scholarly journals Design, feasibility, performance assessment and optimization of the technical and financial viability of potential renewable energy and energy efficiency projects

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Dan Nchelatebe Nkwetta
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Conservation ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Financial Viability ◽  
Solar Photovoltaic ◽  
Primary Power ◽  
Increasing Demand

Until recently, renewable energy technologies (RETs) have been confronted with a huge up-front cost due to technologies in development. However, massive and global deployment of renewable energy systems has led to significant cost reductions and performance improvements and the hope is to see increasing uptake of RETs by African countries. Cameroon a central African country is heavily reliant on hydropower, which contributes an estimated 60% to the country’s total installed 1,400MW capacity in 2015. In addition, there is constants power failure due to the non-reliability of the electric grid and load shedding to meet increasing demand and or to relieve stress on the primary energy source when demand for electricity is greater than the primary power source can supply. However, climate change poses additional huge risk (large reservoirs and dams drying up) and to meet the increasing demand, Cameroon is being forced to seek alternative power sources. In January 2014, Cameroon welcomed its first 72MW solar photovoltaic plant as well as the construction of a 500MW solar photovoltaic park in Q3 of 2015 in the northern region of Cameroon. It is common practice that energy efficiency and energy conservation lead to environmental sustainability. “Energy security starts with energy efficiency and the most sustainable energy option or system is energy conservation”. While it is common practice that energy efficiency and energy conservation lead to environmental sustainability, the building envelope also plays a key role in energy usage, energy conservation and thermal comfort for the building occupants. The rate of infiltration/leakage rate detect the rate of energy usage and cost of using energy. Having a tide and well-constructed building envelope is a key factor and helps reduce/reconcile buildings gas and electricity consumption. RETScreen Expert is the most current version of the RETScreen software and was released to the public on September 19, 2016. The software allows for the comprehensive identification, assessment and optimization of technical and financial viability of potential renewable energy and energy efficiency projects; as well as the measurement and verification of the actual performance of facilities and the identification of energy savings/production opportunities [1-3]. This paper will demonstrate how the software can be use in the design, feasibility, performance assessment and optimization of technical and financial viability of potential renewable energy and energy efficiency projects related to photovoltaic, solar thermal, building envelope and the replacement of non/less-efficient electrical equipment with more efficient and cost effective lamps like LEDs and the installation of smart power bars with automatic shut off function for TV screens, to take care of phantom power in large scale hotels. This approach will further reduce electricity usage and help diversified the sources of energy for a country like Cameroon, which is often subjected to constant power failure and load shedding to either relieve the stress on a primary energy source when demand for electricity is greater than the primary power source can supply or to meet power supply during the critical seasons.

Riqualificazione energetica e bioedilizia in Italia: lo stato dell'arte

2012 ◽  
pp. 74-88
Author(s):  
Livio de Santoli
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Building Materials ◽  
Heat Pumps ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
International Standards ◽  
Solar Panels ◽  
Water Heaters

Building sustainability, in term of energy efficiency, low-impact building materials, renewable energy, has experienced significant growth during the past years. In response to the growing dependence on fossil fuels and importations, due in part to the increase of energy consumption in the residential sector (in 2009 46,9 Mtep, 3% more than 2008) and the recent European directives (i.e. EU 2009/28/CE) requiring CO2 emissions cut of up to 13% in 2020, there is interest in promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, which are suitable for residential applications. In this paper we present an overview on actions related to minimization of buildings energy consumption in Italy. Prevalent line of action is to improve the energy performances of building envelope (Dlgs 192/05) using insulated frames, walls and roofs and replacing heat generators with condensing boilers. In addition to national directives, ONRE Report 2011 (National Observatory on building regulations) shows that 831 Municipalities (10% more than 2010) establish mandatory targets for insulation, photovoltaic solar panels, solar water heaters, heat pumps use, correct buildings orientation, saving of water resource and local materials use. In addiction an efficient energy rating of the buildings could promote the spread of energy efficiency measurement and consequently facilitate their implementation. The new energy rating system should meet international standards, regarding environment and energy aspects, and respect territorial needs.

scholarly journals Refurbishment of a house in a historical building: energy saving, electrification and flexibility

2020 ◽  
Vol 197 ◽  
pp. 02010
Author(s):  
Giada Romano ◽  
Elisa Pennacchia ◽  
Sofia Agostinelli
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Saving ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Automation Systems ◽  
Architectural Constraints ◽  
Current Energy

Buildings with architectural constraints and recognized historical values require a careful design process, aiming to combine the needs of conservation and the adaptation of the buildings to the modern use and its accessibility. The feasible interventions consist in improving the energy performance of the building envelope, in inserting efficient technological systems and using renewable energy sources where possible. The compatibility between the architectural constraints of the building and its more sustainable future use represents a crucial challenge. This work presents the interventions designed and realized on a small villa located in the Prati district, in Rome. Starting from the requests of the client, the primary objective was to create a comfortable house both in the winter and in the summer season, with widespread use of automation systems for managing the utilities. In line with the current energy scenario, the interventions were oriented to energy efficiency, the reduction of polluting emissions, the electrification of utilities and the use of renewable energy sources. The proposed solutions showed high gains in terms of energy saving even if the changes to the building envelope were limited by the desire to preserve the values of the cultural heritage. Therefore, a virtuous refurbishment can effectively respond to current energy efficiency goals.

Sustainable energy solutions for thermal load in buildings - Role of heat pumps, solar thermal, and hydrogen-based cogeneration systems

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-25
Author(s):  
Praveen Cheekatamarla ◽  
Vishaldeep Sharma ◽  
Bo Shen
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Heat Pumps ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Coefficient Of Performance ◽  
Renewable Energy Resources ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Economic and population growth is leading to increased energy demand across all sectors – buildings, transportation, and industry. Adoption of new energy consumers such as electric vehicles could further increase this growth. Sensible utilization of clean renewable energy resources is necessary to sustain this growth. Thermal needs in a building pose a significant challenge to the energy infrastructure. Supporting the current and future building thermal energy needs to offset the total electric demand while lowering the carbon footprint and enhancing the grid flexibility is presented in this study. Performance assessment of heat pumps, renewable energy, non-fossil fuel-based cogeneration systems, and their hybrid configurations was conducted. The impact of design configuration, coefficient of performance (COP), electric grid's primary energy efficiency on the key attributes of total carbon footprint, life cycle costs, operational energy savings, and site-specific primary energy efficiency are analyzed and discussed in detail.

scholarly journals Glass Curtain Wall Technology and Sustainability in Commercial Buildings in Auckland, New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 57-65
Author(s):  
Yi Wu ◽  
Claire Flemmer
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Commercial Buildings ◽  
Continuous Heating ◽  
Curtain Wall ◽  
Glass Curtain Wall

Glass curtain wall provides an attractive building envelope, but it is generally regarded as unsustainable because of the high energy needed to maintain thermal comfort. This research explores the advances in the technology of glass cladding and the complex issues associated with judging its sustainability. It assesses the technology and sustainability of glass curtain wall on a sample of thirty commercial buildings in Auckland, New Zealand. Field observations of the glass-clad buildings, coupled with surveys of the building occupants and of glass cladding professionals are used to investigate the cladding characteristics, operational performance, sustainability aspects and future trends. The majority of the sample buildings are low-rise office buildings. The occupants like the aesthetics and indoor environment quality of their glass-clad buildings. However, continuous heating, ventilation and air conditioning are needed in order to maintain thermal comfort within the buildings and this has high energy consumption. The increasing use of unitized systems with double glazing instead of stick-built systems with single glazing improves the sustainability of the cladding through less material wastage and better energy efficiency. Inclusion of photovoltaic modules in the curtain wall also improves energy efficiency but it is currently too expensive for use in New Zealand. Environmental sustainability is also improved when factors such as climate, the orientation of glazed façades, solar control, ventilation and the interior building layout are considered. Any assessment of glass curtain wall sustainability needs to consider the economic and social aspects as well as the environmental aspects such as energy use

Environmental Education and Energetic Efficiency: Reports on Brazilian Projects in the Sake of Socio-Environmental Sustainability

2010 ◽  
Vol 107 ◽  
pp. 41-47
Author(s):  
Magda Pereira Pinto ◽  
Vera M. Lessa Catalão
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Environmental Education ◽  
Energy Conservation ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Energetic Efficiency ◽  
National Program

The goal of this work is to describe the importance of environmental education in the energy conservation and energy efficiency process. Besides the various technical proposals aimed at minimizing energy waste, environmental education has been a primordial tool in the search of a more responsible character with respect to the environment. This article attempts at showing some reflections concerning the role environmental education plays in that process, as well as putting in evidence the educational actions of the National Program for Energy Conservation, with its emphases in diminishing the energy waste and pull towards its efficient use.

scholarly journals World Energy Resources and New Technologies

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-35
Author(s):  
Janusz S. Szmyd
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Social Transformation ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The development of civilisation is linked inextricably with growing demand for electricity. Thus, the still-rapid increase in the level of utilisation of natural resources, including fossil fuels, leaves it more and more urgent that conventional energy technologies and the potential of the renewable energy sources be made subject to re-evaluation. It is estimated that last 200 years have seen use made of more than 50% of the available natural resources. Equally, if economic forecasts prove accurate, for at least several more decades, oil, natural gas and coal will go on being the basic primary energy sources. The alternative solution represented by nuclear energy remains a cause of considerable public concern, while the potential for use to be made of renewable energy sources is seen to be very much dependent on local environmental conditions. For this reason, it is necessary to emphasise the impact of research that focuses on the further sharpening-up of energy efficiency, as well as actions aimed at increasing society’s awareness of the relevant issues. The history of recent centuries has shown that rapid economic and social transformation followed on from the industrial and technological revolutions, which is to say revolutions made possible by the development of power-supply technologies. While the 19th century was “the age of steam” or of coal, and the 20th century the era of oil and gas, the question now concerns the name that will at some point come to be associated with the 21st century. In this paper, the subjects of discussion are primary energy consumption and energy resources, though three international projects on the global scale are also presented, i.e. ITER, Hydrates and DESERTEC. These projects demonstrate new scientific and technical possibilities, though it is unlikely that commercialisation would prove feasible before 2050. Research should thus be focused on raising energy efficiency. The development of high-efficiency technologies that reinforce energy security is presented, with it being assumed that these new high-efficiency technologies are capable of being applied globally in the near future.

scholarly journals СУЧАСНІ ТЕНДЕНЦІЇ РОЗВИТКУ РИНКУ ЕНЕРГОРЕСУРСІВ В УКРАЇНІ

2020 ◽  
Vol 141 (6) ◽  
pp. 73-83
Author(s):  
Вадим А. Ткачук ◽  
Іван В. Солоненчук
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Supply ◽  
Primary Energy ◽  
Market Development ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Market ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Efficient Energy ◽  
Highly Efficient

The primary focus of this paper is on favorable geographical and geopolitical position of Ukraine which provides good opportunities to unlock a vast nation’s potential for further sustainable socioeconomic development and efficient energy supply to all sectors of the national economy and the society. It is emphasized that Ukraine is one of the world's largest transporters of fuel and energy resources (FER) to Europe. This is confirmed by the availability of large coal and uranium reserves, a well-developed infrastructure for the transportation of oil, gas, electrical and thermal energy sources as well as installed capacity of power plants which is sought to ensure and meet all future needs of the country's economy for primary energy. Given the insufficiency of Ukraine's own oil and gas reserves, the research hypothesis is the need to harness the potential of diversification of primary energy supply, to promote energy efficiency methods and tools as well as to apply the latest technologies in renewable energy generation and use. The purpose of this study is to identify the modern global trends in energy market development and their implementation in Ukraine. To attain the goals set, the following research methods were used: a historical and logical method – to explore the patterns of Ukrainian energy market development; statistical analysis – to determine the macroeconomic factors affecting the world and Ukrainian energy markets. The results of the study have revealed the following 9 global trends in the development of the energy market: a rapid increase in demand for electricity; expanding the utilization of traditional types of natural gas along with increasing the volumes of unconventional gas production; commercialization of clean coal technologies; nuclear power industry revival; renewable energy sector development; enhancing management structure and monitoring of energy networks, implementation of intelligent technologies; boosting energy efficiency; further development of highly efficient energy conservation systems; building highly efficient energy storage systems. Their implementation specifics in the Ukrainian national settings is investigated. A conclusion is made that of all the above global trends in energy development and use, among the key priorities for Ukraine are the following: the rational use of energy; increasing energy efficiency and social responsibility in this area; reducing CO2emissions; implementation of digital technologies into the process of strategically important types of energy production; expanding the use of renewable energy sources.

scholarly journals Environmental sustainability: a review of the water-energy-food nexus

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soheila Zarei ◽  
Omid Bozorg-Haddad ◽  
Shima Kheirinejad ◽  
Hugo A. Loáiciga
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Resource Use ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Human Life ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
Social Awareness ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
Adverse Impacts

Abstract Water, energy, and food are primary resources on which human life is dependent. This paper presents a review of the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus considering the environmental impacts generated by humans' reliance on water, energy, and food for their subsistence. Our review assesses the WEF with respect to the agricultural, industrial, and urban sectors and their use of water, energy, and food. The multi-sectorial assessment addresses options for improved management that avoids or mitigates adverse impacts in the agricultural, industrial, and urban sectors. Activities such as the use of fertilizers and pesticides in the agricultural sector, for instance, cause water, air, and soil pollution, which leads to social calamities and environmental degradation. Therefore, examining the effects of mismanagement in one sector on other sectors from the perspective of the WEF nexus is necessary for improved resource management and environmental protection. A literature review revealed that factors or practices of resources use influence sectors differently and with varying degrees of effectiveness in reducing the environmental damage caused by resources use. Improved social awareness on resource consumption, the use of renewable energy, improved energy efficiency, the reduction of food waste, improved animal husbandry, and other factors involved in the WEF nexus are herein examined. This paper's analysis demonstrates that every action and manner of resource use in one sector affects other sectors and their resources use, also, thus calling for a unified analysis of the WE nexus.

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