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L'empreinte carbone des technologies numériques est une préoccupation depuis plusieurs années. Cela concerne principalement la consommation électrique des datacenters; beaucoup de fournisseurs dans le domaine du cloud s'engagent à n'utiliser que des sources d'énergie renouvelables. Cependant, cette approche néglige la phase de fabrication des composants des infrastructures numériques. Nous considérons dans ce travail de recherche la question du dimensionnement des énergies renouvelables pour une infrastructure de type cloud géographiquement distribuée autour de la planète, considérant l'impact carbone à la fois de l'électricité issue du réseau électrique local en fonction de la location de sa production, et de la fabrication des panneaux photovoltaïques et des batteries pour la part renouvelable de l'alimentation des ressources. Nous avons modélisé ce problème de minimisation de l'impact carbone d'une telle infrastructure cloud sous la forme d'un programme linéaire. La solution est le dimensionnement optimal d'une fédération de cloud sur une année complète en fonction des localisations des datacenters, des traces réelles des travaux à exécuter et valeurs d'irradiation solaire heure par heure. Nos résultats montrent une réduction de l'impact carbone de 30% comparés à la même architecture cloud totalement alimentée par des énergies renouvelables et 85% comparés à un modèle qui n'utiliserait qu'une alimentation via le réseau local d'électricité. The carbon footprint of IT technologies has been a significant concern in recent years. This concern mainly focuses on the electricity consumption of data centers; many cloud suppliers commit to using 100% of renewable energy sources. However, this approach neglects the impact of device manufacturing. We consider in this work the question of dimensioning the renewable energy sources of a geographically distributed cloud with considering the carbon impact of both the grid electricity consumption in the considered locations and the manufacturing of solar panels and batteries. We design a linear program to optimize cloud dimensioning over one year, considering worldwide locations for data centers, real-life workload traces, and solar irradiation values. Our results show a carbon footprint reduction of about 30% compared to a cloud fully supplied by solar energy and of 85% compared to the 100% grid electricity model. Données computationnelles ou de simulation: En tenant compte des données en entrée (description de la fédération de centres de données, fichiers de configuration appropriés, conditions météorologiques, etc.), le logiciel est capable de proposer un dimensionnement optimal pour la fédération des datacenters à faible émission de carbone distribuée à l'échelle mondiale : surface des panneaux photovoltaïques et capacité des batteries pour chaque datacenter de la fédération. Des scripts sont disponibles pour mettre en forme les solutions proposées. Simulation or computational data: Considering given inputs (datacenter federation, appropriate configuration files, weather conditions, etc.), the software is able to propose an optimal sizing for the globally distributed low carbon cloud federation: surface area of solar panels, battery capacity for each data center location. . Scripts are available to shape the optimal configuration. Audience: Research, Policy maker UpdatePeriodicity: as needed

Abstract This study sought to quantify and characterize cassava waste as fuel. The wastes from three cultivars were collected to study and were divided into three distinct parts of the cassava plant: seed stem, thick stalks, and thin stalks. Physical and chemical analyzes were carried out to determine the elemental composition of the waste: volatile matter; fixed carbon; ash; moisture; lignin; cellulose; hemicellulose; ash composition and higher heating value were determined. We conducted a thermogravimetric analysis in oxidizing and inert atmospheres to study the behavior of the waste as fuel. The root productivity obtained ranged from 7.7 to 13.0 t ha−1 yr−1 on a dry basis (db), and the ratio between waste and roots varied from 0.36 to 0.91. The physical and chemical properties of cassava waste are analogous to those of woody biomass regarding the elemental composition, the higher heating value, and thermogravimetric analysis. Ash content varied from 2.5% to 3.5%, reaching around 6.0% in samples unwashed. Approximately 60% of the ashes are alkali oxides, especially P2O5, K2O, and CaO, which have low melting points. The alkali index calculated suggests that there is a strong tendency that the combustion process leads to ash fouling and the formation of ash deposits.

Based in the importance of the Economic Dispatch for operation and planning of power systems, this paper presents the Trelea Particle Swarm Optimization method (Trelea-PSO) applied to this issue. In this paper the ED problem is modeled considering the valve-point effects and multiple fuels, though a non-convex function. Study cases composed of two 10 thermal generators systems are presented to validate the proposed methodology. The results obtained was compared to others presented in literature.

This paper estimates the profit of the joint operation of a wind farm and a li-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) in the Iberian electricity market (MIBEL). The day-ahead and first intraday energy markets, and the tertiary regulation market are considered to optimize the joint operation of both assets. A rolling window combined with a non-linear optimization model are used to design the operation strategy. The BESS lifetime (as a function of the depth of discharge) is considered in the optimization problem, and different BESS capacities and initial state of charge values are tested to determine their approximate optimum values. The model and strategy designed were tested using real data from the MIBEL market and predicted data from Sotavento wind farm. The resulting incomes were compared to the BESS investments costs to determine, for a given capacity, when the project becomes viable.

This study evaluated the environmental conditions of two watersheds selected on the basis of similarities in land use. The environmental conditions of the watersheds were analyzed using two geoprocessing methods and in situ evaluations by applying the rapid assessment protocol (RAP). Geospatial image processing was used to analyze land use, slope, soil classification, and rainfall, while RAP was used to evaluate the connectivity and size of riparian corridors. The results revealed varied uses of land with the landscape matrix in both watersheds, composed of agriculture, pasture, and urban centers. Urban centers were defined as spots and riparian zones as corridors. The analysis of environmental fragility considering all the geospatial variables, classified both watersheds as having medium fragility. The most fragile sites were the urban centers, which had a high slope and degraded riparian zone. Onsite assessments have shown that corridors do not have the size required by legislation; they are fragmented and unstructured, and they contain exotic species. We also propose that a multi-factorial approach be used to evaluate watersheds, associating geospatial assessments and onsite analyses that consider the limitations pointed out in each protocol. This reduces sampling errors and shows the actual state of conservation in riparian zones.

Abstract. Regional land carbon budgets provide insights on the spatial distribution of the land uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide, and can be used to evaluate carbon cycle models and to define baselines for land-based additional mitigation efforts. The scientific community has been involved in providing observation-based estimates of regional carbon budgets either by downscaling atmospheric CO2 observations into surface fluxes with atmospheric inversions, by using inventories of carbon stock changes in terrestrial ecosystems, by upscaling local field observations such as flux towers with gridded climate and remote sensing fields or by integrating data-driven or process-oriented terrestrial carbon cycle models. The first coordinated attempt to collect regional carbon budgets for nine regions covering the entire globe in the RECCAP-1 project has delivered estimates for the decade 2000–2009, but these budgets were not comparable between regions, due to different definitions and component fluxes reported or omitted. The recent recognition of lateral fluxes of carbon by human activities and rivers, that connect CO2 uptake in one area with its release in another also requires better definition and protocols to reach harmonized regional budgets that can be summed up to the globe and compared with the atmospheric CO2 growth rate and inversion results. In this study, for the international initiative RECCAP-2 coordinated by the Global Carbon Project, which aims as an update of regional carbon budgets over the last two decades based on observations, for 10 regions covering the globe, with a better harmonization that the precursor project, we provide recommendations for using atmospheric inversions results to match bottom-up carbon accounting and models, and we define the different component fluxes of the net land atmosphere carbon exchange that should be reported by each research group in charge of each region. Special attention is given to lateral fluxes, inland water fluxes and land use fluxes.

Abstract Line surge arresters are mainly used for transmission line lightning performance improvement. Calculation of energy stresses of lines surge arrester is of extreme importance for the selection of the arrester class. Energy stresses of transmission line surge arresters due to multicomponent lightning flashes are analysed in this paper. To obtain lightning data two approaches were used: direct measurements using instrumented towers and lightning location systems. Both lightning monitoring systems are described. Data obtained from lightning monitoring systems are compared and used in simulations. Detailed modelling procedure for a transient analysis of the transmission lines is also described. Multicomponent lightning flash and 110 kV transmission line were modelled using Electromagnetic Transient Program -Restructured Version (EMTP – RV). The arrester current shapes and arrester energy duties are presented in order to clearly show influence of lightning current parameters to arrester energy duty.

An ethanol-methyl- t-butyl ether (MTBE) fuel blend was used as a substitute for hydrated ethanol to improve the vehicle cold start and drivability characteristics during the warm-up period. The vehicle was tested in a cold box, reaching a lower ambient temperature limit of -6deg;C, which represents the most severe weather condition experienced in Brazil. Different concentrations of MTBE in ethanol were investigated. The results show satisfactory drivability characteristics for the tested conditions, comparable with those found in gasoline-fuelled vehicles, thus overcoming the existing cold start difficulties in production ethanol-fuelled vehicles.