scholarly journals ICT for Sustainability or Sustainability in ICT? A Review of the Role of ICT in Enhancing Sustainability versus the Need to Enhance Sustainability in ICT

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-21
Author(s):  
Dorcas Wambui Kariuki
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Sustainable Manufacturing ◽  
Sustainable Procurement ◽  
New Energy ◽  
Free Cooling ◽  
Sustainability Problems ◽  
Data Centres

Is ICT a solution to sustainability problems or is it just a greater environmental problem? Throughout their lifecycle, ICT products and services are associated with significant levels of energy consumption and carbon emissions. On the contrary, despite being one of the main contributors to global carbon emissions, the ICT sector has a crucial role to play in boosting productivity and sustainability in many sectors—education, transport, agriculture, business, buildings, health, power, and manufacturing. To improve their efficiency and mitigate carbon emissions from ICT products, producers and end-users of such ICT products should therefore, employ measures that enhance their sustainability. Such measures identified in this article include the use of sustainable manufacturing processes, sustainable procurement/purchasing of ICT products, proper ICT product use, reuse, recycle, and proper disposal of ICT devices that are out of use. In data centres, such measures include virtualisation, recovery and reuse of waste heat, designing data centres to allow free cooling, control of restricted air conditioning, replacement of old servers and processors with new energy-efficient ones, and locating data centres near renewable energy sources. This is because apart from enhancing sustainability in the ICT sector itself, ICT has the potential to enhance sustainability in other sectors through improvement in efficiency and reduction in carbon emissions. This article discusses how ICT can enhance sustainability in the transport, power, manufacturing, and building sectors, which are the major energy consumers and carbon-emitting sectors.

Role of Sustainable Procurement in Sustainable Manufacturing Operations

2016 ◽  
pp. 132-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
V.G. Venkatesh ◽  
Sunil Luthra
Keyword(s):  
Manufacturing Industry ◽  
Sustainable Manufacturing ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Manufacturing Operations ◽  
Sustainable Procurement ◽  
Indian Context ◽  
Complete Discussion ◽  
Multiple Meanings ◽  
Key Drivers

Sustainable Procurement is an emerging concept in India in the recent times. It is imperative for the production firms to look the procurement activity as one of the strategic enabler for sustaining the business in the competitive global environment. Moreover, sustainability in India has been understood in multiple meanings and it is essential to bring the awareness on sustainable procurement and its impact on manufacturing. This chapter elucidates the key drivers of sustainable procurement along with a complete discussion on the importance of those practices in the Indian context. It also lists some of the key trends in the current business environment. The study endorses that manufacturing industry dominated by SMEs are highly reluctant to adopt sustainability as they lack awareness and perceive them as a cost escalation activity. It also reveals challenges faced by the firms and gives a conclusion on the future directions for sustainable procurement research in Indian context.

scholarly journals A Review of Small–Medium Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Technologies and Their Role within the 100% Renewable Energy Systems Scenario

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (17) ◽  
pp. 5338
Author(s):  
Ronelly De Souza ◽  
Melchiorre Casisi ◽  
Diego Micheli ◽  
Mauro Reini
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Low Temperature ◽  
Gas Turbines ◽  
Internal Combustion Engines ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Transition ◽  
Combined Heat And Power ◽  
Heat Sources

The energy transition towards a scenario with 100% renewable energy sources (RES) for the energy system is starting to unfold its effects and is increasingly accepted. In such a scenario, a predominant role will be played by large photovoltaic and wind power plants. At the same time, the electrification of energy consumption is expected to develop further, with the ever-increasing diffusion of electric transport, heat pumps, and power-to-gas technologies. The not completely predictable nature of the RES is their well-known drawback, and it will require the use of energy storage technologies, in particular large-scale power-to-chemical conversion and chemical-to-power re-conversion, in view of the energy transition. Nonetheless, there is a lack in the literature regarding an analysis of the potential role of small–medium CCHP technologies in such a scenario. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to address what could be the role of the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) and/or Combined Cooling Heat and Power (CCHP) technologies fed by waste heat within the mentioned scenario. First, in this paper, a review of small–medium scale CHP technologies is performed, which may be fed by low temperature waste heat sources. Then, a review of the 100% RE scenario studied by researchers from the Lappeenranta University of Technology (through the so-called “LUT model”) is conducted to identify potential low temperature waste heat sources that could feed small–medium CHP technologies. Second, some possible interactions between those mentioned waste heat sources and the reviewed CHP technologies are presented through the crossing data collected from both sides. The results demonstrate that the most suitable waste heat sources for the selected CHP technologies are those related to gas turbines (heat recovery steam generator), steam turbines, and internal combustion engines. A preliminary economic analysis was also performed, which showed that the potential annual savings per unit of installed kW of the considered CHP technologies could reach EUR 255.00 and EUR 207.00 when related to power and heat production, respectively. Finally, the perspectives about the carbon footprint of the CHP/CCHP integration within the 100% renewable energy scenario were discussed.

scholarly journals A review of challenges and benefits of integration of CHP plant into the grid: a case study in Serbia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rade M. Ciric ◽  
Sasa N. Mandic
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Increase Energy Efficiency ◽  
High Voltage Supply ◽  
The Republic ◽  
Technical Solutions ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe Republic of Serbia must make significant efforts to promote and exploit renewable energy sources and increase energy efficiency in all energy sectors to ensure energy security and economic competitiveness, reduce the negative impact on the environment from energy production and use, and contribute to global efforts to reduce greenhouse gases. Within the paper several issues of integration of recently realized CHP plant are introduced and discussed. Firstly, the legal and energy policy issues in the Republic of Serbia regarding connecting CHP to the grid are presented. The challenges and technical solutions for CHP connection to the grid, as well as power quality issues and the role of the CHP plant during the restoration of power supply during the maintenance of the substation and unplanned loss of high voltage supply, are presented and discussed. Finally, the impact of prospective massive integration of CHP on the energy balance and CO2 emission reduction in the province of Vojvodina in Serbia is investigated and discussed. Since it is the first CHP plant realized in Serbia, it is crucial that experience be shared to all potential stakeholders in the future energy efficiency projects.

The role of nickel recycling from nickel-bearing batteries on alleviating demand-supply gap in China's industry of new energy vehicles

2021 ◽  
Vol 170 ◽  
pp. 105612
Author(s):  
Peifan Yao ◽  
Xihua Zhang ◽  
Zhaolong Wang ◽  
Lifen Long ◽  
Yebin Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Energy ◽  
New Energy Vehicles

scholarly journals Decarbonization in Shipping Industry: A Review of Research, Technology Development, and Innovation Proposals

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 415
Author(s):  
George Mallouppas ◽  
Elias Ar. Yfantis
Keyword(s):  
Financial Incentives ◽  
Alternative Fuels ◽  
Internal Combustion Engines ◽  
Review Paper ◽  
Waste Heat ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Grey Literature ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Shipping Industry ◽  
Research Technology

This review paper examines the possible pathways and possible technologies available that will help the shipping sector achieve the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) deep decarbonization targets by 2050. There has been increased interest from important stakeholders regarding deep decarbonization, evidenced by market surveys conducted by Shell and Deloitte. However, deep decarbonization will require financial incentives and policies at an international and regional level given the maritime sector’s ~3% contribution to green house gas (GHG) emissions. The review paper, based on research articles and grey literature, discusses technoeconomic problems and/or benefits for technologies that will help the shipping sector achieve the IMO’s targets. The review presents a discussion on the recent literature regarding alternative fuels (nuclear, hydrogen, ammonia, methanol), renewable energy sources (biofuels, wind, solar), the maturity of technologies (fuel cells, internal combustion engines) as well as technical and operational strategies to reduce fuel consumption for new and existing ships (slow steaming, cleaning and coating, waste heat recovery, hull and propeller design). The IMO’s 2050 targets will be achieved via radical technology shift together with the aid of social pressure, financial incentives, regulatory and legislative reforms at the local, regional and international level.

The Electric Vehicle Development: Experiences Aboard and Enlightenment to China

2014 ◽  
Vol 541-542 ◽  
pp. 1549-1555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Yu Wang ◽  
Ying Qi Liu ◽  
Ari Kokko
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
User Requirements ◽  
Role Of Government ◽  
City Environment ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
Environment Problem ◽  
New Energy ◽  
New Energy Vehicles

In order to respond to the energy crisis and environment problem, countries carry out their research and promotion about electric vehicles. As the ten cities one thousand new energy buses started in 2009, the new energy vehicles have been greatly developed in China, while the development of electric vehicles is not that good. This paper selects four cities-Los Angeles, Kanagawa, Hamburg, Amsterdam-that promote electric vehicles successfully and deeply analyzes the development of electric vehicles in these four cities and analyzes the factors that affect the development of electric vehicles in three aspects-city environment, government and stakeholders. Then the paper discusses the promotion ways and role of government and consumer. Finally, the paper offers some suggestions to promote electric vehicles in China: focusing on feasibility and adaptability of electric vehicles, playing government`s leading role, improving low-awareness and acceptance of electric vehicles and focusing on user requirements.

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