Available Energy Resources Research Articles

ВІЙСЬКОВА МОГУТНІСТЬ ТА МІЛІТАРИЗАЦІЯ ГЛОБАЛЬНОГО ПРОСТОРУ

The article highlights the concepts of militarization and military power of individual countries by using statistical profiles to compare the Global Firepower Index and Global Militarization Index. The military expenditures of countries with developed economies and developing economies were analyzed. The reasons for the decrease and increase in military expenditures have been established. The indicators of the total military budget, its share of the gross domestic product and the share of global military expenditures were used for the analysis. Key players in the international arena are involved in the comparison, and the main emphasis is on direct and indirect participants in the Russian-Ukrainian war. To compare the military power of countries, data from the military research network was taken. To determine the military burden on the economy, a system of indicators of the global militarization of space was used. The inaccuracy of the indicators was established due to the lack of accurate data on military expenditures, quantitative indicators of armaments, external and internal political dynamics of individual countries. With the help of the available indicators, a comparison of the military power of Ukraine and Russia was derived, and weaknesses in the formation of ratings were identified. Thus, quantitative indicators of human resources, weapons, geography, availability of energy resources are included in the comparison.

SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODELS AND TRANSFORMATION OF ORGANIZATIONS

In today's complex environment, the scenario of global collapse due to energy shortages, climate change, loss of biodiversity, and economic uncertainty is quite likely. Fierce debates continue in the political and social spheres regarding possible alternative solutions to the energy crisis. The energy sector is the core of any economy. And the availability of energy resources and changes in energy prices affect not only individual households, organizations, and national economies but also international politics as a whole. There is a growing awareness among the global community that meeting the ever-increasing energy needs and supporting the transformation to clean, sustainable and renewable technologies is only possible through the development of smart technologies and strategies in the energy sector. It is smart technologies that contribute to a better energy transformation of organizations, provide new opportunities for generating income and lead to changes in business models. This article is devoted to the study of sustainable business models of organizations based on the method of survey sampling. According to the results of the study, 100% of respondents see the need to transform organizations in Ukraine for the transition to sustainable development. Moreover, 60% of respondents believe that such a transformation is possible if there is an adequately formed strategy. 93.3% of respondents claim that it is probable to achieve strategic advantages in this way. Among those surveyed, 53.3% of respondents believe that the energy sector needs sustainable business models, and 60% of respondents expect a positive effect from energy sector transformations. However, only 46.7% of respondents are aware of organizations that use sustainable business models. According to the interviewees, the main result of using sustainable business models will be the reduction of waste. Most respondents suggested using renewable energy sources to improve the business models of energy sector organizations and achieve sustainable development goals. Such transformations will be able to contain an ecologically friendly environment for adaptive changes to reduce dependence on fossil resources

Simulation and Optimization of an Independent Sustainable Micro Hybrid Electricity System for Rural Consumers

A fundamental necessity for sustainable development is to ensure reliable and cost-effective access to modern energy services, primarily for the lower income and impoverished sectors of the population. Successful rural electrification is vital to bridging the rural-urban gap, given that the vast majority of the energy-deprived population resides in rural regions of developing countries. if the existing system of energy services intervened it can influence the development process by livelihood activities, micro or small enterprises, lifestyle energy services, value-added activities, survival irrigation, and so on. Different micro hybrid systems preferably with combination of renewable energy resources will be a good option for addressing given barriers. India has a large Availability of Higher solar radiations, a society that depends on agriculture has enough biomass resources, plentiful cattle dung, forest conifers and agriculture waste. In this paper, we examine the hybrid system’s techno economic feasibility and long-term viability. The system is made up of 60-kW solar photovoltaic panels (PV) and 40-kW biomass gasifier modules. Energy demand and resource availability are measured using data from comprehensive stakeholder discussions and field surveys, and they take into account daily and seasonal fluctuations in supply, end uses, and availability, as well as productive hours. The techno economic viability of electric renewable energy is evaluated using a hybrid optimization model (HOMER). Additionally, prospects for the growth of profitable uses and their extension into a long-term business model are investigated.

Democratic Development Trends in the Countries of the South Caucasus Region

The Caucasus region includes the North and South Caucasus. The author analyzes only the theme of the South Caucasus, which is also called the Caucasus. Democratic development processes in the countries of the region are threatened by permanent con-flicts. This is especially the decades of war in the Nagorno-Karabakh province. The South Caucasus sub-region is characterized by the complex structure of the population as a result of historical circumstances and crisis geopolitical trends, as a result of sever-al-year confrontations of great powers in a given area. These countries are located in the southeastern borders of the European Union and belong to Europe and Asia, while the availability of energy resources initiates conflicts with Russia, which considers this area a sphere of vital national interest. Common to all of these countries is the presence of the frozen conflict which is a result of multi-level controversies, territorial misunder-standings and inter-ethnic contradictions. There is also a traditional attempt by Western hegemony to master the observed spaces.

EFFECTS OF YEAST WEIGHT AND STARTER VOLUME ON THE PERCENTAGE KEPOK BANANA BASED BIOETHANOL

The low availability of energy resources is in line with the increasing human need for these resources, such as fossil fuels which are increasingly expensive because they are difficult to obtain right. Bioethanol is an environmentally friendly liquid produced from the glucose fermentation process from carbohydrate sources of natural raw materials with the help of microorganisms in baker's yeast. The focus of the research is on the waste of kepok banana peels because it has a high starch content of 18.5%. In addition, kepok banana peel waste is easy to obtain and has not been widely used by the community. This study aims to determine the effect of yeast weight and starter volume in the manufacture of bioethanol and the quality of the bioethanol produced by comparing the levels with the reference levels of bioethanol as an alternative fuel. The bioethanol obtained from the starch of the kepok banana peel has gone through a fermentation process with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and refined into pure bioethanol. Based on the related literature review, it shows that the greater the weight of yeast and the volume of starter used in the manufacture of kepok banana peel bioethanol influences the yield of bioethanol content which also increases so that it affects the quality of the bioethanol produced. However, the level of bioethanol that is obtained has not reached the standard range of SNI 7390:2012 with a minimum level of bioethanol as a substitute for fuel being 94.0-95.5%. Thus, bioethanol cannot be used as a substitute for fossil fuels and further research is needed with the use of the optimum amount of yeast and starter volume and re-purification.

Energy Strategy for Sustainable Development of Rural Areas Based on the Analysis of Sustainable Digital Economy.

Technology has played a vital role in modifying the lifestyle of individuals and the emerging countries are progressing so fast as no one has ever thought before. With the progression of technology boosting, the pattern of energy resources consumption has also been the center of attention for researchers in this decade. China has been one of those countries that have adopted such energy strategies in its industrial regime. The economists and information technology (IT) working together have done wonders in digitalizing and sustaining the economies that will lead to sustainable development goals. This study has been an effort to understand the role of technology and the availability of affordable energy resources in obtaining a sustainable digital economy with the mediating role of sustainable development. The population of this study was IT professionals and economists. The survey data were collected from 285 respondents selected based on purposive sampling. The software adopted for data analysis was SmartPLS 3.3.3. This study showed that technology utilization had been an important predictor of sustainable development, contributing to a sustainable digital economy. Similarly, low operational cost also moderated the relationship of sustainable development and sustainable digital economy that has been the major focus of developing countries. Moreover, the strategy of cutting down the operation costs to bring it down to the level of affordability is a major challenge for the economies such as China that have been among the low production cost. Studies on the sustainable digital economy with respect to technological use are very limited. Hence, this study will find many advantages for economists and IT professionals in the future with respect to devising the strategies taking into account the sustainable development goals and the achievement of a sustainable digital economy.

The obstacles and challenges of transition towards a renewable and sustainable energy system in Azerbaijan and Poland

The aims of the paper are to identify and assess the determinants of transition to renewable and sustainable energy development in Azerbaijan and Poland. Both countries have a clear target to increase the share of renewable energy sources (RES) in the gross final energy consumption, i.e. Poland in the National Energy and Climate Plan for the years 2021–2030 declares that it wishes to achieve 21–23% by 2030 (total consumption in electricity, heating and cooling as well as for transport purposes). But there are currently significant producers and consumers of conventional energy carriers, respectively coal and oil, and these fuels ensure an appropriate level of energy security and production stability. Moreover, in Poland, the mining sector plays a very important social role, whereas the oil industry in Azerbaijan creates significant budget revenue. Therefore, even with stronger EU and worldwide climate policy and a decreasing cost of cleaner forms of energy, there are many challenges and obstacles for such countries in increasing energy from RES associated with energy security, efficiency, existing infrastructure, competitiveness and social aspects. In order to identify best practices for the transition to decarbonisation, the availability of energy resources, energy market structures, national strategies and policies were compared using PESTEL analysis.

Improved Energy and Communication for Underwater Wireless Sensor Network Based Location Estimation

Abstract: The area of underwater wireless sensor networks (UWSNs) is garnering an increasing attention from researchers due to its broad potential for exploring and harnessing oceanic sources of interest. Because of the need for real-time remote data monitoring, underwater acoustic sensor networks (UASNs) have become a popular choice. The restricted availability and nonrechargeability of energy resources, as well as the relative inaccessibility of deployed sensor nodes for energy replenishment, forced the development of many energy optimization approaches un the UASN. Clustering is an example of a technology that improves system scalability while also lowering energy consumption. Due to the unstable underwater environment, coverage and connectivity are two important features that determine the proper detection and communication of events of interest in UWSN. A sensor network consists of several nodes that are low in cost and have a battery with low capacity. In wireless sensor networks, knowing the position of a specific device in the network is a critical challenge. Many wireless systems require location information from mobile nodes. Keywords: MAC, Communication cost, IDV-Hop algorithm, Localization, Ranging error, unconstrained optimization, Wireless sensor network, Distributed Least Square

Multi-objective cuckoo search algorithm for optimized pathways for 75 % renewable electricity mix by 2050 in Algeria

The transition to an energy system with a focus on electricity sector is becoming more and more crucial to increase the life expectancy of fossil fuels, but also to meet the current commitments regarding greenhouse gas emissions. This paper presents the most credible options to increase the share of renewable energy resource in the Algerian electricity power system by 2050. Screening curve method is used to assess the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) of different technologies for electricity generation and EnergyPlan tool is used to estimate total annual cost, annual investment cost, renewable energy resource share and CO2 emissions during the time horizon. The efficiency and the simplicity of multi-objective cuckoo search algorithm make it a powerful approach for solving energy strategy multi-optimization problem. Considering LCOE economic order and the availability of renewable energy resource, the energy transition strategy is established by minimizing the total annual cost and maximizing renewable energy share in 2035, 2040, 2045, and 2050 using multi-objective cuckoo search algorithm. The results revealed that achieving 75% is technically feasible but will require significant investment.

Unveiling the Nexus between Access to Electricity, Firm Size and SME’s Performance in Bangladesh: New Evidence Using PSM

Uninterrupted availability of energy and power resources is essential for the productivity and smooth functioning of an enterprise. However, constrained by financial resources, smaller firms in developing economies face a plethora of challenges concerning the access to electricity. However, less attention has been paid in the extant literature to explore this phenomenon. The present study investigates the impact of access to electricity on labor productivity in Bangladesh in the presence of electricity constraints, electricity obstacles, and SME firm size. It employs the OLS regression and propensity score matching (PSM) technique for treatment effect to deal with the selection bias and endogeneity issue using the World Bank Enterprise Survey’s cross-sectional firm-level data for 3196 sample firms over the period of 2007–2013. The results provide evidence in support of SMEs’ labor productivity in response to electricity access. Lack of electricity access was partially found to affect SMEs’ labor productivity significantly negatively. Further, the results show a positive impact of firm size on firm performance. However, results from this model appear that constrained SMEs’ access to electricity has a negative relationship with firm performance. The article then suggests several policy implications on changing government regulations regarding the efficient use of renewable energy resources to enhance electricity generation for optimized SME performance and sustainable economic development in Bangladesh.

Design Optimization and Comparative Analysis of 100% Renewable Energy Systems for Residential Communities in Typical Areas of China When Considering Environmental and Economic Performance

A 100% renewable energy system (RES) satisfies a user’s energy demand using only renewable energy, which is an important energy supply in China given that the government aims to realize carbon neutrality by 2060. The design and operation of 100% RESs in different areas would vary significantly due to the impacts of climates and geographical features. This study aimed to investigate the economic and environmental performance of 100% RESs for residential communities in different areas of China. In total, 30 typical cities were chosen based on the climate characteristics and the availability of renewable energy resources. The genetic algorithm was selected to obtain the optimal design of the 100% RES in each area by taking the minimum total annual cost and the minimum CO2 emissions as optimization objectives. The results showed that 100% RESs were dominated by solar energy and biomass. The investment could be recovered in 8 years if the economic performance was optimized in most areas, but the payback period became longer when the 100% RES was optimized when considering environmental performance. The emissions could be reduced by 86–99% for CO2 and 64–97% for NOx. The results of this study would provide data support for the investment of 100% RESs in rural or suburban areas of China.

Evaluating the economic fairways for hydrogen production in Australia

Assessments of hydrogen project viability typically focus on evaluating specific sites for development, or providing generic cost-estimates that are independent of location. In reality, the success of hydrogen projects will be intimately linked to the availability of local energy resources, access to key infrastructure and water supplies, and the distance to export ports and energy markets. In this paper, we present an economic model that incorporates assessments of these regional factors to identify areas of high economic potential for hydrogen production – the so-called “Economic Fairways” for such projects. In doing so, the model provides a tool that can be used to inform investors and policy makers on the available opportunities for hydrogen development and their infrastructure requirements. The model includes analysis of the regional economic potential for both blue and green hydrogen projects. It accounts for hydrogen production from renewable (wind and solar) sources, as well as non-renewable sources (steam-methane reformation and coal gasification) combined with carbon capture and storage. Results from case studies conducted with the tool are presented, illustrating the potential for hydrogen production across Australia.

Techno-economic and exergy analysis of tank and pit thermal energy storage for renewables district heating systems

Large-scale thermal energy storage (TES) emerges as key for the expansion of renewables-based district heating (R-DH) as it is able to bridge the seasonal gap between the heating demand and the availability of renewable energy resources (e.g. solar energy). This work develops a framework for techno-economic analysis considering several key performance indicators (e.g. energy efficiency, exergy efficiency). As TES systems integrated in DH are typically stratified, the work also examines the TES by means of stratification number and efficiency. The economic feasibility of the TES options is examined via the TES specific investment cost. Then, the work recommends the levelized cost of stored heat (LCOS) as a practical measure for the TES techno-economic feasibility. The outcomes show that the tank has higher performance in terms of efficiency indicators (energy and exergy) and stratification measures, but it is characterized with high specific cost. Yet, the tank LCOS is lower compared to that of the shallow pit due to its low performance and despite its low specific cost. Thus, in order to take advantage of the tank's better performance and shallow pit's lower specific cost, the work proposes a third TES geometry called as hybrid TES that combines both tank and shallow pit. The results reveal the potential of this geometry as it arises as a promising option. Furthermore, the results indicate that the transition to low-temperature R-DH brings technical and economic advantages as the LCOS tends to be lower compared to that of TES installed in high-temperature R-DH. Moreover, the work reveals that due to the importance of increasing the economic feasibility for large-scale TES, it is of crucial to develop new materials and construction methods to ensure cost-efficient insulation of the buried TES.

The Energy Transition and Shifts in Fossil Fuel Use: The Study of International Energy Trade and Energy Security Dynamics

The global energy mix is undergoing an accelerating transformation driven by new resources, novel technologies, and climate change-related commitments. Changes in the use and availability of energy resources have affected fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) trade patterns. Some economies enjoy increasing energy independence, whereas others become more dependent on imports to satisfy their energy needs. Using 2000–2018 United Nations Commodity trade and International Energy Agency energy- and monetary-flow data, we examine the evolution of the international network of energy flows to reveal new patterns and understand their energy security implications. Our work explores how the growth in the U.S. unconventional resources, European Union renewable energy, China’s natural gas consumption, and changes in other country energy flows affect economy positions and trade-network connectivity. Testing the small-world property helps us understand the diffusion of new technologies, including energy-demand electrification and renewable energy adoption. A modified energy-security index is introduced to highlight the interplay between fuel type and trade partner diversification and domestic supply and consumption balance. The results provide insights about the energy transition and its effect on the international network of energy flows and energy security.

Optimal Sizing of Hybrid Wind-Solar Power Systems to Suppress Output Fluctuation

Harnessing wind energy is one of the fastest-growing areas in the energy industry. However, wind power still faces challenges, such as output intermittency due to its nature and output reduction as a result of the wake effect. Moreover, the current practice uses the available renewable energy resources as a fuel-saver simply to reduce fossil-fuel consumption. This is related mainly to the inherently variable and non-dispatchable nature of renewable energy resources, which poses a threat to power system reliability and requires utilities to maintain power-balancing reserves to match the supply from renewable energy resources with the real-time demand levels. Thus, further efforts are needed to mitigate the risk that comes with integrating renewable resources into the electricity grid. Hence, an integrated strategy is being created to determine the optimal size of the hybrid wind-solar photovoltaic power systems (HWSPS) using heuristic optimization with a numerical iterative algorithm such that the output fluctuation is minimized. The research focuses on sizing the HWSPS to reduce the impact of renewable energy resource intermittency and generate the maximum output power to the grid at a constant level periodically based on the availability of the renewable energy resources. The process of determining HWSPS capacity is divided into two major steps. A genetic algorithm is used in the initial stage to identify the optimum wind farm. A numerical iterative algorithm is used in the second stage to determine the optimal combination of photovoltaic plant and battery sizes in the search space, based on the reference wind power generated by the moving average, Savitzky–Golay, Gaussian and locally weighted linear regression techniques. The proposed approach has been tested on an existing wind power project site in the southern part of the Sultanate of Oman using a real weather data. The considered land area dimensions are 2 × 2 km. The integrated tool resulted in 39 MW of wind farm, 5.305 MW of PV system, and 0.5219 MWh of BESS. Accordingly, the estimated cost of energy based on the HWSPS is 0.0165 EUR/kWh.

High-Performance Solar Steam Generator Based on Polypyrrole-Coated Fabric via 3D Macro- and Microstructure Design.

Due to the abundance and easy availability of solar energy resources, solar-driven water evaporation provides a sustainable way to obtain clean water from wastewater and seawater. However, achieving a high evaporation rate with excellent light absorption remains a critical challenge in the structural regulation of evaporators. Herein, inspired by the natural transpiration process in plants (blue spruce), we designed a three-dimensional (3D) cone-shaped solar steam generator based on vertical polypyrrole nanowires-coated fabric (VPPyNWs-fabric). The microstructure design of polypyrrole (PPy) increases the solar energy absorption of the incident light through multiple reflections between the VPPyNWs, while the macrostructure design of the 3D evaporator possesses an enlarged surface area for energy harvesting, wide path for water supply, and open structure for vapor diffusion. As a proof of concept, the as-obtained 3D VPPyNWs-fabric-based solar steam generator demonstrates a fast water evaporation rate of 2.32 kg m-2 h-1 with high solar absorption of 97% and solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency of 98.56% at 1 kW m-2 energy density. In addition, the solar steam generator can be steadily applied in various water conditions, e.g., seawater, dye wastewater, and acidic and alkaline wastewater. This high-performance evaporator via 3D macro- and microstructure design offers a new avenue for better utilization of solar energy.

Net zero energy barns for industrial egg production: An effective sustainable intensification strategy?

Net zero energy buildings (NZEBs) are energy efficient buildings that incorporate renewable energy generation systems so as to produce sufficient renewable energy to at least offset the total amount of non-renewable energy used by the building on an annual basis. NZEB technologies have widespread commercial and residential application, but their feasibility and efficacy in the livestock sector in support of sustainable intensification have received little attention. This study quantifies the potential for such technologies to improve sustainability outcomes in the livestock sector based on an ISO 14044-compliant life cycle assessment of a pilot net zero energy laying hen facility in Alberta, Canada compared to a conventional facility. It was found that direct energy inputs account for 6.47% and 31.64% of the life cycle cumulative energy use of egg production in NZE and non-NZE hen housing, respectively. Average infrastructure-related contributions to the life cycle impacts of egg production are only 4.34% and 1.94% for the NZE and non-NZE barns, but NZE technologies reduce the net impacts of egg production by 0.89–64.82%. The environmental impact payback time for the NZE barn (30-year lifespan) ranges from 1.38 to 20.66 years, considering the largely fossil fuel-based electricity grid in Alberta, which indicates that non-trivial environmental benefits would accrue across impact categories considered. However, this could vary considerably elsewhere depending on the types and amounts of green energy utilized in regional grid mixes. The type and availability of renewable energy resources that are integrated into NZE barns will similarly be important in determining the potential of such technologies to support sustainable intensification in this sector.

Numerical investigation of the energy performance of a solar micro-CHP unit

This article presents the development of a numerical model of a micro-CHP prototype fueled by concentrated solar power. This micro-CHP unit converts concentrated solar energy into electricity and heat by coupling an assembled parabolic trough collector with an oil-free single-cylinder steam engine operating according to the Rankine cycle. The main originality of this study is the modeling of a large solar heating system (46.5 m2 aperture area), including a two-axis solar tracking system, and its integration into a dynamic thermal simulation code in order to evaluate its potential for building application, which is the objective of this work. The quasi-static modelling of the elements forming the primary conversion loop, allowing the integration of the system into a dynamic thermal simulation code, is also an innovation. In addition to limitations such as payback period, system effectiveness, technological issues (e.g. high pressure, hot steam water) and the availability of solar energy resources, the deployment of this technology suffered from the lack of a reliable model to predict both performance and energy production. In order to evaluate its potential, an experimental facility was modeled using Trnsys© and Matlab© software. Analytical models were developed for each element of the thermodynamic cycle. The numerical results obtained from these models were compared with experimental results. For a full day of operation, electricity and heat production at nominal conditions (1.2 kW and 15 kW, respectively) were satisfactorily estimated by the model. Once validated, the complete model was used to estimate the production potential of a solar micro-CHP unit located in La Rochelle, France (latitude 46°2′ North, longitude 1°1′ West). For an annual direct solar irradiance of 1241 kWh/m2, a yearly production of 11 671 kWh of heat and 1110 kWh of electricity was predicted. A parametric study then highlighted the impact of location and flow rate on the micro-CHP unit performance. Moreover, the two-axis solar tracking system appears to constitute an important advantage when the performance is measured over an entire year.

Analysis of the potential use of Distributed Generation in Colombia

Looking for the availability, access, and distribution of energy resources, the concepts of integration and distributed generation “DG” are created, it seeks to generate economic growth and prosperity, and of course, the reduction of pollutants to the environment. Under this scenario, regulatory laws have been implemented worldwide for the incentive, organization, and inclusion of different technologies based on renewable energy. This document contains some of the technologies used for distributed generation and deals with the threats that decrease polluting emissions. In addition, a couple of international cases (Spain and Argentina) are studied from the legal framework and their experience in the introduction of the DG, also seeks to land from these experiences to the Colombian national context located in Law 1517 of 2014, it still has different legal loopholes and is growing. This has allowed the growth of these technologies in our country and allows us to present the different areas with a high potential for electricity generation such as wind and solar energy, for example, in the upper Guajira, in order to present a strategy for implement these DG technologies and contribute to accelerating their implementation, giving security to investors and consumers.

Global energy association: new opportunities of hydrogen technologies

PURPOSE. To analyze the prospects of integrating hydrogen technologies into the traditional directions of development of the electric power industry in the world and Russia. To highlight the competitive advantages of Russia in the changing structure of the industry with the transition to" green " hydrogen. METHODS. The analysis of the literature data and the data of the international information exchange is carried out. RESULTS. The most urgent scientific and technical problem of the economy, affecting any practical aspect of human economic activity, is the issue of the availability of energy resources and the impact on the environment. It is now, in the context of the restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, that the trends of globalization are particularly acute, and the degree of cross-border information communication using digital capabilities has increased many times. CONCLUSION. The transition to a new technological stage of energy supply for our society is more urgent than ever, based on innovative approaches to the creation of intelligently managed global energy systems with their consolidation and, at the same time, decentralization and distribution to local levels of centers, production, consumption and management, increasing the share of small RES, the introduction of new digital solutions, the use of hydrogen technology chains and hybrid systems based on them and other promising energy technologies on an industrial scale.