scholarly journals Informing on Best Practices Using Design Builder and RET Screen to Calculate Energetic, Financial, and Environmental Impacts of Energy Systems for Buildings

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Roberto De Lieto Vollaro ◽  
Emanuele De Lieto Vollaro
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Combustion Engine ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
International Energy Agency ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Historical Building

Buildings represent 32% of total final energy consumption. In terms of primary energy consumption, buildings represent around 40% in most IEA countries (International Energy Agency). For such reason, strategies that lead to energy savings and greenhouse gases reduction are needed. This research aims to provide a methodology able to identify the best system configuration from a technical, economic and environmental point of view by using at the same time two energy software: Design builder, which is able to calculate buildings energy needs under dynamic conditions, and RETScreen, which allows feasibility analysis of clean energy projects. In order to assess the effectiveness of this operating procedure, a historical building has been modelled and a Combined Cooling, Heat and Power system based on an internal combustion engine has been chosen to ensure environmentally sound way. In this study it shows the application of the procedure to a case study as an historical building located in Orte City which is near Rome in Italy; the methodology could get a real preliminary analysis for choose the best active or passive system for improve the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability of existing buildings, also allowing a cost-benefit analysis useful for the concrete realization of the interventions studied.

scholarly journals Towards an Energy Efficient Solution for Bike-Sharing Rebalancing Problems: A Battery Electric Vehicle Scenario

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 2503 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Usama ◽  
Yongjun Shen ◽  
Onaira Zahoor
Keyword(s):  
Energy Savings ◽  
Combustion Engine ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Urban Transport ◽  
Operational Cost ◽  
Battery Capacity ◽  
Bike Sharing ◽  
Indirect Emission ◽  
The Cost

A free-float bike-sharing system faces various operational challenges to maintain good service quality while optimizing the operational cost. The primary problems include the fulfillment of the users demand at all stations, and the replacement of faulty bikes presented in the system. This study focuses on a free-float bike-sharing system rebalancing problem (FFBP) with faulty bikes using battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The target inventory of bikes at each station is obtained while minimizing the total traveling time through the presented formulation. Using CPLEX solver, the model is demonstrated through numerical experiments considering the various vehicle and battery capacities, and a cost–benefit analysis is performed for BEV and conventional internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) while taking the BEV manufacturing and indirect emission into account. The results show that the annual cost incurred on an ICEV is 56.9% more as compared to the cost of using an equivalent BEV. Since BEVs consume less energy than conventional ICEVs, the use of BEVs for rebalancing the bike-sharing systems results in significant energy savings for an urban transport network. Moreover, the life cycle emissions of an ICEV are 48.3% more as compared to an equivalent BEV. Furthermore, the operational cost of a BEV significantly reduces with the increase in battery capacity.

scholarly journals Energy Consumption of Rail Baltica Project: Regional Aspects of Environmental Impact

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 148-160
Author(s):  
Olga Piterina ◽  
Alexander Masharsky
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Dioxide ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Emissions ◽  
High Speed ◽  
International Energy Agency ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Load Rate ◽  
Emissions Intensity

Abstract Research purpose. The high-speed railway (HSR) construction project in the Baltic States is the largest joint infrastructure project since the restoration of independence of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. Rail Baltica (RB) is considered as the most energy-efficient project having the lowest environmental impact. However, the issue of energy consumption of the project was not sufficiently addressed either in the investment justification of the RB construction or in the relevant research works regarding the project. The aim of the current research is to determine the indicators of energy consumption and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions intensity of the Latvian section of RB, since they are the key factors of the quantitative assessment of sustainability. Design/Methodology/Approach. Critical analysis of the academic research works and reports of the official international organizations dedicated to the topic of energy consumption and CO2 emissions of HSR was conducted prior to the calculation of the above-mentioned indicators. The method of calculation based on International Union of Railways (UIC) was used in order to conduct the cluster analysis within the framework of current work. The main points considered are electricity consumption, carbon dioxide emissions, and level of passenger and freight demand. Statistical databases of UIC and International Energy Agency were used. Findings. The calculations carried out by the authors of the given article demonstrate substantial figures of CO2 emissions intensity for Latvian section of the project related to the train load rate and traffic intensity which is evened out only by the CO2 emissions factor in Latvia. Originality/Value/Practical implications. On this basis the authors present the directions for future research required for the development of the effective strategy for the Latvian Republic with the aim of achieving the increase in the RB project’s ecological efficiency.

scholarly journals Development of a Digital Counterpart to Aid Decision Support on Energy Consumption of an Active Manufacturing Process

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 3
Author(s):  
Liam Morris ◽  
Michael Ahern ◽  
Dominic O’Sullivan ◽  
Ken Bruton
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
International Energy Agency ◽  
Digital Model ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Process Step ◽  
Digital Integration ◽  
Digital Modelling ◽  
Operational Data

This research focused on the development of a Digital Model (DM) of a production line at a medical device company, with the objective of providing decision support to stakeholders based on their energy consumption. This model aims to reduce energy consumption by bringing operational data to process engineers, allowing them to make efficient improvement decisions while in production. In order to achieve this objective, the twin transition of digital integration and energy efficiency was enacted by organisations such as the International Energy Agency (IEA). This two-pronged approach involved working with process owners to understand the decision-making process that they undertook to streamline performance and develop the means to digitalise this data while also working with facilities and maintenance engineers to understand which equipment played the most important roles in the production process from an energy consumption perspective. By bringing the process data and energy data together in a digital model of the process, a decision support system could be developed which would unlock the potential to streamline operations not just from an output perspective, but also from an energy efficient perspective. When examining the process step with data catagorised as energy, operational and maintenance, it was found that only operational data was sufficient to support digital modelling in its current state. Therefore, the installation of a wireless energy metering network would be required to support digital modelling and further digital integration.

scholarly journals A Cost Benefit Analysis of Secondary Glazing as a Retrofit Alternative for New Zealand Homes

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Nick Smith
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Thermal Performance ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Housing Stock ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Cost Benefits ◽  
Acrylic Sheet ◽  
Thin Plastic

<p>Homes with single glazing represent a large majority of the New Zealand housing stock. With the recent changes to the NZ Building Code Clause H1 Energy Efficiency, new homes require higher glazing thermal performance. This will lead to an increased need for cost effective methods to improve window thermal performance in existing single glazed homes without completely replacing the windows, which includes 'secondary' glazing. There are several secondary glazing options available including 'stick-on' plastic glazing as well as aluminium framed glass solutions that are installed inside the existing joinery. Secondary glazing is marketed as a cost effective alternative to insulated glazing units, providing both improved acoustic and thermal insulation to existing windows. There is little information regarding the in-use performance and cost benefits of secondary glazing in New Zealand. This thesis explores the efficacy of the secondary glazing products when installed in existing single pane frames. A guarded hotbox was used to make thermal resistance measurements on a typical single glazed aluminium window with timber reveal liner. Four common secondary glazing systems were retrofitted into the window - (1) thin plastic film; (2) magnetically-attached acrylic sheet; (3) aluminium framed secondary glazing; and (4) aluminium framed low emissivity (low-E) secondary glazing. Models of 'typical' New Zealand homes created in the ALF building thermal simulation programme were used to explore the heating energy savings and cost benefits provided by the different secondary glazing systems in a range of locations. Of the tested products, the low-E secondary glazing produces the largest cost-benefits. At current energy and material costs, secondary glazing was found to not be a financially viable solution in warmer climates such as Auckland. In cooler climates such as Christchurch and Dunedin, secondary glazing was found to be a cost effective retrofit alternative for existing single glazed homes</p>

scholarly journals Energy and Emission Analysis of Residential Sector: A Case Study for Reshunga Municipality in Nepal

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 17-27
Author(s):  
Biswambhar Panthi ◽  
Nawraj Bhattarai
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Emission Analysis ◽  
Hilly Region ◽  
Ghg Reduction ◽  
Final Energy Demand

This paper presents energy consumption in a municipality within hilly region and also analyzes GHG emission under different scenario. For the purpose of study Reshunga municipality was taken, situated in Gulmi district of Nepal occupying an area of 82.74 sq.km. For collection of data, 368 houses were surveyed and the locals were interviewed on their annual consumption. The total energy consumption was 214.8 TJ where 78.25% was supplied by wood. LPG shared 16.14% of demand. Cooking (58%) and water boiling (26%) were the most demanding task. Most of the houses were equipped with ICS, with share 55% of energy demand in cooking. Four different scenario were studied viz. BAU, DSM, BSP and SDG. In, BAU scenario, the energy consumption will reach 245.3 TJ. In DSM scenario and BSP scenario the final energy demand will reduce to 230.7 TJ and 216.2 TJ. In SDG scenario, energy demand is reduced by 23.14%. The share of LPG increases to 22.36 % and electricity demand becomes more than doubles from reaching 10.64% in SDG. From year 2017-2030, there will be total accumulative increase of electricity requirement by 47.4 TJ, whereas total cumulative decrease of 433.5 TJ equivalents can be resulted in consumption of wood in SDG scenario. Cost-Benefit analysis study revealed that DSM will require an investment of 43.03K US$ for demand technologies and will reduce emission by 8.69 tCO2e. DSM will be cheapest in terms of cost per GHG reduction. SDG will cost 645.46K US$ and results in reduction of GHG by 47.79K tCO2e.

scholarly journals irena and iea: Moving Together Towards a Sustainable Energy Future—Competition or Collaboration?

Climate Law ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 233-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federico Esu ◽  
Francesco Sindico
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
International Energy Agency ◽  
Sustainable Use ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Energy Agency ◽  
Member States ◽  
Legal Perspective ◽  
Oil Crisis ◽  
The Relationship

The aim of this article is to critically examine, from a legal perspective, the relationship between the International Energy Agency (iea) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (irena). The iea was established in 1973 in response to the global oil crisis. It currently has 29 member states. Its original mandate has been expanded to include ensuring reliable, affordable, and clean energy. irena was established in 2009. Its main objective is to promote sustainable use of all forms of renewable energy. With 138 member states, and many more in the process of accession, irena is becoming a truly universal organization. Both the iea and irena focus their attention on sustainable energy. Is there an institutional overlap or an unnecessary duplication in scope? Are irena’s activities in sustainable energy, which seemingly parallel those of the iea, justified by its aims and global reach? By addressing these and related questions, the article discusses whether the relationship between the iea and irena can be seen as competition or collaboration. The relationship is analysed within the context of the un Sustainable Energy for All Initiative.

Evaluating a distributed regenerative braking system for freight trains

2018 ◽  
Vol 233 (8) ◽  
pp. 844-856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Pyper ◽  
P Stephan Heyns
Keyword(s):  
Energy Savings ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Regenerative Braking ◽  
Benefit Analysis ◽  
Technical Feasibility ◽  
Freight Train ◽  
Braking System ◽  
Variable Transmission ◽  
The Cost

This paper presents an investigation on a distributed regenerative braking system for freight trains. The system, which involves installing regenerative braking units on the bogies of freight rail wagons, is proposed in a patent by Transnet SOC Ltd. The system allows for numerous regenerative braking systems to be installed on a single freight train in a distributed manner, which collectively function together to perform regenerative braking on the train to reduce the energy consumption of the train. The proposed system would, if implemented successfully, alleviate challenges and limitations with current regenerative braking systems on diesel-powered freight trains. The goal of the investigation is to determine whether the system is both technically and economically feasible. The proposed regenerative braking system is conceptualized in this study by first establishing the requirements of the system from in-service train data, followed by the development of the subsystems and major components based on existing technology. A physical system simulation model is subsequently developed to establish the energy savings performance of the system concepts for typical freight train routes. The results show that energy savings of between 10% and 24% can be realized. This demonstrates the technical feasibility of the proposed system. Next, the proposed system and the candidate concepts are evaluated in economic terms by means of a cost–benefit analysis. The decision criteria calculated in the cost–benefit analysis provide unanimous results as to which of the candidate concepts are economically feasible. It is shown that four of the candidate concepts, all utilizing the same transmission topology incorporating a continuously variable transmission with different flywheel configurations, are economically feasible. It is therefore concluded that the results of the cost–benefit analysis indicated that the proposed distributed regenerative braking system for freight trains is economically feasible and could deliver favorable financial returns if pursued.

scholarly journals The costs and benefits of environmental sustainability

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Ekins ◽  
Dimitri Zenghelis
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Low Carbon ◽  
Economic Implications ◽  
Current Trends ◽  
Path Dependent ◽  
Development Paths

AbstractThe natural science in GEO-6 makes clear that a range and variety of unwelcome outcomes for humanity, with potentially very significant impacts for human health, become increasingly likely if societies maintain their current development paths. This paper assesses what is known about the likely economic implications of either current trends or the transformation to a low-carbon and resource-efficient economy in the years to 2050 for which GEO-6 calls. A key conclusion is that no conventional cost–benefit analysis for either scenario is possible. This is because the final cost of meeting various decarbonisation and resource-management pathways depends on decisions made today in changing behaviour and generating innovation. The inadequacies of conventional modelling approaches generally lead to understating the risks from unmitigated climate change and overstating the costs of a low-carbon transition, by missing out the cumulative gains from path-dependent innovation. This leads to a flawed conclusion as to how to respond to the climate emergency, namely that significant reductions in emissions are prohibitively expensive and, therefore, to be avoided until new, cost-effective technologies are developed. We argue that this is inconsistent with the evidence and counterproductive in serving to delay decarbonisation efforts, thereby increasing its costs. Understanding the processes which drive innovation, change social norms and avoid locking in to carbon- and resource-intensive technologies, infrastructure and behaviours, will help decision makers as they ponder how to respond to the increasingly stark warnings of natural scientists about the deteriorating condition of the natural environment.

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