes expending electricity and other types of energies. Therefore, the energy conversion efficiency cannot be assessed using these parameters. The calculation process on the energy conversion efficiency of underground coal gasification (UCG) is the basis for obtaining quantitative data of carbon emission reduction and establishing the carbon trading methodology of UCG. Moreover, the energy conversion efficiency both for surface coal gasification and UCG is a key research topic because it directly affects the economic and environmental benefits of gasification projects. This study proposed that two parameters, the integrated gasification efficiency (h_com) and the hot gas integrated gasification efficiency ( ), should be included into the coal gasification parameters and used to evaluate the energy conversion efficiency of coal gasification. In addition, the calculation methods of these two parameters for both surface gasification and UCG were established. Using the method, h_com and , of the UCG and Texaco gasification under the same scale was compared and that of various UCG processes was calculated. The results proved the necessity and reasonability of the two parameters and suggested that a certain amount of CO₂ was favourable to improve h_com and of UCG. However, a certain amount of pure O₂ can improve h_com of UCG without direct influences on . Under the condition of each process, to maximise h_com and , there must be an optimal steam (CO₂) to O₂ rate. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Overview of underground coal gasification operations at Chinchilla,Australia

Underground coal gasification (UCG) is a process which converts deep, un-mineable or difficult to mine coal resources into syngas which can then be converted into valuable end products such as electric power, liquid fuels, synthetic natural gas and chemicals. This paper provides a summary of the UCG operations conducted at the Chinchilla Demonstration Facility in Australia, focusing on gasifiers constructed using directional drilling. A number of the experiences and key lessons learned from operating multiple underground gasifiers over several years at the facility are described. Implications for the implementation in commercial projects using UCG are also discussed. Finally, the potential of UCG as a method for producing syngas from deep coal is discussed and some of the challenges and opportunities are summarized.