Environmental support,energy security and economic growth in Japan

This study investigates the resource consumption of Japanese society since 1979 and its subsequent effects on the economic output of the nation and the environment. In order to quantify resource appropriation and trends in production and consumption, the concept of emergy synthesis is employed. Our results show a significant increase in the total amount of emergy consumed by 66.9% between 1979 and 2003 which comes hand in hand with an increase in the level of environmental stress by 93.7% (quantified as the environmental loading ratio). On the other hand the emergy required to produce 1 USD of economic output has been gradually decreasing which denotes an increase in the efficiency of the conversion of natural capital into economic output. What is most interesting though is the growing dependence of the Japanese economy on imported emergy, increasingly from developing nations, that severely affects the potential for unhindered economic growth. This can prove to be a big barrier that could affect the resource security of the Japanese economy and render it susceptible to risks associated with access to natural resources which in turn can jeopardise its long-term economic sustainability.     

Efficient energy utilization and environmental issues applied to power planning

This document shows the importance of policies for electric energy savings and efficient energy utilization in power planning. The contributions of economic, social, and environmental items were evaluated according to their financial effects in the delay of investments, reduction of production costs and decrement of environmental emissions. The case study is Baja California, México; this system has a unique primary source: geothermal energy. Whether analyzing the planning as usual or planning from the supply side, the forecast for 2005–2025 indicates that 4500 MW additional installed capacity will be required (3-times current capacity), representing an investment that will emit 12.7 Mton per year of CO₂ to the atmosphere and will cost US$2.8 billion. Systemic planning that incorporates polices of energy savings and efficiency allows the reduction of investments and pollutant emissions. For example, a reduction of 20% in the growth trend of the electricity consumption in the industrial customers would save US$10.4 billion over the next 20 years, with a potential reduction of 1.6 Mton/year of CO₂. The increase in geothermal power generation is also attractive, and it can be combined with the reduction of use and energy losses of utilities, which would save US$13.5 billion and prevent the discharge of 8.5 Mton/year of CO₂.     

U.S. department of energy support of growth in industrial use of geothermal energy

The National Energy Strategy of the U.S. is designed to expand through federal policies the fuel and technology choices available to industry, utilities, and other energy users. It also promotes policies to encourage balanced integration of energy, economic, and environmental options in the selection of technologies for application in the marketplace. Consideration of each of these factors, separately and together, favors geothermal energy in many industrial applications. It is the policy of the Department of Energy to support growth in all uses of geothermal energy through focused R & D to improve technologies for its economic exploitation.     

The emissions,energy consumption,and growth nexus: Evidence from the commonwealth of independent states

This study examines the causal relationship between carbon dioxide emissions, energy consumption, and real output within a panel vector error correction model for eleven countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States over the period 1992–2004. In the long-run, energy consumption has a positive and statistically significant impact on carbon dioxide emissions while real output follows an inverted U-shape pattern associated with the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) hypothesis. The short-run dynamics indicate unidirectional causality from energy consumption and real output, respectively, to carbon dioxide emissions along with bidirectional causality between energy consumption and real output. In the long-run there appears to be bidirectional causality between energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.     

The impact of ICT investment and energy price on industrial electricity demand: Dynamic growth model approach

The authors investigate the effects of information and communications technology (ICT) investment, electricity price, and oil price on the consumption of electricity in South Korea's industries using a logistic growth model. The concept electricity intensity is used to explain electricity consumption patterns. An empirical analysis implies that ICT investment in manufacturing industries that normally consume relatively large amounts of electricity promotes input factor substitution away from the labor intensive to the electricity intensive. Moreover, results also suggest that ICT investment in some specific manufacturing sectors is conducive to the reduction of electricity consumption, whereas ICT investment in the service sector and most manufacturing sectors increases electricity consumption. It is concluded that electricity prices critically affect electricity consumption in half of South Korea's industrial sectors, but not in the other half, a finding that differs somewhat from previous research results. Reasons are suggested to explain why the South Korean case is so different. Policymakers may find this study useful, as it answers the question of whether ICT investment can ultimately reduce energy consumption and may aid in planning the capacity of South Korea's national electric power.     

The effects of different greenhouse covering materials on energy requirement,growth and yield of aubergine

Effects of UV stabilised polyethylene (UV+PE), IR absorbers polyethylene (IR+PE), double layers of polyethylene (D-Poly) and single layer of polyethylene (PE), as greenhouse covers, on aubergine growth, productivity and energy requirement were investigated in a late autumn season (2001). The late and final yields of plants grown in D-Poly houses were higher than those grown in UV+PE, IR+PE and PE. Light transmission was the highest in PE, intermediate in UV+PE and IR+PE, and the lowest in D-Poly houses. Relative humidity was the highest in D-Poly, intermediate in IR+PE and UV+PE, and the lowest in PE houses. The plants in D-Poly houses grew and developed faster (more leaves and flowers) than those in IR+PE, UV+PE and PE houses. Plant growth and development in UV+PE and IR+PE houses was similar. Economic analyses showed that aubergine production was economically viable in D-Poly, UV+PE and IR+PE houses. For aubergine production in climatic conditions similar to Black Sea Region, the D-Poly greenhouse is strongly recommended, because there was a higher productivity and a lower heating requirement in comparison to UV+PE, IR+PE and PE houses.     

The relationship between energy and economic growth: Empirical evidence from 66 countries

In this study, we use dynamic panel data models to examine the impact of electricity and non-electricity variables on economic growth for a global panel consisting of 66 countries. The time component of our dataset is 1986–2005 inclusive. We also estimate this relationship for four regional panels; namely, East/South Asian and the Pacific region, Europe and Central Asian region, Latin America and Caribbean region, and Sub-Saharan, North Africa and Middle Eastern region. In total, we use six proxies for energy. The empirical analysis is based on a sound theoretical framework, in that we draw on growth theory and augment the classical growth model, which consists of inflation, capital stock, labour force and trade, with energy. Generally, the results on the impact of energy are mixed.     

Renewable energy consumption and economic growth: Evidence from a panel of OECD countries

This study examines the relationship between renewable energy consumption and economic growth for a panel of twenty OECD countries over the period 1985–2005 within a multivariate framework. Given the relatively short span of the time series data, a panel cointegration and error correction model is employed to infer the causal relationship. The heterogeneous panel cointegration test reveals a long-run equilibrium relationship between real GDP, renewable energy consumption, real gross fixed capital formation, and the labor force with the respective coefficients positive and statistically significant. The Granger-causality results indicate bidirectional causality between renewable energy consumption and economic growth in both the short- and long-run.     

Automatic management of energy flows of a stand-alone renewable energy supply with hydrogen support

This work deals with the design and construction of an automation system for controlling the electric energy flows that take place at the continuous current bus (DC Bus) of a wind–solar system with hydrogen support. The automation system is based on a Siemens PLC s7_313C_2DP. This PLC was equipped with a Micro Memory Card (MMC) of 2 MB in order to allow the massive storage of data related to the control and monitoring of the test-bed. This system has to perform the required switching between the components of the hybrid electric energy generator. These elements are: photovoltaic generator, wind-turbine generator, fuel-cell system, and electrolyzer.     

空调冷冻装置节能对策

从生产现状出发,通过对空调冷冻装置采取多种节能措施,以及对提高节能水平和用能水平的过程进行分析总结,从而整合优化生产工艺,降低装置能耗。     

如何应对海宁太阳能集群凸现的危机

海宁太阳能热水器产业发展快速,至2005年估算总销售额至少有20个亿,占全国的110,完全是得益于产业集群把产业链相关的上下游和相关的辅助产业、服务业聚合一起的优势。     

Developing electricity distribution networks and their regulation to support sustainable energy

A more sustainable energy system will alter the current patterns of electricity demand and generation. This means technical, commercial and regulatory change for electricity network systems such as distribution networks. This paper traces the links in Great Britain between changes in energy policy since privatisation, changes in the objectives of the electricity regulator and changes in the objectives of the distribution networks and their owners, the distribution network operators (DNOs). The paper identifies tensions in regulatory policy and suggests reforms to the regulatory framework to support a lower-carbon future.     

Recent developments in HVDC transmission systems to support renewable energy integration

The demands for massive renewable energy integration, passive network power supply, and global energy interconnection have all gradually increased, posing new challenges for high voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission systems, including more complex topology and increased diversity of bipolar HVDC transmission. This study proposes that these two factors have led to new requirements for HVDC control strategies. Moreover, due to the diverse applications of HVDC transmission technology, each station in the system has different requirements. Furthermore, the topology of the AC-DC converter is being continuously developed, revealing a trend towards hybrid converter stations.     

Clean energy consumption and economic growth nexus: asymmetric time and frequency domain causality testing in China

ABSTRACT

This article examines the symmetric and asymmetric causal relationships between clean energy consumption and economic growth in time and frequency domains for China. The results of both symmetric and asymmetric causality analysis suggest that clean energy consumption does not cause economic growth. This implies that the level of clean energy consumption in China seems to be optimal and beyond this level, it does not affect the growth level of the country. However, examination of the causality linkage from economic growth to clean energy consumption indicates medium and long-run evidence of a frequency-based symmetric causal relationship. Our asymmetric analysis makes this relation clearer such that only the adverse shocks to economic growth lead to a decline in the clean energy consumption level. This inference is complemented with the estimated causal parameter of 0.13, indicating that a 1% decrease in economic growth results in a 0.13% reduction in the level of clean energy consumption.     

Modeling the relationship between energy consumption and economy development in China

This paper investigated the empirical relationship between economy development and energy consumption by material production, nonmaterial production and household. Empirical models accounting for the key influential factors were constructed. Ordinary Least Square Regression (OLS) analysis of the official data of China for the year 1985-2007 permitted the relationship between individual energy consumption components and the corresponding coefficients to be investigated. The results showed that (1) the Unit Energy Consumption by Primary Industry (UECPI), Secondary Industry (UECSI), and Tertiary Industry (UECTI) demonstrated an inverse relationship with Gross Domestic Product (GDP); (2) a linear relationship exists between the Energy Consumption by Nonmaterial Production (ECNP) and GDP; (3) the hypotheses that there is an inverse S-shaped relationship between Unit Energy Consumption by Household (UECH) and Personal Income (PI) is valid. Based on the above findings and an analysis of China’s energy policies, suggestions on China’s energy policy were given in the end.     

钢锭零能少氧化均热轧制的研究

根据计算机的辅助分析,采用新的钢锭传搁、注后强制水冷却、垫铁脱模等工艺后,入炉钢锭的热焓已超过开坯轧制需要,利用普通均热炉代替钢锭保温车,可完全依靠到钢锭自身潜热与显热进行均热。对不同锭型与钢种采用经试验的最佳时间均热后再轧制,收与保温车均热钢锭直接轧制相同的效果。     

Decision support tools for advanced energy management

Rising fuel costs boost energy prices, which is a driving force for improving efficiency of operation of any energy generation facility. This paper focuses on enhancing the operation of distributed integrated energy systems (IES), system that bring together all forms of cooling, heating and power (CCHP) technologies. Described methodology can be applied in power generation and district heating companies, as well as in small-scale systems that supply multiple types of utilities to consumers in industrial, commercial, residential and governmental spheres. Dispatching of such system in an optimal way needs to assess large number of production and purchasing schemes in conditions of continually changing market and variable utility demands influenced by many external factors, very often by weather conditions. The paper describes a combination of forecasting and optimization methods that supports effective decisions in IES system management. The forecaster generates the future most probable utility demand several hours or days ahead, derived from the past energy consumer behaviour. The optimizer generates economically most efficient operating schedule for the IES system that matches these forecasted energy demands and respects expected purchased energy prices.