scholarly journals Impacts of International Commodity Trade on Conventional Biofuels Production

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamás Mizik

The study gives an overview of raw materials and biofuel generation, markets, production, and regulation. The major aim of this study was to reveal the impacts of biofuel production on international commodity trade. According to the results of the country-level regressions, the export of corn and sugar cane have generally negatively impacted ethanol production. This effect was positive at the global level which indicates that some of the imported raw materials are used for ethanol production. Although the explanatory power of the models was relatively high (from 0.35 (EU) to 0.94 (USA)), none of models proved to be significant, even at the 10% level. These values were higher for the biodiesel models (from 0.53 (USA) to 0.97 (Brazil)) and the EU model results were significant at the 5% level. The export of raw materials had a positive impact on biodiesel production. This implies that some part of the biodiesel was produced from the imported raw materials. The export of processed products (different oils) had a negative impact on biodiesel production, as they are normally used for other purposes.

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 2544-2561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nitish Singh ◽  
Jieqiong Ma ◽  
Jie Yang

Purpose Corporate environmental expenditure has been a growing concern in recent years, yet mixed findings exist regarding its economic impact. The purpose of this paper is to explain the mixed relationship between environmental expenditure and economic performance from the natural-resource-based view. Design/methodology/approach Using Global Reporting Initiative survey data from 120 firms in 30 countries, this study uses PROCESS, a path-based analysis software, to test the moderation and mediation hypotheses in an integrated analytical model. Findings The findings show that environmental expenditure has a negative impact on economic performance through pollution prevention capability. In contrast, environmental expenditure has a positive impact on economic performance through product stewardship capability. Both effects are significantly strengthened when the firm is located in an environmentally munificent country. Practical implications This study intends to inform firm managers, especially those in environmentally munificent countries, to relocate their environmental expenditure to enhance firms’ economic performance. In particular, firms should focus more on the reduction of input, such as raw materials, energy, and water, instead of output, including emissions, effluents, and wastes. Originality/value The contrasting indirect effects of pollution prevention and product stewardship offer a viable explanation for the mixed findings in the existent literature on environmental expenditure from a new perspective.


Author(s):  
Luthfi Assadad ◽  
Bagus Sediadi Bandol Utomo ◽  
Rodiah Nurbaya Sari

Biofuel is one of alternative fossil fuel, in which the raw materials come from biological resources.One of the raw materials for biofuel production is microalgae. Microalgae grows rapidly, does notcompete with food for humans, and needs small areas to cultivate. Utilization of microalgae forbiofuel research nowadays is focusing on biodiesel production, but actually microalgae can beused to produce other biofuels such as bioethanol. The carbohydrate content of the microalgaecan be converted into glucose and fermented into alcohol. Carbohydrate content of the microalgaeis about 5.0–67.9%, which could produce bioethanol up to 38%. A harmony between bioethanoland biodiesel production from microalgae is needed for the optimum utilization of microalgae.Bioethanol production from microalgae can be done using de-oiled microalgae.


Author(s):  
Yurii Polievoda ◽  
Serhiy Burlaka

Transport consumes about 20% of the world's primary energy, mainly oil. This situation is unacceptable for countries that do not have their own oil reserves and want a stable economy and energy independence. Communities in many countries recognize that these problems continue to accompany the use of road transport and have long paid serious attention to the use of alternative fuels for vehicles, including biofuels, natural gas and hydrogen. However, in the current increase in the number of food industry facilities, it is necessary to deal with food products that have a negative impact on the environment (food fats). According to some data, the amount of garbage per day can range from a few kilograms to tens of tons. Approximately 90% of diesel biofuels (DBs) are mainly derived from processed oils and raw materials, including fats and oils of animal or vegetable origin that are recyclable. Biofuel is a biologically harmless product. In contact with water, the wine does not harm aquatic flora and fauna. In water or soil, it undergoes almost complete biological decomposition. Combustion of diesel biofuels emits much less carbon dioxide (CO2) than combustion of conventional fuels. Of course, there are drawbacks. First, biofuels have low frost resistance. Undiluted biofuel damages rubber hoses and gaskets. Biofuels have a certain shelf life. Due to increased maintenance costs, deposits can contaminate fuel equipment and filters during operation. Particular attention should be paid to the free glycerin that remains during production. The article considers biofuel production technologies and methods of glycerin removal. The focus is on devices that allow you to remove glycerin mobile. As a result, a faucet was proposed in which a filter was installed to remove residual glycerin and a study of its operation using the FlowVision program was performed. The simulation model of operation of the mixer with reception of indicators of its work is executed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-37
Author(s):  
Shaaban Z. Omar ◽  
Ayad H. Hasan ◽  
Ivo Lalov

Biogas and fuel ethanol are renewable energy sources, can be produced from complex organic materials that are decomposed by microorganisms in the anaerobic digestion method. Potato peels (PPs) and mixed Lolium perenne and Dactylis glomerata grasses were assessed as a potential substrate for biomethanation in a batch method under mesophilic condition (35°C) and ethanol fermentation. The first approach of this work was focused on pretreatment of PPs using acidic and enzymatic hydrolysis to produce biogas and ethanol fermentation using Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Safbrew S-33. These experiments proved that enzymatic hydrolysis produced 1.2 g/L of ethanol involved 115 h of fermentation and 665 ml/h of biogas after 451 h of biomethanation, this was more than the outcomes of acidic treatment. The second approach was concentrated on ability of biogas and ethanol production from mixed grasses treated with different acid concentrations that produced 0.16 g/L ethanol over 8 days of fermentation and 500 ml/h of biogas after 13 days of methanation technique. In general, the results pointed out that PPs and combined grasses can be used as potential substrates with raw materials for biogas and ethanol production.


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-63
Author(s):  
Reniati Reniati ◽  
◽  
Muhammad Faisal Akbar ◽  
Nur Ahmad Ricky Rudianto ◽  
◽  
...  

Purpose: The economy in the MSME sector is experiencing a great crisis in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. MSME actors must change strategies to adapt to the current pandemic conditions. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of Covid 19 on the economy and performance of MSMEs as well as the strategies adopted by MSME players in Bangka Belitung Province. Research methodology: The data collection method employed probability sampling with google form media analyzed by using cross tabulation, trend analysis and simple mathematical modeling in projecting total economic losses to MSMEs that are active in the Bangka Belitung Island Province. Results: The results show that 84.7 percent of MSMEs experienced a negative impact due to the Covid 19 pandemic in the form of a decrease in sales turnover, reduced demand and hampered distribution of raw materials. However, 15.3 percent of MSMEs experienced a positive impact and survived in the Covid 19 pandemic conditions. Some of the strategies implemented by MSMEs to survive in the Covid 19 periods were replacing products sold with products for handling COVID 19 such as masks, hand sanitizers and others. MSME players also changed their sales strategy by selling online and maintaining customer databases. Limitation: Due to the Covid-19 condition, survey activities were carried out by using the Google Form online application. Contribution: MSMEs undertook a more aggressive marketing strategy to maintain turnover value in order to keep growing. Keywords: Covid-19, MSME, Turnover, Competitive strategy


Author(s):  
М. Senchuk ◽  
L. Gutko

In order to optimize the performance of transportation works for the transportation of raw materials for the production of biodiesel fuel, the article examines the technology when oil from oilseeds is obtained at the processing points where they are grown. The resulting oil is transported to a biodiesel production plant. The methodological bases for calculating the optimum distance from oilseed grain storage sites to a mechanized oil production point are presented. Possible ways of the efficiency improving of production of biofuel at the stage of the planning are presented. Methodical bases of calculation of distance to mechanized points for biofuel production are given. A formula for determining the optimum capacity of an item for the processing of oil seeds and for obtaining raw materials for the production of biofuels has been derived. It is established that optimum transportation distance of rape is 14,4 km, productivity of the rapeseed oil processing plant is 21280 tons/year and for 25% of the oil yield 5320 tons of biofuel raw materials can be obtained, when the total overhead costs are Zv = 360000 UAH / year; specific costs of transportation of raw materials сp = 2,6 UAH/ (тkm); yield of oilseed rape = 1 t / ha (100 t / km2); the density of the placement of fields a = 0.4. The developed method can be used to calculate the location, performance of points for the manufacture of briquettes or pellets. The direction of increasing the efficiency of biodiesel production at plants at the stage of their planning is to determine the optimal annual productivity of the plant, taking into account transport costs for the transportation of raw materials - oil. The optimum distance of transportation of oil and productivity of the plant for biodiesel production is established for the cost of transportation - 2.6 UAH / t • km, overhead costs 13000000 UAH, direct costs for the production of 1 ton of biodiesel fuel - 25000 UAH Therefore, the optimal distance of transportation of oil for the production of biofuels - 101 km, the capacity of the plant - 58923 tons. The dependence of the cost of production of biodiesel fuel on the distance of transportation of oil is calculated: for distance to plant 40 km – the cost of biofuel production – 25596 UAH/t, for 60 km – 25496 UAH /t, for 80 km – 25462 UAH /t, for 100 km – 25459 UAH /t, for 120 km – 25471 UAH /t, for 140 km – 25493 UAH /t. The proposed method provides an opportunity to determine the optimum productivity of the plant for the processing of organic raw materials into biofuels, taking into account the distance of its transportation at the design stage. Key words: biodiesel, economic efficiency, production optimization, direct costs, overhead costs.


Author(s):  
Rim El Khoury ◽  
Nohade Nasrallah ◽  
Bahaaeddin Alareeni

Purpose As reporting environmental, social and governance (ESG) information is not yet mandatory in all countries, it is intriguing to understand ESG’s underlying driving mechanisms. This study aims to investigate ESG determinants in the banking sector of the Middle East and North Africa countries. Design/methodology/approach The authors gather data for 38 listed banks for the period 2011–2019. The data used is threefold as follows: data related to ESG; firm-level; and country-level data. While ESG and firm’s level data are taken from Refinitiv, country-level data are extracted from the World Bank. Using panel regression, the authors test the effect of firm- and country-specific variables on the overall ESG score and its pillars. Findings Results indicate that banks’ ESG scores are negatively affected by performance and positively affected by size. The level of economic development exerts a negative impact on the environmental pillar while the social development exerts a positive impact on ESG and governance pillar. Corruption is the only country-level that gathers a homogenous effect on ESG scores. Finally, the three pillars follow heterogeneous patterns. Originality/value This study extends the scope of previous studies by introducing new country-level independent variables to contribute to the understanding of ESG antecedents.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 2736 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Orynycz ◽  
Antoni Świć

Rapeseed plantation biodiesel production systems require the transportation of goods, like raw materials, machines and tools, and products between various conversion stages of agricultural as well as industrial subsystems. Each transportation step requires the consumption of some energy. This consumption decreases the net amount of energy delivered out of the biofuel production system, and consequently decreases the energetic efficiency of the system. The majority of studies on biofuel sustainability are done by means of the LCA method with the use of a data average for some region and period of time. Such analyses do not reveal the possible causes of the conclusions determined. The present work deals with computer modelling of the influence of the energy consumed on those transport routes on the energetic efficiency of the production system. The model enables determination of the effects caused by changes introduced to technological parameters. The effects caused by variation of fuel consumption, the load capacity of transportation means, size of plantation, distribution and sizes of individual fields, distances between fields, plantation yield, and finally the distance between the plantation and the industrial facility are studied using the numerical model developed earlier. This approach is aimed towards identifying the reasons for the behavior of a system controlled by many somewhat coupled variables.


Author(s):  
Shahbaz Khan ◽  
Razzi Abbas Jafri ◽  
Nida Baig ◽  
Muhammad Shaique ◽  
Muhammad Usman

The purpose of this study is to find out the impact of political general elections of Pakistan on KSE-100 index. We employed Event study methodology on closing prices of KSE-100 index over the time period January, 1998 to May, 2013. During our sample period, 3 events of political general Elections occurred i.e., Event1 in 2002, Event2 in 2008, and recently Event3 in 2013. We construct an Event window of 11 days consisting of 5 pre-event days, 1 on-event day, and 5 post-event days. Results of this study show that Events 1 -and 2 put significant negative impact on stock returns, while Event3 demonstrates a significant positive impact on stock returns. This study also revealed the pre -and post-event comparison for all of the three events and, suggested that as soon as the political situation of the country changes, behavior of investors towards political general election also changes. Manipulation in stock index has always been remained an inconclusive phenomenon for investors and policy makers. So, further evidence on an individual country level might suggest fruitful guidelines to both investors and policy makers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 221 ◽  
pp. 01004
Author(s):  
Gulnaz Sabirova ◽  
Ruslan Safin ◽  
Shamil Mukhametzyanov ◽  
Nour Galyavetdinov

In environmental matters, one of the most pressing problems is the efficient disposal of polymeric materials that have a negative impact on the ecology of soils and oceans. A necessary condition for the sustainable development of industrial production and processing of polymer products is the transition to polymer materials based on renewable plant raw materials, in particular polylactides, polyhydroalkanates, etc. However, the technology for the production of these types of polymers is seriously inferior to synthetic polymers in the field of energy engineering. In this regard, research in the field of creating composite materials by introducing wood filler is currently particularly relevant. This research covers the results of stress-strain behavior of wood filled polylactic wood powder composite materials thermally modified by high temperatures ranged from 200 to 240 °С. Wood impact strength dependence is defined and static bending and composite density dependence on wood filler quantity and the temperature of its thermal modification is also established. It was specified that with the increasing of filler densification and its thermal treatment, the wood impact strength and composite density is decreasing, while with the reduced content of binding, the thermal modification of 200 °С has a positive impact on bending elastic coefficient. The conducted research allows identifying rational areas of use of composite materials as an effective factor in managing natural resources.


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