Emission Savings Research Articles

Using zeolite filters to reduce activated carbon use in micropollutant removal from wastewater

Micropollutants (MPs) are a wide group of human-made chemicals, such as pharmaceuticals and/or industrial compounds, with a negative impact on ecosystems. As they are discharged through water lines, they are a common presence in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Among the known MPs removal treatments, adsorption-based processes are mostly used given their high MP removal capacity, although their production costs and environmental impact can be high. This is the case of powdered activated carbon (PAC), that remains nevertheless often the best option. Therefore, the optimization of PAC adsorption through the combination with natural zeolites is an interesting perspective. In this study, a combined approach made of zeolite-based filter and PAC to reduce water concentrations of eleven micropollutants is reported. The addition of a zeolite-based removal step increased the overall average removal by 14 % compared to 55 % obtained by the sole PAC adsorption. The combined zeolite-PAC process, by having higher removal efficiency allows a reduction in the use of PAC with interesting potential savings in costs and CO2 emissions. Also, a zeolite step before conventional PAC can ease the organic matter loading on the carbon, allowing for an improved recirculation in the biology tank, and can make the use of renewable sources-based PAC more appealing.

Quantifying saturation point of Beijing bike-sharing market from environmental benefit: A data mining framework

This study quantitatively estimates the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions savings from ride records for passengers whose travel behavior shifted from polluting modes (public transport and private car) to bike-sharing in Beijing. We present a framework for examining how travel time, distance, purpose, frequency, weather, and demographics affect passenger usage and estimate environmental benefits. The framework comprises modules of association rules, density-based spatial clustering, random forest, and CO2 emission estimation. Our findings show that commuters with a trip distance of 1–2 km are more likely to change their behavior patterns. Therefore, more CO2 emission savings accrue in developed districts where residential density and employment rates are higher, than in central districts. Beijing saves 4322.38 kg CO2 per day. In contrast, four districts are oversupplied and have reached saturation points in the number of bikes. Implications for planners suggest that they will be able to better control the number of bikes launched.

Substitution of heating systems in the Italian buildings panorama and potential for energy, environmental and economic efficiency improvement

In many countries, old inefficient generators are used for heating purposes. A way to improve energy efficiency in those countries can be the choice of the most suitable heating generators to replace the current ones, without the inconveniences caused by other retrofit measures. In this context, we present a methodology to choose the most appropriate generator through dynamic simulations applied to building stock energy models. Economic, energetic, and environmental parameters guide the choice. The methodology is applied in the Italian residential building scenario, where the most widespread heating device is traditional boiler. Three options are considered: condensing boiler, heat pump, and hybrid heat pump (an alternative-working system with a condensing boiler and heat pump). For a detailed analysis, a white-box bottom-up building stock energy model is defined, through a statistical analysis, consisting of four building typologies in three different external climates. An hourly dynamic building-system simulation has been performed to obtain energy performance, emissions, and operational costs. The results have demonstrated that condensing boiler allows limited economic, environmental, and energy savings (8-14%), compared to traditional boiler. The highest economic savings are obtained with the hybrid heat pump (20%), while the heat pump alone leads to higher costs, but the highest savings in emissions and non-renewable primary energy (25-50%). The flexibility offered by the hybrid heat pump allows to obtain high savings in different cost scenarios, but also to further reduce CO2 emissions by implementing an environmental-based control strategy.

Economic and environmental assessment of high‐strength steel grades

AbstractEnvironmental impact awareness in civil engineering is nowadays an important concern. The last message from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) was clear: significant actions are mandatory and urgent to achieve the objective to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The building sector is one of the most polluting industrial sectors for which economically viable solutions must be found to cut the emissions. The development of new production technologies can contribute to this aim by creating innovative and more sustainable materials. Amongst the new materials that appear on the steel market, high strength steels are a nice example as they offer higher strength to weight ratio of structural steel elements, resulting in material savings, lighter foundations, easier transportation, and erection. These multiple advantages explain why the use of high strength steels could lead to both significant carbon emission and cost savings. However, the production of such steels uses more alloying elements and sometimes they require more production energy than for regular grades. The aim of this paper is to estimate the relative prices and relative carbon emissions of high strength steels to evaluate whether they constitute sustainable materials. This paper demonstrates that, in many cases, the increase of relative prices and carbon emissions as function of yield strength can be negligible by contrast to the weight savings induced by using high strength steels.

Preferences for the shared use of electric-powered vehicles in mobility packages: an empirical analysis of MaaS in a university context

Previous research on preferences of potential Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) users often included public transport (PT) in bundled mobility options. Due to the often reported enormous importance of PT availability, including PT in the bundles may have led to distortions in the identification of other vehicle preferences in MaaS offerings. Our analysis counteracts this distortion and investigates how other means of transport are evaluated in mobility packages when PT is not part of the bundle. We included electric-powered mobility alternatives, which have rarely been considered in previous research, to find out which alternatives to PT users would prefer that might increase their approval of MaaS. Furthermore, the results of the existing literature are inconsistent in emphasizing whether sustainability and environmental protection are actually relevant in the valuation of different mobility options. Our analysis thus aims at identifying which electric vehicles are preferred in a mobility package, when PT is not included. We further investigate whether sustainability components of a mobility package influence the preference, structure of individuals. We based the empirical evaluation on a rank-ordered conjoint analysis, in which mobility packages were evaluated according to individual user preferences, including emissions savings. We therefore conducted a study to identify vehicle preferences other than PT and the valuation of sustainability aspects in mobility patterns. We surveyed 995 students to identify preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for MaaS among this specific user group. Results of the empirical analysis show that preferences for an e-car and an e-scooter exist. Furthermore, we found that sustainability plays a role in the evaluation of mobility packages. Accordingly, we found, that a potential reduction in emissions leads to a higher approval of MaaS. Thus, the study extends the theoretical and empirical understanding of preference-ordering of MaaS packages and clarifies the importance of sustainability in transport choices.

Techno-economic optimization of hybrid-electric power plants onboard cruise ships

This work aims at assessing energy, environmental and economic performances of hybrid-electric plants installed onboard large-size cruise vessels fuelled by Liquefied Natural Gas. Specifically, hybrid-electric power plants coupling combined gas electric and steam plants, reciprocating engines and lithium-ion battery pack are considered. By adopting cogeneration efficiency, carbon dioxide emissions, nitrogen oxide emissions and costs as objective functions, optimal performances were assessed by a Mixed Integer Linear Programming code, following a two-step procedure. First, the MILP code has been applied considering 8-days long, phase-mean operating profiles to identify an optimal design of the engine room. Second, power plant performances have been investigated by applying MILP code to hourly demand profiles, in order to provide more detailed insight on working schedule. Overall, as main outcome of the phase-mean analysis, the potential of combined gas electric and steam plants and lithium-ion batteries in promoting a more efficient energy utilization, reduced environmental impact and enhanced cost savings is proved. Specifically, combined gas electric and steam plant was shown to optimize objective functions during navigation and maneuvering, whereas batteries improved energy and environmental performances in the most demanding ship operating conditions. Furthermore, optimal sizing of lithium-ion battery pack was determined at 40 MWh, despite its economic competitiveness resulted to deeply rely on carbon tax. On the other hand, the hourly analysis showed that controlling the combined gas electric and steam plant and batteries according to a mixed spinning reserve-peak shaving strategy optimizes the performance of power plant even in port conditions, with almost no role played by reciprocating engines. In detail, in comparison to a reference non-hybrid electric power plant, batteries are shown to improve cogeneration efficiency and greenhouse gas emission savings by nearly 2%, whereas nitrogen oxide emissions and costs were reduced by 12% and 2%, respectively.

Performance evaluation of large-scale photovoltaic power plant in Saharan climate of Algeria based on real data

In this study we evaluate a large-scale, grid-connected photovoltaic power plant (LS-PVPP) in a hot climate in Adrar, Algeria. The plant's performance was evaluated using both real-world data from 2018 and simulations conducted with PVsyst in terms of various parameters, such as reference yield, capacity factor, performance ratio, statistical indicators, and carbon emission savings. The results indicate a significant reduction in carbon emissions by the LS-PVPP, with a final yield of 4.98 kWh/kWp/day, a performance ratio of 71.67 %, a capacity factor of 20.72 %, and a global system efficiency of 10.66 % and save 19,388 metric tons of carbon in 2018. The industrial approach analysis revealed a target performance ratio (PR) of 71.17 %. The difference of 0.5 % led to extra energy generation of 252.67 MWh and additional revenue of 27,957.42USD. The simulated data predicted a final yield of 5.36 kWh/kWp/day, a performance ratio of 77 %, a capacity factor of 22.38 %, a global system efficiency of 11.55 %. The aim of this research is to offer data on the performance of a (LS-PVPP) in a hot climate. Researchers, photovoltaic project developers, and stakeholders can utilize the findings to assess project viability, optimize performance, and maximize the environmental and economic benefits.

Decarbonization Technology in Road Infrastructure Projects

This study aims to determine the appropriate decarbonization technologies to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in road infrastructure projects. Decarbonization is a process that seeks to reduce or eliminate CO2 emissions that contribute to climate change and that comes from the energy sources consumed by the transport sector. With statistical information from different studies, the most appropriate technologies were identified to control the triangle of effectiveness, productivity, and profitability derived from the costs, time, and quality of the projects associated with decarbonization technologies. The study is documentary and bibliographic, with the deductive method, quantitative approach, applied orientation, and descriptive, correlational, and explanatory types. The design is non-experimental, cross-sectional, and retrospective. The energy conversion efficiency of all technologies is identified in three domains: with fossil fuels from compressed natural gas, with natural gas, and with electricity by hydrogen electrolysis. GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emissions savings using BIM (Building Information Modeling) can reach up to 14% and 30% of emissions and 47% and 65% when the scope of maintenance and rehabilitation is restricted, and pavement construction is excluded.

Estimation of energy demand and greenhouse gas emission reduction effect of cross-laminated timber (CLT) hybrid wall using life cycle assessment for urban residential planning

The building and construction sector accounted for 36% of final energy use and 37% of energy and process-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 2020. According to a recent study, if the global population grows to 9.3 billion by 2050, new infrastructure development will cause approximately 350 Gt of CO2 emissions, corresponding to 35–60% of the remaining carbon budget available up to 2050 if the average temperature increase is to be limited to 2 °C. Material substitution is one way to reduce embodied energy and CO2 emissions. Cross-laminated timber (CLT), a bio-based material, can be an alternative to concrete and steel, which are the most energy- and carbon-intensive materials. However, there is a limit to the immediate application of CLT to the entire building. This study confirmed greenhouse gas (GHG) emission and energy consumption reductions when CLT was applied to the exterior walls of 52 apartment building types. Substituting CLT for concrete in the exterior walls resulted in a 44.6% savings in GHG emissions and 49.3% in energy demand. GHG emissions per floor were reduced by −16,906 kg CO2-eq, while energy consumption per floor was reduced by −256,896 MJ. If CLT is used in 30% of the exterior walls of the 800,000 houses planned to be constructed in Seoul by 2030, the energy savings and GHG reduction effect are expected to be −11,495 TJ and −0.86 Mt CO2-eq, respectively.

How national decarbonisation scenarios can affect building refurbishment strategies

Energy transition is radically changing national energy systems. Nevertheless, the dynamics of this transformation are not considered by end-users in the design of building systems. The present work aims at assessing how the renewable share increase, in both electricity and gas grids, can affect building energy performance. To do this, building energy performance indicators, taking into account growing renewable shares, have been proposed. Four national decarbonisation scenarios have been considered. In a case-study in Italy, conventional boilers, heat pumps, combined heat and power plants and hybrid systems have been analysed. Heat pumps turn out to be the best option if the renewable penetration in the power grid is higher than 40%. The substitute natural gas deployment can increase the competitiveness of cogeneration systems, but not enough to represent the best configuration. National decarbonisation scenarios significantly affect the primary energy and emissions savings of building refurbishment strategies. Conventional indicators, taking primary energy factors as fixed, lead to correct assessment for the reference year, but are unable to describe the actual building energy performance over the system lifetime. Depending on the scenario, the average specific primary energy consumption ranges in 17% and 55% lower than the one assessed with conventional analyses.

Adopting occupancy-based HVAC controls in commercial building energy codes: Analysis of cost-effectiveness and decarbonization potential

Recent research has shown the energy-saving potential of occupancy-based HVAC controls (OBCs) in commercial buildings. However, building energy codes have not fully adopted this technology. This study aims to evaluate the cost-effectiveness and decarbonization benefits of OBCs and provide guidance for integrating occupancy sensors into building energy code development. To this end, a parametric simulation using EnergyPlus and a nationwide cost-effectiveness analysis are carried out considering three building types and 40 representative cities in the U.S. The findings reveal that the current cost-effectiveness performance of OBCs is limited due to the high cost of occupancy sensors. However, incorporating the societal cost of carbon factor in future energy and environmental policy could greatly enhance the actual cost-effectiveness performance. Besides, a reduction in the cost of occupancy sensors to approximately 60% of the current price level could also greatly shorten the discounted payback period of OBCs. Additionally, OBCs demonstrate significant potential in building decarbonization, with potential CO2 emissions savings of more than 5.56 million metric tons across the three building types and 40 selected cities. Finally, policy implications are provided to guide the incorporation of occupancy-based HVAC controls in future energy codes.

The Role of Cogeneration in the Electrification Pathways towards Decarbonization

The global call for an environmentally friendly, sustainable, and reliable energy system looks for the optimal integration of different technologies to allow a smooth and economically viable transition towards electrification. In this context, small, medium, and large industrial processes are relevant contributors to global CO2 emissions production due to the simultaneous requirement of electricity, heating, and cooling power generally obtained through fossil fuel combustion. In this context, Combined Heat and Power Energy converters based on internal combustion engines, such as reciprocating engines, gas turbines, and gas turbine combined cycles, and external combustion, such as backpressure and condensing steam power plants, are the most suitable solutions for the efficient and reliable generation of the above-mentioned assets. Typically, the industrial demand for heat and electricity differs in terms of heat-to-power ratio when compared to the heat-to-power ratio of the CHP plant, and this has led to requiring the selection of a control strategy to follow, partially or fully, the heat load or the electric load. In this paper, the authors propose an operating and design strategy addressed to fully covering the heat load demands by the heat generated by the CHP, allowing the system to have an excess of electricity generated. This electricity can be used for different purposes, as regards the novel electrification roadmap. Indeed, the authors have explored four configurations in which the excess of the CHP-generated electricity can be exported to the national grid, used for high-tension fast-charging electromobility systems, for running reverse osmosis desalination plants, and for the production of alternative fuels such as hydrogen. The authors propose a methodology for providing an extensive environmental techno-economic assessment that looks at 2050 CO2 targets. Accordingly, the environmental techno-economic assessment results are presented and discussed by considering the Net Present Value, payback period, and CO2 emission savings.

Energy self-sufficiency and sustainability in a defined neighbourhood: Bio-methanation to green gas can outperform green hydrogen

In Europe, green hydrogen and biogas/green gas are considered important renewable energy carriers, besides renewable electricity and heat. Still, incentives proceed slowly, and the feasibility of local green gas is questioned. A supply chain of decentralised green hydrogen production from locally generated electricity (PV or wind) and decentralised green gas production from locally collected biomass and biological power-to-methane technology was analysed and compared to a green hydrogen scenario. We developed a novel method for assessing local options. Meeting the heating demand of households was constrained by the current EU law (RED II) to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 80% relative to fossil (natural) gas. Levelised cost of energy (LCOE) analyses at 80% GHG emission savings indicate that locally produced green gas (LCOE = 24.0 €ct kWh−1) is more attractive for individual citizens than locally produced green hydrogen (LCOE = 43.5 €ct kWh−1). In case higher GHG emission savings are desired, both LCOEs go up. Data indicate an apparent mismatch between heat demand in winter and PV electricity generation in summer. Besides, at the current state of technology, local onshore wind turbines have less GHG emissions than PV panels. Wind turbines may therefore have advantages over PV fields despite the various concerns in society. Our study confirms that biomass availability in a dedicated region is a challenge.

Experimental and Environmental Analysis of High-Strength Geopolymer Based on Waste Bricks and Blast Furnace Slag.

The rationalization of material flows, together with the utilization of waste raw materials for the production of alternative binders, became a very attractive topic during the last decades. However, the majority of designed materials can be used as a replacement for low-performance products. In this work, the waste materials (brick powder and blast furnace slag) are valorized through geopolymerization to design high-performance material as an alternative to high-performance concrete. Designed mixtures activated by sodium silicate and waste-originated alkali solution are characterized by the meaning of the chemical and mineralogical composition, evolution of hydration heat, and mechanical strength test. To contribute to the understanding of the environmental consequences and potential benefits, the carbon footprint and embodied energy analysis are provided. Obtained results highlight the potential of end-of-life bricks for the design of high-performance composites if mixed together with more reactive precursors. Here, even values over 60 MPa in compressive strength can be achieved with the dominant share of low-amorphous brick powder. The higher crystalline portion of brick powder may lead to the reduction of drying shrinkage and preservation of flexural strength to a greater extent compared to used slag. Performed environmental analysis confirmed the CO2 emission savings; however, the embodied energy analysis revealed a huge impact of using alkaline activators.

Driving success towards zero carbon energy targets for UK’s Local Authorities

This paper draws on three recent case studies which have shown encouraging economic results in meeting net zero carbon emissions targets through Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES) in different localities across England, based on the GreenSCIES model. The blueprint for the GreenSCIES SLES was developed in Islington, London, and consists of a 5th generation ambient loop district heat network using wasteheat from a large data centre, and includes electric vehicle charging, storage and solar PV. This allows for heat sharing between buildings and applications for heat recovery from local sources. In Sandwell, Birmingham, where the heating demand is nearly ten times higher than the cooling demand the design is based on a 4th generation heat network with wasteheat from a local metal foundry and some cooling supply and heat storage in the aquifer. A study in Barnsley, Sheffield, explored wasteheat from a local glass factory and considered mine workings for providing seasonal storage of heat for resilience to a single source industry. This scheme could be further expanded, increasing the available carbon emissions savings. These examples provide feasible and economic SLES projects demonstrating the importance of collaboration between researchers, local government and industry. They also illustrate adaptations of the original GreenSCIES concept providing pathways towards net zero carbon for a diverse range of urban locations with different housing density and waste heat sources.

Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from rice grown on organic soils in the temperate zone

Organic soils are important carbon stocks. The conventional (dry) cultivation of these soils turns them into strong sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. For situations where restoration of natural land cover is not possible, solutions to this problem include the wet cultivation of these soils, reducing CO2 and N2O emissions. One option, paddy rice cultivation, has begun in the Swiss Central Plateau, which hitherto did not provide a suitable climate for wet rice. Wet rice is however associated with high CH4 emissions. These need to be quantified for this region, as the increased CH4 fluxes might negate the expected reductions in CO2 and N2O. Here, we quantify CH4 and N2O emissions from wet rice on organic soil with chamber measurements, in an outdoor mesocosm experiment in the Swiss Central Plateau, located in the cool temperate moist zone. We apply two water treatments (a high water table (WT) treatment, − 6 cm with mid-season drainage, and two medium WT treatments, − 11 and − 17 cm without mid-season drainage) and additionally test the use of a mineral cover layer to reduce N2O emissions. Additionally, a deeply-drained grassland treatment is used as a reference treatment. Annual CH4 emissions from rice cultivation are 6.2 g CH4.m-2.a-1 for the higher WT treatment, 6.4 g CH4.m-2.a-1 for the medium WT treatment and 2.4 g CH4.m-2.a-1 for the medium WT treatment with mineral cover. The corresponding N2O emissions are 203, 190 and 56 mg N2O-N.m-2.a-1, respectively. These results show that adding a mineral cover layer reduces annual emissions from both GHGs substantially. In total, the maximum increase in CH4 and N2O emissions resulting from rice cultivation, compared to the drained grassland treatment, is 2.3 t CO2-eq.ha-1.a-1. Expected CO2 emissions savings (derived from a literature-based model) due to a higher WT are a factor of 5–9 greater than this. We thus conclude that the cultivation of these organic soils in this region with wet rice could reduce their induced warming compared to their cultivation with (deeply drained) grassland.

Competition-based mortality and tree losses. An essential component of net primary productivity

Even-aged stands can regenerate with many thousand seedlings per hectare before the density declines to just a few hundred trees per hectare 100 years later; management practices can lead to even lower tree numbers due to quality selection and thinning. In other words, during the development of unmanaged stands, the majority of individuals die naturally due to competition. Despite the far-reaching consequences for structural and genetic diversity, dead wood and fuel wood accumulation, we have only limited quantitative knowledge about the continuous mortality of trees and the wood volume loss over longer timespans.For this study, we used a unique set of 476 unmanaged, monospecific experimental plots of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.), silver fir (Abies alba Mill.), Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.), European larch (Larix decidua Mill.), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco)), European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.), and oak (Quercus robur L. and Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) throughout Europe to analyze the competition-based mortality of trees and its dependency on age and site conditions.First, we show that the total stem volume production, standing stock, and mortality were continuously increasing until an age of 100–150 years. The accumulated competition-caused stem volume loss at that age amounted to 500–1000 m3 ha−1.Second, the net growth of the stands (share of the growth that is accumulated in the standing stock) strongly decreased with increasing age even when the gross growth was still high. The proportion of the net growth versus gross growth continuously decreased with increasing age regardless of site quality.Third, we show a degressive decrease of the annual relative tree number mortality rates from 0.05 to 0.20 in young down to 0.01–0.02 in mature stands. For some species, we found these rates to be site dependent with different directions of the site effect. The interplay of decreasing mortality rates and increasing average volume of the dead trees resulted in unimodal mortality curves over time of the annual mortality, peaking at 3–12 m3 ha−1 yr−1 at ages of about 75–150 years.Over the whole rotation, the average annual biomass loss from mortality ranged between 0.8 and 2.1 t ha−1 yr−1 with a carbon content of 0.4–1.1 t C ha−1 yr−1. We discuss the relevance of the results for measuring, understanding, modelling, and managing forest stands. Our results reveal that the withdrawal of forest management and setting aside (previously managed) forests over a rotation time of 100–150 years means that about one third of the total production in monospecific stands would flow to the debris pool rather than being exploited for carbon sequestration and related emission savings in harvested wood products. The mortality related loss fractions of above ground biomass we quantified in this study indicate the trade-off between wood production and setting aside forest to allow deadwood accumulation and associate changes in biodiversity.

Open-source model applied for techno-economic optimization of a hybrid solar PV biogas-based polygeneration plant: The case of a dairy farmers’ association in central Bolivia

Proper sizing of energy systems is a key aspect that allows avoiding overestimated installation costs or failures in operation and dispatch. However, most of the available sizing tools focus on systems dedicated only to electrical loads, omitting combined energy systems with simultaneous supply of various thermal demands. This study presents an adaptation of an existing open access techno-economic optimization model for broadening the design tool for small-scale energy systems supplying both, electrical and thermal needs. For this, a new typology of an energy system was proposed considering the use of biogas, solar energy and adding thermal components. This was followed by modifying the model framework, constraints equations and objective function, which is the net present cost of the system. Once the design tool was verified a model was constructed to analyse the feasibility of a polygeneration plant for an association of 30 small dairy farms. The developed model was able to optimize the sizing of the main system components for different proposed scenarios, encompassing supply of electricity, refrigeration, biogas for cooking and fertilizers. For the selected application it was found that the aggregated cost of producing electricity and heat ranges from 0.044 to 0.070 USD/kWh; the penetration of solar energy can reach up to 32%; while the annual potential savings of CO2 emissions of applying the solution ranges from 109 to 127 ton of CO2.

Building Energy Flexibility Assessment in Mediterranean Climatic Conditions: The Case of a Greek Office Building

The EU energy and climate policy has set quantitative goals for decarbonization based on the energy efficiency and the evolution of energy systems. The utilization of demand side flexibility can help towards this direction and achieve the target of higher levels of penetration in regard to intermittent renewable energy production and carbon emission reduction. This paper presents a simulation-based assessment of thermal flexibility in a typical office building in Greece, which is a representative Mediterranean country. The use of variable speed heat pumps coupled with hydronic terminal units was evaluated. The research focused mainly on the evaluation of energy flexibility offered by energy stored in the form of thermal energy by utilizing the building’s thermal mass. The demand response potential under hourly CO2eq intensity and energy prices was investigated. The flexibility potential was evaluated under different demand response strategies, and the effect of demand response on energy consumption, operational costs, CO2eq emissions and thermal comfort was analyzed and discussed. The results showed that both control strategies based on both the CO2eqintensity signal and spot price signal have, in some cases, the potential for cost and emission savings, and in other cases, the potential to depreciate in terms of emissions and cost the increase of energy consumption due to load shifting.

Environmental perspective of decarbonization actions in the Italian UNESCO site of the Vineyard landscape of Piedmont Region

ABSTRACT The current EU regulatory framework is forcing the need for a substantial and significant reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in all the main economic sectors since climate change effects have been more tangible in recent years. The adoption of actions and measures to reduce CO2 emissions are thus essential for preventing global warming. For this reason, a simplified bottom-up approach is presented here to estimate the potential environmental benefit achievable, in terms of CO2 emissions saving, when a set of proposed energy efficiency measures were adopted in relevant economic sectors of the UNESCO area of Vineyard Landscape in Piedmont Region in Italy. Specifically, representative case studies were assumed for each economic sector being studied to identify the energy efficiency measures to be adopted. Then, progressive scenarios with different territorial diffusion of the proposed measures were performed. The analysis shows that a CO2 emission reduction from 7.1% to 32.4% can be potentially obtained by considering different diffusion pathways of the identified energy efficiency measures in the residential, accommodation, private transport, and food industry sectors, so that the UNESCO area can effectively contribute to contrast global warming. The proposed simplified approach can be replicated in other similar context to obtain rough estimation of emission savings due to territorial diffusion of energy efficiency measures considering available regional and local databases.