Energy efficiency, human behavior, and economic growth: Challenges to cutting energy demand to sustainable levels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Santarius, Tilman, E-mail: tilman@santarius.de

Increasing energy efficiency in households, transportation, industries, and services is an important strategy to reduce energy service demand to levels that allow the steep reduction of greenhouse gases, and a full fledged switch of energy systems to a renewable basis. Yet, technological efficiency improvements may generate so-called rebound effects, which may ‘eat up’ parts of the technical savings potential. This article provides a comprehensive review of existing research on these effects, raises critiques, and points out open questions. It introduces micro-economic rebound effect and suggests extending consumer-side analysis to incorporate potential ‘psychological rebound effects.’ It then discusses meso-economic rebound effects,more » i.e. producer-side and market-level rebounds, which so far have achieved little attention in the literature. Finally, the article critically reviews evidence for macro-economic rebound effects as energy efficiency-induced economic growth impacts. For all three categories, the article summarizes assessments of their potential quantitative scope, while pointing out remaining methodological weaknesses and open questions. As a rough “rule of thumb”, in the long term and on gross average, only half the technical savings potential of across-the-board efficiency improvements may actually be achieved in the real world. Policies that aim at cutting energy service demand to sustainable levels are well advised to take due note of detrimental behavioral and economic growth impacts, and should foster policies and measures that can contain them.« less

Using learning curves on energy-efficient technologies to estimate future energy savings and emission reduction potentials in the U.S. iron and steel industry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Karali, Nihan; Park, Won Young; McNeil, Michael A.

Increasing concerns on non-sustainable energy use and climate change spur a growing research interest in energy efficiency potentials in various critical areas such as industrial production. This paper focuses on learning curve aspects of energy efficiency measures in the U.S iron and steel sector. A number of early-stage efficient technologies (i.e., emerging or demonstration technologies) are technically feasible and have the potential to make a significant contribution to energy saving and CO 2 emissions reduction, but fall short economically to be included. However, they may also have the cost effective potential for significant cost reduction and/or performance improvement in themore » future under learning effects such as ‘learning-by-doing’. The investigation is carried out using ISEEM, a technology oriented, linear optimization model. We investigated how steel demand is balanced with/without the availability learning curve, compared to a Reference scenario. The retrofit (or investment in some cases) costs of energy efficient technologies decline in the scenario where learning curve is applied. The analysis also addresses market penetration of energy efficient technologies, energy saving, and CO 2 emissions in the U.S. iron and steel sector with/without learning impact. Accordingly, the study helps those who use energy models better manage the price barriers preventing unrealistic diffusion of energy-efficiency technologies, better understand the market and learning system involved, predict future achievable learning rates more accurately, and project future savings via energy-efficiency technologies with presence of learning. We conclude from our analysis that, most of the existing energy efficiency technologies that are currently used in the U.S. iron and steel sector are cost effective. Penetration levels increases through the years, even though there is no price reduction. However, demonstration technologies are not economically feasible in the U.S. iron and steel sector with the current cost structure. In contrast, some of the demonstration technologies are adapted in the mid-term and their penetration levels increase as the prices go down with learning curve. We also observe large penetration of 225kg pulverized coal injection with the presence of learning.« less

Managing carbon emissions in China through building energy efficiency.

PubMed

Li, Jun; Colombier, Michel

2009-06-01

This paper attempts to analyse the role of building energy efficiency (BEE) in China in addressing climate change mitigation. It provides an analysis of the current situation and future prospects for the adoption of BEE technologies in Chinese cities. It outlines the economic and institutional barriers to large-scale deployment of the sustainable, low-carbon, and even carbon-free construction techniques. Based on a comprehensive overview of energy demand characteristics and development trends driven by economic and demographic growth, different policy tools for cost-effective CO(2) emission reduction in the Chinese construction sector are described. We propose a comprehensive approach combining building design and construction, and the urban planning and building material industries, in order to drastically improve BEE during this period of rapid urban development. A coherent institutional framework needs to be established to ensure the implementation of efficiency policies. Regulatory and incentive options should be integrated into the policy portfolios of BEE to minimise the efficiency gap and to realise sizeable carbon emissions cuts in the next decades. We analyse in detail several policies and instruments, and formulate relevant policy proposals fostering low-carbon construction technology in China. Specifically, Our analysis shows that improving building energy efficiency can generate considerable carbon emissions reduction credits with competitive price under the CDM framework.

Economical and Energy Efficiency of Iron and Steel Industry Reindustrialisation in Russia Based on Implementation of Breakthrough Energy-Saving Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shevelev, L. N.

2017-12-01

Estimates were given of economical and energy efficiency of breakthrough energy-saving technologies, which increase competitive advantages and provide energy efficiency of production while reducing negative impact on the environment through reduction of emissions of harmful substances and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Among these technologies, preference is given to the following: pulverized coal fuel, blast-furnace gas recycling, gasification of non-coking coal in bubble-type gas-generators, iron-ore concentrate briquetting with steam coal with further use of ore-coal briquettes in electric furnace steel making. Implementation of these technologies at iron and steel works will significantly reduce the energy intensity of production through reduction of expensive coking coal consumption by means of their substitution by less expensive non-coking (steam) coal, and natural gas substitution by own secondary energy resource, which is the reducing gas. As the result, plants will get an opportunity to become self-sufficient in energy-resources and free themselves entirely from expensive purchased energy resources (natural gas, electric power, and partially coking coals), and cross over to low-carbon development.

Assessing eco-efficiency: A metafrontier directional distance function approach using life cycle analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beltrán-Esteve, Mercedes, E-mail: mercedes.beltran@uv.es; Reig-Martínez, Ernest; Estruch-Guitart, Vicent

Sustainability analysis requires a joint assessment of environmental, social and economic aspects of production processes. Here we propose the use of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA), a metafrontier (MF) directional distance function (DDF) approach, and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), to assess technological and managerial differences in eco-efficiency between production systems. We use LCA to compute six environmental and health impacts associated with the production processes of nearly 200 Spanish citrus farms belonging to organic and conventional farming systems. DEA is then employed to obtain joint economic-environmental farm's scores that we refer to as eco-efficiency. DDF allows us to determine farms' globalmore » eco-efficiency scores, as well as eco-efficiency scores with respect to specific environmental impacts. Furthermore, the use of an MF helps us to disentangle technological and managerial eco-inefficiencies by comparing the eco-efficiency of both farming systems with regards to a common benchmark. Our core results suggest that the shift from conventional to organic farming technology would allow a potential reduction in environmental impacts of 80% without resulting in any decline in economic performance. In contrast, as regards farmers' managerial capacities, both systems display quite similar mean scores.« less

High efficiency motor selection handbook

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCoy, Gilbert A.; Litman, Todd; Douglass, John G.

1990-10-01

Substantial reductions in energy and operational costs can be achieved through the use of energy-efficient electric motors. A handbook was compiled to help industry identify opportunities for cost-effective application of these motors. It covers the economic and operational factors to be considered when motor purchase decisions are being made. Its audience includes plant managers, plant engineers, and others interested in energy management or preventative maintenance programs.

Peak power reduction and energy efficiency improvement with the superconducting flywheel energy storage in electric railway system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hansang; Jung, Seungmin; Cho, Yoonsung; Yoon, Donghee; Jang, Gilsoo

2013-11-01

This paper proposes an application of the 100 kWh superconducting flywheel energy storage systems to reduce the peak power of the electric railway system. The electric railway systems have high-power characteristics and large amount of regenerative energy during vehicles’ braking. The high-power characteristic makes operating cost high as the system should guarantee the secure capacity of electrical equipment and the low utilization rate of regenerative energy limits the significant energy efficiency improvement. In this paper, it had been proved that the peak power reduction and energy efficiency improvement can be achieved by using 100 kWh superconducting flywheel energy storage systems with the optimally controlled charging or discharging operations. Also, economic benefits had been assessed.

Increase of efficiency and reliability of liquid fuel combustion in small-sized boilers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roslyakov, P. V.; Proskurin, Yu V.; Ionkin, I. L.

2017-11-01

One of the ways to increase the efficiency of using fuels is to create highly efficient domestic energy equipment, in particular small-sized hot-water boilers in autonomous heating systems. Increasing the efficiency of the boiler requires a reduction in the temperature of the flue gases leaving, which, in turn, can be achieved by installing additional heating surfaces. The purpose of this work was to determine the principal design solutions and to develop a draft design for a high-efficiency 3-MW hot-water boiler using crude oil as its main fuel. Ensuring a high efficiency of the boiler is realized through the use of an external remote economizer, which makes it possible to reduce the dimensions of the boiler, facilitate the layout of equipment in a limited size block-modular boiler house and virtually eliminate low-temperature corrosion of boiler heat exchange surfaces. In the article the variants of execution of the water boiler and remote economizer are considered and the preliminary design calculations of the remote economizer for various schemes of the boiler layout in the Boiler Designer software package are made. Based on the results of the studies, a scheme was chosen with a three-way boiler and a two-way remote economizer. The design of a three-way fire tube hot water boiler and an external economizer with an internal arrangement of the collectors, providing for its location above the boiler in a block-modular boiler house and providing access for servicing both a remote economizer and a hot water boiler, is proposed. Its mass-dimensional and design parameters are determined. In the software package Boiler Designer thermal, hydraulic and aerodynamic calculations of the developed fire tube boiler have been performed. Optimization of the boiler design was performed, providing the required 94% efficiency value for crude oil combustion. The description of the developed flue and fire-tube hot water boiler and the value of the main design and technical and economic parameters are given.

Reviews on current carbon emission reduction technologies and projects and their feasibilities on ships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Haibin; Zhou, Peilin; Wang, Zhongcheng

2017-06-01

Concern about global climate change is growing, and many projects and researchers are committed to reducing greenhouse gases from all possible sources. International Maritime (IMO) has set a target of 20% CO2 reduction from shipping by 2020 and also presented a series of carbon emission reduction methods, which are known as Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) and Energy Efficiency Operation Indicator (EEOI). Reviews on carbon emission reduction from all industries indicate that, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) is an excellent solution to global warming. In this paper, a comprehensive literature review of EEDI and EEOI and CCS is conducted and involves reviewing current policies, introducing common technologies, and considering their feasibilities for marine activities, mainly shipping. Current projects are also presented in this paper, thereby illustrating that carbon emission reduction has been the subject of attention from all over the world. Two case ship studies indicate the economic feasibility of carbon emission reduction and provide a guide for CCS system application and practical installation on ships.

Characterizing Synergistic Water and Energy Efficiency at the Residential Scale Using a Cost Abatement Curve Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stillwell, A. S.; Chini, C. M.; Schreiber, K. L.; Barker, Z. A.

2015-12-01

Energy and water are two increasingly correlated resources. Electricity generation at thermoelectric power plants requires cooling such that large water withdrawal and consumption rates are associated with electricity consumption. Drinking water and wastewater treatment require significant electricity inputs to clean, disinfect, and pump water. Due to this energy-water nexus, energy efficiency measures might be a cost-effective approach to reducing water use and water efficiency measures might support energy savings as well. This research characterizes the cost-effectiveness of different efficiency approaches in households by quantifying the direct and indirect water and energy savings that could be realized through efficiency measures, such as low-flow fixtures, energy and water efficient appliances, distributed generation, and solar water heating. Potential energy and water savings from these efficiency measures was analyzed in a product-lifetime adjusted economic model comparing efficiency measures to conventional counterparts. Results were displayed as cost abatement curves indicating the most economical measures to implement for a target reduction in water and/or energy consumption. These cost abatement curves are useful in supporting market innovation and investment in residential-scale efficiency.

Screening College Students for Hypercholesterolemia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faigel, Harris C.

1992-01-01

Describes one college's mandatory mass cholesterol screening for new students. Each year, over 30 beginning students with unknown hypercholesterolemia were detected. The program suggests that mass screening efficiently and economically identifies students who would benefit from cholesterol reduction, a modifiable risk in coronary artery disease.…

Collaborative Emission Reduction Model Based on Multi-Objective Optimization for Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollutants.

PubMed

Meng, Qing-chun; Rong, Xiao-xia; Zhang, Yi-min; Wan, Xiao-le; Liu, Yuan-yuan; Wang, Yu-zhi

2016-01-01

CO2 emission influences not only global climate change but also international economic and political situations. Thus, reducing the emission of CO2, a major greenhouse gas, has become a major issue in China and around the world as regards preserving the environmental ecology. Energy consumption from coal, oil, and natural gas is primarily responsible for the production of greenhouse gases and air pollutants such as SO2 and NOX, which are the main air pollutants in China. In this study, a mathematical multi-objective optimization method was adopted to analyze the collaborative emission reduction of three kinds of gases on the basis of their common restraints in different ways of energy consumption to develop an economic, clean, and efficient scheme for energy distribution. The first part introduces the background research, the collaborative emission reduction for three kinds of gases, the multi-objective optimization, the main mathematical modeling, and the optimization method. The second part discusses the four mathematical tools utilized in this study, which include the Granger causality test to analyze the causality between air quality and pollutant emission, a function analysis to determine the quantitative relation between energy consumption and pollutant emission, a multi-objective optimization to set up the collaborative optimization model that considers energy consumption, and an optimality condition analysis for the multi-objective optimization model to design the optimal-pole algorithm and obtain an efficient collaborative reduction scheme. In the empirical analysis, the data of pollutant emission and final consumption of energies of Tianjin in 1996-2012 was employed to verify the effectiveness of the model and analyze the efficient solution and the corresponding dominant set. In the last part, several suggestions for collaborative reduction are recommended and the drawn conclusions are stated.

Collaborative Emission Reduction Model Based on Multi-Objective Optimization for Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollutants

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yi-min; Wan, Xiao-le; Liu, Yuan-yuan; Wang, Yu-zhi

2016-01-01

CO2 emission influences not only global climate change but also international economic and political situations. Thus, reducing the emission of CO2, a major greenhouse gas, has become a major issue in China and around the world as regards preserving the environmental ecology. Energy consumption from coal, oil, and natural gas is primarily responsible for the production of greenhouse gases and air pollutants such as SO2 and NOX, which are the main air pollutants in China. In this study, a mathematical multi-objective optimization method was adopted to analyze the collaborative emission reduction of three kinds of gases on the basis of their common restraints in different ways of energy consumption to develop an economic, clean, and efficient scheme for energy distribution. The first part introduces the background research, the collaborative emission reduction for three kinds of gases, the multi-objective optimization, the main mathematical modeling, and the optimization method. The second part discusses the four mathematical tools utilized in this study, which include the Granger causality test to analyze the causality between air quality and pollutant emission, a function analysis to determine the quantitative relation between energy consumption and pollutant emission, a multi-objective optimization to set up the collaborative optimization model that considers energy consumption, and an optimality condition analysis for the multi-objective optimization model to design the optimal-pole algorithm and obtain an efficient collaborative reduction scheme. In the empirical analysis, the data of pollutant emission and final consumption of energies of Tianjin in 1996–2012 was employed to verify the effectiveness of the model and analyze the efficient solution and the corresponding dominant set. In the last part, several suggestions for collaborative reduction are recommended and the drawn conclusions are stated. PMID:27010658

The efficiency and budgeting of public hospitals: case study of iran.

PubMed

Yusefzadeh, Hasan; Ghaderi, Hossein; Bagherzade, Rafat; Barouni, Mohsen

2013-05-01

Hospitals are the most costly and important components of any health care system, so it is important to know their economic values, pay attention to their efficiency and consider factors affecting them. The aim of this study was to assess the technical scale and economic efficiency of hospitals in the West Azerbaijan province of Iran, for which Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to propose a model for operational budgeting. This study was a descriptive-analysis that was conducted in 2009 and had three inputs and two outputs. Deap2, 1 software was used for data analysis. Slack and radial movements and surplus of inputs were calculated for selected hospitals. Finally, a model was proposed for performance-based budgeting of hospitals and health sectors using the DEA technique. The average scores of technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency (managerial efficiency) and scale efficiency of hospitals were 0.584, 0.782 and 0.771, respectively. In other words the capacity of efficiency promotion in hospitals without any increase in costs and with the same amount of inputs was about 41.5%. Only four hospitals among all hospitals had the maximum level of technical efficiency. Moreover, surplus production factors were evident in these hospitals. Reduction of surplus production factors through comprehensive planning based on the results of the Data Envelopment Analysis can play a major role in cost reduction of hospitals and health sectors. In hospitals with a technical efficiency score of less than one, the original and projected values of inputs were different; resulting in a surplus. Hence, these hospitals should reduce their values of inputs to achieve maximum efficiency and optimal performance. The results of this method was applied to hospitals a benchmark for making decisions about resource allocation; linking budgets to performance results; and controlling and improving hospitals performance.

Analysis of improved government geological map information for mineral exploration: Incorporating efficiency, productivity, effectiveness, and risk considerations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bernknopf, R.L.; Wein, A.M.; St-Onge, M. R.; Lucas, S.B.

2007-01-01

This bulletin/professional paper focuses on the value of geoscientific information and knowledge, as provided in published government bedrock geological maps, to the mineral exploration sector. An economic model is developed that uses an attribute- ranking approach to convert geological maps into domains of mineral favourability. Information about known deposits in these (or analogous) favourability domains allow the calculation of exploration search statistics that provide input into measures of exploration efficiency, productivity, effectiveness, risk, and cost stemming from the use of the published geological maps. Two case studies, the Flin Flon Belt (Manitoba and Saskatchewan) and the south Baffin Island area (Nunavut), demonstrate that updated, finer resolution maps can be used to identify more exploration campaign options, and campaigns thats are more efficient, more effective, and less risky than old, coarser resolution maps when used as a guide for mineral exploration. The Flin Flon Belt study illustrates that an updated, coarser resolution bedrock map enables improved mineral exploration efficiency, productivity, and effectiveness by locating 60% more targets and supporting an exploration campaign that is 44% more efficient. Refining the map resolution provides an additional 17% reduction in search effort across all favourable domains and a 55% reduction in search effort in the most favourable domain. The south Baffin Island case study projects a 40% increase in expected targets and a 27% reduction in search effort when the updated, finer resolution map is used in lieu of the old, coarser resolution map. On southern Baffin Island, the economic value of the up dated map ranges from CAN$2.28 million to CAN$15.21 million, which can be compared to the CAN$1.86 million that it cost to produce the map (a multiplier effect of up to eight).

[The impact of the economic crisis on health systems of OECD countries].

PubMed

Paris, Valérie

2014-10-01

This paper describes measures adopted by OECD countries in the health sector in response to the economic crisis which began in 2008: increase and diversification of revenues collected for health, increases in user charges, reductions in staff, salaries and prices of health goods and services; and policies aiming to increase health systems efficiency. It then reviews the impact of these policies on health spending trends. © 2014 médecine/sciences – Inserm.

An impact assessment of sustainable technologies for the Chinese urban residential sector at provincial level

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Rui; Hanaoka, Tatsuya; Kanamori, Yuko; Dai, Hancheng; Masui, Toshihiko

2015-06-01

Recently, energy use in the urban residential sector of China has drastically increased due to higher incomes and urbanization. The fossil fuels dominant energy supply has since worsened the air quality, especially in urban areas. In this study we estimate the future energy service demands in Chinese urban residential areas, and then use an AIM/Enduse model to evaluate the emission reduction potential of CO2, SO2, NOx and PM. Considering the climate diversity and its impact on household energy service demands, our analysis is down-scaled to the provincial-level. The results show that in most of the regions, penetration of efficient technologies will bring CO2 emission reductions of over 20% compared to the baseline by the year 2030. Deployment of energy efficient technologies also co-benefits GHG emission reduction. However, efficient technology selection appears to differ across provinces due to climatic variation and economic disparity. For instance, geothermal heating technology is effective for the cold Northern areas while biomass technology contributes to emission reduction the most in the warm Southern areas.

Economic values of production and functional traits, including residual feed intake, in Finnish milk production.

PubMed

Hietala, P; Wolfová, M; Wolf, J; Kantanen, J; Juga, J

2014-02-01

Improving the feed efficiency of dairy cattle has a substantial effect on the economic efficiency and on the reduction of harmful environmental effects of dairy production through lower feeding costs and emissions from dairy farming. To assess the economic importance of feed efficiency in the breeding goal for dairy cattle, the economic values for the current breeding goal traits and the additional feed efficiency traits for Finnish Ayrshire cattle under production circumstances in 2011 were determined. The derivation of economic values was based on a bioeconomic model in which the profit of the production system was calculated, using the generated steady state herd structure. Considering beef production from dairy farms, 2 marketing strategies for surplus calves were investigated: (A) surplus calves were sold at a young age and (B) surplus calves were fattened on dairy farms. Both marketing strategies were unprofitable when subsidies were not included in the revenues. When subsidies were taken into account, a positive profitability was observed in both marketing strategies. The marginal economic values for residual feed intake (RFI) of breeding heifers and cows were -25.5 and -55.8 €/kg of dry matter per day per cow and year, respectively. The marginal economic value for RFI of animals in fattening was -29.5 €/kg of dry matter per day per cow and year. To compare the economic importance among traits, the standardized economic weight of each trait was calculated as the product of the marginal economic value and the genetic standard deviation; the standardized economic weight expressed as a percentage of the sum of all standardized economic weights was called relative economic weight. When not accounting for subsidies, the highest relative economic weight was found for 305-d milk yield (34% in strategy A and 29% in strategy B), which was followed by protein percentage (13% in strategy A and 11% in strategy B). The third most important traits were calving interval (9%) and mature weight of cows (11%) in strategy A and B, respectively. The sums of the relative economic weights over categories for RFI were 6 and 7% in strategy A and B, respectively. Under production conditions in 2011, the relative economic weights for the studied feed efficiency traits were low. However, it is possible that the relative importance of feed efficiency traits in the breeding goal will increase in the future due to increasing requirements to mitigate the environmental impact of milk production. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Thermo-economic analysis of a trigeneration HCPVT power plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Selviaridis, Angelos; Burg, Brian R.; Wallerand, Anna Sophia; Maréchal, François; Michel, Bruno

2015-09-01

The increasing need for electricity and heat in a growing global economy must be combined with CO2 emissions reduction, in order to limit the human influence on the environment. This calls for energy-efficient and cost-competitive renewable energy systems that are able to satisfy both pressing needs. A High-Concentration Photovoltaic Thermal (HCPVT) system is a cogeneration concept that shows promising potential in delivering electricity and heat in an efficient and cost-competitive manner. This study investigates the transient behavior of the HCPVT system and presents a thermo-economic analysis of a MW-scale trigeneration (electricity, heating and cooling) power plant. Transient simulations show a fast dynamic response of the system which results in short heat-up intervals, maximizing heat recuperation throughout the day. Despite suboptimal coupling between demand and supply, partial heat utilization throughout the year and low COP of commercially available devices for the conversion of heat into cooling, the thermo-economic analysis shows promising economic behavior, with a levelized cost of electricity close to current retail prices.

On fair, effective and efficient REDD mechanism design

PubMed Central

2009-01-01

The issues surrounding 'Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation' (REDD) have become a major component of continuing negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This paper aims to address two key requirements of any potential REDD mechanism: first, the generation of measurable, reportable and verifiable (MRV) REDD credits; and secondly, the sustainable and efficient provision of emission reductions under a robust financing regime. To ensure the supply of MRV credits, we advocate the establishment of an 'International Emission Reference Scenario Coordination Centre' (IERSCC). The IERSCC would act as a global clearing house for harmonized data to be used in implementing reference level methodologies. It would be tasked with the collection, reporting and subsequent processing of earth observation, deforestation- and degradation driver information in a globally consistent manner. The IERSCC would also assist, coordinate and supervise the computation of national reference scenarios according to rules negotiated under the UNFCCC. To overcome the threats of "market flooding" on the one hand and insufficient economic incentives for REDD on the other hand, we suggest an 'International Investment Reserve' (IIR) as REDD financing framework. In order to distribute the resources of the IIR we propose adopting an auctioning mechanism. Auctioning not only reveals the true emission reduction costs, but might also allow for incentivizing the protection of biodiversity and socio-economic values. The introduced concepts will be vital to ensure robustness, environmental integrity and economic efficiency of the future REDD mechanism. PMID:19943927

COPROCESSING OF FOSSIL FUELS AND BIOMASS FOR CO2 EMISSION REDUCTION IN THE TRANSPORTATION SECTOR

EPA Science Inventory

The paper discusses an evaluation of the Hydrocarb process for conversion of carbonaceous raw material to clean carbon and methanol products. As fuel, methanol and carbon can be used economically, either independently or in slurry form, in efficient heat engines (turbines and int...

Efficiency assessment of wastewater treatment plants: A data envelopment analysis approach integrating technical, economic, and environmental issues.

PubMed

Castellet, Lledó; Molinos-Senante, María

2016-02-01

The assessment of the efficiency of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is essential to compare their performance and consequently to identify the best operational practices that can contribute to the reduction of operational costs. Previous studies have evaluated the efficiency of WWTPs using conventional data envelopment analysis (DEA) models. Most of these studies have considered the operational costs of the WWTPs as inputs, while the pollutants removed from wastewater are treated as outputs. However, they have ignored the fact that each pollutant removed by a WWTP involves a different environmental impact. To overcome this limitation, this paper evaluates for the first time the efficiency of a sample of WWTPs by applying the weighted slacks-based measure model. It is a non-radial DEA model which allows assigning weights to the inputs and outputs according their importance. Thus, the assessment carried out integrates environmental issues with the traditional "techno-economic" efficiency assessment of WWTPs. Moreover, the potential economic savings for each cost item have been quantified at a plant level. It is illustrated that the WWTPs analyzed have significant room to save staff and energy costs. Several managerial implications to help WWTPs' operators make informed decisions were drawn from the methodology and empirical application carried out. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Audit and Assessment Studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Moore, Craig

Project to assess 46 low-income multifamily residences owned and managed by THRHA in up to 14 southeast Alaska communities. The Objective of project was to identify efficiency measures to reduce energy costs by 30% for low-income multifamily housing by; 1. Decreasing energy demand by increasing multifamily housing energy efficiency; 2. Reducing household energy consumption through energy conservation education and installation of energy upgrades; and 3. Projecting energy savings based on fossil fuel reduction to environmentally and economically benefit Tribal southeast communities

Energy demand for materials in an international context.

PubMed

Worrell, Ernst; Carreon, Jesus Rosales

2017-06-13

Materials are everywhere and have determined society. The rapid increase in consumption of materials has led to an increase in the use of energy and release of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Reducing emissions in material-producing industries is a key challenge. If all of industry switched to current best practices, the energy-efficiency improvement potential would be between 20% and 35% for most sectors. While these are considerable potentials, especially for sectors that have historically paid a lot of attention to energy-efficiency improvement, realization of these potentials under current 'business as usual' conditions is slow due to a large variety of barriers and limited efforts by industry and governments around the world. Importantly, the potentials are not sufficient to achieve the deep reductions in carbon emissions that will be necessary to stay within the climate boundaries as agreed in the 2015 Paris Conference of Parties. Other opportunities need to be included in the menu of options to mitigate GHG emissions. It is essential to develop integrated policies combining energy efficiency, renewable energy and material efficiency and material demand reduction, offering the most economically attractive way to realize deep reductions in carbon emissions.This article is part of the themed issue 'Material demand reduction'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Economically synthesized NiCo2S4/reduced graphene oxide composite as efficient counter electrode in dye-sensitized solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nan, Hui; Han, Jianhua; Luo, Qiang; Yin, Xuewen; Zhou, Yu; Yao, Zhibo; Zhao, Xiaochong; Li, Xin; Lin, Hong

2018-04-01

Exploiting efficient Pt-free counter-electrode materials with low cost and highly catalytic property is a hot topic in the field of Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs). Here, NiCo2S4/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was prepared via an economical synthesis route, and the as-prepared composite exhibited comparable electrocatalytic property with the conventional Pt electrode as the counter-electrode. Notably, the introduction of RGO into the NiCo2S4 counter-electrode induces a significantly promoted electrocatalytic rate towards the triiodide reduction than that of pristine NiCo2S4 by increasing surface area in the composite electrode, as revealed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopic measurement and Tafel polarization measurement. The easy synthesis, low cost and excellent electrochemical performance of the NiCo2S4/RGO composites enable themselves to serve as promising counter-electrode candidates for efficient DSCs.

Economic Analysis of Solar Energy Using in Oil Sector Economy in Republic of Tatarstan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kulikova, L. I.; Goshunova, A. V.; Nutfullina, D. I.

2017-11-01

In the current economic conditions further increase of the profit or maintenance of its current level on the base of extensive development factors is no longer possible. The example of the oil-extracting company in the Republic of Tatarstan demonstrates that in the future it will be possible to replace traditional energy sources with solar energy; it will reduce energy costs for oil extraction, production costs and provide an increase of corporate efficiency. The economic analysis results show that the use of solar electricity can lead to 4.68% reduction in total electricity costs. In addition, the energy consumption per ton of oil produced is reduced. The share of electricity costs in the oil cost is reducing from 12.13% to 11.56%. Consequently, in the long term, the impact of total energy costs reduction can become more significant. In this way solar energy can become quite a real alternative in ensuring the energy needs of the economy of the oil-extracting sector of the Republic of Tatarstan and become a driver of intensive economic development.

Decision support models for economically efficient integrated forest management

Treesearch

Hans R. Zuuring; Judy M. Troutwine; Greg J. Jones; Janet Sullivan

2005-01-01

Forest managers are challenged to fulfill conflicting social, biological, and commodity production objectives. To wisely use available, scarce resources for management activities, it is not enough to consider short term costs and effects of management (fuel reduction, planting, or other forest treatments). Long term tactical, spatial and temporal planning is needed to...

Reduction of plant water consumption through anti-transpirants foliar application in tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Optimizing water use efficiency (WUE) is a crucial goal. However, water savings must not be made at the expense of yield and fruit quality in order to secure economical sustainability for producers. The impact of different anti-transpirants (ATS) on WUE, water consumption (WC), net carbon assimilati...

Lightweight, high-opacity paper : process costs and energy use reduction

Treesearch

John H. Klungness; Fabienne Pianta; Mathew L. Stroika; Marguerite Sykes; Freya Tan; Said AbuBakr

1999-01-01

Fiber loading is an environmentally friendly, energy efficient, and economical method for depositing precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) partly within pulp fibers. Fiber loading can easily be done within the existing pulp processing system. This paper is a review of the process development from bench-scale to industrial-scale demonstrations, with additional...

The Efficiency and Budgeting of Public Hospitals: Case Study of Iran

PubMed Central

Yusefzadeh, Hasan; Ghaderi, Hossein; Bagherzade, Rafat; Barouni, Mohsen

2013-01-01

Background Hospitals are the most costly and important components of any health care system, so it is important to know their economic values, pay attention to their efficiency and consider factors affecting them. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the technical scale and economic efficiency of hospitals in the West Azerbaijan province of Iran, for which Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to propose a model for operational budgeting. Materials and Methods This study was a descriptive-analysis that was conducted in 2009 and had three inputs and two outputs. Deap2, 1 software was used for data analysis. Slack and radial movements and surplus of inputs were calculated for selected hospitals. Finally, a model was proposed for performance-based budgeting of hospitals and health sectors using the DEA technique. Results The average scores of technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency (managerial efficiency) and scale efficiency of hospitals were 0.584, 0.782 and 0.771, respectively. In other words the capacity of efficiency promotion in hospitals without any increase in costs and with the same amount of inputs was about 41.5%. Only four hospitals among all hospitals had the maximum level of technical efficiency. Moreover, surplus production factors were evident in these hospitals. Conclusions Reduction of surplus production factors through comprehensive planning based on the results of the Data Envelopment Analysis can play a major role in cost reduction of hospitals and health sectors. In hospitals with a technical efficiency score of less than one, the original and projected values of inputs were different; resulting in a surplus. Hence, these hospitals should reduce their values of inputs to achieve maximum efficiency and optimal performance. The results of this method was applied to hospitals a benchmark for making decisions about resource allocation; linking budgets to performance results; and controlling and improving hospitals performance. PMID:24349726

NASA Heavy Lift Rotorcraft Systems Investigation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Wayne; Yamauchi, Gloria K.; Watts, Michael E.

2005-01-01

The NASA Heavy Lift Rotorcraft Systems Investigation examined in depth several rotorcraft configurations for large civil transport, designed to meet the technology goals of the NASA Vehicle Systems Program. The investigation identified the Large Civil Tiltrotor as the configuration with the best potential to meet the technology goals. The design presented was economically competitive, with the potential for substantial impact on the air transportation system. The keys to achieving a competitive aircraft were low drag airframe and low disk loading rotors; structural weight reduction, for both airframe and rotors; drive system weight reduction; improved engine efficiency; low maintenance design; and manufacturing cost comparable to fixed-wing aircraft. Risk reduction plans were developed to provide the strategic direction to support a heavy-lift rotorcraft development. The following high risk areas were identified for heavy lift rotorcraft: high torque, light weight drive system; high performance, structurally efficient rotor/wing system; low noise aircraft; and super-integrated vehicle management system.

Designs and Technology Requirements for Civil Heavy Lift Rotorcraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Wayne; Yamauchi, Gloria K.; Watts, Michael E.

2006-01-01

The NASA Heavy Lift Rotorcraft Systems Investigation examined in depth several rotorcraft configurations for large civil transport, designed to meet the technology goals of the NASA Vehicle Systems Program. The investigation identified the Large Civil Tiltrotor as the configuration with the best potential to meet the technology goals. The design presented was economically competitive, with the potential for substantial impact on the air transportation system. The keys to achieving a competitive aircraft were low drag airframe and low disk loading rotors; structural weight reduction, for both airframe and rotors; drive system weight reduction; improved engine efficiency; low maintenance design; and manufacturing cost comparable to fixed-wing aircraft. Risk reduction plans were developed to provide the strategic direction to support a heavy-lift rotorcraft development. The following high risk areas were identified for heavy lift rotorcraft: high torque, light weight drive system; high performance, structurally efficient rotor/wing system; low noise aircraft; and super-integrated vehicle management system.

The economic payoff for a state-of-the-art high-efficiency flat-plate crystalline silicon solar cell technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bickler, Donald B.; Callaghan, W. T.

1987-01-01

In 1986 during the flat-plate solar array project, silicon solar cells 4.0 sq cm in area were fabricated at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) with a conversion efficiency of 20.1 percent (AM1.5-global). Sixteen cells were processed with efficiencies measuring 19.5 percent (AM1.5 global) or better. These cells were produced using refined versions of conventional processing methods, aside from certain advanced techniques that bring about a significant reduction in a major mechanism (surface recombination) that limits cell efficiency. Wacker Siltronic p-type float-zone 0.18-ohm-cm wafers were used. Conversion efficiencies in this range have previously been reported by other researchers, but generally on much smaller (0.5 vs. 4.0 cm) devices which have undergone sophisticated and costly processing steps. An economic analysis is presented of the potential payoffs for this approach, using the Solar Array Manufacturing Industry Costing Standards (SAMICS) methodology. The process sequence used and the assumptions made for capturing the economies of scale are presented.

Integration options for high energy efficiency and improved economics in a wood-to-ethanol process.

PubMed

Sassner, Per; Zacchi, Guido

2008-04-15

There is currently a steady increase in the use of wood-based fuels for heat and power production in Sweden. A major proportion of these fuels could serve as feedstock for ethanol production. In this study various options for the utilization of the solid residue formed during ethanol production from spruce, such as the production of pellets, electricity and heat for district heating, were compared in terms of overall energy efficiency and production cost. The effects of changes in the process performance, such as variations in the ethanol yield and/or the energy demand, were also studied. The process was based on SO2-catalysed steam pretreatment, which was followed by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. A model including all the major process steps was implemented in the commercial flow-sheeting program Aspen Plus, the model input was based on data recently obtained on lab scale or in a process development unit. For the five base case scenarios presented in the paper the overall energy efficiency ranged from 53 to 92%, based on the lower heating values, and a minimum ethanol selling price from 3.87 to 4.73 Swedish kronor per litre (0.41-0.50 EUR/L); however, ethanol production was performed in essentially the same way in each base case scenario. (Highly realistic) improvements in the ethanol yield and reductions in the energy demand resulted in significantly lower production costs for all scenarios. Although ethanol was shown to be the main product, i.e. yielding the major part of the income, the co-product revenue had a considerable effect on the process economics and the importance of good utilization of the entire feedstock was clearly shown. With the assumed prices of the co-products, utilization of the excess solid residue for heat and power production was highly economically favourable. The study also showed that improvements in the ethanol yield and reductions in the energy demand resulted in significant production cost reductions almost independently of each other.

Energy Efficient Engine: Flight propulsion system final design and analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, Donald Y.; Stearns, E. Marshall

1985-01-01

The Energy Efficient Engine (E3) is a NASA program to create fuel saving technology for future transport engines. The Flight Propulsion System (FPS) is the engine designed to achieve E3 goals. Achieving these goals required aerodynamic, mechanical and system technologies advanced beyond that of current production engines. These technologies were successfully demonstrated in component rigs, a core engine and a turbofan ground test engine. The design and benefits of the FPS are presented. All goals for efficiency, environmental considerations, and economic payoff were met. The FPS has, at maximum cruise, 10.67 km (35,000 ft), M0.8, standard day, a 16.9 percent lower installed specific fuel consumption than a CF6-50C. It provides an 8.6 percent reduction in direct operating cost for a short haul domestic transport and a 16.2 percent reduction for an international long distance transport.

Pollution reduction technologies being applied to small coal-fired boiler systems in Poland

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Markussen, J.M.; Gyorke, D.F.

1997-12-31

To help in alleviating air pollution problems in Poland, various US environmental technologies are being installed in the city of Krakow to reduce emissions from short-stack coal- and coke-fired boilers. Introduction of low-cost, effective US pollution abatement and energy efficiency technologies is being completed through the US-Polish Krakow Clean Fossil Fuels and Energy Efficiency Program. Seven US firms are currently participating in the program; five projects are well under way and two are in the design phase. The technologies being applied in Krakow include modern district heating equipment and controls, coal preparation techniques, micronized coal combustion, automatic combustion controls, andmore » high-efficiency particulate control equipment. These technologies will be discussed along with pollutant reduction results obtained to date. Applications of these technologies are providing some efficient and economical answers to Krakow`s severe air pollution problems. Certainly, these technologies could be equally effective in many industrial cities throughout the world with similar air pollution concerns.« less

A review on solar cells from Si-single crystals to porous materials and quantum dots

PubMed Central

Badawy, Waheed A.

2013-01-01

Solar energy conversion to electricity through photovoltaics or to useful fuel through photoelectrochemical cells was still a main task for research groups and developments sectors. In this article we are reviewing the development of the different generations of solar cells. The fabrication of solar cells has passed through a large number of improvement steps considering the technological and economic aspects. The first generation solar cells were based on Si wafers, mainly single crystals. Permanent researches on cost reduction and improved solar cell efficiency have led to the marketing of solar modules having 12–16% solar conversion efficiency. Application of polycrystalline Si and other forms of Si have reduced the cost but on the expense of the solar conversion efficiency. The second generation solar cells were based on thin film technology. Thin films of amorphous Si, CIS (copper–indium–selenide) and t-Si were employed. Solar conversion efficiencies of about 12% have been achieved with a remarkable cost reduction. The third generation solar cells are based on nano-crystals and nano-porous materials. An advanced photovoltaic cell, originally developed for satellites with solar conversion efficiency of 37.3%, based on concentration of the solar spectrum up to 400 suns was developed. It is based on extremely thin concentration cells. New sensitizer or semiconductor systems are necessary to broaden the photo-response in solar spectrum. Hybrids of solar and conventional devices may provide an interim benefit in seeking economically valuable devices. New quantum dot solar cells based on CdSe–TiO2 architecture have been developed. PMID:25750746

A review on solar cells from Si-single crystals to porous materials and quantum dots.

PubMed

Badawy, Waheed A

2015-03-01

Solar energy conversion to electricity through photovoltaics or to useful fuel through photoelectrochemical cells was still a main task for research groups and developments sectors. In this article we are reviewing the development of the different generations of solar cells. The fabrication of solar cells has passed through a large number of improvement steps considering the technological and economic aspects. The first generation solar cells were based on Si wafers, mainly single crystals. Permanent researches on cost reduction and improved solar cell efficiency have led to the marketing of solar modules having 12-16% solar conversion efficiency. Application of polycrystalline Si and other forms of Si have reduced the cost but on the expense of the solar conversion efficiency. The second generation solar cells were based on thin film technology. Thin films of amorphous Si, CIS (copper-indium-selenide) and t-Si were employed. Solar conversion efficiencies of about 12% have been achieved with a remarkable cost reduction. The third generation solar cells are based on nano-crystals and nano-porous materials. An advanced photovoltaic cell, originally developed for satellites with solar conversion efficiency of 37.3%, based on concentration of the solar spectrum up to 400 suns was developed. It is based on extremely thin concentration cells. New sensitizer or semiconductor systems are necessary to broaden the photo-response in solar spectrum. Hybrids of solar and conventional devices may provide an interim benefit in seeking economically valuable devices. New quantum dot solar cells based on CdSe-TiO2 architecture have been developed.

Flexible Learning via Web-Based Virtual Teaching and Virtual Laboratory Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chu, K. C.; Leung, Dennis

2003-01-01

In the current economic situation, most academic institutions would like to plan new courses to increase enrollment. Often, these changes do not follow with a proportional increase in cost or staff numbers to the institution. For cost-efficiency reasons, a reduction in student contact hours is most desirable, providing that this can maintain the…

ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE AMERICAN-POLISH PROGRAM FOR ELIMINATION OF LOW EMISSIONS IN KRAKOW

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

BUTCHER,T.A.; PIERCE,B.

1998-11-05

In 1991, US and Polish officials signed a Memorandum of Understanding formally initiating and directing the Cracow Clean Fossil Fuels and Energy Efficiency Program. Developing a program approach for the most effective use of the available funds required considerable effort on the part of all project participants. The team recognized early that the cost of solving the low emissions problem even in only one city far exceeded the amount of available US funds. Economic conditions in Poland limited availability of local capital funds for environmental projects. Imposing environmental costs on struggling companies or city residents under difficult conditions of themore » early 1990's required careful consideration of the economic and political impacts. For all of these reasons the program sought to identify technologies for achieving air quality goals which, through improved efficiency and/or reduced fuel cost, could be so attractive economically as to lead to self-sustaining activities beyond the end of the formal project. The effort under this program has been focused into 5 main areas of interest as follows: (1) Energy Conservation and Extension of Central Station District Heating; (2) Replacement of Coal- and Coke-Fired Boilers with Natural Gas-Fired Boilers; (3) Replacement of Coal-Fired Home Stoves with Electric Heating Appliances; (4) Reduction of Emissions from Stoker-Fired Boiler Houses; and (5) Reduction of Emissions from Coal-Fired Home Heating Stoves.« less

Data envelopment analysis for estimating efficiency of intensive care units: a case study in Iran.

PubMed

Bahrami, Mohammad Amin; Rafiei, Sima; Abedi, Mahdieh; Askari, Roohollah

2018-05-14

Purpose As hospitals are the most costly service providers in every healthcare systems, special attention should be given to their performance in terms of resource allocation and consumption. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate technical, allocative and economic efficiency in intensive care units (ICUs) of hospitals affiliated by Yazd University of Medical Sciences (YUMS) in 2015. Design/methodology/approach This was a descriptive, analytical study conducted in ICUs of seven training hospitals affiliated by YUMS using data envelopment analysis (DEA) in 2015. The number of physicians, nurses, active beds and equipment were regarded as input variables and bed occupancy rate, the number of discharged patients, economic information such as bed price and physicians' fees were mentioned as output variables of the study. Available data from study variables were retrospectively gathered and analyzed through the Deap 2.1 software using the variable returns to scale methodology. Findings The study findings revealed the average scores of allocative, economic, technical, managerial and scale efficiency to be relatively 0.956, 0.866, 0.883, 0.89 and 0.913. Regarding to latter three types of efficiency, five hospitals had desirable performance. Practical implications Given that additional costs due to an extra number of manpower or unnecessary capital resources impose economic pressure on hospitals also the fact that reduction of surplus production plays a major role in reducing such expenditures in hospitals, it is suggested that departments with low efficiency reduce their input surpluses to achieve the optimal level of performance. Originality/value The authors applied a DEA approach to measure allocative, economic, technical, managerial and scale efficiency of under-study hospitals. This is a helpful linear programming method which acts as a powerful and understandable approach for comparative performance assessment in healthcare settings and a guidance for healthcare managers to improve their departments' performance.

The Productivity Dynamics of China's Environmentally Friendly Production Technologies in terms of Wastewater Treatment Techniques

PubMed Central

Yang, Fuxia; Xu, Jiangchuan

2018-01-01

Low economic profit usually reduces the incentive of producers to operate their wastewater treatment technologies effectively. It is necessary to investigate the performance of environmentally friendly production technologies that reduce wastewater discharges and generate economic outputs simultaneously (EPTWs) in China over the past decade. In this paper, we apply the Malmquist-Luenberger productivity index widely used in the field of economics to evaluate the productivity change of EPTWs for 30 administrative provinces in China during 2003–2015. The pathways of the productivity change are further identified by decomposing the productivity index into two components: technological change and technical efficiency change. The results show that China's environmental productivity index associated with wastewater reduction had undergone a downward trend, and evident spatial disparities are observed among the 30 provincial regions. Moreover, the changes of China's environmental productivity over the whole studied period can mainly be attributed to technological progress, while the technical efficiency component has contributed little, although its annual contributing rate is in an increasing trend. PMID:29789803

The Reduction of Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex Gray Matter Volume Correlates with Loss of Economic Rationality in Aging.

PubMed

Chung, Hui-Kuan; Tymula, Agnieszka; Glimcher, Paul

2017-12-06

The population of people above 65 years old continues to grow, and there is mounting evidence that as humans age they are more likely to make errors. However, the specific effect of neuroanatomical aging on the efficiency of economic decision-making is poorly understood. We used whole-brain voxel-based morphometry analysis to determine where reduction of gray matter volume in healthy female and male adults over the age of 65 years correlates with a classic measure of economic irrationality: violations of the Generalized Axiom of Revealed Preference. All participants were functionally normal with Mini-Mental State Examination scores ranging between 26 and 30. While our elders showed the previously reported decline in rationality compared with younger subjects, chronological age per se did not correlate with rationality measures within our population of elders. Instead, reduction of gray matter density in ventrolateral prefrontal cortex correlates tightly with irrational behavior. Interestingly, using a large fMRI sample and meta-analytic tool with Neurosynth, we found that this brain area shows strong coactivation patterns with nearly all of the value-associated regions identified in previous studies. These findings point toward a neuroanatomic locus for economic rationality in the aging brain and highlight the importance of understanding both anatomy and function in the study of aging, cognition, and decision-making. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Age is a crucial factor in decision-making, with older individuals making more errors in choices. Using whole-brain voxel-based morphometry analysis, we found that reduction of gray matter density in ventrolateral prefrontal cortex correlates with economic irrationality: reduced gray matter volume in this area correlates with the frequency and severity of violations of the Generalized Axiom of Revealed Preference. Furthermore, this brain area strongly coactivates with other reward-associated regions identified with Neurosynth. These findings point toward a role for neuroscientific discoveries in shaping long-standing economic views of decision-making. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/3712068-10$15.00/0.

The Reduction of Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex Gray Matter Volume Correlates with Loss of Economic Rationality in Aging

PubMed Central

Tymula, Agnieszka

2017-01-01

The population of people above 65 years old continues to grow, and there is mounting evidence that as humans age they are more likely to make errors. However, the specific effect of neuroanatomical aging on the efficiency of economic decision-making is poorly understood. We used whole-brain voxel-based morphometry analysis to determine where reduction of gray matter volume in healthy female and male adults over the age of 65 years correlates with a classic measure of economic irrationality: violations of the Generalized Axiom of Revealed Preference. All participants were functionally normal with Mini-Mental State Examination scores ranging between 26 and 30. While our elders showed the previously reported decline in rationality compared with younger subjects, chronological age per se did not correlate with rationality measures within our population of elders. Instead, reduction of gray matter density in ventrolateral prefrontal cortex correlates tightly with irrational behavior. Interestingly, using a large fMRI sample and meta-analytic tool with Neurosynth, we found that this brain area shows strong coactivation patterns with nearly all of the value-associated regions identified in previous studies. These findings point toward a neuroanatomic locus for economic rationality in the aging brain and highlight the importance of understanding both anatomy and function in the study of aging, cognition, and decision-making. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Age is a crucial factor in decision-making, with older individuals making more errors in choices. Using whole-brain voxel-based morphometry analysis, we found that reduction of gray matter density in ventrolateral prefrontal cortex correlates with economic irrationality: reduced gray matter volume in this area correlates with the frequency and severity of violations of the Generalized Axiom of Revealed Preference. Furthermore, this brain area strongly coactivates with other reward-associated regions identified with Neurosynth. These findings point toward a role for neuroscientific discoveries in shaping long-standing economic views of decision-making. PMID:28982708

The impact of local government investment on the carbon emissions reduction effect: An empirical analysis of panel data from 30 provinces and municipalities in China.

PubMed

He, Lingyun; Yin, Fang; Zhong, Zhangqi; Ding, Zhihua

2017-01-01

Among studies of the factors that influence carbon emissions and related regulations, economic aggregates, industrial structures, energy structures, population levels, and energy prices have been extensively explored, whereas studies from the perspective of fiscal leverage, particularly of local government investment (LGI), are rare. Of the limited number of studies on the effect of LGI on carbon emissions, most focus on its direct effect. Few studies consider regulatory effects, and there is a lack of emphasis on local areas. Using a cointegration test, a panel data model and clustering analysis based on Chinese data between 2000 and 2013, this study measures the direct role of LGI in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reduction. First, overall, within the sample time period, a 1% increase in LGI inhibits carbon emissions by 0.8906% and 0.5851% through its influence on the industrial structure and energy efficiency, respectively, with the industrial structure path playing a greater role than the efficiency path. Second, carbon emissions to some extent exhibit inertia. The previous year's carbon emissions impact the following year's carbon emissions by 0.5375%. Thus, if a reduction in carbon emissions in the previous year has a positive effect, then the carbon emissions reduction effect generated by LGI in the following year will be magnified. Third, LGI can effectively reduce carbon emissions, but there are significant regional differences in its impact. For example, in some provinces, such as Sichuan and Anhui, economic growth has not been decoupled from carbon emissions. Fourth, the carbon emissions reduction effect in the 30 provinces and municipalities sampled in this study can be classified into five categories-strong, relatively strong, medium, relatively weak and weak-based on the degree of local governments' regulation of carbon emissions. The carbon emissions reduction effect of LGI is significant in the western and central regions of China but not in the eastern and northeast regions. This study helps overcome the limitations of previous studies on the regulatory effects of LGI on carbon emissions, and the constructed model may more closely reflect actual economic conditions. Moreover, the current study can benefit countries similar to China that aim to objectively identify the impacts of their LGI on carbon emissions, and such countries can use it as a reference in the formulation of investment policies based on their economic and industrial characteristics.

The impact of local government investment on the carbon emissions reduction effect: An empirical analysis of panel data from 30 provinces and municipalities in China

PubMed Central

He, Lingyun; Yin, Fang; Zhong, Zhangqi; Ding, Zhihua

2017-01-01

Among studies of the factors that influence carbon emissions and related regulations, economic aggregates, industrial structures, energy structures, population levels, and energy prices have been extensively explored, whereas studies from the perspective of fiscal leverage, particularly of local government investment (LGI), are rare. Of the limited number of studies on the effect of LGI on carbon emissions, most focus on its direct effect. Few studies consider regulatory effects, and there is a lack of emphasis on local areas. Using a cointegration test, a panel data model and clustering analysis based on Chinese data between 2000 and 2013, this study measures the direct role of LGI in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions reduction. First, overall, within the sample time period, a 1% increase in LGI inhibits carbon emissions by 0.8906% and 0.5851% through its influence on the industrial structure and energy efficiency, respectively, with the industrial structure path playing a greater role than the efficiency path. Second, carbon emissions to some extent exhibit inertia. The previous year’s carbon emissions impact the following year’s carbon emissions by 0.5375%. Thus, if a reduction in carbon emissions in the previous year has a positive effect, then the carbon emissions reduction effect generated by LGI in the following year will be magnified. Third, LGI can effectively reduce carbon emissions, but there are significant regional differences in its impact. For example, in some provinces, such as Sichuan and Anhui, economic growth has not been decoupled from carbon emissions. Fourth, the carbon emissions reduction effect in the 30 provinces and municipalities sampled in this study can be classified into five categories—strong, relatively strong, medium, relatively weak and weak—based on the degree of local governments’ regulation of carbon emissions. The carbon emissions reduction effect of LGI is significant in the western and central regions of China but not in the eastern and northeast regions. This study helps overcome the limitations of previous studies on the regulatory effects of LGI on carbon emissions, and the constructed model may more closely reflect actual economic conditions. Moreover, the current study can benefit countries similar to China that aim to objectively identify the impacts of their LGI on carbon emissions, and such countries can use it as a reference in the formulation of investment policies based on their economic and industrial characteristics. PMID:28727783

Towards microalgal triglycerides in the commodity markets.

PubMed

Benvenuti, Giulia; Ruiz, Jesús; Lamers, Packo P; Bosma, Rouke; Wijffels, René H; Barbosa, Maria J

2017-01-01

Microalgal triglycerides (TAGs) hold great promise as sustainable feedstock for commodity industries. However, to determine research priorities and support business decisions, solid techno-economic studies are essential. Here, we present a techno-economic analysis of two-step TAG production (growth reactors are operated in continuous mode such that multiple batch-operated stress reactors are inoculated and harvested sequentially) for a 100-ha plant in southern Spain using vertically stacked tubular photobioreactors. The base case is established with outdoor pilot-scale data and based on current process technology. For the base case, production costs of 6.7 € per kg of biomass containing 24% TAG (w/w) were found. Several scenarios with reduced production costs were then presented based on the latest biological and technological advances. For instance, much effort should focus on increasing the photosynthetic efficiency during the stress and growth phases, as this is the most influential parameter on production costs (30 and 14% cost reduction from base case). Next, biological and technological solutions should be implemented for a reduction in cooling requirements (10 and 4.5% cost reduction from base case when active cooling is avoided and cooling setpoint is increased, respectively). When implementing all the suggested improvements, production costs can be decreased to 3.3 € per kg of biomass containing 60% TAG (w/w) within the next 8 years. With our techno-economic analysis, we indicated a roadmap for a substantial cost reduction. However, microalgal TAGs are not yet cost efficient when compared to their present market value. Cost-competiveness strictly relies on the valorization of the whole biomass components and on cheaper PBR designs (e.g. plastic film flat panels). In particular, further research should focus on the development and commercialization of PBRs where active cooling is avoided and stable operating temperatures are maintained by the water basin in which the reactor is placed.

Economic principles for resource allocation decisions at national level to mitigate the effects of disease in farm animal populations.

PubMed

Howe, K S; Häsler, B; Stärk, K D C

2013-01-01

This paper originated in a project to develop a practical, generic tool for the economic evaluation of surveillance for farm animal diseases at national level by a state veterinary service. Fundamental to that process is integration of epidemiological and economic perspectives. Using a generalized example of epidemic disease, we show that an epidemic curve maps into its economic equivalent, a disease mitigation function, that traces the relationship between value losses avoided and mitigation resources expended. Crucially, elementary economic principles show that mitigation, defined as loss reduction achieved by surveillance and intervention, must be explicitly conceptualized as a three-variable process, and the relative contributions of surveillance and intervention resources investigated with regard to the substitution possibilities between them. Modelling the resultant mitigation surfaces for different diseases should become a standard approach to animal health policy analysis for economic efficiency, a contribution to the evolving agenda for animal health economics research.

Probabilistic cost-benefit analysis of disaster risk management in a development context.

PubMed

Kull, Daniel; Mechler, Reinhard; Hochrainer-Stigler, Stefan

2013-07-01

Limited studies have shown that disaster risk management (DRM) can be cost-efficient in a development context. Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is an evaluation tool to analyse economic efficiency. This research introduces quantitative, stochastic CBA frameworks and applies them in case studies of flood and drought risk reduction in India and Pakistan, while also incorporating projected climate change impacts. DRM interventions are shown to be economically efficient, with integrated approaches more cost-effective and robust than singular interventions. The paper highlights that CBA can be a useful tool if certain issues are considered properly, including: complexities in estimating risk; data dependency of results; negative effects of interventions; and distributional aspects. The design and process of CBA must take into account specific objectives, available information, resources, and the perceptions and needs of stakeholders as transparently as possible. Intervention design and uncertainties should be qualified through dialogue, indicating that process is as important as numerical results. © 2013 The Author(s). Journal compilation © Overseas Development Institute, 2013.

Effects of various LED light wavelengths and intensities on microalgae-based simultaneous biogas upgrading and digestate nutrient reduction process.

PubMed

Zhao, Yongjun; Wang, Juan; Zhang, Hui; Yan, Cheng; Zhang, Yuejin

2013-05-01

Biogas is a well-known, primary renewable energy source, but its utilizations are possible only after upgrading. The microalgae-based bag photo-bioreactor utilized in this research could effectively upgrade biogas and simultaneously reduce the nutrient content in digestate. Red light was determined as the optimal light wavelength for microalgae growth, biogas upgrading, and digestate nutrient reduction. In the range of moderate light intensities (i.e., 800, 1200, 1600, and 2000 μmol m(-2) s(-1)), higher light intensities achieved higher biogas upgrade and larger digestate nutrient reduction. Methane content attained the highest value of 92.74±3.56% (v/v). The highest chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus reduction efficiency of digestate were 85.35±1.04%, 77.98±1.84%, and 73.03±2.14%, respectively. Considering the reduction and economic efficiencies of the carbon dioxide content of biogas and digestate nutrient as well as the biogas upgrading standard, the optimal light intensity range was determined to be from 1200 to 1600 μmol m(-2) s(-1). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theoretical and software considerations for general dynamic analysis using multilevel substructured models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schmidt, R. J.; Dodds, R. H., Jr.

1985-01-01

The dynamic analysis of complex structural systems using the finite element method and multilevel substructured models is presented. The fixed-interface method is selected for substructure reduction because of its efficiency, accuracy, and adaptability to restart and reanalysis. This method is extended to reduction of substructures which are themselves composed of reduced substructures. The implementation and performance of the method in a general purpose software system is emphasized. Solution algorithms consistent with the chosen data structures are presented. It is demonstrated that successful finite element software requires the use of software executives to supplement the algorithmic language. The complexity of the implementation of restart and reanalysis porcedures illustrates the need for executive systems to support the noncomputational aspects of the software. It is shown that significant computational efficiencies can be achieved through proper use of substructuring and reduction technbiques without sacrificing solution accuracy. The restart and reanalysis capabilities and the flexible procedures for multilevel substructured modeling gives economical yet accurate analyses of complex structural systems.

Globalization and sustainable development an E7 point of view

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Strassburg, W.

1998-07-01

The energy sector is a crucial feedstock to economic development. One example of this industry sector's contribution towards sustainable development is the so-called E7 initiative on sustainable energy development of some of the biggest electric utilities. E7 members from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the US are demonstrating the functioning of the requested globally synchronized approach between developed and developing countries. E7 members focus their activities on (1) the efficient use of primary energy resources, (2) maximizing the use of renewable energy resources, (3) maximizing efficiency in the generation, delivery, and use of electricity, (4) minimizing environmental impacts ofmore » energy production and use and, (5) implementing innovative options to promote win-win benefits for the environment and the economy through their network of expertise on a pro bono basis. A main emphasis lies in the consistent Joint Implementation given the fact that innovative and efficient Green House Gas reduction measures will be the core of future E7 activities. Especially commercial projects will provide valuable contributions to Green House Gas reductions as well as to economic development of the recipient country. Other instruments, such Emission Trading and Clean Development Mechanism will have to be investigated appropriately in terms of their practicability for Green House Gas reductions so that their will be a notification by the international climate protection regime. Therefore Emission Trading and Clean Development Mechanism are of importance for E7 members' future operations, too. With respect to Sustainable Development industry, energy and environmental policy in leading industry countries must be more closely aligned to a global approach than has so far been the case. The electricity sector is called on to make a major contribution.« less

How well have China's recent five-year plans been implemented for energy conservation and air pollution control?

PubMed

Mao, XianQiang; Zhou, Ji; Corsetti, Gabriel

2014-09-02

This study evaluates how well China's 11th and 12th Five-Year Plans have been implemented in terms of energy conservation and air pollution control and deconstructs the effects of the economic, energy, and environmental policies included in the Plans. A "counterfactual" comparative-scenario method is deployed, which assumes a business as usual scenario in which the changes in economic, energy, and environmental parameters are "frozen", and then reactivates them one by one, with the help of LEAP modeling. It is found that during the 11th Five-Year Plan period, the binding targets were basically achieved. Economic growth put a great strain upon the energy demand and the environment, but energy policy made a decisive contribution by promoting energy efficiency and structure. Environmental policy promoted the deployment of end-of-pipe treatment which led to the control of certain air pollutants but at the expense of an increase in energy use and in the emission of other pollutants. During the ongoing 12th Five-Year Plan period, energy policy's potential for efficiency improvement is shrinking, but economic policy is restraining economic growth thus making a positive contribution. Environmental policy attempts to enforce multipollutant reduction, but there is still insufficient focus on the cocontrol of different pollutants and CO2.

Optimization of educational paths for higher education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarasyev, Alexandr A.; Agarkov, Gavriil; Medvedev, Aleksandr

2017-11-01

In our research, we combine the theory of economic behavior and the methodology of increasing efficiency of the human capital to estimate the optimal educational paths. We provide an optimization model for higher education process to analyze possible educational paths for each rational individual. The preferences of each rational individual are compared to the best economically possible educational path. The main factor of the individual choice, which is formed by the formation of optimal educational path, deals with higher salaries level in the chosen economic sector after graduation. Another factor that influences on the economic profit is the reduction of educational costs or the possibility of the budget support for the student. The main outcome of this research consists in correction of the governmental policy of investment in human capital based on the results of educational paths optimal control.

Exergetic life cycle assessment of hydrogen production from renewables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granovskii, Mikhail; Dincer, Ibrahim; Rosen, Marc A.

Life cycle assessment is extended to exergetic life cycle assessment and used to evaluate the exergy efficiency, economic effectiveness and environmental impact of producing hydrogen using wind and solar energy in place of fossil fuels. The product hydrogen is considered a fuel for fuel cell vehicles and a substitute for gasoline. Fossil fuel technologies for producing hydrogen from natural gas and gasoline from crude oil are contrasted with options using renewable energy. Exergy efficiencies and greenhouse gas and air pollution emissions are evaluated for all process steps, including crude oil and natural gas pipeline transportation, crude oil distillation and natural gas reforming, wind and solar electricity generation, hydrogen production through water electrolysis, and gasoline and hydrogen distribution and utilization. The use of wind power to produce hydrogen via electrolysis, and its application in a fuel cell vehicle, exhibits the lowest fossil and mineral resource consumption rate. However, the economic attractiveness, as measured by a "capital investment effectiveness factor," of renewable technologies depends significantly on the ratio of costs for hydrogen and natural gas. At the present cost ratio of about 2 (per unit of lower heating value or exergy), capital investments are about five times lower to produce hydrogen via natural gas rather than wind energy. As a consequence, the cost of wind- and solar-based electricity and hydrogen is substantially higher than that of natural gas. The implementation of a hydrogen fuel cell instead of an internal combustion engine permits, theoretically, an increase in a vehicle's engine efficiency of about of two times. Depending on the ratio in engine efficiencies, the substitution of gasoline with "renewable" hydrogen leads to (a) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions of 12-23 times for hydrogen from wind and 5-8 times for hydrogen from solar energy, and (b) air pollution (AP) emissions reductions of 38-76 times for hydrogen from wind and 16-32 times for hydrogen from solar energy. By comparison, substitution of gasoline with hydrogen from natural gas allows reductions in GHG emissions only as a result of the increased efficiency of a fuel cell engine, and a reduction of AP emissions of 2.5-5 times. These data suggest that "renewable" hydrogen represents a potential long-term solution to many environmental problems.

An assessment of the economic aspects of CO2 sequestration in a route for biodiesel production from microalgae.

PubMed

Soares, Fabio Rubens; Martins, Gilberto; Seo, Emília Satoshi Miyamaru

2013-01-01

Photosynthetic microalgae are unicellular organisms that, during their cultivation, can fix carbon dioxide efficiently from various sources, including the air and exhaust gases from industrial processes. This feature can lead to economic benefits in the production process of biodiesel by way of the clean development mechanism, for which carbon credits for environmental benefits may be granted and which will contribute towards reducing costs in the production process. This study seeks to quantify the contribution of carbon credits in the operating costs of a route for biodiesel production from microalgae, as proposed by Davis et al. [Techno-economic analysis ofautotrophic microalgae for fuel production. Appl Energy. 2011; 88:3524-3531]. The results showed a reduction in annual operating costs by around 5%. This figure may be conservative, since the production process considered can be further improved to reduce operating costs and thus increase the contribution margin of carbon credits, which will reduce costs. On the other hand, the price of carbon may also rise in the future, thereby increasing its contribution towards a reduction in operating costs.

Analysis and Design of International Emission Trading Markets Applying System Dynamics Techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Bo; Pickl, Stefan

2010-11-01

The design and analysis of international emission trading markets is an important actual challenge. Time-discrete models are needed to understand and optimize these procedures. We give an introduction into this scientific area and present actual modeling approaches. Furthermore, we develop a model which is embedded in a holistic problem solution. Measures for energy efficiency are characterized. The economic time-discrete "cap-and-trade" mechanism is influenced by various underlying anticipatory effects. With a systematic dynamic approach the effects can be examined. First numerical results show that fair international emissions trading can only be conducted with the use of protective export duties. Furthermore a comparatively high price which evokes emission reduction inevitably has an inhibiting effect on economic growth according to our model. As it always has been expected it is not without difficulty to find a balance between economic growth and emission reduction. It can be anticipated using our System Dynamics model simulation that substantial changes must be taken place before international emissions trading markets can contribute to global GHG emissions mitigation.

Analyzing Long-run Relationship between Energy Consumption and Economic Growth in the Kingdom of Bahrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naser, Hanan

2017-11-01

Since the relation between energy consumption and economic growth is important to design effective energy policies that will promote economic growth, this study investigates the short run dynamics and causality among energy consumption, co2 emissions, oil prices and economic growth in Kingdom of Bahrain. To do so, annual data that covers the period from 1960 till 2015. Empirical work tests for unit root, co-integration relationship using Johansen (1988) approach and then estimate both long and short run dynamics using the vector error correction model (VECM). Results indicate that there is a long-run relationship between the suggested variables. Since economic growth has a predictive power to estimate the energy demand of Kingdom of Bahrain, it is recommended that the government of Bahrain and policy designers shed the light on energy efficiency strategies and carbon emissions reduction policy in the long run without impeding economic growth in order to move towards sustainability.

Organizational Impact of the Introduction of a New Portable Syringe Pump for Iloprost Therapy in Italian Hospital Settings

PubMed Central

Restelli, Umberto; Faggioli, Paola; Scolari, Francesca; Gussoni, Gualberto; Valerio, Antonella; Sciascera, Alba; Croce, Davide; Mazzone, Antonino

2015-01-01

Purpose: The study aims at assessing the organizational and economic impact related to the use of a new portable syringe pump (Pompa Infonde®, Italfarmaco S.p.A., Cinisello Balsamo, Italy) at a hospital level. Methodology: Based on the HTA approach, the analysis assessed the organizational and economic impact of the new device at hospital level, using the traditional methods of Iloprost infusion as comparator. After a pilot evaluation, the organizational impact was assessed within 24 Italian hospitals. Structured interviews were conducted with clinicians and nurses. According to the Hospital-Based HTA approach, a questionnaire assessed the impact on human resources, training activities, internal meetings, spaces needed, facilities, clinical practice implications. Using Activity Based Costing approach, the economic evaluation was performed within the pilot center “Ospedale Civile” of Legnano, Italy. Findings: The new device leads to a positive managerial impact, with a substantial reduction of time to monitor patients by nurses. This resulted in a better management of human resources and in a reduction in nursing cost. Although a mild negative impact on training time for personnel, the structured interviews allowed the identification of three main areas of positive impact: (i) efficiency of internal processes, (ii) clinical pathways, (iii) synergies between wards. Originality: The organizational impact of Pompa Infonde®, showed that it is an efficient alternative to traditional methods, with benefits in the management of patients administered with Iloprost.

Applications of Should Cost to Achieve Cost Reductions

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

Operation of the defense acquisition system . Interim DoD Instruction 5000.02. Washington, DC: Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense. Gutterman...including suggestions for reducing this burden, to Washington Headquarters Services, Directorate for Information Operations and Reports, 1215 Jefferson...FAR) § 15.407-4 that refers primarily to an extensive review of a contractor’s operations to identify and promote more economical and efficient

Integration options for high energy efficiency and improved economics in a wood-to-ethanol process

PubMed Central

Sassner, Per; Zacchi, Guido

2008-01-01

Background There is currently a steady increase in the use of wood-based fuels for heat and power production in Sweden. A major proportion of these fuels could serve as feedstock for ethanol production. In this study various options for the utilization of the solid residue formed during ethanol production from spruce, such as the production of pellets, electricity and heat for district heating, were compared in terms of overall energy efficiency and production cost. The effects of changes in the process performance, such as variations in the ethanol yield and/or the energy demand, were also studied. The process was based on SO2-catalysed steam pretreatment, which was followed by simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. A model including all the major process steps was implemented in the commercial flow-sheeting program Aspen Plus, the model input was based on data recently obtained on lab scale or in a process development unit. Results For the five base case scenarios presented in the paper the overall energy efficiency ranged from 53 to 92%, based on the lower heating values, and a minimum ethanol selling price from 3.87 to 4.73 Swedish kronor per litre (0.41–0.50 EUR/L); however, ethanol production was performed in essentially the same way in each base case scenario. (Highly realistic) improvements in the ethanol yield and reductions in the energy demand resulted in significantly lower production costs for all scenarios. Conclusion Although ethanol was shown to be the main product, i.e. yielding the major part of the income, the co-product revenue had a considerable effect on the process economics and the importance of good utilization of the entire feedstock was clearly shown. With the assumed prices of the co-products, utilization of the excess solid residue for heat and power production was highly economically favourable. The study also showed that improvements in the ethanol yield and reductions in the energy demand resulted in significant production cost reductions almost independently of each other. PMID:18471311

Reduction of excess sludge in a sequencing batch reactor by lysis-cryptic growth using quick lime for disintegration under low temperature.

PubMed

Lv, Xiao-Mei; Song, Ju-Sheng; Li, Ji; Zhai, Kun

2017-08-01

In the present study, quick-lime-based thermal-alkaline sludge disintegration (SD) under low temperature was combined with cryptic growth to investigate the excess sludge reduction efficiency in the sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The optimized condition of SD was as follows: T = 80℃, pH = 11, t = 180 min, and the SD rate was about 42.1%. With 65.6% of excess sludge disintegrated and returned to the SBR, the system achieved sludge reduction rate of about 40.1%. The lysis-cryptic growth still obtained satisfactory sludge reduction efficiency despite the comparative low SD rate, which suggested that disintegration rate might not be the decisive factor for cryptic-growth-based sludge reduction. Lysis-cryptic growth did not impact the effluent quality, yet the phosphorus removal performance was enhanced, with effluent total phosphorus concentration decreased by 0.3 mg/L (33%). Crystal compounds of calcium phosphate precipitate were detected in the system by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction, which indicated the phosphorus removal potential of SD using lime. Moreover, endogenous dehydrogenase activity of activated sludge in the lysis-cryptic system was enhanced, which was beneficial for sludge reduction. SD and cryptic growth in the present study demonstrates an economical and effective approach for sludge reduction.

Nitrogen oxides emissions from the MILD combustion with the conditions of recirculation gas.

PubMed

Park, Min; Shim, Sung Hoon; Jeong, Sang Hyun; Oh, Kwang-Joong; Lee, Sang-Sup

2017-04-01

The nitrogen oxides (NO x ) reduction technology by combustion modification which has economic benefits as a method of controlling NO x emitted in the combustion process, has recently been receiving a lot of attention. Especially, the moderate or intense low oxygen dilution (MILD) combustion which applied high temperature flue gas recirculation has been confirmed for its effectiveness with regard to solid fuel as well. MILD combustion is affected by the flue gas recirculation ratio and the composition of recirculation gas, so its NO x reduction efficiency is determined by them. In order to investigate the influence of factors which determine the reduction efficiency of NO x in MILD coal combustion, this study changed the flow rate and concentration of nitrogen (N 2 ), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and steam (H 2 O) which simulate the recirculation gas during the MILD coal combustion using our lab-scale drop tube furnace and performed the combustion experiment. As a result, its influence by the composition of recirculation gas was insignificant and it was shown that flue gas recirculation ratio influences the change of NO x concentration greatly. We investigated the influence of factors determining the nitrogen oxides (NO x ) reduction efficiency in MILD coal combustion, which applied high-temperature flue gas recirculation. Using a lab-scale drop tube furnace and simulated recirculation gas, we conducted combustion testing changing the recirculation gas conditions. We found that the flue gas recirculation ratio influences the reduction of NO x emissions the most.

A review of iron and cobalt porphyrins, phthalocyanines, and related complexes for electrochemical and photochemical reduction of carbon dioxide

DOE PAGES

Manbeck, Gerald F.; Fujita, Etsuko

2015-03-30

This review summarizes research on the electrochemical and photochemical reduction of CO₂ using a variety of iron and cobalt porphyrins, phthalocyanines, and related complexes. Metalloporphyrins and metallophthalocyanines are visible light absorbers with extremely large extinction coefficients. However, yields of photochemically-generated active catalysts for CO₂ reduction are typically low owing to the requirement of a second photoinduced electron. This requirement is not relevant to the case of electrochemical CO₂ reduction. Recent progress on efficient and stable electrochemical systems includes the use of FeTPP catalysts that have prepositioned phenyl OH groups in their second coordination spheres. This has led to remarkable progressmore » in carrying out coupled proton-electron transfer reactions for CO₂ reduction. Such ground-breaking research has to be continued in order to produce renewable fuels in an economically feasible manner.« less

Energy Efficient Community Development in California: Chula Vista Research Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gas Technology Institute

2009-03-31

In 2007, the U.S. Department of Energy joined the California Energy Commission in funding a project to begin to examine the technical, economic and institutional (policy and regulatory) aspects of energy-efficient community development. That research project was known as the Chula Vista Research Project for the host California community that co-sponsored the initiative. The researches proved that the strategic integration of the selected and economically viable buildings energy efficiency (EE) measures, photovoltaics (PV), distributed generation (DG), and district cooling can produce significant reductions in aggregate energy consumption, peak demand and emissions, compared to the developer/builder's proposed baseline approach. However, themore » central power plant emission reductions achieved through use of the EE-DG option would increase local air emissions. The electric and natural gas utility infrastructure impacts associated with the use of the EE and EE-PV options were deemed relatively insignificant while use of the EE-DG option would result in a significant reduction of necessary electric distribution facilities to serve a large-scale development project. The results of the Chula Vista project are detailed in three separate documents: (1) Energy-Efficient Community Development in California; Chula Vista Research Project report contains a detailed description of the research effort and findings. This includes the methodologies, and tools used and the analysis of the efficiency, economic and emissions impacts of alternative energy technology and community design options for two development sites. Research topics covered included: (a) Energy supply, demand, and control technologies and related strategies for structures; (b) Application of locally available renewable energy resources including solar thermal and PV technology and on-site power generation with heat recovery; (c) Integration of local energy resources into district energy systems and existing energy utility networks; (d) Alternative land-use design and development options and their impact on energy efficiency and urban runoff, emissions and the heat island effect; and (e) Alternative transportation and mobility options and their impact on local emissions. (2) Creating Energy-Efficient Communities in California: A Reference Guide to Barriers, Solutions and Resources report provides the results of an effort to identify the most innovative existing and emerging public policy, incentive and market mechanisms that encourage investment in advanced energy technologies and enabling community design options in the State of California and the nation. The report evaluates each of these mechanisms in light of the preceding research and concludes with a set of recommended mechanisms designed for consideration by relevant California State agencies, development and finance industry associations, and municipal governments. (3) Creating Energy-Efficient Communities in California: A Technical Reference Guide to Building and Site Design report contains a set of selected commercially viable energy technology and community design options for high-efficiency, low-impact community development in California. It includes a summary of the research findings referenced above and recommendations for energy technology applications and energy-efficient development strategies for residential, commercial and institutional structures and supporting municipal infrastructure for planned communities. The document also identifies design options, technology applications and development strategies that are applicable to urban infill projects.« less

Dye Sensitized Solar Cells for Economically Viable Photovoltaic Systems.

PubMed

Jung, Hyun Suk; Lee, Jung-Kun

2013-05-16

TiO2 nanoparticle-based dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have attracted a significant level of scientific and technological interest for their potential as economically viable photovoltaic devices. While DSSCs have multiple benefits such as material abundance, a short energy payback period, constant power output, and compatibility with flexible applications, there are still several challenges that hold back large scale commercialization. Critical factors determining the future of DSSCs involve energy conversion efficiency, long-term stability, and production cost. Continuous advancement of their long-term stability suggests that state-of-the-art DSSCs will operate for over 20 years without a significant decrease in performance. Nevertheless, key questions remain in regards to energy conversion efficiency improvements and material cost reduction. In this Perspective, the present state of the field and the ongoing efforts to address the requirements of DSSCs are summarized with views on the future of DSSCs.

Coal-fired boiler houses in Cracow present state and possibilities to improve their efficiency

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cyklis, P.; Butcher, T.A.

1995-12-31

A significant amount of heat energy both for heating and process purposes is generated in Cracow, Poland in small-and medium size local boiler houses. The operating procedure of these boiler houses is most often economically and ecologically ineffective because of the bad condition of boilers and lack of funds to install automation, control and measurement equipment. Within the Polish-American Program of Elimination of Low Emission Sources financed by the US Department of Energy, the ENERGOEKSPERT Co., Ltd. investigated chosen boiler houses in Cracow, commissioned by the Cracow Development Office. The results of these investigations were subject of engineering analysis carriedmore » out at the Institute of Industrial Equipment and Power Engineering, Technical University, Cracow. The analysis proved that the low-cost improvement of economic efficiency and reduction of air pollutant emission is feasible for combustion of coal fuels.« less

The Energy Efficiency Potential of Cloud-Based Software: A U.S. Case Study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Masanet, Eric; Shehabi, Arman; Liang, Jiaqi

The energy use of data centers is a topic that has received much attention, given that data centers currently account for 1-2% of global electricity use. However, cloud computing holds great potential to reduce data center energy demand moving forward, due to both large reductions in total servers through consolidation and large increases in facility efficiencies compared to traditional local data centers. However, analyzing the net energy implications of shifts to the cloud can be very difficult, because data center services can affect many different components of society’s economic and energy systems.

Propulsion technology challenges for turn-of-the-century commercial aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ziemianski, Joseph A.; Ball, Calvin L.

1993-01-01

This paper highlights the efforts being performed or sponsored by NASA, in cooperation with the U.S. civil aviation industry, to address the propulsion system technological challenges that must be met in order to ensure a viable future for the industry. Both the subsonic and supersonic aeropropulsion programs are considered. Subsonic transport propulsion program elements, including ultra-high-bypass-ratio turbofans with attendant noise reduction efforts, high-efficiency cores, and combustor emissions reductions are discussed in terms of goals, technical issues, and problem solutions. Similarly, the high-speed research propulsion efforts addressing a high-speed commercial transport are reviewed in terms of environmental barrier issues, such as oxides of nitrogen and noise reduction, and the related economic issues.

Cow-calf reproductive, genetic, and nutritional management to improve the sustainability of whole beef production systems.

PubMed

White, R R; Brady, M; Capper, J L; McNamara, J P; Johnson, K A

2015-06-01

Optimizing efficiency in the cow-calf sector is an important step toward improving beef sustainability. The objective of the study was to use a model to identify the relative roles of reproductive, genetic, and nutritional management in minimizing beef production systems' environmental impact in an economically viable, socially acceptable manner. An economic and environmental diet optimizer was used to identify ideal nutritional management of beef production systems varying in genetic and reproductive technology use. Eight management scenarios were compared to a least cost baseline: average U.S. production practices (CON), CON with variable nutritional management (NUT), twinning cattle (TWN), early weaning (EW), sire selection by EPD using either on-farm bulls (EPD-B) or AI (EPD-AI), decreasing the calving window (CW), or selecting bulls by EPD and reducing the calving window (EPD-CW). Diets to minimize land use, water use, and/or greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were optimized under each scenario. Increases in diet cost attributable to reducing environmental impact were constrained to less than stakeholder willingness to pay for improved efficiency and reduced environmental impact. Baseline land use, water use, and GHG emissions were 188 m, 712 L, and 21.9 kg/kg HCW beef. The NUT scenario, which assessed opportunities to improve sustainability by altering nutritional management alone, resulted in a simultaneous 1.5% reduction in land use, water use, and GHG emissions. The CW scenario improved calf uniformity and simultaneously decreased land use, water use, and GHG emissions by 3.2%. Twinning resulted in a 9.2% reduction in the 3 environmental impact metrics. The EW scenario allowed for an 8.5% reduction in the 3 metrics. The EPD-AI scenario resulted in an 11.1% reduction, which was comparable to the 11.3% reduction achieved by EPD-B in the 3 metrics. Improving genetic selection by using AI or by purchasing on-farm bulls based on their superior EPD demonstrated clear opportunity to improve sustainability. When genetic and reproductive technologies were adopted, up to a 12.4% reduction in environmental impact was achievable. Given the modeling assumptions used in this study, optimizing nutritional management while concurrently improving genetic and reproductive efficiency may be promising avenues to improve productivity and sustainability of U.S. beef systems.

Driving forces in energy-related CO2 emissions in south and east coastal China: commonality and variations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, C.; Liu, Y.; Jin, J.; Wei, T.

2015-12-01

East and south coastal China contributes to respectively about 30% and 8% of CO2 emissions in China and the world, and therefore play a critical role in achieving the national goal of emission reduction to mitigate the global warming. It also serves as a benchmark for the less developed regions of China, in terms of achieving the developed world's human development standard under lower per capita emissions. We analyze the driving forces of emissions in this region and their provincial characteristics by applying the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index method. Our findings show that emissions have been doubled during the period from 2000 to 2012, along with three and two folds increase in economy and energy consumption, respectively. This suggests a persistent lock between economic growth and emissions, even in this socioeconomically advanced region in China. Provincial difference in annual emission growth reveals three distinguished low-carbon developmental stages, owning mainly to the effectiveness of energy efficiency in reducing emission growth. This may explain why previous climate policies have aimed to reduce carbon intensity. These results indicate that targeted measures on enhancing energy efficiency in the short term and de-carbonization of both the economic and energy structure in the long term can lower the emission growth more effectively and efficiently. They also suggest that factor-driven emission reduction strategies and policies are needed in the geographically and socioeconomically similar regions.

Pollution prevention as a market-enhancing strategy: a storehouse of economical and environmental opportunities.

PubMed Central

Hoffman, J S

1992-01-01

EPA's (Environmental Protection Agency) Green Lights Program for energy-efficient lighting illustrates the economic benefits and the market-transforming value of a pollution prevention philosophy. Using technologies available today, and assuming current prices, this program is expected to reduce air pollution 5%, while saving the nation's businesses up to 20 billion in electric bills every year. However, these pollution prevention and savings estimates may be low. As Green Lights transforms the market for lighting services by creating a higher demand for better technologies at lower costs, the program will likely achieve even larger pollution reductions and electricity savings. PMID:11607262

Long-Haul Truck Sleeper Heating Load Reduction Package for Rest Period Idling

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lustbader, Jason Aaron; Kekelia, Bidzina; Tomerlin, Jeff

Annual fuel use for sleeper cab truck rest period idling is estimated at 667 million gallons in the United States, or 6.8% of long-haul truck fuel use. Truck idling during a rest period represents zero freight efficiency and is largely done to supply accessory power for climate conditioning of the cab. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's CoolCab project aims to reduce heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) loads and resulting fuel use from rest period idling by working closely with industry to design efficient long-haul truck thermal management systems while maintaining occupant comfort. Enhancing the thermal performance of cab/sleepers willmore » enable smaller, lighter, and more cost-effective idle reduction solutions. In addition, if the fuel savings provide a one- to three-year payback period, fleet owners will be economically motivated to incorporate them. For candidate idle reduction technologies to be implemented by original equipment manufacturers and fleets, their effectiveness must be quantified. To address this need, several promising candidate technologies were evaluated through experimentation and modeling to determine their effectiveness in reducing rest period HVAC loads. Load reduction strategies were grouped into the focus areas of solar envelope, occupant environment, conductive pathways, and efficient equipment. Technologies in each of these focus areas were investigated in collaboration with industry partners. The most promising of these technologies were then combined with the goal of exceeding a 30% reduction in HVAC loads. These technologies included 'ultra-white' paint, advanced insulation, and advanced curtain design. Previous testing showed more than a 35.7% reduction in air conditioning loads. This paper describes the overall heat transfer coefficient testing of this advanced load reduction technology package that showed more than a 43% reduction in heating load. Adding an additional layer of advanced insulation with a reflective barrier to the thermal load reduction package resulted in a 53.3% reduction in the overall heat transfer coefficient.« less

Long-Haul Truck Sleeper Heating Load Reduction Package for Rest Period Idling: Preprint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lustbader, Jason; Kekelia, Bidzina; Tomerlin, Jeff

Annual fuel use for sleeper cab truck rest period idling is estimated at 667 million gallons in the United States, or 6.8% of long-haul truck fuel use. Truck idling during a rest period represents zero freight efficiency and is largely done to supply accessory power for climate conditioning of the cab. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's CoolCab project aims to reduce heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) loads and resulting fuel use from rest period idling by working closely with industry to design efficient long-haul truck thermal management systems while maintaining occupant comfort. Enhancing the thermal performance of cab/sleepers willmore » enable smaller, lighter, and more cost-effective idle reduction solutions. In addition, if the fuel savings provide a one- to three-year payback period, fleet owners will be economically motivated to incorporate them. For candidate idle reduction technologies to be implemented by original equipment manufacturers and fleets, their effectiveness must be quantified. To address this need, several promising candidate technologies were evaluated through experimentation and modeling to determine their effectiveness in reducing rest period HVAC loads. Load reduction strategies were grouped into the focus areas of solar envelope, occupant environment, conductive pathways, and efficient equipment. Technologies in each of these focus areas were investigated in collaboration with industry partners. The most promising of these technologies were then combined with the goal of exceeding a 30% reduction in HVAC loads. These technologies included 'ultra-white' paint, advanced insulation, and advanced curtain design. Previous testing showed more than a 35.7% reduction in air conditioning loads. This paper describes the overall heat transfer coefficient testing of this advanced load reduction technology package that showed more than a 43% reduction in heating load. Adding an additional layer of advanced insulation with a reflective barrier to the thermal load reduction package resulted in a 53.3% reduction in the overall heat transfer coefficient.« less

Drag Reduction and Performance Improvement of Hydraulic Torque Converters with Multiple Biological Characteristics.

PubMed

Chunbao, Liu; Li, Li; Yulong, Lei; Changsuo, Liu; Yubo, Zhang

2016-01-01

Fish-like, dolphin-like, and bionic nonsmooth surfaces were employed in a hydraulic torque converter to achieve drag reduction and performance improvement, which were aimed at reducing profile loss, impacting loss and friction loss, respectively. YJSW335, a twin turbine torque converter, was bionically designed delicately. The biological characteristics consisted of fish-like blades in all four wheels, dolphin-like structure in the first turbine and the stator, and nonsmooth surfaces in the pump. The prediction performance of bionic YJSW335, obtained by computational fluid dynamics simulation, was improved compared with that of the original model, and then it could be proved that drag reduction had been achieved. The mechanism accounting for drag reduction of three factors was also investigated. After bionic design, the torque ratio and the highest efficiencies of YJSW335 were both advanced, which were very difficult to achieve through traditional design method. Moreover, the highest efficiency of the low speed area and high speed area is 85.65% and 86.32%, respectively. By economic matching analysis of the original and bionic powertrains, the latter can significantly reduce the fuel consumption and improve the operating economy of the loader.

Drag Reduction and Performance Improvement of Hydraulic Torque Converters with Multiple Biological Characteristics

PubMed Central

Chunbao, Liu; Changsuo, Liu; Yubo, Zhang

2016-01-01

Fish-like, dolphin-like, and bionic nonsmooth surfaces were employed in a hydraulic torque converter to achieve drag reduction and performance improvement, which were aimed at reducing profile loss, impacting loss and friction loss, respectively. YJSW335, a twin turbine torque converter, was bionically designed delicately. The biological characteristics consisted of fish-like blades in all four wheels, dolphin-like structure in the first turbine and the stator, and nonsmooth surfaces in the pump. The prediction performance of bionic YJSW335, obtained by computational fluid dynamics simulation, was improved compared with that of the original model, and then it could be proved that drag reduction had been achieved. The mechanism accounting for drag reduction of three factors was also investigated. After bionic design, the torque ratio and the highest efficiencies of YJSW335 were both advanced, which were very difficult to achieve through traditional design method. Moreover, the highest efficiency of the low speed area and high speed area is 85.65% and 86.32%, respectively. By economic matching analysis of the original and bionic powertrains, the latter can significantly reduce the fuel consumption and improve the operating economy of the loader. PMID:27752220

Business Case for Energy Efficiency in Support of Climate Change Mitigation, Economic and Societal Benefits in the United States

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bojda, Nicholas; Ke, Jing; de la Rue du Can, Stephane

2011-06-01

This study seeks to provide policymakers and other stakeholders with actionable information towards a road map for reducing energy consumption in the most cost-effective way. A major difference between the current study and some others is that we focus on individual equipment types that might be the subject of policies - such as labels, energy performance standards, and incentives - to affect market transformation in the short term, and on high-efficiency technology options that are available today. The approach of the study is to assess the impact of short-term actions on long-term impacts. “Short term” market transformation is assumed tomore » occur by 2015, while “long-term” energy demand reduction impacts are assessed in 2030. In the intervening years, most but not all of the equipment studied will turn over completely. The 15-year time frame is significant for many products however, indicating that delay of implementation postpones impacts such as net economic savings and mitigation of emissions of carbon dioxide. Such delays would result in putting in place energy-wasting technologies, postponing improvement until the end of their service life, or potentially resulting in expensive investment either in additional energy supplies or in early replacement to achieve future energy or emissions reduction targets.« less

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) waste as an adsorbent for phosphorus removal from swine wastewater.

PubMed

Chen, Xi; Chen, Xiuxia; Wan, Xianwei; Weng, Boqi; Huang, Qin

2010-12-01

Both live plants and dried straw of water hyacinth were applied to a sequential treatment of swine wastewater for nitrogen and phosphorus reduction. In the facultative tank, the straw behaved as a kind of adsorbent toward phosphorus. Its phosphorus removal rate varied considerably with contact time between the straw and the influent. In the laboratory, the straw displayed a rapid total phosphorus reduction on a KH(2)PO(4) solution. The adsorption efficiency was about 36% upon saturation. At the same time, the water hyacinth straw in the facultative tank enhanced NH(3)-N removal efficiency as well. However, no adsorption was evident. This study demonstrated an economically feasible means to apply water hyacinth phosphorus straw for the swine wastewater treatment. The sequential system employed significantly reduced the land use, as compared to the wastewater stabilization pond treatment, for pollution amelioration of swine waste. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Full-scale production of VFAs from sewage sludge by anaerobic alkaline fermentation to improve biological nutrients removal in domestic wastewater.

PubMed

Liu, He; Han, Peng; Liu, Hongbo; Zhou, Guangjie; Fu, Bo; Zheng, Zhiyong

2018-07-01

A full-scale project of thermal-alkaline pretreatment and alkaline fermentation of sewage sludge was built to produce volatile fatty acids (VFAs) which was then used as external carbon source for improving biological nitrogen and phosphorus removals (BNPR) in wastewater plant. Results showed this project had efficient and stable performances in VFA production, sludge reduce and BNPR. Hydrolysis rate in pretreatment, VFAs yield in fermentation and total VS reduction reached 68.7%, 261.32 mg COD/g VSS and 54.19%, respectively. Moreover, fermentation liquid with VFA presented similar efficiency as acetic acid in enhancing BNPR, obtaining removal efficiencies of nitrogen and phosphorus up to 72.39% and 89.65%, respectively. Finally, the project also presented greater economic advantage than traditional processes, and the net profits for VFAs and biogas productions are 9.12 and 3.71 USD/m 3 sludge, respectively. Long-term operation indicated that anaerobic alkaline fermentation for VFAs production is technically and economically feasible for sludge carbon recovery. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sugammadex compared with neostigmine/glycopyrrolate for routine reversal of neuromuscular block: a systematic review and economic evaluation†

PubMed Central

Paton, F.; Paulden, M.; Chambers, D.; Heirs, M.; Duffy, S.; Hunter, J. M.; Sculpher, M.; Woolacott, N.

2010-01-01

Summary The cost-effectiveness of sugammadex for the routine reversal of muscle relaxation produced by rocuronium or vecuronium in UK practice is uncertain. We performed a systematic review of randomized controlled trials of sugammadex compared with neostigmine/glycopyrrolate and an economic assessment of sugammadex for the reversal of moderate or profound neuromuscular block (NMB) produced by rocuronium or vecuronium. The economic assessment aimed to establish the reduction in recovery time and the ‘value of time saved’ which would be necessary for sugammadex to be potentially cost-effective compared with existing practice. Three trials indicated that sugammadex 2 mg kg−1 (4 mg kg−1) produces more rapid recovery from moderate (profound) NMB than neostigmine/glycopyrrolate. The economic assessment indicated that if the reductions in recovery time associated with sugammadex in the trials are replicated in routine practice, sugammadex would be cost-effective if those reductions are achieved in the operating theatre (assumed value of staff time, £4.44 per minute), but not if they are achieved in the recovery room (assumed value of staff time, £0.33 per minute). However, there is considerable uncertainty in these results. Sugammadex has the potential to be cost-effective compared with neostigmine/glycopyrrolate for the reversal of rocuronium-induced moderate or profound NMB, provided that the time savings observed in trials can be achieved and put to productive use in clinical practice. Further research is required to evaluate the effects of sugammadex on patient safety, predictability of recovery from NMB, patient outcomes, and efficient use of resources. PMID:20935005

Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Options in ISEEM Global Energy Model: 2010-2050 Scenario Analysis for Least-Cost Carbon Reduction in Iron and Steel Sector

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Karali, Nihan; Xu, Tengfang; Sathaye, Jayant

The goal of the modeling work carried out in this project was to quantify long-term scenarios for the future emission reduction potentials in the iron and steel sector. The main focus of the project is to examine the impacts of carbon reduction options in the U.S. iron and steel sector under a set of selected scenarios. In order to advance the understanding of carbon emission reduction potential on the national and global scales, and to evaluate the regional impacts of potential U.S. mitigation strategies (e.g., commodity and carbon trading), we also included and examined the carbon reduction scenarios in China’smore » and India’s iron and steel sectors in this project. For this purpose, a new bottom-up energy modeling framework, the Industrial Sector Energy Efficiency Modeling (ISEEM), (Karali et al. 2012) was used to provide detailed annual projections starting from 2010 through 2050. We used the ISEEM modeling framework to carry out detailed analysis, on a country-by-country basis, for the U.S., China’s, and India’s iron and steel sectors. The ISEEM model applicable to iron and steel section, called ISEEM-IS, is developed to estimate and evaluate carbon emissions scenarios under several alternative mitigation options - including policies (e.g., carbon caps), commodity trading, and carbon trading. The projections will help us to better understand emission reduction potentials with technological and economic implications. The database for input of ISEEM-IS model consists of data and information compiled from various resources such as World Steel Association (WSA), the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), China Steel Year Books, India Bureau of Mines (IBM), Energy Information Administration (EIA), and recent LBNL studies on bottom-up techno-economic analysis of energy efficiency measures in the iron and steel sector of the U.S., China, and India, including long-term steel production in China. In the ISEEM-IS model, production technology and manufacturing details are represented, in addition to the extensive data compiled from recent studies on bottom-up representation of efficiency measures for the sector. We also defined various mitigation scenarios including long-term production trends to project country-specific production, energy use, trading, carbon emissions, and costs of mitigation. Such analyses can provide useful information to assist policy-makers when considering and shaping future emissions mitigation strategies and policies. The technical objective is to analyze the costs of production and CO 2 emission reduction in the U.S, China, and India’s iron and steel sectors under different emission reduction scenarios, using the ISEEM-IS as a cost optimization model. The scenarios included in this project correspond to various CO 2 emission reduction targets for the iron and steel sector under different strategies such as simple CO 2 emission caps (e.g., specific reduction goals), emission reduction via commodity trading, and emission reduction via carbon trading.« less

Soil bioengineering measures for disaster mitigation and environmental restoration in Central America: authochtonal cuttings suitability and economic efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrone, A.; Preti, F.

2009-04-01

The use of Soil Bio-Engineering techniques in Developing countries is a relevant issue for Disaster mitigation, environmental restoration and poverty reduction. Research on authochtonal plants suitable for this kind of works and on economic efficiency is essential for the divulgation of this Discipline. The present paper is focused on this two issues related to the realization of various typologies of Soil Bio-engineering works in the Humid tropic of Nicaragua. In the area of Río Blanco, located in the Department of Matagalpa, Soil bio-engineering installations were built in several sites. The particular structures built were: drainages with live fascine mattress, a live palisade, a vegetated live crib wall for riverbank protection, a vegetative covering made of a metallic net and biotextile coupled with a live palisade made of bamboo. In order to evaluate the suitability of the various plants used in the works, monitorings were performed, one in the live palisade alongside an unpaved road and the other on the live crib wall along a riverbank, collecting survival rate and morphological parameters data. Concerning the economic efficiency we proceed to a financial analysis of the works and once the unit price was obtained, we converted the amount in EPP Dollars (Equal Purchasing Power) in order to compare the Nicaraguan context with the Italian one. Among the used species we found that Madero negro (Gliricidia sepium) and Roble macuelizo (Tabebuia rosea) are adequate for Soil-bioengineering measure on slopes while Helequeme (Erythrina fusca) reported a successful behaviour only in the crib wall for riverbank protection. In the comparison of the costs in Nicaragua and in Italy, the unit price reduction for the central American country ranges between 1.5 times (for the vegetative covering) and almost 4 times (for the fascine mattress) if it's used the EPP dollar exchange rate. Thus, a conclusion can be reached with regard to hydrological-risk mitigating actions performed on a basin scale and through naturalistic techniques: not only are they technically attainable, even in hardship areas (by maximizing the contribution of the local labor force and minimizing the use of mechanical equipment), but they are also economically sustainable.

Providing Decision-Relevant Information for a State Climate Change Action Plan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wake, C.; Frades, M.; Hurtt, G. C.; Magnusson, M.; Gittell, R.; Skoglund, C.; Morin, J.

2008-12-01

Carbon Solutions New England (CSNE), a public-private partnership formed to promote collective action to achieve a low carbon society, has been working with the Governor appointed New Hampshire Climate Change Policy Task Force (NHCCTF) to support the development of a state Climate Change Action Plan. CSNE's role has been to quantify the potential carbon emissions reduction, implementation costs, and cost savings at three distinct time periods (2012, 2025, 2050) for a range of strategies identified by the Task Force. These strategies were developed for several sectors (transportation and land use, electricity generation and use, building energy use, and agriculture, forestry, and waste).New Hampshire's existing and projected economic and population growth are well above the regional average, creating additional challenges for the state to meet regional emission reduction targets. However, by pursuing an ambitious suite of renewable energy and energy efficiency strategies, New Hampshire may be able to continue growing while reducing emissions at a rate close to 3% per year up to 2025. This suite includes efficiency improvements in new and existing buildings, a renewable portfolio standard for electricity generation, avoiding forested land conversion, fuel economy gains in new vehicles, and a reduction in vehicle miles traveled. Most (over 80%) of these emission reduction strategies are projected to provide net economic savings in 2025.A collaborative and iterative process was developed among the key partners in the project. The foundation for the project's success included: a diverse analysis team with leadership that was committed to the project, an open source analysis approach, weekly meetings and frequent communication among the partners, interim reporting of analysis, and an established and trusting relationship among the partners, in part due to collaboration on previous projects.To develop decision-relevant information for the Task Force, CSNE addressed several challenges, including: allocating the emission reduction and economic impacts of local- to state-scale mitigation strategies that are in reality integrated on regional and/or national scales; incorporating changes to the details of the strategies over time; identifying and quantifying key variables; choosing appropriate levels of detail for over 100 strategies within the limited analysis timeframe; integrating individual strategies into a coherent whole; and structuring data presentation to maximize transparency of analysis without confusing or overwhelming decision makers.

A Market Model for Evaluating Technologies That Impact Critical-Material Intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iyer, Ananth V.; Vedantam, Aditya

2016-07-01

A recent Critical Materials Strategy report highlighted the supply chain risk associated with neodymium and dysprosium, which are used in the manufacturing of neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets (PM). In response, the Critical Materials Institute is developing innovative strategies to increase and diversify primary production, develop substitutes, reduce material intensity and recycle critical materials. Our goal in this paper is to propose an economic model to quantify the impact of one of these strategies, material intensity reduction. Technologies that reduce material intensity impact the economics of magnet manufacturing in multiple ways because of: (1) the lower quantity of critical material required per unit PM, (2) more efficient use of limited supply, and (3) the potential impact on manufacturing cost. However, the net benefit of these technologies to a magnet manufacturer is an outcome of an internal production decision subject to market demand characteristics, availability and resource constraints. Our contribution in this paper shows how a manufacturer's production economics moves from a region of being supply-constrained, to a region enabling the market optimal production quantity, to a region being constrained by resources other than critical materials, as the critical material intensity changes. Key insights for engineers and material scientists are: (1) material intensity reduction can have a significant market impact, (2) benefits to manufacturers are non-linear in the material intensity reduction, (3) there exists a threshold value for material intensity reduction that can be calculated for any target PM application, and (4) there is value for new intellectual property (IP) when existing manufacturing technology is IP-protected.

Joint carbon footprint assessment and data envelopment analysis for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture production.

PubMed

Rebolledo-Leiva, Ricardo; Angulo-Meza, Lidia; Iriarte, Alfredo; González-Araya, Marcela C

2017-09-01

Operations management tools are critical in the process of evaluating and implementing action towards a low carbon production. Currently, a sustainable production implies both an efficient resource use and the obligation to meet targets for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The carbon footprint (CF) tool allows estimating the overall amount of GHG emissions associated with a product or activity throughout its life cycle. In this paper, we propose a four-step method for a joint use of CF assessment and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Following the eco-efficiency definition, which is the delivery of goods using fewer resources and with decreasing environmental impact, we use an output oriented DEA model to maximize production and reduce CF, taking into account simultaneously the economic and ecological perspectives. In another step, we stablish targets for the contributing CF factors in order to achieve CF reduction. The proposed method was applied to assess the eco-efficiency of five organic blueberry orchards throughout three growing seasons. The results show that this method is a practical tool for determining eco-efficiency and reducing GHG emissions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Control of dispatch dynamics for lowering the cost of distributed generation in the built environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, Robert Joseph

Distributed generation can provide many benefits over traditional central generation such as increased reliability and efficiency while reducing emissions. Despite these potential benefits, distributed generation is generally not purchased unless it reduces energy costs. Economic dispatch strategies can be designed such that distributed generation technologies reduce overall facility energy costs. In this thesis, a microturbine generator is dispatched using different economic control strategies, reducing the cost of energy to the facility. Several industrial and commercial facilities are simulated using acquired electrical, heating, and cooling load data. Industrial and commercial utility rate structures are modeled after Southern California Edison and Southern California Gas Company tariffs and used to find energy costs for the simulated buildings and corresponding microturbine dispatch. Using these control strategies, building models, and utility rate models, a parametric study examining various generator characteristics is performed. An economic assessment of the distributed generation is then performed for both the microturbine generator and parametric study. Without the ability to export electricity to the grid, the economic value of distributed generation is limited to reducing the individual costs that make up the cost of energy for a building. Any economic dispatch strategy must be built to reduce these individual costs. While the ability of distributed generation to reduce cost depends of factors such as electrical efficiency and operations and maintenance cost, the building energy demand being serviced has a strong effect on cost reduction. Buildings with low load factors can accept distributed generation with higher operating costs (low electrical efficiency and/or high operations and maintenance cost) due to the value of demand reduction. As load factor increases, lower operating cost generators are desired due to a larger portion of the building load being met in an effort to reduce demand. In addition, buildings with large thermal demand have access to the least expensive natural gas, lowering the cost of operating distributed generation. Recovery of exhaust heat from DG reduces cost only if the buildings thermal demand coincides with the electrical demand. Capacity limits exist where annual savings from operation of distributed generation decrease if further generation is installed. For low operating cost generators, the approximate limit is the average building load. This limit decreases as operating costs increase. In addition, a high capital cost of distributed generation can be accepted if generator operating costs are low. As generator operating costs increase, capital cost must decrease if a positive economic performance is desired.

[Economic efficiency of renal denervation in patients with resistant hypertension: results of Markov modeling].

PubMed

Kontsevaia, A V; Suvorova, E I; Khudiakov, M B

2014-01-01

Aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of renal denervation (RD) in resistant arterial hypertension (AH) in Russia. Modeling of Markov conducted economic impact of RD on the Russian population of patients with resistant hypertension in combination with optimal medical therapy (OMT) compared with OMT using a model developed by American researchers based on the results of international research. The model contains data on Russian mortality, and costs of major complications of hypertension. The simulation results showed a significant reduction in relative risk reduction of adverse outcomes in patients with resistant hypertension for 10 years (risk of stroke is reduced by 30%, myocardial infarction - 32%). RD saves 0.9 years of quality-adjusted life (QALY) by an average of 1 patient with resistant hypertension. Costs for 1 year stored in the application of quality of life amounted to RD 203 791.6 rubles. Which is below the 1 gross domestic product and therefore indicates the feasibility of this method in Russia.

Effectiveness and cost of reducing particle-related mortality with particle filtration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fisk, W. J.; Chan, W. R.

This study evaluates the mortality-related benefits and costs of improvements in particle filtration in U.S. homes and commercial buildings based on models with empirical inputs. The models account for time spent in various environments as well as activity levels and associated breathing rates. The scenarios evaluated include improvements in filter efficiencies in both forced-air heating and cooling systems of homes and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems of workplaces as well as use of portable air cleaners in homes. The predicted reductions in mortality range from approximately 0.25 to 2.4 per 10 000 population. The largest reductions in mortality were frommore » interventions with continuously operating portable air cleaners in homes because, given our scenarios, these portable air cleaners with HEPA filters most reduced particle exposures. For some interventions, predicted annual mortality-related economic benefits exceed $1000 per person. Economic benefits always exceed costs with benefit-to-cost ratios ranging from approximately 3.9 to 133. In conclusion, restricting interventions to homes of the elderly further increases the mortality reductions per unit population and the benefit-to-cost ratios.« less

Improving Energy Efficiency of Buildings in the Urals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiyanets, A. V.

2017-11-01

The article is devoted to the results of studies of energy efficiency improvements of the buildings which are constructed under the climatic conditions of the Ural Federal District of the Russian Federation. The relevance of the stated problem is corroborated. The requirements of the existing regulatory legal acts of the Russian Federation on energy conservation and energy efficiency in construction are given. The article specifies that energy efficiency in construction refers to a set of measures aimed at the reduction of energy resources which are consumed by buildings and are necessary to maintain the required microclimate parameters indoors. The main modern measures for improving the energy efficiency of buildings are presented, and their application under the climatic conditions of the Urals are analyzed and calculated. Each of the proposed methods is evaluated. Basing on the research results, it is concluded that most of the currently known measures for improving the energy efficiency of buildings are significantly limited in the Ural Federal District due to the small economic effect connected with the complexity and high cost of their implementation and operation, the peculiarities of climatic conditions and the conditions of the population density of the territories or significant ineffectiveness of the measures themselves; the most promising measures for improving the energy efficiency of buildings under the climatic and economic conditions of the Urals are the measures for reducing heat loss through the building envelopes (for improving the heat-insulation characteristics of the applied materials and structures).

A Decomposition Method for Security Constrained Economic Dispatch of a Three-Layer Power System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Junfeng; Luo, Zhiqiang; Dong, Cheng; Lai, Xiaowen; Wang, Yang

2018-01-01

This paper proposes a new decomposition method for the security-constrained economic dispatch in a three-layer large-scale power system. The decomposition is realized using two main techniques. The first is to use Ward equivalencing-based network reduction to reduce the number of variables and constraints in the high-layer model without sacrificing accuracy. The second is to develop a price response function to exchange signal information between neighboring layers, which significantly improves the information exchange efficiency of each iteration and results in less iterations and less computational time. The case studies based on the duplicated RTS-79 system demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed method.

Technical and economic feasibility study of solar/fossil hybrid power systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bloomfield, H. S.; Calogeras, J. E.

1977-01-01

Results show that new hybrid systems utilizing fossil fuel augmentation of solar energy can provide significant capital and energy cost benefits when compared with solar thermal systems requiring thermal storage. These benefits accrue from a reduction of solar collection area that results from both the use of highly efficient gas and combined cycle energy conversion subsystems and elimination of the requirement for long-term energy storage subsystems. Technical feasibility and fuel savings benefits of solar hybrid retrofit to existing fossil-fired, gas and vapor cycle powerplants was confirmed; however, economic viability of steam cycle retrofit was found to be dependent on the thermodynamic and operational characteristics of the existing powerplant.

Hospital at night: an organizational design that provides safer care at night

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

The reduction in the working hours of doctors represents a challenge to the delivery of medical care to acutely sick patients 24 hours a day. Increasing the number of doctors to support multiple specialty rosters is not the solution for economic or organizational reasons. This paper outlines an alternative, economically viable multidisciplinary solution that has been shown to improve patient outcomes and provides organizational consistency. The change requires strong clinical leadership, with organizational commitment to both cultural and structural change. Careful attention to ensuring the teams possess the appropriate competencies, implementing a reliable process to identify the sickest patients and escalate their care, and structuring rotas efficiently are essential features of success. PMID:25561063

An interprovincial cooperative game model for air pollution control in China.

PubMed

Xue, Jian; Zhao, Laijun; Fan, Longzhen; Qian, Ying

2015-07-01

The noncooperative air pollution reduction model (NCRM) that is currently adopted in China to manage air pollution reduction of each individual province has inherent drawbacks. In this paper, we propose a cooperative air pollution reduction game model (CRM) that consists of two parts: (1) an optimization model that calculates the optimal pollution reduction quantity for each participating province to meet the joint pollution reduction goal; and (2) a model that distribute the economic benefit of the cooperation (i.e., pollution reduction cost saving) among the provinces in the cooperation based on the Shapley value method. We applied the CRM to the case of SO2 reduction in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in China. The results, based on the data from 2003-2009, show that cooperation helps lower the overall SO2 pollution reduction cost from 4.58% to 11.29%. Distributed across the participating provinces, such a cost saving from interprovincial cooperation brings significant benefits to each local government and stimulates them for further cooperation in pollution reduction. Finally, sensitivity analysis is performed using the year 2009 data to test the parameters' effects on the pollution reduction cost savings. China is increasingly facing unprecedented pressure for immediate air pollution control. The current air pollution reduction policy does not allow cooperation and is less efficient. In this paper we developed a cooperative air pollution reduction game model that consists of two parts: (1) an optimization model that calculates the optimal pollution reduction quantity for each participating province to meet the joint pollution reduction goal; and (2) a model that distributes the cooperation gains (i.e., cost reduction) among the provinces in the cooperation based on the Shapley value method. The empirical case shows that such a model can help improve efficiency in air pollution reduction. The result of the model can serve as a reference for Chinese government pollution reduction policy design.

Study on the Effect of a Cogeneration System Capacity on its CO2 Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fonseca, J. G. S., Jr.; Asano, Hitoshi; Fujii, Terushige; Hirasawa, Shigeki

With the global warming problem aggravating and subsequent implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, CO2 emissions are becoming an important factor when verifying the usability of cogeneration systems. Considering this, the purpose of this work is to study the effect of the capacity of a cogeneration system on its CO2 emissions under two kinds of operation strategies: one focused on exergetic efficiency and another on running cost. The system meets the demand pattern typical of a hospital in Japan, operating during one year with an average heat-to-power ratio of 1.3. The main equipments of the cogeneration system are: a gas turbine with waste heat boiler, a main boiler and an auxiliary steam turbine. Each of these equipments was characterized with partial load models, and the turbine efficiencies at full load changed according to the system capacity. Still, it was assumed that eventual surplus of electricity generated could be sold. The main results showed that for any of the capacities simulated, an exergetic efficiency-focused operational strategy always resulted in higher CO2 emissions reduction when compared to the running cost-focused strategy. Furthermore, the amount of reduction in emissions decreased when the system capacity decreased, reaching a value of 1.6% when the system capacity was 33% of the maximum electricity demand with a heat-to-power ratio of 4.1. When the system operated focused on running cost, the economic savings increased with the capacity and reached 42% for a system capacity of 80% of maximum electricity demand and with a heat-to-power ratio of 2.3. In such conditions however, there was an increase in emissions of 8.5%. Still for the same capacity, an exergetic efficiency operation strategy presented the best balance between cost and emissions, generating economic savings of 29% with a decrease in CO2 emissions of 7.1%. The results found showed the importance of an exergy-focused operational strategy and also indicated that lower capacities resulted in lesser gains of both CO2 emissions and running cost reduction.

Using Discrete Event Simulation to Model the Economic Value of Shorter Procedure Times on EP Lab Efficiency in the VALUE PVI Study.

PubMed

Kowalski, Marcin; DeVille, J Brian; Svinarich, J Thomas; Dan, Dan; Wickliffe, Andrew; Kantipudi, Charan; Foell, Jason D; Filardo, Giovanni; Holbrook, Reece; Baker, James; Baydoun, Hassan; Jenkins, Mark; Chang-Sing, Peter

2016-05-01

The VALUE PVI study demonstrated that atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedures and electrophysiology laboratory (EP lab) occupancy times were reduced for the cryoballoon compared with focal radiofrequency (RF) ablation. However, the economic impact associated with the cryoballoon procedure for hospitals has not been determined. Assess the economic value associated with shorter AF ablation procedure times based on VALUE PVI data. A model was formulated from data from the VALUE PVI study. This model used a discrete event simulation to translate procedural efficiencies into metrics utilized by hospital administrators. A 1000-day period was simulated to determine the accrued impact of procedure time on an institution's EP lab when considering staff and hospital resources. The simulation demonstrated that procedures performed with the cryoballoon catheter resulted in several efficiencies, including: (1) a reduction of 36.2% in days with overtime (422 days RF vs 60 days cryoballoon); (2) 92.7% less cumulative overtime hours (370 hours RF vs 27 hours cryoballoon); and (3) an increase of 46.7% in days with time for an additional EP lab usage (186 days RF vs 653 days cryoballoon). Importantly, the added EP lab utilization could not support the time required for an additional AF ablation procedure. The discrete event simulation of the VALUE PVI data demonstrates the potential positive economic value of AF ablation procedures using the cryoballoon. These benefits include more days where overtime is avoided, fewer cumulative overtime hours, and more days with time left for additional usage of EP lab resources.

Entropy, recycling and macroeconomics of water resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karakatsanis, Georgios; Mamassis, Nikos; Koutsoyiannis, Demetris

2014-05-01

We propose a macroeconomic model for water quantity and quality supply multipliers derived by water recycling (Karakatsanis et al. 2013). Macroeconomic models that incorporate natural resource conservation have become increasingly important (European Commission et al. 2012). In addition, as an estimated 80% of globally used freshwater is not reused (United Nations 2012), under increasing population trends, water recycling becomes a solution of high priority. Recycling of water resources creates two major conservation effects: (1) conservation of water in reservoirs and aquifers and (2) conservation of ecosystem carrying capacity due to wastewater flux reduction. Statistical distribution properties of the recycling efficiencies -on both water quantity and quality- for each sector are of vital economic importance. Uncertainty and complexity of water reuse in sectors are statistically quantified by entropy. High entropy of recycling efficiency values signifies greater efficiency dispersion; which -in turn- may indicate the need for additional infrastructure for the statistical distribution's both shifting and concentration towards higher efficiencies that lead to higher supply multipliers. Keywords: Entropy, water recycling, water supply multipliers, conservation, recycling efficiencies, macroeconomics References 1. European Commission (EC), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), United Nations (UN) and World Bank (2012), System of Environmental and Economic Accounting (SEEA) Central Framework (White cover publication), United Nations Statistics Division 2. Karakatsanis, G., N. Mamassis, D. Koutsoyiannis and A. Efstratiades (2013), Entropy and reliability of water use via a statistical approach of scarcity, 5th EGU Leonardo Conference - Hydrofractals 2013 - STAHY '13, Kos Island, Greece, European Geosciences Union, International Association of Hydrological Sciences, International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics 3. United Nations (UN) (2012), World Water Development Report 4, UNESCO Publishing

Spatially dynamic forest management to sustain biodiversity and economic returns.

PubMed

Mönkkönen, Mikko; Juutinen, Artti; Mazziotta, Adriano; Miettinen, Kaisa; Podkopaev, Dmitry; Reunanen, Pasi; Salminen, Hannu; Tikkanen, Olli-Pekka

2014-02-15

Production of marketed commodities and protection of biodiversity in natural systems often conflict and thus the continuously expanding human needs for more goods and benefits from global ecosystems urgently calls for strategies to resolve this conflict. In this paper, we addressed what is the potential of a forest landscape to simultaneously produce habitats for species and economic returns, and how the conflict between habitat availability and timber production varies among taxa. Secondly, we aimed at revealing an optimal combination of management regimes that maximizes habitat availability for given levels of economic returns. We used multi-objective optimization tools to analyze data from a boreal forest landscape consisting of about 30,000 forest stands simulated 50 years into future. We included seven alternative management regimes, spanning from the recommended intensive forest management regime to complete set-aside of stands (protection), and ten different taxa representing a wide variety of habitat associations and social values. Our results demonstrate it is possible to achieve large improvements in habitat availability with little loss in economic returns. In general, providing dead-wood associated species with more habitats tended to be more expensive than providing requirements for other species. No management regime alone maximized habitat availability for the species, and systematic use of any single management regime resulted in considerable reductions in economic returns. Compared with an optimal combination of management regimes, a consistent application of the recommended management regime would result in 5% reduction in economic returns and up to 270% reduction in habitat availability. Thus, for all taxa a combination of management regimes was required to achieve the optimum. Refraining from silvicultural thinnings on a proportion of stands should be considered as a cost-effective management in commercial forests to reconcile the conflict between economic returns and habitat required by species associated with dead-wood. In general, a viable strategy to maintain biodiversity in production landscapes would be to diversify management regimes. Our results emphasize the importance of careful landscape level forest management planning because optimal combinations of management regimes were taxon-specific. For cost-efficiency, the results call for balanced and correctly targeted strategies among habitat types. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nitrogen rate strategies for reducing yield-scaled nitrous oxide emissions in maize

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xu; Nafziger, Emerson D.; Pittelkow, Cameron M.

2017-12-01

Mitigating nitrogen (N) losses from agriculture without negatively impacting crop productivity is a pressing environmental and economic challenge. Reductions in N fertilizer rate are often highlighted as a solution, yet the degree to which crop yields and economic returns may be impacted at the field-level remains unclear, in part due to limited data availability. Farmers are risk averse and potential yield losses may limit the success of voluntary N loss mitigation protocols, thus understanding field-level yield tradeoffs is critical to inform policy development. Using a case study of soil N2O mitigation in the US Midwest, we conducted an ex-post assessment of two economic and two environmental N rate reduction strategies to identify promising practices for maintaining maize yields and economic returns while reducing N2O emissions per unit yield (i.e. yield-scaled emissions) compared to an assumed baseline N input level. Maize yield response data from 201 on-farm N rate experiments were combined with an empirical equation predicting N2O emissions as a function of N rate. Results indicate that the economic strategy aimed at maximizing returns to N (MRTN) led to moderate but consistent reductions in yield-scaled N2O emissions with small negative impacts on yield and slight increases in median returns. The economic optimum N rate strategy reduced yield-scaled N2O emissions in 75% of cases but increased them otherwise, challenging the assumption that this strategy will automatically reduce environmental impacts per unit production. Both environmental strategies, one designed to increase N recovery efficiency and one to balance N inputs with grain N removal, further reduced yield-scaled N2O emissions but were also associated with negative yield penalties and decreased returns. These results highlight the inherent tension between achieving agronomic and economic goals while reducing environmental impacts which is often overlooked in policy discussions. To enable the development of more scalable environmental N loss mitigation strategies, yield tradeoffs occurring at the critical point of adoption (i.e. the farm-level) should be considered.

Does Economic Growth Reduce Childhood Undernutrition in Ethiopia?

PubMed

Biadgilign, Sibhatu; Shumetie, Arega; Yesigat, Habtamu

2016-01-01

Policy discussions and debates in the last couple of decades emphasized efficiency of development policies for translating economic growth to development. One of the key aspects in this regard in the developing world is achieving improved nutrition through economic development. Nonetheless, there is a dearth of literature that empirically verifies the association between economic growth and reduction of childhood undernutrition in low- and middle-income countries. Thus, the aim of the study is to assess the interplay between economic growth and reduction of childhood undernutrition in Ethiopia. The study used pooled data of three rounds (2000, 2005 and 2010) from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) of Ethiopia. A multilevel mixed logistic regression model with robust standard errors was utilized in order to account for the hierarchical nature of the data. The dependent variables were stunting, underweight, and wasting in children in the household. The main independent variable was real per capita income (PCI) that was adjusted for purchasing power parity. This information was obtained from World Bank. A total of 32,610 children were included in the pooled analysis. Overall, 11,296 (46.7%) [46.0%-47.3%], 8,197(33.8%) [33.2%-34.4%] and 3,175(13.1%) [12.7%-13.5%] were stunted, underweight, and wasted, respectively. We found a strong correlation between prevalence of early childhood undernutrition outcomes and real per capita income (PCI). The proportions of stunting (r = -0.1207, p<0.0001), wasting (r = -0.0338, p<0.0001) and underweight (r = -0.1035, p<0.0001) from the total children in the household were negatively correlated with the PCI. In the final model adjustment with all the covariates, economic growth substantially reduced stunting [β = -0.0016, SE = 0.00013, p<0.0001], underweight [β = -0.0014, SE = 0.0002, p<0.0001] and wasting [β = -0.0008, SE = 0.0002, p<0.0001] in Ethiopia over a decade. Economic growth reduces child undernutrition in Ethiopia. This verifies the fact that the economic growth of the country accompanied with socio-economic development and improvement of the livelihood of the poor. Direct nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive interventions could also be recommended in order to have an impact on the massive reduction of childhood undernutrition in the country.

Clinical decisions in patients with diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors. A statement of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine.

PubMed

Gómez-Huelgas, R; Pérez-Jiménez, F; Serrano-Ríos, M; González-Santos, P; Román, P; Camafort, M; Conthe, P; García-Alegría, J; Guijarro, R; López-Miranda, J; Tirado-Miranda, R; Valdivielso, P

2014-05-01

Although the mortality associated to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has been reduced in the last decades, CVD remains the main cause of mortality in Spain and they are associated with an important morbidity and a huge economic burden. The increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes could be slowing down the mortality reduction in Spain. Clinicians have often difficulty making clinical decisions due to the multiple clinical guidelines available. Moreover, in the current context of economic crisis it is critical to promote an efficient use of diagnostic and therapeutic proceedings to ensure the viability of public health care systems. The Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI) has coordinated a consensus document to answer questions of daily practice with the aim of facilitating physicians' decision-making in the management of diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors from a cost-efficiency point of view. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Material efficiency: providing material services with less material production

PubMed Central

Allwood, Julian M.; Ashby, Michael F.; Gutowski, Timothy G.; Worrell, Ernst

2013-01-01

Material efficiency, as discussed in this Meeting Issue, entails the pursuit of the technical strategies, business models, consumer preferences and policy instruments that would lead to a substantial reduction in the production of high-volume energy-intensive materials required to deliver human well-being. This paper, which introduces a Discussion Meeting Issue on the topic of material efficiency, aims to give an overview of current thinking on the topic, spanning environmental, engineering, economics, sociology and policy issues. The motivations for material efficiency include reducing energy demand, reducing the emissions and other environmental impacts of industry, and increasing national resource security. There are many technical strategies that might bring it about, and these could mainly be implemented today if preferred by customers or producers. However, current economic structures favour the substitution of material for labour, and consumer preferences for material consumption appear to continue even beyond the point at which increased consumption provides any increase in well-being. Therefore, policy will be required to stimulate material efficiency. A theoretically ideal policy measure, such as a carbon price, would internalize the externality of emissions associated with material production, and thus motivate change directly. However, implementation of such a measure has proved elusive, and instead the adjustment of existing government purchasing policies or existing regulations— for instance to do with building design, planning or vehicle standards—is likely to have a more immediate effect. PMID:23359746

Material efficiency: providing material services with less material production.

PubMed

Allwood, Julian M; Ashby, Michael F; Gutowski, Timothy G; Worrell, Ernst

2013-03-13

Material efficiency, as discussed in this Meeting Issue, entails the pursuit of the technical strategies, business models, consumer preferences and policy instruments that would lead to a substantial reduction in the production of high-volume energy-intensive materials required to deliver human well-being. This paper, which introduces a Discussion Meeting Issue on the topic of material efficiency, aims to give an overview of current thinking on the topic, spanning environmental, engineering, economics, sociology and policy issues. The motivations for material efficiency include reducing energy demand, reducing the emissions and other environmental impacts of industry, and increasing national resource security. There are many technical strategies that might bring it about, and these could mainly be implemented today if preferred by customers or producers. However, current economic structures favour the substitution of material for labour, and consumer preferences for material consumption appear to continue even beyond the point at which increased consumption provides any increase in well-being. Therefore, policy will be required to stimulate material efficiency. A theoretically ideal policy measure, such as a carbon price, would internalize the externality of emissions associated with material production, and thus motivate change directly. However, implementation of such a measure has proved elusive, and instead the adjustment of existing government purchasing policies or existing regulations-- for instance to do with building design, planning or vehicle standards--is likely to have a more immediate effect.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

David Brien

The Forest County Potawatomi Community (FCPC or Tribe) owns a six-story parking facility adjacent to its Potawatomi Bingo Casino (the Casino) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well as a valet parking facility under the Casino (collectively, the Parking Facility). The Parking Facility contained 205-watt metal halide-type lights that, for security reasons, operated 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. Starting on August 30, 2010, the Tribe replaced these fixtures with 1,760 state-of-the-art, energy efficient 55-Watt LED lights. This project resulted in an immediate average reduction in monthly peak demand of 238 kW over the fourth quarter of 2010. The averagemore » reduction in monthly peak demand from October 1 through December 31, 2010 translates into a forecast annual electrical energy reduction of approximately 1,995,000 kWh or 47.3% of the pre-project demand. This project was technically effective, economically feasible, and beneficial to the public not only in terms of long term energy efficiency and associated emissions reductions, but also in the short-term jobs provided for the S.E. Wisconsin region. The project was implemented, from approval by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to completion, in less than 6 months. The project utilized off-the-shelf proven technologies that were fabricated locally and installed by local trade contractors.« less

We have just begun to create efficient transport aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maglieri, D. J.; Dollyhigh, S. M.

1982-01-01

Factors affecting the cost-effectiveness and economics of the air transportation industry are reviewed. The delivery of more fuel-efficient aircraft and eventual total replacement in the 1990's by fleets of advanced aircraft are seen to offset rising fuel costs. Better airport operations are perceived to eliminate fuel-costly delays due to overcrowded runways, lack of available carriers, and maintenance of aircraft in holding patterns. Noise reduction research will lower the lawsuit costs from noise pollution, and the introduction of advanced turbofans for long, short, and medium range flights, advanced commuter planes, and advanced SSTs offering projected 50% increases in current aircraft efficiencies are seen to be limited only by the airlines' ability to provide purchase financing, rather than by a lack of available new technology.

Building Energy Codes: Policy Overview and Good Practices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cox, Sadie

2016-02-19

Globally, 32% of total final energy consumption is attributed to the building sector. To reduce energy consumption, energy codes set minimum energy efficiency standards for the building sector. With effective implementation, building energy codes can support energy cost savings and complementary benefits associated with electricity reliability, air quality improvement, greenhouse gas emission reduction, increased comfort, and economic and social development. This policy brief seeks to support building code policymakers and implementers in designing effective building code programs.

Atmospheric pollution reduction effect and regional predicament: An empirical analysis based on the Chinese provincial NOx emissions.

PubMed

Ding, Lei; Liu, Chao; Chen, Kunlun; Huang, Yalin; Diao, Beidi

2017-07-01

Atmospheric pollution emissions have become a matter of public concern in recent years. However, most of the existing researches on NOx pollution are from the natural science and technology perspective, few studies have been conducted from an economic point, and regional differences have not been given adequate attention. This paper adopts provincial panel data from 2006 to 2013 and the LMDI model to analyze the key driving factors and regional dilemmas of NOx emissions. The results show that significant regional disparities still exit on NO x emissions and its reduction effect 27 provinces didn't accomplish their corresponding reduction targets. Economic development factor is the dominating driving factor of NO x emissions during the study period, while energy efficiency and technology improvement factors offset total NO x emissions in the majority of provinces. In addition, the industrial structure factor plays a more significant role in reducing the NO x emissions after 2011. Therefore, the government should consider all these factors as well as regional heterogeneity in developing appropriate pollution mitigating policies. It's necessary to change NOx emissions control attitude from original key areas control to divided-zone control, not only attaches great importance to the reduction of the original key areas, but also emphasizes the new potential hotspots with high NO x emissions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Environmental costs and renewable energy: re-visiting the Environmental Kuznets Curve.

PubMed

López-Menéndez, Ana Jesús; Pérez, Rigoberto; Moreno, Blanca

2014-12-01

The environmental costs of economic development have received increasing attention during the last years. According to the World Energy Outlook (2013) sustainable energy policies should be promoted in order to spur economic growth and environmental protection in a global context, particularly in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Within this framework, the European Union aims to achieve the "20-20-20" targets, including a 20% reduction in EU greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels, a raise in the share of EU energy consumption produced from renewable resources to 20% and a 20% improvement in the EU's energy efficiency. Furthermore, the EU "Energy Roadmap 2050" has been recently adopted as a basis for developing a long-term European energy framework, fighting against climate change through the implementation of energy efficiency measures and the reduction of emissions. This paper focuses on the European context and attempts to explain the impact of economic growth on CO2 emissions through the estimation of an Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) using panel data. Moreover, since energy seems to be at the heart of the environmental problem it should also form the core of the solution, and therefore we provide some extensions of the EKC by including renewable energy sources as explanatory variables in the proposed models. Our data sets are referred to the 27 countries of the European Union during the period 1996-2010. With this information, our empirical results provide some interesting evidence about the significant impacts of renewable energies on CO2 emissions, suggesting the existence of an extended EKC. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing the relationship between computational speed and precision: a case study comparing an interpreted versus compiled programming language using a stochastic simulation model in diabetes care.

PubMed

McEwan, Phil; Bergenheim, Klas; Yuan, Yong; Tetlow, Anthony P; Gordon, Jason P

2010-01-01

Simulation techniques are well suited to modelling diseases yet can be computationally intensive. This study explores the relationship between modelled effect size, statistical precision, and efficiency gains achieved using variance reduction and an executable programming language. A published simulation model designed to model a population with type 2 diabetes mellitus based on the UKPDS 68 outcomes equations was coded in both Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) and C++. Efficiency gains due to the programming language were evaluated, as was the impact of antithetic variates to reduce variance, using predicted QALYs over a 40-year time horizon. The use of C++ provided a 75- and 90-fold reduction in simulation run time when using mean and sampled input values, respectively. For a series of 50 one-way sensitivity analyses, this would yield a total run time of 2 minutes when using C++, compared with 155 minutes for VBA when using mean input values. The use of antithetic variates typically resulted in a 53% reduction in the number of simulation replications and run time required. When drawing all input values to the model from distributions, the use of C++ and variance reduction resulted in a 246-fold improvement in computation time compared with VBA - for which the evaluation of 50 scenarios would correspondingly require 3.8 hours (C++) and approximately 14.5 days (VBA). The choice of programming language used in an economic model, as well as the methods for improving precision of model output can have profound effects on computation time. When constructing complex models, more computationally efficient approaches such as C++ and variance reduction should be considered; concerns regarding model transparency using compiled languages are best addressed via thorough documentation and model validation.

Perspectives on the utilization of aquaculture coproduct in Europe and Asia: prospects for value addition and improved resource efficiency.

PubMed

Newton, Richard; Telfer, Trevor; Little, Dave

2014-01-01

Aquaculture has often been criticized for its environmental impacts, especially efficiencies concerning global fisheries resources for use in aquafeeds among others. However, little attention has been paid to the contribution of coproducts from aquaculture, which can vary between 40% and 70% of the production. These have often been underutilized and could be redirected to maximize the efficient use of resource inputs including reducing the burden on fisheries resources. In this review, we identify strategies to enhance the overall value of the harvested yield including noneffluent processing coproducts for three of the most important global aquaculture species, and discuss the current and prospective utilization of these resources for value addition and environmental impact reduction. The review concludes that in Europe coproducts are often underutilized because of logistical reasons such as the disconnected nature of the value chain, and perceived legislative barriers. However, in Asia, most coproducts are used, often innovatively but not to their full economic potential and sometimes with possible human health and biosecurity risks. These include possible spread of diseased material and low traceability in some circumstances. Full economic and environmental appraisal is long overdue for the current and potential strategies available for coproduct utilization.

The consequences of the economic crisis in radiology.

PubMed

2015-12-01

The effects of the economic crisis have led to complex problems in radiology. The crisis has led to a reduction in the turnover of imaging equipment. This reflects on the quantity and quality of output, an aspect which is worsened by the contraction of the radiology market, late payments on supplies, and competitive procurement of medical goods centralized on a regional or national level. Many local and national institutions have operated with significant reductions of reimbursement for procedures, forcing a reorganization of facilities, manpower, and equipment. The reduction in operating margins of the industry has resulted in a reduction of invested capital for projects of industrial R&D and direct or indirect sponsorship. The quality of care will be affected with less comfortable conditions, reduction of local availability of radiologists, and failure to invest in lower dose equipment to control population medical radiation exposure. The crisis resulted in a reduction in the number of graduates in medicine and scholarships for specialization induced by linear cuts will result in a drastic reduction of radiological specialists. This will favour the development of teleradiology services, with the risk of accelerating the demedicalisation of radiology departments, and isolation of the professionals. • The economic crisis has led to reduction in the turnover of imaging equipment. • The economic crisis has led to reductions of reimbursement for procedures. • The economic crisis has led to reductions in operating margins of the industry. • The economic crisis has led to contraction of quantity and quality of output. • The economic crisis resulted in demedicalisation of radiology departments and isolation of professionals.

40 CFR 440.113 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a...

40 CFR 440.113 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a...

Ceramic or metallic? - material aspects of compact heat regenerator energy efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wnek, M.

2012-05-01

The metal industry cannot afford the financial mismanagement in the era of rising energy prices and thus, the high efficiency devices should be used. In the metallurgical thermal processes the combustion air temperature increasing is one of the methods for obtaining the heat transfer intensification and the furnaces efficiency rising. Therefore the new and effective heating technologies in thermal processes are demanded all the time. The regenerative systems are most effective in terms of the heated air level. The individual regenerators for burners are the newest solutions where the temperature of 1100 °C is reachable for the exhaust temperature of 1200 °C. Based on research results, performed for the assumed exhaust temperature of 1100 °C, the paper presents possibilities of changeable different materials using as a regenerator filling in the aspect of its operation efficiency. Such materials as high-temperature steel, Al2O3 and SiC have been considered. The paper presents the selected data research, dealing with the air combustion temperature obtained for the same type of regenerator filling of considered materials. The fuel consumption reduction and reduction of CO2 emission, for metal regenerator filling, have been presented finally as an economic and environmental aspect accordingly to the air preheated.

Model assessment of atmospheric pollution control schemes for critical emission regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Shixian; An, Xingqin; Liu, Zhao; Sun, Zhaobin; Hou, Qing

2016-01-01

In recent years, the atmospheric environment in portions of China has become significantly degraded and the need for emission controls has become urgent. Because more international events are being planned, it is important to implement air quality assurance targeted at significant events held over specific periods of time. This study sets Yanqihu (YQH), Beijing, the location of the 2014 Beijing APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) summit, as the target region. By using the atmospheric inversion model FLEXPART, we determined the sensitive source zones that had the greatest impact on the air quality of the YQH region in November 2012. We then used the air-quality model Models-3/CMAQ and a high-resolution emissions inventory of the Beijing-Tianjian-Hebei region to establish emission reduction tests for the entire source area and for specific sensitive source zones. This was achieved by initiating emission reduction schemes at different ratios and different times. The results showed that initiating a moderate reduction of emissions days prior to a potential event is more beneficial to the air quality of Beijing than initiating a high-strength reduction campaign on the day of the event. The sensitive source zone of Beijing (BJ-Sens) accounts for 54.2% of the total source area of Beijing (BJ), but its reduction effect reaches 89%-100% of the total area, with a reduction efficiency 1.6-1.9 times greater than that of the entire area. The sensitive source zone of Huabei (HuaB-Sens.) only represents 17.6% of the total area of Huabei (HuaB), but its emission reduction effect reaches 59%-97% of the entire area, with a reduction efficiency 4.2-5.5 times greater than that of the total area. The earlier that emission reduction measures are implemented, the greater the effect they have on preventing the transmission of pollutants. In addition, expanding the controlling areas to sensitive provinces and cities around Beijing (HuaB-sens) can significantly accelerate the reduction effects compared to controlling measures only in the Beijing sensitive source zone (BJ-Sens). Therefore, when enacting emission reduction schemes, cooperating with surrounding provinces and cities, as well as narrowing the reduction scope to specific sensitive source zones prior to unfavorable meteorological conditions, can help reduce emissions control costs and improve the efficiency and maneuverability of emission reduction schemes.

The Impact of Technological Progress in the Energy Sector on Carbon Emissions: An Empirical Analysis from China

PubMed Central

Jin, Lei; Duan, Keran; Shi, Chunming; Ju, Xianwei

2017-01-01

This paper investigates the relationship between technological progress in the energy sector and carbon emissions based on the Environment Kuznets Curve (EKC) and data from China during the period of 1995–2012. Our study confirms that the situation in China conforms to the EKC hypothesis and presents the inverted U-curve relationship between per capita income and carbon emissions. Furthermore, the inflection point will be reached in at least five years. Then, we use research and development (R & D) investment in the energy industry as the quantitative indicator of its technological progress to test its impact on carbon emissions. Our results show that technological progress in the energy sector contributes to a reduction in carbon emissions with hysteresis. Furthermore, our results show that energy efficiency improvements are also helpful in reducing carbon emissions. However, climate policy and change in industrial structure increase carbon emissions to some extent. Our conclusion demonstrates that currently, China is not achieving economic growth and pollution reduction simultaneously. To further achieve the goal of carbon reduction, the government should increase investment in the energy industry research and improve energy efficiency. PMID:29207562

The Impact of Technological Progress in the Energy Sector on Carbon Emissions: An Empirical Analysis from China.

PubMed

Jin, Lei; Duan, Keran; Shi, Chunming; Ju, Xianwei

2017-12-04

This paper investigates the relationship between technological progress in the energy sector and carbon emissions based on the Environment Kuznets Curve (EKC) and data from China during the period of 1995-2012. Our study confirms that the situation in China conforms to the EKC hypothesis and presents the inverted U-curve relationship between per capita income and carbon emissions. Furthermore, the inflection point will be reached in at least five years. Then, we use research and development (R & D) investment in the energy industry as the quantitative indicator of its technological progress to test its impact on carbon emissions. Our results show that technological progress in the energy sector contributes to a reduction in carbon emissions with hysteresis. Furthermore, our results show that energy efficiency improvements are also helpful in reducing carbon emissions. However, climate policy and change in industrial structure increase carbon emissions to some extent. Our conclusion demonstrates that currently, China is not achieving economic growth and pollution reduction simultaneously. To further achieve the goal of carbon reduction, the government should increase investment in the energy industry research and improve energy efficiency.

Assessing the impacts of Best Management Practices on nitrate pollution in an agricultural dominated lowland catchment considering environmental protection versus economic development.

PubMed

Haas, Marcelo B; Guse, Björn; Fohrer, Nicola

2017-07-01

Water quality is strongly affected by nitrate inputs in agricultural catchments. Best Management Practices (BMPs) are alternative practices aiming to mitigate the impacts derived from agricultural activities and to improve water quality. Management activities are influenced by different governmental policies like the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). Their distinct goals can be contrasting and hamper an integrated sustainable development. Both need to be addressed in the actual conjuncture in rural areas. Ecohydrological models like the SWAT model are important tools for land cover and land use changes investigation and the assessment of BMPs implementation effects on water quality. Thus, in this study, buffer strip, fertilization reduction and alternative crops were considered as BMPs and were implemented in the SWAT model for the Treene catchment. Their efficiency in terms of nitrate loads reduction related to implementation costs at the catchment scale was investigated. The practices correspond to the catchment conditions and are based on small and mid areal changes. Furthermore, the BMPs were evaluated from the perspective of ecologic and economic policies. The results evidenced different responses of the BMPs. The critical periods in winter were addressed by most of the BMPs. However, some practices like pasture land increase need to be implemented in greater area for better results in comparison to current activities. Furthermore, there is a greater nitrate reduction potential by combining BMPs containing fertilization reduction, buffer strips and soil coverage in winter. The discussion about efficiency showed the complexity of costs stipulation and the relation with arable land and yield losses. Furthermore, as the government policies can be divergent an integrated approach considering all the involved actors is important and seeks a sustainable development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economics of a reduction in smoking: case study from Heartbeat Wales.

PubMed Central

Phillips, C J; Prowle, M J

1993-01-01

STUDY OBJECTIVE--This study aims to apply economic principles and techniques in evaluating a health promotion programme. DESIGN--This study is an economic appraisal of the Heartbeat Wales no smoking intervention programme. The costs incurred over the four year period 1985-89 have been identified and estimates have been made of the likely future impact of the reduced smoking prevalence within Wales in terms of reduced morbidity and displaced mortality in three disease groups--coronary heart disease, lung cancer, and chronic bronchitis. SETTING--Wales, UK. RESULTS--The net present value of benefits is considerably greater than costs in terms of both the NHS and the economy as a whole in Wales. In addition, the net costs per life year saved shows that the programme generates additional working life years at relatively low cost. Because not all the benefits can be fully attributed to the programme 'impact rates' ranging from 100 to 10% have been applied to the level of benefits. The evidence suggests that even if only 10% of the benefits could be attributed to the programme there is still a positive net present value of benefits. The relative efficiency of this programme has not been considered here. CONCLUSION--Large scale benefits to the NHS and the economy as a whole can be derived from reductions in smoking. PMID:8350035

JPRS Report, Soviet Union Economic Affairs

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-11-08

8217 attention an excerpt from this dialogue between scientists. J.G.: Let us move on now to the question of socialism’s future. How do you see it, and...reexamine the "ideology" of our econ- omy, I am confident that the reform will move more rapidly and will give tangible results. Why is the reduction...Can one say that today not only labor collectives but also each worker of the branch is really interested in expending metal efficiently? [Answer

Direct β-Alkylation of Aldehydes via Photoredox Organocatalysis

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Direct β-alkylation of saturated aldehydes has been accomplished by synergistically combining photoredox catalysis and organocatalysis. Photon-induced enamine oxidation provides an activated β-enaminyl radical intermediate, which readily combines with a wide range of Michael acceptors to produce β-alkyl aldehydes in a highly efficient manner. Furthermore, this redox-neutral, atom-economical C–H functionalization protocol can be achieved both inter- and intramolecularly. Mechanistic studies by various spectroscopic methods suggest that a reductive quenching pathway is operable. PMID:24754456

Cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis of BMPs in controlling agricultural nonpoint source pollution in China based on the SWAT model.

PubMed

Liu, Ruimin; Zhang, Peipei; Wang, Xiujuan; Wang, Jiawei; Yu, Wenwen; Shen, Zhenyao

2014-12-01

Best management practices (BMPs) have been widely used in managing agricultural nonpoint source pollution (ANSP) at the watershed level. Most BMPs are related to land use, tillage management, and fertilizer levels. In total, seven BMP scenarios (Reforest1, Reforest2, No Tillage, Contour tillage, and fertilizer level 1-4) that are related to these three factors were estimated in this study. The objectives were to investigate the effectiveness and cost-benefit of these BMPs on ANSP reduction in a large tributary of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in China, which are based on the simulation results of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model. The results indicated that reforestation was the most economically efficient of all BMPs, and its net benefits were up to CNY 4.36×10(7) years(-1) (about USD 7.08×10(6) years(-1)). Regarding tillage practices, no tillage practice was more environmentally friendly than other tillage practices, and contour tillage was more economically efficient. Reducing the local fertilizer level to 0.8-fold less than that of 2010 can yield a satisfactory environmental and economic efficiency. Reforestation and fertilizer management were more effective in reducing total phosphorus (TP), whereas tillage management was more effective in reducing total nitrogen (TN). When CNY 10,000 (about USD 162) was applied to reforestation, no tillage, contour tillage, and an 0.8-fold reduction in the fertilizer level, then annual TN load can be reduced by 0.08, 0.16, 0.11, and 0.04 t and annual TP load can be reduced by 0.04, 0.02, 0.01 and 0.03 t, respectively. The cost-benefit (CB) ratios of the BMPs were as follows: reforestation (207 %) > contour tillage (129 %) > no tillage (114 %) > fertilizer management (96 and 89 %). The most economical and effective BMPs can be designated as follows: BMP1 (returning arable land with slopes greater than 25° to forests and those lands with slopes of 15-25° to orchards), BMP2 (implementing no tillage on arable land with slopes less than 15°), and BMP5 (0.8-fold less than that of 2010).

Process integration of crude oil distillation with technological and economic restrictions.

PubMed

Ulyev, Leonid; Vasiliev, Mikhail; Boldyryev, Stanislav

2018-09-15

The petrochemical industry is one of the most important industries in the world economy. In the largest oil-producing countries, more than half of GDP is generated by hydrocarbons production and refining. Reduction of oil prices and new environmental regulations are forcing petrochemical companies to improve their energy efficiency. Improvement of the energy efficiency of Crude oil distillation process at atmospheric vacuum distillation unit (AVDU) with a capacity of 3.3 million ton per year is considered in this paper. The amount of fuel spent for reprocessing of one ton of crude oil has been defined and it is 3.79 kg of natural gas. This paper shows the ways to achieve the objectives of retrofit in the context of administrative and technical restrictions. The retrofit goal was achieved by the retrofit of the heat exchange network, which allowed reducing gas consumption by 0.98 t/h (natural gas). The provided case studies show the pathway for efficient retrofit of crude oil distillation and most profitable ways for investment taking into account various administrative and technical constraints. The results of this work allow achieving reduction of energy consumption by 26%. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Repowering Systems for Utilizing Waste Heat from Small Scale Garbage Incineration Plants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pak, Pyong Sik

This paper evaluates two proposed repowering systems together with a conventional repowering system. A power generation system utilizing waste heat produced by a garbage incineration plant (GIP), which treats 45 t/d of garbage, was taken as an objective power generation system to be repowered. As the conventional repowering system (Sys-C), a gas turbine system with waste heat boiler was adopted. In the proposed system 1 (Sys-P1), temperature of the low temperature steam generated at the GIP is raised in the gas combustor by burning fuel, and used to drive a gas turbine generator. Hence, required power for compressing the air becomes remarkably small and expected to be high efficient compared with Sys-C. In the proposed system 2 (Sys-P2), the low temperature steam generated at the GIP is superheated by using regenerative burner and used to drive a steam turbine generator, and hence making steam condition optimal becomes easy. Various basic characteristics of the three repowering systems were estimated through computer simulation, such as repowering efficiency, energy saving characteristics, and amount of CO2 reduction. It was shown that Sys-P1 and Sys-P2 were both superior to the conventional repowering system Sys-C in the all characteristics, and Sys-P1 to Sys-P2 in repowering efficiency, and that Sys-P2 to Sys-P1 in energy saving characteristics and CO2 reduction effect. It has also been estimated that all the repowering systems are economically feasible, and that the proposed systems Sys-P1 and Sys-P2 are both superior to the Sys-C in the three economical indices of unit cost of power, annual gross profit and depreciation year.

Weather Observation Systems and Efficiency of Fighting Forest Fires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khabarov, N.; Moltchanova, E.; Obersteiner, M.

2007-12-01

Weather observation is an essential component of modern forest fire management systems. Satellite and in-situ based weather observation systems might help to reduce forest loss, human casualties and destruction of economic capital. In this paper, we develop and apply a methodology to assess the benefits of various weather observation systems on reductions of burned area due to early fire detection. In particular, we consider a model where the air patrolling schedule is determined by a fire hazard index. The index is computed from gridded daily weather data for the area covering parts Spain and Portugal. We conduct a number of simulation experiments. First, the resolution of the original data set is artificially reduced. The reduction of the total forest burned area associated with air patrolling based on a finer weather grid indicates the benefit of using higher spatially resolved weather observations. Second, we consider a stochastic model to simulate forest fires and explore the sensitivity of the model with respect to the quality of input data. The analysis of combination of satellite and ground monitoring reveals potential cost saving due to a "system of systems effect" and substantial reduction in burned area. Finally, we estimate the marginal improvement schedule for loss of life and economic capital as a function of the improved fire observing system.

Evidence-based economic analysis demonstrates that ecosystem service benefits of water hyacinth management greatly exceed research and control costs

PubMed Central

Harms, Nathan E.; Magen, Cedric; Liang, Dong; Nesslage, Genevieve M.; McMurray, Anna M.; Cofrancesco, Al F.

2018-01-01

Invasive species management can be a victim of its own success when decades of effective control cause memories of past harm to fade and raise questions of whether programs should continue. Economic analysis can be used to assess the efficiency of investing in invasive species control by comparing ecosystem service benefits to program costs, but only if appropriate data exist. We used a case study of water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms), a nuisance floating aquatic plant, in Louisiana to demonstrate how comprehensive record-keeping supports economic analysis. Using long-term data sets, we developed empirical and spatio-temporal simulation models of intermediate complexity to project invasive species growth for control and no-control scenarios. For Louisiana, we estimated that peak plant cover would be 76% higher without the substantial growth rate suppression (84% reduction) that appeared due primarily to biological control agents. Our economic analysis revealed that combined biological and herbicide control programs, monitored over an unusually long time period (1975–2013), generated a benefit-cost ratio of about 34:1 derived from the relatively modest costs of $124 million ($2013) compared to the $4.2 billion ($2013) in benefits to anglers, waterfowl hunters, boating-dependent businesses, and water treatment facilities over the 38-year analysis period. This work adds to the literature by: (1) providing evidence of the effectiveness of water hyacinth biological control; (2) demonstrating use of parsimonious spatio-temporal models to estimate benefits of invasive species control; and (3) incorporating activity substitution into economic benefit transfer to avoid overstating benefits. Our study suggests that robust and cost-effective economic analysis is enabled by good record keeping and generalizable models that can demonstrate management effectiveness and promote social efficiency of invasive species control. PMID:29844976

Evidence-based economic analysis demonstrates that ecosystem service benefits of water hyacinth management greatly exceed research and control costs.

PubMed

Wainger, Lisa A; Harms, Nathan E; Magen, Cedric; Liang, Dong; Nesslage, Genevieve M; McMurray, Anna M; Cofrancesco, Al F

2018-01-01

Invasive species management can be a victim of its own success when decades of effective control cause memories of past harm to fade and raise questions of whether programs should continue. Economic analysis can be used to assess the efficiency of investing in invasive species control by comparing ecosystem service benefits to program costs, but only if appropriate data exist. We used a case study of water hyacinth ( Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms), a nuisance floating aquatic plant, in Louisiana to demonstrate how comprehensive record-keeping supports economic analysis. Using long-term data sets, we developed empirical and spatio-temporal simulation models of intermediate complexity to project invasive species growth for control and no-control scenarios. For Louisiana, we estimated that peak plant cover would be 76% higher without the substantial growth rate suppression (84% reduction) that appeared due primarily to biological control agents. Our economic analysis revealed that combined biological and herbicide control programs, monitored over an unusually long time period (1975-2013), generated a benefit-cost ratio of about 34:1 derived from the relatively modest costs of $124 million ($2013) compared to the $4.2 billion ($2013) in benefits to anglers, waterfowl hunters, boating-dependent businesses, and water treatment facilities over the 38-year analysis period. This work adds to the literature by: (1) providing evidence of the effectiveness of water hyacinth biological control; (2) demonstrating use of parsimonious spatio-temporal models to estimate benefits of invasive species control; and (3) incorporating activity substitution into economic benefit transfer to avoid overstating benefits. Our study suggests that robust and cost-effective economic analysis is enabled by good record keeping and generalizable models that can demonstrate management effectiveness and promote social efficiency of invasive species control.

Efficient and equitable spatial allocation of renewable power plants at the country scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drechsler, Martin; Egerer, Jonas; Lange, Martin; Masurowski, Frank; Meyerhoff, Jürgen; Oehlmann, Malte

2017-09-01

Globally, the production of renewable energy is undergoing rapid growth. One of the most pressing issues is the appropriate allocation of renewable power plants, as the question of where to produce renewable electricity is highly controversial. Here we explore this issue through analysis of the efficient and equitable spatial allocation of wind turbines and photovoltaic power plants in Germany. We combine multiple methods, including legal analysis, economic and energy modelling, monetary valuation and numerical optimization. We find that minimum distances between renewable power plants and human settlements should be as small as is legally possible. Even small reductions in efficiency lead to large increases in equity. By considering electricity grid expansion costs, we find a more even allocation of power plants across the country than is the case when grid expansion costs are neglected.

Exploration on the technology for ozone reduction in urban sewage treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Min; Sun, Yi; Han, Zhicheng; Liu, Jun

2017-05-01

With the rapid development of China’s economy, urban water consumption is increasing. However, sewage treatment plants will produce large amounts of sludge after treatment of sewage. Generally, and the sludge treatment costs are relatively high. Therefore, the problem about how to deal with the sewage sludge becomes the hot issues. Municipal waste water treatment plant produces a lot of sludge. This paper summarized the abroad study of ozonation minimization technology. Introduction and discussion were made on the principle of ozonated efficiency of sludge minimization, the efficiency of sludge minimization and the relationship between efficiency and ozone dosage, as well the effect of return sludge ozonated on waste water treatment running and the sludge setting and the dewatering characteristic. The economic estimation was also made on this technology. It’s showed that sludge minimization technology exhibits extensive application foreground.

Energy efficiency in the U.S. residential sector: An engineering and economic assessment of opportunities for large energy savings and greenhouse gas emissions reductions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima de Azevedo, Ines Margarida

Energy efficiency and conservation is a very promising part of a portfolio of the needed strategies to mitigate climate change. Several technologies and energy efficiency measures in the residential sector offer potential for large energy savings. However, while energy efficiency options are currently considered as a means of reducing carbon emissions, there is still large uncertainty about the effect of such measures on overall carbon savings. The first part of this thesis provides a national assessment of the energy efficiency potential in the residential sector under several different scenarios, which include the perspectives of different economic agents (consumers, utilities, ESCOs, and a society). The scenarios also include maximizing energy, electricity or carbon dioxide savings. The second part of this thesis deals with a detailed assessment of the potential for white-light LEDs for energy and carbon dioxide savings in the U.S. commercial and residential sectors. Solid-state lighting shows great promise as a source of efficient, affordable, color-balanced white light. Indeed, assuming market discount rates, the present work demonstrates that white solid-state lighting already has a lower levelized annual cost (LAC) than incandescent bulbs and that it will be lower than that of the most efficient fluorescent bulbs by the end of this decade. However, a large literature indicates that households do not make their decisions in terms of simple expected economic value. The present analysis shows that incorporating the findings from literature on high implicit discount rates from households when performing decisions towards efficient technologies delays the adoption of white LEDs by a couple of years. After a review of the technology, the present work compares the electricity consumption, carbon emissions and cost-effectiveness of current lighting technologies, when accounting for expected performance evolution through 2015. Simulations of lighting electricity consumption and implicit greenhouse gases emissions for the U.S. residential and commercial sectors through 2015 under different policy scenarios (voluntary solid-state lighting adoption, implementation of lighting standards in new construction and rebate programs or equivalent subsidies) are also included.

Biological sludge solubilisation for reduction of excess sludge production in wastewater treatment process.

PubMed

Yamaguchi, T; Yao, Y; Kihara, Y

2006-01-01

A novel sludge disintegration system (JFE-SD system) was developed for the reduction of excess sludge production in wastewater treatment plants. Chemical and biological treatments were applied to disintegrate excess sludge. At the first step, to enhance biological disintegration, the sludge was pretreated with alkali. At the second step, the sludge was disintegrated by biological treatment. Many kinds of sludge degrading microorganisms integrated the sludge. The efficiency of the new sludge disintegration system was confirmed in a full-scale experiment. The JFE-SD system reduced excess sludge production by approximately 50% during the experimental period. The quality of effluent was kept at quite a good level. Economic analysis revealed that this system could significantly decrease the excess sludge treatment cost.

[The dangers and drifts of health McDonaldization].

PubMed

Cembrani, Fabio

2016-01-01

The author reflects on the healthcare crisis, starting from globalization and liquid-modern society, with its systemic contradictions. The health care system is influenced by McDonald's success and its philosophy: efficiency, productivity, cost reduction, procedural standardization and control. This article underlines the deficiencies and manipulations in the health care system. The profit-oriented economic model is successful due to lack of attention to product quality from the globalised and hyper-consumerist society. Italian legislation has regulated the standardization in healthcare procedure, aiming at cost reduction of defensive medicine. It has been underlined that it defines actions, nevertheless human activity is mainly realized through language, gesture and creation. A new anthropological model is proposed, based on commitment and distributive justice.

What Can China Do? China's Best Alternative Outcome for Energy Efficiency and CO2 Emissions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

G. Fridley, David; Zheng, Nina; T. Aden, Nathaniel

After rapid growth in economic development and energy demand over the last three decades, China has undertaken energy efficiency improvement efforts to reduce its energy intensity under the 11th Five Year Plan (FYP). Since becoming the world's largest annual CO{sub 2} emitter in 2007, China has set reduction targets for energy and carbon intensities and committed to meeting 15% of its total 2020 energy demand with non-fossil fuel. Despite having achieved important savings in 11th FYP efficiency programs, rising per capita income and the continued economic importance of trade will drive demand for transport activity and fuel use. At themore » same time, an increasingly 'electrified' economy will drive rapid power demand growth. Greater analysis is therefore needed to understand the underlying drivers, possible trajectories and mitigation potential in the growing industrial, transport and power sectors. This study uses scenario analysis to understand the likely trajectory of China's energy and carbon emissions to 2030 in light of the current and planned portfolio of programs, policies and technology development and ongoing urbanization and demographic trends. It evaluates the potential impacts of alternative transportation and power sector development using two key scenarios, Continued Improvement Scenario (CIS) and Accelerated Improvement Scenario (AIS). CIS represents the most likely path of growth based on continuation of current policies and meeting announced targets and goals, including meeting planned appliance efficiency standard revisions, fuel economy standards, and industrial targets and moderate phase-out of subcritical coal-fired generation with additional non-fossil generation. AIS represents a more aggressive trajectory of accelerated improvement in energy intensity and decarbonized power and transport sectors. A range of sensitivity analysis and power technology scenarios are tested to evaluate the impact of additional actions such as carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) and integrated mine-mouth generation. The CIS and AIS results are also contextualized and compared to model scenarios in other published studies. The results of this study show that China's energy and CO{sub 2} emissions will not likely peak before 2030, although growth is expected to slow after 2020. Moreover, China will be able to meet its 2020 carbon intensity reduction target of 40 to 45% under both CIS and AIS, but only meet its 15% non-fossil fuel target by 2020 under AIS. Under both scenarios, efficiency remains a key resource and has the same, if not greater, mitigation potential as new technologies in transport and power sectors. In the transport sector, electrification will be closely linked the degree of decarbonization in the power sector and EV deployment has little or no impact on China's crude oil import demand. Rather, power generation improvements have the largest sector potential for overall emission mitigation while mine-mouth power generation and CCS have limited mitigation potential compared to fuel switching and efficiency improvements. Comparisons of this study's results with other published studies reveal that CIS and AIS are within the range of other national energy projections but alternative studies rely much more heavily on CCS for carbon reduction. The McKinsey study, in particular, has more optimistic assumptions for reductions in crude oil imports and coal demand in its abatement scenario and has much higher gasoline reduction potential for the same level of EV deployment. Despite these differences, this study's scenario analysis of both transport and power sectors illustrate the necessity for continued efficiency improvements and aggressive power sector decarbonization in flattening China's CO{sub 2} emissions.« less

A Highly Selective and Robust Co(II)-Based Homogeneous Catalyst for Reduction of CO2 to CO in CH3CN/H2O Solution Driven by Visible Light.

PubMed

Ouyang, Ting; Hou, Cheng; Wang, Jia-Wei; Liu, Wen-Ju; Zhong, Di-Chang; Ke, Zhuo-Feng; Lu, Tong-Bu

2017-07-03

Visible-light driven reduction of CO 2 into chemical fuels has attracted enormous interest in the production of sustainable energy and reversal of the global warming trend. The main challenge in this field is the development of efficient, selective, and economic photocatalysts. Herein, we report a Co(II)-based homogeneous catalyst, [Co(NTB)CH 3 CN](ClO 4 ) 2 (1, NTB = tris(benzimidazolyl-2-methyl)amine), which shows high selectivity and stability for the catalytic reduction of CO 2 to CO in a water-containing system driven by visible light, with turnover number (TON) and turnover frequency (TOF) values of 1179 and 0.032 s -1 , respectively, and selectivity to CO of 97%. The high catalytic activity of 1 for photochemical CO 2 -to-CO conversion is supported by the results of electrochemical investigations and DFT calculations.

Development of a concentrating solar power system using fluidized-bed technology for thermal energy conversion and solid particles for thermal energy storage

DOE PAGES

Ma, Z.; Mehos, M.; Glatzmaier, G.; ...

2015-05-01

Concentrating solar power (CSP) is an effective way to convert solar energy into electricity with an economic energy-storage capability for grid-scale, dispatchable renewable power generation. However, CSP plants need to reduce costs to be competitive with other power generation methods. Two ways to reduce CSP cost are to increase solar-to-electric efficiency by supporting a high-efficiency power conversion system, and to use low-cost materials in the system. The current nitrate-based molten-salt systems have limited potential for cost reduction and improved power-conversion efficiency with high operating temperatures. Even with significant improvements in operating performance, these systems face challenges in satisfying the costmore » and performance targets. This paper introduces a novel CSP system with high-temperature capability that can be integrated into a high-efficiency CSP plant and that meets the low-cost, high-performance CSP targets. Unlike a conventional salt-based CSP plant, this design uses gas/solid, two-phase flow as the heat-transfer fluid (HTF); separated solid particles as storage media; and stable, inexpensive materials for the high-temperature receiver and energy storage containment. We highlight the economic and performance benefits of this innovative CSP system design, which has thermal energy storage capability for base-load power generation.« less

The economics and ethics of aerosol geoengineering strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goes, Marlos; Keller, Klaus; Tuana, Nancy

2010-05-01

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions are changing the Earth's climate and impose substantial risks for current and future generations. What are scientifically sound, economically viable, and ethically defendable strategies to manage these climate risks? Ratified international agreements call for a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to avoid dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Recent proposals, however, call for a different approach: geoengineering climate by injecting aerosol precursors into the stratosphere. Published economic studies typically neglect the risks of aerosol geoengineering due to (i) a potential failure to sustain the aerosol forcing and (ii) due to potential negative impacts associated with aerosol forcings. Here we use a simple integrated assessment model of climate change to analyze potential economic impacts of aerosol geoengineering strategies over a wide range of uncertain parameters such as climate sensitivity, the economic damages due to climate change, and the economic damages due to aerosol geoengineering forcings. The simplicity of the model provides the advantages of parsimony and transparency, but it also imposes considerable caveats. For example, the analysis is based on a globally aggregated model and is hence silent on intragenerational distribution of costs and benefits. In addition, the analysis neglects the effects of future learning and is based on a simple representation of climate change impacts. We use this integrated assessment model to show three main points. First, substituting aerosol geoengineering for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions can fail the test of economic efficiency. One key to this finding is that a failure to sustain the aerosol forcing can lead to sizeable and abrupt climatic changes. The monetary damages due to such a discontinuous aerosol geoengineering can dominate the cost-benefit analysis because the monetary damages of climate change are expected to increase with the rate of change. Second, the relative contribution of aerosol geoengineering to an economically optimal portfolio hinges critically on deeply uncertain estimates of the damages due to aerosol forcing. Even if we assume that aerosol forcing could be deployed continuously, the aerosol geoengineering does not considerably displace the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the simple economic optimal growth model until the damages due to the aerosol forcing are rather low. Third, deploying aerosol geoengineering may also fail an ethical test regarding issues of intergenerational justice. Substituting aerosol geoengineering for reducing greenhouse gas emissions constitutes a conscious risk transfer to future generations, for example due to the increased risk of future abrupt climate change. This risk transfer is in tension with the requirement of intergenerational justice that present generations should not create benefits for themselves in exchange for burdens on future generations.

Project appleseed electric rate incentives

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Manak, J.R.

1988-11-01

Consolidated Edison Co. of N.Y., Inc. (Con Edison) has an economic development program to assist business grow and prosper in New York City and Westchester County. In 1981, the utility introduced a program of reduced electric rates (Area Development Rate) for economic development to help revitalize eight areas of the South Bronx and Brooklyn that were economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. This program has been very successful. It has helped produce jobs; it has helped to raise business activity in some of the most economically depressed areas of the nation; and, by increasing the usage of underutilized Company distribution facilities, it hasmore » increased Con Edison's efficiency to benefit all customers. It is established that this program resulted in a more than 24 percent average reduction of electric costs for participating companies. After recognition of this successful area development program, in late 1983, the N.Y. State legislature announced that as a matter of public policy electric utility rate incentives should, where appropriate, be used to foster economic activity in the state. The legislature found that ''the cost of utility services can be a significant factor in retaining and attracting healthy businesses and the employment opportunities and economic activity that they provide. The Law empowered the N.Y. State Public Service Commission to approve (after joint consideration with the Department of Commerce) economic incentive electricity rates that are cost based and will lead to jobs and economic vitality.« less

40 CFR 430.114 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology...

40 CFR 430.114 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology...

The Use of Economic Evaluation to Inform Newborn Screening Policy Decisions: The Washington State Experience.

PubMed

Grosse, Scott D; Thompson, John D; Ding, Yao; Glass, Michael

2016-06-01

Newborn screening not only saves lives but can also yield net societal economic benefit, in addition to benefits such as improved quality of life to affected individuals and families. Calculations of net economic benefit from newborn screening include the monetary equivalent of avoided deaths and reductions in costs of care for complications associated with late-diagnosed individuals minus the additional costs of screening, diagnosis, and treatment associated with prompt diagnosis. Since 2001 the Washington State Department of Health has successfully implemented an approach to conducting evidence-based economic evaluations of disorders proposed for addition to the state-mandated newborn screening panel. Economic evaluations can inform policy decisions on the expansion of newborn screening panels. This article documents the use of cost-benefit models in Washington State as part of the rule-making process that resulted in the implementation of screening for medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency and 4 other metabolic disorders in 2004, cystic fibrosis (CF) in 2006, 15 other metabolic disorders in 2008, and severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) in 2014. We reviewed Washington State Department of Health internal reports and spreadsheet models of expected net societal benefit of adding disorders to the state newborn screening panel. We summarize the assumptions and findings for 2 models (MCAD and CF) and discuss them in relation to findings in the peer-reviewed literature. The MCAD model projected a benefit-cost ratio of 3.4 to 1 based on assumptions of a 20.0 percentage point reduction in infant mortality and a 13.9 percentage point reduction in serious developmental disability. The CF model projected a benefit-cost ratio of 4.0-5.4 to 1 for a discount rate of 3%-4% and a plausible range of 1-2 percentage point reductions in deaths up to age 10 years. The Washington State cost-benefit models of newborn screening were broadly consistent with peer-reviewed literature, and their findings of net benefit appear to be robust to uncertainty in parameters. Public health newborn screening programs can develop their own capacity to project expected costs and benefits of expansion of newborn screening panels, although it would be most efficient if this capacity were shared among programs. © 2016 Milbank Memorial Fund.

The Use of Economic Evaluation to Inform Newborn Screening Policy Decisions: The Washington State Experience

PubMed Central

THOMPSON, JOHN D.; DING, YAO; GLASS, MICHAEL

2016-01-01

Policy Points: Newborn screening not only saves lives but can also yield net societal economic benefit, in addition to benefits such as improved quality of life to affected individuals and families.Calculations of net economic benefit from newborn screening include the monetary equivalent of avoided deaths and reductions in costs of care for complications associated with late‐diagnosed individuals minus the additional costs of screening, diagnosis, and treatment associated with prompt diagnosis.Since 2001 the Washington State Department of Health has successfully implemented an approach to conducting evidence‐based economic evaluations of disorders proposed for addition to the state‐mandated newborn screening panel. Context Economic evaluations can inform policy decisions on the expansion of newborn screening panels. This article documents the use of cost‐benefit models in Washington State as part of the rule‐making process that resulted in the implementation of screening for medium‐chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency and 4 other metabolic disorders in 2004, cystic fibrosis (CF) in 2006, 15 other metabolic disorders in 2008, and severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) in 2014. Methods We reviewed Washington State Department of Health internal reports and spreadsheet models of expected net societal benefit of adding disorders to the state newborn screening panel. We summarize the assumptions and findings for 2 models (MCAD and CF) and discuss them in relation to findings in the peer‐reviewed literature. Findings The MCAD model projected a benefit‐cost ratio of 3.4 to 1 based on assumptions of a 20.0 percentage point reduction in infant mortality and a 13.9 percentage point reduction in serious developmental disability. The CF model projected a benefit‐cost ratio of 4.0‐5.4 to 1 for a discount rate of 3%‐4% and a plausible range of 1‐2 percentage point reductions in deaths up to age 10 years. Conclusions The Washington State cost‐benefit models of newborn screening were broadly consistent with peer‐reviewed literature, and their findings of net benefit appear to be robust to uncertainty in parameters. Public health newborn screening programs can develop their own capacity to project expected costs and benefits of expansion of newborn screening panels, although it would be most efficient if this capacity were shared among programs. PMID:27265561

Environmental and economic performance of plasma gasification in Enhanced Landfill Mining.

PubMed

Danthurebandara, Maheshi; Van Passel, Steven; Vanderreydt, Ive; Van Acker, Karel

2015-11-01

This paper describes an environmental and economic assessment of plasma gasification, one of the viable candidates for the valorisation of refuse derived fuel from Enhanced Landfill Mining. The study is based on life cycle assessment and life cycle costing. Plasma gasification is benchmarked against conventional incineration, and the study indicates that the process could have significant impact on climate change, human toxicity, particulate matter formation, metal depletion and fossil depletion. Flue gas emission, oxygen usage and disposal of residues (plasmastone) are the major environmental burdens, while electricity production and metal recovery represent the major benefits. Reductions in burdens and improvements in benefits are found when the plasmastone is valorised in building materials instead of landfilling. The study indicates that the overall environmental performance of plasma gasification is better than incineration. The study confirms a trade-off between the environmental and economic performance of the discussed scenarios. Net electrical efficiency and investment cost of the plasma gasification process and the selling price of the products are the major economic drivers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Economic impact of public resource supply constraints in northeast Oregon. Forest Service general technical report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Waters, E.C.; Holland, D.W.; Haynes, R.W.

1997-04-01

Traditional, fixed-price (input-output) economic models provide a useful framework for conceptualizing links in a regional economy. Apparent shortcomings in these models, however, severely restrict our ability to deduce valid prescriptions for public policy and economic development. A more efficient approach using regional computable general equilibrium (CGE) models as well as a brief survey of relevant literature is presented. Computable general equilibrium results under several different resource policy scenarios are examined and contrasted with a fixed-price analysis. In the most severe CGE scenario, elimination of Federal range programs caused the loss of 1,371 jobs (2.3 percent of regional employment) and $29more » million (1.6 percent) of house income; and an 80-percent reduction in Federal log supplies resulted in the loss of 3,329 jobs (5.5 percent of regional employment), and $76 millin (4.2 percent) of household income. These results do not include positive economic impacts associated with improvement in salmon runs. Economic counter scenarios indicate that increases in tourism and high-technology manufacturing and growth in the population of retirees can largely offset total employment and income losses.« less

Behavioral Initiatives for Energy Efficiency: Large-Scale Energy Reductions through Sensors, Feedback & Information Technology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Broad Funding Opportunity Announcement Project: A team of researchers from more than 10 departments at Stanford University is collaborating to transform the way Americans interact with our energy-use data. The team built a web-based platform that collects historical electricity data which it uses to perform a variety of experiments to learn what triggers people to respond. Experiments include new financial incentives, a calculator to understand the potential savings of efficient appliances, new Facebook interface designs, communication studies using Twitter, and educational programs with the Girl Scouts. Economic modeling is underway to better understand how results from the San Francisco Baymore » Area can be broadened to other parts of the country.« less

Phased Retrofits in Existing Homes in Florida Phase I: Shallow and Deep Retrofits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

D. Parker; Sutherland, K.; Chasar, D.

2016-02-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building America program, in collaboration with Florida Power and Light (FPL), conducted a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program. This research sought to establish impacts on annual energy and peak energy reductions from the technologies applied at two levels of retrofit - shallow and deep, with savings levels approaching the Building America program goals of reducing whole-house energy use by 40%. Under the Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, we have installed phased, energy-efficiency retrofits in a sample of 56 existing, all-electric homes. End-use savings and economic evaluation results from the phased measure packages and singlemore » measures are summarized in this report.« less

Evaluation de l'eco-efficience des processus de mise a niveau d'helicopteres en tant qu'alternative a la fin de vie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rancher, Alexandre

Classic industrial production methods generate significant pressures on natural resources as well as environmental constraints related to product end-of-life management. Closed-loop supply chains are often seen as more eco-efficient alternatives, well known to provide substantial economic and environmental benefits at the scale of the product life cycle. This is notably achieved through important reductions in the overall cost of production, in the needs for new materials and energies, and in the proportion of end-of-life components going to landfill. Due to their modular designs and the particular dynamics of helicopter service life, light nonpressurized helicopters have proven to be highly receptive to partial or total remanufacture and upgrade, extending their service life, enhancing their performance and modernizing their equipment, often for only a fraction of the cost of a new aircraft. However, little environmental data is available in order to assess the overall eco-efficiency of helicopter upgrade processes. This study resulted in the creation of a method for the systemic characterization of the processes encountered during the helicopter service life. The arrangement of these processes over time has enabled the construction of helicopter operation cycles, representative of the helicopter service life. These operation cycles have then been characterized, following various criteria based on helicopter designs and usage profiles, in order to study and compare their respective eco-efficiency. A case study is provided to illustrate the application of the method, based on a currently operating industrial business model of helicopter upgrade. This case study intends to provide a first-level assessment of the potential economic, technical and environmental benefits from remanufacturing and upgrading a helicopter, as an alternative production channel. The study found that compared to its replacement, upgrading a former airframe to a more recent design is generally a more eco-efficient decision. Important reductions were found in most of the profiles assessed, notably, reductions of up to 51 % in terms of production costs, 77.5 % in waste going to landfill, and up to 54 % in energy consumption. The method developed can be seen as a decision-helping tool intended for both operators and manufacturers. The method takes into account Design-for-Environment (DfE) guidelines and Material Recovery Opportunities (MRO), providing better understanding of the adaptability of a given design to fulfill the requirements of optimized reverse supply chains.

Assessment of Energy Efficiency Improvement and CO2 Emission Reduction Potentials in India's Cement Industry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Morrow, III, William R.; Hasanbeigi, Ali; Xu, Tengfang

2012-12-03

India’s cement industry is the second largest in the world behind China with annual cement production of 168 Mt in 2010 which accounted for slightly greater than six percent of the world’s annual cement production in the same year. To produce that amount of cement, the industry consumed roughly 700 PJ of fuel and 14.7 TWh of electricity. We identified and analyzed 22 energy efficiency technologies and measures applicable to the processes in the Indian cement industry. The Conservation Supply Curve (CSC) used in this study is an analytical tool that captures both the engineering and the economic perspectives ofmore » energy conservation. Using a bottom-up electricity CSC model and compared to an electricity price forecast the cumulative cost-effective plant-level electricity savings potential for the Indian cement industry for 2010- 2030 is estimated to be 83 TWh, and the cumulative plant-level technical electricity saving potential is 89 TWh during the same period. The grid-level CO2 emissions reduction associated with cost-effective electricity savings is 82 Mt CO2 and the electric grid-level CO2 emission reduction associated with technical electricity saving potential is 88 Mt CO2. Compared to a fuel price forecast, an estimated cumulative cost-effective fuel savings potential of 1,029 PJ with associated CO2 emission reduction of 97 Mt CO2 during 2010-2030 is possible. In addition, a sensitivity analysis with respect to the discount rate used is conducted to assess the effect of changes in this parameter on the results. The result of this study gives a comprehensive and easy to understand perspective to the Indian cement industry and policy makers about the energy efficiency potential and its associated cost over the next twenty years.« less

The Influence of Groundwater Depletion from Irrigated Agriculture on the Tradeoffs between Ecosystem Services and Economic Returns

PubMed Central

Kovacs, Kent; West, Grant

2016-01-01

An irrigated agricultural landscape experiencing groundwater overdraft generates economic returns and a suite of ecosystem services (in particular, groundwater supply, greenhouse gases reduction, and surface water quality). Alternative land cover choices indicate tradeoffs among the value of ecosystem services created and the economic returns. These tradeoffs are explored using efficiency frontiers that determine the least value in ecosystem services that must be given up to generate additional economic returns. Agricultural producers may switch to irrigation with surface water using on-farm reservoirs and tail water recovery systems in response to groundwater overdraft, and this has consequences for the bundle of ecosystem service values and economic returns achievable from the landscape. Planning that accounts for both ecosystem service value and economic returns can achieve more value for society, as does the adoption of reservoirs though lowering the costs of irrigation, increasing groundwater levels, and reducing fuel combustion and associated GHG emissions from groundwater pumping. Sensitivity analyses of per unit value of ecosystem services, crop prices, and the groundwater and water purification model parameters indicate tradeoff among ecosystems service values, such as the use of a high-end social cost of carbon ultimately lowers groundwater supply and water purification value by more than 15%. PMID:28033405

The Influence of Groundwater Depletion from Irrigated Agriculture on the Tradeoffs between Ecosystem Services and Economic Returns.

PubMed

Kovacs, Kent; West, Grant

2016-01-01

An irrigated agricultural landscape experiencing groundwater overdraft generates economic returns and a suite of ecosystem services (in particular, groundwater supply, greenhouse gases reduction, and surface water quality). Alternative land cover choices indicate tradeoffs among the value of ecosystem services created and the economic returns. These tradeoffs are explored using efficiency frontiers that determine the least value in ecosystem services that must be given up to generate additional economic returns. Agricultural producers may switch to irrigation with surface water using on-farm reservoirs and tail water recovery systems in response to groundwater overdraft, and this has consequences for the bundle of ecosystem service values and economic returns achievable from the landscape. Planning that accounts for both ecosystem service value and economic returns can achieve more value for society, as does the adoption of reservoirs though lowering the costs of irrigation, increasing groundwater levels, and reducing fuel combustion and associated GHG emissions from groundwater pumping. Sensitivity analyses of per unit value of ecosystem services, crop prices, and the groundwater and water purification model parameters indicate tradeoff among ecosystems service values, such as the use of a high-end social cost of carbon ultimately lowers groundwater supply and water purification value by more than 15%.

The relationship between CO2 emission, energy consumption and economic growth in Malaysia: a three-way linkage approach.

PubMed

Sulaiman, Chindo; Abdul-Rahim, A S

2017-11-01

This study examines the three-way linkage relationships between CO 2 emission, energy consumption and economic growth in Malaysia, covering the 1975-2015 period. An autoregressive distributed lag approach was employed to achieve the objective of the study and gauged by dynamic ordinary least squares. Additionally, vector error correction model, variance decompositions and impulse response functions were employed to further examine the relationship between the interest variables. The findings show that economic growth is neither influenced by energy consumption nor by CO 2 emission. Energy consumption is revealed to be an increasing function of CO 2 emission. Whereas, CO 2 emission positively and significantly depends on energy consumption and economic growth. This implies that CO 2 emission increases with an increase in both energy consumption and economic growth. Conclusively, the main drivers of CO 2 emission in Malaysia are proven to be energy consumption and economic growth. Therefore, renewable energy sources ought to be considered by policy makers to curb emission from the current non-renewable sources. Wind and biomass can be explored as they are viable sources. Energy efficiency and savings should equally be emphasised and encouraged by policy makers. Lastly, growth-related policies that target emission reduction are also recommended.

Comparative study of remediation of Cr(VI)-contaminated soil using electrokinetics combined with bioremediation.

PubMed

He, Jiaying; He, Chiquan; Chen, Xueping; Liang, Xia; Huang, Tongli; Yang, Xuecheng; Shang, Hai

2018-06-01

The purpose of this research is to design a new bioremediation-electrokinetic (Bio-EK) remediation process to increase treatment efficiency of chromium contamination in soil. Upon residual chromium analysis, it is shown that traditional electrokinetic-PRB system (control) does not have high efficiency (80.26%) to remove Cr(VI). Bio-electrokinetics of exogenous add with reduction bacteria Microbacterium sp. Y2 and electrokinetics can enhance treatment efficiency Cr(VI) to 90.67% after 8 days' remediation. To optimize the overall performance, integrated bio-electrokinetics were designed by synergy with 200 g humic substances (HS) into the systems. According to our results, Cr(VI) (98.33%) was effectively removed via electrokinetics. Moreover, bacteria and humic substances are natural, sustainable, and economical enhancement agents. The research results indicated that the use of integrated bio-electrokinetics is an effective method to remediate chromium-contaminated soils.

The buffer value of groundwater when well yield is limited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Foster, T.; Brozović, N.; Speir, C.

2017-04-01

A large proportion of the total value of groundwater in conjunctive use systems is associated with the ability to smooth out shortfalls in surface water supply during droughts. Previous research has argued that aquifer depletion in these regions will impact farmers negatively by reducing the available stock of groundwater to buffer production in future periods, and also by increasing the costs of groundwater extraction. However, existing studies have not considered how depletion may impact the productivity of groundwater stocks in conjunctive use systems through reductions in well yields. In this work, we develop a hydro-economic modeling framework to quantify the effects of changes in well yields on the buffer value of groundwater, and apply this model to an illustrative case study of tomato production in California's Central Valley. Our findings demonstrate that farmers with low well yields are forced to forgo significant production and profits because instantaneous groundwater supply is insufficient to buffer surface water shortfalls in drought years. Negative economic impacts of low well yields are an increasing function of surface water variability, and are also greatest for farmers operating less efficient irrigation systems. These results indicate that impacts of well yield reductions on the productivity of groundwater are an important economic impact of aquifer depletion, and that failure to consider this feedback may lead to significant errors in estimates of the value of groundwater management in conjunctive use systems.

Techno-economic evaluation of the application of ozone-oxidation in a full-scale aerobic digestion plant.

PubMed

Chiavola, Agostina; D'Amato, Emilio; Gori, Riccardo; Lubello, Claudio; Sirini, Piero

2013-04-01

This paper deals with the application of the ozone-oxidation in a full scale aerobic sludge digester. Ozonation was applied continuously to a fraction of the biological sludge extracted from the digestion unit; the ozonated sludge was then recirculated to the same digester. Three different ozone flow rates were tested (60,500 and 670g O3 h(-1)) and their effects evaluated in terms of variation of the total and soluble fractions of COD, nitrogen and phosphorous, of total and volatile suspended solids concentrations and Sludge Volume Index in the aerobic digestion unit. During the 7-month operation of the ozonation process, it was observed an appreciable improvement of the aerobic digestion efficiency (up to about 20% under the optimal conditions) and of the sludge settleability properties. These results determined an average reduction of about 60% in the biological sludge extracted from the plant and delivered to final disposal. A thorough economic analysis showed that this reduction allowed to achieve a significant cost saving for the plant with respect to the previous years operated without ozonation. Furthermore, it was determined the threshold disposal cost above which implementation of the ozone oxidation in the aerobic digestion units of similar WWTPs becomes economically convenient (about 60€t(-1) of sludge). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Highly efficient solar-pumped Nd:YAG laser.

PubMed

Liang, Dawei; Almeida, Joana

2011-12-19

The recent progress in solar-pumped laser with Fresnel lens and Cr:Nd:YAG ceramic medium has revitalized solar laser researches, revealing a promising future for renewable reduction of magnesium from magnesium oxide. Here we show a big advance in solar laser collection efficiency by utilizing an economical Fresnel lens and a most widely used Nd:YAG single-crystal rod. The incoming solar radiation from the sun is focused by a 0.9 m diameter Fresnel lens. A dielectric totally internally reflecting secondary concentrator is employed to couple the concentrated solar radiation from the focal zone to a 4 mm diameter Nd:YAG rod within a conical pumping cavity. 12.3 W cw laser power is produced, corresponding to 19.3 W/m(2) collection efficiency, which is 2.9 times larger than the previous results with Nd:YAG single-crystal medium. Record-high slope efficiency of 3.9% is also registered. Laser beam quality is considerably improved by pumping a 3 mm diameter Nd:YAG rod.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Veysey, Jason; Octaviano, Claudia; Calvin, Katherine

Mexico’s climate policy sets ambitious national greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets—30% versus a business-as-usual baseline by 2020, 50% versus 2000 by 2050. However, these goals are at odds with recent energy and emission trends in the country. Both energy use and GHG emissions in Mexico have grown substantially over the last two decades. Here, we investigate how Mexico might reverse current trends and reach its mitigation targets by exploring results from energy system and economic models involved in the CLIMACAP-LAMP project. To meet Mexico’s emission reduction targets, all modeling groups agree that decarbonization of electricity is needed, along withmore » changes in the transport sector, either to more efficient vehicles or a combination of more efficient vehicles and lower carbon fuels. These measures reduce GHG emissions as well as emissions of other air pollutants. The models find different energy supply pathways, with some solutions based on renewable energy and others relying on biomass or fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage. The economy-wide costs of deep mitigation could range from 2% to 4% of GDP in 2030, and from 7% to 15% of GDP in 2050. Our results suggest that Mexico has some flexibility in designing deep mitigation strategies, and that technological options could allow Mexico to achieve its emission reduction targets, albeit at a cost to the country.« less

Assessing the effectiveness of Multi-Sector Partnerships to manage droughts: The case of the Jucar river basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carmona, María.; Máñez Costa, María.; Andreu, Joaquín.; Pulido-Velazquez, Manuel; Haro-Monteagudo, David; Lopez-Nicolas, Antonio; Cremades, Roger

2017-07-01

South-east Spain is a drought prone area, characterized by climate variability and water scarcity. The Jucar River Basin, located in Eastern Spain, has suffered many historical droughts with significant socio-economic impacts. For nearly a hundred years, the institutional and non-institutional strategies to cope with droughts have been successful through the development of institutions and partnerships for drought management including multiple actors. In this paper, we show how the creation and institutionalisation of Multi-Sector Partnerships (MSPs) has supported the development of an efficient drought management. Furthermore, we analyze the performance of one of the suggested instruments by the partnership related to drought management in the basin. Two methodologies are used for these purposes. On one hand, the Capital Approach Framework to analyze the effectiveness of the governance processes in a particular partnership (Permanent Drought Commission), which aims to highlight the governance strength and weakness of the MSP for enhancing drought management in the Jucar River Basin. Through a dynamic analysis of the changes that the partnership has undergone over time to successfully deal with droughts, its effectiveness on drought management is demonstrated. On the other hand, an econometric approach is used to analyze the economic efficiency of the emergency drought wells as one of the key drought mitigation measures suggested by the Permanent Drought Commission and implemented. The results demonstrate the potential and efficiency of applying drought wells as mitigation measures (significant reduction of economic losses, around 50 M€ during the drought period, 2005-2008).

Time-varying economic dominance in financial markets: A bistable dynamics approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Xue-Zhong; Li, Kai; Wang, Chuncheng

2018-05-01

By developing a continuous-time heterogeneous agent financial market model of multi-assets traded by fundamental and momentum investors, we provide a potential mechanism for generating time-varying dominance between fundamental and non-fundamental in financial markets. We show that investment constraints lead to the coexistence of a locally stable fundamental steady state and a locally stable limit cycle around the fundamental, characterized by a Bautin bifurcation. This provides a mechanism for market prices to switch stochastically between the two persistent but very different market states, leading to the coexistence and time-varying dominance of seemingly controversial efficient market and price momentum over different time periods. The model also generates other financial market stylized facts, such as spillover effects in both momentum and volatility, market booms, crashes, and correlation reduction due to cross-sectional momentum trading. Empirical evidence based on the U.S. market supports the main findings. The mechanism developed in this paper can be used to characterize time-varying economic dominance in economics and finance in general.

Time-varying economic dominance in financial markets: A bistable dynamics approach.

PubMed

He, Xue-Zhong; Li, Kai; Wang, Chuncheng

2018-05-01

By developing a continuous-time heterogeneous agent financial market model of multi-assets traded by fundamental and momentum investors, we provide a potential mechanism for generating time-varying dominance between fundamental and non-fundamental in financial markets. We show that investment constraints lead to the coexistence of a locally stable fundamental steady state and a locally stable limit cycle around the fundamental, characterized by a Bautin bifurcation. This provides a mechanism for market prices to switch stochastically between the two persistent but very different market states, leading to the coexistence and time-varying dominance of seemingly controversial efficient market and price momentum over different time periods. The model also generates other financial market stylized facts, such as spillover effects in both momentum and volatility, market booms, crashes, and correlation reduction due to cross-sectional momentum trading. Empirical evidence based on the U.S. market supports the main findings. The mechanism developed in this paper can be used to characterize time-varying economic dominance in economics and finance in general.

Immersion frying for the thermal drying of sewage sludge: an economic assessment.

PubMed

Peregrina, Carlos; Rudolph, Victor; Lecomte, Didier; Arlabosse, Patricia

2008-01-01

This paper presents an economic study of a novel thermal fry-drying technology which transforms sewage sludge and recycled cooking oil (RCO) into a solid fuel. The process is shown to have significant potential advantage in terms of capital costs (by factors of several times) and comparable operating costs. Three potential variants of the process have been simulated and costed in terms of both capital and operating requirements for a commercial scale of operation. The differences are in the energy recovery systems, which include a simple condensation of the evaporated water and two different heat pump configurations. Simple condensation provides the simplest process, but the energy efficiency gain of an open heat pump offset this, making it economically somewhat more attractive. In terms of operating costs, current sludge dryers are dominated by maintenance and energy requirements, while for fry-drying these are comparatively small. Fry-drying running costs are dominated by provision of makeup waste oil. Cost reduction could focus on cheaper waste oil, e.g. from grease trap waste.

Engine Air Intake Manifold Having Built In Intercooler

DOEpatents

Freese, V, Charles E.

2000-09-12

A turbocharged V type engine can be equipped with an exhaust gas recirculation cooler integrated into the intake manifold, so as to achieve efficiency, cost reductions and space economization improvements. The cooler can take the form of a tube-shell heat exchanger that utilizes a cylindrical chamber in the air intake manifold as the heat exchanger housing. The intake manifold depends into the central space formed by the two banks of cylinders on the V type engine, such that the central space is effectively utilized for containing the manifold and cooler.

Study of water recovery and solid waste processing for aerospace and domestic applications. Volume 1: Final report summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guarneri, C. A.; Reed, A.; Renman, R. E.

1972-01-01

This study of water reclamation and waste disposal is directed toward a more efficient utilization of natural resources. From an ecological standpoint improved methods of land use, water processing equipment, and ideal population profiles are investigated. Methods are described whereby significant reduction in water usage can be achieved by the adoption of presently available and practically applied technological concepts. Allowances are made for social, natural, and economic contingencies which are likely to occur up to the year 2000.

The behavior of nanosatellite body materials during electromagnetic launch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerasimov, Yu V.; Konstantinova, I. A.; Konstantinova, L. A.; Rakhimov, R. G.; Selivanov, A. B.

2017-11-01

Current development of aerospace technology and demands for the economic feasibility have led to a reduction in weight and size characteristics of the on-board electronics and other on-board equipment. There is a tendency to use small-scale spacecraft: midi-satellites, mini-satellites, nanosatellites etc. Reducing the weight and size characteristics of the satellites makes electromagnetic launching techniques more promising compared to traditional methods of sending payload into orbit. Electromagnetic launch does not require expensive space centers - it is cost-efficient, environmentally friendly and enables frequent low-cost launches.

A data envelope analysis to assess factors affecting technical and economic efficiency of individual broiler breeder hens.

PubMed

Romero, L F; Zuidhof, M J; Jeffrey, S R; Naeima, A; Renema, R A; Robinson, F E

2010-08-01

This study evaluated the effect of feed allocation and energetic efficiency on technical and economic efficiency of broiler breeder hens using the data envelope analysis methodology and quantified the effect of variables affecting technical efficiency. A total of 288 Ross 708 pullets were placed in individual cages at 16 wk of age and assigned to 1 of 4 feed allocation groups. Three of them had feed allocated on a group basis with divergent BW targets: standard, high (standard x 1.1), and low (standard x 0.9). The fourth group had feed allocated on an individual bird basis following the standard BW target. Birds were classified in 3 energetic efficiency categories: low, average, and high, based on estimated maintenance requirements. Technical efficiency considered saleable chicks as output and cumulative ME intake and time as inputs. Economic efficiency of feed allocation treatments was analyzed under different cost scenarios. Birds with low feed allocation exhibited a lower technical efficiency (69.4%) than standard (72.1%), which reflected a reduced egg production rate. Feed allocation of the high treatment could have been reduced by 10% with the same chick production as the standard treatment. The low treatment exhibited reduced economic efficiency at greater capital costs, whereas high had reduced economic efficiency at greater feed costs. The average energetic efficiency hens had a lower technical efficiency in the low compared with the standard feed allocation. A 1% increment in estimated maintenance requirement changed technical efficiency by -0.23%, whereas a 1% increment in ME intake had a -0.47% effect. The negative relationship between technical efficiency and ME intake was counterbalanced by a positive correlation of ME intake and egg production. The negative relationship of technical efficiency and maintenance requirements was synergized by a negative correlation of hen maintenance and egg production. Economic efficiency methodologies are effective tools to assess the economic effect of selection and flock management programs because biological, allocative, and economic factors can be independently analyzed.

Economic efficiency analysis of different strategies to control post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome and porcine circovirus type 2 subclinical infection in 3-weekly batch system farms

PubMed Central

Alarcon, Pablo; Rushton, Jonathan; Nathues, Heiko; Wieland, Barbara

2013-01-01

The study assessed the economic efficiency of different strategies for the control of post-weaning multi-systemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) and porcine circovirus type 2 subclinical infection (PCV2SI), which have a major economic impact on the pig farming industry worldwide. The control strategies investigated consisted on the combination of up to 5 different control measures. The control measures considered were: (1) PCV2 vaccination of piglets (vac); (2) ensuring age adjusted diet for growers (diets); (3) reduction of stocking density (stock); (4) improvement of biosecurity measures (bios); and (5) total depopulation and repopulation of the farm for the elimination of other major pathogens (DPRP). A model was developed to simulate 5 years production of a pig farm with a 3-weekly batch system and with 100 sows. A PMWS/PCV2SI disease and economic model, based on PMWS severity scores, was linked to the production model in order to assess disease losses. This PMWS severity scores depends on the combination post-weaning mortality, PMWS morbidity in younger pigs and proportion of PCV2 infected pigs observed on farms. The economic analysis investigated eleven different farm scenarios, depending on the number of risk factors present before the intervention. For each strategy, an investment appraisal assessed the extra costs and benefits of reducing a given PMWS severity score to the average score of a slightly affected farm. The net present value obtained for each strategy was then multiplied by the corresponding probability of success to obtain an expected value. A stochastic simulation was performed to account for uncertainty and variability. For moderately affected farms PCV2 vaccination alone was the most cost-efficient strategy, but for highly affected farms it was either PCV2 vaccination alone or in combination with biosecurity measures, with the marginal profitability between ‘vac’ and ‘vac + bios’ being small. Other strategies such as ‘diets’, ‘vac + diets’ and ‘bios + diets’ were frequently identified as the second or third best strategy. The mean expected values of the best strategy for a moderately and a highly affected farm were £14,739 and £57,648 after 5 years, respectively. This is the first study to compare economic efficiency of control strategies for PMWS and PCV2SI. The results demonstrate the economic value of PCV2 vaccination, and highlight that on highly affected farms biosecurity measures are required to achieve optimal profitability. The model developed has potential as a farm-level decision support tool for the control of this economically important syndrome. PMID:23375866

Time-Varying Value of Energy Efficiency in Michigan

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mims, Natalie; Eckman, Tom; Schwartz, Lisa C.

Quantifying the time-varying value of energy efficiency is necessary to properly account for all of its benefits and costs and to identify and implement efficiency resources that contribute to a low-cost, reliable electric system. Historically, most quantification of the benefits of efficiency has focused largely on the economic value of annual energy reduction. Due to the lack of statistically representative metered end-use load shape data in Michigan (i.e., the hourly or seasonal timing of electricity savings), the ability to confidently characterize the time-varying value of energy efficiency savings in the state, especially for weather-sensitive measures such as central air conditioning,more » is limited. Still, electric utilities in Michigan can take advantage of opportunities to incorporate the time-varying value of efficiency into their planning. For example, end-use load research and hourly valuation of efficiency savings can be used for a variety of electricity planning functions, including load forecasting, demand-side management and evaluation, capacity planning, long-term resource planning, renewable energy integration, assessing potential grid modernization investments, establishing rates and pricing, and customer service (KEMA 2012). In addition, accurately calculating the time-varying value of efficiency may help energy efficiency program administrators prioritize existing offerings, set incentive or rebate levels that reflect the full value of efficiency, and design new programs.« less

Use of a Geothermal-Solar Hybrid Power Plant to Mitigate Declines in Geothermal Resource Productivity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dan Wendt; Greg Mines

2014-09-01

Many, if not all, geothermal resources are subject to decreasing productivity manifested in the form of decreasing brine temperature, flow rate, or both during the life span of the associated power generation project. The impacts of resource productivity decline on power plant performance can be significant; a reduction in heat input to a power plant not only decreases the thermal energy available for conversion to electrical power, but also adversely impacts the power plant conversion efficiency. The reduction in power generation is directly correlated to a reduction in revenues from power sales. Further, projects with Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) contractsmore » in place may be subject to significant economic penalties if power generation falls below the default level specified. A potential solution to restoring the performance of a power plant operating from a declining productivity geothermal resource involves the use of solar thermal energy to restore the thermal input to the geothermal power plant. There are numerous technical merits associated with a renewable geothermal-solar hybrid plant in which the two heat sources share a common power block. The geo-solar hybrid plant could provide a better match to typical electrical power demand profiles than a stand-alone geothermal plant. The hybrid plant could also eliminate the stand-alone concentrated solar power plant thermal storage requirement for operation during times of low or no solar insolation. This paper identifies hybrid plant configurations and economic conditions for which solar thermal retrofit of a geothermal power plant could improve project economics. The net present value of the concentrated solar thermal retrofit of an air-cooled binary geothermal plant is presented as functions of both solar collector array cost and electricity sales price.« less

Environmental and economic aspects of water kiosks: Case study of a medium-sized Italian town

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Torretta, Vincenzo, E-mail: vincenzo.torretta@uninsubria.it

2013-05-15

The consumption of bottled water in Italy began in the 1970s. Since then, this usage has grown considerably, also as a result of changes in habits. The environmental impact as a result of the water production chain is very significant; it would be considered, for example, the use of plastic bottles, the consumption of oil in the production of the bottles, the emission of air from the vehicles that transport the bottles, non-recycled plastic packaging, etc. In this study, considering the comparison between two situations, use of bottled water and use of water kiosk (WK), an environmental and economic impactmore » evaluation has been done. The study considered the production of a WK in a town with 9000 inhabitants, which supplies controlled, still and sparkling water, with an organoleptic quality higher than tap water coming from the aqueduct. In particular, taking into consideration the environmental aspects, specific attention was paid both to CO{sub 2} emissions and PET bottle waste reduction. The economic impact evaluation was carried out from the consumer’s point of view. In order to provide a supply service that was economically sustainable, a calculation was done with the aim of determining a specific fee for the supplied water. Moreover, a comparison has been made between quality parameters achieved with the analysis of water from aqueducts with the limits established in the Italian legislation and the parameters of several Italian water brands. The study has the aim at considering the opportunity to follow a different people’s habits, closer to the concept of sustainability, reducing the environmental charge related to the realization, transport and consumption of plastic water bottles without significant reduction of the quality of the service and with convenient and interesting economic implications. In fact the results of the study show that the alternative of WKs is more efficient in economic and environmental terms respect to the use of bottled water.« less

Environmental and economic aspects of water kiosks: case study of a medium-sized Italian town.

PubMed

Torretta, Vincenzo

2013-05-01

The consumption of bottled water in Italy began in the 1970s. Since then, this usage has grown considerably, also as a result of changes in habits. The environmental impact as a result of the water production chain is very significant; it would be considered, for example, the use of plastic bottles, the consumption of oil in the production of the bottles, the emission of air from the vehicles that transport the bottles, non-recycled plastic packaging, etc. In this study, considering the comparison between two situations, use of bottled water and use of water kiosk (WK), an environmental and economic impact evaluation has been done. The study considered the production of a WK in a town with 9000 inhabitants, which supplies controlled, still and sparkling water, with an organoleptic quality higher than tap water coming from the aqueduct. In particular, taking into consideration the environmental aspects, specific attention was paid both to CO2 emissions and PET bottle waste reduction. The economic impact evaluation was carried out from the consumer's point of view. In order to provide a supply service that was economically sustainable, a calculation was done with the aim of determining a specific fee for the supplied water. Moreover, a comparison has been made between quality parameters achieved with the analysis of water from aqueducts with the limits established in the Italian legislation and the parameters of several Italian water brands. The study has the aim at considering the opportunity to follow a different people's habits, closer to the concept of sustainability, reducing the environmental charge related to the realization, transport and consumption of plastic water bottles without significant reduction of the quality of the service and with convenient and interesting economic implications. In fact the results of the study show that the alternative of WKs is more efficient in economic and environmental terms respect to the use of bottled water. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Increasing Efficiency of Water Use in Agriculture through Management of Soil Water Repellency to Optimize Soil and Water Productivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, Demie; Kostka, Stan; McMillan, Mica; Gadd, Nick

2010-05-01

Water's ability to infiltrate and disperse in soils, and soil's ability to receive, transport, retain, filter and release water are important factors in the efficient use of water in agriculture. Deteriorating soil conditions, including development of soil water repellency, negatively impact hydrological processes and, consequently, the efficiency of rainfall and irrigation. Soil water repellency is increasingly being identified in diverse soils and cropping systems. Recently research has been conducted on the use of novel soil surfactants (co-formulations of alkyl polyglycoside and block copolymer surfactants) to avoid or overcome soil water repellency and enhance water distribution in soils. Results indicate that this is an effective and affordable approach to maintaining or restoring soil and water productivity in irrigated cropping systems. Results from studies conducted in Australia and the United States to determine how this technology modifies soil hydrological behavior and crop yields will be presented. A range of soils and various crops, including potatoes, corn, apples and grapes, were included. Several rates were compared to controls for effect on soil moisture levels, soil water distribution, and crop yield. An economic analysis was also conducted in some trials. Treatments improved rootzone water status, significantly increased crop yield and quality, and in some cases allowed significant reductions in water requirements. Where assessed, a positive economic return was generated. This technology holds promise as a strategy for increasing efficiency of water use in agriculture.

The Economics of Inequality: The Value of Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heckman, James J.

2011-01-01

Educational equity is often discussed as a moral issue. Another way to think about equity is as a way to promote productivity and economic efficiency. Traditionally, equity and efficiency are viewed as competing goals. One can be fair in devising a policy, but often what is fair is not economically efficient. Conversely, what is efficient may not…

Forward-looking farmers owning multiple potential wetland restoration sites: implications for efficient restoration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schroder (Kushch), Svetlana; Lang, Zhengxin; Rabotyagov, Sergey

2018-04-01

Wetland restoration can increase the provision of multiple non-market ecosystem services. Environmental and socio-economic factors need to be accounted for when land is withdrawn from agriculture and wetlands are restored. We build multi-objective optimization models to provide decision support for wetland restoration in the Le Sueur river watershed in Southern Minnesota. We integrate environmental objectives of sediment reduction and habitat protection with socio-economic factors associated with the overlap of private land with potential wetland restoration sites in the watershed and the costs representing forward-looking farmers voluntarily taking land out of agricultural production in favor of wetland restoration. Our results demonstrate that the inclusion of these factors early on in the restoration planning process affects both the total costs of the restoration project and the spatial distribution of optimally selected wetland restoration sites.

40 CFR 420.43 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... best available technology economically achievable. (a) Electric arc furnace steelmaking—semi-wet. No... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125...

40 CFR 440.63 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.23 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). The concentration of pollutants...

40 CFR 440.53 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.23 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). The concentration of pollutants...

40 CFR 440.43 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.53 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.53 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.63 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.43 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.63 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.13 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.13 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.23 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). The concentration of pollutants...

40 CFR 440.113 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.113 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.23 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). The concentration of pollutants...

40 CFR 440.43 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.13 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.63 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 440.53 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in subpart L of... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) The concentration of...

40 CFR 420.43 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... best available technology economically achievable. (a) Electric arc furnace steelmaking—semi-wet. No... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125...

40 CFR 430.24 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... new technology components or process modifications and identifying critical path relationships within... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of best available technology economically... effluent reduction attainable by the application of best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

[Ethics versus economics in public health? On the integration of economic rationality in a discourse of public health ethics].

PubMed

Rothgang, H; Staber, J

2009-05-01

In the course of establishing the discourse of public health ethics in Germany, we discuss whether economic efficiency should be part of public health ethics and, if necessary, how efficiency should be conceptualized. Based on the welfare economics theory, we build a theoretical framework that demands an integration of economic rationality in public health ethics. Furthermore, we consider the possible implementation of welfare efficiency against the background of current practice in an economic evaluation of health care in Germany. The indifference of the welfare efficiency criterion with respect to distribution leads to the conclusion that efficiency must not be the only criteria of public health ethics. Therefore, an ethical approach of principles should be chosen for public health ethics. Possible conflicts between principles of such an approach are outlined.

Economic and environmental evaluation of compressed-air cars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Creutzig, Felix; Papson, Andrew; Schipper, Lee; Kammen, Daniel M.

2009-10-01

Climate change and energy security require a reduction in travel demand, a modal shift, and technological innovation in the transport sector. Through a series of press releases and demonstrations, a car using energy stored in compressed air produced by a compressor has been suggested as an environmentally friendly vehicle of the future. We analyze the thermodynamic efficiency of a compressed-air car powered by a pneumatic engine and consider the merits of compressed air versus chemical storage of potential energy. Even under highly optimistic assumptions the compressed-air car is significantly less efficient than a battery electric vehicle and produces more greenhouse gas emissions than a conventional gas-powered car with a coal intensive power mix. However, a pneumatic-combustion hybrid is technologically feasible, inexpensive and could eventually compete with hybrid electric vehicles.

Neuromorphic Data Microscope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Naegle, John H.; Suppona, Roger A.; Aimone, James Bradley

In 2016, Lewis Rhodes Labs, (LRL), shipped the first commercially viable Neuromorphic Processing Unit, (NPU), branded as a Neuromorphic Data Microscope (NDM). This product leverages architectural mechanisms derived from the sensory cortex of the human brain to efficiently implement pattern matching. LRL and Sandia National Labs have optimized this product for streaming analytics, and demonstrated a 1,000x power per operation reduction in an FPGA format. When reduced to an ASIC, the efficiency will improve to 1,000,000x. Additionally, the neuromorphic nature of the device gives it powerful computational attributes that are counterintuitive to those schooled in traditional von Neumann architectures. Themore » Neuromorphic Data Microscope is the first of a broad class of brain-inspired, time domain processors that will profoundly alter the functionality and economics of data processing.« less

Review of China's Low-Carbon City Initiative and Developments in the Coal Industry

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fridley, David; Khanna, Nina Zheng; Hong, Lixuan

As China continues its double-digit economic growth, coal remains the principal fuel for the country’s primary energy consumption and electricity generation. China’s dependence on coal in coming years makes its carbon emission intensity reduction targets more difficult to achieve, particularly given rising electricity demand from a growing number of Chinese cities. This paradox has led the government to pursue cleaner and more efficient development of the coal industry on the supply side and “low carbon” development of cities on the demand side. To understand and assess how China may be able to meet its energy and carbon intensity reduction targets,more » this report looks at the recent development of low carbon cities as well as new developments and trends in the coal industry. Specifically, we review low-carbon city and related eco-city development in China before delving into a comparison of eight pilot lowcarbon city plans to highlight their strengths and weaknesses in helping achieve national energy and carbon targets. We then provide insights into the future outlook for China’s coal industry by evaluating new and emerging trends in coal production, consumption, transport, trade and economic performance.« less

Evaluation of Land Use, Land Management and Soil Conservation Strategies to Reduce Non-Point Source Pollution Loads in the Three Gorges Region, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strehmel, Alexander; Schmalz, Britta; Fohrer, Nicola

2016-11-01

The construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China and the subsequent impoundment of the Yangtze River have induced a major land use change in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, which fosters increased inputs of sediment and nutrients from diffuse sources into the water bodies. Several government programs have been implemented to mitigate high sediment and nutrient loads to the reservoir. However, institutional weaknesses and a focus on economic development have so far widely counteracted the effectiveness of these programs. In this study, the eco-hydrological model soil and water assessment tool is used to assess the effects of changes in fertilizer amounts and the conditions of bench terraces in the Xiangxi catchment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region on diffuse matter releases. With this, the study aims at identifying efficient management measures, which should have priority. The results show that a reduction of fertilizer amounts cannot reduce phosphorus loads considerably without inhibiting crop productivity. The condition of terraces in the catchment has a strong impact on soil erosion and phosphorus releases from agricultural areas. Hence, if economically feasible, programmes focusing on the construction and maintenance of terraces in the region should be implemented. Additionally, intercropping on corn fields as well as more efficient fertilization schemes for agricultural land were identified as potential instruments to reduce diffuse matter loads further. While the study was carried out in the Three Gorges Region, its findings may also beneficial for the reduction of water pollution in other mountainous areas with strong agricultural use.

Evaluation of Land Use, Land Management and Soil Conservation Strategies to Reduce Non-Point Source Pollution Loads in the Three Gorges Region, China.

PubMed

Strehmel, Alexander; Schmalz, Britta; Fohrer, Nicola

2016-11-01

The construction of the Three Gorges Dam in China and the subsequent impoundment of the Yangtze River have induced a major land use change in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, which fosters increased inputs of sediment and nutrients from diffuse sources into the water bodies. Several government programs have been implemented to mitigate high sediment and nutrient loads to the reservoir. However, institutional weaknesses and a focus on economic development have so far widely counteracted the effectiveness of these programs. In this study, the eco-hydrological model soil and water assessment tool is used to assess the effects of changes in fertilizer amounts and the conditions of bench terraces in the Xiangxi catchment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region on diffuse matter releases. With this, the study aims at identifying efficient management measures, which should have priority. The results show that a reduction of fertilizer amounts cannot reduce phosphorus loads considerably without inhibiting crop productivity. The condition of terraces in the catchment has a strong impact on soil erosion and phosphorus releases from agricultural areas. Hence, if economically feasible, programmes focusing on the construction and maintenance of terraces in the region should be implemented. Additionally, intercropping on corn fields as well as more efficient fertilization schemes for agricultural land were identified as potential instruments to reduce diffuse matter loads further. While the study was carried out in the Three Gorges Region, its findings may also beneficial for the reduction of water pollution in other mountainous areas with strong agricultural use.

40 CFR 440.33 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 440.33 Section 440.33 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a...

40 CFR 418.73 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable... subpart after application of the best available technology economically achievable: There shall be no...

40 CFR 424.53 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technology economically achievable: There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants to... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable. The...

40 CFR 430.114 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Non-continuous dischargers shall not be...

[Transparency in public sector acquisitions. The case of hospitals in the City of Buenos Aires].

PubMed

Rossi, T; Murillo Fort, C; Puente Karolys, J C

2002-01-01

This paper deals with corruption and the lack of transparency in public sector purchases as well as with the main instruments to obtain adequate results in purchase negotiation.Firstly, we discuss how corruption causes concern to national governments, international organizations, academic centers, non-governmental organizations and society in general. The consequences of corruption in Argentina and other Latin American countries are highlighted, especially the effect of corruption on economic growth and the way it creates economic inefficiency and inequality.Secondly, the database created by the Subsecretary of Strategic Management of the Autonomous Government of the City of Buenos Aires is analyzed. The central purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the Administrative Reform of 1998 on the prices of 24 products acquired by 13 general acute care hospitals from 1998-1999. The weighted prices, the number of units purchased and the total number of contracts given in this period, as well as the products with the greatest utilization rate, are analyzed. Multivariante analysis was used to identify hospitals with appropriate activity and efficient budget administration (activity and negotiation indicators). Price development was analyzed using the regression technique (ordinary least squares), which demonstrated an 8% reduction in prices for the year 1999. The contribution of each hospital to this variation is presented using dummy variables. Thus, six of the 13 hospitals significantly contributed to the decrease in prices. Of these six, three hospitals also contributed to reduction in price dispersion. The results obtained allow us to conclude that, if public hospitals have adequate purchase negotiation instruments and a uniform legal framework, they can achieve a good level of activity. Furthermore, public hospitals can contribute to reductions in price and price dispersion, at the same time as improving efficiency in the assignation and utilization of resources.

The public health benefits of insulation retrofits in existing housing in the United States

PubMed Central

Levy, Jonathan I; Nishioka, Yurika; Spengler, John D

2003-01-01

Background Methodological limitations make it difficult to quantify the public health benefits of energy efficiency programs. To address this issue, we developed a risk-based model to estimate the health benefits associated with marginal energy usage reductions and applied the model to a hypothetical case study of insulation retrofits in single-family homes in the United States. Methods We modeled energy savings with a regression model that extrapolated findings from an energy simulation program. Reductions of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions and particle precursors (SO2 and NOx) were quantified using fuel-specific emission factors and marginal electricity analyses. Estimates of population exposure per unit emissions, varying by location and source type, were extrapolated from past dispersion model runs. Concentration-response functions for morbidity and mortality from PM2.5 were derived from the epidemiological literature, and economic values were assigned to health outcomes based on willingness to pay studies. Results In total, the insulation retrofits would save 800 TBTU (8 × 1014 British Thermal Units) per year across 46 million homes, resulting in 3,100 fewer tons of PM2.5, 100,000 fewer tons of NOx, and 190,000 fewer tons of SO2 per year. These emission reductions are associated with outcomes including 240 fewer deaths, 6,500 fewer asthma attacks, and 110,000 fewer restricted activity days per year. At a state level, the health benefits per unit energy savings vary by an order of magnitude, illustrating that multiple factors (including population patterns and energy sources) influence health benefit estimates. The health benefits correspond to $1.3 billion per year in externalities averted, compared with $5.9 billion per year in economic savings. Conclusion In spite of significant uncertainties related to the interpretation of PM2.5 health effects and other dimensions of the model, our analysis demonstrates that a risk-based methodology is viable for national-level energy efficiency programs. PMID:12740041

Simulation of infiltration facilities using the SEEP/W model and quantification of flood runoff reduction effect by the decrease in CN.

PubMed

Yoo, Chulsang; Ku, Jung Mo; Jun, Changhyun; Zhu, Ju Hua

2016-01-01

In this study, four infiltration facilities (permeable pavement, infiltration gutter, infiltration trench, and infiltration well) have been investigated and compared with their flood runoff reduction effect. The SEEP/W model was used to estimate the infiltration amount of each facility, and the flood runoff reduction effect was quantified by the decrease in curve number (CN). As a result of this study, we found that: (1) the infiltration could be successfully simulated by the SEEP/W model, whose result could also be quantified effectively by the decrease in CN; (2) among the four infiltration facilities considered in this study, the infiltration well and infiltration trench were found to be most efficient and economical; (3) finally, the intervention effect of the nearby infiltration facility was found not so significant. In an extreme case where the infiltration wells were located at 1 m interval, the intervention effect was found to be just 1%.

Environmental assessment for proposed energy conservation standards for three types of consumer products: dishwashers, clothes washers and clothes dryers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1989-01-01

This environmental assessment (EA) evaluates the environmental impacts resulting from new or amended energy-efficiency standards for dishwashers, clothes washers and clothes dryers as mandated by the National Appliance Energy Conservation Act of 1987. A complete description of the Engineering and Economic Analysis of the proposed standards may be found elsewhere in the Technical Support Document (TSD). All eleven of the scenarios for product design changes described in the Engineering Analysis of the TSD are analyzed in the environmental assessment in the form of levels of pollutant reduction. Level 1 represents the least amount of pollutant reduction, while higher numbered levelsmore » represent increasingly more stringent standards, with correspondingly greater reductions in pollutants. Values for energy savings that result from product design changes are taken from the TSD. These energy savings are based on recent data on actual usage rather than DOE test procedures. 12 refs., 1 fig., 12 tabs.« less

An environmental, economic, and social assessment of improving cattle finishing weight or average daily gain within U.S. beef production.

PubMed

White, R R; Capper, J L

2013-12-01

The objective of this study was to assess environmental impact, economic viability, and social acceptability of 3 beef production systems with differing levels of efficiency. A deterministic model of U.S. beef production was used to predict the number of animals required to produce 1 × 10(9) kg HCW beef. Three production treatments were compared, 1 representing average U.S. production (control), 1 with a 15% increase in ADG, and 1 with a 15% increase in finishing weight (FW). For each treatment, various socioeconomic scenarios were compared to account for uncertainty in producer and consumer behavior. Environmental impact metrics included feed consumption, land use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe), and N and P excretion. Feed cost, animal purchase cost, animal sales revenue, and income over costs (IOVC) were used as metrics of economic viability. Willingness to pay (WTP) was used to identify improvements or reductions in social acceptability. When ADG improved, feedstuff consumption, land use, and water use decreased by 6.4%, 3.2%, and 12.3%, respectively, compared with the control. Carbon footprint decreased 11.7% and N and P excretion were reduced by 4% and 13.8%, respectively. When FW improved, decreases were seen in feedstuff consumption (12.1%), water use (9.2%). and land use (15.5%); total GHGe decreased 14.7%; and N and P excretion decreased by 10.1% and 17.2%, compared with the control. Changes in IOVC were dependent on socioeconomic scenario. When the ADG scenario was compared with the control, changes in sector profitability ranged from 51 to 117% (cow-calf), -38 to 157% (stocker), and 37 to 134% (feedlot). When improved FW was compared, changes in cow-calf profit ranged from 67% to 143%, stocker profit ranged from -41% to 155% and feedlot profit ranged from 37% to 136%. When WTP was based on marketing beef being more efficiently produced, WTP improved by 10%; thus, social acceptability increased. When marketing was based on production efficiency and consumer knowledge of growth-enhancing technology use, WTP decreased by 12%-leading to a decrease in social acceptability. Results demonstrated that improved efficiency also improved environmental impact, but impacts on economic viability and social acceptability are highly dependent on consumer and producer behavioral responses to efficiency improvements.

77 FR 58775 - Second Fishing Capacity Reduction Program for the Longline Catcher Processor Subsector of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-24

... and seasons, bycatch reduction measures). Overcapitalization has diminished the economic viability of... intent of a program is to decrease the number of harvesters in the fishery, increase the economic... the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), to describe the economic impacts that this rule, if adopted...

Allocative and implementation efficiency in HIV prevention and treatment for people who inject drugs.

PubMed

Benedikt, Clemens; Kelly, Sherrie L; Wilson, David; Wilson, David P

2016-12-01

Estimated global new HIV infections among people who inject drugs (PWID) remained stable over the 2010-2015 period and the target of a 50% reduction over this period was missed. To achieve the 2020 UNAIDS target of reducing adult HIV infections by 75% compared to 2010, accelerated action in scaling up HIV programs for PWID is required. In a context of diminishing external support to HIV programs in countries where most HIV-affected PWID live, it is essential that available resources are allocated and used as efficiently as possible. Allocative and implementation efficiency analysis methods were applied. Optima, a dynamic, population-based HIV model with an integrated program and economic analysis framework was applied in eight countries in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA). Mathematical analyses established optimized allocations of resources. An implementation efficiency analysis focused on examining technical efficiency, unit costs, and heterogeneity of service delivery models and practices. Findings from the latest reported data revealed that countries allocated between 4% (Bulgaria) and 40% (Georgia) of total HIV resources to programs targeting PWID - with a median of 13% for the eight countries. When distributing the same amount of HIV funding optimally, between 9% and 25% of available HIV resources would be allocated to PWID programs with a median allocation of 16% and, in addition, antiretroviral therapy would be scaled up including for PWID. As a result of optimized allocations, new HIV infections are projected to decline by 3-28% and AIDS-related deaths by 7-53% in the eight countries. Implementation efficiencies identified involve potential reductions in drug procurement costs, service delivery models, and practices and scale of service delivery influencing cost and outcome. A high level of implementation efficiency was associated with high volumes of PWID clients accessing a drug harm reduction facility. A combination of optimized allocation of resources, improved implementation efficiency and increased investment of non-HIV resources is required to enhance coverage and improve outcomes of programs for PWID. Increasing efficiency of HIV programs for PWID is a key step towards avoiding implicit rationing and ensuring transparent allocation of resources where and how they would have the largest impact on the health of PWID, and thereby ensuring that funding spent on PWID becomes a global best buy in public health. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Effects of electrode settings on chlorine generation efficiency of electrolyzing seawater.

PubMed

Hsu, Guoo-Shyng Wang; Hsia, Chih-Wei; Hsu, Shun-Yao

2015-12-01

Electrolyzed water has significant disinfection effects, can comply with food safety regulations, and is environmental friendly. We investigated the effects of immersion depth of electrodes, stirring, electrode size, and electrode gap on the properties and chlorine generation efficiency of electrolyzing seawater and its storage stability. Results indicated that temperature and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of the seawater increased gradually, whereas electrical conductivity decreased steadily in electrolysis. During the electrolysis process, pH values and electric currents also decreased slightly within small ranges. Additional stirring or immersing the electrodes deep under the seawater significantly increased current density without affecting its electric efficiency and current efficiency. Decreasing electrode size or increasing electrode gap decreased chlorine production and electric current of the process without affecting its electric efficiency and current efficiency. Less than 35% of chlorine in the electrolyzed seawater was lost in a 3-week storage period. The decrement trend leveled off after the 1 st week of storage. The electrolyzing system is a convenient and economical method for producing high-chlorine seawater, which will have high potential applications in agriculture, aquaculture, or food processing. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Strength and stability of microbial plugs in porous media

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sarkar, A.K.; Sharma, M.M.; Georgiou, G.

1995-12-31

Mobility reduction induced by the growth and metabolism of bacteria in high-permeability layers of heterogeneous reservoirs is an economically attractive technique to improve sweep efficiency. This paper describes an experimental study conducted in sandpacks using an injected bacterium to investigate the strength and stability of microbial plugs in porous media. Successful convective transport of bacteria is important for achieving sufficient initial bacteria distribution. The chemotactic and diffusive fluxes are probably not significant even under static conditions. Mobility reduction depends upon the initial cell concentrations and increase in cell mass. For single or multiple static or dynamic growth techniques, permeability reductionmore » was approximately 70% of the original permeability. The stability of these microbial plugs to increases in pressure gradient and changes in cell physiology in a nutrient-depleted environment needs to be improved.« less

Aircraft turbofans: new economic and environmental benefits

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sampl, F.R.; Shank, M.E.

1985-09-01

This article describes turbofan and turboprop engines. Advanced turbofans and turboprop engines, by continuing to reduce the velocities of the jet exhaust and fan tip speed, can provide significant noise reductions. New combustors incorporated into these engines have reduced smoke, hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide to levels below the current requirements. The third generation of turbofans will continue to increase fuel efficiency and reduce aircraft operating costs. They are more modular in design and consist of half as many parts as the earlier engines, reducing maintenance time by half. Some of the key features of the new turbofan concept include: amore » very high bypass ratio/compression ratio cycle; swept fan blades; a thin, low-loss nacelle; low-loss reduction gearing; new materials; advanced compressor/turbine airfoils; and high-speed rotors with improved clearance control.« less

78 FR 18374 - Promoting Economic Efficiency in Spectrum Use: WSRD SSG Workshop IV

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-03-26

... NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION Promoting Economic Efficiency in Spectrum Use: WSRD SSG Workshop IV... important next step, the economic and policy research that is needed to promote an efficient and shared spectrum environment. Submitted by the National Science Foundation for the National Coordination Office...

Shared visions: Partnership of Rockwell International and NASA Cost Effectiveness Enhancements (CEE) for the space shuttle system integration program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bejmuk, Bohdan I.; Williams, Larry

1992-01-01

As a result of limited resources and tight fiscal constraints over the past several years, the defense and aerospace industries have experienced a downturn in business activity. The impact of fewer contracts being awarded has placed a greater emphasis for effectiveness and efficiency on industry contractors. It is clear that a reallocation of resources is required for America to continue to lead the world in space and technology. The key to technological and economic survival is the transforming of existing programs, such as the Space Shuttle Program, into more cost efficient programs so as to divert the savings to other NASA programs. The partnership between Rockwell International and NASA and their joint improvement efforts that resulted in significant streamlining and cost reduction measures to Rockwell International Space System Division's work on the Space Shuttle System Integration Contract is described. This work was a result of an established Cost Effectiveness Enhancement (CEE) Team formed initially in Fiscal Year 1991, and more recently expanded to a larger scale CEE Initiative in 1992. By working closely with the customer in agreeing to contract content, obtaining management endorsement and commitment, and involving the employees in total quality management (TQM) and continuous improvement 'teams,' the initial annual cost reduction target was exceeded significantly. The CEE Initiative helped reduce the cost of the Shuttle Systems Integration contract while establishing a stronger program based upon customer needs, teamwork, quality enhancements, and cost effectiveness. This was accomplished by systematically analyzing, challenging, and changing the established processes, practices, and systems. This examination, in nature, was work intensive due to the depth and breadth of the activity. The CEE Initiative has provided opportunities to make a difference in the way Rockwell and NASA work together - to update the methods and processes of the organizations. The future success of NASA space programs and Rockwell hinges upon the ability to adopt new, more efficient and effective work processes. Efficiency, proficiency, cost effectiveness, and teamwork are a necessity for economic survival. Continuous improvement initiatives like the CEE are, and will continue to be, vehicles by which the road can be traveled with a vision to the future.

Shared visions: Partnership of Rockwell International and NASA Cost Effectiveness Enhancements (CEE) for the space shuttle system integration program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bejmuk, Bohdan I.; Williams, Larry

As a result of limited resources and tight fiscal constraints over the past several years, the defense and aerospace industries have experienced a downturn in business activity. The impact of fewer contracts being awarded has placed a greater emphasis for effectiveness and efficiency on industry contractors. It is clear that a reallocation of resources is required for America to continue to lead the world in space and technology. The key to technological and economic survival is the transforming of existing programs, such as the Space Shuttle Program, into more cost efficient programs so as to divert the savings to other NASA programs. The partnership between Rockwell International and NASA and their joint improvement efforts that resulted in significant streamlining and cost reduction measures to Rockwell International Space System Division's work on the Space Shuttle System Integration Contract is described. This work was a result of an established Cost Effectiveness Enhancement (CEE) Team formed initially in Fiscal Year 1991, and more recently expanded to a larger scale CEE Initiative in 1992. By working closely with the customer in agreeing to contract content, obtaining management endorsement and commitment, and involving the employees in total quality management (TQM) and continuous improvement 'teams,' the initial annual cost reduction target was exceeded significantly. The CEE Initiative helped reduce the cost of the Shuttle Systems Integration contract while establishing a stronger program based upon customer needs, teamwork, quality enhancements, and cost effectiveness. This was accomplished by systematically analyzing, challenging, and changing the established processes, practices, and systems. This examination, in nature, was work intensive due to the depth and breadth of the activity. The CEE Initiative has provided opportunities to make a difference in the way Rockwell and NASA work together - to update the methods and processes of the organizations. The future success of NASA space programs and Rockwell hinges upon the ability to adopt new, more efficient and effective work processes. Efficiency, proficiency, cost effectiveness, and teamwork are a necessity for economic survival. Continuous improvement initiatives like the CEE are, and will continue to be, vehicles by which the road can be traveled with a vision to the future.

An Assessment of Japanese Carbon Tax Reform Using the E3MG Econometric Model

PubMed Central

Lee, Soocheol; Pollitt, Hector; Ueta, Kazuhiro

2012-01-01

This paper analyses the potential economic and environmental effects of carbon taxation in Japan using the E3MG model, a global macroeconometric model constructed by the University of Cambridge and Cambridge Econometrics. The paper approaches the issues by considering first the impacts of the carbon tax in Japan introduced in 2012 and then the measures necessary to reduce Japan's emissions in line with its Copenhagen pledge of −25% compared to 1990 levels. The results from the model suggest that FY2012 Tax Reform has only a small impact on emission levels and no significant impact on GDP and employment. The potential costs of reducing emissions to meet the 25% reduction target for 2020 are quite modest, but noticeable. GDP falls by around 1.2% compared to the baseline and employment by 0.4% compared to the baseline. But this could be offset, with some potential economic benefits, if revenues are recycled efficiently. This paper considers two revenue recycling scenarios. The most positive outcome is if revenues are used both to reduce income tax rates and to increase investment in energy efficiency. This paper shows there could be double dividend effects, if Carbon Tax Reform is properly designed. PMID:23365531

PtNi Alloy Cocatalyst Modification of Eosin Y-Sensitized g-C3N4/GO Hybrid for Efficient Visible-Light Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Peng; Zong, Lanlan; Guan, Zhongjie; Li, Qiuye; Yang, Jianjun

2018-02-01

An economic and effective Pt-based alloy cocatalyst has attracted considerable attention due to their excellent catalytic activity and reducing Pt usage. In this study, PtNi alloy cocatalyst was successfully decorated on the g-C3N4/GO hybrid photocatalyst via a facile chemical reduction method. The Eosin Y-sensitized g-C3N4/PtNi/GO-0.5% composite photocatalyst yields about 1.54 and 1178 times higher hydrogen evolution rate than the Eosin Y-sensitized g-C3N4/Pt/GO-0.5% and g-C3N4/Ni/GO-0.5% samples, respectively. Mechanism of enhanced performance for the g-C3N4/PtNi/GO composite was also investigated by different characterization, such as photoluminescence, transient photocurrent response, and TEM. These results indicated that enhanced charge separation efficiency and more reactive sites are responsible for the improved hydrogen evolution performance due to the positive synergetic effect between Pt and Ni. This study suggests that PtNi alloy can be used as an economic and effective cocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Integrated anaerobic/aerobic biological treatment for intensive swine production.

PubMed

Bortone, Giuseppe

2009-11-01

Manure processing could help farmers to effectively manage nitrogen (N) surplus load. Many pig farms have to treat wastewater. Piggery wastewater treatment is a complex challenge, due to the high COD and N concentrations and low C/N ratio. Anaerobic digestion (AD) could be a convenient pre-treatment, particularly from the energetic view point and farm income, but this causes further reduction of C/N ratio and makes denitrification difficult. N removal can only be obtained integrating anaerobic/aerobic treatment by taking into account the best use of electron donors. Experiences gained in Italy during development of integrated biological treatment approaches for swine manure, from bench to full scale, are reported in this paper. Solid/liquid separation as pre-treatment of raw manure is an efficient strategy to facilitate liquid fraction treatment without significantly lowering C/N ratio. In Italy, two full scale SBRs showed excellent efficiency and reliability. Current renewable energy policy and incentives makes economically attractive the application of AD to the separated solid fraction using high solid anaerobic digester (HSAD) technology. Economic evaluation showed that energy production can reduce costs up to 60%, making sustainable the overall treatment.

An assessment of Japanese carbon tax reform using the E3MG econometric model.

PubMed

Lee, Soocheol; Pollitt, Hector; Ueta, Kazuhiro

2012-01-01

This paper analyses the potential economic and environmental effects of carbon taxation in Japan using the E3MG model, a global macroeconometric model constructed by the University of Cambridge and Cambridge Econometrics. The paper approaches the issues by considering first the impacts of the carbon tax in Japan introduced in 2012 and then the measures necessary to reduce Japan's emissions in line with its Copenhagen pledge of -25% compared to 1990 levels. The results from the model suggest that FY2012 Tax Reform has only a small impact on emission levels and no significant impact on GDP and employment. The potential costs of reducing emissions to meet the 25% reduction target for 2020 are quite modest, but noticeable. GDP falls by around 1.2% compared to the baseline and employment by 0.4% compared to the baseline. But this could be offset, with some potential economic benefits, if revenues are recycled efficiently. This paper considers two revenue recycling scenarios. The most positive outcome is if revenues are used both to reduce income tax rates and to increase investment in energy efficiency. This paper shows there could be double dividend effects, if Carbon Tax Reform is properly designed.

NASA's High Speed Research Program - An introduction and status report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wesoky, Howard L.; Prather, Michael J.; Kayten, Gerald G.

1990-01-01

NASA's High Speed Research Program (HSRP) gives attention to the potential environmental effects of a next-generation SST in three areas of concern: atmospheric pollution, airport community noise, and sonic boom. Research has accordingly been undertaken in such fields as the validation of ozone depletion predictions, the feasibility a 90-percent NO(x) emissions reduction to minimize ozone-layer impacts, economically viable compliance with FAR 36 Stage 3 airport community noise levels, and the comparative advantages of efficient subsonic flight over land masses or low-sonic-boom-optimized configurations. Interim HSRP milestones for 1991 and 1992 are noted.

The Greek Pompeii in Health.

PubMed

Fanourgiakis, John; Kanoupakis, Emmanuel

2015-06-25

After the official request by Greece's prime minister for help, the country was put under the supervision of the Troika, that is, European Commission (EC), European Central Bank (ECB) and International Monetary Fund (IMF), and signed with them, in May  2010 the first and in February 2012 the second economic adjustment program, in exchange for financial packages, aiming at helping the country get out of its debt crisis, recover its lost growth and transform the national economy into a more sustainable model, including measures such as reductions in all public expenditures with efficient gains  at the same time (1, 2). [...].

Pathways to Mexico’s climate change mitigation targets: A multi-model analysis

DOE PAGES

Veysey, Jason; Octaviano, Claudia; Calvin, Katherine; ...

2015-04-25

Mexico’s climate policy sets ambitious national greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction targets—30% versus a business-as-usual baseline by 2020, 50% versus 2000 by 2050. However, these goals are at odds with recent energy and emission trends in the country. Both energy use and GHG emissions in Mexico have grown substantially over the last two decades. Here, we investigate how Mexico might reverse current trends and reach its mitigation targets by exploring results from energy system and economic models involved in the CLIMACAP-LAMP project. To meet Mexico’s emission reduction targets, all modeling groups agree that decarbonization of electricity is needed, along withmore » changes in the transport sector, either to more efficient vehicles or a combination of more efficient vehicles and lower carbon fuels. These measures reduce GHG emissions as well as emissions of other air pollutants. The models find different energy supply pathways, with some solutions based on renewable energy and others relying on biomass or fossil fuels with carbon capture and storage. The economy-wide costs of deep mitigation could range from 2% to 4% of GDP in 2030, and from 7% to 15% of GDP in 2050. Our results suggest that Mexico has some flexibility in designing deep mitigation strategies, and that technological options could allow Mexico to achieve its emission reduction targets, albeit at a cost to the country.« less

Exploring the impact of determining factors behind CO2 emissions in China: A CGE appraisal.

PubMed

Xiao, Bowen; Niu, Dongxiao; Wu, Han

2017-03-01

Along with the arrival of the post-Kyoto Protocol era, the Chinese government faces ever greater pressure to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs). Hence, this paper aims to discuss the drivers of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions and their impact on society as a whole. First, we analyzed the background and overall situations of CO 2 emissions in China. Then, we reviewed previous studies to explore the determinants behind China's CO 2 emissions. It is widely acknowledged that energy efficiency, energy mix, and economy structure are three key factors contributing to CO 2 emissions. To explore the impacts of those three factors on the economy and CO 2 emissions, we established a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. The following results were found: (1) The decline of a secondary industry can cause an emission reduction effect, but this is at the expense of the gross domestic product (GDP), whereas the development of a tertiary industry can boost the economy and help to reduce CO 2 emissions. (2) Cutting coal consumption can contribute significantly to emission reduction, which is accompanied by a great loss in the whole economy. (3) Although the energy efficiency improvement plays a positive role in promoting economic development, a backfire effect can weaken the effects of emission reduction and energy savings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impacts of microwave pretreatments on the semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of dairy waste activated sludge

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Uma Rani, R.; Adish Kumar, S.; Kaliappan, S.

2013-05-15

Highlights: ► Microwave pretreatment of dairy WAS was studied. ► MW pretreatment at 70% intensity for 12 min, COD solubilization was 18.6%. ► Biogas production and SS reduction was 35% and 14% higher than control. ► In digester at 15 days SRT with medium OLR, SS and VS reduction was 67% and 64%. ► Biogas and methane production was 57% and 49% higher than control, in digesters. - Abstract: Microwave (MW) irradiation is one of the new and possible methods used for pretreating the sludge. Following its use in different fields, this MW irradiation method has proved to be moremore » appropriate in the field of environmental research. In this paper, we focused on the effects of MW irradiation at different intensities on solubilization, biodegradation and anaerobic digestion of sludge from the dairy sludge. The changes in the soluble fractions of the organic matter, the biogas yield, the methane content in the biogas were used as control parameters for evaluating the efficiency of the MW pretreatment. Additionally, the energetic efficiency was also examined. In terms of an energetic aspect, the most economical pretreatment of sludge was at 70% intensity for 12 min irradiation time. At this, COD solubilization, SS reduction and biogas production were found to be 18.6%, 14% and 35% higher than the control, respectively. Not only the increase in biogas production was investigated, excluding protein and carbohydrate hydrolysis was also performed successfully by this microwave pretreatment even at low irradiation energy input. Also, experiments were carried out in semi continuous anaerobic digesters, with 3.5 L working volume. Combining microwave pretreatment with anaerobic digestion led to 67%, 64% and 57% of SS reduction, VS reduction and biogas production higher than the control, respectively.« less

SCENARIOS FOR MEETING CALIFORNIA'S 2050 CLIMATE GOALS California's Carbon Challenge Phase II Volume I: Non-Electricity Sectors and Overall Scenario Results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wei, Max; Greenblatt, Jeffrey; Donovan, Sally

2014-06-01

This study provides an updated analysis of long-term energy system scenarios for California consistent with the State meeting its 2050 climate goal, including detailed analysis and assessment of electricity system build-out, operation, and costs across the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) region. Four key elements are found to be critical for the State to achieve its 2050 goal of 80 percent greenhouse (GHG) reductions from the 1990 level: aggressive energy efficiency; clean electricity; widespread electrification of passenger vehicles, building heating, and industry heating; and large-scale production of low-carbon footprint biofuels to largely replace petroleum-based liquid fuels. The approach taken heremore » is that technically achievable energy efficiency measures are assumed to be achieved by 2050 and aggregated with the other key elements mentioned above to estimate resultant emissions in 2050. The energy and non-energy sectors are each assumed to have the objective of meeting an 80 percent reduction from their respective 1990 GHG levels for the purposes of analysis. A different partitioning of energy and non-energy sector GHG greenhouse reductions is allowed if emission reductions in one sector are more economic or technically achievable than in the other. Similarly, within the energy or non-energy sectors, greater or less than 80 percent reduction from 1990 is allowed for sub-sectors within the energy or non-energy sectors as long as the overall target is achieved. Overall emissions for the key economy-wide scenarios are considered in this report. All scenarios are compliant or nearly compliant with the 2050 goal. This finding suggests that multiple technical pathways exist to achieve the target with aggressive policy support and continued technology development of largely existing technologies.« less

Fertility, immigration, and the fight against climate change.

PubMed

Earl, Jake; Hickey, Colin; Rieder, Travis N

2017-10-01

Several philosophers have recently argued that policies aimed at reducing human fertility are a practical and morally justifiable way to mitigate the risk of dangerous climate change. There is a powerful objection to such "population engineering" proposals: even if drastic fertility reductions are needed to prevent dangerous climate change, implementing those reductions would wreak havoc on the global economy, which would seriously undermine international antipoverty efforts. In this article, we articulate this economic objection to population engineering and show how it fails. We argue, first, that the economic objection paints an inaccurate picture of the complicated relationship between demographic change and economic growth, and second, that any untoward economic effects of fertility reduction can be mitigated with additional policies. Specifically, we argue that supplementing fertility reduction with policies that facilitate the emigration of younger people from developing nations to developed nations could allow for both global reductions in GHG emissions and continued economic stability. Further, we show that moral arguments against such unprecedented increases in immigration are unsuccessful. We conclude that population engineering is a practical and morally justifiable tool for addressing the twin evils of climate change and global poverty. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

From municipal/industrial wastewater sludge and FOG to fertilizer: A proposal for economic sustainable sludge management.

PubMed

Bratina, Božidar; Šorgo, Andrej; Kramberger, Janez; Ajdnik, Urban; Zemljič, Lidija Fras; Ekart, Janez; Šafarič, Riko

2016-12-01

After a ban on the depositing of untreated sludge in landfills, the sludge from municipal and industrial water-treatment plants can be regarded as a problem. Waste products of the water treatment process can be a problem or an opportunity - a source for obtaining raw materials. In the European Union, raw sludge and fats, oil and grease (FOG) from municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) cannot be deposited in any natural or controlled environment. For this reason, it must be processed (stabilized, dried) to be used later as a fertilizer, building material, or alternative fuel source suitable for co-incineration in high temperature furnaces (power plants or concrete plants). The processes of drying sludge, where heat and electricity are used, are energy consuming and economically unattractive. Beside energy efficiency, the main problem of sludge drying is in its variability of quality as a raw material. In addition to this, sludge can be contaminated by a number of organic and inorganic pollutants and organisms. Due to the presence or absence of pollutants, different end products can be economically interesting. For example, if the dried sludge contains coliform bacteria, viruses, helminths eggs or smaller quantities of heavy metals, it cannot be used as a fertilizer but can still be used as a fuel. The objectives of the current article is to present a batch-processing pilot device of sludge or digestate that allows the following: (1) low pressure and low temperature energy effective drying of from 10 to 40% remaining water content, (2) disinfection of pathogen (micro)organisms, (3) heavy metal reduction, (4) production of products of predetermined quality (e.g. containing different quantities of water; it can be used as a fertilizer, or if the percentage of water in the dry sludge is decreased to 10%, then the dried sludge can be used as a fuel with a calorific value similar to coal). An important feature is also the utilization of low-pressure technology to prevent odorous gasses from spreading into the environment. There are presented two new technologies: a) Sewage sludge or digestate drying in the vacuum chamber consumes approx. 1 kWh/dm 3 of evaporated water and, therefore, reaches a price of 180-240 Euros/t Dry Matter (DM), and b) Heavy metals' reduction using adsorbing reaction with magnetite nanostructures can decrease the level of heavy metals in the sewage sludge or digestate up to 20% in one cycle, which can be repeated several times on the same sludge. The aim of the paper is to present a newly developed technology which can provide economic and safe use of moderate heavy metals polluted sewage sludge on agricultural lands as organic fertilizer and, therefore, returning the nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) back to the human food chain, instead of being incinerated or landfilled. The proposed drying technology is economically sustainable due to the low vacuum and temperature (35 °C-40 °C), that increases the efficiency of the heat pump (coefficient of performance 5-7,2) of the energy produced by the anaerobic digestion. Hence, the main emphasis is given to the development of: an efficient method for heavy metals' reduction in the sludge treatment chain by using chitosan covered magnetite nanoparticles, an efficient drying method in a vacuum with low temperature energy which can be exploited from sludge digestion to reduce organic matter, and an energy sustainable concept of sludge treatment, with the addition of fats, oil and grease (FOG) to produce enough biogas for sludge drying to produce fertilizer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HIV prevention costs and program scale: data from the PANCEA project in five low and middle-income countries.

PubMed

Marseille, Elliot; Dandona, Lalit; Marshall, Nell; Gaist, Paul; Bautista-Arredondo, Sergio; Rollins, Brandi; Bertozzi, Stefano M; Coovadia, Jerry; Saba, Joseph; Lioznov, Dmitry; Du Plessis, Jo-Ann; Krupitsky, Evgeny; Stanley, Nicci; Over, Mead; Peryshkina, Alena; Kumar, S G Prem; Muyingo, Sowedi; Pitter, Christian; Lundberg, Mattias; Kahn, James G

2007-07-12

Economic theory and limited empirical data suggest that costs per unit of HIV prevention program output (unit costs) will initially decrease as small programs expand. Unit costs may then reach a nadir and start to increase if expansion continues beyond the economically optimal size. Information on the relationship between scale and unit costs is critical to project the cost of global HIV prevention efforts and to allocate prevention resources efficiently. The "Prevent AIDS: Network for Cost-Effectiveness Analysis" (PANCEA) project collected 2003 and 2004 cost and output data from 206 HIV prevention programs of six types in five countries. The association between scale and efficiency for each intervention type was examined for each country. Our team characterized the direction, shape, and strength of this association by fitting bivariate regression lines to scatter plots of output levels and unit costs. We chose the regression forms with the highest explanatory power (R2). Efficiency increased with scale, across all countries and interventions. This association varied within intervention and within country, in terms of the range in scale and efficiency, the best fitting regression form, and the slope of the regression. The fraction of variation in efficiency explained by scale ranged from 26-96%. Doubling in scale resulted in reductions in unit costs averaging 34.2% (ranging from 2.4% to 58.0%). Two regression trends, in India, suggested an inflection point beyond which unit costs increased. Unit costs decrease with scale across a wide range of service types and volumes. These country and intervention-specific findings can inform projections of the global cost of scaling up HIV prevention efforts.

A New Direction: The Clinton Budget and Economic Plan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greenstein, Robert; Leonard, Paul

This booklet offers an in-depth analysis of the Clinton Administration budget and economic plan. The initial overview explains why the budget can be regarded as both a poverty-reduction and deficit-reduction budget. Chapter 2 offers detailed descriptions of the three main components of the plan--the deficit reduction measure (i.e., spending cuts…

A systematic review of economic evaluations of population-based sodium reduction interventions.

PubMed

Hope, Silvia F; Webster, Jacqui; Trieu, Kathy; Pillay, Arti; Ieremia, Merina; Bell, Colin; Snowdon, Wendy; Neal, Bruce; Moodie, Marj

2017-01-01

To summarise evidence describing the cost-effectiveness of population-based interventions targeting sodium reduction. A systematic search of published and grey literature databases and websites was conducted using specified key words. Characteristics of identified economic evaluations were recorded, and included studies were appraised for reporting quality using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) checklist. Twenty studies met the study inclusion criteria and received a full paper review. Fourteen studies were identified as full economic evaluations in that they included both costs and benefits associated with an intervention measured against a comparator. Most studies were modelling exercises based on scenarios for achieving salt reduction and assumed effects on health outcomes. All 14 studies concluded that their specified intervention(s) targeting reductions in population sodium consumption were cost-effective, and in the majority of cases, were cost saving. Just over half the studies (8/14) were assessed as being of 'excellent' reporting quality, five studies fell into the 'very good' quality category and one into the 'good' category. All of the identified evaluations were based on modelling, whereby inputs for all the key parameters including the effect size were either drawn from published datasets, existing literature or based on expert advice. Despite a clear increase in evaluations of salt reduction programs in recent years, this review identified relatively few economic evaluations of population salt reduction interventions. None of the studies were based on actual implementation of intervention(s) and the associated collection of new empirical data. The studies universally showed that population-based salt reduction strategies are likely to be cost effective or cost saving. However, given the reliance on modelling, there is a need for the effectiveness of new interventions to be evaluated in the field using strong study designs and parallel economic evaluations.

Economic injury level of the psyllid, Agonoscena pistaciae, on Pistachio, Pistacia vera cv. Ohadi.

PubMed

Reza Hassani, Mohammad; Nouri-Ganbalani, Gadir; Izadi, Hamzeh; Shojai, Mahmoud; Basirat, Mehdi

2009-01-01

The pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt and Lauterer (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) is a major pest of pistachio trees, Pistacia vera L. (Sapindalis: Anacardiaceae) throughout pistachio-producing regions in Iran. Different density levels of A. pistaciae nymphs were maintained on pistachio trees by different insecticide dosages to evaluate the relationship between nymph density and yield loss (weight of 1000 nuts). Psylla nymph densities were monitored weekly by counting nymphs on pistachio terminal leaflets. There was a significant reduction in weight of 1000 nuts as seasonal averages of nymphs increased. Regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between nymph density and weight of 1000 nuts. The economic injury levels varied as a function of market values, management costs, insecticide efficiency and yield loss rate and ranged from 7.7 to 30.7 nymphal days per terminal leaflet, based on weight of 1000 nuts.

Economic Injury Level of the Psyllid, Agonoscena pistaciae, on Pistachio, Pistacia vera cv. Ohadi

PubMed Central

Reza Hassani, Mohammad; Nouri-Ganbalani, Gadir; Izadi, Hamzeh; Basirat, Mehdi

2009-01-01

The pistachio psylla, Agonoscena pistaciae Burckhardt and Lauterer (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) is a major pest of pistachio trees, Pistacia vera L. (Sapindalis: Anacardiaceae) throughout pistachio-producing regions in Iran. Different density levels of A. pistaciae nymphs were maintained on pistachio trees by different insecticide dosages to evaluate the relationship between nymph density and yield loss (weight of 1000 nuts). Psylla nymph densities were monitored weekly by counting nymphs on pistachio terminal leaflets. There was a significant reduction in weight of 1000 nuts as seasonal averages of nymphs increased. Regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between nymph density and weight of 1000 nuts. The economic injury levels varied as a function of market values, management costs, insecticide efficiency and yield loss rate and ranged from 7.7 to 30.7 nymphal days per terminal leaflet, based on weight of 1000 nuts. PMID:19619034

Optimal design and management of chlorination in drinking water networks: a multi-objective approach using Genetic Algorithms and the Pareto optimality concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nouiri, Issam

2017-11-01

This paper presents the development of multi-objective Genetic Algorithms to optimize chlorination design and management in drinking water networks (DWN). Three objectives have been considered: the improvement of the chlorination uniformity (healthy objective), the minimization of chlorine booster stations number, and the injected chlorine mass (economic objectives). The problem has been dissociated in medium and short terms ones. The proposed methodology was tested on hypothetical and real DWN. Results proved the ability of the developed optimization tool to identify relationships between the healthy and economic objectives as Pareto fronts. The proposed approach was efficient in computing solutions ensuring better chlorination uniformity while requiring the weakest injected chlorine mass when compared to other approaches. For the real DWN studied, chlorination optimization has been crowned by great improvement of free-chlorine-dosing uniformity and by a meaningful chlorine mass reduction, in comparison with the conventional chlorination.

To amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to eliminate cost-sharing requirements in connection with economic adjustment grants made to assist communities that have suffered economic injury as a result of military base closures and realignments, defense contractor reductions in force, and Department of Energy defense-related funding reductions.

THOMAS, 111th Congress

Rep. Arcuri, Michael A. [D-NY-24

2009-12-11

House - 12/12/2009 Referred to the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings and Emergency Management. (All Actions) Tracker: This bill has the status IntroducedHere are the steps for Status of Legislation:

Introduction of Energy and Climate Mitigation Policy Issues in Energy - Environment Model of Latvia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klavs, G.; Rekis, J.

2016-12-01

The present research is aimed at contributing to the Latvian national climate policy development by projecting total GHG emissions up to 2030, by evaluating the GHG emission reduction path in the non-ETS sector at different targets set for emissions reduction and by evaluating the obtained results within the context of the obligations defined by the EU 2030 policy framework for climate and energy. The method used in the research was bottom-up, linear programming optimisation model MARKAL code adapted as the MARKAL-Latvia model with improvements for perfecting the integrated assessment of climate policy. The modelling results in the baseline scenario, reflecting national economic development forecasts and comprising the existing GHG emissions reduction policies and measures, show that in 2030 emissions will increase by 19.1 % compared to 2005. GHG emissions stabilisation and reduction in 2030, compared to 2005, were researched in respective alternative scenarios. Detailed modelling and analysis of the Latvian situation according to the scenario of non-ETS sector GHG emissions stabilisation and reduction in 2030 compared to 2005 have revealed that to implement a cost effective strategy of GHG emissions reduction first of all a policy should be developed that ensures effective absorption of the available energy efficiency potential in all consumer sectors. The next group of emissions reduction measures includes all non-ETS sectors (industry, services, agriculture, transport, and waste management).

Success of commonly used operating room management tools in reducing tardiness of first case of the day starts: evidence from German hospitals.

PubMed

Ernst, Christian; Szczesny, Andrea; Soderstrom, Naomi; Siegmund, Frank; Schleppers, Alexander

2012-09-01

One of the declared objectives of surgical suite management in Germany is to increase operating room (OR) efficiency by reducing tardiness of first case of the day starts. We analyzed whether the introduction of OR management tools by German hospitals in response to increasing economic pressure was successful in achieving this objective. The OR management tools we considered were the appointment of an OR manager and the development and adoption of a surgical suite governance document (OR charter). We hypothesized that tardiness of first case starts was less in ORs that have adopted one or both of these tools. Using representative 2005 survey data from 107 German anesthesiology departments, we used a Tobit model to estimate the effect of the introduction of an OR manager or OR charter on tardiness of first case starts, while controlling for hospital size and surgical suite complexity. Adoption reduced tardiness of first case starts by at least 7 minutes (mean reduction 15 minutes, 95% confidence interval (CI): 7-22 minutes, P < 0.001). Reductions in tardiness of first case starts figure prominently the objectives of surgical suite management in Germany. Our results suggest that the appointment of an OR manager or the adoption of an OR charter support this objective. For short-term decision making on the day of surgery, this reduction in tardiness may have economic implications, because it reduced overutilized OR time.

Pathways to Deep Decarbonization in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Torn, M. S.; Williams, J.

2015-12-01

Limiting anthropogenic warming to less than 2°C will require a reduction in global net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on the order of 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. Thus, there is a growing need to understand what would be required to achieve deep decarbonization (DD) in different economies. We examined the technical and economic feasibility of such a transition in the United States, evaluating the infrastructure and technology changes required to reduce U.S. GHG emissions in 2050 by 80% below 1990 levels. Using the PATHWAYS and GCAM models, we found that this level of decarbonization in the U.S. can be accomplished with existing commercial or near-commercial technologies, while providing the same level of energy services and economic growth as a reference case based on the U.S. DOE Annual Energy Outlook. Reductions are achieved through high levels of energy efficiency, decarbonization of electric generation, electrification of most end uses, and switching the remaining end uses to lower carbon fuels. Incremental energy system cost would be equivalent to roughly 1% of gross domestic product, not including potential non-energy benefits such as avoided human and infrastructure costs of climate change. Starting now on the deep decarbonization path would allow infrastructure stock turnover to follow natural replacement rates, which reduces costs, eases demand on manufacturing, and allows gradual consumer adoption. Energy system changes must be accompanied by reductions in non-energy and non-CO2 GHG emissions.

Analysis of Technological Innovation and Environmental Performance Improvement in Aviation Sector

PubMed Central

Lee, Joosung; Mo, Jeonghoon

2011-01-01

The past oil crises have caused dramatic improvements in fuel efficiency in all industrial sectors. The aviation sector—aircraft manufacturers and airlines—has also made significant efforts to improve the fuel efficiency through more advanced jet engines, high-lift wing designs, and lighter airframe materials. However, the innovations in energy-saving aircraft technologies do not coincide with the oil crisis periods. The largest improvement in aircraft fuel efficiency took place in the 1960s while the high oil prices in the 1970s and on did not induce manufacturers or airlines to achieve a faster rate of innovation. In this paper, we employ a historical analysis to examine the socio-economic reasons behind the relatively slow technological innovation in aircraft fuel efficiency over the last 40 years. Based on the industry and passenger behaviors studied and prospects for alternative fuel options, this paper offers insights for the aviation sector to shift toward more sustainable technological options in the medium term. Second-generation biofuels could be the feasible option with a meaningful reduction in aviation’s lifecycle environmental impact if they can achieve sufficient economies of scale. PMID:22016716

Analysis of technological innovation and environmental performance improvement in aviation sector.

PubMed

Lee, Joosung; Mo, Jeonghoon

2011-09-01

The past oil crises have caused dramatic improvements in fuel efficiency in all industrial sectors. The aviation sector-aircraft manufacturers and airlines-has also made significant efforts to improve the fuel efficiency through more advanced jet engines, high-lift wing designs, and lighter airframe materials. However, the innovations in energy-saving aircraft technologies do not coincide with the oil crisis periods. The largest improvement in aircraft fuel efficiency took place in the 1960s while the high oil prices in the 1970s and on did not induce manufacturers or airlines to achieve a faster rate of innovation. In this paper, we employ a historical analysis to examine the socio-economic reasons behind the relatively slow technological innovation in aircraft fuel efficiency over the last 40 years. Based on the industry and passenger behaviors studied and prospects for alternative fuel options, this paper offers insights for the aviation sector to shift toward more sustainable technological options in the medium term. Second-generation biofuels could be the feasible option with a meaningful reduction in aviation's lifecycle environmental impact if they can achieve sufficient economies of scale.

Energy efficient engine: Flight propulsion system preliminary analysis and design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, R. P.; Beitler, R. S.; Bobinger, R. O.; Broman, C. L.; Gravitt, R. D.; Heineke, H.; Holloway, P. R.; Klem, J. S.; Nash, D. O.; Ortiz, P.

1980-01-01

The characteristics of an advanced flight propulsion system (FPS), suitable for introduction in the late 1980's to early 1990's, was more fully defined. It was determined that all goals for efficiency, environmental considerations, and economics could be met or exceeded with the possible exception of NOx emission. In evaluating the FPS, all aspects were considered including component design, performance, weight, initial cost, maintenance cost, engine system integration (including nacelle), and aircraft integration considerations. The current FPS installed specific fuel consumption was reduced 14.2% from that of the CF6-50C reference engine. When integrated into an advanced, subsonic, study transport, the FPS produced a fuel burn savings of 15 to 23% and a direct operating cost reduction of 5 to 12% depending on the mission and study aircraft characteristics relative to the reference engine.

Economic Valuation of Mortality Risk Reduction - Volumes 1 and 2 (2004)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Reports prepared on economic valuation of mortality risk reduction using information collected from sstated preference surveys of individuals, as well as using information on revealed behavior from safety expenditures in context of automobile purchases.

Study of the application of advanced technologies to laminar flow control systems for subsonic transports. Volume 1: Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sturgeon, R. F.; Bennett, J. A.; Etchberger, F. R.; Ferrill, R. S.; Meade, L. E.

1976-01-01

A study was conducted to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of applying laminar flow control to the wings and empennage of long-range subsonic transport aircraft compatible with initial operation in 1985. For a design mission range of 10,186 km (5500 n mi), advanced technology laminar-flow-control (LFC) and turbulent-flow (TF) aircraft were developed for both 200 and 400-passenger payloads, and compared on the basis of production costs, direct operating costs, and fuel efficiency. Parametric analyses were conducted to establish the optimum geometry for LFC and TF aircraft, advanced LFC system concepts and arrangements were evaluated, and configuration variations maximizing the effectiveness of LFC were developed. For the final LFC aircraft, analyses were conducted to define maintenance costs and procedures, manufacturing costs and procedures, and operational considerations peculiar to LFC aircraft. Compared to the corresponding advanced technology TF transports, the 200- and 400-passenger LFC aircraft realized reductions in fuel consumption up to 28.2%, reductions in direct operating costs up to 8.4%, and improvements in fuel efficiency, in ssm/lb of fuel, up to 39.4%. Compared to current commercial transports at the design range, the LFC study aircraft demonstrate improvements in fuel efficiency up to 131%. Research and technology requirements requisite to the development of LFC transport aircraft were identified.

Managing water and salinity with desalination, conveyance, conservation, waste-water treatment and reuse to counteract climate variability in Gaza

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenberg, D. E.; Aljuaidi, A. E.; Kaluarachchi, J. J.

2009-12-01

We include demands for water of different salinity concentrations as input parameters and decision variables in a regional hydro-economic optimization model. This specification includes separate demand functions for saline water. We then use stochastic non-linear programming to jointly identify the benefit maximizing set of infrastructure expansions, operational allocations, and use of different water quality types under climate variability. We present a detailed application for the Gaza Strip. The application considers building desalination and waste-water treatment plants and conveyance pipelines, initiating water conservation and leak reduction programs, plus allocating and transferring water of different qualities among agricultural, industrial, and urban sectors and among districts. Results show how to integrate a mix of supply enhancement, conservation, water quality improvement, and water quality management actions into a portfolio that can economically and efficiently respond to changes and uncertainties in surface and groundwater availability due to climate variability. We also show how to put drawn-down and saline Gaza aquifer water to more sustainable and economical use.

Impact of edge removal on the centrality betweenness of the best spreaders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, N. N.; Chew, L. Y.; Zhou, J.; Lai, C. H.

2012-06-01

The control of epidemic spreading is essential to avoid potential fatal consequences and also, to lessen the unforeseen socio-economic impact. The need for effective control is exemplified during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemy in 2003, which has inflicted nearly a thousand deaths as well as bankruptcies of airlines and related businesses. In this article, we examine the efficacy of control strategies on the propagation of infectious diseases based on removing connections within real-world airline networks with the associated economic and social costs taken into account through defining appropriate quantitative measures. We uncover the surprising results that removing less busy connections can be far more effective in hindering the spread of the disease than removing the more popular connections. Since disconnecting the less popular routes tends to incur less socio-economic cost, our finding suggests the possibility of trading minimal reduction in connectivity of an important hub with efficiencies in epidemic control. In particular, we demonstrate the performance of various local epidemic control strategies, and show how our approach can predict their cost effectiveness through the spreading control characteristics.

The economic burden of malaria.

PubMed

Gallup, J L; Sachs, J D

2001-01-01

Malaria and poverty are intimately connected. Controlling for factors such as tropical location, colonial history, and geographical isolation, countries with intensive malaria had income levels in 1995 of only 33% that of countries without malaria, whether or not the countries were in Africa. The high levels of malaria in poor countries are not mainly a consequence of poverty. Malaria is geographically specific. The ecological conditions that support the more efficient malaria mosquito vectors primarily determine the distribution and intensity of the disease. Intensive efforts to eliminate malaria in the most severely affected tropical countries have been largely ineffective. Countries that have eliminated malaria in the past half century have all been either subtropical or islands. These countries' economic growth in the 5 years after eliminating malaria has usually been substantially higher than growth in the neighboring countries. Cross-country regressions for the 1965-1990 period confirm the relationship between malaria and economic growth. Taking into account initial poverty, economic policy, tropical location, and life expectancy, among other factors, countries with intensive malaria grew 1.3% less per person per year, and a 10% reduction in malaria was associated with 0.3% higher growth. Controlling for many other tropical diseases does not change the correlation of malaria with economic growth, and these diseases are not themselves significantly negatively correlated with economic growth. A second independent measure of malaria has a slightly higher correlation with economic growth in the 1980-1996 period. We speculate about the mechanisms that could cause malaria to have such a large impact on the economy, such as foreign investment and economic networks within the country.

The Economics of Inequality: The Value of Early Childhood Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heckman, James J.

2011-01-01

Educational equity is often discussed as a moral issue. Another way to think about equity is as a way to promote productivity and economic efficiency. Traditionally, equity and efficiency are viewed as competing goals. One can be fair in devising a policy, but it often happens that what is fair is not economically efficient. Conversely, what is…

Using stated preference methods to design cost-effective subsidy programs to induce technology adoption: an application to a stove program in southern Chile.

PubMed

Gómez, Walter; Salgado, Hugo; Vásquez, Felipe; Chávez, Carlos

2014-01-01

We study the design of an economic incentive based program - a subsidy - to induce adoption of more efficient technology in a pollution reduction program in southern Chile. Stated preferences methods, contingent valuation (CV), and choice experiment (CE) are used to estimate the probability of adoption and the willingness to share the cost of a new technology by a household. The cost-effectiveness property of different subsidy schemes is explored numerically for different regulatory objectives. Our results suggest that households are willing to participate in voluntary programs and to contribute by paying a share of the cost of adopting more efficient technologies. We find that attributes of the existing and the new technology, beyond the price, are relevant determinant factors of the participation decision and payment. Limited access to credit markets for low income families can be a major barrier for an effective implementation of these types of programs. Variations in the design of the subsidy and on the regulator's objective and constraints can have significant impact on the level and the cost of reduction of aggregate emissions achieved. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The contradictory logic of global ecosystem services markets.

PubMed

McAfee, Kathleen

2012-01-01

Commodification and transnational trading of ecosystem services is the most ambitious iteration yet of the strategy of ‘selling nature to save it’. The World Bank and UN agencies contend that global carbon markets can slow climate change while generating resources for development. Consonant with ‘inclusionary’ versions of neoliberal development policy, advocates assert that international payment for ecosystem services (PES) projects, financed by carbon-offset sales and biodiversity banking, can benefit the poor. However, the World Bank also warns that a focus on poverty reduction can undermine efficiency in conservation spending. The experience of ten years of PES illustrates how, in practice, market-efficiency criteria clash directly with poverty-reduction priorities. Nevertheless, the premises of market-based PES are being extrapolated as a model for global REDD programmes financed by carbon-offset trading. This article argues that the contradiction between development and conservation observed in PES is inevitable in projects framed by the asocial logic of neoclassical economics. Application in international conservation policy of the market model, in which profit incentives depend upon differential opportunity costs, will entail a net upward redistribution of wealth from poorer to wealthier classes and from rural regions to distant centres of capital accumulation, mainly in the global North.

One-pot synthesis of nitrogen and sulfur co-doped onion-like mesoporous carbon vesicle as an efficient metal-free catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Ce; Bo, Xiangjie; Zhang, Yufan; Li, Mian; Guo, Liping

2014-12-01

Nitrogen and sulfur co-doped onion-like mesoporous carbon vesicle (NS-MCV) with multilayer lamellar structure is synthesized as a metal-free catalyst through a convenient and economical procedure. The synthesized materials are systematically characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectra, nitrogen adsorption-desorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The characterization results demonstrate that N and S atoms can be successfully doped into the framework of MCV with little impact on the morphology and structure. The NS-MCV manifests a remarkably high electrocatalytic activity as a metal-free electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with mainly a four-electron transfer pathway. Moreover, in contrast to the commercially available Pt/C catalyst, the NS-MCV shows much better long-term stability and tolerance toward methanol crossover in an alkaline medium. Such excellent performances can be mainly attributed to the synergistic effect arising from the addition of N and S heteroatom, optimized S content and high surface area. The NS-MCV with a simple synthesis method may further exploited as potentially efficient and inexpensive metal-free ORR catalyst materials.

Integrating economic and biophysical data in assessing cost-effectiveness of buffer strip placement.

PubMed

Balana, Bedru Babulo; Lago, Manuel; Baggaley, Nikki; Castellazzi, Marie; Sample, James; Stutter, Marc; Slee, Bill; Vinten, Andy

2012-01-01

The European Union Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires Member States to set water quality objectives and identify cost-effective mitigation measures to achieve "good status" in all waters. However, costs and effectiveness of measures vary both within and between catchments, depending on factors such as land use and topography. The aim of this study was to develop a cost-effectiveness analysis framework for integrating estimates of phosphorus (P) losses from land-based sources, potential abatement using riparian buffers, and the economic implications of buffers. Estimates of field-by-field P exports and routing were based on crop risk and field slope classes. Buffer P trapping efficiencies were based on literature metadata analysis. Costs of placing buffers were based on foregone farm gross margins. An integrated optimization model of cost minimization was developed and solved for different P reduction targets to the Rescobie Loch catchment in eastern Scotland. A target mean annual P load reduction of 376 kg to the loch to achieve good status was identified. Assuming all the riparian fields initially have the 2-m buffer strip required by the General Binding Rules (part of the WFD in Scotland), the model gave good predictions of P loads (345-481 kg P). The modeling results show that riparian buffers alone cannot achieve the required P load reduction (up to 54% P can be removed). In the medium P input scenario, average costs vary from £38 to £176 kg P at 10% and 54% P reduction, respectively. The framework demonstrates a useful tool for exploring cost-effective targeting of environmental measures. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Dairy goat production systems: status quo, perspectives and challenges.

PubMed

Escareño, Luis; Salinas-Gonzalez, Homero; Wurzinger, Maria; Iñiguez, Luiz; Sölkner, Johann; Meza-Herrera, Cesar

2013-01-01

Goat production concentrated in developing countries (tropics, dry areas), contributes largely to the livelihoods of low and medium income farmers. Farming systems in these areas have evolved to cope with the formidable constraints imposed by harsh natural and economic conditions by adapting integrated crop/livestock production strategies. In Asia, Africa and Latin America, due to its almost exclusive extensive nature, goat production relies mainly on grazing on communal lands that hardly provide the minimum nutrient requirements due to overstocking and degradation. While some of these production systems are becoming semi-intensive, appropriate breeding strategies should be designed to promote conservation and improvement of their unique attributes, such as adaptability, water use efficiency and suitability under harsh climatic conditions. In Europe, dairy goat production is more common around the Mediterranean basin, where it is important from an economic, environmental and sociological perspective to the Mediterranean countries: Spain, France, Italy and Greece. Europe owns only 5.1 % of the world's dairy goat herds, but produces 15.6 % of the world's goat milk; this is the only continent where goat milk has such an economic importance and organization. In developing countries the dairy goat sector requires a systemic approach, whereby nutrition, animal health, breeding, know-how, inputs and technologies must be assembled. This would allow the optimization of natural and local resources and would promote the transition from a risk reduction strategy towards an increased productivity strategy. Such an increase would privilege production efficiency based on clean, green and ethical practices for responsible innovation.

Marginal reserves of energy and environmental problems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Raveloson, E.A.; Rakotomaria, E.; Gazerian, J.P.

1995-12-31

Madagascar is a country which has a variety of energy fields that present limited reserves in quantity and quality. Up till now, these fields were not economically viable. When and how to change this situation? In the classical project management approach, there will not be any chance to drive up the development of these energy fields. Nowadays, the economical crisis is general at a world-wide level, but for each developing country it appears that poverty is closely linked to environmental problems. Drought, starvation, deforestation, intensive migration of population without taking into account the standard constraints of under-development, non existence ofmore » roads or of modern agriculture and industry, limitation of financing availability, etc. The preliminary conditions to answer efficiently the common problems of development and of environment should be the reduction of the project size to a reasonable investment, the splitting of the field to a small zones of {open_quotes}development and environment,{close_quotes} identifying the economic potential (agriculture, industry, tourism, trade, and consumer centers), then determining the model of energy production adapted to the in situ available raw material. Project management methods and competitive intelligence methods should be combined to find the right solution in due time for the southern part of Madagascar. From the logical framework method, the Logiframe software has been designed to be an efficient tool for developing countries project managers and decision makers to solve the projects integratability problems on behalf of a regional development program.« less

The determinants of efficiency in the Canadian health care system.

PubMed

Allin, Sara; Grignon, Michel; Wang, Li

2016-01-01

In spite of the vast number of studies measuring economic efficiency in health care, there has been little take-up of this evidence by policy-makers to date. This study provides an illustration of how a system-level study drawing on best practice in empirical measurement of efficiency may be of practical use to health system decision makers and managers. We make use of the rich data available in Canada to undertake a robust two-stage data envelopment analysis to calculate efficiency at the regional (sub-provincial) level. Decisions about what the health system produces (the outcome to measure efficiency against) and what are the resources it has to produce that outcome were based on interviews and consultation with health system decision makers. Overall, we find large inefficiencies in the Canadian health care system, which could improve outcomes (here, measured as a reduction in treatable causes of death) by between 18 and 35% across our analyses. Also, we find that inefficiencies are the result of three main sets of factors that policy makers could pay attention to: management factors, such as hospital re-admissions; public health factors, such as obesity and smoking rates; and environmental factors such as the population's average income.

Grand Challenges for Disaster Reduction

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-06-01

6—Promote risk-wise behavior. Develop and apply principles of economics and human behavior to enhance communications, trust, and understand- ing...Challenges for Disaster Reduction Promote Risk-Wise Behavior. Develop and apply principles of economics and human behavior to enhance communications

Current and Future United States Light-Duty Vehicle Pathways: Cradle-to-Grave Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Economic Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elgowainy, Amgad; Han, Jeongwoo; Ward, Jacob

This article presents a cradle-to-grave (C2G) assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and costs for current (2015) and future (2025-2030) light-duty vehicles. The analysis addressed both fuel cycle and vehicle manufacturing cycle for the following vehicle types: gasoline and diesel internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), flex fuel vehicles, compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Gasoline ICEVs using current technology have C2G emissions of ~450 gCO2e/mi (grams of carbon dioxide equivalents per mile), while C2G emissions from HEVs, PHEVs, H2 FCEVs, andmore » BEVs range from 300-350 gCO2e/mi. Future vehicle efficiency gains are expected to reduce emissions to ~350 gCO2/mi for ICEVs and ~250 gCO2e/mi for HEVs, PHEVs, FCEVs, and BEVs. Utilizing low-carbon fuel pathways yields GHG reductions more than double those achieved by vehicle efficiency gains alone. Levelized costs of driving (LCDs) are in the range $0.25-$1.00/mi depending on time frame and vehicle-fuel technology. In all cases, vehicle cost represents the major (60-90%) contribution to LCDs. Currently, HEV and PHEV petroleum-fueled vehicles provide the most attractive cost in terms of avoided carbon emissions, although they offer lower potential GHG reductions. The ranges of LCD and cost of avoided carbon are narrower for the future technology pathways, reflecting the expected economic competitiveness of these alternative vehicles and fuels.« less

Current and Future United States Light-Duty Vehicle Pathways: Cradle-to-Grave Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Economic Assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Elgowainy, Amgad; Han, Jeongwoo; Ward, Jacob

This article presents a cradle-to-grave (C2G) assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and costs for current (2015) and future (2025–2030) light-duty vehicles. The analysis addressed both fuel cycle and vehicle manufacturing cycle for the following vehicle types: gasoline and diesel internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), flex fuel vehicles, compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Gasoline ICEVs using current technology have C2G emissions of ~450 gCO2e/mi (grams of carbon dioxide equivalents per mile), while C2G emissions from HEVs, PHEVs, H2 FCEVs, andmore » BEVs range from 300–350 gCO2e/mi. Future vehicle efficiency gains are expected to reduce emissions to ~350 gCO2/mi for ICEVs and ~250 gCO2e/mi for HEVs, PHEVs, FCEVs and BEVs. Utilizing low-carbon fuel pathways yields GHG reductions more than double those achieved by vehicle efficiency gains alone. Levelized costs of driving (LCDs) are in the range $0.25–$1.00/mi depending on timeframe and vehicle-fuel technology. In all cases, vehicle cost represents the major (60–90%) contribution to LCDs. Currently, HEV and PHEV petroleum-fueled vehicles provide the most attractive cost in terms of avoided carbon emissions, although they offer lower potential GHG reductions The ranges of LCD and cost of avoided carbon are narrower for the future technology pathways, reflecting the expected economic competitiveness of these alternative vehicles and fuels.« less

Current and Future United States Light-Duty Vehicle Pathways: Cradle-to-Grave Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Economic Assessment.

PubMed

Elgowainy, Amgad; Han, Jeongwoo; Ward, Jacob; Joseck, Fred; Gohlke, David; Lindauer, Alicia; Ramsden, Todd; Biddy, Mary; Alexander, Mark; Barnhart, Steven; Sutherland, Ian; Verduzco, Laura; Wallington, Timothy J

2018-02-20

This article presents a cradle-to-grave (C2G) assessment of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and costs for current (2015) and future (2025-2030) light-duty vehicles. The analysis addressed both fuel cycle and vehicle manufacturing cycle for the following vehicle types: gasoline and diesel internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs), flex fuel vehicles, compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Gasoline ICEVs using current technology have C2G emissions of ∼450 gCO 2 e/mi (grams of carbon dioxide equivalents per mile), while C2G emissions from HEVs, PHEVs, H 2 FCEVs, and BEVs range from 300-350 gCO 2 e/mi. Future vehicle efficiency gains are expected to reduce emissions to ∼350 gCO 2 /mi for ICEVs and ∼250 gCO 2e /mi for HEVs, PHEVs, FCEVs, and BEVs. Utilizing low-carbon fuel pathways yields GHG reductions more than double those achieved by vehicle efficiency gains alone. Levelized costs of driving (LCDs) are in the range $0.25-$1.00/mi depending on time frame and vehicle-fuel technology. In all cases, vehicle cost represents the major (60-90%) contribution to LCDs. Currently, HEV and PHEV petroleum-fueled vehicles provide the most attractive cost in terms of avoided carbon emissions, although they offer lower potential GHG reductions. The ranges of LCD and cost of avoided carbon are narrower for the future technology pathways, reflecting the expected economic competitiveness of these alternative vehicles and fuels.

Method to monitor HC-SCR catalyst NOx reduction performance for lean exhaust applications

DOEpatents

Viola, Michael B [Macomb Township, MI; Schmieg, Steven J [Troy, MI; Sloane, Thompson M [Oxford, MI; Hilden, David L [Shelby Township, MI; Mulawa, Patricia A [Clinton Township, MI; Lee, Jong H [Rochester Hills, MI; Cheng, Shi-Wai S [Troy, MI

2012-05-29

A method for initiating a regeneration mode in selective catalytic reduction device utilizing hydrocarbons as a reductant includes monitoring a temperature within the aftertreatment system, monitoring a fuel dosing rate to the selective catalytic reduction device, monitoring an initial conversion efficiency, selecting a determined equation to estimate changes in a conversion efficiency of the selective catalytic reduction device based upon the monitored temperature and the monitored fuel dosing rate, estimating changes in the conversion efficiency based upon the determined equation and the initial conversion efficiency, and initiating a regeneration mode for the selective catalytic reduction device based upon the estimated changes in conversion efficiency.

Mitochondrial phenotypic flexibility enhances energy savings during winter fast in king penguin chicks.

PubMed

Monternier, Pierre-Axel; Marmillot, Vincent; Rouanet, Jean-Louis; Roussel, Damien

2014-08-01

Energy conservation is a key priority for organisms that live in environments with seasonal shortages in resource supplies or that spontaneously fast during their annual cycle. The aim of this study was to determine whether the high fasting endurance of winter-acclimatized king penguin chicks (Aptenodytes patagonicus) is associated with an adjustment of mitochondrial bioenergetics in pectoralis muscle, the largest skeletal muscle in penguins. The rates of mitochondrial oxygen consumption, and ATP synthesis and mitochondrial efficiency (ATP/O ratio) were measured in winter-acclimatized chicks. We used pyruvate/malate and palmitoyl-l-carnitine/malate as respiratory substrates and results from naturally fasted chicks were compared to experimentally re-fed chicks. Bioenergetics analysis of pectoralis muscle revealed that mitochondria are on average 15% more energy efficient in naturally fasted than in experimentally fed chicks, indicating that fasted birds consume less nutrients to sustain their energy-demanding processes. We also found that moderate reductions in temperature from 38°C to 30°C further increase by 23% the energy coupling efficiency at the level of mitochondria, suggesting that king penguin chicks realize additional energy savings while becoming hypothermic during winter. It has been calculated that this adjustment of mitochondrial efficiency in skeletal muscle may contribute to nearly 25% of fasting-induced reduction in mass-specific metabolic rate measured in vivo. The present study shows that the regulation of mitochondrial efficiency triggers the development of an economical management of resources, which would maximize the conservation of endogenous fuel stores by decreasing the cost of living in fasted winter-acclimatized king penguin chicks. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Determination of Fares: Pricing Theory and Economic Efficiency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miller, J. C., III

1972-01-01

The concept of economic efficiency is described, its application to the pricing of air transport services, and its relevance as a policy objective are outlined. The first two sections discuss economic efficiency in general terms, whereas the third applies this norm to several airline pricing problems. The final section emphasizes the importance of industry behavior as a parameter in policy analysis.

Conceptual Design of a Single-Aisle Turboelectric Commercial Transport With Fuselage Boundary Layer Ingestion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Welstead, Jason R.; Felder, James L.

2016-01-01

A single-aisle commercial transport concept with a turboelectric propulsion system architecture was developed assuming entry into service in 2035 and compared to a similar technology conventional configuration. The turboelectric architecture consisted of two underwing turbofans with generators extracting power from the fan shaft and sending it to a rear fuselage, axisymmetric, boundary layer ingesting fan. Results indicate that the turbo- electric concept has an economic mission fuel burn reduction of 7%, and a design mission fuel burn reduction of 12% compared to the conventional configuration. An exploration of the design space was performed to better understand how the turboelectric architecture changes the design space, and system sensitivities were run to determine the sensitivity of thrust specific fuel consumption at top of climb and propulsion system weight to the motor power, fan pressure ratio, and electrical transmission efficiency of the aft boundary layer ingesting fan.

Can Advances in Science and Technology Prevent Global Warming? A Critical Review of Limitations and Challenges

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huesemann, Michael H.

The most stringent emission scenarios published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) would result in the stabilization of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) at concentrations of approximately 550 ppm which would produce a global temperature increase of at least 2 C by 2100. Given the large uncertainties regarding the potential risks associated with this degree of global warming, it would be more prudent to stabilize atmospheric CO2 concentrations at or below current levels which, in turn, would require a greater than 20-fold reduction (i.e., ?95%) in per capita carbon emissions in industrialized nations within the next 50 to 100more » years. Using the Kaya equation as a conceptual framework, this paper examines whether CO2 mitigation approaches such as energy efficiency improvements, carbon sequestration, and the development of carbon-free energy sources would be sufficient to bring about the required reduction in per capita carbon emissions without creating unforeseen negative impacts elsewhere. In terms of energy efficiency, large improvements (?5-fold) are in principle possible given aggressive investments in R&D and if market imperfections such as corporate subsidies are removed. However, energy efficiency improvements per se will not result in a reduction in carbon emissions if, as predicted by the IPCC, the size of the global economy has expanded 12-26 fold by 2100. Terrestrial carbon sequestration via reforestation and improved agricultural soil management has many environmental advantages but has only limited CO2 mitigation potential because the global terrestrial carbon sink (ca. 200 Gt C) is small relative to the size of fossil fuel deposits (?4000 Gt C). By contrast, very large amounts of CO2 can potentially be removed from the atmosphere via sequestration in geologic formations and oceans, but carbon storage is not permanent and is likely to create many unpredictable environmental consequences. Renewable solar energy can in theory provide large amounts of carbon-free power. However, biomass and hydroelectric energy can only be marginally expanded and large-scale solar energy installations (i.e., wind, photovoltaics, and direct thermal) are likely to have significant negative environmental impacts. Expansion of nuclear energy is highly unlikely due to concerns over reactor safety, radioactive waste management, weapons proliferation, and cost. In view of the serious limitations and liabilities of many proposed CO2 mitigation approaches it appears that there remain only few no-regrets options such as drastic energy efficiency improvements, extensive terrestrial carbon sequestration, and cautious expansion of renewable energy generation. These promising CO2 mitigation technologies have the potential to bring about the required 20-fold reduction in per capita carbon emission only if population and economic growth are halted without delay. Thus, addressing the problem of global warming requires not only technological research and development but also a reexamination of core values that mistakenly equate material consumption and economic growth to happiness and well-being.« less

Life cycle and economic efficiency analysis: durable pavement markings.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-07-01

This project examined the life cycle and economic efficiency of two pavement marking : materials inlaid tape and thermoplastic to find the most economical product for specific : traffic and weather conditions. Six locations in the state of Ma...

Economic innovation and efficiency gains as the driving force for accelerating carbon dioxide emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garrett, T. J.

2012-12-01

It is normally assumed that gains in energy efficiency are one of the best routes that society has available to it for stabilizing future carbon dioxide emissions. For a given degree of economic productivity less energy is consumed and a smaller quantity of fossil fuels is required. While certainly this observation is true in the instant, it ignores feedbacks in the economic system such that efficiency gains ultimately lead to greater energy consumption: taken as a global whole, they permit civilization to accelerate its expansion into the energy reserves that sustain it. Here this argument is formalized from a general thermodynamic perspective. The core result is that there exists a fixed, time-independent link between a very general representation of global inflation-adjusted economic wealth (units currency) and civilization's total capacity to consume power (units energy per time). Based on 40 years of available statistics covering more than a tripling of global GDP and a doubling of wealth, this constant has a value of 7.1 +/- 0.01 Watts per one thousand 2005 US dollars. Essentially, wealth is power. Civilization grows by dissipating power in order to sustain all its current activities and to incorporate more raw material into its existing structure. Growth of its structure is related to economic production, so more energy efficient economic production facilitates growth. Growth is into the reserves that sustain civilization, in which case there is a positive feedback in the economic system whereby energy efficiency gains ultimately "backfire" if their intended purpose is to reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. The analogy that can be made is to a growing child: a healthy child who efficiently incorporates food into her structure grows quickly and is able to consume more in following years. Economically, an argument is made that, for a range of reasons, there are good reasons to refer to efficiency gains as economic "innovation", both for their physical nature and their links to traditional neo-classical economics.

Early Elementary Class-Size Reduction: A Neo-Institutional Analysis of the Social, Political, and Economic Influences on State-Level Policymaking.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Ross E.

This paper examines the social, political, and economic factors that influenced the adoption and diffusion of early-elementary school class-size-reduction policies at the state level. It applies a neo-institutional framework to explain the rapid spread of class-size reduction policies throughout many state legislatures and boards of education. It…

Integrating Demand-Side Resources into the Electric Grid: Economic and Environmental Considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fisher, Michael J.

Demand-side resources are taking an increasingly prominent role in providing essential grid services once provided by thermal power plants. This thesis considers the economic feasibility and environmental effects of integrating demand-side resources into the electric grid with consideration given to the diversity of market and environmental conditions that can affect their behavior. Chapter 2 explores the private economics and system-level carbon dioxide reduction when using demand response for spinning reserve. Steady end uses like lighting are more than twice as profitable as seasonal end uses because spinning reserve is needed year-round. Avoided carbon emission damages from using demand response instead of fossil fuel generation for spinning reserve are sufficient to justify incentives for demand response resources. Chapter 3 quantifies the system-level net emissions rate and private economics of behind-the-meter energy storage. Net emission rates are lower than marginal emission rates for power plants and in-line with estimates of net emission rates from grid-level storage. The economics are favorable for many buildings in regions with high demand charges like California and New York, even without subsidies. Future penetration into regions with average charges like Pennsylvania will depend greatly on installation cost reductions and wholesale prices for ancillary services. Chapter 4 outlines a novel econometric model to quantify potential revenues from energy storage that reduces demand charges. The model is based on a novel predictive metric that is derived from the building's load profile. Normalized revenue estimates are independent of the power capacity of the battery holding other performance characteristics equal, which can be used to calculate the profit-maximizing storage size. Chapter 5 analyzes the economic feasibility of flow batteries in the commercial and industrial market. Flow batteries at a 4-hour duration must be less expensive on a dollar per installed kWh basis, often by 20-30%, to break even with shorter duration li-ion or lead-acid despite allowing for deeper depth of discharge and superior cycle life. These results are robust to assumptions of tariff rates, battery round-trip efficiencies, amount of solar generation and whether the battery can participate in the wholesale energy and ancillary services markets.

[Efficiency of industrial energy conservation and carbon emission reduction in Liaoning Pro-vince based on data envelopment analysis (DEA)method.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Xi, Feng Ming; Li, Jin Xin; Liu, Li Li

2016-09-01

Taking 39 industries as independent decision-making units in Liaoning Province from 2003 to 2012 and considering the benefits of energy, economy and environment, we combined direction distance function and radial DEA method to estimate and decompose the energy conservation and carbon emissions reduction efficiency of the industries. Carbon emission of each industry was calculated and defined as an undesirable output into the model of energy saving and carbon emission reduction efficiency. The results showed that energy saving and carbon emission reduction efficiency of industries had obvious heterogeneity in Liaoning Province. The whole energy conservation and carbon emissions reduction efficiency in each industry of Liaoning Province was not high, but it presented a rising trend. Improvements of pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency were the main measures to enhance energy saving and carbon emission reduction efficiency, especially scale efficiency improvement. In order to improve the energy saving and carbon emission reduction efficiency of each industry in Liaoning Province, we put forward that Liaoning Province should adjust industry structure, encourage the development of low carbon high benefit industries, improve scientific and technological level and adjust the industry scale reasonably, meanwhile, optimize energy structure, and develop renewable and clean energy.

Effects of Economic Conditions and Organizational Structure on Local Health Jurisdiction Revenue Streams and Personnel Levels in Connecticut, 2005-2012.

PubMed

Pallas, Sarah Wood; Kertanis, Jennifer; O'Keefe, Elaine; Humphries, Debbie L

2015-01-01

We investigated whether or not changes in economic conditions during the 2008-2010 U.S. recession were associated with changes in Connecticut local health jurisdictions' (LHJs') revenue or personnel levels. We analyzed Connecticut Department of Public Health 2005-2012 annual report data from 91 Connecticut LHJs, as well as publicly available data on economic conditions. We used fixed- and random-effect regression models to test whether or not LHJ per capita revenues and full-time equivalent (FTE) personnel differed during and post-recession compared with pre-recession, or varied with recession intensity, as measured by unemployment rates and housing permits. On average, total revenue per capita was significantly lower during and post-recession compared with pre-recession, with two-thirds of LHJs experiencing per capita revenue reductions. FTE personnel per capita were significantly lower post-recession. Changes in LHJ-level unemployment rates and housing permits did not explain the variation in revenue or FTE personnel per capita. Revenue and personnel differed significantly by LHJ organizational structure across all time periods. Economic downturns can substantially reduce resources available for local public health. LHJ organizational structure influences revenue levels and sources, with implications for the scope, quality, and efficiency of services delivered.

Effects of Economic Conditions and Organizational Structure on Local Health Jurisdiction Revenue Streams and Personnel Levels in Connecticut, 2005–2012

PubMed Central

Pallas, Sarah Wood; Kertanis, Jennifer; O'Keefe, Elaine

2015-01-01

Objective We investigated whether or not changes in economic conditions during the 2008–2010 U.S. recession were associated with changes in Connecticut local health jurisdictions' (LHJs') revenue or personnel levels. Methods We analyzed Connecticut Department of Public Health 2005–2012 annual report data from 91 Connecticut LHJs, as well as publicly available data on economic conditions. We used fixed- and random-effect regression models to test whether or not LHJ per capita revenues and full-time equivalent (FTE) personnel differed during and post-recession compared with pre-recession, or varied with recession intensity, as measured by unemployment rates and housing permits. Results On average, total revenue per capita was significantly lower during and post-recession compared with pre-recession, with two-thirds of LHJs experiencing per capita revenue reductions. FTE personnel per capita were significantly lower post-recession. Changes in LHJ-level unemployment rates and housing permits did not explain the variation in revenue or FTE personnel per capita. Revenue and personnel differed significantly by LHJ organizational structure across all time periods. Conclusion Economic downturns can substantially reduce resources available for local public health. LHJ organizational structure influences revenue levels and sources, with implications for the scope, quality, and efficiency of services delivered. PMID:26556942

OptiPhy, a technical-economic optimisation model for improving the management of plant protection practices in agriculture: a decision-support tool for controlling the toxicity risks related to pesticides.

PubMed

Mghirbi, Oussama; LE Grusse, Philippe; Fabre, Jacques; Mandart, Elisabeth; Bord, Jean-Paul

2017-03-01

The health, environmental and socio-economic issues related to the massive use of plant protection products are a concern for all the stakeholders involved in the agricultural sector. These stakeholders, including farmers and territorial actors, have expressed a need for decision-support tools for the management of diffuse pollution related to plant protection practices and their impacts. To meet the needs expressed by the public authorities and the territorial actors for such decision-support tools, we have developed a technical-economic model "OptiPhy" for risk mitigation based on indicators of pesticide toxicity risk to applicator health (IRSA) and to the environment (IRTE), under the constraint of suitable economic outcomes. This technical-economic optimisation model is based on linear programming techniques and offers various scenarios to help the different actors in choosing plant protection products, depending on their different levels of constraints and aspirations. The health and environmental risk indicators can be broken down into sub-indicators so that management can be tailored to the context. This model for technical-economic optimisation and management of plant protection practices can analyse scenarios for the reduction of pesticide-related risks by proposing combinations of substitution PPPs, according to criteria of efficiency, economic performance and vulnerability of the natural environment. The results of the scenarios obtained on real ITKs in different cropping systems show that it is possible to reduce the PPP pressure (TFI) and reduce toxicity risks to applicator health (IRSA) and to the environment (IRTE) by up to approximately 50 %.

Estimate of the economic impact of mastitis: A case study in a Holstein dairy herd under tropical conditions.

PubMed

Guimarães, Juliana L B; Brito, Maria A V P; Lange, Carla C; Silva, Márcio R; Ribeiro, João B; Mendonça, Letícia C; Mendonça, Juliana F M; Souza, Guilherme N

2017-07-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the economic impact of mastitis at the herd level and the weight (percent) of the components of this impact in a Holstein dairy herd under tropical conditions. Three estimates of the economic impact of mastitis were performed. In estimates 1 and 2 the real production and economic indices from February 2011 to January 2012 were considered. In the estimate 1, indices for mastitis classified as ideal were considered, whereas in the estimate 2, the mastitis indices used were those recorded at the farm and at Holstein Cattle Association of Minas Gerais State database (real indices). Ideal mastitis indices were bulk milk somatic cell counts less than 250,000 cells/mL, incidence of clinical mastitis less than 25 cases/100 cows/year, number of culls due to udder health problems less than 5% and the percentage of cows with somatic cell counts greater than 200,000 cells/mL less than 20%. Considering the ideal indices of mastitis, the economic impact was US$19,132.35. The three main components of the economic impact were culling cows (39.4%) and the reduction in milk production due to subclinical and clinical mastitis (32.3% and 18.2%, respectively). Estimate 2 using real mastitis indices showed an economic impact of US$61,623.13 and the reduction in milk production due to mastitis (77.7%) and milk disposal (14.0%) were the most relevant components. The real impact of culling cows was approximately 16 times less than the weight that was considered ideal, indicating that this procedure could have been more frequently adopted. The reduction in milk production was 27.2% higher than the reduction in Estimate 1, indicating a need to control and prevent mastitis. The estimate 3 considered the same indices as estimate 2, but for the period from February 2012 to January 2013. Its economic impact was US$91,552.69. During this period, 161 treatments of cows with an intramammary antibiotic were performed to eliminate Streptococcus agalactiae, and eight cows chronically infected with Staphylococcus aureus were culled. The reduction in milk production due to mastitis was the main component of the economic impact (54.9%). The culling of cows with chronic infection was associated with an increase in the economic impact of mastitis and a reduction in the average productivity per cow. At the herd level reduction in milk production was the component that presented the largest weight in the economic impact of the disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Workshop: Economic Valuation of Mortality Risk Reduction: Assessing the State of the Art for Policy Applications (2002)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This two-day workshop, co-sponsored by EPA's National Center for Environmental Economics and National Center for Environmental Research, was dedicated to exploring methods for valuing mortality risk reductions. There were six sessions held in total.

40 CFR 467.43 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable. [Reserved] 467.43 Section 467.43 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... application of the best available technology economically achievable. [Reserved] ...

Engineering Strategies and Methods for Avoiding Air-Quality Externalities: Dispersion Modeling, Home Energy Conservation, and Scenario Planning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knox, Andrew James

Energy conservation can improve air quality by reducing emissions from fuel combustion. The human health value retained through better air quality can then offset the cost of energy conservation. Through this thesis' innovative yet widely-accessible combination of air pollution dispersion modeling and atmospheric chemistry, it is estimated that the health value retained by avoiding emissions from Ontario's former coal-fired generating stations is 5.74/MWh (using an upper-bound value of 265,000 per year of life lost). This value is combined with energy modeling of homes in the first-ever assessment of the air-quality health benefits of low-energy buildings. It is shown that avoided health damages can equal 7% of additional construction costs of energy efficient buildings in Ontario. At 7%, health savings are a significant item in the cost analysis of efficient buildings. Looking to energy efficiency in the context of likely future low-resource natural gas scenarios, building efficient buildings today is shown to be more economically efficient than any building retrofit option. Considering future natural gas scarcity in the context of Ontario's Long-Term Energy Plan reveals that Ontario may be forced to return to coal-fired electricity. Projected coal use would result in externalities greater than $600 million/year; 80% more than air-quality externalities from Ontario's electricity in 1985. Radically aggressive investment in electricity conservation (75% reduction per capita by 2075) is one promising path forward that keeps air-quality externalities below 1985 levels. Non-health externalities are an additional concern, the quantification, and ultimately monetization, of which could be practical using emerging air pollution monitoring technologies. Energy, conservation, energy planning, and energy's externalities form a complex situation in which today's decisions are critical to a successful future. It is clear that reducing the demand for energy is essential and that there are economically efficient conservation opportunities, particularly in the building sector, being missed.

Development of energy consumption and energy efficiency potential in the Brazilian industrial sector according to the Integrated Energy Planning Model (IEPM)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tolmasquim, M.T.; Szklo, A.S.; Cohen, C.

This paper presents the development of energy consumption in the Brazilian industrial sector and energy efficiency potential based on the analysis undertaken through a model developed in the Energy Planning Program at COPPE/UFRJ, known as the Integrated Energy Planning Model (IEPM). The study starts by presenting the IEPM, which is a technical and economic parameter-based model designed to forecast energy supplies and consumption for all economic sectors in Brazil, within three scenarios. Outlines of all three scenarios are presented, as they were constructed according to certain specific assumptions. The industrial sector was broken down into eleven sub-sectors: food and beverages,more » ceramics, cement, iron and steel, mining and pelletizing, ferroalloys, non-ferrous metals and others (metallurgy), chemicals, pulp and paper, textiles and other industries (MME, 1998). All these sub-sectors will also be presented as well as the results of the scenario forecasts. Results deriving from these forecasts come from very specific studies that analyze all process steps in each sub-sector in order to propose energy replacements, efficiency improvements of structural production alterations that result in major potential energy consumption reductions. Last but not least, this paper gives the development forecasts deriving from the three scenarios over ten years, with their contributions to energy efficiency in the Brazilian industrial sector, showing that the authors can reduce energy consumption in the Brazilian industrial sector by: substituting less efficient processes by more efficient ones, through the conversion of final energy into usable energy, basically, in the cement and aluminum industries; replacing equipment and energy sources; modifying product mix of several industries (pulp and paper), assigning top priority to producing goods with higher added value that are less energy intensive, and, finally, reducing the share held by some energy intensive sectors in the industrial output.« less

[Comparison Analysis of Economic and Engineering Control of Industrial VOCs].

PubMed

Wang, Yu-fei; Liu, Chang-xin; Cheng, Jie; Hao, Zheng-ping; Wang, Zheng

2015-04-01

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) pollutant has become China's major air pollutant in key urban areas like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. It is mainly produced from industry sectors, and engineering control is one of the most important reduction measures. During the 12th Five-Year Plan, China decides to invest 40 billion RMB to build pollution control projects in key industry sectors with annual emission reduction of 605 000 t x a(-1). It shows that China attaches a great importance to emission reduction by engineering projects and highlights the awareness of engineering reduction technologies. In this paper, a macroeconomic model, namely computable general equilibrium model, (CGE model) was employed to simulate engineering control and economic control (imposing environmental tax). We aim to compare the pros and cons of the two reduction policies. Considering the economic loss of the whole country, the environmental tax has more impacts on the economy system than engineering reduction measures. We suggest that the central government provides 7 500 RMB x t(-1) as subsidy for enterprises in industry sectors to encourage engineering reduction.

Estimating the value of electricity storage in PJM: Arbitrage and some welfare effects

DOE PAGES

Sioshansi, Ramteen; Denholm, Paul; Jenkin, Thomas; ...

2008-10-31

Here, significant increases in prices and price volatility of natural gas and electricity have raised interest in the potential economic opportunities for electricity storage. In this paper, we analyze the arbitrage value of a price-taking storage device in PJM during the six-year period from 2002 to 2007, to understand the impact of fuel prices, transmission constraints, efficiency, storage capacity, and fuel mix. The impact of load-shifting for larger amounts of storage, where reductions in arbitrage are offset by shifts in consumer and producer surplus as well as increases in social welfare from a variety of sources, is also considered.

Flat-plate solar array project of the US Department of Energy's National Photovoltaics Program: Ten years of progress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Christensen, Elmer

1985-01-01

The Flat-Plate Solar Array (FSA) Project, a Government-sponsored photovoltaics project, was initiated in January 1975 (previously named the Low-Cost Silicon Solar Array Project) to stimulate the development of PV systems for widespread use. Its goal then was to develop PV modules with 10% efficiency, a 20-year lifetime, and a selling price of $0.50 per peak watt of generating capacity (1975 dollars). It was recognized that cost reduction of PV solar-cell and module manufacturing was the key achievement needed if PV power systems were to be economically competitive for large-scale terrestrial use.

Electric load management and energy conservation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kheir, N. A.

1976-01-01

Electric load management and energy conservation relate heavily to the major problems facing power industry at present. The three basic modes of energy conservation are identified as demand reduction, increased efficiency and substitution for scarce fuels. Direct and indirect load management objectives are to reduce peak loads and have future growth in electricity requirements in such a manner to cause more of it to fall off the system's peak. In this paper, an overview of proposed and implemented load management options is presented. Research opportunities exist for the evaluation of socio-economic impacts of energy conservation and load management schemes specially on the electric power industry itself.

Energy conservation in ice skating rinks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dietrich, B.K.; McAvoy, T.J.

1980-01-01

An economic and energy analysis of ice rinks was made to examine the areas in which energy could be profitably conserved. The areas where new equipment could make a major reduction in energy use are: the use of waste heat for space heating, the installation of a low emissivity false ceiling to reduce radiant heat, the use of a load cycling controller to reduce refrigeration costs, and the installation of more efficient lighting systems. Changes in rink operating procedure that could cut energy use are: higher refrigerant temperatures, thinner ice, the use of colder resurfacing water, turning the compressors andmore » pumps off at night, and reducing ventilation.« less

Solar Power Satellite Development: Advances in Modularity and Mechanical Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belvin, W. Keith; Dorsey, John T.; Watson, Judith J.

2010-01-01

Space solar power satellites require innovative concepts in order to achieve economically and technically feasible designs. The mass and volume constraints of current and planned launch vehicles necessitate highly efficient structural systems be developed. In addition, modularity and in-space deployment will be enabling design attributes. This paper reviews the current challenges of launching and building very large space systems. A building block approach is proposed in order to achieve near-term solar power satellite risk reduction while promoting the necessary long-term technology advances. Promising mechanical systems technologies anticipated in the coming decades including modularity, material systems, structural concepts, and in-space operations are described

Economics of Agroforestry

Treesearch

D. Evan Mercer; Frederick W. Cubbage; Gregory E. Frey

2014-01-01

This chapter provides principles, literature and a case study about the economics of agroforestry. We examine necessary conditions for achieving efficiency in agroforestry system design and economic analysis tools for assessing efficiency and adoptability of agroforestry. The tools presented here (capital budgeting, linear progranuning, production frontier analysis...

Analysis of Consequences of Using Gas Fuels for Running Auxiliary Ship Boilers in the Light of Contemporary Environmental Protection Requirements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamkiewicz, Andrzej; Bartoszewski, Marek; Kendra, Martin

2016-09-01

The article justifies the application of gas fuels for supplying auxiliary ship boilers. It presents legal regulations on maritime environmental protection areas and their requirements which are in power. It shows the chronology of introduced limitations on sulphur and nitrogen dioxide emissions and thresholds of carbon dioxide emission reduction expressed by EEDI (Energy Efficiency Design Indicator) and EEOI (Energy Efficiency Operational Indicator). Ways to decrease the values of EEDI and EEOI in the ship energy effectiveness management have been shown. Consequences of replacing marine fuels with LNG for running auxiliary ship boilers have been considered thoroughly, taking into account ecological, constructional, operational, procedural and logistic limitations as well as economic consequences. The summary shows the influence of particular consequences of using LNG for running boilers on the methods of maintenance of auxiliary boilers.

Carbon black dispersion pre-plating technology for printed wire board manufacturing. Final technology evaluation report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Folsom, D.W.; Gavaskar, A.R.; Jones, J.A.

1993-10-01

The project compared chemical use, waste generation, cost, and product quality between electroless copper and carbon-black-based preplating technologies at the printed wire board (PWB) manufacturing facility of McCurdy Circuits in Orange, CA. The carbon-black based preplating technology evaluated is used as an alternative process for electroless copper (EC) plating of through-holes before electrolytic copper plating. The specific process used at McCurdy is the BlackHole (BH) technology process, which uses a dispersion of carbon black in an aqueous solution to provide a conductive surface for subsequent electrolytic copper plating. The carbon-black dispersion technology provided effective waste reduction and long-term cost savings.more » The economic analysis determined that the new process was cost efficient because chemical use was reduced and the process proved more efficient; the payback period was less than 4 yrs.« less

Computational Modeling of Photocatalysts for CO2 Conversion Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tafen, De; Matranga, Christopher

2013-03-01

To make photocatalytic conversion approaches efficient, economically practical, and industrially scalable, catalysts capable of utilizing visible and near infrared photons need to be developed. Recently, a series of CdSe and PbS quantum dot-sensitized TiO2 heterostructures have been synthesized, characterized, and tested for reduction of CO2 under visible light. Following these experiments, we use density functional theory to model these heterostructured catalysts and investigate their CO2 catalytic activity. In particular, we study the nature of the heterostructure interface, charge transport/electron transfer, active sites and the electronic structures of these materials. The results will be presented and compared to experiments. The improvement of our understanding of the properties of these materials will aid not only the development of more robust, visible light active photocatalysts for carbon management applications, but also the development of quantum dot-sensitized semiconductor solar cells with high efficiencies in solar-to-electrical energy conversion.

A systematic review of economic evaluations of population-based sodium reduction interventions

PubMed Central

Hope, Silvia F.; Webster, Jacqui; Trieu, Kathy; Pillay, Arti; Ieremia, Merina; Bell, Colin; Snowdon, Wendy; Neal, Bruce; Moodie, Marj

2017-01-01

Objective To summarise evidence describing the cost-effectiveness of population-based interventions targeting sodium reduction. Methods A systematic search of published and grey literature databases and websites was conducted using specified key words. Characteristics of identified economic evaluations were recorded, and included studies were appraised for reporting quality using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards (CHEERS) checklist. Results Twenty studies met the study inclusion criteria and received a full paper review. Fourteen studies were identified as full economic evaluations in that they included both costs and benefits associated with an intervention measured against a comparator. Most studies were modelling exercises based on scenarios for achieving salt reduction and assumed effects on health outcomes. All 14 studies concluded that their specified intervention(s) targeting reductions in population sodium consumption were cost-effective, and in the majority of cases, were cost saving. Just over half the studies (8/14) were assessed as being of ‘excellent’ reporting quality, five studies fell into the ‘very good’ quality category and one into the ‘good’ category. All of the identified evaluations were based on modelling, whereby inputs for all the key parameters including the effect size were either drawn from published datasets, existing literature or based on expert advice. Conclusion Despite a clear increase in evaluations of salt reduction programs in recent years, this review identified relatively few economic evaluations of population salt reduction interventions. None of the studies were based on actual implementation of intervention(s) and the associated collection of new empirical data. The studies universally showed that population-based salt reduction strategies are likely to be cost effective or cost saving. However, given the reliance on modelling, there is a need for the effectiveness of new interventions to be evaluated in the field using strong study designs and parallel economic evaluations. PMID:28355231

Soil bio-engineering for risk mitigation and environmental restoration in a humid tropical area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrone, A.; Preti, F.

2009-07-01

The use of soil bio-engineering techniques in developing countries is a relevant issue for disaster mitigation, environmental restoration and poverty reduction. Research on authochtonal plants suitable for this kind of works and on economic efficiency is essential for the divulgation of such techniques. The present paper is focused on this two issues related to the realization of various typologies of soil bio-engineering works in the humid tropic of Nicaragua. In the area of Río Blanco, located in the Department of Matagalpa, soil bio-engineering installations were built in several sites. The particular structures built were: drainages with live fascine mattress, a live palisade, a vegetated live crib wall for riverbank protection, a vegetative covering made of a metallic net and biotextile coupled with a live palisade made of bamboo. In order to evaluate the suitability of the various plants used in the works, monitorings were performed, one in the live palisade alongside an unpaved road and the other on the live crib wall along a riverbank, collecting survival rate and morphological parameters data. Concerning the economic efficiency we proceed to a financial analysis of the works and once the unit price was obtained, we converted the amount in EPP Dollars (Equal Purchasing Power) in order to compare the Nicaraguan context with the Italian one. Among the used species we found that Madero negro (Gliricidia sepium) and Roble macuelizo (Tabebuia rosea) are adequate for soil-bioengineering measure on slopes while Helequeme (Erythrina fusca) reported a successful behaviour only in the crib wall for riverbank protection. In the comparison of the costs in Nicaragua and in Italy, the unit price reduction for the Central American country ranges between 1.5 times (for the vegetative covering) and almost 4 times (for the fascine mattress) if it's used the EPP dollar exchange rate. Conclusions are reached with regard to hydrological-risk mitigating actions performed on a basin scale and through naturalistic (live) interventions: not only are they socially and technically attainable, even in hardship areas (by maximizing the contribution of the local labor force and minimizing the use of mechanical equipment), but they are also economically sustainable.

Soil bioengineering for risk mitigation and environmental restoration in a humid tropical area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrone, A.; Preti, F.

2010-02-01

The use of soil bio-engineering techniques in developing countries is a relevant issue for disaster mitigation, environmental restoration and poverty reduction. Research on the autochthonal plants suitable for these kinds of interventions and on the economic efficiency of the interventions is essential for the dissemination of such techniques. The present paper is focused on these two issues as related to the realization of various typologies of soil bioengineering works in the humid tropics of Nicaragua. In the area of Río Blanco, located in the Department of Matagalpa, soil bioengineering installations were built in several sites. The particular structures built were: drainages with live fascine mattress, a live palisade, a vegetated live crib wall for riverbank protection, a vegetative covering made of a metallic net and biotextile coupled with a live palisade made of bamboo. In order to evaluate the suitability of the various plants used in these works, monitoring was performed, one on the live palisade alongside an unpaved road and the other on the live crib wall along a riverbank, by collecting data on survival rate and morphological parameters. Concerning economic efficiency, we proceeded to a financial analysis of the works. Once the unit price was obtained, we converted the amount into EPP Dollars (Equal Purchasing Power) in order to compare the Nicaraguan context with the European one. Among the species used we found that Gliricidia sepium (local common name: Madero negro) and Tabebuia rosea (local common name: Roble macuelizo) are adequate for soil bioengineering measures on slopes, while Erythrina fusca (local common name: Helequeme) resulted in successful behaviour only in the crib wall for riverbank protection. In comparing costs in Nicaragua and in Italy, the unit price reduction for Nicaragua ranges from 1.5 times (for the vegetative covering) to almost 4 times (for the fascine mattress), using the EPP dollar exchange rate. Our conclusions with regard to hydrological-risk mitigating actions performed on a basin scale and through naturalistic (live) interventions are that they are not only socially and technically possible, even in hardship areas (by maximizing the contribution of the local labour force and minimizing the use of mechanical equipment), but also economically sustainable.

Performance, cost and environmental assessment of gasification-based electricity in India: A preliminary analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rani, Abha; Singh, Udayan; Jayant; Singh, Ajay K.; Sankar Mahapatra, Siba

2017-07-01

Coal gasification processes are crucial to decarbonisation in the power sector. While underground coal gasification (UCG) and integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) are different in terms of the site of gasification, they have considerable similarities in terms of the types of gasifiers used. Of course, UCG offers some additional advantages such as reduction of the fugitive methane emissions accompanying the coal mining process. Nevertheless, simulation of IGCC plants involving surface coal gasification is likely to give reasonable indication of the 3E (efficiency, economics and emissions) prospects of the gasification pathway towards electricity. This paper will aim at Estimating 3E impacts (efficiency, environment, economics) of gasification processes using simulation carried out in the Integrated Environmental Control Model (IECM) software framework. Key plant level controls which will be studied in this paper will be based on Indian financial regulations and operating costs which are specific to the country. Also, impacts of CO2 capture and storage (CCS) in these plants will be studied. The various parameters that can be studied are plant load factor, impact of coal quality and price, type of CO2 capture process, capital costs etc. It is hoped that relevant insights into electricity generation from gasification may be obtained with this paper.

A repeated cross-sectional study of socio-economic inequities in dietary sodium consumption among Canadian adults: implications for national sodium reduction strategies.

PubMed

McLaren, Lindsay; Heidinger, Shayla; Dutton, Daniel J; Tarasuk, Valerie; Campbell, Norman R

2014-06-05

In many countries including Canada, excess consumption of dietary sodium is common, and this has adverse implications for population health. Socio-economic inequities in sodium consumption seem likely, but research is limited. Knowledge of socio-economic inequities in sodium consumption is important for informing population-level sodium reduction strategies, to ensure that they are both impactful and equitable. We examined the association between socio-economic indicators (income and education) and sodium, using two outcome variables: 1) sodium consumption in mg/day, and 2) reported use of table salt, in two national surveys: the 1970/72 Nutrition Canada Survey and the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.2. This permitted us to explore whether there were any changes in socio-economic patterning in dietary sodium during a time period characterized by modest, information-based national sodium reduction efforts, as well as to provide baseline information against which to examine the impact (equitable or not) of future sodium reduction strategies in Canada. There was no evidence of a socio-economic inequity in sodium consumption (mg/day) in 2004. In fact findings pointed to a positive association in women, whereby women of higher education consumed more sodium than women of lower education in 2004. For men, income was positively associated with reported use of table salt in 1970/72, but negatively associated in 2004. An emerging inequity in reported use of table salt among men could reflect the modest, information-based sodium reduction efforts that were implemented during the time frame considered. However, for sodium consumption in mg/day, we found no evidence of a contemporary inequity, and in fact observed the opposite effect among women. Our findings could reflect data limitations, or they could signal that sodium differs from some other nutrients in terms of its socio-economic patterning, perhaps reflecting very high prevalence of excess consumption. It is possible that socio-economic inequities in sodium consumption will emerge as excess consumption declines, consistent with fundamental cause theory. It is important that national sodium reduction strategies are both impactful and equitable.

A repeated cross-sectional study of socio-economic inequities in dietary sodium consumption among Canadian adults: implications for national sodium reduction strategies

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction In many countries including Canada, excess consumption of dietary sodium is common, and this has adverse implications for population health. Socio-economic inequities in sodium consumption seem likely, but research is limited. Knowledge of socio-economic inequities in sodium consumption is important for informing population-level sodium reduction strategies, to ensure that they are both impactful and equitable. Methods We examined the association between socio-economic indicators (income and education) and sodium, using two outcome variables: 1) sodium consumption in mg/day, and 2) reported use of table salt, in two national surveys: the 1970/72 Nutrition Canada Survey and the 2004 Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.2. This permitted us to explore whether there were any changes in socio-economic patterning in dietary sodium during a time period characterized by modest, information-based national sodium reduction efforts, as well as to provide baseline information against which to examine the impact (equitable or not) of future sodium reduction strategies in Canada. Results There was no evidence of a socio-economic inequity in sodium consumption (mg/day) in 2004. In fact findings pointed to a positive association in women, whereby women of higher education consumed more sodium than women of lower education in 2004. For men, income was positively associated with reported use of table salt in 1970/72, but negatively associated in 2004. Conclusions An emerging inequity in reported use of table salt among men could reflect the modest, information-based sodium reduction efforts that were implemented during the time frame considered. However, for sodium consumption in mg/day, we found no evidence of a contemporary inequity, and in fact observed the opposite effect among women. Our findings could reflect data limitations, or they could signal that sodium differs from some other nutrients in terms of its socio-economic patterning, perhaps reflecting very high prevalence of excess consumption. It is possible that socio-economic inequities in sodium consumption will emerge as excess consumption declines, consistent with fundamental cause theory. It is important that national sodium reduction strategies are both impactful and equitable. PMID:24903535

Life cycle and economic efficiency analysis phase II : durable pavement markings.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-04-01

This report details the Phase II analysis of the life cycle and economic efficiency of inlaid tape : and thermoplastic. Waterborne paint was included as a non-durable for comparison purposes : only. In order to find the most economical product for sp...

Vacuum boilers developed heating surfaces technic and economic efficiency evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slobodina, E. N.; Mikhailov, A. G.; Semenov, B. A.

2018-01-01

The vacuum boilers as manufacturing proto types application analysis was carried out, the possible directions for the heating surfaces development are identified with a view to improving the energy efficiency. Economic characteristics to evaluate the vacuum boilers application efficiency (Net Discounted Income (NDI), Internal Rate of Return (IRR), Profitability Index (PI) and Payback Period) are represented. The given type boilers application technic and economic efficiency criteria were established. NDI changing curves depending on the finning coefficient and operating pressure were obtained as a result of the conducted calculation studies.

40 CFR 429.63 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS TIMBER PRODUCTS PROCESSING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Wet Process... by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). [Reserved] ...

Techno-economic assessment of the need for bulk energy storage in low-carbon electricity systems with a focus on compressed air storage (CAES)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safaei Mohamadabadi, Hossein

Increasing electrification of the economy while decarbonizing the electricity supply is among the most effective strategies for cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in order to abate climate change. This thesis offers insights into the role of bulk energy storage (BES) systems to cut GHG emissions from the electricity sector. Wind and solar energies can supply large volumes of low-carbon electricity. Nevertheless, large penetration of these resources poses serious reliability concerns to the grid, mainly because of their intermittency. This thesis evaluates the performance of BES systems - especially compressed air energy storage (CAES) technology - for integration of wind energy from engineering and economic aspects. Analytical thermodynamic analysis of Distributed CAES (D-CAES) and Adiabatic CAES (A-CAES) suggest high roundtrip storage efficiencies ( 80% and 70%) compared to conventional CAES ( 50%). Using hydrogen to fuel CAES plants - instead of natural gas - yields a low overall efficiency ( 35%), despite its negligible GHG emissions. The techno-economic study of D-CAES shows that exporting compression heat to low-temperature loads (e.g. space heating) can enhance both the economic and emissions performance of compressed air storage plants. A case study for Alberta, Canada reveals that the abatement cost of replacing a conventional CAES with D-CAES plant practicing electricity arbitrage can be negative (-$40 per tCO2e, when the heat load is 50 km away from the air storage site). A green-field simulation finds that reducing the capital cost of BES - even drastically below current levels - does not substantially impact the cost of low-carbon electricity. At a 70% reduction in the GHG emissions intensity of the grid, gas turbines remain three times more cost-efficient in managing the wind variability compared to BES (in the best case and with a 15-minute resolution). Wind and solar thus, do not need to wait for availability of cheap BES systems to cost-effectively decarbonize the grid. The prospects of A-CAES seem to be stronger compared to other BES systems due to its low energy-specific capital cost.

40 CFR 469.15 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Semiconductor... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125...

40 CFR 469.25 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Electronic... by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided...

40 CFR 430.94 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 430.94 Section 430.94 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT... economically achievable (BAT). Non-continuous dischargers shall not be subject to the maximum day mass...

40 CFR 429.143 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 429.143 Section 429.143 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): There shall be...

40 CFR 430.24 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 430.24 Section 430.24 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... effluent reduction attainable by the application of best available technology economically achievable (BAT... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). (a) Except as...

40 CFR 429.123 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 429.123 Section 429.123 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): There shall be...

40 CFR 471.62 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 471.62 Section 471.62 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) Rolling...

40 CFR 471.82 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 471.82 Section 471.82 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) Rolling...

40 CFR 429.123 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 429.123 Section 429.123 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): There shall be...

40 CFR 440.113 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 440.113 Section 440.113 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a...

40 CFR 471.22 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 471.22 Section 471.22 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) Rolling...

40 CFR 430.94 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 430.94 Section 430.94 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT... economically achievable (BAT). Non-continuous dischargers shall not be subject to the maximum day mass...

40 CFR 429.143 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 429.143 Section 429.143 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): There shall be...

40 CFR 471.72 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 471.72 Section 471.72 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): (a) Extrusion...

40 CFR 430.24 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... achievable (BAT). 430.24 Section 430.24 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED... effluent reduction attainable by the application of best available technology economically achievable (BAT... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). (a) Except as...

40 CFR 406.53 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technology economically achievable: there shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants to... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... by the application of the best available technology economically achievable. The following...

40 CFR 426.33 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technology economically achievable: There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants to... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable. The following...

40 CFR 427.23 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technology economically achievable: There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants to... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable. The following...

40 CFR 426.13 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technology economically achievable: There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants to... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... by the application of the best available technology economically achievable. The following...

40 CFR 427.13 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technology economically achievable: There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants to... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable. The following...

40 CFR 418.63 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... application of the best available technology economically achievable: There shall be no discharge of process... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable. The following...

40 CFR 406.73 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... application of the best available technology economically achievable. The following limitations establish the... subject to the provisions of this subpart after application of the best available technology economically...

40 CFR 426.23 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technology economically achievable: There shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants to... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable. The following...

40 CFR 406.33 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... technology economically achievable: there shall be no discharge of process waste water pollutants to... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... by the application of the best available technology economically achievable. The following...

40 CFR 406.83 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology... application of the best available technology economically achievable. The following limitations establish the... subject to the provisions of this subpart after application of the best available technology economically...

40 CFR 429.53 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... best available technology economically achievable (BAT): There shall be no discharge of process... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS TIMBER PRODUCTS PROCESSING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Dry Process Hardboard...

40 CFR 429.163 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS TIMBER PRODUCTS PROCESSING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Wood Furniture... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125...

40 CFR 429.173 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically... (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS TIMBER PRODUCTS PROCESSING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Wood Furniture... best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through...

40 CFR 469.15 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY... by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided...

40 CFR 469.25 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Electronic... by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided...

40 CFR 469.15 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Semiconductor... application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125...

40 CFR 469.25 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as...

40 CFR 469.25 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY... attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as...

40 CFR 469.15 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY... by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided...

[A cost-benefit analysis of different therapeutic methods in menorrhagia].

PubMed

Kirschner, R

1995-02-20

When deciding the right forms of treatment for various medical conditions it has been usual to consider medical knowledge, norms and experience. Increasingly, economic factors and principles are being introduced by the management, in the form of health economics and pharmaco-economic analyses, enforced as budgetary cuts and demands for rationalisation and measures to increase efficiency. Economic evaluations require construction of models for analyses. We have used DRG-information, National Health reimbursements and pharmacological retail prices to make a cost-efficiency analysis of treatments of menorrhagia. The analysis showed better cost-efficiency for certain pharmacological treatments than for surgery.

Interactions between energy efficiency and emission trading under the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hillsman, E.L.; Alvic, D.R.

1994-08-01

The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments affect electric utilities in numerous ways. The feature that probably has received the greatest attention is the provision to let utilities trade emissions of sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}), while at the same time requiring them to reduce S0{sub 2} emissions in 2000 by an aggregate 43%. The emission trading system was welcomed by many as a way of reducing the cost of reducing emissions, by providing greater flexibility than past approaches. This report examines some of the potential interactions between trading emissions and increasing end-use energy efficiency. The analysis focuses on emission trading inmore » the second phase of the trading program, which begins in 2000. The aggregate effects, calculated by an emission compliance and trading model, turn out to be rather small. Aggressive improvement of end-use efficiency by all utilities might reduce allowance prices by $22/ton (1990 dollars), which is small compared to the reduction that has occurred in the estimates of future allowance prices and when compared to the roughly $400/ton price we estimate as a base case. However, the changes in the allowance market that result are large enough to affect some compliance decisions. If utilities in only a few states improve end-use efficiency aggressively, their actions may not have a large effect on the price of an allowance, but they could alter the demand for allowances and thereby the compliance decisions of utilities in other states. The analysis shows how improving electricity end-use efficiency in some states can cause smaller emission reductions in other states, relative to what would have happened without the improvements. Such a result, while not surprising given the theory behind the emission trading system, is upsetting to people who view emissions, environmental protection, and energy efficiency in moral rather than strictly economic terms.« less

Projections of Virtual Water Trade Under Agricultural Policy Scenarios in China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dalin, C.; Hanasaki, N.; Qiu, H.; Mauzerall, D. L.; Rodriguez-Iturbe, I.

2014-12-01

China's economic growth is expected to continue into the next decades, accompanied by a sustained urbanization and industrialization. The associated increase in demand for land, water resources and rich foods will deepen the challenge to sustainably feed the population and balance environmental and agricultural policies. In previous work, Inner Mongolia was identified as a target province for trade or agricultural policies aimed at water-use efficiency improvements, due to its large production relying on particularly significant irrigation water use. In addition, water scarcity issues may arises in the greater Beijing area, which represents the largest urban area of arid Northern China. Increasing residential and industrial water demand in this region may lead to fewer available water for irrigation. For these reasons, it is important to estimate the impacts of specific policies aiming at reducing excessive water use for crop production in Inner Mongolia, as well as exploring ways to mitigate pressure on water resources in dry urban areas. In this study, we use socio-economic projections to assess the future state of China's virtual water trade (VWT) network. We then quantify the effects of agricultural policies on the national VWT system and on the efficiency of food trade in terms of water resources. This study addresses the following questions: (1) How future socio-economic changes will affect China's food trade and associated water transfers? (2) To which extent localized reductions of irrigated area can decrease agricultural water use while maintaining national food security? (3) How would these policies affect China's domestic and international VWT network and induced water resources savings (losses)?

Hynol: An economic process for methanol production from biomass and natural gas with reduced CO2 emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steinberg, M.; Dong, Yuanji

1993-10-01

The Hynol process is proposed to meet the demand for an economical process for methanol production with reduced CO2 emission. This new process consists of three reaction steps: (1) hydrogasification of biomass, (2) steam reforming of the produced gas with additional natural gas feedstock, and (3) methanol synthesis of the hydrogen and carbon monoxide produced during the previous two steps. The H2-rich gas remaining after methanol synthesis is recycled to gasify the biomass in an energy neutral reactor so that there is no need for an expensive oxygen plant as required by commercial steam gasifiers. Recycling gas allows the methanol synthesis reactor to perform at a relatively lower pressure than conventional while the plant still maintains high methanol yield. Energy recovery designed into the process minimizes heat loss and increases the process thermal efficiency. If the Hynol methanol is used as an alternative and more efficient automotive fuel, an overall 41% reduction in CO2 emission can be achieved compared to the use of conventional gasoline fuel. A preliminary economic estimate shows that the total capital investment for a Hynol plant is 40% lower than that for a conventional biomass gasification plant. The methanol production cost is $0.43/gal for a 1085 million gal/yr Hynol plant which is competitive with current U.S. methanol and equivalent gasoline prices. Process flowsheet and simulation data using biomass and natural gas as cofeedstocks are presented. The Hynol process can convert any condensed carbonaceous material, especially municipal solid waste (MSW), to produce methanol.

Estimating health and economic benefits of reductions in air pollution from agriculture.

PubMed

Giannadaki, Despina; Giannakis, Elias; Pozzer, Andrea; Lelieveld, Jos

2018-05-01

Agricultural ammonia emissions strongly contribute to fine particulate air pollution (PM 2.5 ) with significant impacts on human health, contributing to mortality. We used model calculated emission scenarios to examine the health and economic benefits accrued by reducing agricultural emissions. We applied the "value of statistical life" metric to monetize the associated health outcomes. Our analysis indicates that a 50% reduction in agricultural emissions could prevent >200 thousand deaths per year in the 59 countries included in our study, notably in Europe, Russia, Turkey, the US, Canada and China, accompanied with economic benefits of many billions US$. In the European Union (EU) mortality could be reduced by 18% with an annual economic benefit of 89 billion US$. A theoretical complete phase-out of agricultural emissions could lead to a reduction in PM 2.5 related mortality of >50% plus associated economic costs in 42 out of the 59 countries studied. Within the EU, 140 thousand deaths could be prevented per year with an associated economic benefit of about 407billionUS$/year. A cost-benefit assessment of ammonia emission abatement options for the EU indicates that the reduction of agricultural emissions generates net financial and social benefits. The monetization of the health benefits of air pollution abatement policies and the costs of implementation can help devise cost-effective air quality management strategies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Expansion of environmental impact assessment for eco-efficiency evaluation of China's economic sectors: An economic input-output based frontier approach.

PubMed

Xing, Zhencheng; Wang, Jigan; Zhang, Jie

2018-09-01

Due to the increasing environmental burdens caused by dramatic economic expansion, eco-efficiency indicating how efficient the economic activity is with respect to its environmental impacts has become a topic of considerable interest in China. In this context, Economic Input-output Life Cycle Assessment (EIO-LCA) and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) are combined to assess the environmental impacts and eco-efficiency of China's 26 economic sectors. The EIO-LCA results indicate that Electricity Production and Supply sector is the largest net exporter in energy usage, CO 2 emission and exhaust emission categories, while Construction sector is the largest net importer for five impact categories except for water withdrawal. Moreover, Construction sector is found to be the destination of the largest sector-to-sector environmental impact flows for the five impact categories and make the most contributions to the total environmental impacts. Another key finding is that Agriculture sector is both the largest net exporter and the greatest contributor for water withdrawal category. DEA results indicate that seven sectors are eco-efficient while over 70% of China's economic sectors are inefficient and require significant improvements. The average target improvements range between 23.30% and 35.06% depending on the impact category. Further sensitivity analysis reveals that the average sensitivity ratios vary from 7.7% to 15.7% among the six impact categories, which are found to be negatively correlated with their improvement potentials. Finally, several policy recommendations are made to mitigate environmental impacts of China's economic sectors and improve their eco-efficiency levels. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hydrothermal route to VO2 (B) nanorods: controlled synthesis and characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Shaokun; Huang, Qiwei; Zhu, Wanting

2017-10-01

One-dimensional vanadium dioxides have attracted intensive attention owing to their distinctive structure and novel applications in catalysis, high energy lithium-ion batteries, chemical sensors/actuators and electrochemical devices etc. In this paper, large-scale VO2 (B) nanorods have been successfully synthesized via a versatile and environment friendly hydrothermal strategy using V2O5 as vanadium source and carbohydrates/alcohols as reductant. The obtained samples are characterized by XRD, FT-IR, TEM, and XPS techniques to investigate the effects of chemical parameters such as reductants, temperature, and time of synthesis on the structure and morphology of products. Results show that pure B phase VO2 with homogeneous nanorod-like morphology can be prepared easily at 180 °C for 3 days with glycerol as reluctant. Typically, the nanorod-like products are 0.5-1 μm long and 50 nm width. Furthermore, it is also confirmed that the products are consisted of VO2, corresponding to the B phase. More importantly, this novel approach is efficient, free of any harmful solvents and surfactants. Therefore, this efficient, green, and cost-saving route will have great potential in the large-scale fabrication of 1D VO2 (B) nanorods from the economic and environmental point of view.

Efficient sorption and reduction of U(VI) on zero-valent iron-polyaniline-graphene aerogel ternary composite.

PubMed

Chen, Lili; Feng, Shaojie; Zhao, Donglin; Chen, Shaohua; Li, Feifei; Chen, Changlun

2017-03-15

In this work, zero-valent iron-polyaniline-graphene aerogel composite (Fe-PANI-GA) was prepared and applied in the removal of U(VI) from aqueous solutions by batch sorption experiments. The experimental results showed that the Fe-PANI-GA composite had an excellent removal capacity for the removal of U(VI) in acidic solutions. The results also showed that the maximum removal capacity of the Fe-PANI-GA toward U(VI) was 350.47mg/g at pH 5.5. The sorption kinetics data were well-described by pseudo-second-order. The sorption isotherms of U(VI) fitted well with Langmuir isotherm and exhibited better removal efficiency with the increase of temperature. The thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔS, ΔH) indicated that the sorption of U(VI) on the Fe-PANI-GA was an endothermic and spontaneous process. Moreover, removal mechanisms were studied based on the results of XRD, FTIR and XPS. Both U(VI) sorption and partially reductive precipitation of U(VI) to U(IV) contributed to the removal of U(VI) on Fe-PANI-GA. Therefore, Fe-PANI-GA was an economic and effective material for the removal of uranium from nuclear waste in practical application. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Strategie de commande pour un systeme hybride eolien diesel avec stockage d'air comprime =

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perron, Francois

The electrical energy provisioning of isolated sites requires a steady supply of diesel fuel which represents a significant logistical and economic burden. The main objective of this project is to propose a control strategy for an air storage wind diesel hybrid system (SHEDAC) and to evaluate its fuel reduction potential for a given site. This research is conducted within a result validation context. It encompasses the combination of a wind speed and load modeling on an isolated village including a SHEDAC model and the results are tailored to this specific site. Because the pneumatic hybridation of an otherwise unmodified diesel engine is at the core of the suggested approach, a detailed thermodynamic model of the engine behavior as well as a comprehensive friction analysis of its components is presented. Simulation results show that the energy recovery from the pneumatic pathway of the motor is counter productive and an alternative configuration involving an air turbine is proposed. The study of this modified SHEDAC is performed with a specific focus on the efficiency of the compressed air recovery path in an effort to make it as general as possible. Fuel consumption reductions of 49% could be achieved with this system while the recovery efficiency was etaair = 0.5.

The design of optimal electric power demand management contracts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fahrioglu, Murat

1999-11-01

Our society derives a quantifiable benefit from electric power. In particular, forced outages or blackouts have enormous consequences on society, one of which is loss of economic surplus. Electric utilities try to provide reliable supply of electric power to their customers. Maximum customer benefit derives from minimum cost and sufficient supply availability. Customers willing to share in "availability risk" can derive further benefit by participating in controlled outage programs. Specifically, whenever utilities foresee dangerous loading patterns, there is a need for a rapid reduction in demand either system-wide or at specific locations. The utility needs to get relief in order to solve its problems quickly and efficiently. This relief can come from customers who agree to curtail their loads upon request in exchange for an incentive fee. This thesis shows how utilities can get efficient load relief while maximizing their economic benefit. This work also shows how estimated customer cost functions can be calibrated, using existing utility data, to help in designing efficient demand management contracts. In order to design such contracts, optimal mechanism design is adopted from "Game Theory" and applied to the interaction between a utility and its customers. The idea behind mechanism design is to design an incentive structure that encourages customers to sign up for the right contract and reveal their true value of power. If a utility has demand management contracts with customers at critical locations, most operational problems can be solved efficiently. This thesis illustrates how locational attributes of customers incorporated into demand management contract design can have a significant impact in solving system problems. This kind of demand management contracts can also be used by an Independent System Operator (ISO). During times of congestion a loss of economic surplus occurs. When the market is too slow or cannot help relieve congestion, demand management can help solve the problem. Another tool the ISO requires for security purposes is reserves. Even though demand management contracts may not be a good substitute for spinning reserves, they are adequate to augment or replace supplemental and backup reserves.

Enhanced DEA model with undesirable output and interval data for rice growing farmers performance assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Sahubar Ali Mohd. Nadhar; Ramli, Razamin; Baten, M. D. Azizul

2015-12-01

Agricultural production process typically produces two types of outputs which are economic desirable as well as environmentally undesirable outputs (such as greenhouse gas emission, nitrate leaching, effects to human and organisms and water pollution). In efficiency analysis, this undesirable outputs cannot be ignored and need to be included in order to obtain the actual estimation of firms efficiency. Additionally, climatic factors as well as data uncertainty can significantly affect the efficiency analysis. There are a number of approaches that has been proposed in DEA literature to account for undesirable outputs. Many researchers has pointed that directional distance function (DDF) approach is the best as it allows for simultaneous increase in desirable outputs and reduction of undesirable outputs. Additionally, it has been found that interval data approach is the most suitable to account for data uncertainty as it is much simpler to model and need less information regarding its distribution and membership function. In this paper, an enhanced DEA model based on DDF approach that considers undesirable outputs as well as climatic factors and interval data is proposed. This model will be used to determine the efficiency of rice farmers who produces undesirable outputs and operates under uncertainty. It is hoped that the proposed model will provide a better estimate of rice farmers' efficiency.

Energy sustainability: consumption, efficiency, and ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

One of the critical challenges in achieving sustainability is finding a way to meet the energy consumption needs of a growing population in the face of increasing economic prosperity and finite resources. According to ecological footprint computations, the global resource consumption began exceeding planetary supply in 1977 and by 2030, global energy demand, population, and gross domestic product are projected to greatly increase over 1977 levels. With the aim of finding sustainable energy solutions, we present a simple yet rigorous procedure for assessing and counterbalancing the relationship between energy demand, environmental impact, population, GDP, and energy efficiency. Our analyses indicated that infeasible increases in energy efficiency (over 100 %) would be required by 2030 to return to 1977 environmental impact levels and annual reductions (2 and 3 %) in energy demand resulted in physical, yet impractical requirements; hence, a combination of policy and technology approaches is needed to tackle this critical challenge. This work emphasizes the difficulty in moving toward energy sustainability and helps to frame possible solutions useful for policy and management. Based on projected energy consumption, environmental impact, human population, gross domestic product (GDP), and energy efficiency, for this study, we explore the increase in energy-use efficiency and the decrease in energy use intensity required to achieve sustainable environmental impact le

Gas-phase optical fiber photocatalytic reactors for indoor air application: a preliminary study on performance indicators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palmiste, Ü.; Voll, H.

2017-10-01

The development of advanced air cleaning technologies aims to reduce building energy consumption by reduction of outdoor air flow rates while keeping the indoor air quality at an acceptable level by air cleaning. Photocatalytic oxidation is an emerging technology for gas-phase air cleaning that can be applied in a standalone unit or a subsystem of a building mechanical ventilation system. Quantitative information on photocatalytic reactor performance is required to evaluate the technical and economic viability of the advanced air cleaning by PCO technology as an energy conservation measure in a building air conditioning system. Photocatalytic reactors applying optical fibers as light guide or photocatalyst coating support have been reported as an approach to address the current light utilization problems and thus, improve the overall efficiency. The aim of the paper is to present a preliminary evaluation on continuous flow optical fiber photocatalytic reactors based on performance indicators commonly applied for air cleaners. Based on experimental data, monolith-type optical fiber reactor performance surpasses annular-type optical fiber reactors in single-pass removal efficiency, clean air delivery rate and operating cost efficiency.

The carbon price: a toothless tool for material efficiency?

PubMed

Skelton, Alexandra C H; Allwood, Julian M

2017-06-13

This article explores whether a carbon price will effectively encourage the more efficient use of greenhouse gas intensive materials such as steel. The article identifies a range of distortions that arise when some of the restrictive assumptions of neoclassical economics are relaxed. Distortions occur due to the sequential nature of decision-making along supply chains, due to imperfect competition and due to government intervention to reduce the risk of carbon leakage. If upstream sectors do not pass on carbon costs, downstream sectors do not have the opportunity to react. Of the distortions identified, compensation mechanisms that reduce the risk of carbon leakage are likely to act as the greatest hinderance to appropriate incentives for the more efficient use of steel in the UK: as things currently stand, unless upstream companies are encouraged to make windfall profits, incentives downstream are weakened. The article concludes by exploring policy options to address the distortions identified, including efforts to reinstate the carbon price downstream and efforts to remove other distortive taxes.This article is part of the themed issue 'Material demand reduction'. © 2017 The Authors.

The optimization of l-lactic acid production from sweet sorghum juice by mixed fermentation of Bacillus coagulans and Lactobacillus rhamnosus under unsterile conditions.

PubMed

Wang, Yong; Chen, Changjing; Cai, Di; Wang, Zheng; Qin, Peiyong; Tan, Tianwei

2016-10-01

The cost reduction of raw material and sterilization could increase the economic feasibility of l-lactic acid fermentation, and the development of an cost-effective and efficient process is highly desired. To improve the efficiency of open fermentation by Lactobacillus rhamnosus based on sweet sorghum juice (SSJ) and to overcome sucrose utilization deficiency of Bacillus coagulans, a mixed fermentation was developed. Besides, the optimization of pH, sugar concentration and fermentation medium were also studied. Under the condition of mixed fermentation and controlled pH, a higher yield of 96.3% was achieved, compared to that (68.8%) in sole Lactobacillus rhamnosus fermentation. With an optimized sugar concentration and a stepwise-controlled pH, the l-lactic acid titer, yield and productivity reached 121gL(-1), 94.6% and 2.18gL(-1)h(-1), respectively. Furthermore, corn steep powder (CSP) as a cheap source of nitrogen and salts was proved to be an efficient supplement to SSJ in this process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrocoagulation efficiency of the tannery effluent treatment using aluminium electrodes.

PubMed

Espinoza-Quiñones, Fernando R; Fornari, Marilda M T; Módenes, Aparecido N; Palácio, Soraya M; Trigueros, Daniela E G; Borba, Fernando H; Kroumov, Alexander D

2009-01-01

An electro-coagulation laboratory scale system using aluminium plates electrodes was studied for the removal of organic and inorganic pollutants as a by-product from leather finishing industrial process. A fractional factorial 2(3) experimental design was applied in order to obtain optimal values of the system state variables. The electro-coagulation (EC) process efficiency was based on the chemical oxygen demand (COD), turbidity, total suspended solid, total fixed solid, total volatile solid, and chemical element concentration values. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for final pH, total fixed solid (TFS), turbidity and Ca concentration have confirmed the predicted models by the experimental design within a 95% confidence level. The reactor working conditions close to real effluent pH (7.6) and electrolysis time in the range 30-45 min were enough to achieve the cost effective reduction factors of organic and inorganic pollutants' concentrations. An appreciable improvement in COD removal efficiency was obtained for electro-coagulation treatment. Finally, the technical-economical analysis results have clearly shown that the electro-coagulation method is very promising for industrial application.

Stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation in France: comparative cost-effectiveness of new oral anticoagulants (apixaban, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban), warfarin, and aspirin.

PubMed

Lanitis, T; Cotté, F E; Gaudin, A F; Kachaner, I; Kongnakorn, T; Durand-Zaleski, I

2014-08-01

To conduct an economic evaluation of the currently prescribed treatments for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) including warfarin, aspirin, and novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) from a French payer perspective. A previously published Markov model was adapted in accordance to the new French guidelines of the Commission for Economic Evaluation and Public Health (CEESP), to adopt the recommended efficiency frontier approach. A cohort of patients with NVAF eligible for stroke preventive treatment was simulated over lifetime. Clinical events modeled included strokes, systemic embolism, intracranial hemorrhage, other major bleeds, clinically relevant non-major bleeds, and myocardial infarction. Efficacy and bleeding data for warfarin, apixaban, and aspirin were obtained from ARISTOTLE and AVERROES trials, whilst efficacy data for other NOACs were from published indirect comparisons. Acute medical costs were obtained from a dedicated analysis of the French national hospitalization database (PMSI). Long-term medical costs and utility data were derived from the literature. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the model projections. Warfarin and apixaban were the two optimal treatment choices, as the other five treatment strategies including aspirin, dabigatran 110 mg, dabigatran in sequential dosages, dabigatran 150 mg, and rivaroxaban were strictly dominated on the efficiency frontier. Further, apixaban was a cost-effective alternative vs warfarin with an incremental cost of €2314 and an incremental quality-adjusted life year (QALY) of 0.189, corresponding to an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of €12,227/QALY. Apixaban may be the most economically efficient alternative to warfarin in NVAF patients eligible for stroke prevention in France. All other strategies were dominated, yielding apixaban as a less costly yet more effective treatment alternative. As formally requested by the CEESP, these results need to be verified in a French clinical setting using stroke reduction and bleeding safety observed in real-life patient cohorts using these anticoagulants.

A general model for techno-economic analysis of CSP plants with thermochemical energy storage systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Xinyue; Maravelias, Christos T.; Root, Thatcher W.

2017-06-01

Thermochemical energy storage (TCES), with high energy density and wide operating temperature range, presents a potential solution for CSP plant energy storage. We develop a general optimization based process model for CSP plants employing a wide range of TCES systems which allows us to assess the plant economic feasibility and energy efficiency. The proposed model is applied to a 100 MW CSP plant employing ammonia or methane TCES systems. The methane TCES system with underground gas storage appears to be the most promising option, achieving a 14% LCOE reduction over the current two-tank molten-salt CSP plants. For general TCES systems, gas storage is identified as the main cost driver, while the main energy driver is the compressor electricity consumption. The impacts of separation and different reaction parameters are also analyzed. This study demonstrates that the realization of TCES systems for CSP plants is contingent upon low storage cost and a reversible reaction with proper reaction properties.

Economics of internal and external energy storage in solar power plant operation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Manvi, R.; Fujita, T.

1977-01-01

A simple approach is formulated to investigate the effect of energy storage on the bus-bar electrical energy cost of solar thermal power plants. Economic analysis based on this approach does not require detailed definition of a specific storage system. A wide spectrum of storage system candidates ranging from hot water to superconducting magnets can be studied based on total investment and a rough knowledge of energy in and out efficiencies. Preliminary analysis indicates that internal energy storage (thermal) schemes offer better opportunities for energy cost reduction than external energy storage (nonthermal) schemes for solar applications. Based on data and assumptions used in JPL evaluation studies, differential energy costs due to storage are presented for a 100 MWe solar power plant by varying the energy capacity. The simple approach presented in this paper provides useful insight regarding the operation of energy storage in solar power plant applications, while also indicating a range of design parameters where storage can be cost effective.

40 CFR 445.13 - Effluent limitations representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... limitations which represent the application of BAT: Limitations for ammonia (as N), a-terpineol, aniline... degree of effluent reduction attainable by the application of best available technology economically... application of best available technology economically achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30...

40 CFR 415.113 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.113 Section 415.113 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.113 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.113 Section 415.113 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.663 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.663 Section 415.663 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.203 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.203 Section 415.203 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.203 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.203 Section 415.203 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.673 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.673 Section 415.673 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32 any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.653 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.653 Section 415.653 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): The...

40 CFR 415.343 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.343 Section 415.343 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): The...

40 CFR 415.663 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.663 Section 415.663 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.423 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.423 Section 415.423 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.653 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.653 Section 415.653 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): The...

40 CFR 415.343 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.343 Section 415.343 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): The...

40 CFR 415.673 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.673 Section 415.673 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32 any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.663 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.663 Section 415.663 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.203 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.203 Section 415.203 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.423 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.423 Section 415.423 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.343 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.343 Section 415.343 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): The...

40 CFR 415.673 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.673 Section 415.673 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32 any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.113 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.113 Section 415.113 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

40 CFR 415.653 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.653 Section 415.653 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT): The...

40 CFR 415.423 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... economically achievable (BAT). 415.423 Section 415.423 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION... achievable (BAT). Except as provided in 40 CFR 125.30 through 125.32, any existing point source subject to... reduction attainable by the application of the best available technology economically achievable (BAT...

Employment and the Reduction of the Work Week: A Comparison of Seven European Macro-economic Models.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Ginneken, Wouter

1984-01-01

Analyzes the impact of a reduced work week on employment, productivity, wages, investment, economic growth, inflation, and government deficits. Concludes that reducing working hours would have greater effect if accompanied by wage reductions and limitation of overtime, but would not affect underlying causes of unemployment. (SK)

Towards evaluating the economic impact of bovine neosporosis.

PubMed

Trees, A J; Davison, H C; Innes, E A; Wastling, J M

1999-08-01

In spite of the global importance of neosporosis as a cause of bovine abortion, there is very little information about its economic consequences. The economic costs are a product of estimations of the quantity of the effects attributable to Neospora infection, and the particular unit costs of those effects. In this brief review, which arose from a workshop on the economics of coccidiosis held at the COST 820 meeting, Toledo 1998, we discuss the possible effects of neosporosis which are of economic significance and summarise the available estimates of their magnitude to provide a basis for further economic analysis. Neospora infection has been associated with abortion, increased culling and reduced milk yield. In addition, it has been diagnosed in cases of stillbirth and neonatal mortality, it is likely to contribute to early foetal death and resorption and it is responsible for a reduction in the value of female breeding cattle. In quantifying the role of Neospora, it is important that epidemiologically based, case-controlled studies are conducted because, given the extreme efficiency with which bovine Neospora infection is vertically transmitted, demonstration of prevalence of infection in affected animals (including foetuses) is not a true indicator of the significance of this disease. Relatively few epidemiological studies have been conducted, but in investigations in the USA, Holland and Britain, infected cows have been shown to be about three times more likely to abort than non-infected cattle. In the UK this approach has been used to estimate the proportion of abortions in the national dairy population which may be attributable to Neospora caninum.

Laser processes and system technology for the production of high-efficient crystalline solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mayerhofer, R.; Hendel, R.; Zhu, Wenjie; Geiger, S.

2012-10-01

The laser as an industrial tool is an essential part of today's solar cell production. Due to the on-going efforts in the solar industry, to increase the cell efficiency, more and more laser-based processes, which have been discussed and tested at lab-scale for many years, are now being implemented in mass production lines. In order to cope with throughput requirements, standard laser concepts have to be improved continuously with respect to available average power levels, repetition rates or beam profile. Some of the laser concepts, that showed high potential in the past couple of years, will be substituted by other, more economic laser types. Furthermore, requirements for processing with less-heat affected zones fuel the development of industry-ready ultra short pulsed lasers with pulse widths even below the picosecond range. In 2011, the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) had launched the program "PV-Innovation Alliance", with the aim to support the rapid transfer of high-efficiency processes out of development departments and research institutes into solar cell production lines. Here, lasers play an important role as production tools, allowing the fast implementation of high-performance solar cell concepts. We will report on the results achieved within the joint project FUTUREFAB, where efficiency optimization, throughput enhancement and cost reduction are the main goals. Here, the presentation will focus on laser processes like selective emitter doping and ablation of dielectric layers. An indispensable part of the efforts towards cost reduction in solar cell production is the improvement of wafer handling and throughput capabilities of the laser processing system. Therefore, the presentation will also elaborate on new developments in the design of complete production machines.

Setting Physicians' Prices in FFS Medicare: An Economic Perspective

PubMed Central

Dowd, Bryan; Feldman, Roger; Nyman, John; Town, Bob

2006-01-01

Recent policy discussions by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) regarding physician prices in the traditional fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare Program reflect movement toward a market pricing model. Earlier objectives such as sustainable levels of spending have given way to concerns over the relationship between fees and actual costs, access to care, and the importance of demand and supply in local markets. An important objective in other policy settings is economically efficient distribution of services. We explain the meaning of economic efficiency for Medicare physician prices and explore difficulties one might encounter in pursuing economic efficiency, as well as the cost of not pursuing it. PMID:17427848

Explant culture: An advantageous method for isolation of mesenchymal stem cells from human tissues.

PubMed

Hendijani, Fatemeh

2017-04-01

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) research progressively moves towards clinical phases. Accordingly, a wide range of different procedures were presented in the literature for MSC isolation from human tissues; however, there is not yet any close focus on the details to offer precise information for best method selection. Choosing a proper isolation method is a critical step in obtaining cells with optimal quality and yield in companion with clinical and economical considerations. In this concern, current review widely discusses advantages of omitting proteolysis step in isolation process and presence of tissue pieces in primary culture of MSCs, including removal of lytic stress on cells, reduction of in vivo to in vitro transition stress for migrated/isolated cells, reduction of price, processing time and labour, removal of viral contamination risk, and addition of supporting functions of extracellular matrix and released growth factors from tissue explant. In next sections, it provides an overall report of technical highlights and molecular events of explant culture method for isolation of MSCs from human tissues including adipose tissue, bone marrow, dental pulp, hair follicle, cornea, umbilical cord and placenta. Focusing on informative collection of molecular and methodological data about explant methods can make it easy for researchers to choose an optimal method for their experiments/clinical studies and also stimulate them to investigate and optimize more efficient procedures according to clinical and economical benefits. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Balancing water resource conservation and food security in China

PubMed Central

Dalin, Carole; Qiu, Huanguang; Hanasaki, Naota; Mauzerall, Denise L.; Rodriguez-Iturbe, Ignacio

2015-01-01

China’s economic growth is expected to continue into the next decades, accompanied by sustained urbanization and industrialization. The associated increase in demand for land, water resources, and rich foods will deepen the challenge of sustainably feeding the population and balancing agricultural and environmental policies. We combine a hydrologic model with an economic model to project China’s future food trade patterns and embedded water resources by 2030 and to analyze the effects of targeted irrigation reductions on this system, notably on national agricultural water consumption and food self-sufficiency. We simulate interprovincial and international food trade with a general equilibrium welfare model and a linear programming optimization, and we obtain province-level estimates of commodities’ virtual water content with a hydrologic model. We find that reducing irrigated land in regions highly dependent on scarce river flow and nonrenewable groundwater resources, such as Inner Mongolia and the greater Beijing area, can improve the efficiency of agriculture and trade regarding water resources. It can also avoid significant consumption of irrigation water across China (up to 14.8 km3/y, reduction by 14%), while incurring relatively small decreases in national food self-sufficiency (e.g., by 3% for wheat). Other researchers found that a national, rather than local, water policy would have similar effects on food production but would only reduce irrigation water consumption by 5%. PMID:25825748

Balancing water resource conservation and food security in China.

PubMed

Dalin, Carole; Qiu, Huanguang; Hanasaki, Naota; Mauzerall, Denise L; Rodriguez-Iturbe, Ignacio

2015-04-14

China's economic growth is expected to continue into the next decades, accompanied by sustained urbanization and industrialization. The associated increase in demand for land, water resources, and rich foods will deepen the challenge of sustainably feeding the population and balancing agricultural and environmental policies. We combine a hydrologic model with an economic model to project China's future food trade patterns and embedded water resources by 2030 and to analyze the effects of targeted irrigation reductions on this system, notably on national agricultural water consumption and food self-sufficiency. We simulate interprovincial and international food trade with a general equilibrium welfare model and a linear programming optimization, and we obtain province-level estimates of commodities' virtual water content with a hydrologic model. We find that reducing irrigated land in regions highly dependent on scarce river flow and nonrenewable groundwater resources, such as Inner Mongolia and the greater Beijing area, can improve the efficiency of agriculture and trade regarding water resources. It can also avoid significant consumption of irrigation water across China (up to 14.8 km(3)/y, reduction by 14%), while incurring relatively small decreases in national food self-sufficiency (e.g., by 3% for wheat). Other researchers found that a national, rather than local, water policy would have similar effects on food production but would only reduce irrigation water consumption by 5%.

Reconciling pesticide reduction with economic and environmental sustainability in arable farming.

PubMed

Lechenet, Martin; Bretagnolle, Vincent; Bockstaller, Christian; Boissinot, François; Petit, Marie-Sophie; Petit, Sandrine; Munier-Jolain, Nicolas M

2014-01-01

Reducing pesticide use is one of the high-priority targets in the quest for a sustainable agriculture. Until now, most studies dealing with pesticide use reduction have compared a limited number of experimental prototypes. Here we assessed the sustainability of 48 arable cropping systems from two major agricultural regions of France, including conventional, integrated and organic systems, with a wide range of pesticide use intensities and management (crop rotation, soil tillage, cultivars, fertilization, etc.). We assessed cropping system sustainability using a set of economic, environmental and social indicators. We failed to detect any positive correlation between pesticide use intensity and both productivity (when organic farms were excluded) and profitability. In addition, there was no relationship between pesticide use and workload. We found that crop rotation diversity was higher in cropping systems with low pesticide use, which would support the important role of crop rotation diversity in integrated and organic strategies. In comparison to conventional systems, integrated strategies showed a decrease in the use of both pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers, they consumed less energy and were frequently more energy efficient. Integrated systems therefore appeared as the best compromise in sustainability trade-offs. Our results could be used to re-design current cropping systems, by promoting diversified crop rotations and the combination of a wide range of available techniques contributing to pest management.

Reconciling Pesticide Reduction with Economic and Environmental Sustainability in Arable Farming

PubMed Central

Lechenet, Martin; Bretagnolle, Vincent; Bockstaller, Christian; Boissinot, François; Petit, Marie-Sophie; Petit, Sandrine; Munier-Jolain, Nicolas M.

2014-01-01

Reducing pesticide use is one of the high-priority targets in the quest for a sustainable agriculture. Until now, most studies dealing with pesticide use reduction have compared a limited number of experimental prototypes. Here we assessed the sustainability of 48 arable cropping systems from two major agricultural regions of France, including conventional, integrated and organic systems, with a wide range of pesticide use intensities and management (crop rotation, soil tillage, cultivars, fertilization, etc.). We assessed cropping system sustainability using a set of economic, environmental and social indicators. We failed to detect any positive correlation between pesticide use intensity and both productivity (when organic farms were excluded) and profitability. In addition, there was no relationship between pesticide use and workload. We found that crop rotation diversity was higher in cropping systems with low pesticide use, which would support the important role of crop rotation diversity in integrated and organic strategies. In comparison to conventional systems, integrated strategies showed a decrease in the use of both pesticides and nitrogen fertilizers, they consumed less energy and were frequently more energy efficient. Integrated systems therefore appeared as the best compromise in sustainability trade-offs. Our results could be used to re-design current cropping systems, by promoting diversified crop rotations and the combination of a wide range of available techniques contributing to pest management. PMID:24887494

How inhibiting nitrification affects nitrogen cycle and reduces ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

We conducted a meta-analysis of 103 nitrification inhibitor (NI) studies, and evaluated how NI application affects crop productivity and other ecosystem services in agricultural systems. Our results showed that, compared to conventional fertilizer practice, applications of NI along with nitrogen (N) fertilizer increased crop nitrogen use efficiency, crop yield, and altered the pathways and the amount of N loss to environment. NI application increased ammonia emission, but reduced nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide emission, which led to a reduction of 12.9% of the total N loss. The cost and benefit analysis showed that the economic benefit of reducing N’s environmental impacts offset the cost of NI. NI application could bring additional revenue of $163.72 ha-1 for a maize farm. Taken together, our findings show that NI application may create a win-win scenario that increases agricultural output, while reducing the negative impact on the environment. Policies that encourage NI application would reduce N’s environmental impacts. A group from Chinese Academy of Sciences, US EPA-ORD and North Carolina examined the net environmental and economic effects of nitrification inhibitors to reduce nitrate leaching associated with farm fertilizers. They conducted a meta-analysis of studies examining nitrification inhibitors, and found that NI application increased ammonia emission, but reduced nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide emission, which led to a reduction of 12.9

Backtracking search algorithm in CVRP models for efficient solid waste collection and route optimization.

PubMed

Akhtar, Mahmuda; Hannan, M A; Begum, R A; Basri, Hassan; Scavino, Edgar

2017-03-01

Waste collection is an important part of waste management that involves different issues, including environmental, economic, and social, among others. Waste collection optimization can reduce the waste collection budget and environmental emissions by reducing the collection route distance. This paper presents a modified Backtracking Search Algorithm (BSA) in capacitated vehicle routing problem (CVRP) models with the smart bin concept to find the best optimized waste collection route solutions. The objective function minimizes the sum of the waste collection route distances. The study introduces the concept of the threshold waste level (TWL) of waste bins to reduce the number of bins to be emptied by finding an optimal range, thus minimizing the distance. A scheduling model is also introduced to compare the feasibility of the proposed model with that of the conventional collection system in terms of travel distance, collected waste, fuel consumption, fuel cost, efficiency and CO 2 emission. The optimal TWL was found to be between 70% and 75% of the fill level of waste collection nodes and had the maximum tightness value for different problem cases. The obtained results for four days show a 36.80% distance reduction for 91.40% of the total waste collection, which eventually increases the average waste collection efficiency by 36.78% and reduces the fuel consumption, fuel cost and CO 2 emission by 50%, 47.77% and 44.68%, respectively. Thus, the proposed optimization model can be considered a viable tool for optimizing waste collection routes to reduce economic costs and environmental impacts. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comparative cost analysis of insecticide-treated nets and indoor residual spraying in highland Kenya.

PubMed

Guyatt, H L; Kinnear, J; Burini, M; Snow, R W

2002-06-01

The relative cost of indoor residual house-spraying (IRS) versus insecticide-treated bednets (ITNs) forms part of decisions regarding selective malaria prevention. This paper presents a cost comparison of these two approaches as recently implemented by Merlin, a UK emergency relief organization funded through international donor support and working in the highland districts of Gucha and Kisii in Kenya. The financial costs (cash expenditures) and the economic costs (including the opportunity costs of using existing staff and volunteers, and an annualized cost for capital items) were assessed. The financial cost for IRS was US dollars 0.86 per person protected, compared with 4.21 dollars for ITNs (reducing to 3.42 dollars to the provider assuming cost recovery). The economic cost per person protected for IRS was 0.88 dollars, compared with 2.34 dollars for ITNs. The costs for ITNs were sensitive to the number of nets sold per community group ('efficiency'), as the delivery costs constituted upwards of 40% of the total cost. However, even marked increases in efficiency of these groups could not reduce the costs of ITNs to that comparable with IRS, except if more than one cycle of IRS was needed. The implications of predicted reductions in the cost of insecticide for both IRS and ITNs are also explored. The provision of itemized cost data allows predictions to be made on changes in the design of these programmes. Under almost all design scenarios, IRS would appear to be a more cost-efficient means of vector control in the Kenyan highlands.

State policy as a driver of innovation to support economic growth: California energy-efficiency policy (1975-2005)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klementich, Eloisa Y.

2011-12-01

Purpose. The purpose of this research was to identify whether a relationship exists between state energy-efficiency policy and innovation in the State of California and to shed light on the impact that energy-efficiency policy can have on supporting statewide economic development goals. Theoretical Framework. The theoretical framework drew from foundations in neoclassical economic theory, technology change theory, and new growth theory. Together these theories formed the basis to describe the impacts caused by the innovations within the market economy. Under this framework, policy-generated innovations are viewed to be translated into efficiency and productivity that propel economic benefits. Methodological Considerations. This study examined various economic indices and efficiency attainment indices affecting four home appliances regulated under Title 20's energy-efficiency standard established by the California Energy Commission, Warren Alquist Act. The multiple regression analysis performed provided an understanding of the relationship between the products regulated, the regulation standard, and the policy as it relates to energy-efficiency regulation. Findings. There is enough evidence to show that strategies embedded in the Warren Alquist Act, Title 20 do drive innovation. Three of the four product categories tested showed statistical significance in the policy standard resulting in an industry efficiency improvement. Conclusively, the consumption of electricity per capita in California has positively diverged over a 35-year period from national trends, even though California had mirrored the nation in income and family size during the same period, the only clear case of divergence is the state's action toward a different energy policy. Conclusions and Recommendations. California's regulations propelled manufacturers to reach higher efficiency levels not otherwise pursued by market forces. The California effort included alliances all working together to make the change financially feasible as well as increasing efficiency levels. The success of the policy is based on the attainment of regulation standards, economic growth within the energy-efficiency industry, and energy-efficiency business savings. The key to the policy was its ability to "level the playing field" for manufacturers who could then choose the technology and design that best fit their products and compliance levels while at the same time lowering the cost of production.

Analysis of E-marketplace Attributes: Assessing The NATO Logistics Stock Exchange

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-01-01

order processing time Reduction of stock levels Reduction of payment processing time Reduction of excessive stocks Reduction of maverick buying...satisfaction 4,02 0,151 3. Reduction of order processing time 4,27 0,317 15. Reduction of stock levels 3,87 0,484 4. Reduction of payment processing time...information exchange with partners in the supply chain Efficiency Basic Reduction of order processing time Efficiency Important Reduction of

Comparative evaluation of power factor impovement techniques for squirrel cage induction motors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Spee, R.; Wallace, A.K.

1992-04-01

This paper describes the results obtained from a series of tests of relatively simple methods of improving the power factor of squirrel-cage induction motors. The methods, which are evaluated under controlled laboratory conditions for a 10-hp, high-efficiency motor, include terminal voltage reduction; terminal static capacitors; and a floating'' winding with static capacitors. The test results are compared with equivalent circuit model predictions that are then used to identify optimum conditions for each of the power factor improvement techniques compared with the basic induction motor. Finally, the relative economic value, and the implications of component failures, of the three methods aremore » discussed.« less

Why we use more materials.

PubMed

Gutowski, Timothy; Cooper, Daniel; Sahni, Sahil

2017-06-13

In this paper, we review the drivers for the high levels of material use in society, investigating both historical and current trends. We present recent national and global data by different material categories and accounting schemes, showing the correlations between materials use and different measures of human well-being. We also present a development narrative to accompany these observed trends, focusing on the strong role materials have played in economic development by industrialization and in the consumer economy. Finally, we speculate on how material efficiency might alter this pattern going forward and whether it is possible to de-couple well-being from material use.This article is part of the themed issue 'Material demand reduction'. © 2017 The Author(s).

Why we use more materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gutowski, Timothy; Cooper, Daniel; Sahni, Sahil

2017-05-01

In this paper, we review the drivers for the high levels of material use in society, investigating both historical and current trends. We present recent national and global data by different material categories and accounting schemes, showing the correlations between materials use and different measures of human well-being. We also present a development narrative to accompany these observed trends, focusing on the strong role materials have played in economic development by industrialization and in the consumer economy. Finally, we speculate on how material efficiency might alter this pattern going forward and whether it is possible to de-couple well-being from material use. This article is part of the themed issue 'Material demand reduction'.

[The distribution of health resources: a hybrid model of equality and maximization].

PubMed

Farmer, Yanick

2012-01-01

In the allocation of resources for health care, it is generally acknowledged that models based exclusively either on efficiency and maximizing the cost/benefit ratio of interventions, or on equity and justice through the notion of "maximin," are unsatisfactory when taken separately. To fill this gap, this commentary suggests a hybrid model of resource allocation that integrates the idea of a random distribution of resources using a lottery. The general aim of this model is to safeguard the notions of justice and equal access to resources to the maximum extent possible in a climate where budget restrictions and the economic downturn may lead to future reductions in services.

ONU Power Saving Scheme for EPON System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukai, Hiroaki; Tano, Fumihiko; Tanaka, Masaki; Kozaki, Seiji; Yamanaka, Hideaki

PON (Passive Optical Network) achieves FTTH (Fiber To The Home) economically, by sharing an optical fiber among plural subscribers. Recently, global climate change has been recognized as a serious near term problem. Power saving techniques for electronic devices are important. In PON system, the ONU (Optical Network Unit) power saving scheme has been studied and defined in XG-PON. In this paper, we propose an ONU power saving scheme for EPON. Then, we present an analysis of the power reduction effect and the data transmission delay caused by the ONU power saving scheme. According to the analysis, we propose an efficient provisioning method for the ONU power saving scheme which is applicable to both of XG-PON and EPON.

The Concept of Resource Use Efficiency as a Theoretical Basis for Promising Coal Mining Technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikhalchenko, Vadim

2017-11-01

The article is devoted to solving one of the most relevant problems of the coal mining industry - its high resource use efficiency, which results in high environmental and economic costs of operating enterprises. It is shown that it is the high resource use efficiency of traditional, historically developed coal production systems that generates a conflict between indicators of economic efficiency and indicators of resistance to uncertainty and variability of market environment parameters. The traditional technological paradigm of exploitation of coal deposits also predetermines high, technology-driven, economic risks. The solution is shown and a real example of the problem solution is considered.

Distance Learning as a Tool for Poverty Reduction and Economic Development: A Focus on China and Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larson, Richard C.; Murray, M. Elizabeth

2008-01-01

This paper uses case studies to focus on distance learning in developing countries as an enabler for economic development and poverty reduction. To provide perspective, we first review the history of telecottages, local technology-equipped facilities to foster community-based learning, which have evolved into "telecenters" or…

Quantum entanglement helps in improving economic efficiency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Jiangfeng; Ju, Chenyong; Li, Hui

2005-02-01

We propose an economic regulation approach based on quantum game theory for the government to reduce the abuses of oligopolistic competition. Theoretical analysis shows that this approach can help government improve the economic efficiency of the oligopolistic market, and help prevent monopoly due to incorrect information. These advantages are completely attributed to the quantum entanglement, a unique quantum mechanical character.

Furrow diking and the economic water use efficiency of irrigated cotton in the southeast United States

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production in the Southeast United States can be limited by periodic drought. Irrigation and furrow diking tillage may improve economic yield and water use efficiency of cotton. Timing of rainfall may interfere with the efficiency of irrigation. Field studies were c...

A Spatial-Economic Cost-Reduction Pathway Analysis for U.S. Offshore Wind Energy Development from 2015-2030

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beiter, Philipp; Stehly, Tyler

The potential for cost reduction and economic viability for offshore wind varies considerably within the United States. This analysis models the cost impact of a range of offshore wind locational cost variables across more than 7,000 potential coastal sites in the United States' offshore wind resource area. It also assesses the impact of over 50 technology innovations on potential future costs between 2015 and 2027 (Commercial Operation Date) for both fixed-bottom and floating wind systems. Comparing these costs to an initial assessment of local avoided generating costs, this analysis provides a framework for estimating the economic potential for offshore wind.more » Analyzing economic potential within this framework can help establish a refined understanding across industries of the technology and site-specific risks and opportunities associated with future offshore wind development. The findings from the original report indicate that under the modeled scenario, offshore wind can be expected to achieve significant cost reductions and may approach economic viability in some parts of the United States within the next 15 years.« less

[Relationships between economic growth and industrial pollutant discharge of Suzhou: how about the EKC?].

PubMed

Ling, Hong; Zhu, Xiao-Dong; Wang, Hui-Zhong; Yin, Rong-Yao; Wang, Xiang-Hua; Zhao, Wen-Jun

2009-04-01

Based on the study of the relationships between economic growth and industrial pollutant discharge of Suzhou City in 1991-2005, the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) of the City was estimated by several kinds of function, with the cause analyzed. The results showed that the EKC of Suzhou was not a typical one. The industrial pollution of the City increased dramatically by scale effect of economic growth and the clear environmental benefit of industrial structure adjustment was not received obviously, while generalized discharge reduction technologies showed great results. In general terms, the pollution increase was comparatively slower than the GDP growth. As a whole, the environmental policy of Suzhou was in effect. However, the relationships between economic growth and industrial pollutant discharge had not been a benign development yet. In order to achieve win-win situation of economic growth and pollution reduction, Suzhou needed to optimize its industry structure, push the energy conservation and discharge reduction policy deeply, increase environmental investment, and enforce the strictest environmental and industrial policy. In doing these, Suzhou could turn the traditional omega-shaped EKC into delta-shaped EKC.

Tax reform and energy in the Philippines economy: A general equilibrium computation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Boyd, R.G.; Doroodian, K.; Udomvaech, P.

1994-12-31

This paper examines how energy tax cuts, offset with income tax increases, affect production, consumption, and total welfare in the Philippines economy. Our results show that energy tax cuts expand the energy and nonmetal mining sectors, but decrease output in the manufacturing, agricultural, and metal mining sectors. Consumption of all goods and services combined increases as the amount of energy tax reduction increases. Our welfare results, however, are mixed. While the welfare of the mid- and high-income levels increases, that of the lowest income level decreases. These results are robust with respect to changes in the elasticity of substitution inmore » energy production as well as the elasticity of substitution in consumer demand. From the standpoint of economic efficiency, a policy such as this would enhance growth and aggregate income. From an equity standpoint, however, this policy is highly regressive in spite of the fact that the richest households pay proportionately more to finance the energy tax reduction. 18 refs., 10 tabs.« less

Representative concentration pathways and mitigation scenarios for nitrous oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, Eric A.

2012-06-01

The challenges of mitigating nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions are substantially different from those for carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4), because nitrogen (N) is essential for food production, and over 80% of anthropogenic N2O emissions are from the agricultural sector. Here I use a model of emission factors of N2O to demonstrate the magnitude of improvements in agriculture and industrial sectors and changes in dietary habits that would be necessary to match the four representative concentration pathways (RCPs) now being considered in the fifth assessment report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Stabilizing atmospheric N2O by 2050, consistent with the most aggressive of the RCP mitigation scenarios, would require about 50% reductions in emission factors in all sectors and about a 50% reduction in mean per capita meat consumption in the developed world. Technologies exist to achieve such improved efficiencies, but overcoming social, economic, and political impediments for their adoption and for changes in dietary habits will present large challenges.

Intercropping for Management of Insect Pests of Castor, Ricinus communis, in the Semi—Arid Tropics of India

PubMed Central

Srinivasa Rao, M.; Venkateswarlu, B.

2012-01-01

Intercropping is one of the important cultural practices in pest management and is based on the principle of reducing insect pests by increasing the diversity of an ecosystem. On—farm experiments were conducted in villages of semi—arid tropical (SAT) India to identify the appropriate combination of castor (Ricinus communis L.) (Malpighiales: Euphorbiaceae) and intercropping in relation to pest incidence. The diversity created by introducing cluster bean, cowpea, black gram, or groundnut as intercrops in castor (1:2 ratio proportions) resulted in reduction of incidence of insect pests, namely semilooper (Achaea janata L.), leaf hopper (Empoasca flavescens Fabricius), and shoot and capsule borer (Conogethes punctiferalis Guenee). A buildup of natural enemies (Microplitis, coccinellids, and spiders) of the major pests of castor was also observed in these intercropping systems and resulted in the reduction of insect pests. Further, these systems were more efficient agronomically and economically, and were thus more profitable than a castor monocrop. PMID:22934569

Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) - Better Buildings Neighborhood Program at Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance: Home Performance with Energy Star® and Better Buildings Performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Holzhauser, Andy; Jones, Chris; Faust, Jeremy

2013-12-30

The Greater Cincinnati Energy Alliance (Energy Alliance) is a nonprofit economic development agency dedicated to helping Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky communities reduce energy consumption. The Energy Alliance has launched programs to educate homeowners, commercial property owners, and nonprofit organizations about energy efficiency opportunities they can use to drive energy use reductions and financial savings, while extending significant focus to creating/retaining jobs through these programs. The mission of the Energy Alliance is based on the premise that investment in energy efficiency can lead to transformative economic development in a region. With support from seven municipalities, the Energy Alliance began operationmore » in early 2010 and has been among the fastest growing nonprofit organizations in the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area. The Energy Alliance offers two programs endorsed by the Department of Energy: the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program for homeowners and the Better Buildings Performance Program for commercial entities. Both programs couple expert guidance, project management, and education in energy efficiency best practices with incentives and innovative energy efficiency financing to help building owners effectively invest in the energy efficiency, comfort, health, longevity, and environmental impact of their residential or commercial buildings. The Energy Alliance has raised over $23 million of public and private capital to build a robust market for energy efficiency investment. Of the $23 million, $17 million was a direct grant from the Department of Energy Better Buildings Neighborhood Program (BBNP). The organization’s investments in energy efficiency projects in the residential and commercial sector have led to well over $50 million in direct economic activity and created over 375,000 hours of labor created or retained. In addition, over 250 workers have been trained through the Building Performance Training Center, a program that was developed and funded by the Energy Alliance and housed at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College. Nearly 100 residential and commercial contractors currently participate in the Energy Alliance’s two major programs, which have together served over 2,800 residential and 100 commercial customers. Additionally, the Energy Alliance established loan programs for homeowners, nonprofits and commercial businesses. The GC-HELP program was established to provide up to ten year low interest, unsecured loans to homeowners to cover the energy efficiency products they purchased through the Energy Alliance approved contractor base. To date the Energy Alliance has financed over $1 million in energy efficiency loans for homeowners, without any loans written off. The nonprofit business community is offered five year, fixed-interest rate loans through the Building Communities Loan Fund of $250,000. Additionally, the Energy Alliance has developed GC-PACE, a commercial financing tool that enables buildings owners to finance their energy upgrades through voluntary property assessments deploying low-interest extended-term capital from the bond market. The Energy Alliance and its partners are actively evaluating additional market-based financing solutions.« less

Economic efficiency in fish farming: hope for agro-allied industries in Niagara

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kareem, R. O.; Dipeolu, A. O.; Aromolaran, A. B.; Williams, S. B.

2008-02-01

The challenge to increase the efficiency in food production level in Nigeria appears to be more urgent now than it has ever been in the history of the country. This is in view of the rapidly increasing population, the imminent decline in international economic and food aid and the need to conserve foreign exchange earnings through the production of raw materials to feed the growing industrial sector calls for urgent attention. The study was carried out in Ogun State. The descriptive statistics was used to determine the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. The stochastic frontiers production analysis was applied to estimate the technical, allocative efficiency and economic efficiency among the fish farmers in the state. The results of economic efficiency revealed that fish farming is economically efficient with a range of between 55% and 84% efficiency level suggesting a favourable hope for the agro-allied industry such as poultry and cottage industries etc in the state. The result of hypothesis of inefficiency sources models showed that years of experience of fish farmers is significant at 1% probability level indicating the factor contributing to the fish farming experience in the state. Thus, the efficiency is due to the fact that farmers are experienced and fairly educated. On the basis of findings, policy is suggested to be directed towards the encouragement of entrepreneurs in fish farming in the state by providing enabling environment like credit facilities, public enlightenment programme and provision of social amenities like feeder roads, pipe-born water etc and given the fact that an increase in the level of formal education variable leads to less inefficiency, government policy should be focused on adopting the best technology (e.g. fast growing species and equipment) so as to improve the level of efficiency and investment which shall eventually lead to growth in output of fish farming and a lead to the establishment of agro-allied industries in the state.

Evaluation of the influence of economic groups on the efficiency and quality of service of water companies: an empirical approach for Chile.

PubMed

Molinos-Senante, María; Farías, Rodrigo

2018-06-04

The privatization of water and sewerage services (WSS) has led to the foundation of water economic groups, which integrate several water companies and have gained notable importance at the global level. In the framework of benchmarking studies, there are no prior studies exploring the impact that economic groups have on the efficiency and quality of service provided by water companies. This study investigates, for the first time, whether the membership of water companies in an economic group influences their performance. Quantity- and quality-adjusted efficiency scores were computed using data envelopment analysis models. An empirical application was developed for the Chilean water industry since most of their water companies are private and belong to an economic group. The results show that independent water companies provide WSS with better quality than do water companies that belong to an economic group. From a statistical point of view, it was evident that membership in an economic group impacts both the quantity- and quality-adjusted efficiency scores of water companies. The results of this study illustrate that applying the model-firm regulation to the Chilean water industry has significant drawbacks that should be addressed by the water regulator to promote the long-term sustainability of the water industry.

Climate effects of reducing black carbon emissions: Dependence on location of emission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuglestvedt, J.; Berntsen, T.; Myhre, G.; Rive, N. A.; Rypdal, K.; Gerland, S.; Pedersen, C.; Strøm, J.

2006-12-01

The role played by emissions of black carbon aerosols (BC) on the Earth's climate is diverse and the overall effect is still quite uncertain: Black carbon not only absorbs sunlight (direct effect), but it also has a semi- direct effect on clouds, and when deposited on snow and ice it changes the reflectivity (albedo) of the ground surface. These mechanisms generally have a warming effect on the climate. This poster presents a Norwegian project that focus on the net effect of current BC emissions and future possible reductions in emissions of BC aerosols, taking into account scientific, economic, and political perspectives on the inclusion of BC in climate policies. Thus, the scope of the project is interdisciplinary and includes observations in the Arctic, model simulations of dispersion of BC aerosols, its radiative forcing and climate effects. Some initial results from measurements of BC content in snow from the Norwegian Arctic and corresponding measurements for surface reflectance will be presented. The radiative forcing of BC emissions from different geographical regions differs due to differences in the removal processes (i.e. the lifetime) and the amount of solar radiation available for absorption (depends on latitude, clouds, and surface albedo). The atmospheric burdens and RF (of the direct effect) of regional BC emissions from fossil fuel sources have been calculated by the global chemical transport model Oslo-CTM2 and a radiative transfer model, and first results of time-integrated RF per unit of emission (equivalent to absolute GWPs) are presented. Future plans including i) analysis of cost effective emission reduction strategies, taking into account regional differences the forcing efficiencies, but also cost estimates for BC reductions in the different regions, and ii) an evaluation of the climate effects of the emission reductions through model simulations, including climatic, economic and political perspectives exploring obstacles and opportunities will also be presented.

A modeling comparison of deep greenhouse gas emissions reduction scenarios by 2030 in California

DOE PAGES

Yeh, Sonia; Yang, Christopher; Gibbs, Michael; ...

2016-10-21

California aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. We compare six energy models that have played various roles in informing the state policymakers in setting climate policy goals and targets. These models adopt a range of modeling structures, including stock-turnover back-casting models, a least-cost optimization model, macroeconomic/macro-econometric models, and an electricity dispatch model. Results from these models provide useful insights in terms of the transformations in the energy system required, including efficiency improvements in cars, trucks, and buildings, electrification of end-uses, low- or zero-carbon electricity and fuels, aggressive adoptions of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs),more » demand reduction, and large reductions of non-energy GHG emissions. Some of these studies also suggest that the direct economic costs can be fairly modest or even generate net savings, while the indirect macroeconomic benefits are large, as shifts in employment and capital investments could have higher economic returns than conventional energy expenditures. These models, however, often assume perfect markets, perfect competition, and zero transaction costs. They also do not provide specific policy guidance on how these transformative changes can be achieved. Greater emphasis on modeling uncertainty, consumer behaviors, heterogeneity of impacts, and spatial modeling would further enhance policymakers' ability to design more effective and targeted policies. Here, this paper presents an example of how policymakers, energy system modelers and stakeholders interact and work together to develop and evaluate long-term state climate policy targets. Lastly, even though this paper focuses on California, the process of dialogue and interactions, modeling results, and lessons learned can be generally adopted across different regions and scales.« less

Wildfire Risk Management: Challenges and Opportunities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, M.; Calkin, D. E.; Hand, M. S.; Kreitler, J.

2014-12-01

In this presentation we address federal wildfire risk management largely through the lens of economics, targeting questions related to costs, effectiveness, efficiency, and tradeoffs. Beyond risks to resources and assets such as wildlife habitat, watersheds, and homes, wildfires present financial risk and budgetary instability for federal wildfire management agencies due to highly variable annual suppression costs. Despite its variability, the costs of wildfire management have continued to escalate and account for an ever-growing share of overall agency budgets, compromising abilities to attain other objectives related to forest health, recreation, timber management, etc. Trends associated with a changing climate and human expansion into fire-prone areas could lead to additional suppression costs in the future, only further highlighting the need for an ability to evaluate economic tradeoffs in investments across the wildfire management spectrum. Critically, these economic analyses need to accurately capture the complex spatial and stochastic aspects of wildfire, the inherent uncertainty associated with monetizing environmental impacts of wildfire, the costs and effectiveness of alternative management policies, and linkages between pre-fire investments and active incident management. Investing in hazardous fuels reduction and forest restoration in particular is a major policy lever for pre-fire risk mitigation, and will be a primary focus of our presentation. Evaluating alternative fuel management and suppression policies could provide opportunities for significant efficiency improvements in the development of risk-informed management fire management strategies. Better understanding tradeoffs of fire impacts and costs can help inform policy questions such as how much of the landscape to treat and how to balance investments in treating new areas versus maintaining previous investments. We will summarize current data needs, knowledge gaps, and other factors influencing research and development on this critically important topic. Specifically we will focus on how to embed simulation models within an economic framework, how to link fire models with models of wildfire management expenditures, how to evaluate alternative management policies, and how to measure cost-effectiveness.

Sustained health-economic effects after reorganisation of a Swiss hospital emergency centre: a cost comparison study

PubMed Central

Eichler, Klaus; Hess, Sascha; Chmiel, Corinne; Bögli, Karin; Sidler, Patrick; Senn, Oliver; Rosemann, Thomas; Brügger, Urs

2014-01-01

Background Emergency departments (EDs) are increasingly overcrowded by walk-in patients. However, little is known about health-economic consequences resulting from long waiting times and inefficient use of specialised resources. We have evaluated a quality improvement project of a Swiss urban hospital: In 2009, a triage system and a hospital-associated primary care unit with General Practitioners (H-GP-unit) were implemented beside the conventional hospital ED. This resulted in improved medical service provision with reduced process times and more efficient diagnostic testing. We now report on health-economic effects. Methods From the hospital perspective, we performed a cost comparison study analysing treatment costs in the old emergency model (ED, only) versus treatment costs in the new emergency model (triage plus ED plus H-GP-unit) from 2007 to 2011. Hospital cost accounting data were applied. All consecutive outpatient emergency contacts were included for 1 month in each follow-up year. Results The annual number of outpatient emergency contacts increased from n=10 440 (2007; baseline) to n=16 326 (2011; after intervention), reflecting a general trend. In 2007, mean treatment costs per outpatient were €358 (95% CI 342 to 375). Until 2011, costs increased in the ED (€423 (396 to 454)), but considerably decreased in the H-GP-unit (€235 (221 to 250)). Compared with 2007, the annual local budget spent for treatment of 16 326 patients in 2011 showed cost reductions of €417 600 (27 200 to 493 600) after adjustment for increasing patient numbers. Conclusions From the health-economic point of view, our new service model shows ‘dominance’ over the old model: While quality of service provision improved (reduced waiting times; more efficient resource use in the H-GP-unit), treatment costs sustainably decreased against the secular trend of increase. PMID:23850883

Eco-Efficiency Analysis of biotechnological processes.

PubMed

Saling, Peter

2005-07-01

Eco-Efficiency has been variously defined and analytically implemented by several workers. In most cases, Eco-Efficiency is taken to mean the ecological optimization of overall systems while not disregarding economic factors. Eco-Efficiency should increase the positive ecological performance of a commercial company in relation to economic value creation--or to reduce negative effects. Several companies use Eco-Efficiency Analysis for decision-making processes; and industrial examples of best practices in developing and implementing Eco-Efficiency have been reviewed. They clearly demonstrate the environmental and business benefits of Eco-Efficiency. An instrument for the early recognition and systematic detection of economic and environmental opportunities and risks for production processes in the chemical industry began use in 1997, since when different new features have been developed, leading to many examples. This powerful Eco-Efficiency Analysis allows a feasibility evaluation of existing and future business activities and is applied by BASF. In many cases, decision-makers are able to choose among alternative processes for making a product.

In-line Kevlar filters for microfiltration of transuranic-containing liquid streams.

PubMed

Gonzales, G J; Beddingfield, D H; Lieberman, J L; Curtis, J M; Ficklin, A C

1992-06-01

The Department of Energy Rocky Flats Plant has numerous ongoing efforts to minimize the generation of residue and waste and to improve safety and health. Spent polypropylene liquid filters held for plutonium recovery, known as "residue," or as transuranic mixed waste contribute to storage capacity problems and create radiation safety and health considerations. An in-line process-liquid filter made of Kevlar polymer fiber has been evaluated for its potential to: (1) minimize filter residue, (2) recover economically viable quantities of plutonium, (3) minimize liquid storage tank and process-stream radioactivity, and (4) reduce potential personnel radiation exposure associated with these sources. Kevlar filters were rated to less than or equal to 1 mu nominal filtration and are capable of reducing undissolved plutonium particles to more than 10 times below the economic discard limit, however produced high back-pressures and are not yet acid resistant. Kevlar filters performed independent of loaded particles serving as a sieve. Polypropylene filters removed molybdenum particles at efficiencies equal to Kevlar filters only after loading molybdenum during recirculation events. Kevlars' high-efficiency microfiltration of process-liquid streams for the removal of actinides has the potential to reduce personnel radiation exposure by a factor of 6 or greater, while simultaneously achieving a reduction in the generation of filter residue and waste by a factor of 7. Insoluble plutonium may be recoverable from Kevlar filters by incineration.

Fuels planning: science synthesis and integration; economic uses fact sheet 03: economic impacts of fuel treatments

Treesearch

Rocky Mountain Research Station USDA Forest Service

2004-01-01

With increased interest in reducing hazardous fuels in dry inland forests of the American West, agencies and the public will want to know the economic impacts of fuel reduction treatments. This fact sheet discusses the economic impact tool, a component of My Fuel Treatment Planner, for evaluating economic impacts.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of risk-reduction measures to reach water safety targets.

PubMed

Lindhe, Andreas; Rosén, Lars; Norberg, Tommy; Bergstedt, Olof; Pettersson, Thomas J R

2011-01-01

Identifying the most suitable risk-reduction measures in drinking water systems requires a thorough analysis of possible alternatives. In addition to the effects on the risk level, also the economic aspects of the risk-reduction alternatives are commonly considered important. Drinking water supplies are complex systems and to avoid sub-optimisation of risk-reduction measures, the entire system from source to tap needs to be considered. There is a lack of methods for quantification of water supply risk reduction in an economic context for entire drinking water systems. The aim of this paper is to present a novel approach for risk assessment in combination with economic analysis to evaluate risk-reduction measures based on a source-to-tap approach. The approach combines a probabilistic and dynamic fault tree method with cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA). The developed approach comprises the following main parts: (1) quantification of risk reduction of alternatives using a probabilistic fault tree model of the entire system; (2) combination of the modelling results with CEA; and (3) evaluation of the alternatives with respect to the risk reduction, the probability of not reaching water safety targets and the cost-effectiveness. The fault tree method and CEA enable comparison of risk-reduction measures in the same quantitative unit and consider costs and uncertainties. The approach provides a structured and thorough analysis of risk-reduction measures that facilitates transparency and long-term planning of drinking water systems in order to avoid sub-optimisation of available resources for risk reduction. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Army Civil Affairs Functional Specialists: On the Verge of Extinction

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

the following six areas: rule of law, economic stability , infrastructure, governance, public health and welfare, and public education and information...as defined in table 1. Rule of Law Economic Stability Infrastructure Rule of law pertains to the fair, competent, and efficient application and... Economic stability pertains to the efficient management (for example, production, distribution, trade, and consumption) of resources, goods

Vulnerability to heatwaves and implications for public health interventions - A scoping review.

PubMed

Mayrhuber, Elisabeth Anne-Sophie; Dückers, Michel L A; Wallner, Peter; Arnberger, Arne; Allex, Brigitte; Wiesböck, Laura; Wanka, Anna; Kolland, Franz; Eder, Renate; Hutter, Hans-Peter; Kutalek, Ruth

2018-05-31

Heatwaves form a serious public health threat, especially for vulnerable groups. Interventions such as active outreach programs, exposure reduction measures and monitoring and mapping of at-risk groups are increasingly implemented across the world but little is known about their effect. To assess how vulnerable groups are identified and reached in heat health interventions, to understand the effectiveness and efficiency of those interventions, and to identify research gaps in existing literature. We performed a literature search in relevant scientific literature databases and searched with a four element search model for articles published from 1995 onward. We extracted data on intervention measures, target group and evaluation of effectiveness and efficiency. We identified 23 eligible studies. Patterns exist in type of interventions 1) to detect and 2) to influence extrinsic and intrinsic risk and protective factors. Results showed several intervention barriers related to the variety and intersection of these factors, as well as the self-perception of vulnerable groups, and misconceptions and unfavorable attitudes towards intervention benefits. While modest indications for the evidence on the effectiveness of interventions were found, efficiency remains unclear. Interventions entailed logical combinations of measures, subsumed as packages. Evidence for effective and efficient intervention is limited by the difficulty to determine effects and because single measures are mutually dependent. Interventions prioritized promoting behavioral change and were based on behavioral assumptions that remain untested and mechanisms not worked out explicitly. Multifaceted efforts are needed to tailor interventions, compiled in heat health warning systems and action plans for exposure reduction and protection of vulnerable populations, to fit the social, economic and geographical context. Besides adequately addressing relevant risk and protective factors, the challenge is to integrate perspectives of vulnerable groups. Future research should focus on intervention barriers and improving the methods of effectiveness and efficiency evaluation. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Economic Growth and Poverty Reduction: Measurement and Policy Issues. OECD Development Centre Working Paper No. 246

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klasen, Stephan

2005-01-01

The aim of this Working Paper is to broaden the debate on "pro-poor growth". An exclusive focus on the income dimension of poverty has neglected the non-income dimensions. After an examination of prominent views on the linkages between economic growth, inequality, and poverty reduction this paper discusses the proper definition and…

The correlation between stress and economic crisis: a systematic review

PubMed Central

Mucci, Nicola; Giorgi, Gabriele; Roncaioli, Mattia; Fiz Perez, Javier; Arcangeli, Giulio

2016-01-01

In 2008 a deep economic crisis started in the US and rapidly spread around the world. The crisis severely affected the labor market and employees’ well-being. Hence, the aim of this work is to implement a systematic review of the principal studies that analyze the impact of the economic crisis on the health of workers. We conducted our search on the PubMed database, and a total of 19 articles were selected for review. All studies showed that the economic crisis was an important stressor that had a negative impact on workers’ mental health. Most of the studies documented that a rise in unemployment, increased workload, staff reduction, and wages reduction were linked to an increased rate of mood disorders, anxiety, depression, dysthymia, and suicide. Some studies showed that problems related to the crisis may have also affected the general health of workers by increasing the risk of such health problems as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Finally, some studies looked at the impact of the crisis on health care services. These studies demonstrated that the reduction in public expenditure on health care services, and the reduction of public hospital budgets due to the recession, led to organizational problems (eg, medical supply shortages). PMID:27143898

The correlation between stress and economic crisis: a systematic review.

PubMed

Mucci, Nicola; Giorgi, Gabriele; Roncaioli, Mattia; Fiz Perez, Javier; Arcangeli, Giulio

2016-01-01

In 2008 a deep economic crisis started in the US and rapidly spread around the world. The crisis severely affected the labor market and employees' well-being. Hence, the aim of this work is to implement a systematic review of the principal studies that analyze the impact of the economic crisis on the health of workers. We conducted our search on the PubMed database, and a total of 19 articles were selected for review. All studies showed that the economic crisis was an important stressor that had a negative impact on workers' mental health. Most of the studies documented that a rise in unemployment, increased workload, staff reduction, and wages reduction were linked to an increased rate of mood disorders, anxiety, depression, dysthymia, and suicide. Some studies showed that problems related to the crisis may have also affected the general health of workers by increasing the risk of such health problems as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. Finally, some studies looked at the impact of the crisis on health care services. These studies demonstrated that the reduction in public expenditure on health care services, and the reduction of public hospital budgets due to the recession, led to organizational problems (eg, medical supply shortages).

Economic efficiency and risk character of fire management programs, Northern Rocky Mountains

Treesearch

Thomas J. Mills; Frederick W. Bratten

1988-01-01

Economic efficiency and risk have long been considered during the selection of fire management programs and the design of fire management polices. The risk considerations was largely subjective, however, and efficiency has only recently been calculated for selected portions of the fire management program. The highly stochastic behavior of the fire system and the high...

Kids, Cash and Sustainability: Economic Knowledge and Behaviors among Preschool Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borg, Farhana

2017-01-01

Although young children are often involved in economic transactions of various kinds in their daily activities, research on their knowledge and behaviors in relation to sustainable economics is limited. Sustainable economics deals with, among others, equity, corporate responsibility and poverty reduction. This study explored preschool children's…

Radiation dose reduction efficiency of buildings after the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station.

PubMed

Monzen, Satoru; Hosoda, Masahiro; Osanai, Minoru; Tokonami, Shinji

2014-01-01

Numerous radionuclides were released from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station (F1-NPS) in Japan following the magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. Local residents have been eager to calculate their individual radiation exposure. Thus, absorbed dose rates in the indoor and outdoor air at evacuation sites in the Fukushima Prefecture were measured using a gamma-ray measuring devices, and individual radiation exposure was calculated by assessing the radiation dose reduction efficiency (defined as the ratio of absorbed dose rate in the indoor air to the absorbed dose rate in the outdoor air) of wood, aluminum, and reinforced concrete buildings. Between March 2011 and July 2011, dose reduction efficiencies of wood, aluminum, and reinforced concrete buildings were 0.55 ± 0.04, 0.15 ± 0.02, and 0.19 ± 0.04, respectively. The reduction efficiency of wood structures was 1.4 times higher than that reported by the International Atomic Energy Agency. The efficiency of reinforced concrete was similar to previously reported values, whereas that of aluminum structures has not been previously reported. Dose reduction efficiency increased in proportion to the distance from F1-NPS at 8 of the 18 evacuation sites. Time variations did not reflect dose reduction efficiencies at evacuation sites although absorbed dose rates in the outdoor air decreased. These data suggest that dose reduction efficiency depends on structure types, levels of contamination, and evacuee behaviors at evacuation sites.

Development of the Concept of Recycling of Light

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harmer, Brian

Environmental and economic issues are the highlights of any new product or system created today. The efficient use of energy helps satisfy both of these concerns as a reduction in energy consumption contributes to a reduction both in fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Illumination efficiency has been one of the main areas of research as luminaires are one of the largest consumers of electricity in the world. The incandescent bulb is one of the oldest pieces of technology still used today, but is being phased out as compact fluorescent lamps and LED light sources have a much lower power consumption for the same amount of light emission. However, the light source design, while very important, is not the only way to improve the efficiency of an illumination system. This thesis proposes a new concept, the recycling of light (ROL). The ROL system collects, transports, and emits unused light from one area to another through the use of optical fibers. To find an optimal ROL system, many variables need to be accounted for. This thesis covers the effect of different luminaires on light collection areas. The collection area for the ROL system needs to be placed in the areas of a room that are of little or no importance, but still receive light, such as the ceiling or the upper section of the walls. The fiber-to-source distance and offset effects on fiber emission are investigated, as well as the length and type of the optical fibers. Additionally, this thesis looks at the possibility of beveling optical fiber ends to be used as a focusing mechanism for the ROL system.

Country profile: Hungary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-09-01

Country Profile: Hungary has been prepared as a background document for use by US Government agencies and US businesses interested in becoming involved with the new democracies of Eastern Europe as they pursue sustainable economic development. The focus of the Profile is on energy and highlights information on Hungary`s energy supply, demand, and utilization. It identifies patterns of energy usage in the important economic sectors, especially industry, and provides a preliminary assessment for opportunities to improve efficiencies in energy production, distribution and use by introducing more efficient technologies. The use of more efficient technologies would have the added benefit ofmore » reducing the environmental impact which, although is not the focus of the report, is an issue that effects energy choices. The Profile also presents considerable economic information, primarily in the context of how economic restructuring may affect energy supply, demand, and the introduction of more efficient technologies.« less

Country profile: Hungary

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-09-01

Country Profile: Hungary has been prepared as a background document for use by US Government agencies and US businesses interested in becoming involved with the new democracies of Eastern Europe as they pursue sustainable economic development. The focus of the Profile is on energy and highlights information on Hungary's energy supply, demand, and utilization. It identifies patterns of energy usage in the important economic sectors, especially industry, and provides a preliminary assessment for opportunities to improve efficiencies in energy production, distribution and use by introducing more efficient technologies. The use of more efficient technologies would have the added benefit ofmore » reducing the environmental impact which, although is not the focus of the report, is an issue that effects energy choices. The Profile also presents considerable economic information, primarily in the context of how economic restructuring may affect energy supply, demand, and the introduction of more efficient technologies.« less

Determinants of energy efficiency across countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Guolin

With economic development, environmental concerns become more important. Economies cannot be developed without energy consumption, which is the major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Higher energy efficiency is one means of reducing emissions, but what determines energy efficiency? In this research we attempt to find answers to this question by using cross-sectional country data; that is, we examine a wide range of possible determinants of energy efficiency at the country level in an attempt to find the most important causal factors. All countries are divided into three income groups: high-income countries, middle-income countries, and low-income countries. Energy intensity is used as a measurement of energy efficiency. All independent variables belong to two categories: quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative variables are measures of the economic conditions, development indicators and energy usage situations. Qualitative variables mainly measure political, societal and economic strengths of a country. The three income groups have different economic and energy attributes. Each group has different sets of variables to explain energy efficiency. Energy prices and winter temperature are both important in high-income and middle-income countries. No qualitative variables appear in the model of high-income countries. Basic economic factors, such as institutions, political stability, urbanization level, population density, are important in low-income countries. Besides similar variables, such as macroeconomic stability and index of rule of law, the hydroelectricity share in total electric generation is also a driver of energy efficiency in middle-income countries. These variables have different policy implications for each group of countries.

Discussion on Boiler Efficiency Correction Method with Low Temperature Economizer-Air Heater System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ke, Liu; Xing-sen, Yang; Fan-jun, Hou; Zhi-hong, Hu

2017-05-01

This paper pointed out that it is wrong to take the outlet flue gas temperature of low temperature economizer as exhaust gas temperature in boiler efficiency calculation based on GB10184-1988. What’s more, this paper proposed a new correction method, which decomposed low temperature economizer-air heater system into two hypothetical parts of air preheater and pre condensed water heater and take the outlet equivalent gas temperature of air preheater as exhaust gas temperature in boiler efficiency calculation. This method makes the boiler efficiency calculation more concise, with no air heater correction. It has a positive reference value to deal with this kind of problem correctly.

Integrating Materials, Manufacturing, Design and Validation for Sustainability in Future Transport Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Price, M. A.; Murphy, A.; Butterfield, J.; McCool, R.; Fleck, R.

2011-05-01

The predictive methods currently used for material specification, component design and the development of manufacturing processes, need to evolve beyond the current `metal centric' state of the art, if advanced composites are to realise their potential in delivering sustainable transport solutions. There are however, significant technical challenges associated with this process. Deteriorating environmental, political, economic and social conditions across the globe have resulted in unprecedented pressures to improve the operational efficiency of the manufacturing sector generally and to change perceptions regarding the environmental credentials of transport systems in particular. There is a need to apply new technologies and develop new capabilities to ensure commercial sustainability in the face of twenty first century economic and climatic conditions as well as transport market demands. A major technology gap exists between design, analysis and manufacturing processes in both the OEMs, and the smaller companies that make up the SME based supply chain. As regulatory requirements align with environmental needs, manufacturers are increasingly responsible for the broader lifecycle aspects of vehicle performance. These include not only manufacture and supply but disposal and re-use or re-cycling. In order to make advances in the reduction of emissions coupled with improved economic efficiency through the provision of advanced lightweight vehicles, four key challenges are identified as follows: Material systems, Manufacturing systems, Integrated design methods using digital manufacturing tools and Validation systems. This paper presents a project which has been designed to address these four key issues, using at its core, a digital framework for the creation and management of key parameters related to the lifecycle performance of thermoplastic composite parts and structures. It aims to provide capability for the proposition, definition, evaluation and demonstration of advanced lightweight structures for new generation vehicles in the context of whole life performance parameters.

Co-location opportunities for renewable energy and agriculture in Northwestern India: Tradeoffs and Synergies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravi, S.; Macknick, J.; Lobell, D. B.; Field, C. B.; Ganesan, K.; Jain, R.; Elchinger, M.; Stoltenberg, B.

2014-12-01

Solar energy installations in arid and semi-arid regions of India are rapidly increasing, due to technological advances and policy support. Even though solar energy provides several benefits such as reduction of greenhouse gases, reclamation of degraded land, and improving the quality of life, the deployment of large-scale solar energy infrastructure can adversely impact land and water resources. A major challenge is how to meet the ever-expanding energy demand with limited land and water resources, in the context of increasing competition from agricultural and domestic consumption. We investigated whether water consumption for solar energy development in northwestern India could impact other water and land uses, and explored opportunities to co-locate solar infrastructures and agricultural crops to maximize the efficiency of land and water use. We considered energy inputs/outputs, water use, greenhouse gas emissions and economics of solar installations in northwestern India in comparison to Aloe vera cultivation, a widely promoted land use in the region. The life cycle analyses show that co-located systems are economically viable in some rural areas and may provide opportunities for rural electrification and stimulate economic growth. The water inputs for cleaning solar panels and dust suppression are similar to amounts required for aloe, suggesting the possibility of integrating the two systems to maximize water and land use efficiency. A life-cycle analysis of a hypothetical co-location indicated higher returns per m3 of water used than either system alone. The northwestern region of India is experiencing high population growth, creating additional demand for land and water resources. In these water limited areas, coupled solar infrastructure and agriculture could be established on marginal lands, thus minimizing the socioeconomic and environmental issues resulting from cultivation of non-food crops (e.g. Aloe) in prime agricultural lands.

Impact of the Pharma Economic Act on Diffusion of Innovation and Reduction of Costs in the Hungarian Prescription Drug Market (2007-2010).

PubMed

Hren, Rok

In this study, we examined the impact of the Pharma Economic Act, which was introduced in Hungary in 2007. We used detailed data on the Hungarian prescription drug market, which had been made publicly available by the authorities. We evaluated the effect of the Pharma Economic Act on both dynamic and static efficiencies and also on equity, which has been historically a controversial issue in Hungary. We analyzed the overall prescription drug market and statin and atorvastatin markets; as a proxy for determining dynamic efficiency, we examined the oncology drug market for some specific products (e.g., bortezomib) and the long-acting atypical antipsychotic drugs market. There is no denying that the authorities managed to control the overall prescription drug costs; however, they were still paying excessive rents for off-patent drugs. Examples of oncology and long-acting atypical antipsychotic drugs showed that the diffusion of innovation was on per-capita basis at least comparable to G-5 countries. While the share of out-of-pocket co-payments markedly increased and the reimbursement was lowered, the concurrent price decreases often meant that the co-payment per milligram of a given dispensed drug was actually lower than that before the Act, thereby benefiting the patient. It appears that strong mechanisms to control volume rather than price on the supply side (marketing authorization holders) contained the drug expenditure, while offering enough room to strive for innovation. Making data on prescription drug expenditures and associated co-payments publicly available is an item that should be definitely followed by the surrounding jurisdictions. Copyright © 2013, International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc.

Superhydrophobic surfaces for applications in seawater.

PubMed

Ferrari, Michele; Benedetti, Alessandro

2015-08-01

Technological fields in which seawater is implied are numerorus, working in seawater (shipping, oil industry, marine aquaculture,..), and exploiting seawater in plants (cooling heat-exchange, desalination, power plants,..). All suffer from detrimental effects induced by biofouling mainly enhancing material failures and limiting energetic efficiencies. Among the remediation solutions, technologies coniugating economical, green and efficiency criteria should represent the direction. With the aim to meet these criteria, superhydrophobic (SH) technology attracted many researches for the protection of materials operating in contact with seawater. In this work, the literature focusing on such technology for the protection of surfaces in contact with seawater has been reviewed, mainly focusing on boat and ship hull protection. Despite the growing interest around SH technology in seawater for fouling control and friction drag reduction of hulls, to date literature shows that superhydrophobicity in seawater is still limited if compared with a time window compatible with technological needs (set on years). An evaluation of the causes of early superhydrophobicity loss under operative conditions clearly indicates that, to the best of present knowledge, a SH surface cannot preserve this feature by itself alone (especially in real seawater). Hence, we have considered to highlight the behaviour of SH surfaces in seawater in relation to early stages of biocolonization (conditioning film and pioneering bioslime formation). Considering the annual costs sustained for the biofouling impact control, advantages coming from SH surfaces, in terms of foul control and friction drag reduction, would allow economical savings allowing to cover both the appliance of longevity keeping strategies of the SH surfaces and investments in green technologies of SH coating life cycle (production, storing). In addition a brief outlook is provided on technological fields exploiting seawater in pipelines (power and desalination plants), where the SH surface finishing finds potentially interesting application for fouling and corrosion prevention applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Efficient and Selective Electrochemical and Photoelectrochemical Reduction of 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural to 2,5-Bis(hydroxymethyl)furan using Water as the Hydrogen Source

DOE PAGES

Roylance, John J.; Kim, Tae Woo; Choi, Kyoung-Shin

2016-02-17

Reductive biomass conversion has been conventionally conducted using H 2 gas under high-temperature and-pressure conditions. Here, efficient electrochemical reduction of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a key intermediate for biomass conversion, to 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMF), an important monomer for industrial processes, was demonstrated using Ag catalytic electrodes. This process uses water as the hydrogen source under ambient conditions and eliminates the need to generate and consume H 2 for hydrogenation, providing a practical and efficient route for BHMF production. By systematic investigation of HMF reduction on the Ag electrode surface, BHMF production was achieved with the Faradaic efficiency and selectivity nearing 100%, and plausiblemore » reduction mechanisms were also elucidated. Furthermore, construction of a photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) composed of an n-type BiVO 4 semiconductor anode, which uses photogenerated holes for water oxidation, and a catalytic Ag cathode, which uses photoexcited electrons from BiVO 4 for the reduction of HMF to BHMF, was demonstrated to utilize solar energy to significantly decrease the external voltage necessary for HMF reduction. This shows the possibility of coupling electrochemical HMF reduction and solar energy conversion, which can provide more efficient and environmentally benign routes for reductive biomass conversion.« less

Economic and environmental evaluation model for selecting the optimum design of green roof systems in elementary schools.

PubMed

Kim, JiMin; Hong, TaeHoon; Koo, Choong-Wan

2012-08-07

Green-roof systems offer various benefits to man and nature, such as establishing ecological environments, improving landscape and air quality, and offering pleasant living environments. This study aimed to develop an optimal-scenario selection model that considers both the economic and the environmental effect in applying GRSs to educational facilities. The following process was carried out: (i) 15 GRSs scenarios were established by combining three soil and five plant types and (ii) the results of the life cycle CO(2) analyses with the GRSs scenarios were converted to an economic value using certified emission reductions (CERs) carbon credits. Life cycle cost (LCC) analyses were performed based on these results. The results showed that when considering only the currently realized economic value, the conventional roof system is superior to the GRSs. However, the LCC analysis that included the environmental value, revealed that compared to the conventional roof system, the following six GRSs scenarios are superior (cost reduction; reduction ratio; in descending order): scenarios 13 ($195,229; 11.0%), 3 ($188,178; 10.6%), 8 ($181,558; 10.3%), 12 ($130,464; 7.4%), 2 ($124,566; 7.0%), and 7 ($113,931; 6.4%). Although the effect is relatively small in terms of cost reduction, environmental value attributes cannot be ignored in terms of the reduction ratio.

Alternative Fuels Data Center: County Fleet Goes Big on Idle Reduction,

Science.gov Websites

Ethanol Use, Fuel Efficiency County Fleet Goes Big on Idle Reduction, Ethanol Use, Fuel , Ethanol Use, Fuel Efficiency on Facebook Tweet about Alternative Fuels Data Center: County Fleet Goes Big on Idle Reduction, Ethanol Use, Fuel Efficiency on Twitter Bookmark Alternative Fuels Data Center

Detection from space of a reduction in anthropogenic emissions of nitrogen oxides during the Chinese economic downturn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, J.-T.; McElroy, M. B.

2011-01-01

Rapid economic and industrial development in China and relatively weak emission controls have resulted in significant increases in emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in recent years, with the exception of late 2008 to mid 2009 when the economic downturn led to emission reductions detectable from space. Here vertical column densities (VCDs) of tropospheric NO2 retrieved from satellite observations by SCIAMACHY, GOME-2 and OMI (both by KNMI and by NASA) are used to evaluate changes in emissions of NOx from October 2004 to February 2010 identifying impacts of the economic downturn. Data over polluted regions of Northern East China suggest an increase of 27-33% in annual mean VCD of NO2 prior to the downturn, consistent with an increase of 49% in thermal power generation (TPG) reflecting the economic growth. More detailed analysis is used to quantify changes in emissions of NOx in January over the period 2005-2010 when the effect of the downturn was most evident. The GEOS-Chem model is employed to evaluate the effect of changes in chemistry and meteorology on VCD of NO2. This analysis indicates that emissions decreased by 20% from January 2008 to January 2009, close to the reduction of 18% in TPG that occurred over the same interval. A combination of three relatively independent approaches indicates that the economic downturn was responsible for a~reduction in emissions by 9-11% in January 2009 with an additional decrease of 10% attributed to the slow-down in industrial activity associated with the coincident celebration of the Chinese New Year.

Improving Operating Room Efficiency via Reduction and Standardization of Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Surgery Instrumentation.

PubMed

Friend, Tynan H; Paula, Ashley; Klemm, Jason; Rosa, Mark; Levine, Wilton

2018-05-28

Being the economic powerhouses of most large medical centers, operating rooms (ORs) require the highest levels of teamwork, communication, and efficiency in order to optimize patient safety and reduce hospital waste. A major component of OR waste comes from unused surgical instrumentation; instruments that are frequently prepared for procedures but are never touched by the surgical team still require a full reprocessing cycle at the conclusion of the case. Based on our own previous successes in the perioperative domain, in this work we detail an initiative that reduces surgical instrumentation waste of video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) procedures by placing thoracotomy conversion instrumentation in a standby location and designing a specific instrument kit to be used solely for VATS cases. Our estimates suggest that this initiative will reduce at least 91,800 pounds of unnecessary surgical instrumentation from cycling through our ORs and reprocessing department annually, resulting in increased OR team communication without sacrificing the highest standard of patient safety.

Rational design of novel cathode materials in solid oxide fuel cells using first-principles simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, YongMan; Lin, M. C.; Liu, Meilin

The search for clean and renewable sources of energy represents one of the most vital challenges facing us today. Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are among the most promising technologies for a clean and secure energy future due to their high energy efficiency and excellent fuel flexibility (e.g., direct utilization of hydrocarbons or renewable fuels). To make SOFCs economically competitive, however, development of new materials for low-temperature operation is essential. Here we report our results on a computational study to achieve rational design of SOFC cathodes with fast oxygen reduction kinetics and rapid ionic transport. Results suggest that surface catalytic properties are strongly correlated with the bulk transport properties in several material systems with the formula of La 0.5Sr 0.5BO 2.75 (where B = Cr, Mn, Fe, or Co). The predictions seem to agree qualitatively with available experimental results on these materials. This computational screening technique may guide us to search for high-efficiency cathode materials for a new generation of SOFCs.

Efficient microplastics extraction from sand. A cost effective methodology based on sodium iodide recycling.

PubMed

Kedzierski, Mikaël; Le Tilly, Véronique; César, Guy; Sire, Olivier; Bruzaud, Stéphane

2017-02-15

Evaluating the microplastics pollution on the shores requires overcoming the technological and economical challenge of efficient plastic extraction from sand. The recovery of dense microplastics requires the use of NaI solutions, a costly process. The aim of this study is to decrease this cost by recycling the NaI solutions and to determine the impact of NaI storage. For studying the NaI recyclability, the solution density and the salt mass have been monitored during ten life cycles. Density, pH and salt mass have been measured for 40days to assess the storage effect. The results show that NaI solutions are recyclable without any density alterations with a total loss of 35.9% after the 10cycles of use. During storage, chemical reactions may appear but are reversible. Consequently, the use of recycling methods allows for a significant cost reduction. How far the plastic extraction by dense solutions is representative is discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel imaging closed loop control strategy for heliostats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bern, Gregor; Schöttl, Peter; Heimsath, Anna; Nitz, Peter

2017-06-01

Central Receiver Systems use up to thousands of heliostats to concentrate solar radiation. The precise control of heliostat aiming points is crucial not only for efficiency but also for reliable plant operation. Besides the calibration of open loop control systems, closed loop tracking strategies are developed to address a precise and efficient aiming strategy. The need for cost reductions in the heliostat field intensifies the motivation for economic closed loop control systems. This work introduces an approach for a closed loop heliostat tracking strategy using image analysis and signal modulation. The approach aims at the extraction of heliostat focal spot position within the receiver domain by means of a centralized remote vision system decoupled from the rough conditions close to the focal area. Taking an image sequence of the receiver while modulating a signal on different heliostats, their aiming points are retrieved. The work describes the methodology and shows first results from simulations and practical tests performed in small scale, motivating further investigation and deployment.

Gauge invariance, quantization and integration of heavy modes in a gauge Kaluza-Klein theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novales-Sánchez, H.

This dissertation examines topics at the intersection of environmental and energy economics. The first two chapters explore how policies can induce more efficient use of the energy sources available for generating electricity. The electricity sector is a major source of a wide variety of harmful pollutants. To mitigate the environmental impacts of electricity production, a variety of policies are being implemented to increase the quantity of generation from clean, renewable energy sources. The first chapter identifies the short-run reductions in emissions caused by generation from a particular renewable technology; wind turbines. Using the estimates of the pollution offset by the renewable production, I explore the efficiency of the incentives created by the current set of renewable energy policies. The second chapter examines the impact adding bulk electricity storage capacity will have on the full social costs of generating electricity. The third chapter explores the impact of various gasoline tax structures on both retail price volatility and state revenue volatility.

Hydrologic, Social, and Economic Efficacy of Green Infrastructure Credit Programs: Toward Citizen Stormwater Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, O. O.; Kertesz, R.; Rossman, L.; Shuster, W.

2013-12-01

Fostering 'citizen stormwater management', whereby citizens make stormwater management a part of their everyday lives, aims to improve the resilience of the urban water social-ecological system by reducing the load on the stormwater collection system through investment in natural and social capitals. A popular method of incentivizing citizen stormwater management is offering stormwater fee discounts as credits for the installation of green infrastructure onsite. Such installations, in effect, reduce the amount of impervious area by disconnecting them from the sewer system. We analyze 4 such programs (Portland OR, Cleveland OH, Fort Myers FL, and Lynchburg VA) which offer discounts to single family residences for installing rain gardens or bioinfiltration features. Findings indicate large variability in the hydrological, social, and economic efficacy of these programs. We assessed hydrologic efficacy using the Environmental Protection Agency's recently released Stormwater Calculator, a user-friendly model based on SWMM. Hydrologic efficacy was most sensitive to level of detail in administrative rules (i.e., specifics pertaining to soil drainage, slope), regional conditions (e.g., precipitation) and local conditions (e.g., soil, percent of impervious area treated). Social efficacy was measured by the accessibility of the programs to average citizens and varied from highly accessible programs, whereby municipalities had sufficient outreach efforts such that average residents could install their own green infrastructure, to programs with no outreach and contradictory rules which would require a professional engineer to navigate the process and install an eligible rain garden. Economic efficiency was largely dependent on the base stormwater fee (i.e., higher baseline bill results in higher discount and thus higher incentive to participate). From the perspective of a homeowner, they may receive a windfall (i.e., % runoff reduced < % discount), yet due to the low baseline fee, the installations will likely never pay for themselves, leading to an economically inefficient result. From the perspective of the municipality, the windfall to the ratepayer may seem inefficient, but compared to alternative methods of runoff reduction, that windfall may be the most cost efficient alternative. This is especially true considering the social benefits of offering credits to residential ratepayers and the goodwill such a program fosters toward often contentious stormwater fees (e.g., 'rain tax' controversies and related litigation). Such investments in goodwill, even if not hydrologically or economically efficient, may promote the citizen stormwater management model, and thereby promote resilience in the urban water social-ecological system.

Railway Transportation Engineering (CEE 408) Course updates and online conversion.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2017-01-20

The new order of lectures provides students with a sound introduction to the main concepts behind efficiency and economic railway operations. This naturally follows into the design of railcars for safe, efficient and economical operations. With railc...

Business Case for Energy Efficiency in Support of Climate Change Mitigation, Economic and Societal Benefits in China

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McNeil, Michael A.; Bojda, Nicholas; Ke, Jing

2011-08-18

This study seeks to provide policymakers and other stakeholders with actionable information towards a road map for reducing energy consumption cost-effectively. We focus on individual end use equipment types (hereafter referred to as appliance groups) that might be the subject of policies - such as labels, energy performance standards, and incentives - to affect market transformation in the short term, and on high-efficiency technology options that are available today. As the study title suggests, the high efficiency or Business Case scenario is constructed around a model of cost-effective efficiency improvement. Our analysis demonstrates that a significant reduction in energy consumptionmore » and emissions is achievable at net negative cost, that is, as a profitable investment for consumers. Net savings are calculated assuming no additional costs to energy consumption such as carbon taxes. Savings relative to the base case as calculated in this way is often referred to as 'economic savings potential'. Chinese energy demand has grown dramatically over the last few decades. While heavy industry still plays a dominant role in greenhouse gas emissions, demand from residential and commercial buildings has also seen rapid growth in percentage terms. In the residential sector this growth is driven by internal migration from the countryside to cities. Meanwhile, income in both urban and rural subsectors allows ownership of major appliances. While residences are still relatively small by U.S. or European standards, nearly all households own a refrigerator, a television and an air conditioner. In the future, ownership rates are not expected to grow as much as in other developing countries, because they are already close to saturation. However, the gradual turnover of equipment in the world's largest consumer market provides a huge opportunity for greenhouse gas mitigation. In addition to residences, commercial floor space has expanded rapidly in recent years, and construction continues at a rapid pace. Growth in this sector means that commercial lighting and HVAC will play an increasingly important role in energy demand in China. The outlook for efficiency improvement in China is encouraging, since the Chinese national and local governments have implemented significant policies to contain energy intensity and announced their intention to continue and accelerate these. In particular, the Chinese appliance standards program, first established in 1989, was significantly strengthened and modernized after the passage of the Energy Conservation Law of 1997. Since then, the program has expanded to encompass over 30 equipment types (including motor vehicles). The current study suggests that, in spite of these efforts, there is significant savings to be captured through wide adoption of technologies already available on the Chinese market. The approach of the study is to assess the impact of short-term actions on long-term impacts. 'Short-term' market transformation is assumed to occur by 2015, while 'long-term' energy demand reduction impacts are assessed in 2030. In the intervening years, most but not all of the equipment studied will turn over completely. Early in 2011, the Chinese government announced a plan to reduce carbon dioxide emissions intensity (per unit GDP) by 16% by 2015 as part of the 12th five year plan. These targets are consistent with longer term goals to reduce emissions intensity 40-45% relative to 2005 levels by 2020. The efforts of the 12th FYP focus on short-term gains to meet the four-year targets, and concentrate mainly in industry. Implementation of cost-effective technologies for all new equipment in the buildings sector thus is largely complementary to the 12th FYP goals, and would provide a mechanism to sustain intensity reductions in the medium and long term. The 15-year time frame is significant for many products, in the sense that delay of implementation postpones economic benefits and mitigation of emissions of carbon dioxide. Such delays would result in putting in place energy-wasting technologies, postponing improvement until the end of their service life, or potentially resulting in expensive investment either in additional energy supplies or in early replacement to achieve future energy or emissions reduction targets.« less

Microwave: An Important and Efficient Tool for the Synthesis of Biological Potent Organic Compounds.

PubMed

Kumari, Kamlesh; Vishvakarma, Vijay K; Singh, Prashant; Patel, Rajan; Chandra, Ramesh

2017-01-01

Green Chemistry is an interdisciplinary science or it can also be explained as a branch of chemistry. It is generally described as the chemistry to aim to synthesize chemical compounds to trim down the utilization of harmful chemicals proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Recently, the plan of academicians, researchers, industrialists is to generate greener and more efficient methodologies to carry out various organic syntheses. In the present scenario, green chemistry utilizes the raw materials economically, minimizes the waste and prevents the uses of harmful or hazardous chemicals to make the organic reactions simple and efficient. Microwave technique is a new, simple and efficient technology which opens new prospects to the chemists to carry out various organic and inorganic reactions, which are difficult via conventional methodology. It is used to decrease the duration of time to carry various organic transformation along with maximum yield, minimum by-products, minimum energy utilization, less manpower etc. e.g. various famous organic reactions have been carried out by various research groups like Aldol condensation, Knoevenagel condensation, Beckmann rearrangement, Vilsmeier reaction, Perkin reaction, Benzil-Benzilic acid rearrangement, Fischer cyclization, Mannich reaction, Claisen-Schmidt condensation, etc. Further, reduction, oxidation, coupling, condensation reaction were also performed using microwave technology. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Sludge digestion instead of aerobic stabilisation - a cost benefit analysis based on experiences in Germany.

PubMed

Gretzschel, Oliver; Schmitt, Theo G; Hansen, Joachim; Siekmann, Klaus; Jakob, Jürgen

2014-01-01

As a consequence of a worldwide increase of energy costs, the efficient use of sewage sludge as a renewable energy resource must be considered, even for smaller wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) with design capacities between 10,000 and 50,000 population equivalent (PE). To find the lower limit for an economical conversion of an aerobic stabilisation plant into an anaerobic stabilisation plant, we derived cost functions for specific capital costs and operating cost savings. With these tools, it is possible to evaluate if it would be promising to further investigate refitting aerobic plants into plants that produce biogas. By comparing capital costs with operation cost savings, a break-even point for process conversion could be determined. The break-even point varies depending on project specific constraints and assumptions related to future energy and operation costs and variable interest rates. A 5% increase of energy and operation costs leads to a cost efficient conversion for plants above 7,500 PE. A conversion of WWTPs results in different positive effects on energy generation and plant operations: increased efficiency, energy savings, and on-site renewable power generation by digester gas which can be used in the plant. Also, the optimisation of energy efficiency results in a reduction of primary energy consumption.

The environmental and economic sustainability of carbon capture and storage.

PubMed

Hardisty, Paul E; Sivapalan, Mayuran; Brooks, Peter

2011-05-01

For carbon capture and storage (CCS) to be a truly effective option in our efforts to mitigate climate change, it must be sustainable. That means that CCS must deliver consistent environmental and social benefits which exceed its costs of capital, energy and operation; it must be protective of the environment and human health over the long term; and it must be suitable for deployment on a significant scale. CCS is one of the more expensive and technically challenging carbon emissions abatement options available, and CCS must first and foremost be considered in the context of the other things that can be done to reduce emissions, as a part of an overall optimally efficient, sustainable and economic mitigation plan. This elevates the analysis beyond a simple comparison of the cost per tonne of CO(2) abated--there are inherent tradeoffs with a range of other factors (such as water, NOx, SOx, biodiversity, energy, and human health and safety, among others) which must also be considered if we are to achieve truly sustainable mitigation. The full life-cycle cost of CCS must be considered in the context of the overall social, environmental and economic benefits which it creates, and the costs associated with environmental and social risks it presents. Such analysis reveals that all CCS is not created equal. There is a wide range of technological options available which can be used in a variety of industries and applications-indeed CCS is not applicable to every industry. Stationary fossil-fuel powered energy and large scale petroleum industry operations are two examples of industries which could benefit from CCS. Capturing and geo-sequestering CO(2) entrained in natural gas can be economic and sustainable at relatively low carbon prices, and in many jurisdictions makes financial sense for operators to deploy now, if suitable secure disposal reservoirs are available close by. Retrofitting existing coal-fired power plants, however, is more expensive and technically challenging, and the economic sustainability of post-combustion capture retrofit needs to be compared on a portfolio basis to the relative overall net benefit of CCS on new-build plants, where energy efficiency can be optimised as a first step, and locations can be selected with sequestration sites in mind. Examples from the natural gas processing, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and coal-fired power generation sectors, illustrate that there is currently a wide range of financial costs for CCS, depending on how and where it is applied, but equally, environmental and social benefits of emissions reduction can be considerable. Some CCS applications are far more economic and sustainable than others. CCS must be considered in the context of the other things that a business can do to eliminate emissions, such as far-reaching efforts to improve energy efficiency.

The Environmental and Economic Sustainability of Carbon Capture and Storage

PubMed Central

Hardisty, Paul E.; Sivapalan, Mayuran; Brooks, Peter

2011-01-01

For carbon capture and storage (CCS) to be a truly effective option in our efforts to mitigate climate change, it must be sustainable. That means that CCS must deliver consistent environmental and social benefits which exceed its costs of capital, energy and operation; it must be protective of the environment and human health over the long term; and it must be suitable for deployment on a significant scale. CCS is one of the more expensive and technically challenging carbon emissions abatement options available, and CCS must first and foremost be considered in the context of the other things that can be done to reduce emissions, as a part of an overall optimally efficient, sustainable and economic mitigation plan. This elevates the analysis beyond a simple comparison of the cost per tonne of CO2 abated—there are inherent tradeoffs with a range of other factors (such as water, NOx, SOx, biodiversity, energy, and human health and safety, among others) which must also be considered if we are to achieve truly sustainable mitigation. The full life-cycle cost of CCS must be considered in the context of the overall social, environmental and economic benefits which it creates, and the costs associated with environmental and social risks it presents. Such analysis reveals that all CCS is not created equal. There is a wide range of technological options available which can be used in a variety of industries and applications—indeed CCS is not applicable to every industry. Stationary fossil-fuel powered energy and large scale petroleum industry operations are two examples of industries which could benefit from CCS. Capturing and geo-sequestering CO2 entrained in natural gas can be economic and sustainable at relatively low carbon prices, and in many jurisdictions makes financial sense for operators to deploy now, if suitable secure disposal reservoirs are available close by. Retrofitting existing coal-fired power plants, however, is more expensive and technically challenging, and the economic sustainability of post-combustion capture retrofit needs to be compared on a portfolio basis to the relative overall net benefit of CCS on new-build plants, where energy efficiency can be optimised as a first step, and locations can be selected with sequestration sites in mind. Examples from the natural gas processing, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and coal-fired power generation sectors, illustrate that there is currently a wide range of financial costs for CCS, depending on how and where it is applied, but equally, environmental and social benefits of emissions reduction can be considerable. Some CCS applications are far more economic and sustainable than others. CCS must be considered in the context of the other things that a business can do to eliminate emissions, such as far-reaching efforts to improve energy efficiency. PMID:21655130

Enhanced DEA model with undesirable output and interval data for rice growing farmers performance assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Khan, Sahubar Ali Mohd. Nadhar, E-mail: sahubar@uum.edu.my; Ramli, Razamin, E-mail: razamin@uum.edu.my; Baten, M. D. Azizul, E-mail: baten-math@yahoo.com

Agricultural production process typically produces two types of outputs which are economic desirable as well as environmentally undesirable outputs (such as greenhouse gas emission, nitrate leaching, effects to human and organisms and water pollution). In efficiency analysis, this undesirable outputs cannot be ignored and need to be included in order to obtain the actual estimation of firms efficiency. Additionally, climatic factors as well as data uncertainty can significantly affect the efficiency analysis. There are a number of approaches that has been proposed in DEA literature to account for undesirable outputs. Many researchers has pointed that directional distance function (DDF) approachmore » is the best as it allows for simultaneous increase in desirable outputs and reduction of undesirable outputs. Additionally, it has been found that interval data approach is the most suitable to account for data uncertainty as it is much simpler to model and need less information regarding its distribution and membership function. In this paper, an enhanced DEA model based on DDF approach that considers undesirable outputs as well as climatic factors and interval data is proposed. This model will be used to determine the efficiency of rice farmers who produces undesirable outputs and operates under uncertainty. It is hoped that the proposed model will provide a better estimate of rice farmers’ efficiency.« less

Study of the Staebler-Wronski degradation effect in a-Si:H based p-i-n solar cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Naseem, H. A.; Brown, W. D.; Ang, S. S.

1993-01-01

Conversion of solar energy into electricity using environmentally safe and clean photovoltaic methods to supplement the ever increasing energy needs has been a cherished goal of many scientists and engineers around the world. Photovoltaic solar cells on the other hand, have been the power source for satellites ever since their introduction in the early sixties. For widespread terrestrial applications, however, the cost of photovoltaic systems must be reduced considerably. Much progress has been made in the recent past towards developing economically viable terrestrial systems, and the future looks highly promising. Thin film solar cells offer cost reductions mainly from their low processing cost, low material cost, and choice of low cost substrates. These are also very attractive for space applications because of their high power densities (power produced per kilogram of solar cell pay load) and high radiation resistance. Amorphous silicon based solar cells are amongst the top candidates for economically viable terrestrial and space based power generation. Despite very low federal funding during the eighties, amorphous silicon solar cell efficiencies have continually been improved - from a low 3 percent to over 13 percent now. Further improvements have been made by the use of multi-junction tandem solar cells. Efficiencies close to 15 percent have been achieved in several labs. In order to be competitive with fossil fuel generated electricity, it is believed that module efficiency of 15 percent or cell efficiency of 20 percent is required. Thus, further improvements in cell performance is imperative. One major problem that was discovered almost 15 years ago in amorphous silicon devices is the well known Staebler-Wronski Effect. Efficiency of amorphous silicon solar cells was found to degrade upon exposure to sunlight. Until now their is no consensus among the scientists on the mechanism for this degradation. Efficiency may degrade anywhere from 10 percent to almost 50 percent within the first few months of operation. In order to improve solar cell efficiencies, it is clear that the cause or causes of such degradation must be found and the processing conditions altered to minimize the loss in efficiency. This project was initiated in 1987 to investigate a possible link between metallic impurities, in particular, Ag, and this degradation. Such a link was established by one of the NASA scientists for the light induced degradation of n+/p crystalline silicon solar cells.

CHARACTERIZING COSTS, SAVINGS AND BENEFITS OF A SELECTION OF ENERGY EFFICIENT EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES IN THE UNITED STATES

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, T.; Slaa, J.W.; Sathaye, J.

2010-12-15

Implementation and adoption of efficient end-use technologies have proven to be one of the key measures for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions throughout the industries. In many cases, implementing energy efficiency measures is among one of the most cost effective investments that the industry could make in improving efficiency and productivity while reducing CO2 emissions. Over the years, there have been incentives to use resources and energy in a cleaner and more efficient way to create industries that are sustainable and more productive. With the working of energy programs and policies on GHG inventory and regulation, understanding and managing themore » costs associated with mitigation measures for GHG reductions is very important for the industry and policy makers around the world. Successful implementation of emerging technologies not only can help advance productivities and competitiveness but also can play a significant role in mitigation efforts by saving energy. Providing evaluation and estimation of the costs and energy savings potential of emerging technologies is the focus of our work in this project. The overall goal of the project is to identify and select emerging and under-utilized energy-efficient technologies and practices as they are important to reduce energy consumption in industry while maintaining economic growth. This report contains the results from performing Task 2"Technology evaluation" for the project titled"Research Opportunities in Emerging and Under-Utilized Energy-Efficient Industrial Technologies," which was sponsored by California Energy Commission and managed by CIEE. The project purpose is to analyze market status, market potential, and economic viability of selected technologies applicable to the U.S. In this report, LBNL first performed re-assessments of all of the 33 emerging energy-efficient industrial technologies, including re-evaluation of the 26 technologies that were previously identified by Martin et al. (2000) and their potential significance to energy use in the industries, and new evaluation of additional seven technologies. The re-assessments were essentially updated with recent information that we searched and collected from literature to the extent possible. The progress of selected technologies as they diffused into the marketplace from 2000 to 2010 was then discussed in this report. The report also includes updated detailed characterizations of 15 technologies studied in 2000, with comparisons noted.« less

Integration of organohalide-respiring bacteria and nanoscale zero-valent iron (Bio-nZVI-RD): A perfect marriage for the remediation of organohalide pollutants?

PubMed

Wang, Shanquan; Chen, Siyuan; Wang, Yu; Low, Adrian; Lu, Qihong; Qiu, Rongliang

2016-12-01

Due to massive production and improper handling, organohalide compounds are widely distributed in subsurface environments, primarily in anoxic groundwater, soil and sediment. Compared to traditional pump-and-treat or dredging-and-disposal treatments, in situ remediation employing abiotic or biotic reductive dehalogenation represents a sustainable and economic solution for the removal of organohalide pollutants. Both nanoscale zero-valent iron (nZVI) and organohalide-respiring bacteria remove halogens through reductive dehalogenation and have been extensively studied and successfully applied for the in situ remediation of chloroethenes and other organohalide pollutants. nZVI and microbial reductive dehalogenation (Bio-RD) complement each other to boost reductive dehalogenation efficiency, suggesting that the integration of nZVI with Bio-RD (Bio-nZVI-RD) may constitute an even more promising strategy for the in situ remediation of organohalide pollutants. In this review, we first provide an overview of the current literature pertaining to nZVI- and organohalide-respiring bacteria-mediated reductive dehalogenation of organohalide pollutants and compare the pros and cons of individual treatment methods. We then highlight recent studies investigating the implementation of Bio-nZVI-RD to achieve rapid and complete dehalogenation and discuss the halogen removal mechanism of Bio-nZVI-RD and its prospects for future remediation applications. In summary, the use of Bio-nZVI-RD facilitates opportunities for the effective in situ remediation of a wide range of organohalide pollutants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The economic efficiency of allowing longer combination vehicles in Texas.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-08-01

This paper shows the economic efficiency of allowing longer combination vehicles in Texas. First, an : overview of the truck size and weight policies is explained, with an emphasis on those that affect : Texas. Next, LCV operations in other countries...

An optimization model for regional air pollutants mitigation based on the economic structure adjustment and multiple measures: A case study in Urumqi city, China.

PubMed

Sun, Xiaowei; Li, Wei; Xie, Yulei; Huang, Guohe; Dong, Changjuan; Yin, Jianguang

2016-11-01

A model based on economic structure adjustment and pollutants mitigation was proposed and applied in Urumqi. Best-worst case analysis and scenarios analysis were performed in the model to guarantee the parameters accuracy, and to analyze the effect of changes of emission reduction styles. Results indicated that pollutant-mitigations of electric power industry, iron and steel industry, and traffic relied mainly on technological transformation measures, engineering transformation measures and structure emission reduction measures, respectively; Pollutant-mitigations of cement industry relied mainly on structure emission reduction measures and technological transformation measures; Pollutant-mitigations of thermal industry relied mainly on the four mitigation measures. They also indicated that structure emission reduction was a better measure for pollutants mitigation of Urumqi. Iron and steel industry contributed greatly in SO2, NOx and PM (particulate matters) emission reduction and should be given special attention in pollutants emission reduction. In addition, the scales of iron and steel industry should be reduced with the decrease of SO2 mitigation amounts. The scales of traffic and electric power industry should be reduced with the decrease of NOx mitigation amounts, and the scales of cement industry and iron and steel industry should be reduced with the decrease of PM mitigation amounts. The study can provide references of pollutants mitigation schemes to decision-makers for regional economic and environmental development in the 12th Five-Year Plan on National Economic and Social Development of Urumqi. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimating costs of sea lice control strategy in Norway.

PubMed

Liu, Yajie; Bjelland, Hans Vanhauwaer

2014-12-01

This paper explores the costs of sea lice control strategies associated with salmon aquaculture at a farm level in Norway. Diseases can cause reduction in growth, low feed efficiency and market prices, increasing mortality rates, and expenditures on prevention and treatment measures. Aquaculture farms suffer the most direct and immediate economic losses from diseases. The goal of a control strategy is to minimize the total disease costs, including biological losses, and treatment costs while to maximize overall profit. Prevention and control strategies are required to eliminate or minimize the disease, while cost-effective disease control strategies at the fish farm level are designed to reduce the losses, and to enhance productivity and profitability. Thus, the goal can be achieved by integrating models of fish growth, sea lice dynamics and economic factors. A production function is first constructed to incorporate the effects of sea lice on production at a farm level, followed by a detailed cost analysis of several prevention and treatment strategies associated with sea lice in Norway. The results reveal that treatments are costly and treatment costs are very sensitive to treatment types used and timing of the treatment conducted. Applying treatment at an early growth stage is more economical than at a later stage. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Universal industrial sectors integrated solutions module for the pulp and paper industry.

PubMed

Bhander, Gurbakhash; Jozewicz, Wojciech

2017-09-01

The U.S. is the world's second-leading producer of pulp and paper products after China. Boilers, recovery furnaces, and lime kilns are the dominant sources of emissions from pulp and paper mills, collectively accounting for more than 99 % of the SO 2 , almost 96 % of the NO X , and more than 85 % of the particulate matter (PM) emitted to the air from this sector in the U.S. The process of developing industrial strategies for managing emissions can be made efficient, and the resulting strategies more cost-effective, through the application of modeling that accounts for relevant technical, environmental and economic factors. Accordingly, the United States Environmental Protection Agency is developing the Universal Industrial Sectors Integrated Solutions module for the Pulp and Paper Industry (UISIS-PNP). It can be applied to evaluate emissions and economic performance of pulp and paper mills separately under user-defined pollution control strategies. In this paper, we discuss the UISIS-PNP module, the pulp and paper market and associated air emissions from the pulp and paper sector. After illustrating the sector-based multi-product modeling structure, a hypothetical example is presented to show the engineering and economic considerations involved in the emission-reduction modeling of the pulp and paper sector in the U.S.

Economically sustainable scaling of photovoltaics to meet climate targets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Needleman, David Berney; Poindexter, Jeremy R.; Kurchin, Rachel C.

To meet climate targets, power generation capacity from photovoltaics (PV) in 2030 will have to be much greater than is predicted from either steady state growth using today's manufacturing capacity or industry roadmaps. Analysis of whether current technology can scale, in an economically sustainable way, to sufficient levels to meet these targets has not yet been undertaken, nor have tools to perform this analysis been presented. Here, we use bottom-up cost modeling to predict cumulative capacity as a function of technological and economic variables. We find that today's technology falls short in two ways: profits are too small relative tomore » upfront factory costs to grow manufacturing capacity rapidly enough to meet climate targets, and costs are too high to generate enough demand to meet climate targets. We show that decreasing the capital intensity (capex) of PV manufacturing to increase manufacturing capacity and effectively reducing cost (e.g., through higher efficiency) to increase demand are the most effective and least risky ways to address these barriers to scale. We also assess the effects of variations in demand due to hard-to-predict factors, like public policy, on the necessary reductions in cost.Lastly, we review examples of redundant technology pathways for crystalline silicon PV to achieve the necessary innovations in capex, performance, and price.« less

Economically sustainable scaling of photovoltaics to meet climate targets

DOE PAGES

Needleman, David Berney; Poindexter, Jeremy R.; Kurchin, Rachel C.; ...

2016-04-21

To meet climate targets, power generation capacity from photovoltaics (PV) in 2030 will have to be much greater than is predicted from either steady state growth using today's manufacturing capacity or industry roadmaps. Analysis of whether current technology can scale, in an economically sustainable way, to sufficient levels to meet these targets has not yet been undertaken, nor have tools to perform this analysis been presented. Here, we use bottom-up cost modeling to predict cumulative capacity as a function of technological and economic variables. We find that today's technology falls short in two ways: profits are too small relative tomore » upfront factory costs to grow manufacturing capacity rapidly enough to meet climate targets, and costs are too high to generate enough demand to meet climate targets. We show that decreasing the capital intensity (capex) of PV manufacturing to increase manufacturing capacity and effectively reducing cost (e.g., through higher efficiency) to increase demand are the most effective and least risky ways to address these barriers to scale. We also assess the effects of variations in demand due to hard-to-predict factors, like public policy, on the necessary reductions in cost.Lastly, we review examples of redundant technology pathways for crystalline silicon PV to achieve the necessary innovations in capex, performance, and price.« less

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Parker, D.; Sutherland, K.; Chasar, D.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building America program, in collaboration with Florida Power and Light (FPL), conducted a phased residential energy-efficiency retrofit program. This research sought to establish impacts on annual energy and peak energy reductions from the technologies applied at two levels of retrofit - shallow and deep, with savings levels approaching the Building America program goals of reducing whole-house energy use by 40%. Under the Phased Deep Retrofit (PDR) project, we have installed phased, energy-efficiency retrofits in a sample of 56 existing, all-electric homes. End-use savings and economic evaluation results from the phased measure packages and singlemore » measures are summarized in this report. Project results will be of interest to utility program designers, weatherization evaluators, and the housing remodel industry. Shallow retrofits were conducted in all homes from March to June 2013. The measures for this phase were chosen based on ease of installation, targeting lighting (CFLs and LED lamps), domestic hot water (wraps and showerheads), refrigeration (cleaning of coils), pool pump (reduction of operating hours), and the home entertainment center (smart plugs). Deep retrofits were conducted on a subset of ten PDR homes from May 2013 through March 2014. Measures included new air source heat pumps, duct repair, ceiling insulation, heat pump water heaters, variable speed pool pumps and learning thermostats. Major appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers were replaced where they were old and inefficient.« less

Can we reduce the number of fish in the OECD acute toxicity test?

PubMed

Rufli, Hans; Springer, Timothy A

2011-04-01

OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Guideline 203, Fish Acute Toxicity Test, states that the test should be performed using at least five concentrations in a geometric series with a separation factor not exceeding 2.2, with at least seven fish per concentration. However, the efficiency of this design can be questioned, because it often results in only one concentration that causes partial mortality (mortality >0% and <100%). We performed Monte Carlo computer simulations to assess whether more efficient designs could allow reductions in fish use. Simulations indicated that testing with six fish per concentration could yield 50% lethal concentration (LC50) estimates of quality similar to those obtained using seven fish. Experts attending a workshop organized to consider this finding and to identify the best methods for reducing fish use concluded that significant reductions could best be achieved by modifying the test paradigm. They suggested initiating testing using a 96-h fish embryo test instead of juvenile fish to cover the range from the upper threshold concentration (the lowest 50% effective concentration [EC50] in existing algae and daphnia studies) to the highest concentration with no mortality. This would be followed by a confirmatory limit test with juvenile fish at the highest concentration with no mortality or by a full test with juvenile fish, if a point estimate of the LC50 is required. Copyright © 2011 SETAC.

Human Health and Economic Impacts of Ozone Reductions by Income Group.

PubMed

Saari, Rebecca K; Thompson, Tammy M; Selin, Noelle E

2017-02-21

Low-income households may be disproportionately affected by ozone pollution and ozone policy. We quantify how three factors affect the relative benefits of ozone policies with household income: (1) unequal ozone reductions; (2) policy delay; and (3) economic valuation methods. We model ozone concentrations under baseline and policy conditions across the full continental United States to estimate the distribution of ozone-related health impacts across nine income groups. We enhance an economic model to include these impacts across household income categories, and present its first application to evaluate the benefits of ozone reductions for low-income households. We find that mortality incidence rates decrease with increasing income. Modeled ozone levels yield a median of 11 deaths per 100 000 people in 2005. Proposed policy reduces these rates by 13%. Ozone reductions are highest among low-income households, which increases their relative welfare gains by up to 4% and decreases them for the rich by up to 8%. The median value of reductions in 2015 is either $30 billion (in 2006 U.S. dollars) or $1 billion if reduced mortality risks are valued with willingness-to-pay or as income from increased life expectancy. Ozone reductions were relatively twice as beneficial for the lowest- compared to the highest-income households. The valuation approach affected benefits more than a policy delay or differential ozone reductions with income.

Economics of polysilicon processes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yaws, C. L.; Li, K. Y.; Chou, S. M.

1986-01-01

Techniques are being developed to provide lower cost polysilicon material for solar cells. Existing technology which normally provides semiconductor industry polysilicon material is undergoing changes and also being used to provide polysilicon material for solar cells. Economics of new and existing technologies are presented for producing polysilicon. The economics are primarily based on the preliminary process design of a plant producing 1,000 metric tons/year of silicon. The polysilicon processes include: Siemen's process (hydrogen reduction of trichlorosilane); Union Carbide process (silane decomposition); and Hemlock Semiconductor process (hydrogen reduction of dichlorosilane). The economics include cost estimates of capital investment and product cost to produce polysilicon via the technology. Sensitivity analysis results are also presented to disclose the effect of major paramentes such as utilities, labor, raw materials and capital investment.

Progress and Perspective of Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction for Renewable Carbonaceous Fuels and Chemicals

PubMed Central

Zhang, Wenjun; Hu, Yi; Ma, Lianbo; Zhu, Guoyin; Wang, Yanrong; Xue, Xiaolan; Chen, Renpeng; Yang, Songyuan

2017-01-01

Abstract The worldwide unrestrained emission of carbon dioxide (CO2) has caused serious environmental pollution and climate change issues. For the sustainable development of human civilization, it is very desirable to convert CO2 to renewable fuels through clean and economical chemical processes. Recently, electrocatalytic CO2 conversion is regarded as a prospective pathway for the recycling of carbon resource and the generation of sustainable fuels. In this review, recent research advances in electrocatalytic CO2 reduction are summarized from both experimental and theoretical aspects. The referred electrocatalysts are divided into different classes, including metal–organic complexes, metals, metal alloys, inorganic metal compounds and carbon‐based metal‐free nanomaterials. Moreover, the selective formation processes of different reductive products, such as formic acid/formate (HCOOH/HCOO−), monoxide carbon (CO), formaldehyde (HCHO), methane (CH4), ethylene (C2H4), methanol (CH3OH), ethanol (CH3CH2OH), etc. are introduced in detail, respectively. Owing to the limited energy efficiency, unmanageable selectivity, low stability, and indeterminate mechanisms of electrocatalytic CO2 reduction, there are still many tough challenges need to be addressed. In view of this, the current research trends to overcome these obstacles in CO2 electroreduction field are summarized. We expect that this review will provide new insights into the further technique development and practical applications of CO2 electroreduction. PMID:29375961

Environmental implications of carbon limits on market ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Combined heat and power (CHP) is promoted as an economical, energy-efficient option for combating climate change. To fully examine the viability of CHP as a clean-technology solution, its market potential and impacts need to be analyzed as part of scenarios of the future energy system, particularly those with policies limiting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This paper develops and analyzes scenarios using a bottom-up, technology rich optimization model of the U.S. energy system. Two distinct carbon reduction goals were set up for analysis. In Target 1, carbon emission reduction goals were only included for the electric sector. In Target 2, carbon emission reduction goals were set across the entire energy system with the target patterned after the U.S.’s commitment to reducing GHG emissions as part of the Paris Agreement reached at the COP21 summit. From a system-wide carbon reduction standpoint, Target 2 is significantly more stringent. In addition, these scenarios examine the implications of various CHP capacity expansion and contraction assumptions and energy prices. The largest CHP capacity expansion are observed in scenarios that included Target 1, but investments were scaled back in scenarios that incorporated Target 2. The latter scenario spurred rapid development of zero-emissions technologies within the electric sector, and purchased electricity increased dramatically in many end-use sectors. The results suggest that CHP may play a role in a carbon-c

Hydrothermal plume mapping as a prospecting tool for seafloor sulfide deposits: a case study at the Zouyu-1 and Zouyu-2 hydrothermal fields in the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Chunhui; Chen, Sheng; Baker, Edward T.; Li, Huaiming; Liang, Jin; Liao, Shili; Chen, Yongshun John; Deng, Xianming; Zhang, Guoyin; Gu, Chunhua; Wu, Jialin

2017-06-01

Seafloor hydrothermal polymetallic sulfide deposits are a new type of resource, with great potential economic value and good prospect development. This paper discusses turbidity, oxidation-reduction potential, and temperature anomalies of hydrothermal plumes from the Zouyu-1 and Zouyu-2 hydrothermal fields on the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. We use the known location of these vent fields and plume data collected in multiple years (2009, 2011, 2013) to demonstrate how real-time plume exploration can be used to locate active vent fields, and thus associated sulfide deposits. Turbidity anomalies can be detected 10 s of km from an active source, but the location precision is no better than a few kilometers because fine-grained particles are quasi-conservative over periods of many days. Temperature and oxidation-reduction potential anomalies provide location precision of a few hundred meters. Temperature anomalies are generally weak and difficult to reliably detect, except by chance encounters of a buoyant plume. Oxidation-reduction potential is highly sensitive (nmol concentrations of reduced hydrothermal chemicals) to discharges of all temperatures and responds immediately to a plume encounter. Real-time surveys using continuous tows of turbidity and oxidation-reduction potential sensors offer the most efficient and precise surface ship exploration presently possible.

Progress and Perspective of Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction for Renewable Carbonaceous Fuels and Chemicals.

PubMed

Zhang, Wenjun; Hu, Yi; Ma, Lianbo; Zhu, Guoyin; Wang, Yanrong; Xue, Xiaolan; Chen, Renpeng; Yang, Songyuan; Jin, Zhong

2018-01-01

The worldwide unrestrained emission of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) has caused serious environmental pollution and climate change issues. For the sustainable development of human civilization, it is very desirable to convert CO 2 to renewable fuels through clean and economical chemical processes. Recently, electrocatalytic CO 2 conversion is regarded as a prospective pathway for the recycling of carbon resource and the generation of sustainable fuels. In this review, recent research advances in electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction are summarized from both experimental and theoretical aspects. The referred electrocatalysts are divided into different classes, including metal-organic complexes, metals, metal alloys, inorganic metal compounds and carbon-based metal-free nanomaterials. Moreover, the selective formation processes of different reductive products, such as formic acid/formate (HCOOH/HCOO - ), monoxide carbon (CO), formaldehyde (HCHO), methane (CH 4 ), ethylene (C 2 H 4 ), methanol (CH 3 OH), ethanol (CH 3 CH 2 OH), etc. are introduced in detail, respectively. Owing to the limited energy efficiency, unmanageable selectivity, low stability, and indeterminate mechanisms of electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction, there are still many tough challenges need to be addressed. In view of this, the current research trends to overcome these obstacles in CO 2 electroreduction field are summarized. We expect that this review will provide new insights into the further technique development and practical applications of CO 2 electroreduction.

Blue Skies Bluer?

PubMed

Marshall, Julian D; Apte, Joshua S; Coggins, Jay S; Goodkind, Andrew L

2015-12-15

The largest U.S. environmental health risk is cardiopulmonary mortality from ambient PM2.5. The concentration-response (C-R) for ambient PM2.5 in the U.S. is generally assumed to be linear: from any initial baseline, a given concentration reduction would yield the same improvement in health risk. Recent evidence points to the perplexing possibility that the PM2.5 C-R for cardiopulmonary mortality and some other major endpoints might be supralinear: a given concentration reduction would yield greater improvements in health risk as the initial baseline becomes cleaner. We explore the implications of supralinearity for air policy, emphasizing U.S. If C-R is supralinear, an economically efficient PM2.5 target may be substantially more stringent than under current standards. Also, if a goal of air policy is to achieve the greatest health improvement per unit of PM2.5 reduction, the optimal policy might call for greater emission reductions in already-clean locales-making "blue skies bluer"-which may be at odds with environmental equity goals. Regardless of whether the C-R is linear or supralinear, the health benefits of attaining U.S. PM2.5 levels well below the current standard would be large. For the supralinear C-R considered here, attaining the current U.S. EPA standard, 12 μg m(-3), would avert only ~17% (if C-R is linear: ∼ 25%) of the total annual cardiopulmonary mortality attributable to PM2.5.

Plasma for electrification of chemical industry: a case study on CO2 reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Rooij, G. J.; Akse, H. N.; Bongers, W. A.; van de Sanden, M. C. M.

2018-01-01

Significant growth of the share of (intermittent) renewable power in the chemical industry is imperative to meet increasingly stricter limits on CO2 exhaust that are being implemented within Europe. This paper aims to evaluate the potential of a plasma process that converts input CO2 into a pure stream of CO to aid in renewable energy penetration in this sector. A realistic process design is constructed to serve as a basis for an economical analysis. The manufacturing cost price of CO is estimated at 1.2 kUS ton-1 CO. A sensitivity analysis shows that separation is the dominant cost factor, so that improving conversion is currently more effective to lower the price than e.g. energy efficiency.

Economically Sustainable Scaling of Photovoltaics to Meet Climate Targets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Needleman, David Berney; Poindexter, Jeremy R.; Kurchin, Rachel C.

To meet climate goals, photovoltaics (PV) deployment will have to grow rapidly over the next fifteen years. We identify two barriers to this growth: scale-up of manufacturing capacity and the cost of PV module production. We explore several technoeconomic approaches to overcoming these barriers and identify deep reductions in the capital intensity (capex) of PV module manufacturing and large increases in module efficiency as the most promising routes to rapid deployment. Given the lag inherent in rolling out new technology, we explore an approach where growth is fueled by debt or subsidies in the short-term and technological advances in themore » medium term. Finally, we analyze the current capex structure of crystalline silicon PV module manufacturing to identify potential savings.« less

Process and assembly plans for low cost commercial fuselage structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willden, Kurtis; Metschan, Stephen; Starkey, Val

1991-01-01

Cost and weight reduction for a composite structure is a result of selecting design concepts that can be built using efficient low cost manufacturing and assembly processes. Since design and manufacturing are inherently cost dependent, concurrent engineering in the form of a Design-Build Team (DBT) is essential for low cost designs. Detailed cost analysis from DBT designs and hardware verification must be performed to identify the cost drivers and relationships between design and manufacturing processes. Results from the global evaluation are used to quantitatively rank design, identify cost centers for higher ranking design concepts, define and prioritize a list of technical/economic issues and barriers, and identify parameters that control concept response. These results are then used for final design optimization.

PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF URANIUM AND VANADIUM FROM CARBONATE SOLUTIONS BY REDUCTION-PRECIPITATION

DOEpatents

Ellis, D.A.; Lindblom, R.O.

1957-09-24

A process employing carbonate leaching of ores and an advantageous methcd of recovering the uranium and vanadium from the leach solution is described. The uranium and vanadium can be precipitated from carbonate leach solutions by reaction with sodium amalgam leaving the leach solution in such a condition that it is economical to replenish for recycling. Such a carbonate leach solution is treated with a dilute sodium amalgam having a sodium concentration within a range of about 0.01 to 0.5% of sodium. Efficiency of the treatment is dependent on at least three additional factors, intimacy of contact of the amalgam with the leach solution, rate of addition of the amalgam and exclusion of oxygen (air).

Time stress measurement device: system design and synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harchani, Noursaied; Jimenez, Fernando; Al-Mohammed, Mohammed; Esteve, Daniel; Courvoisier, M.

2000-04-01

System design methodology becomes a strategic activity in the industrial competition. Obtaining substantial reduction of time to market for complex and reliable products is one of the priorities for the manufacturers. Top down design, automated generation of architecture, co-design, virtual prototyping, etc. are already identified as research topics which have to be privileged. To be efficient, each theoretical contribution must be inserted in a global procedure of project management where complementary elements such as marketing, technico-economic survey, road-mapping, internal know-how,.. must be considered. In this context, this paper will present a design methodology starting from the requirement statement until the technical realization of the product, and applied to the design of a Time Stress Measurement Device for the observation of aeronautical mechanical systems.

3 CFR - Ensuring Responsible Spending of Recovery Act Funds

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... long-term public benefits by, for example, investing in technological advances in science and health to increase economic efficiency and improve quality of life; investing in transportation, environmental... example, investing in technological advances in science and health to increase economic efficiency and...

Fuel Efficient Strategies for Reducing Contrail Formations in United States Air Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sridhar, Banavar; Chen, Neil Y.; Ng, Hok K.

2010-01-01

This paper describes a class of strategies for reducing persistent contrail formation in the United States airspace. The primary objective is to minimize potential contrail formation regions by altering the aircraft's cruising altitude in a fuel-efficient way. The results show that the contrail formations can be reduced significantly without extra fuel consumption and without adversely affecting congestion in the airspace. The contrail formations can be further reduced by using extra fuel. For the day tested, the maximal reduction strategy has a 53% contrail reduction rate. The most fuel-efficient strategy has an 8% reduction rate with 2.86% less fuel-burnt compared to the maximal reduction strategy. Using a cost function which penalizes extra fuel consumed while maximizing the amount of contrail reduction provides a flexible way to trade off between contrail reduction and fuel consumption. It can achieve a 35% contrail reduction rate with only 0.23% extra fuel consumption. The proposed fuel-efficient contrail reduction strategy provides a solution to reduce aviation-induced environmental impact on a daily basis.

High-Power 365 nm UV LED Mercury Arc Lamp Replacement for Photochemistry and Chemical Photolithography

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV LEDs) have become widespread in chemical research as highly efficient light sources for photochemistry and photopolymerization. However, in more complex experimental setups requiring highly concentrated light and highly spatially resolved patterning of the light, high-pressure mercury arc lamps are still widely used because they emit intense UV light from a compact arc volume that can be efficiently coupled into optical systems. Advances in the deposition and p-type doping of gallium nitride have recently permitted the manufacture of UV LEDs capable of replacing mercury arc lamps also in these applications. These UV LEDs exceed the spectral radiance of mercury lamps even at the intense I-line at 365 nm. Here we present the successful exchange of a high-pressure mercury arc lamp for a new generation UV LED as a light source in photolithographic chemistry and its use in the fabrication of high-density DNA microarrays. We show that the improved light radiance and efficiency of these LEDs offer substantial practical, economic and ecological advantages, including faster synthesis, lower hardware costs, very long lifetime, an >85-fold reduction in electricity consumption and the elimination of mercury waste and contamination. PMID:28066690

High-Power 365 nm UV LED Mercury Arc Lamp Replacement for Photochemistry and Chemical Photolithography.

PubMed

Hölz, K; Lietard, J; Somoza, M M

2017-01-03

Ultraviolet light emitting diodes (UV LEDs) have become widespread in chemical research as highly efficient light sources for photochemistry and photopolymerization. However, in more complex experimental setups requiring highly concentrated light and highly spatially resolved patterning of the light, high-pressure mercury arc lamps are still widely used because they emit intense UV light from a compact arc volume that can be efficiently coupled into optical systems. Advances in the deposition and p -type doping of gallium nitride have recently permitted the manufacture of UV LEDs capable of replacing mercury arc lamps also in these applications. These UV LEDs exceed the spectral radiance of mercury lamps even at the intense I-line at 365 nm. Here we present the successful exchange of a high-pressure mercury arc lamp for a new generation UV LED as a light source in photolithographic chemistry and its use in the fabrication of high-density DNA microarrays. We show that the improved light radiance and efficiency of these LEDs offer substantial practical, economic and ecological advantages, including faster synthesis, lower hardware costs, very long lifetime, an >85-fold reduction in electricity consumption and the elimination of mercury waste and contamination.

On an efficient multilevel inverter assembly: structural savings and design optimisations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choupan, Reza; Nazarpour, Daryoush; Golshannavaz, Sajjad

2018-01-01

This study puts forward an efficient unit cell to be taken in use in multilevel inverter assemblies. The proposed structure is in line with reductions in number of direct current (dc) voltage sources, insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs), gate driver circuits, installation area, and hence the implementation costs. Such structural savings do not sacrifice the technical performance of the proposed design wherein an increased number of output voltage levels is attained, interestingly. Targeting a techno-economic characteristic, the contemplated structure is included as the key unit of cascaded multilevel inverters. Such extensions require development of applicable design procedures. To this end, two efficient strategies are elaborated to determine the magnitudes of input dc voltage sources. As well, an optimisation process is developed to explore the optimal allocation of different parameters in overall performance of the proposed inverter. These parameters are investigated as the number of IGBTs, dc sources, diodes, and overall blocked voltage on switches. In the lights of these characteristics, a comprehensive analysis is established to compare the proposed design with the conventional and recently developed structures. Detailed simulation and experimental studies are conducted to assess the performance of the proposed design. The obtained results are discussed in depth.

Electrofuels: A New Paradigm for Renewable Fuels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Conrado, Robert J.; Haynes, Chad A.; Haendler, Brenda E.

2013-01-01

Biofuels are by now a well-established component of the liquid fuels market and will continue to grow in importance for both economic and environmental reasons. To date, all commercial approaches to biofuels involve photosynthetic capture of solar radiation and conversion to reduced carbon; however, the low efficiency inherent to photosynthetic systems presents significant challenges to scaling. In 2009, the US Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) created the Electrofuels program to explore the potential of nonphotosynthetic autotrophic organisms for the conversion of durable forms of energy to energy-dense, infrastructure-compatible liquid fuels. The Electrofuels approach expands the boundariesmore » of traditional biofuels and could offer dramatically higher conversion efficiencies while providing significant reductions in requirements for both arable land and water relative to photosynthetic approaches. The projects funded under the Electrofuels program tap the enormous and largely unexplored diversity of the natural world, and may offer routes to advanced biofuels that are significantly more efficient, scalable and feedstock-flexible than routes based on photosynthesis. Here, we describe the rationale for the creation of the Electrofuels program, and outline the challenges and opportunities afforded by chemolithoautotrophic approaches to liquid fuels.« less

Sourcing of Steam and Electricity for Carbon Capture Retrofits.

PubMed

Supekar, Sarang D; Skerlos, Steven J

2017-11-07

This paper compares different steam and electricity sources for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) retrofits of pulverized coal (PC) and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plants. Analytical expressions for the thermal efficiency of these power plants are derived under 16 different CCS retrofit scenarios for the purpose of illustrating their environmental and economic characteristics. The scenarios emerge from combinations of steam and electricity sources, fuel used in each source, steam generation equipment and process details, and the extent of CO 2 capture. Comparing these scenarios reveals distinct trade-offs between thermal efficiency, net power output, levelized cost, profit, and net CO 2 reduction. Despite causing the highest loss in useful power output, bleeding steam and extracting electric power from the main power plant to meet the CCS plant's electricity and steam demand maximizes plant efficiency and profit while minimizing emissions and levelized cost when wholesale electricity prices are below 4.5 and 5.2 US¢/kWh for PC-CCS and NGCC-CCS plants, respectively. At prices higher than these higher profits for operating CCS retrofits can be obtained by meeting 100% of the CCS plant's electric power demand using an auxiliary natural gas turbine-based combined heat and power plant.

Is Municipal Solid Waste Recycling Economically Efficient?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavee, Doron

2007-12-01

It has traditionally been argued that recycling municipal solid waste (MSW) is usually not economically viable and that only when externalities, long-term dynamic considerations, and/or the entire product life cycle are taken into account, recycling becomes worthwhile from a social point of view. This article explores the results of a wide study conducted in Israel in the years 2000 2004. Our results reveal that recycling is optimal more often than usually claimed, even when externality considerations are ignored. The study is unique in the tools it uses to explore the efficiency of recycling: a computer-based simulation applied to an extensive database. We developed a simulation for assessing the costs of handling and treating MSW under different waste-management systems and used this simulation to explore possible cost reductions obtained by designating some of the waste (otherwise sent to landfill) to recycling. We ran the simulation on data from 79 municipalities in Israel that produce over 60% of MSW in Israel. For each municipality, we were able to arrive at an optimal method of waste management and compare the costs associated with 100% landfilling to the costs born by the municipality when some of the waste is recycled. Our results indicate that for 51% of the municipalities, it would be efficient to adopt recycling, even without accounting for externality costs. We found that by adopting recycling, municipalities would be able to reduce direct costs by an average of 11%. Through interviews conducted with representatives of municipalities, we were also able to identify obstacles to the utilization of recycling, answering in part the question of why actual recycling levels in Israel are lower than our model predicts they should be.

Transportation economics and energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soltani Sobh, Ali

The overall objective of this research is to study the impacts of technology improvement including fuel efficiency increment, extending the use of natural gas vehicle and electric vehicles on key parameters of transportation. In the first chapter, a simple economic analysis is used in order to demonstrate the adoption rate of natural gas vehicles as an alternative fuel vehicle. The effect of different factors on adoption rate of commuters is calculated in sensitivity analysis. In second chapter the VMT is modeled and forecasted under influence of CNG vehicles in different scenarios. The VMT modeling is based on the time series data for Washington State. In order to investigate the effect of population growth on VMT, the per capita model is also developed. In third chapter the effect of fuel efficiency improvement on fuel tax revenue and greenhouse emission is examined. The model is developed based on time series data of Washington State. The rebound effect resulted from fuel efficiency improvement is estimated and is considered in fuel consumption forecasting. The reduction in fuel tax revenue and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as two outcomes of lower fuel consumption are computed. In addition, the proper fuel tax rate to restitute the revenue is suggested. In the fourth chapter effective factors on electric vehicles (EV) adoption is discussed. The constructed model is aggregated binomial logit share model that estimates the modal split between EV and conventional vehicles for different states over time. Various factors are incorporated in the utility function as explanatory variables in order to quantify their effect on EV adoption choices. The explanatory variables include income, VMT, electricity price, gasoline price, urban area and number of EV stations.

The Economic Efficiency of European Football Clubs--Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pyatunin, Aleksey V.; Vishnyakova, Angelina B.; Sherstneva, Natalia L.; Mironova, Svetlana P.; Dneprov, Sergey A.; Grabozdin, Yuriy P.

2016-01-01

The relevance of this paper lies in the fact that football business has grown significantly in the past 20 years and football clubs have become large companies, which in an effort to be profitable and successful on the field need to improve the efficiency of their business. The aim of this article is to measure economic efficiency of 48 big…

The Impact on Growth of Higher Efficiency of Public Spending on Schools. OECD Economics Department Working Papers No. 547

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gonand, Frederic

2007-01-01

This paper assesses the impact on economic growth of increased efficiency of public spending in primary and lower-secondary education. Higher efficiency in public spending in schools can bolster growth through two main channels. On the one hand, it can allow a transfer of labour from the public sector to the business sector at unchanged…

Justification of the Utility of Introducing Smart Meters in Latvia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunickis, M.; Dandens, A.; Bariss, U.

2015-12-01

Automatic data reading from smart meters is being developed in many parts of the world, including Latvia. The key drivers for that are developments of smart technologies and economic benefits for consumers. Deployment of smart meters could be launched in a massive scale. Several pilot projects were implemented to verify the feasibility of smart meters for individual consumer groups. Preliminary calculations indicate that installation of smart meters for approximately 23 % of electricity consumers would be economically viable. Currently, the data for the last two years is available for an in-depth mathematical analysis. The continuous analysis of consumption data would be established, when more measurements from smart meters are available. The extent of introduction of smart meters should be specified during this process in order to gain the maximum benefit for the whole society (consumers, grid companies, state authorities), because there are still many uncertain and variable factors. For example, it is necessary to consider statistical load variations by hour, dependence of electricity consumption on temperature fluctuations, consumer behaviour and demand response to market signals to reduce electricity consumption in the short and long term, consumer's ambitions and capability to install home automation for regulation of electricity consumption. To develop the demand response, it is necessary to analyse the whole array of additional factors, such as expected cost reduction of smart meters, possible extension of their functionality, further development of information exchange systems, as well as standard requirements and different political and regulatory decisions regarding the reduction of electricity consumption and energy efficiency.

Nuclear energy in Europe: uranium flow modeling and fuel cycle scenario trade-offs from a sustainability perspective.

PubMed

Tendall, Danielle M; Binder, Claudia R

2011-03-15

The European nuclear fuel cycle (covering the EU-27, Switzerland and Ukraine) was modeled using material flow analysis (MFA).The analysis was based on publicly available data from nuclear energy agencies and industries, national trade offices, and nongovernmental organizations. Military uranium was not considered due to lack of accessible data. Nuclear fuel cycle scenarios varying spent fuel reprocessing, depleted uranium re-enrichment, enrichment assays, and use of fast neutron reactors, were established. They were then assessed according to environmental, economic and social criteria such as resource depletion, waste production, chemical and radiation emissions, costs, and proliferation risks. The most preferable scenario in the short term is a combination of reduced tails assay and enrichment grade, allowing a 17.9% reduction of uranium demand without significantly increasing environmental, economic, or social risks. In the long term, fast reactors could theoretically achieve a 99.4% decrease in uranium demand and nuclear waste production. However, this involves important costs and proliferation risks. Increasing material efficiency is not systematically correlated with the reduction of other risks. This suggests that an overall optimization of the nuclear fuel cycle is difficult to obtain. Therefore, criteria must be weighted according to stakeholder interests in order to determine the most sustainable solution. This paper models the flows of uranium and associated materials in Europe, and provides a decision support tool for identifying the trade-offs of the alternative nuclear fuel cycles considered.