• Energy Research
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The Chinese electric power industry, including its coal industry and other energy industries that are not efficient, contributes to China’s serious energy shortages and environmental contamination. The governing authority considers energy conservation to be one of the most prominent national targets, and has formulated various plans for decarbonizing the power system. Applying the trans-log cost function, this paper examined the trans-log cost function to analyze the potential inter-factor substitution among energy, capital and labor. We also investigated what role human capital played in energy substitution for the electric power sector during the period from 1981 to 2017. Three key results were derived: (1) energy is price-insensitive, (2) there exists large substitution sustainability between both capital and labor with energy, and (3) human capital input not only enhances the extent of energy substitutability with capital and labor but also is a substitute to energy itself. These findings imply that the liberalization of the electric price mechanism is conducive to lessening energy use and augmenting non-energy intensiveness, and that energy conservation technology could become more sustainable by investing more capital in the electricity sector, thereby achieving a capital–energy substitution and a decrease of CO2 emissions. We further suggest that the priority for the Chinese electric power industry should be to attach more importance to increasing human capital input.

Tsunamis pose a significant threat to the construction of Nuclear Power Plants. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out a comprehensive study regarding the potential threat of tsunamis and mitigation measures using detailed data at prospective locations. This assessment is a prerequisite for effective environmental impact planning and analysis. To determine the suitability of a prospective location, careful consideration of natural factors, including earthquakes as triggers for tsunamis, is essential. The main objective of this tsunami research is to assess the level of safety of potential locations against tsunami hazards and develop appropriate mitigation strategies. This research uses the Cornell Multigrid Coupled Tsunami (COMCOT) tsunami modeling technique. This modeling approach utilizes topographic and bathymetric data obtained through extensive field surveys. In addition, this research aims to determine the maximum tsunami height in the inundation area and identify potential tsunami hazards arising from various scenarios related to the active tectonic potential of the Philippine Manila Trench. The Bengkayang Gosong Beach area and West Kalimantan are among the candidate locations that may be affected with the estimated tsunami height being between 0.48 meters and 0.62 meters. The tsunami arrival time was between 9 hours 10 minutes to 9 hours 24 minutes. These findings play an important role in conducting comprehensive risk assessments for nuclear power plant development, ensuring that necessary steps are taken to reduce potential hazards associated with tsunamis.

Abstract Compared with other traditional energy sources, renewable energy, which results the less pollution and has numerous resources, is a significant factor in addressing the current issues of the serious environmental pollution and the resource depletion. Large-scale renewable energy integrated to the grid could bring change in both morphological structure and operation modes of energy transmission. Therefore, it is necessary to research the evolution mechanism of the future transmission network with a high proportion of the renewable energy. In this paper, an evolution framework of power system with high proportion of renewable energy is proposed. Firstly, a network equivalence and simplification based on power transfer distribution factors (PTDFs) is proposed, which can effectively simplify the decision-making process of evolution of large-scale power system. Then, an annual production simulation (8760 h) which takes into account renewable energy and load fluctuations is used to find out the bottleneck of the power grid. Based on the above methods, evolution strategy of power system with high proportion of renewable energy is studied for finding out optimal expansion strategy. A real power system of Zhejiang province is used as a test system. Test results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed evolution framework.

In order to increase national rice production, the Ministry of Agriculture has released some high yielding varieties. The research was aimed to obtain superior rice varieties adapted to irrigated lowland agro-ecosystems of Southeast Sulawesi. In the first planting season, research was carried out in Olo-oloho Village, Uepai sub district and the second season at the Wawotobi Experimental Garden. Eight varieties were tested, i.e. Inpari 31, Inpari 34, Inpari 35, Inpari 38, Inpari 39, Inpari 41, Inpari 42, Inpari 43 and Mekongga. The variables observed were growth, yield and pest and disease dynamics. The results shows that there was variation growth and yield of the tested varieties. The growth and yield also varied depend on the season. In the first planting season, Inpari 34 and Inpari 43 showed better growth than others, but Inpari 31 resulted the highest rice yield (4.83 t/ha). In the second planting season, only Inpari 34 showed consistent growth, but the variety that had showed the highest yield was Inpari 43 (8.13 t/ha).

Abstract Canada has numerous climatic and geographical regions and the Canadian housing stock (CHS) is diversified in terms of vintage, geometry, construction materials, envelope, occupancy, energy sources and heating, ventilation and air conditioning system and equipment. Therefore, strategies to achieve net zero energy (NZE) status with the current stock of houses need to be devised considering the unique characteristics of the housing stock, the economic conditions and energy mix available in each region. Identifying and assessing pathways for converting existing houses to NZE buildings at the housing stock level is a complex and multifaceted problem and requires extensive analysis on the impact of energy efficiency and renewable/alternative energy technology retrofits on the energy use and GHG emissions of households. A techno-economic analysis of retrofitting renewable/alternative energy technologies in the CHS to reduce energy consumption and GHG emissions was conducted to develop strategies to achieve or approach NZE status for Canadian houses. The results indicate that substantial energy savings and GHG emission reductions are techno-economically feasible for the CHS through careful selection of retrofit options. While achieving large scale conversion of existing houses to NZEB is not feasible, approaching NZE status is a realistic goal for a large percentage of Canadian houses.

Cold-start (subzero startup) capability of polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) is of great importance. In this paper, the effects of the micro-porous-layer (MPL), varying start-up temperatures, start-up current density variation on the cold-start operation are investigated. We found PEFC with anode micro-porous-layer (AMPL), compared with one with CMPL, has higher possibility of successful cold start. By analyzing the anode and cathode pressure revolution of PEFC, the effect of MPL on the super cooled water removal and ice formation at different temperatures (-7,-10,-15 and-20℃) are discussed . In addition, we investigate the ice distribution in MEA through the X-ray device, by comparing the initial image when fuel cells shut down (before the produce the water) and final image after failed cold-start. We also explore the negative voltage phenomenon in the initial process of cold-start operation.

Abstract The increasing energy demand in developing countries has jeopardised energy security, necessitating the employment of solar energy to augment conventional energy sources. It is important to assess the annual performance parameters of solar power plants to understand its place in energy generation. This study analyses the performance and economic viability of a large-scale solar power park located in India. A 50 MWp Solar Photovoltaic Power Park (SPPP) located at Sakunala, in the State of Andhra Pradesh, is one of the largest solar power park in India, and the site receives an average solar radiation of 5.5–6.0 kWh/m2/day. The design, performance analysis, economic feasibility, and greenhouse gas mitigation of the 50 MWp SPPP is presented. The energy yields, performance ratio (PR), capacity utilization factor (CUF), and losses are assessed based on the IEC 61724 standards for two consecutive years (2018–2019 and 2019–2020). The performance results obtained are compared with the PVsyst simulation results. The PR, CUF, and energy yields are estimated as 0.779, 0.24, and 107,326.4 MWh in 2018–2019 and 0.691, 0.22, and 96,707.336 MWh in the year 2019–2020, respectively. The PVsyst simulator evaluates the PR, CUF, and energy yields as 0.80, 0.24, and 106,022 MWh, respectively. Further, the effect of power curtailment policies on solar PV projects is also discussed and the effect of curtailment policy on the economy of the solar power park in terms of payback period and emissions are analysed. The performance of the SPPP is also compared with those of other PV plants installed all over the world.

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a sustainable and energy efficient technology, which uses graphite as cathode for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production often with simultaneous power production. Nevertheless, slow kinetics of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at the surface of graphite often results in poor performance of MFC. In an attempt to improve the performance of MFC for in‐situ H2O2 production, a treatment of graphite cathode using nitric acid was performed. The treatment was conducted in three steps (i) heat treatment at 450°C for 2 h; (ii) acid treatment with concentrated nitric acid for 5 h; and (iii) drying at 120°C for 2 h. After the treatment, four times increase in surface area of treated cathode (GR‐HA) was observed. Energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis revealed the presence of nitrogen and quinone based functional groups on the surface of GR‐HA. Cyclic voltammetric (CV) analysis of GR‐HA cathode further confirmed the production of H2O2 at the peak current value of −3.7 mA and on‐set potential of −0.1 V. Following CV analysis, H2O2 production experiments were performed in a dual chamber MFC using GR‐HA as cathode. Maximum 150 mg/L of H2O2 was produced with simultaneous power production of 36.438 mW/m2. Approximately, 25% increase in both H2O2 and power production was observed in the case of G cathode. Subsequently, Fenton oxidation experiments were performed (with GR‐HA and GR‐CA cathodes) to determine the efficacy of in‐situ produced H2O2. This resulted in an increase of 8.28%, 11.04%, and 31.32% in decolorization, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and Total Organic Carbon (TOC) removal efficiency, respectively. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 382–393, 2017

AbstractThe concept of a ‘just transition’ to a low‐carbon economy is firmly embedded in mainstream global discourses about mitigating climate change. Drawing on Karl Polanyi's political economy elaborated inThe Great Transformation, we interrogate the idea of a just transition and place it within its historical context. We address a major contradiction at the core of global energy transition debates: the rapid shift to low‐carbon energy‐systems will require increased extraction of minerals and metals. In doing so, we argue that extractive industries are energy and carbon‐intensive, and will enlarge and intensify social and ecological injustice. Our findings reveal the importance of understanding how the idea of a just transition is used, and by who, and the type of justice that underpins this concept. We demonstrate the need to ground just transition policies and programmes in a notion of justice as fairness.