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Abstract In this paper, the authors present a method for collecting data on household energy-use behavior. Open-ended interviewing is supplemented by the use of a self-recording system to compensate for a persistent problem in data-gathering on behavior, namely, the gap between what people say they do in interviews and what they actually do. The authors developed and field-tested a self- recording diary which is simple to both use and analyze. Results of that field test are discussed, together with an analysis of who in the household used (or controlled) each of the energy systems in the house. We also compare self-recorded data with interview data to point to differences between reported and recorded behavior. We believe that both the method and the insights into the separation of energy tasks within the household should be of paramount interest to energy planners.

This research examines the economic implications of different designs for a national low carbon fuel standard (NLCFS) for the road transportation sector. A NLCFS based on the average Carbon Intensity (CI) of all fuels sold generates an incentive for fuel suppliers to reduce the measured CI of their fuels. The economic impacts are determined by the availability of low carbon fuels, estimates of which can vary widely. Also important are the compliance path, reference level CI, and the design of the credit system, particularly the opportunities for trading and banking. To quantitatively examine the implications of a NLCFS, we created the Transportation Regulation and Credit Trading (TRACT) Model. With TRACT, we model a NLCFS credit trading system among profit maximizing fuel suppliers for light- and heavy-duty vehicle fuel use for the United States from 2012 to 2030. We find that credit trading across gasoline and diesel fuel markets can lower the average costs of carbon reductions by an insignificant amount to 98% depending on forecasts of biofuel supplies and carbon intensities. Adding banking of credits on top of trading can further lower the average cost of carbon reductions by 5%–9% and greatly reduce year-to-year fluctuations in credit prices.

Abstract A recent field survey provided eight typical soffits used in the residential houses within the typhoon-prone coastal region of southeastern China. Their aerodynamic effects in alleviating rooftop extreme wind pressures were evaluated via wind tunnel testing on a series of 1/20 gable roof house models. Local pressures, area-averaged pressures and uplift forces acting on roofs were examined. Results showed that in contrast to the model without soffits, the presence of these gutters or eaves gives a rise to a significant reduction of negative peak wind pressures at edges and corners near them. However, they hardly impact wind loads on the other roof surface. Some minor simple architectural elements attached to eaves, such as cantilevered spoiler and semicircular gutter, were observed to facilitate the reduction of extreme wind pressure at edges and corners. Additionally, the reduction rate of spatially averaged wind pressures with area was found to be dependent on the size of tributary area, rather than the shape of tributary area.

Biomass burning (BB) is one of the largest sources of carbonaceous aerosols with adverse impacts on air quality, visibility, health and climate. BB emits a few specific aromatic acids (p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, syringic and dehydroabietic acids) which have been widely used as key indicators for source identification of BB-derived carbonaceous aerosols in various environmental matrices. In addition, measurement of p-hydroxybenzoic and vanillic acids in snow and ice cores have revealed the historical records of the fire emissions. Despite their uniqueness and importance as tracers, our current understanding of analytical methods, concentrations, diagnostic ratios and degradation processes are rather limited and scattered in literature. In this review paper, firstly we have summarized the most established methods and protocols for the measurement of these aromatic acids in aerosols and ice cores. Secondly, we have highlighted the geographical variability in the abundances of these acids, their diagnostic ratios and degradation processes in the environments. The review of the existing data indicates that the concentrations of aromatic acids in aerosols vary greatly with locations worldwide, typically more abundant in urban atmosphere where biomass fuels are commonly used for residential heating and/or cooking purposes. In contrast, their concentrations are lowest in the polar regions which are avoid of localized emissions and largely influenced by long-range transport. The diagnostic ratios among aromatic acids can be used as good indicators for the relative amounts and types of biomass (e.g. hardwood, softwood and herbaceous plants) as well as photochemical oxidation processes. Although studies suggest that the degradation processes of the aromatic acids may be controlled by light, pH and hygroscopicity, a more careful investigation, including closed chamber studies, is highly appreciated.

Abstract Renewable energy sources (RES) coupled to desalination offers a promising prospect for covering the fundamental needs of power and water in remote regions, where connection to the public electrical grid is either not cost effective or not feasible, and where the water scarcity is severe. Stand-alone systems for electricity supply in isolated locations are now proven technologies. Correct matching of stand-alone power supply desalination systems has been recognized as being crucial if the system is to provide a satisfactory supply of power and water at a reasonable cost. The paper covers plants installed since 1990 on the coupling of the two technologies. The main driver promoting the take up of this technology is that water is a limiting factor for many countries in the Mediterranean region. This paper presents the two technologies, RES desalination, and describes the most promising couplings such as PV–reverse osmosis, wind-mechanical-vapor compression, geothermal-multieffect distillation, etc as well as technologies selection guidelines. Also, included applications and lessons learned from specific applications as well as data on the economics. RES for desalination is an important challenge and useful work has been done. However in order to provide practical viable plants, much remains to be done.

SummaryStudies investigated the patient‐care (in‐hospital) and outside‐the‐hospital energy consumptions for delivering the hemodialysis (HD) service. A life cycle inventory methodology was used for this patient‐based analysis for two hospitals located in Wichita, Kansas. It was found that, for both hospitals, the actual HD machines consumed approximately 3.5 kilowatt‐hours (kWh) of electrical energy per HD, only 8% to 16% of the total energy used for delivering the HD service (in hospital). This increases to 9.6 to 28.9 kWh of hospital billable energy for the whole system of HD machine, auxiliaries, and dialysis water treatment. Converting these hospital direct electrical energy values to natural resource energy (nre) then adding the cradle‐to‐gate natural resource energy for the manufacturing and supply chain of all the HD consumables, the total is 78 to 149 kWh nre/HD. The nre measures all the direct fuel burned to generate energy and is thus directly related to emissions to the air, water, and land and is a direct secondary impact on public health from HD. The ratio of outside‐the‐hospital energy to direct hospital HD electrical energy consumption is 4:1 to 7:1, so a broader base exists for improvement than just the hospital.

Abstract Recent results of GDF SUEZ Research and Innovation Division (RID) activities on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) vehicles are depicted in this paper: • The prototype “Toyota Prius II Hybrid CNG Vehicle”, developed with IFP Energies Nouvelles, combines a natural gas thermal engine with a hybrid electric motorization. After optimization, CO2 emissions, measured on chassis dynamometer, were 76 g/km on NEDC cycle. • The use of raw biogas in CNG Vehicle has been explored. These tests have shown that raw biogas (not upgraded) can be used as a fuel, if blended with natural gas. In fact, the use of raw biogas can be envisaged in dedicated CNG engines, if new engine technologies (lean CNG combustion) are developed. In such a case natural gas can be blended with up to 70% volume of not upgraded biogas. • The potential reduction of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions related both to the optimization of the CNG vehicle and to the use of biomethane as a vehicle fuel has been evaluated. GHG emissions from CNG vehicles (mono-fuel and hybrid) may be significantly lower than emissions of gasoline vehicles: around 17% lower in the case of dedicated CNG Vehicle and up to 51% lower in the case of hybrid CNG vehicles. In addition, biomethane (from the anaerobic digestion of waste) brings the GHG emission levels, over the course of the life cycle, down to more than 80% compared to a gasoline vehicle. Emission levels are lowered by 87% in the case of the Toyota Prius CNG Hybrid prototype fuelled by biomethane produced from waste (in comparison to a gasoline vehicle). Thus, biomethane allows a reduction of GHG emissions far below the minimum required by the European Directive on the Promotion of Renewable Energy Sources (2009/28/EC). These results have shown that the combination of optimized and innovative engines with the use of biomethane as a fuel permits to significantly reduce the GHG emissions.

Abstract In this paper, we examine the time-varying causal relationship between green bonds and other assets including US conventional bonds, WilderHill clean energy (equity) index, and CO2 emission allowances price during the period spanning from 30 July 2014 to 10 February 2020. We apply the novel time-varying Granger causality test (Shi et al. 2018) based on the recursive evolving algorithm introduced by Phillips et al. (2015a, 2015b) for controlling financial bubbles to detect real–time causality, detecting possible changes in the causal direction and dating financial turbulences, The study based on this algorithm reveals a significant causality running from the US 10-year Treasury bond index to green bonds starting from the end of the year 2016 until the end of the sample period. Besides, we find that the link CO2 emission allowances price causing green bonds is significant from the beginning of the sample period to the end of the year 2015. Furthermore, by using the recursive-evolving causality algorithm of the Shi et al. (2018) test, we find that the causality running from the clean energy index to green bonds is very limited to the year 2019. On the other hand, there is no significant causality running from green bonds to all considered assets, indicating no predictive power for this asset in its proper domain, which is not yet examined in the literature.

The objective of this paper is to provide an assessment on voltage profiles in residential neighborhoods in the presence of photovoltaic (PV) systems. The network was modeled in PSCAD using common feeder characteristics that Canadian system planners use in suburban residential regions. A simulation study was performed to investigate potential voltage rise issues in the network up to 11.25% total PV penetration in the feeder and LV transformer capacity penetration up to 75%. Results indicate that the PV penetration level should not adversely impact the voltage on the grid when the distributed PV resources do not exceed 2.5 kW per household on average on a typical distribution grid. Moreover, the role of feeder impedance, feeder length, and the transformer short circuit resistance in the determination of the voltage rise is quantified.