Decrease In Energy Intensity Research Articles

Ukrainian Market of Electrical Energy: Reforming, Financing, Innovative Investment, Efficiency Analysis, and Audit

The aim of this research is to determine the influence of electrical energy market regulation reform in Ukraine on the competitive environment, the reproduction processes of financial and innovative support, and the energy efficiency of the national economy. The authors have put forward and verified the hypothesis that, under conditions of institutional maturity of the Ukrainian electrical energy market, its liberalization and separation of the kinds of activity related to generation, transmission, and distribution leads to a decrease in prices, and the level of economic concentration stimulates implementation of innovations and the formation of reports on sustainable development. Over the thirteen-year time interval, a steady trend of decreasing energy intensity of the Ukrainian economy was established, and the appropriateness of energy efficiency management based on strategic targets was substantiated. The electricity market model in Ukraine is defined as a hybrid one, with an emphasis on trade under bilateral agreements. It was statistically found that liberalization of the electrical energy market in Ukraine contributed to a decrease in prices, with the exception of the areas of largest household and non-household consumers. The high level of asset concentration in the accounts of large enterprises was revealed, and the conclusion concerning the improvement of the competitive environment in the electricity production sector and the existence of the features of natural monopolies in the areas of transmission and distribution of electricity was made. The assessment of the financial competitive ability and profitability of electrical energy market entities was made, the main entities of the investment activity and the sources of their financing were characterized, and innovations were emphasized. The role of the standards of the audit of integrated reporting of the Ukrainian energy holdings and their role in ensuring sustainable development was determined.

Methodologies of heat calculation and selection of rational parameters of regenerative burners operation

Decrease of energy intensity of products is an actual task for all the industries, including steel industry. One of the best solutions to increase energy efficiency of heating facilities is application of recuperative and regenerative burners, which ensure high temperature of air heating. Such high temperatures cannot be achieved at application of heating systems based on central recuperator. It was shown that many countries accomplish studies to perfect recuperative burners and simulation of their thermal operation. However at present there are no universally recognized methodologies of calculation and designing of such equipment. Results of studies presented, which were implemented in three methodologies intended for heat calculation and selection of rational parameters of regenerative burners operation. The methodologies enable also to determine a fuel utilization coefficient for a furnace system based on regenerative burners, to estimate competitiveness of solutions at creation new and modernization existing furnaces comparing with utilization of modern central recuperators. Comparative simplicity of the mathematical apparatus used in the methodologies highlighted, as well as correspondence of the used calculated expressions to the physical nature of the processes taking place. Besides, the methodologies enable during calculation to set the values of important characteristics, which can be reached based on determination of values of basic structure parameters of lining. A scheme of joint application of the elaborated methodologies proposed.

Determinants of Energy Intensity Trends in Indian Metallic Industry: A Firm-level Analysis

Though the demand for industrial energy by manufacturing firms has witnessed substantial growth, not enough evidence exists regarding the energy intensity trends of such firms. Furthermore, empirical evidence on the determinants of energy intensity trends or even the energy intensity levels per se remains limited. Given this gap, the present article analyses the determinants of energy intensity trends (and also the energy intensity levels) of Indian manufacturing firms over the period 2007–2017. This study has been undertaken with special reference to the metallic industry. A sample of 41 firms is analysed by grouping them into 3 categories, namely firms with increasing energy intensity trends (IEITs), decreasing energy intensity trends (DEITs) and relatively constant energy intensity trends (CEITs) over the stated period. Multinomial logistic model (MLM) is employed to examine the determinants of energy intensity trends for the three categories. Our pertinent findings are as follows: firms with higher labour intensity and also older firms have a greater probability of belonging to the category of DEIT firms vis-à-vis the reference category of IEIT firms. Furthermore, size per se does not significantly impact the probability of a firm belonging to any specific category of energy intensity trend; nevertheless, evidence shows that large-sized firms, though old, have a greater probability of belonging to the DEIT category. Rather surprisingly, R&D intensity has been estimated to have a non-significant impact on the probability of belonging to the DEIT group of firms. However, although R&D-intensive firms have a higher profitability, their impacts remain both favourable and significant. Evidence also suggests that an increase in capital intensity and profitability lowers the probability of a firm to belong to the DEIT category. Additionally, a pooled (panel) econometric analysis has also been undertaken wherein the ‘level’ of energy intensity is considered as the dependent variable and not the ‘trend’ in energy intensity. Important findings also emerge from this analysis. Finally, we conclude from a broad policy perspective.

Energy Efficiency Management across EU Countries: A DEA Approach

We examine energy efficiency in the European Union (EU) using an integrated model that connects labor and capital as production factors with energy consumption to produce GDP with a limited amount of environmental emissions. The model is a linear output-oriented BCC data envelopment analysis (DEA) that employs variables with non-negative values to calculate efficiency scores for a sample of 28 EU member states in the period 2010–2018. We assume variable returns to scale (VRS) considering the natural inclination of countries to adopt technologies that allow them to produce higher outputs over extended periods of time, which we observed through the trends of increasing labor productivity and decreasing energy intensity over the analyzed period. The average EU inefficiency margin in the sample period is 16.0%, with old member states being significantly more efficient (4.2%) than new member states (29.5%). Energy efficiency management does not improve over time, especially in new member states that had substantially worse efficiency by 2018 than in 2010. New member states could increase energy efficiency through the liberalization of the energy market, the support of energy-saving and technologically advanced industries, and the introduction of measures aimed at increasing the productivity levels in the economy.

Two-Step Reaction Mechanism of Roasting Spodumene with Potassium Sulfate.

The conventional process of lithium extraction from α-spodumene (LiAlSi2O6) is energy-intensive and associated with high byproduct management cost. Here, we investigate an alternative process route that uses potassium sulfate (K2SO4) to extract lithium while producing leucite (KAlSi2O6), a slow release fertilizer. Presenting the first-ever in situ record of the reaction of α-spodumene with potassium sulfate, we use synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to document the reaction sequence during prograde heating. From 780 °C, we observe a broad endothermic DSC peak, abnormal expansion of the α-spodumene structure, and an increase in α-(Li, K)-spodumene peak intensity during heating with potassium sulfate, indicative of the exchange between lithium and potassium in the spodumene structure. When 11 ± 1% K occupancy in the M2 site of α-(Li, K)-spodumene is reached, the mechanism changes from ion exchange to a reconstructive transformation of α-(Li, K)-spodumene into leucite, evidenced by a decrease in α-spodumene and potassium sulfate abundance concurring with formation of leucite over a narrow temperature range between 850 and 890 °C. The increasing background intensity in synchrotron XRD above 870 °C suggests that a lithium sulfate-bearing melt starts to form once >90% of α-spodumene has been converted during the reaction. This fundamental understanding of the reaction between α-spodumene and potassium sulfate will enable future development of lithium extraction routes using additives to significantly decrease energy intensity and to produce marketable byproducts from α-spodumene.

On the Probable Change of the Status of the Current Unusual Failure of 11-Year Solar Cyclicity from Local to Global

The anomalous increase in the area of the 23rd solar cycle detected by galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) was a precursor of failure of the 11-year cyclicity: in accordance with the author’s hypothesis about the invariant of the 22-year cycle, an increase in the area of the 23rd cycle was followed by a decrease in the area (energy intensity) of the next 24th cycle. A decrease in energy intensity is accompanied by a decrease (relative variation) in the luminosity of the Sun, which in the 24th cycle has decreased to the level of the average value of the three previous cycles, i.e., almost twice. If the invariant of the 22-year cycle is preserved, the restoration of the 11-year cyclicity in the 25th cycle should be expected. If the invariant of the 22-year cycle is violated, the level of the GCR radiation background at the maximum of the forthcoming 25th cycle (from 2024 to 2025) should not be lower than the background radiation level at the maximum of the 24th cycle (2014). In this case, the state of the 23rd–24th–25th cycle unusual failure will change from local to global.

Beyond Japanese NDC: energy and macroeconomic transitions towards 2050 in emission pathways with multiple ambition levels

Japan has set greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for 2030 and 2050, as stated in the nationally determined contribution (NDC) and in the long-term strategy for decarbonization (LTS) submitted to the UNFCCC in 2020, respectively. While upgrading these targets is needed to realize the global climate goals (2 °C and 1.5 °C), the implications of the target for the period in-between remains unclear. This study assesses the energy and macroeconomic impacts of enhancing the ambition of 2040 and 2050 emission reduction targets in Japan by means of a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model. In addition, we analyze the implications on the speed of energy efficiency improvement and low-carbon energy penetration along with macroeconomic impacts, and the shift from the current LTS goal (80% emissions reduction by 2050) to a full decarbonization one. The study shows that, compared to the current ambition (53% reduction by 2040 compared to 2005), enhancing ambition of the 2040 (63% reduction by 2040 compared to 2005) and 2050 targets (zero emissions by 2050) rises the share of low-carbon energy supply more drastically than the decreases in energy intensity, and increases macroeconomic costs by 19–72%. Moreover, meeting these targets demands accelerating considerably the reductions in carbon intensities through expansion of renewables and CCS beyond historical trends and beyond current efforts towards the 2030s NDC. Enabling larger low-carbon supplies and energy efficiency improvements makes full decarbonization by 2050 possible at costs equivalent to current ambition. Further analyses are needed to clarify at a finer detail the implications of changes in these enablers by sectors, technologies and policies. This kind of analysis offer key insights on the feasibility of Japan’s emission reduction targets for the formulation of new commitments for the next cycle of the Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement.

System Dynamics Modeling and Simulation to Analyze the Role of Solar Energy in Secure Access to Sustainability

A truly renewable energy source, solar energy is considered within the context of climate change by various countries among which China, USA, and Germany rely more on solar power. Since there are rare studies regarding how energy drives secure access to sustainability, this study explores the role of solar energy generation in economic, social, and environmental sustainability and energy security in Iran as the main purpose. Using a system dynamics computer simulation model, this paper defines factors affecting the system including four sub-models such as energy and three aspects of sustainability. Besides, energy security is defined as the availability of adequate energy supply to satisfy existing demand. After determining a causal loop diagram, dynamic models, specific trends, and validation and simulation of the system, separate policies are presented along with a combined policy for system improvement. The policies include enhancing foreign investment, increasing tariffs of non-renewable energies, and decreasing energy intensity. This study further reviews relevant policies set forth in the USA, Germany, and China. According to the results, improvement policies are coming to an end. The main contributions are the insights into the sector to support policy-makers and finally, proposing policies for the system improvement.

Driving forces of CO2 emissions and energy intensity in Colombia

We analyze the driving factors of CO2 emissions and energy intensity in Colombia during 1971–2017 and 1975–2016, respectively. We apply a factorial additive decomposition for CO2 emissions, starting from the Kaya identity, using the logarithmic mean Divisia index method. The increase in emissions is mainly explained by the affluence and population effects, but is partially offset by the energy intensity effect and, to a lesser extent, the carbonization effect. We then analyze the driving factors of energy intensity with a multiplicative decomposition. We first transform final energy into its total primary energy requirements. The decrease in energy intensity is mainly due to the reduction in sectoral energy intensity and, to a lesser extent, to structural change. We analyze the contribution to both effects of the different sectors considered and relate them with the structural changes of the Colombian economy and the policies applied. The most important contributions to sectoral energy intensity reduction are the efficiency improvements in the transport and industry sectors, while the decrease in the share of industry is the most relevant component explaining the reduction of the structural change effect. The results provide useful information for the analysis and design of energy and environmental policies.

Trade Openness and CO2 Emissions: The Heterogeneous and Mediating Effects for the Belt and Road Countries

To investigate whether increasing trade openness results in more severe environmental problems, this study investigates the impact of trade openness on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions using panel data from 64 countries along the Belt and Road from 2001–2019. Fully considering the potential heterogeneity, the panel quantile regression approach is utilized. Moreover, this study explores the three major mediating effects of the process, namely the energy-substitution effect, economic effect, and technology effect. The empirical results indicate that the improvement in trade openness has a significantly positive effect on CO2 emissions, and it also shows that the impact varies with different levels of CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the indirect effect of trade openness on CO2 emissions via the economic effect is positive, while the indirect effect via the energy-substitution and the technology effect is negative. Therefore, it is necessary to improve renewable energy consumption, decrease energy intensity, and formulate related policies to reduce carbon emissions policies in terms of local conditions.

The heterogeneous impacts of interregional green technology spillover on energy intensity in China

The purpose of this study is to empirically investigate the effects of interregional green technology spillover (GTS) on energy intensity, with a special emphasis on the heterogeneous effect caused by absorptive capacity. Based on the panel data of China's 30 provinces from 2000 to 2016, this paper uses R&D investment intensity (RDI) and intraregional transportation convenience (TRA) to represent regional absorptive capacity and applies a panel smooth transition regression (PSTR) model to investigate how absorptive capacity affect the way interregional GTS have an impact on energy intensity. The linear panel regression model is first estimated, and its results demonstrate that the interregional GTS can decrease energy intensity in China. However, the results of further estimation with PSTR model show that there is a threshold effect of GTS on energy intensity in China. GTS contributes greatly to the reduction of energy intensity for provinces with higher technology absorptive capacity. This effect, however, is insignificant for provinces with lower absorptive capacity. The time-variant individual effects of GTS on energy intensity, which indicates the heterogeneity of the dataset, also are derived. Overall, the effect of GTS on the reduction of energy intensity shows a positive and increasing trend throughout the period; nevertheless, it shows a divergence over the sample provinces, indicating the decreasing effect of GTS on energy intensity depends on the absorptive capacity of each province and the time period. In light of these findings, this paper also provides several policy suggestions. • This study distinguished green technology from general technology based on patent data. • The heterogeneous effect of interregional GTS on energy intensity in China was examined. • This study applied a PSTR model to examine the non-linear effects. • The effect of interregional GTS on energy intensity depends on absorptive capacity. • The time-variant individual effects of GTS on energy intensity were derived.

Forecasting the impact on the environment of generating sources in agricultural production

The development of rural electrification is aimed at distributed energy, i.e. availability of autonomous sources of electricity and heat generation. Generation sources can use coal, fuel oil, gas, local and alternative energy sources as fuel and energy resources. This causes additional emissions of pollutants. Prediction of negative impact on the environment depends on the quantity and quality of emissions during the operation of various types of installations that generate electric and thermal energy. The purpose of the study is to select and substantiate the most attractive method for predicting the impact on the environment of generating sources in agricultural production. The widespread introduction of distributed energy using local and renewable energy sources will significantly reduce emissions of pollutants due to a decrease in energy intensity, matching the required load with the capacity of generation sources, using the most energy efficient sources, and widespread introduction of renewable energy sources. In this regard, it is advisable to forecast the impacts by the scenario method considering the implementation of the proposed distributed power supply system. The implementation of measures developed considering the analysis of the forecast of the negative impact on the environment of generating plants in agricultural enterprises will reduce the negative impact on the environment by introducing energy-efficient technologies into the energy balance of the enterprise, as well as increase production by up to 20% and increase sustainability. rural areas.

Низкоуглеродная экономика: проблемы и перспективы развития в России

Objective: to systematize trends in the low-carbon economy in Russia and to identify drivers and inhibitors for its further development.Methods: description and comparison were used to identify the main trends in the low-carbon economy; the principal component method was used to classify specific indicators of resource and energy efficiency and to identify the key factors in the formation of a low-carbon economy.Results: the analysis of the dynamics of specific indicators of the low-carbon economy development in Russia showed a decrease in energy intensity, an increase in the electric power of labor in the industrial sector and the use of renewable energy sources, an increase in total greenhouse gas emissions and in the formation of production and consumption waste. Based on the principal component method, the author proposes a method for classifying the specific indicators and the key development factors and calculating an integral indicator of the low-carbon economy development. The key factors of the low-carbon economy development are identified: energy consumption and the ecological footprint of production, as well as inhibitors - consumption of fuel and energy resources per employee, total greenhouse gas emissions, and a low degree of waste disposal. Based on the analysis and modeling results, we suggest ways to improve efficiency in the sphere of resource and energy saving.Scientific novelty: the article for the first time proposed and tested the method of calculating the integral indicator for a low- carbon economy, taking into account the integral factors - energy consumption and the ecological footprint of production. Practical significance: the main provisions and conclusions of the article can be used in the development of programs and projects in the field of resource efficiency and reduction of negative impacts on the environment in the real sector of the economy.

What drives energy intensity fall in China? Evidence from a meta-frontier approach

This paper proposed a novel meta-frontier multi-tier approach which can reveal the impacts of industrial structure reorganization, regional equilibrium development, and management efficiency on energy intensity change. China’s energy intensity was used to demonstrate the proposed approach. Based on the empirical results, this study found that during 2000–2016, China’s energy intensity witnessed a considerable decline. Potential energy intensity change and technological progress were the dominant contributors responsible for lowering energy intensity. In addition to conventional factors, the new provided six factors also have important impacts on energy intensity during the study years. First, the output-oriented industrial technological gap facilitated to lower energy intensity, while the energy-oriented industrial technological gap slightly impeded energy intensity decline. Second, the regional technological gap impeded energy intensity decline, indicating that China’s efforts of regional equilibrium development failed to narrow the energy-saving technology gap between regions. Third, energy-oriented pure technical efficiency decreased energy intensity, while output-oriented pure technical efficiency increased energy intensity. It implies that management efficiency in energy market was optimized, however, there exist management inefficiency in output market. Over multiple spatial scales, the performances of different factors were distinctly various, local governments should establish and implement policies tailored to their characteristics.

ENERGY INTENSITY OF KAZAKHSTAN’S GDP: FACTORS FOR ITS DECREASE IN A RESOURCE-EXPORT DEVELOPING ECONOMY

Kazakhstan continues to use several times more energy per production unit than more developed countries and regions of the world. This study is the first comprehensive review and analysis of energy intensity factors of Kazakhstan's gross domestic product for the priod of 1990-2018. We have studied the influence of various factors on the GDP energy intensity: indicators characterizing the country's economic growth, power industry and living standards development. Calculations made have shown that the most significant influence on improving the energy efficiency of the economy is exerted by the indicators of Net Energy Imports and GDP per capita at PPP. The calculated elasticity coefficient shows that with an increase in the value of Net Energy Imports by 1%, the expected decrease in energy intensity shall be 0.85%. With an increase in GDP per capita of 1%, the expected decrease in energy intensity shall be 0.44%. However, in Kazakhstan, the influence of GDP per capita is mediated by the export of energy resources, which is confirmed by the high correlation between GDP growth, total energy production and export. We are concluding that for the developing economy of Kazakhstan exporting energy resources, the conversion of primary energy into products with high added value is more rational for economic development and energy conservation.Keywords: Energy Resources, Energy Intensity, Energy and Growth, Energy Policy, KazakhstanJEL Classifications: O13, Q43, Q48DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/ijeep.9817

Energy consumption behavior: A data-based analysis of urban Indian households

Counted among the top three energy consuming nations globally, India is working towards reducing its carbon emissions. Energy efficiency interventions offers a low-cost opportunity to achieve its climate goals. Though the Indian government has rolled out several energy efficiency schemes, the rate of decrease in energy intensity is lower than expectations. One of the desirable areas for intervention is influencing energy usage in households, which consumes a quarter of the total energy generated in India. The study analyzes energy usage behavior in households, using a mix of primary and secondary techniques. Key findings include seasonal consumption trends correlating with climatic parameters, use of inefficient equipment and rebound effect. Policy prescriptions include peak load clipping techniques like weatherization of homes, display of real-time consumption, rationalization of tariffs and expanded criteria for selecting equipment under ‘Star Rating Scheme’. The findings may be considered to improve energy policies towards influencing consumer behavior in India.

Does the development of renewable energy promote carbon reduction? Evidence from Chinese provinces

Developing renewable energy is a crucial measure in addressing climate change and achieving carbon reduction. However, research evidence on its impact is mixed. To fill this gap, we construct a panel quantile regression model in this study to examine whether China's renewable energy development has effectively promoted a reduction in carbon emissions using panel data of 30 Chinese provinces from 2005 to 2016. The results show that: (1) Improving China's renewable energy development level is conducive to carbon emission reductions. Specifically, carbon intensity could drop by 0.084%–0.149% for every 1% increase in renewable energy generation. However, the inhibitory effect is limited due to trapped electricity as well as the fact that substituting renewable energy for fossil energy has not yet sufficiently transformed the energy consumption structure. (2) Renewable energy development has a greater impact on carbon intensity reduction in regions with high or low carbon intensity than in areas with intermediate carbon intensity. (3) The main factor in the decline in carbon intensity in China is a decrease in energy intensity. Nonetheless, the role of renewable energy in carbon reduction has increased over time.

Optimization and design of energy monitoring system in fuels terminal: a case study in North Sumatera province of Indonesia

Optimization of energy use in the PERTAMINA’s fuel terminal (TBBM) was carried out by the Energy Audit method. The data obtained during energy audit activities then processed to carry out the Energy Performance Indicators (EnPis) which produces Specific Energy Consumption (SEC) and energy baselines. The energy cost center that creates a web-based energy monitoring system is carried out to facilitate monitoring and control and will become supporting tools. The information provided from the energy monitoring system displays the profile of total energy consumption, distribution of energy consumption, the energy consumption of equipment in production facilities in the form of daily, monthly, and annual data. Energy intensity and baseline values obtained from energy consumption and production data for the past several years will be the target and warning system to maintain energy usage that exceeds reasonable limits. The results obtained by the value of energy intensity of 0.0023 GJ / KL, while the total emissions generated from energy consumption amounted to 1,144.4 tons-CO2 / year. 51% of energy is used for production facilities and the rest is used for supporting facilities. The use of electricity as well as thermal energy does not have a strong correlation with the level of fuel sales throughout the year and the use of NGS (New Gantry System) technology does not show a significant decrease in energy intensity, where IKE values fluctuate throughout the year. This reinforces the need for continuous and real time energy monitoring. By implementing the potential for energy savings, an energy use optimization is obtained by reducing energy consumption by an average of 10% - 15% per month or as much as 18,057 - 27,086 kWh per month, equivalent to 25 - 38 million rupiah per month.

Can China achieve the energy-saving and emission reducing objectives during the “13th Five-Year-Plan”? —— A systematic evolutionary analysis

This paper attempts to explore the realizability of China’s “13th Five-Year plan” objective for energy-saving and emission-reducing (ESER). Based on the internal logic relationship between new energy, carbon emissions, economic growth and carbon trading (NCEC), the 4D NCEC (acronyms) system is constructed with the aid of nonlinear dynamics theory. And then, the NCEC system for China is given after parameter acquisition. Taking energy intensity and the proportion of new energy as the measure indexes, a scenario study is carried out. The scenario analysis results show that, the target of decreasing energy intensity can be easily met with various constraints. While the objective of increasing the proportion of new energy is hard to achieve, and this objective depends on some thresholds. Only the certain speed of new energy can guarantee the increasing of new energy proportion, and the certain speed was found. The implementation of carbon trading can promote the process of ESER and realize the objectives during the “13th Five-Year plan”. However, it’s not the faster carbon trading speed, the better. The appropriate speed interval is narrow. The driving function of carbon trading can help new energy to work better in ESER system.

Scaling Analysis of Energy in Great Lakes Water Supplies

Resource-scale quantification of energy in water supplies is important for local-scale sustainability and for regional-, national-, and global-scale assessments of the water-energy nexus. Water supply systems within a resource region are characterized by a homogeneity in system type but a heterogeneity in system size. Size heterogeneity has traditionally imposed large challenges to energy quantification because of nonlinearities. Recently, an analytical approach for quantifying nonlinear size effects in water supplies was developed based on the complex system phenomena of skewed size abundance (decreasing abundance with increasing size in a population of systems) and allometric energy scaling (decreasing energy intensity with increasing size in an individual system). Here, building on this advance and using new, resource-scope data on Great Lakes water supplies, we explore the interaction between energy allometry and size abundance and demonstrate the application of scaling for making energy predictions in water supplies. We show that communities are driven by the allometric effect to form "large get larger" supply systems, but ultimately spatial distances impose limits on the effect, resulting in delegation of tasks to local systems to preserve energy optimality. This cross-scale, interaction perspective of scaling and the application of scaling for energy prediction together may lead to a more functional understanding of supply size abundance and more integrative quantification of supply energy and environmental impacts at the water resource scale.