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Wind power can help ensure regional energy security and also mitigate both global greenhouse gas and local air pollutant emissions, leading to co-benefits. With rapid installation of wind power equipment, it is critical to uncover the embodied emissions of greenhouse gas and air pollutants from wind power sector so that emission mitigation costs can be compared with a typical coal-fired power plant. In order to reach such a target, we conduct a life cycle analysis for wind power sector by using the Chinese inventory standards. Wind farms only release 1/40 of the total CO2 emissions that would be produced by the coal power system for the same amount of power generation, which is equal to 97.48% of CO2 emissions reduction. Comparing with coal power system, wind farms can also significantly reduce air pollutants (SO2, NOX and PM10), leading to 80.38%, 57.31% and 30.91% of SO2, NOX and PM10 emissions reduction, respectively. By considering both recycling and disposal, wind power system could reduce 2.74×104 t of CO2 emissions, 5.65×104 kg of NOX emissions, 2.95×105 kg of SO2 emissions and 7.97×104 kg of PM10 emissions throughout its life cycle. In terms of mitigation cost, a wind farm could benefit 37.14 US$ from mitigating 1ton of CO2 emissions. The mitigation cost rates of air pollutants were 7.94 US$/kg of SO2, 10.79 US$/kg of NOx, and 80.79 US$/kg of PM10.Our research results strongly support the development of wind power so that more environmental benefits can be gained. However, decentralized wind power developers should consider not only project locations close to the demand of electricity and wind resources, but also the convenient transportation for construction and recycling, while centralized wind power developers should focus on incorporating wind power into the grids in order to avoid wind power loss.

Efficient and rational implementation of building stock CO2 emission reduction strategies and policies requires the application of comprehensive building stock models that have the ability to: (a) estimate the baseline energy demand of the existing building stock, (b) explore the technical and economic effects of different CO2 emission reduction strategies over time, including the impact of new technologies, and (c) to identify the effect of emission reduction strategies on indoor environmental quality. The aims of this paper are fourfold: (a) to briefly describe bottom-up and top-down methods and overview common bottom-up modelling techniques (statistical and building physics based), (b) to critically analyse the existing bottom-up building physics based residential energy models focusing on their purposes, strengths, and shortcomings, (c) to compare five building physics based bottom-up models focusing on the same building stock – UK case study, and (d) to identify the next generation of coupled energy–health bottom-up building stock models. This paper has identified three major issues which need to be addressed: a) the lack of publicly available detailed data relating to inputs and assumptions, as well as underlying algorithms, renders any attempt to reproduce their outcomes problematic, b) lack of data on the relative importance of input parameter variations on the predicted demand outputs, and c) uncertainty as to the socio-technical drivers of energy consumption – how people use energy and how they react to changes in their home as a result of energy conservation measures.

a b s t r a c t Wheat yields in Europe have shown stagnating trends during the last two decades, partly attributed to climate change. Such developments challenge the needs for increased production, in particular at higher latitudes, to meet increasing global demands and expected productivity reductions at lower latitudes. Cli- mate change projections from three General Circulation Models or GCMs (UKMO-HadGEM1, INM-GM3.0 and CSIRO-Mk3.1) for the A1FI SRES emission scenario for 2000 to 2100 were downscaled at a northern latitude location (Foulum, Denmark) using LARS-WG5.3. The scenarios accounted for changes in tem- perature, precipitation and atmospheric CO2 concentration. In addition, three temperature-variability scenarios were included assuming different levels of decreased temperature variability in winter and increased in summer. Crop yield was simulated for the different climate change scenarios by a cali- brated version of AFRCWHEAT2 to model several combinations of genotypes (varying in crop growth, development and tolerance to water and nitrogen scarcity) and management (sowing dates and nitro- gen fertilization rate). The simulations showed a slight improvement of grain yields (0.3-1.2 Mg ha−1) in the medium-term (2030-2050), but not enough to cope with expected increases in demand for food and feed. Optimum management added up to 1.8 Mg ha−1. Genetic modifications regarding winter wheat crop development exhibit the greatest sensitivity to climate and larger potential for improvement (+3.8 Mg ha −1 ). The results consistently points towards need for cultivars with a longer reproductive phases (2.9-7.5% per 1

Using 40-year experiment data from a mono-modal rainfall area of northern Togo, we analyzed soil fertility dynamics when 2 and 3-year fallows were alternated with 3-year rotation of groundnut, cotton and sorghum. The control treatment consisted to continuous cultivate the soil in a rotation of groundnut/cotton/sorghum without fallow periods. For each rotation, two fertilisation rates were applied: no fertilisation and mineral fertiliser application during the cropping and/or the fallow periods. Yields of unfertilised crops, which averaged 1 t ha-1 during the first years of cultivation, were often nil in the long-term. In the long-term, yields of fertilised cotton and sorghum decreased by 32 and 50 %, respectively compared to the average of 2.4 and 1.6 t ha-1 obtained during the first decade of cultivation. The long-term decline in crop productivity was mitigated when fallow periods were alternated with cropping periods, and consequently there was partial compensation in terms of production for the unproductive fallowed plots. Long-term yields of fertilised cotton and sorghum in the periodically fallowed plots were 40 and 50 % higher than those in continuously cropped plots, respectively; they were 90 and 60 % higher than those in continuously cropped plots without fertilisation. Like for crop productivity, soil C, N and exchangeable Ca and Mg decreased less in periodically fallowed plots than in continuously cropped plots. The limited soil C decline when fallows were alternated with crops appears to be the consequence of no-tillage period rather than the effect of the highest C inputs to the soil.

Abstract Photovoltaic (PV) connected systems are experiencing rapid market growth. This is due to the continually downward trend in PV cost together with government support programs. A scenario has been assumed to analyse the geographical market of PVs. The results provide clear evidence of the influence that some variables have on the profitability of PV investments. This study presents a model for minimising investment risk and maximising the return of a renewable energy portfolio in Italy. The value of the paper is in showing that the energy and CO 2 reduction potential that can be reached through consumer-oriented policy measures, but the paper also looks at the effectiveness and social implications of such measures. Private households possess immense unused potential for energy reductions (and climate protection) that could be realised through gains in energy efficiency, behavioural changes, and extended use of low-emission energy. The focus of energy policy has been on businesses rather than on private households, which are only partly captured by direct policy measures. To achieve the goals of climate policies, the current political and scientific discussion increasingly considers measures that aim to reduce energy consumption in the private sector. Quantitative estimates are presented for economic indicators and will show the various effects of policy measures on the implemented household types.

Gibberellins are central to the regulation of plant development and growth. Action of gibberellins involves the degradation of DELLA proteins, which are negative regulators of growth. In barley (Hordeum vulgare), certain mutations affecting genes involved in gibberellin synthesis or coding for the barley DELLA protein (Sln1) confer dwarfism. Recent studies have identified new alleles of Sln1 with the capacity to revert the dwarf phenotype back to the taller phenotypes. While the effect of these overgrowth alleles on shoot phenotypes has been explored, no information is available for roots. Here, we examined aspects of the root phenotypes displayed by plants with various Sln1 gene alleles, and tested responses to growth in an O2-deficient root-zone as occurs during soil waterlogging. One overgrowth line, bearing the Sln1d.8 allele carrying two amino acid substitutions (one in the amino terminus and one in the GRAS domain of the encoded DELLA protein), displays profound and opposite effects on shoot height and root length. While it stimulates shoot height, it severely compromises root length by a reduction of cell size in zones distal to the root apex. In addition, Sln1d.8 plants counteract the negative effect of the original mutation on the formation of adventitious roots. Interestingly, plants bearing this allele display enhanced resistance to flooding stress in a way non-related with increased root porosity. Thus, various Sln1 gene alleles contribute to root phenotypes and can also influence plant responses to root-zone O2-deficiency stress.

Abstract The aim of this research is to investigate the thermophysical behaviour of building envelope multi-layer components and assess the whole building–plant response. The investigation was carried out in two different phases. The first phase concerned the study of the dynamic response of building envelope multi-layer components, by providing an improved implementation of the present European Standard UNI EN ISO 13786:2008. The proposed method allows one to determine the transient thermophysical performance of opaque building components that are associated with a thermal zone maintained at constant or variable air temperature. The variable internal air temperature can be associated with experimental data. The second phase consisted of a transient analysis of the above thermal zone with a conditioning plant working. The building plant simulations were carried out by EnergyPlus software. The method proposed, based on European standards, is particularly useful in the perspective of the Certification of the Energy Performance of the building–plant system, required by the European Union. It can provide a useful tool for developing an abacus of different envelope multi-layer component performances in order to support design choices.

This article offers a critical overview of the recent developments in thermochemical processing of macroalgae, a field that has been comparatively neglected when viewed against the vast wealth of research into alternative biofuel production methods and feedstocks. However, advances in thermochemical techniques have led to a flurry of activity into the applicability and use of macroalgae. Recent research has demonstrated that macroalgae may be used to produce bioresources in a similar way to many conventional terrestrial feedstocks and, indeed, may also possess a number of advantages (notably by not competing for land that could be used for food and forestry, nor requiring extensive use of nitrogenous fertilizers). With this in mind, it is suggested that many of the criticisms that have led to previous disinterest in thermal processing of macroalgae are not valid. Nevertheless, only through the continuation of these recent endeavors can macroalgal biomass, via broader and successively larger scale experime...