Policies to reduce OECD vulnerability to oil-supply disruptions

A number of proposals for reducing the level of exposure of the oil importing countries to oil supply interruptions are reviewed and contrasted. Although none of these options is without cost or complication, several appear to offer significant benefits relative to the status quo. Now is the time to fill the current void in energy emergency planning.     

一种太阳电池串联均压控制系统

介绍了一种以CUK变换器为基础的太阳电池串联控制系统。通过能量双向流动，实现两个串联太阳能电池端电压相等，提高了系统的输出功率。     

强化车轮踏面提高踏面剥离抗力

概述了形成机车车轮踏面剥离的主要原因,介绍了喷丸强化技术和滚压强化技术的应用实例及其对提高机器零件疲劳强度的显著作用.结合工厂实际情况,提出了强化车轮踏面,抵抗疲劳破坏能力的具体措施.     

From hydrocarbon to hydrogen–carbon to hydrogen economy

In the near- to medium-term future, hydrogen production will continue to rely on fossil fuels, and will, therefore, remain a potential source of significant CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere. Conventional CO₂ sequestration strategies offer rather expensive and ecologically uncertain solutions. The objective of this paper is to explore novel approaches to solving energy and environmental problems associated with the production of hydrogen from fossil fuels. The paper discusses the technological, environmental and economical aspects of large-scale production of hydrogen and carbon by the catalytic dissociation of natural gas (NG). The authors propose a scenario of fossil-based “hydrogen–carbon” infrastructure, where the hydrogen component of NG is used as a clean energy carrier (e.g., in transportation) and the carbon component is used in several application areas: structural materials, power generation, soil amendment and environmental remediation. This scenario will allow a smooth transition from the current hydrocarbon-based economy to a hydrogen–carbon economy as a half-way point to the ultimate hydrogen-from-renewables economy of the future.     

我国能源统计亟待与国际接轨

基于能源在中国经济中的重要性、能源国际化发展形势的需要和能源统计与国际通行体系间存在巨大差异这3个原因,本文建议调整和改革中国的能源统计体系,及早与国际接轨。     

FTR allocations to ease transition to nodal pricing: An application to the German power system

A shift from zonal to nodal pricing improves the efficiency of system operation. However, resulting price changes also shift surplus across generation and loads at different locations. As individual actors can lose, they might oppose any reform. We explore how allocation of financial transmission rights can be used to mitigate the distributional impact. The fundamental effects with regard to reference node/hub for FTRs, the share of FTRs to be freely allocated and the metric to determine the proportion of rights allocated are explored. We test the results in a setting based on the hourly modeling of the German power system at nodal representation.     

蒙古国：“煤变油”应对高油价

随着国际市场上石油价格不断攀升,各国政府都在积极想办法寻找替代能源.作为石油产品全部依赖进口的国家,蒙古国开始考虑实施"煤变油"计划,旨在减少石油产品进口数量,降低国内石油产品价格,保障经济的持续稳定发展.蒙古国家大呼拉尔(议会)于今年年初通过了国家未来发展总体规划,把利用高科技发展矿产品加工业列为重要目标,"煤变油"被确定为其项目之一.     

Challenges to China's transition to a low carbon electricity system

We examine the challenges to China's transition to a low carbon electricity system, in which renewable energy would play a significant role. China's electricity system currently lacks the flexibility in planning, operations, and pricing to respond to conflicting pressures from demand growth, rising costs, and environmental mandates in a way that simultaneously maintains reliability, decarbonizes the system, and keeps prices within acceptable bounds. Greater flexibility crucially requires the ability to more systematically and transparently manage and allocate costs. This will require re-orientating sector institutions still rooted in central planning, and strengthening independent regulation. Some of the necessary changes require fundamental political and legal reforms beyond the scope of energy policy. However, the system's flexibility can still be increased through the development of traditional planning and regulatory tools and approaches, such as an avoided cost basis for energy efficiency investments, more integrated planning to improve the coordination of generation, transmission, and demand-side investments, and a transparent ratemaking process. The judicious application of OECD electricity sector experience and skills can support these developments.     

Ice-pigging to reduce and remove fouling and to achieve clean-in-place

Experimental and theoretical work has been undertaken to investigate the clean-in-place, CIP, and fouling removal capability of a novel patented crushed ice pigging system. The `pig' consists of crushed ice in water with a freezing point depressant. The void fraction is carefully controlled so that the ice/water mix moves like a solid plug in free flow areas, but is able flow like a fluid in constricted areas. The ice pig is able to flow in pipes with sharp bends, through orifice plates, through T's and even in plate heat exchangers. The experimental work evaluating the `cleaning efficiency' of this system indicated that the ice pig could easily and efficiently remove `soft' fouling; using a volume of ice typically less than one tenth of the volume of water. The fouling materials tested included jam and fats (food industry), toothpaste (personal hygiene products) and fine slit and sand (river water cooled exchangers).     

Applying threshold models to donations to a green electricity fund

This study applies a threshold model proposed by Granovetter (1978) to analyze the diffusion process of donating behavior for renewable energy. We first use a stated preference survey to estimate the determinants of a decision to support the donation scheme under various predicted participation rates. Using the estimated coefficients, we simulate how herd behavior spreads and the participation rate reaches the equilibrium. The participation rate at the equilibrium is estimated as 37.88% when the suggested donation is 500 yen, while it is 17.76% when the suggested amount is 1000 yen. The influence of environmentalism and altruism is also examined, and we find that these motivations increase the participation rate by 31.51% on average.     

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