Green Infrastructure to Reduce the Energy Demand of Cities

2021 ◽  
pp. 485-503
Author(s):  
Riccardo Privitera ◽  
Gianpiero Evola ◽  
Daniele La Rosa ◽  
Vincenzo Costanzo
Keyword(s):  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Energy Demand

Action for increasing energy-saving behaviour in student residences at Rhodes University, South Africa

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 773-789 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angel Ancha Lindelwa Bulunga ◽  
Gladman Thondhlana
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Environmental Behaviour ◽  
Content Type

Purpose In response to increasing energy demand and financial constraints to invest in green infrastructure, behaviour change energy-saving interventions are increasingly being considered as a tool for encouraging pro-environmental behaviour in campus residences. This paper aims to report on a pilot programme aimed at reducing energy consumption via behaviour change interventions, variably applied in residences at Rhodes University, South Africa. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected via structured questionnaires, energy consumption records and post-intervention programme focus group discussions. Findings Participant residences that received a mix of different interventions in the forms of pamphlets, face-to-face discussions, incentives and feedback recorded more energy reductions of up to 9 per cent than residences that received a single or no intervention. In post-experiment discussions, students cited personal, institutional and structural barriers to pro-environmental energy-use behaviour. Practical implications Overall, the results of this study suggest that information provision of energy-saving tips combined with regular feedback and incentives can result in energy-use reductions in university residences, which may yield environmental and economic benefits for universities, but addressing barriers to pro-environmental behaviour might maximise the results. Originality/value Given the lack of literature on energy conservation in the global South universities, this study provides the basis for discussing the potential for using behavioural interventions in universities for stirring pathways towards sustainability.

scholarly journals Reducing Seismic Vulnerability and Energy Demand of Cities through Green Infrastructure

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riccardo Privitera ◽  
Daniele La Rosa
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Seismic Vulnerability ◽  
Economic Incentives ◽  
Seismic Retrofitting ◽  
Private Land ◽  
Double Positive ◽  
Cooling Effects

Historically, urbanization processes in Italy resulted in built environments with high levels of seismic vulnerability, low energy efficiency and a lack of green spaces. The latter represent the main providers of ecosystem services in cities and play a relevant role in reducing the effects of climate change by the regulation of microclimate and urban heat islands that are responsible for building energy consumption. Despite their importance in providing ecosystem services, the implementation of green infrastructure challenges limited financial resources for the public acquisition of private plots. This paper proposes a strategy to implement an urban green infrastructure aimed at generating a double positive effect on cities by triggering seismic retrofitting and the reduction of cooling energy demand of the existing urban fabric. This is proposed through a transfer of development rights program where landowners gain economic incentives to adopt seismic retrofitting interventions and, at the same time, public administrations implement the green infrastructure in the portion of areas transferred to the municipality. The energy efficiency of buildings closer to the green infrastructure, therefore, benefits from the cooling effects of this new greenery. The strategy is tested under different scenarios of acquisition of private land by public administrations in the metropolitan area of Catania (Italy).

A novel ligand with –NH2 and –COOH-decorated Co/Fe-based oxide for an efficient overall water splitting: dual modulation roles of active sites and local electronic structure

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (18) ◽  
pp. 6266-6273
Author(s):  
Yalan Zhang ◽  
Zebin Yu ◽  
Ronghua Jiang ◽  
Jung Huang ◽  
Yanping Hou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electronic Structure ◽  
Water Splitting ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Active Sites ◽  
Electrode Materials ◽  
Global Energy ◽  
Overall Water Splitting ◽  
Local Electronic Structure ◽  
Electrochemical Water Splitting

Excellent electrochemical water splitting with remarkable durability can provide a solution to satisfy the increasing global energy demand in which the electrode materials play an important role.

Fuzzy multi-objective decision making approach for nuclear power plant installation

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (5) ◽  
pp. 6339-6350
Author(s):  
Esra Çakır ◽  
Ziya Ulukan
Keyword(s):  
Linear Programming ◽  
Power Plant ◽  
Nuclear Power Plant ◽  
Energy Supply ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Total Duration ◽  
Objective Functions ◽  
Multi Objective

Due to the increase in energy demand, many countries suffer from energy poverty because of insufficient and expensive energy supply. Plans to use alternative power like nuclear power for electricity generation are being revived among developing countries. Decisions for installation of power plants need to be based on careful assessment of future energy supply and demand, economic and financial implications and requirements for technology transfer. Since the problem involves many vague parameters, a fuzzy model should be an appropriate approach for dealing with this problem. This study develops a Fuzzy Multi-Objective Linear Programming (FMOLP) model for solving the nuclear power plant installation problem in fuzzy environment. FMOLP approach is recommended for cases where the objective functions are imprecise and can only be stated within a certain threshold level. The proposed model attempts to minimize total duration time, total cost and maximize the total crash time of the installation project. By using FMOLP, the weighted additive technique can also be applied in order to transform the model into Fuzzy Multiple Weighted-Objective Linear Programming (FMWOLP) to control the objective values such that all decision makers target on each criterion can be met. The optimum solution with the achievement level for both of the models (FMOLP and FMWOLP) are compared with each other. FMWOLP results in better performance as the overall degree of satisfaction depends on the weight given to the objective functions. A numerical example demonstrates the feasibility of applying the proposed models to nuclear power plant installation problem.

Biodiesel production from non-edible oils: A review

2020 ◽  
pp. 149-159
Author(s):  
Jatinder Kataria ◽  
Saroj Kumar Mohapatra ◽  
Amit Pal
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
World Wide ◽  
Edible Oils ◽  
Control Measure ◽  
Biodiesel Production ◽  
Pollution Level ◽  
Animal Fats ◽  
The World

The limited fossil reserves, spiraling price and environmental impact due to usage of fossil fuels leads the world wide researchers’ interest in using alternative renewable and environment safe fuels that can meet the energy demand. Biodiesel is an emerging renewable alternative fuel to conventional diesel which can be produced from both edible and non-edible oils, animal fats, algae etc. The society is in dire need of using renewable fuels as an immediate control measure to mitigate the pollution level. In this work an attempt is made to review the requisite and access the capability of the biodiesel in improving the environmental degradation.

Direct ammonia fueled solid oxide fuel cells: A comprehensive review on challenges, opportunities and future outlooks

2020 ◽  
pp. 70-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Molla Asmare ◽  
Mustafa Ilbas
Keyword(s):  
Electric Power ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Performance Comparison ◽  
Optimum Operating ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Human Society ◽  
Energy Access ◽  
Green Fuel

Nowadays, the most decisive challenges we are fronting are perfectly clean energy making for equitable and sustainable modern energy access, and battling the emerging alteration of the climate. This is because, carbon-rich fuels are the fundamental supply of utilized energy for strengthening human society, and it will be sustained in the near future. In connection with this, electrochemical technologies are an emerging and domineering tool for efficiently transforming the existing scarce fossil fuels and renewable energy sources into electric power with a trivial environmental impact. Compared with conventional power generation technologies, SOFC that operate at high temperature is emerging as a frontrunner to convert the fuels chemical energy into electric power and permits the deployment of varieties of fuels with negligible ecological destructions. According to this critical review, direct ammonia is obtained as a primary possible choice and price-effective green fuel for T-SOFCs. This is because T-SOFCs have higher volumetric power density, mechanically stable, and high thermal shocking resistance. Also, there is no sealing issue problem which is the chronic issues of the planar one. As a result, the toxicity of ammonia to use as a fuel is minimized if there may be a leakage during operation. It is portable and manageable that can be work everywhere when there is energy demand. Besides, manufacturing, onboard hydrogen deposition, and transportation infrastructure connected snags of hydrogen will be solved using ammonia. Ammonia is a low-priced carbon-neutral source of energy and has more stored volumetric energy compared with hydrogen. Yet, to utilize direct NH3 as a means of hydrogen carrier and an alternative green fuel in T-SOFCs practically determining the optimum operating temperatures, reactant flow rates, electrode porosities, pressure, the position of the anode, thickness and diameters of the tube are still requiring further improvement. Therefore, mathematical modeling ought to be developed to determine these parameters before planning for experimental work. Also, a performance comparison of AS, ES, and CS- T-SOFC powered with direct NH3 will be investigated and best-performed support will be carefully chosen for practical implementation and an experimental study will be conducted for verification based on optimum parameter values obtained from numerical modeling.

BP Global Energy Outlook 2030

2013 ◽  
pp. 109-128 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Rühl
Keyword(s):  
Emerging Economies ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Net Energy ◽  
Global Energy ◽  
The Past ◽  
Market Shares ◽  
The Us ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Oil Gas

This paper presents the highlights of the third annual edition of the BP Energy Outlook, which sets out BP’s view of the most likely developments in global energy markets to 2030, based on up-to-date analysis and taking into account developments of the past year. The Outlook’s overall expectation for growth in global energy demand is to be 36% higher in 2030 than in 2011 and almost all the growth coming from emerging economies. It also reflects shifting expectations of the pattern of supply, with unconventional sources — shale gas and tight oil together with heavy oil and biofuels — playing an increasingly important role and, in particular, transforming the energy balance of the US. While the fuel mix is evolving, fossil fuels will continue to be dominant. Oil, gas and coal are expected to converge on market shares of around 26—28% each by 2030, and non-fossil fuels — nuclear, hydro and renewables — on a share of around 6—7% each. By 2030, increasing production and moderating demand will result in the US being 99% self-sufficient in net energy. Meanwhile, with continuing steep economic growth, major emerging economies such as China and India will become increasingly reliant on energy imports. These shifts will have major impacts on trade balances.

Oil Prices: Limits to Growth and the Depth of Falling

2006 ◽  
pp. 28-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Bashmakov
Keyword(s):  
Energy Demand ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Oil Prices ◽  
Production Factor ◽  
Energy Costs ◽  
Purchasing Power ◽  
Limits To Growth ◽  
Technological Basis ◽  
Production Factors ◽  
Output Ratio

This article deals with the determination of future oil prices. The approach used is based on the evaluation of purchasing power limits and allows to put the limits to monopolistic price setting. Several important findings are formulated: going beyond the upper thresholds of purchasing power stipulates negative relationship between energy costs and GDP growth rates, and this brings the dynamics to energy demand to price elasticity. This approach is also based on what the author calls the economics of constants and variables, i.e. on the existence of very stable macroeconomic proportions, which may be observed throughout the whole period of statistical observations (over 200 years). It provides grounds for two conclusions. First, the upper limit of energy costs to the gross output ratio is determined by the least acceptable profitability. Second, the theoretical postulate on substantial production factors substitution used in the production functions theory may be incorrect. In reality, the change of the economy technological basis leads to the substitution of low quality production factor by the same factor with a higher quality. Application of this approach brings the basis for predicting oil prices for 2006-2008.

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