Energy Intensity Research Articles

МЕТОДИКА ВЫБОРА РЕСУРСОСБЕРЕГАЮЩИХ ОРГАНИЗАЦИОННО-ТЕХНОЛОГИЧЕСКИХ РЕШЕНИЙ НА ЭТАПЕ ЗАВЕРШЕНИЯ ЖИЗНЕННОГО ЦИКЛА ЗДАНИЙ

The article discusses the main aspects of resource and energy conservation at the stage of completion of the life cycle of buildings. It is shown that the stage of completion of the life cycle is extremely important for buildings and other capital construction projects and requires a systematic approach to the choice of organizational and technological solutions for the liquidation or reconstruction of the building. The concept of the final stage of the life cycle of buildings has been clarified. The importance of making resource-saving organizational and technical decisions taken at the stage of completion of the life cycle of buildings is shown. Indicators have been developed for making appropriate organizational and technical decisions. The methodology of choosing organizational and technological solutions at the stage of completion of the life cycle of buildings, taking into account resource conservation, is presented. The methodology includes several stages, the results of which are a star-shaped infographic model of the values of organizational and technological solutions, which is created at the stage of completion of the life cycle of buildings. The methodology takes into account the indicators of resource and energy consumption for the implementation of various organizational and technological solutions. Calculation formulas for use in the infographic model are proposed: material consumption, labor costs of workers, financial costs labor costs of construction machines and mechanisms energy intensity of construction reconstruction. The proposed model is used to evaluate and select options for the feasibility of reorganizing buildings at the end of their life cycle, taking into account resource and energy conservation.

Effects of globalization and financial inclusion on energy intensity: The case of emerging economies

This research examines the effects of globalization and financial inclusion on the energy intensity of selected sixteen emerging economies by controlling the effects of economic growth, inflation, and stock market capitalization. The study period covers twenty-two years, starting from 2000 and ending in 2021, providing a complete perspective on the changing dynamics inside these countries. The study employs the novel technique of Method of Moment Quantile Regression (MMQR) to empirically assess the interlinkages between the employed factors on energy intensity. The findings suggest that when economies expand, engage in global trade, and encounter inflationary pressures, they tend to exhibit remarkable changes in energy intensity. The results find negative effects of globalization, GDP, and inflation on energy intensity. In contrast, a positive correlation exists between financial inclusion, stock market capitalization, and energy intensity. Policies must be designed with the objective of harnessing the advantages of globalization in order to enhance energy efficiency, encompassing elements such as technology transfer and regulatory harmonization. Concurrently, it is imperative to establish a sound relationship between financial inclusion and the expansion of stock markets, while also integrating sustainable energy practices.

How does energy intensity impact economic growth for the case of a small island country

AbstractIn this article, we explore the relationships between economic growth and energy intensity in Bahrain, and we analyse how energy intensity, population, and other macroeconomic variables are associated with each in the short and long run. In the empirical section we use data span from 1980 to 2019 and we perform a vector error correction model and cointegration technique to detect causality between the variables used in the model. The main findings of this article show that economic growth, population and FDI increased energy intensity in Bahrain in the short run. Therefore, an urgent need to be embedded in the sustainable energy action plan to limit the harmful effects of economic activity on the environmental quality in Bahrain and to ensure environmental sustainability.

Using open-source tools to project bulk and critical material demand and assess implications for low-carbon energy and transport systems: Introducing Mat-dp model tools

Material demand is growing rapidly, increasing pressure on natural resources and greenhouse gas emissions. Accurate material demand projections require reliable estimates of material intensities- material amount required to produce a unit of output. However, there is a lack of comprehensive, up-to-date, and open-source material intensities. Studies that have estimated material demand usually focus on technology or location subsets, without reusable calculations and visualisations. To address these gaps, two open-source tools are introduced as part of the Material Demand Projections (Mat-dp) model: Mat-dp database, a comprehensive and open-source database of material intensities of energy and transport technologies; and Mat-dp pipeline, a tool to standardise, calculate and visualise results for given scenarios. The paper showcases the application of the tools and demonstrates material demand and supply considerations in planned and ongoing low-carbon transitions. The tools are, as far as the authors are aware, novel in their technology coverage and usable scenario sources.

Multi-objective optimization of morphology for high-rise residential cluster with the regards to energy use and microclimate

Urban morphology significantly influences building energy consumption, solar energy potential, and outdoor thermal microclimate. This study seeks to optimize the urban morphology of high-rise residential clusters, using a framework that emphasizes energy use, outdoor thermal microclimate and incremental investment cost at a preliminary stage of design. The proposed framework is based on performance oriented parametric simulation and implements multi-objective optimization using the Grasshopper platform to assess residential cluster morphology. The study analyzed the five morphological parameters (floor area ratio (FAR), building density (BD), average floor (AF), average orientation (AO), and average aspect ratio (AAR)) to achieve the minimize of the Net Energy Intensity (NEI), Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), and Incremental Investment Cost (IIC) of residential clusters. This approach aims to enhance energy efficiency and improve summer microclimate while reducing investment costs. Additionally, analyzed the correlation between morphological parameters and three key performance metrics: Energy Use Intensity (EUI) (encompassing heating, cooling, and lighting requirements), Photovoltaic Energy Generation (PVEG), and UTCI. The findings reveal that the optimal morphology of residential clusters varies significantly depending on the desired objective. When prioritizing PVEG, a morphology characterized by low height, high density, and a small aspect ratio is recommended. It is noteworthy that in this morphology, the cluster also demonstrates optimal UTCI during the summer. Conversely, if EUI is the primary objective, a configuration with higher height and aspect ratio, along with lower density, is suggested. On the other hand, balancing the requirements of these three objectives may require a moderately-spaced layout with low height, large aspect ratio, and compact front-to-back building spacing. Under these morphologies, particular attention should be given to the layout in the north–south directions. Furthermore, southward orientation is advisable. Additionally, based on analysis of Pareto solutions, a FAR of approximately 2.6 to 2.7 is recommended.

How does carbon emissions trading affect China’s energy intensity?

The carbon emissions trading policy should be an essential factor influencing the environment and the economy, and should have a crucial impact on energy intensity. This study analyzed data for 29 regions of China from 2005 to 2020, and applied the synthetic control method to assess the impact of carbon emissions trading on energy intensity. The results show that the carbon trading policy significantly reduced energy intensity in the pilot regions. Specifically, from 2013 to 2020, carbon emissions trading decreased energy intensity in Tianjin, Shanghai, Hubei, and Chongqing by 17.92%, 29.22%, 23.89%, and 16.33%. The results of the mechanism test show that carbon emissions trading reduce energy intensity through technology improvements and industrial structure upgrading.

Analysis of the Measurement of Transportation Carbon Emissions and the Emission Reduction Path in the Yangtze River Economic Belt under the Background of “Dual Carbon” Goals

Carbon emissions from the Yangtze River Economic Belt are an important element of China’s carbon emission endeavor, and a study of its emission reduction pathway can provide a reference for the country’s overall management of carbon emission reduction. From the perspective of energy consumption, this paper uses the carbon emission factor method to estimate the carbon emissions of the transportation industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt during 2006–2020, based on the extended STIRPAT model, considering the influence of seven factors, i.e., population size, urbanization rate, GDP per capita, transportation added value, energy structure, energy intensity, and transportation intensity, on carbon emissions. Based on these factors, a scenario analysis, combined with a forecasting model, is used to predict the peak carbon performance of the transportation industry under different development scenarios. The results show that the overall carbon emissions of transportation in the YEB from 2006 to 2020 show a fluctuating upward trend, and the downstream carbon emissions are significantly higher than those in other regions. The main factors influencing carbon emissions from transportation in different upstream, midstream, and downstream regions vary, with both population and economic factors contributing to carbon emissions, while technical factors affect them differently. There are significant differences in the peak carbon performance of transportation under different development scenarios, and the government should take effective measures to work towards achieving the goals of the low-carbon or enhanced low-carbon scenarios.

Sm3+-Doped CdFe2O4 Nanocrystals Prepared in Water-Soluble Polymeric Nanoreactors and Their Characterizations

The rare-earth ion doping in nanocrystals has the advantage on improving the interested properties. As one of rare-earths, the trivalent samarium ion (Sm[Formula: see text]) was used as a dopant. The precursor of Sm[Formula: see text]-doped cadmium ferrite (CdFe2O4) nanocrystals was reacted in water-soluble polymeric nanoreactors as a dispersed phase in miniemulsion, and then calcinated to form doped nanocrystals. The 1% Sm[Formula: see text]-doped nanocrystal in small size exhibited the smaller narrow gap energy and weak photoluminescent emission intensity; which attributed to the positive influences on the photocatalytic degradation. The selected Sm[Formula: see text]-doped spinel ferrite nanocrystals provide a unique catalyzer for organic compound photodegradation.

Impact of Urban Morphology on High-Density Commercial Block Energy Consumption in Severe Cold Regions

In sustainable city development, urban form plays an important role in block energy consumption, and as different environmental contexts and block functions create differences in energy use, it is necessary to study the relationship between morphology and energy consumption under the dual constraints of special environments and special block functions. Urban high-density blocks have concentrated energy consumption, high energy intensity, and complex morphological layout, but the influencing mechanism of the block’s morphology on its energy consumption remains unclear. Accordingly, this study focuses on the mechanism and evaluation method of the influence of morphology on the energy consumption of high-density commercial blocks in severe cold regions. Through Grasshopper model extraction, EnergyPlus performance simulation, Pearson correlation analysis, and linear regression analysis, this study extracts and classifies high-density commercial blocks in Harbin, China, into six basic layout types (Courtyard, Courtyard-T, Slab, Slab-T, Point, Point-T) according to their horizontal and vertical morphology, analyzes the energy consumption characteristics of each basic type, examines the relationships between energy use intensity (EUI) and building density (BD) and between floor area ratio (FAR) and building height standard deviation (BHSD), and constructs theoretical models by controlling variables to study the effect of a single form parameter on block EUI. The research findings are as follows: (1) The annual energy consumption of Point and Slab blocks is relatively low, whereas that of Courtyard and Courtyard-T blocks is higher due to the lack of open space in Courtyards and the poor ventilation in summer. (2) FAR is significantly correlated with the energy consumption of high-density commercial blocks in severe cold regions, while the effects of BD and BHSD are weaker than those of FAR. For every 0.1 increase in BD, every 1 increase in FAR, and every 1(m) increase in BHSD, the Winter Daily EUI of the Slab block changes by +0.87, −2.26, and −0.22 (kWh/m2), respectively, whereas that of the Slab-T block changes by −0.38, +0.68, and +0.08 (kWh/m2), respectively. (3) Controlling other variables, a large BD is theoretically beneficial to energy performance in the blocks, and increasing BD in the range of 0.4–0.55 has a significant effect on lowering energy consumption in Point blocks. EUI increases with the increase in FAR, while the change depends on different block types with the increase in BHSD. This study provides design strategies for high-density commercial blocks in severe cold regions. Under different layout types, though EUI shows different relationships with BD, FAR, and BHSD, Slab-T and Point-T blocks can achieve excellent energy performance by appropriately increasing BD and decreasing FAR, whereas Slab blocks need to decrease BD while increasing FAR. The patterns found in this paper can provide strategic help for policymaking and early urban design.

Farm Gate Energy Intensity of Food Production in Poland - Considering the Physical and Economic Aspects of Production

Farm Gate Energy Intensity of Food Production in Poland - Considering the Physical and Economic Aspects of Production

An Assessment of the Relationship between Profitability and Energy Intensity for Technology Oriented Manufacturing Firms in India

An Assessment of the Relationship between Profitability and Energy Intensity for Technology Oriented Manufacturing Firms in India

The impact of renewable portfolio standards and land-use governance on CO2 and gross total emissions in four U.S. regions

This study's findings underscore the significant role of policies such as renewable portfolio standards (RPS) and court land-use decisions (CLD) in promoting environmental quality. The study, conducted between 2000 and 2021 in four US regions—Northeast, Midwest, West, and South—using the FGLS and PCSE methods, reveals that RPS and CLD are instrumental in reducing CO2 and gross total emissions (GTE). However, their effectiveness varies across regions. The Midwest, West, and South regions showed statistically significant improvements after implementing the RPS. The impact of land-use court decisions in the Northeast and Midwest states is statistically nonsignificant. RPS and CLD effectively decrease GTE in the Western and Southern states. The study also highlights the adverse effects of energy intensity and economic growth on the environment in all regions. However, it strongly emphasizes that clean energy sources like hydropower are critical in mitigating emissions. To achieve environmental sustainability and emissions reduction goals across the US, the study suggests a nuanced policy approach that prioritizes strengthening renewable and sustainable energy initiatives such as RPS, improving land utilization regulations, and promoting clean energy practices. It concludes that significant progress can be made towards these goals by adopting region-specific strategies and enhancing policy instruments like RPS and CLD.

Discovering the determinants of energy intensity of Indian manufacturing firms: a panel data approach

Our study pores on evaluating the impact of firm specific and macro level determinants of energy intensity of Indian firms belonging to manufacturing and power sector. We collect a panel dataset of 3316 firms for 10 years ranging from 2010 to 2020. We employ the advanced biased corrected method of moments estimator and the quantile regression estimator for panel data models for our empirical analysis. We find that poor labor efficiency is largely responsible for increasing energy intensity of the sample firms. Energy intensity can be optimized by investing in better plant and machinery. Moreover, machineries that require frequent repairs and maintenance need to be replaced with latest tools. While larger firms are found to be energy intensive, profitable firms are found to be in a better position to enhance their energy efficiency. Under macroeconomic scenario, GDP growth and trade openness lead to boosting up the energy consumption at the firm level whereas, the global energy prices act as a constraint and necessitate careful use of energy. Based on our findings we provide certain policy recommendations and suggestions in order to limit energy intensity and enhance energy efficiency of the Indian manufacturing firms.

Drivers of transportation CO2 emissions and their changing patterns: Empirical results from 18 countries

Transportation continues to be a significant contributor to CO2 emissions and may potentially be the final sector to reach its carbon peak in the future. Identifying the drivers of transportation CO2 emissions (TCE) and understanding their changing patterns is crucial to effectively control TCE. However, previous studies can only obtain fixed parameter values of TCE influencing factors throughout the study period, or although they can obtain the impacts of specific factors on TCE with accompanying changes over the years, they cannot conveniently clarify the changing patterns. Therefore, the key contribution of this study resides in providing a spatially explicit understanding of the heterogeneous primary drivers of TCE across countries, and in uncovering the temporal dynamics of these primary drivers' influences on TCE. The results show that at the country-group level (considering 18 selected countries as a group, collectively representing over 60% of global TCE), the drivers of TCE were GDP, energy intensity, and population in order of contribution. However, for developed countries, GDP and energy intensity contributed less to TCE than for developing countries. In addition, the influence of energy intensity on TCE declined faster than that of GDP, suggesting that decoupling TCE from economic growth should always be the top priority regardless of a country's development level. Policy-wise, for countries where GDP is the primary driver of TCE, measures to reduce transportation activities include industrial upgrading, coordinated planning, and accessibility promotion. For countries where energy intensity is the primary driver of TCE, measures to improve transportation efficiency consist of technology adoption, regulation/pricing, and habit improvement.

Analysis of the carbon emissions trend in the Indian manufacturing sector: a decomposition and decoupling approach.

There is a growing emphasis on fostering green growth and lowering carbon emissions in order to achieve sustainable economic development. This study uses the Tapio decoupling model and analyzes the factors influencing changes in carbon emissions from manufacturing in India utilizing the log mean Divisia index (LMDI) techniques. Furthermore, the nexus between carbon emission intensity, information and communication technology (ICT), total factor productivity (TFP), skill, and energy intensity has been analyzed using the system-GMM approach. It is based on the plant-level Annual Survey of Industries (ASI) datasets for the organized manufacturing sector of India from 2001 to 2002 to 2019 2020 for the major 21 Indian states/UT. The findings reflect the presence of weak decoupling in the manufacturing sector both at the aggregate level and in states. This indicates that both output and emissions are increasing; however, output growth surpasses emission growth, which signifies an effort to transition towards more environmentally friendly production methods and enhanced energy efficiency. The output and population effect are found to be leading factors in carbon emissions, while energy intensity is found to be reducing the effect. Further, the system-GMM estimates show that ICT and energy intensity positively affect total factor productivity, while with an increase in carbon emission intensity, productivity declines. The study confirms the existence of an inverted N-shaped Kuznets curve in the sector. This present study will contribute to formulating energy and environmental strategies to reduce emissions and promote adopting cleaner energy sources. These efforts will facilitate the attainment of carbon neutrality and enhance energy efficiency within the sector.

Mechanical properties of blended cements affected by impurities in thermally activated clays

Abstract With the scarcity of raw materials, energy intensiveness and environmental burden connected with producing Portland cement, there is a growing need to find substitute binders. Thermally activated clay also appears to be a suitable material for partial cement replacement. However, not all clays are the same. It depends very much on the place of collection, its chemical and phase composition, and the activation temperature. This study compared six different types of clays fired at 600 °C in terms of quantitative phase analysis and mechanical strength results. In addition to the fineness of grinding and firing temperature, the clay composition had an immense impact on mechanical properties. Content of illite up to 20% was found to be beneficial, as this clay reached the highest mechanical strengths. Regarding the quartz, its presence did not harm the overall performance of thermally activated clays and the presence of calcite could cause the improvement of the mechanical strengths. However, the clay with the most miscellaneous composition caused the deterioration of compressive strength but reached much higher bending strength compared to pure cement.

Analysis of energy consumption and change structure in major economic sectors of Pakistan.

Studying and analyzing energy consumption and structural changes in Pakistan's major economic sectors is crucial for developing targeted strategies to improve energy efficiency, support sustainable economic growth, and enhance energy security. The logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method is applied to find the factors' effects that change sector-wise energy consumption from 1990 to 2019. The results show that: (1) the change in mixed energy and sectorial income shows a negative influence, while energy intensity (EI) and population have an increasing trend over the study period. (2) The EI effects of the industrial, agriculture and transport sectors are continuously rising, which is lowering the income potential of each sector. (3) The cumulative values for the industrial, agricultural, and transport sectors increased by 57.3, 5.3, and 79.7 during 2019. Finally, predicted outcomes show that until 2035, the industrial, agriculture, and transport incomes would change by -0.97%, 13%, and 65% if the energy situation remained the same. Moreover, this sector effect is the most crucial contributor to increasing or decreasing energy consumption, and the EI effect plays the dominant role in boosting economic output. Renewable energy technologies and indigenous energy sources can be used to conserve energy and sectorial productivity.

Utilization of alternative wood particles for modern thermal insulation products

Abstract Thermal insulation materials play a vital role in minimising energy loss in building operation and also affect the amount of greenhouse gas emissions associated with heating and cooling. In this context, it is becoming an increasingly important milestone to find suitable thermal insulation materials that not only meet the technical requirements but also minimise their environmental impact. The trend towards the use of eco-friendly materials for thermal insulation reflects the construction industry’s desire to contribute to environmental protection and the transition to more sustainable models of building construction and renovation. For more than 20 years, a number of research teams have been investigating the possibility of replacing synthetically produced materials such as mineral wool and polystyrene foam with natural fibre-based insulation materials. These alternatives include wood as a traditional, easily renewable raw material. This, together with the low energy intensity of processing and manufacturing wood materials, contributes to its low carbon footprint. Compared to traditional synthetic insulation materials, which are often energy intensive to produce, wood is a more environmentally friendly choice. However, with many European countries now facing a potential shortage of higher quality wood, it is necessary to look for alternative sources of wood, including in the field of thermal insulation materials, materials with a lower carbon footprint that can be produced from lower quality wood or from wood waste that would otherwise only have an energy use. The paper is devoted to the study and use of suitable wood waste and secondary raw materials from spruce wood (coarse wood chips, sawdust and wood flour) for the development of modern thermal insulations with the aim of an environmentally friendly and less energy-intensive production process compared to conventional insulants.

Assessing the drivers of energy supply and demand in Sub-Saharan Africa

Ensuring reliable and sustainable energy access in sub-Saharan Africa requires exploring alternatives to traditional biomass and fossil fuels, crucial for overcoming challenges related to limited electricity and clean cooking energy access. Within this background and to assess the factors affecting energy supply and energy consumption, the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) was applied across 48 sub-Saharan countries and adapted to the regional context considering energy access indicators.Key results showed that economic activity significantly influences both supply and demand growth. However, this growth is restricted by outdated infrastructure, resulting in inefficiencies and increased conversion losses. Policymakers thus face a dual challenge of promoting economic growth while modernizing energy infrastructure to sustain development.Moreover, targeted policies are essential, particularly in energy-intensive in energy-intensive sectors like wholesale and retail, while advocating for a comprehensive approach in the residential sector. This approach involves socioeconomic considerations, energy access enhancement, and the promotion of energy-efficient and renewable technologies to meet rising demand amid population growth and evolving consumption patterns.Furthermore, the study underscores the importance of enhancing both energy access levels and energy efficiency in the residential sector. Unlike the industrial sector, energy intensity is crucial for improving efficiency without compromising the level of access. Enhancing energy efficiency can significantly reduce energy consumption in households, which is important given the high reliance on energy-intensive practices such as cooking with traditional biomass.

Decarbonizing rotary kiln–induction furnace based sponge iron production

The direct carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the iron and steel sector are nearly 7 % of the global CO2 emissions from energy use. India is the world's second-largest producer of steel and the largest sponge iron producer. India produces one-third of the global sponge iron, mostly from rotary kilns using coal as an energy source, resulting in higher energy and emission intensities than the global average. This study evaluates major options for CO2 abatement in the rotary kiln–induction furnace process for steel production. Based on the mass and energy balances of a typical sponge iron plant, this study evaluates the techno-economic potential of nine major decarbonization measures. The proposed decarbonization measures include improved energy efficiency, improved material efficiency, renewable energy use, and fuel substitution. Marginal abatement and green premium curves are generated by incorporating the dependency of different measures. Depending upon the set of options chosen, carbon abatement is in the range of 55.8 %–99.2 %. It is observed that 11.5 %–20.6 % of decarbonization potential can be achieved without any additional cost to the customer. These findings are insightful for policymakers and industry stakeholders and provide a foundation for designing and implementing a net-zero pathway for the sector.