Overview of the Enablers and Barriers for a Wider Deployment of CSP Tower Technology in Europe

For years, concentrated solar power (CSP) has been considered an emerging technology that could disrupt the energy production sector . The possibility to store the electricity generated during the sunny operating hours in the form of heat enhances energy dispatchability and gives CSP a unique value proposition that conventional renewable energies cannot provide cost-efficiently since it requires the integration of costly large-scale battery systems. CSP is a cleaner technology compared to photovoltaics, but photovoltaics currently has lower overall capital costs, making it more attractive to investors and stakeholders who want to spend less money upfront, . This is one of the main reasons why CSP has never really led either the electricity market or the heating one, even if its combined generation capability (heat and electricity) is globally recognized as a great advantage for a renewable technology. In this study, we analyze the reasons why CSP is not as widespread as it could be; at the same time, we look at the opportunities and the enablers for a further deployment of this technology, focusing on the European region.

Hydrothermal Resource-saving Processes in Complex Processing of Bauxite and Red Mud

The Bayer bauxite residue (red mud, RM) is environmentally hostile and hazardous to human health. Red mud can be viewed as an important and promising source of scandium, yttrium, zirconium and other elements rather than a solid waste. Due to a high content of iron in bauxites and especially in RM, the conversion of hematite into magnetite in Bayer liquor plays a key role in the exploration of a cleaner technology of alumina production. Thus, RM and raw bauxite were used for hydrothermal digestion in an original one-stage method of magnetite production during co-recovery of alumina. The yield of alumina reaches 80% from RM and more from bauxites during digestion with addition of lime and Fe(II) or Fe . The saturation magnetization of a bulk sample of magnetized bauxite is 40.5 emu/g, two orders of magnitude higher than that of a raw red mud sample. Moreover, magnetite containing a residue has a high crystallinity, which contributes to better deposition and magnetic separation in the development of an overall flowsheet for RM utilization. Keywords: Red mud, bauxite, hydrothermal treatment; enrichment, extraction, magnetization, hematite, magnetite, rare elements

Assessment of Energy Use on Urban Kathmandu from Energy Cultures Framework in Gender Perspective

The urban household has a high potential for energy saving to reduce carbon emission; however, it has been scant attention in Nepalese energy policy. Though sustainable development has set 2030 goals to achieve high impact on energy with a focus on women’ role, Nepal is still lagged for effective participating women properly in the energy sector. Urban women have a triple role with significant responsibility for household chores, and efficient cooking is one of pertinent attitudes to reduce energy in Kathmandu. Household energy is highly influenced by human behavior, energy culture, and practices, more significant role for shifting technology, that has less consideration in the policy. This paper aims to assess the energy practices identifying trade-offs of an energy transition to cleaner technology from the questionnaire survey, observation, interviews, and quantitative analysis in terms of a gender perspective. The analysis is based on energy cultures framework in gender perspective with primary attributes of cognitive norms, energy practices, and material culture to understand urban Kathmandu neighborhood. The field study showed that urban households are suffered from energy inaccessibility, inequality, and insecurity resulting in fuel stacking, socio-economic disparity, and environmental impacts. In conclusion, the energy-saving and reduced carbon emissions can be solved through prioritizing women’s role as a change of agent with active participation, incentives, two-way communication, and awareness to improve the situation.