scholarly journals Influence of Policy, Air Quality, and Local Attitudes toward Renewable Energy on the Adoption of Woody Biomass Heating Systems

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2873 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesse D. Young ◽  
Nathaniel M. Anderson ◽  
Helen T. Naughton
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Woody Biomass ◽  
The United States ◽  
State Policies ◽  
Biomass Energy ◽  
Biomass Combustion ◽  
Heating Systems

Heat produced from woody biomass accounts for a significant portion of renewable energy in the United States. Economic and federal policy factors driving institutional adoption of woody biomass heating systems have been identified and examined in previous studies, as have the effects of state policies in support of biomass heating. However, plans for a number of mid- to large-scale biomass facilities have been abandoned after being proposed in communities with many of the factors and policies considered favorable to the adoption of such systems. In many of these cases, opponents cited potential negative impacts on local air quality, despite being generally in favor of renewable energy. This study employed a zero inflated negative binomial (ZINB) statistical model to determine if state policies, air quality, and local attitudes toward renewable energy have a significant effect on the adoption and retention of distributed-scale biomass combustion systems used for institutional heating. State policy appears to have a negligible effect, while the influences of historic and current air pollution and local emissions appear insignificant. However, local attitudes in favor of renewable energy are associated with the adoption and retention of distributed-scale woody biomass heating systems. This is an indication of the importance of local support in determining the fate of future biomass energy projects.

Renewable Energy on Tribal Lands: A Feasibility Study for a Biomass-to-Energy Plant on the Cocopah Reservation in Arizona

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Lauren K. D’Souza ◽  
William L. Ascher ◽  
Tanja Srebotnjak
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
The United States ◽  
Biomass Energy ◽  
Policy Support ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Energy Plant ◽  
Energy Projects ◽  
Alternative Investment

Native American reservations are among the most economically disadvantaged regions in the United States; lacking access to economic and educational opportunities that are exacerbated by “energy insecurity” due to insufficient connectivity to the electric grid and power outages. Local renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and biomass offer energy alternatives but their implementation encounters barriers such as lack of financing, infrastructure, and expertise, as well as divergent attitudes among tribal leaders. Biomass, in particular, could be a source of stable base-load power that is abundant and scalable in many rural communities. This case study examines the feasibility of a biomass energy plant on the Cocopah reservation in southwestern Arizona. It considers feedstock availability, cost and energy content, technology options, nameplate capacity, discount and interest rates, construction, operation and maintenance (O&M) costs, and alternative investment options. This study finds that at current electricity prices and based on typical costs for fuel, O&M over 30 years, none of the tested scenarios is presently cost-effective on a net present value (NPV) basis when compared with an alternative investment yielding annual returns of 3% or higher. The technology most likely to be economically viable and suitable for remote, rural contexts—a combustion stoker—resulted in a levelized costs of energy (LCOE) ranging from US$0.056 to 0.147/kWh. The most favorable scenario is a combustion stoker with an estimated NPV of US$4,791,243. The NPV of the corresponding alternative investment is US$7,123,380. However, if the tribes were able to secure a zero-interest loan to finance the plant’s installation cost, the project would be on par with the alternative investment. Even if this were the case, the scenario still relies on some of the most optimistic assumptions for the biomass-to-power plant and excludes abatement costs for air emissions. The study thus concludes that at present small-scale, biomass-to-energy projects require a mix of favorable market and local conditions as well as appropriate policy support to make biomass energy projects a cost-competitive source of stable, alternative energy for remote rural tribal communities that can provide greater tribal sovereignty and economic opportunities.

scholarly journals Sustainable Management of Biomass Energy in Rural and Urban Context

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-62
Author(s):  
János Szendrei ◽  
Edit Szűcs ◽  
Gábor Grasselli
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Biomass Energy ◽  
Biomass Combustion ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Urban Context ◽  
Rural And Urban ◽  
Urban Energy ◽  
Solid Biomass

The most sustainable energy is the energy not used. Best way to (not) use energy is the proper design of a facility or an energy consuming system. The remaining energy needs have to be covered with energy utilisation of waste materials, renewable energy sources and, until the previous solutions are not sufficient to satisfy the energy demands, the last is the use of conventional fossil and nuclear energy sources. In terms of renewable energy, biomass has an important role today. However, there is a difference between available inputs and utilisation when considering biomass energy possibilities in rural and urban context. This paper suggests biomass energy possibilities that are recommendable in rural context: possibilities of solid biomass combustion, of liquid biofuels and of anaerobe digestion. Also important are possibilities of solid biomass combustion and wet biomass digestion for urban energy production, although with some remarks on system considerations of urban biomass. Most advanced solutions for sustainable management of biomass energy include circular systems, both in rural and urban context, as recommended.

Regional Downscaling for Air Quality Assessment

2007 ◽  
Vol 88 (8) ◽  
pp. 1215-1228 ◽  
Author(s):  
William I. Gustafson ◽  
L. Ruby Leung
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Quality Assessment ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Dynamical Downscaling ◽  
Circulation Model ◽  
The United States ◽  
Climate Simulation ◽  
Large Scale Circulation ◽  
Air Quality Assessment

Assessing future changes in air quality using downscaled climate scenarios is a relatively new application of the dynamical downscaling technique. This article compares and evaluates two downscaled simulations for the United States made using the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–NCAR Mesoscale Model with the goal of understanding how errors in the downscaled climate simulations may introduce uncertainty in air quality assessment. The two downscaled simulations were driven by boundary conditions from the NCEP–NCAR global reanalysis and a global climate simulation generated by the Goddard Institute for Space Studies global circulation model, respectively. Comparisons of the model runs are made against the boundary layer and circulation characteristics of the North American Regional Reanalysis, and also against observed precipitation. The relative dependence of different simulated quantities on regional forcing, model parameterizations, and large-scale circulation provides a framework to understand similarities and differences between model simulations. Results show significant improvements in the downscaled diurnal wind patterns, in response to the complex orography, that are important for air quality assessment. Evaluation of downscaled boundary layer depth and winds, precipitation, and large-scale circulation shows larger biases related to model physics and biases in the GCM large-scale conditions. Based on the comparisons, recommendations are made to improve the utility of downscaled scenarios for air quality assessment.

scholarly journals Kajian Peningkatan Potensi Ekspor Pelet Kayu Indonesia sebagai Sumber Energi Biomassa yang Terbarukan

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Victor Tulus Pangapoi Sidabutar
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
The United States ◽  
Biomass Energy ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Wood Pellets ◽  
Fossil Energy ◽  
Renewable Biomass ◽  
World Today

Dunia saat ini mulai beralih dari menggunakan batu bara ke sumber energi yang terbarukan. Salah satunya adalah pelet kayu demi mengurangi emisi gas rumah kaca dan meningkatkan penggunaan energi terbarukan pengganti energi fosil. Produsen utama pelet kayu di dunia saat ini adalah Amerika Serikat sedangkan untuk wilayah ASEAN adalah Vietnam. Di ASEAN, potensi Indonesia tidak kalah dari Vietnam. Indonesia unggul dalam jumlah luas hutan tanam dan pertanian yang lebih luas dibandingkan Vietnam. Selain itu, keragaman hayati tumbuhan yang ada dapat dijadikan sumber bahan baku pelet kayu yang unik dibandingkan pesaing lainnya. Legalisasi dan regulasi untuk keberlangsungan bahan baku merupakan persyaratan utama untuk memasuki pasar Eropa. Pemerintah Indonesia memberikan dukungan penuh dengan semakin mudahnya perijinan terkait legalisasi dan keberlangsungan bahan baku kayu. Study of Increasing the Export Potential of Indonesia Wood Pellets as a Source of the Renewable Biomass Energy SourceAbstractThe world today is beginning to switch from using coal into renewable energy sources. One of them is wood pellets in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase the use of renewable energy substitute for fossil energy. The major manufacturer of wood pellets in the world today is the United States, while for the ASEAN region is Vietnam. In ASEAN, Indonesia’s potential is not less than Vietnam. Indonesia superior in numbers of forests and agricultural crops compare to Vietnam. In addition, the existing plant biodiversity that can be used as a source of raw material for wood pellets are unique compared to other competitors. Legalization and regulation in terms of the sustainability of raw materials is a key requirement to enter the European market. The Indonesian government gave full support to the more easily permits related legalization and sustainability of wood raw material.

scholarly journals Assessing the regional impact of indonesian biomass burning emissions based on organic molecular tracers and chemical mass balance modeling

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 8043-8054 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Engling ◽  
J. He ◽  
R. Betha ◽  
R. Balasubramanian
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Mass Balance ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Chemical Species ◽  
Biomass Combustion ◽  
Diagnostic Ratios ◽  
Chemical Mass Balance ◽  
Haze Episode ◽  
Molecular Tracers

Abstract. Biomass burning activities commonly occur in Southeast Asia (SEA), and are particularly intense in Indonesia during the dry seasons. The effect of biomass smoke emissions on air quality in the city state of Singapore was investigated during a haze episode in October 2006. Substantially increased levels of airborne particulate matter (PM) and associated chemical species were observed during the haze period. Specifically, the enhancement in the concentration of molecular tracers for biomass combustion such as levoglucosan by as much as two orders of magnitude and the diagnostic ratios of individual organic compounds indicated that biomass burning emissions caused a regional smoke haze episode due to their long-range transport by prevailing winds. With the aid of air mass backward trajectories and chemical mass balance modeling, large-scale forest and peat fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan were identified as the sources of the smoke aerosol, exerting a significant impact on air quality in downwind areas, such as Singapore.

scholarly journals Suitability assessment for electricity generation through renewable sources: towards sustainable energy production

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 109-122
Author(s):  
Eduardo Pérez-Denicia ◽  
Fabián Fernández-Luqueño ◽  
Darnes Vilariño-Ayala
Keyword(s):  
Power Generation ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Electricity Generation ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
The United States ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Biomass Energy ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
Renewable Sources

Power generation through renewable sources is an effective alternative to mitigate climate change as its environmental impact is lower compared to fossil fuels. However, socio-economic problems are constant in sites where power plants are installed, especially in developing countries. In this paper, an innovative methodology was developed to assess the suitability of electricity generation through solar, wind, and biomass energy. Unlike most studies found in scientific literature, this work considers social, environmental, and economic aspects as key to determine the suitability of energy projects. First, we carried out a comprehensive analysis on social acceptance and resilience towards renewable energy and the conditions for communities to benefit from these projects; then, we analyzed the availability and capacity of renewable energy sources in Mexico, as a case study. Next,  a set of indicators related to the three pillars of sustainability was developed to assess the conditions of each place with the best renewable resources in the country. The life cycle and capacity factor of each technology were also considered. Lastly, a mathematical model was developed to determine the most suitable locations and technologies for power generation. The results show a trend towards the states of northern Mexico, especially those bordering the United States, as the most viable for electricity generation. The most appropriate technology is wind energy. Finally, Oaxaca, the state with the best wind resources and current leader in wind power generation in Mexico is, by contrast, the least viable state for wind generation, as has been later confirmed by scientific evidence, as wind facilities are associated with severe socio-cultural and economic damage in host communities in this state.

scholarly journals Conversion of Residential Heating Systems from Fossil Fuels to Biofuels: A Cross-Cultural Analysis

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 5063
Author(s):  
Diana A. Londoño-Pulgarín ◽  
Francisco Muñoz-Leiva ◽  
Esmeralda Crespo-Almendros
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
South Africa ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cultural Analysis ◽  
Heating Systems ◽  
Residential Heating ◽  
The United Kingdom

This paper aims to analyse: (a) how the attitude towards renewable energy-based heating systems, pro-environmental behaviour and the perceived attributes of technology influence intention to convert residential heating systems from fossil fuels to biofuels, and (b) the moderating role of culture based on Hofstede’s individualism dimension. A total of 425 responses were collected from a panel of internet users from representative countries in three continents (the United States, the United Kingdom and South Africa); the data analysis was carried out using structural equation models in a multigroup analysis. The results showed that attitude towards renewable energy-based heating systems is influenced by environmental variables in the United States and the United Kingdom, and by the perceived attributes of clean residential heating systems in the United States and South Africa. Attitude, in turn, impacts on the intention to convert from fossil fuels to biofuels. In addition, individualism has a moderating effect between these variables and there are intercultural differences in the degree of importance attributed to them. The study concludes the use of these energy systems as drivers of environmentally-sustainable development.

Production of Utilizable Energy from Renewable Resources: Mechanism, Machinery and Effect on Environment

2015 ◽  
Vol 1116 ◽  
pp. 1-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neelima Mahato ◽  
Mohd Omaish Ansari ◽  
Moo Hwan Cho
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Renewable Resources ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Biomass Energy ◽  
Energy Resources ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Renewable Energy Resources ◽  
Natural Habitats

The renewable energy sources had been known to humankind since the very beginning of the human civilization, though practiced in very primitive forms. The first civilization and subsequent greater civilizations, came up, existed, and flourished at or near river valley/basins. Rivers provided water for irrigation, domestic utilization, transportation; overall development of the entire civilization. In the latter years, the increase in the human population and certain revolutionary inventions and discoveries like fire, the wheel, and domestication of cattle and animals led the movement and spread of the human populations in the other parts of the globe far from river irrigated lands. Humans learnt to utilize underground waters and harvest rainwater for living and survival. In the course of development, there also increased demand for more energy and its storage so that it can be utilized as and when required. This brought humankind to discover the laws of thermodynamics, emergence of combustion engines, electromagnetic induction, electricity and storage devices, such as batteries and supercapacitors. The development has been revolutionized since last few centuries with increasing demand of energy with growing industries and a faster life. Nowadays, because of massive exploitation of fossil resources for fuel and electricity, and concerns of global warming, exploring renewable energy alternatives are gaining momentum. Of many renewable resources, viz., sun, wind, water, geothermal, biomass, etc., the biomass energy is the most widely studied one in terms of both, published literature and wide social acceptance across the globe followed by solar and wind energy.The chapter presents the potential alternatives to non-renewable energy resources, mechanism and machinery to draw and exploit the energy in the usable or utilizable form; past, present, recent progresses and future scope of the ongoing researches on this subject. The chapter also deals with the relative merits or pros and cons of the massive and large scale installation of machinery to produce electricity from some of the noteworthy renewable energy resources, such as, wind, water and sun, which is affecting the local environment or natural habitats, flora and fauna; overall influence on the delicate balance of the ecosystem.

scholarly journals Assessing the regional impact of Indonesian biomass burning emissions based on organic molecular tracers and chemical mass balance modeling

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 2773-2798 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Engling ◽  
J. He ◽  
R. Betha ◽  
R. Balasubramanian
Keyword(s):  
Air Quality ◽  
Mass Balance ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Biomass Combustion ◽  
Diagnostic Ratios ◽  
Chemical Mass Balance ◽  
Back Trajectories ◽  
Haze Episode ◽  
Molecular Tracers

Abstract. Biomass burning activities commonly occur in Southeast Asia (SEA), and are particularly intense in Indonesia during dry seasons. The effect of biomass smoke emissions on air quality in the city state of Singapore was investigated during a haze episode in October 2006. Substantially increased levels of airborne particulate matter (PM) and associated chemical species were observed during the haze period. Specifically, the enhancement in the concentration of molecular tracers for biomass combustion such as levoglucosan by as much as two orders of magnitude and diagnostic ratios of individual organic compounds indicated that biomass burning emissions caused a regional smoke haze episode due to their long-range transport by prevailing winds. With the aid of air mass back trajectories and chemical mass balance modeling, large-scale forest and peat fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan were identified as the sources of the smoke aerosol, exerting a significant impact on air quality in downwind areas, such as Singapore.

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