Environmental Restrictions Research Articles

Оценка точности инвентаризации лесных земель с применением воздушного лазерного сканирования

The use of forest resources in the context of globalized markets and implementing new technologies, enhanced competition and increasing environmental restrictions require reliable information. The method of aerial laser scanning opens up great prospects for the state inventory of forests. It is successfully used in many sectors of the economy, but it has not been worked out for state forest inventory. The purpose of the study is assessing the possibility of using aerial laser scanning within the framework of current regulations. The object of the study is a forest area of 11 840 hectares in the Leningrad region. The results of aerial laser scanning are combined with the data of ground-based taxation. It is established that deviations in the accuracy of determining the composition, density, average height and diameter, stand and wood stock are within the limits of permissible standards. It is shown that due to the sufficient accuracy of aerial laser scanning, it can be used effectively at conducting a state forest inventory.

Multi-objective optimization of energy conservation and emission reduction in China's iron and steel industry based on dimensionality reduction

With increasingly stringent environmental restrictions, the iron and steel industry is faced with multiple targets such as energy conservation, emission reduction, and cost control, hence, making industrial-environmental management a multi-objective optimization (MOO) problem. Existing studies adopt MOO models to address this issue, however, their methods result in high-dimension problems that increase computational cost and the difficulty to formulate optimal management schemes. This study builds a constrained MOO model in China's iron and steel industry, and introduces a dimensionality reduction technique to identify redundant objectives which can be omitted without altering the Pareto dominance structure of the original high-dimension problem. NSGA-II is then applied on the resulting lower-dimension problem to optimize the application of five types of Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction (ECER) measures, consisting of 23-process equipment and 55-ECER technologies. Results show that: (1) The high-dimension problem can be reduced to a four objective optimization problem. The four key-objectives are cost, energy, CO2, and PM intensity control. Hence, ECER policies should focus on these four key-objectives since optimizing them will synergistically minimize redundant objectives like NOx and SO2 emissions; (2) For the resulting lower-dimension problem, solution quality increases as reflected by algorithm verification metrics (spacing metric and hypervolume indicator), while computational cost is reduced by 73% and the decision making process is simplified significantly; (3) By-production reutilization and cleaner production technologies are the most attractive measures, contributing about 60% of ECER potential and only 30% of total cost. Equipment upgrading also has good ECER effects, but requires strong economic incentives, while end-of-pipe and renewable energy technologies have the lowest ECER potential. In sum, this study proposed a methodology to reduce the complexity of ECER optimization under multiple objectives, and provided suggestions to enhance industrial-environmental management under increasing environmental restrictions.

CO2 adsorption on pyrolysis char from protein-containing livestock waste: How do proteins affect?

Biogas generation through anaerobic digestion provides an interesting opportunity to valorize some types of animal waste materials whose management is increasingly complicated by legal and environmental restrictions. To successfully expand anaerobic digestion in livestock areas, operational issues such as digestate management must be addressed in an economical and environmentally sustainable way. Biogas upgrading is another necessary stage before intending it to add-value applications. The high concentration of CO2 in biogas results in a reduced caloric value, so the removal of CO2 would be beneficial for most end-users. The current work evaluates the CO2 uptake properties (thermogravimetry study) of low-cost adsorbent materials produced from the animal wastes generated in the livestock area itself, specifically via pyrolysis of poorly biodegradable materials, such as meat and bone meal, and the digestate from manure anaerobic digestion. Therefore, the new element in this study with respect to other studies found in the literature related to biochar-based CO2 adsorption performance is the presence of high content of pyrolyzed proteins in the adsorbent material. In this work, pyrolyzed chars from both meat and bone meal and co-digested manure have been proven to adsorb CO2 reversibly, and also the chars produced from their representative pure proteins (collagen and soybean protein), which were evaluated as model compounds for a better understanding of the individual performance of proteins. The ultra-microporosity developed in the protein chars during pyrolysis seems to be the main explanation for such CO2 uptake capacities, while neither the BET surface area nor N-functionalities on the char surface can properly explain the observed results. Although the CO2 adsorption capacities of these pristine chars (6–41.0 mg CO2/g char) are far away from data of commercially activated carbons (~80 mg CO2/g char), this application opens a new via to integrate and valorize these wastes in the circular economy of the primary sector.

Экономическая оценка минеральных ресурсов Арктической зоны региона с учетом экологического фактора

The aim of the study was the economic assessment of promising mineral resources of the Arctic zone. The objectives of the work included the assessment and ranking of deposits and occurences of minerals in the Arctic regions of the republic according to the degree of investment attractiveness for the formation of programs for the development of the mineral resource base of the region, taking into account environmental restrictions. As a result of the study, an economic assessment of the mineral resource potential of the Arctic zone of the Komi Republic was carried out, a new methodological approach to assessing the mineral resource base of the region was proposed, which allows to identify promising types of raw materials with the possibility of involving them in industrial development.

Digital finance and innovation inequality: evidence from green technological innovation in China.

Green technological innovation is an overarching approach to tackling environmental pollution, and mitigating the inequality in green technological innovation between regions can contribute to environmental equity. This study measures the inequality in green technological innovation via an index and examines the influence of digital finance on that inequality using data from 285 cities in China from 2011 to 2018. The results are as follows: (1) Digital financial development alleviates the inequality in green technological innovation, and the greater the inequality is, the stronger the effect of digital finance. The development of digital finance can help regions lagging behind in terms of green technology to catch up. (2) When the financial supervision and environmental restrictions within a region are strict, the development of digital finance is more effective at reducing the inequality in green technological innovation; a higher capacity for governance in the local government and a smaller digital divide strengthen the positive effects of digital finance. (3) The development of digital finance alleviates interregional inequality in green credit, reduces market segmentation, and increases spending on environmental protection, thus narrowing the gap in the capacity for green innovation between regions. These findings not only enrich the literature on digital finance and green technological innovation but also serve as a reference for governmental departments as they optimize their strategy for developing digital finance and coordinating green development across regions.

Pyrolysis of Chromated Copper Arsenate-Treated Wood: Investigation of Temperature, Granulometry, Biochar Yield, and Metal Pathways

Chromated copper arsenate-treated (cca) wood disposal faces environmental restrictions due to its toxicity, heavy metal leaching in storage sites, and greenhouse gas emissions during incineration. Thus, finding new management methods for this contaminated wood at the end of life is crucial. This study evaluated the effect of pyrolysis temperature (300, 400, and 500 °C), particle size, biochar yield, and the behavior of arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), and copper (Cu) during treated-wood pyrolysis. The highest biochar yield was obtained at 300 °C for fine particles. The biochar retention of heavy metals decreased with increasing pyrolysis temperature. At 300 °C, the highest biochar As, Cr, and Cu retentions were 76, 91, and 83%. At 500 °C, biochar only retained 43% of the As. Additionally, heavy metal leaching from the biochar exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) maximum concentration limit of 5 mg/L. High-density polyethylene encapsulation of contaminated biochar reduced the leaching of As, Cr, and Cu by 96, 95, and 91%, respectively. Thus, combining pyrolysis and plastic encapsulation to produce a composite material could be a solution for reducing waste (conversion of CCA-wood into biochar) and for the safe disposal of contaminated wood.

Height growth strategies of Mimosa scabrella along a chronosequence

Assessing variations in tree allometry is useful for understanding height growth strategies in relation to life-history trajectories, light competition and environmental restrictions. Scaling exponent and asymptotic heights obtained from height–diameter (HD) models may elucidate how trees optimise growth strategies and the potential drivers that influence tree height. Our main objective was to explore how the HD relationship in Bracatinga (Mimosa scabrella) varies along stands chronosequence and life history. The study was carried out in discontinuous stands located across the metropolitan region of Curitiba, southern Brazil. We used HD data from 300 temporary plots in chronosequences dating from a disturbance, which represented stand development after intervention, covering the life history of the species. Power and exponential models were fitted to data to describe the HD relationship over time. Mixed-effects models were applied to explain the height variations by stand characteristics. We found that tree height and allometry were influenced by stand development phase and tree life stage along the chronosequence. Changes in tree height were also driven by light competition related to certain stand characteristics, such as basal area, stem density and species diversity. We concluded that growth strategies are conditioned by interactions between light requirements along a tree’s life history and successional stand evolution. The results revealed that gradual changes in tree development might be recognised by stationary data along chronosequences. Quantifying changes in HD allometry has ecological and practical applications for explaining the strategies and drivers underpinning tree growth and providing useful knowledge for improving growing stock predictions and stand management.

News From Japan

Nowadays, various environmental restrictions have been revised to be even more strict to protect Earth from ecological risks such as the global warming crisis. This trend is especially obvious in the European Union (EU), where the average CO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> emission rate must be reduced significantly according to its regulations. For example, it decided its 2020–2024 target of the average CO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> emission rate from new passenger cars is 95 g/km [1]. China and other countries have set similar goals. The EU also has proposed a policy to virtually ban the sale of gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2035 [2]. In this situation, electric vehicles (EVs) have been spreading rapidly worldwide.

Barriers and facilitating factors influencing implementation of occupational therapy home assessment recommendations: A mixed methods systematic review.

Low implementation rates of occupational therapy home assessment recommendations have previously been reported. The objective was to identify and describe the barriers and facilitating factors that influence implementation of home assessment recommendations. A mixed methods systematic review consisting of studies involving adults living in the community who received an occupational therapy home assessment was conducted. Seven databases were last searched in August 2021. Study quality was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools (SUMARI) dependent on study design. Data synthesis followed the convergent integrated approach. Findings were mapped to the theoretical Capability Opportunity Motivation Behaviour (COM-B) model of health behaviour change. From 5,540 citations, 22 articles met the criteria for the systematic review. Implementation of occupational therapy home assessment recommendations ranged between 55% and 90%. Six synthesised findings were identified. Capability barriers included a patient's cognitive and physical ability. Motivation barriers included a perceived lack of need and stigma; patient reported decreased involvement and lack of choice. Opportunity barriers included limited family or carer involvement, carer stress, level of service provision available, including funding, therapy dosage and timing and environmental restrictions. Overall facilitators included patient-centred care, including choice and understanding need, individualised tailored recommendations, involvement of families and carers, provision of written record and strategies to support implementation. Results were limited by methodological weaknesses in identified studies and heterogeneity in the definition and measurement of implementation impacting on comparison. Specific intervention components were often poorly described. The theoretical model elucidates priority factors to address for promoting implementation of home assessment recommendations. Future high-quality research clearly defining intervention components is required to support short- and long-term implementation of recommendations in the home environment. Behaviour change techniques could be utilised to support home assessment practices in future research.

Two-stage optimization of a virtual power plant incorporating with demand response and energy complementation

The virtual power plant (VPP) breaks the geographical restrictions of environment and resource types by virtue of aggregating the distributed energy resources and dispatchable loads. In view of the impact of large-scale energy consumption by users on the operational safety of VPP, based on the existing demand response (DR) researches, this paper adds a penalty mechanism for the reasonable management of loads. For the difference of resources in multiple VPPs, the current researches ignore the energy interaction between different VPPs, and the external operator is introduced innovatively in this paper to coordinate the real-time complementation of regional energy. Considering the uncertainty from renewable energy and load, a two-stage scheduling strategy for VPP with multi-time scale optimization is proposed, including a long-time scale day-ahead scheduling and a short-time scale real-time scheduling. On the basis of DR and unit constraints, the resource scheduling plan is formulated in the day-ahead stage. In the real-time stage, the energy complementation between VPPs is considered under the framework of rolling optimization for the correction of the previous plan. The scheduling of both stages is aimed at the economic operation of the VPP. Simulation results show that the DR flexibly optimizes the load distribution while bringing economic benefits, and the total profit can be increased by up to 6.65%. Moreover, the results show that the energy interaction under the external operator coordination significantly reduces the total correction cost by up to 8.23%, and the correction cost is decreased with the extension of the rolling optimization scheduling period.

Sustainable Development Analysis Model Using Multi-objective Optimization and Regional Efficiency Evaluation

Regional efficiency refers to the ratio of the effective total output and the total input of regional factor resources under certain production technology conditions. At present, China’s traditional economic growth mode is based on the mode of sacrificing the environment for economic growth. At the same time, the influence and restriction of natural resources and natural environment on human social and economic development are more obvious than ever before. The contradiction between social and economic development, resources, and environmental preservation has become increasingly prominent. Problems such as resource shortage, environmental pollution, and ecological imbalance have exposed the disadvantages of the traditional development model, and so human beings have begun to seek new high-quality development models. Therefore, the research on regional efficiency in this paper is based on the idea of coordinated development of resources, environment and social economy, and multi-objective optimization algorithm, which constructs the evaluation index system of regional efficiency, comprehensively measures the regional efficiency, and inspects the development status. Evaluating the regional efficiency is conducive to analyzing the problems existing in regional development, saving resources, and promoting the sustainable development of the region.

Application target image of a small modular fluoride salt-cooled high temperature reactor based on the analysis of energy demand and environmental conditions in western China

To meet the energy demand in remote areas of western China, a small modular fluoride-salt-cooled high-temperature reactor will be deployed there. The design of this reactor needs an application target image, including the power, lifetime, size, weight, and environmental restrictions. This paper analyzes the energy demand in northwest China to find the possible application scenarios and regions of this reactor. Then according to typical application scenarios, the power requirements of the reactor and the environment and transportation (size and weight) restrictions that need to be adapted can be obtained. The application target image of this reactor would be: a) the single unit capacity of 50MWe; b) the lifetime of at least 60 years; c) the length of less than 15.5 m, the diameter of less than 3.88 m, and weight of less than 60 tons; d) the adaptability to the severe climate and environment in the west, such as cold winter, deep-frozen soil layer, strong wind, arid environment, and complex terrain; e) the site selection to avoid geological disasters, such as landslides, collapses, torrents, mudslides, and ground fissures.

Research on Influencing Factors of Provincial Energy Efficiency in China Based on the Spatial Panel Model

The Super-SBM model was used first to assess the energy efficiency of 30 Chinese provinces from 2012 to 2017. After that, an energy efficiency spatial correlation test was conducted, and finally, the influencing elements of energy efficiency were analyzed using a geographic panel model. The findings show that the amount of regional economic development has a substantial positive impact on energy efficiency, whereas the level of regional urbanization and the severity of environmental restrictions have a considerable negative impact on energy efficiency in China’s provinces. Other regions’ energy structure and technical innovation have a substantial positive spillover effect on the region’s energy efficiency, whereas other regions’ economic development and foreign direct investment have a significant negative spillover effect on the region’s energy efficiency.

Design and development of methodology for construction of thin white topping for rural roads in India

A large proportion of villages in India have been connected with water bound macadam (WBM) or bituminous roads. Rural roads usually have a low volume of traffic, consisting mostly of light transport vehicles with less frequency of heavy traffic. Maintenance of these roads is neglected because of the paucity of funds and the created road asset is in deteriorated condition. The non-availability of suitable soil and aggregates has made projects unviable and cost prohibitive. This aggregate scarcity will increase further as a result of environmental conservation and restriction on mining. There is a need to develop alternative pavement designs to construct sustainable and durable rural roads. The stabilization of soil/aggregate is being used worldwide towards optimal usage of scarce resources. The concepts of soil/aggregate stabilization and Cold In Place Recycling technique provide a comprehensive solution for rehabilitation of existing road and greenfield road construction. Cold In Place Recycling process allows usage of locally available marginal materials. The stabilization process can use a wide range of stabilization agents such as soil-aggregate mix, lime, cement, fly ash, foamed bitumen, emulsion, polymers, and other proprietary chemical stabilizers. Two rural roads are identified under Mukhya Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana Research and Development Scheme. Pavements are designed considering cement treated base. These roads are constructed using the Cold In Place Recycling technique. The existing water bound macadam (WBM)/deteriorated bituminous surface is stabilized with cement. Bituminous concrete and Thin White Topping are provided as wearing course. The performance of pavement is evaluated after 2 years of construction. Also, the balance life of the pavement is checked and the results are satisfactory. The stabilized pavements offer superior strength and longevity, even in extreme climatic conditions, and provide better performance. The design charts for Thin White Topping for rural roads are not available, hence the design charts for Thin White Topping of M30/M35/M40 grade concrete on Cement Treated Base of varying thickness and different subgrade CBR are prepared based on IRC 62-2014 for traffic less than 50 CVPD, 51 to 150 CVPD, and less than 450 CVPD. These charts are ready to use and act as a guide to the Field Engineers. The optimum thickness of Thin White Topping can be selected from the chart for known subgrade CBR and Traffic. The effect of variation of CTB thickness on Thin White Topping thickness can be determined from the chart.

Water, land and memory in the “gerais” of the São Francisco River: Cabeceirinha, in Januária, Minas Gerais

Over several decades, farming families moved to the "gerais" region of the Upper-Middle São Francisco River in northern Minas Gerais. With free access to land and water, the “geralistas” adapted management techniques that ensured abundant production until the end of the twentieth century, when the seizure of common lands in the name of “agricultural modernization” was followed by the implementation of conservation units. These changes were fundamental to the experiences of the rural population, and their narratives illustrate a combination of assessing changes in access to resources and territory with creating forms of resistance and adaptation to new ways of living, doing, and producing. Memory supports this assessment and confrontation. This article analyzes the relationships between population, land, and water in the Cabeceirinha community, on the banks of the Pandeiros River, one of the last living rivers in this region. Ethnographic and social research techniques are used to discuss from stories and memories how land, legal, and environmental restrictions have changed customs while simultaneously forming the foundation of the daily recreation of living conditions.elocation-id: e2230111Recebido: 11.15.2021 • Aceito: 04.07.2022 • Publicado: 05.20.2022Original article / Blind peer review / Open access

Maintenance Management in Solar Energy Systems

The energy industry is employing new reliable and efficient renewable energy sources because of government and environment restrictions [...]

Development of methodical approaches to forecasting the consumption of petroleum products in the context of changes in taxation and increased environmental restrictions

The paper provides a short analysis of existing approaches to forecasting the demand for petroleum products. The main trends in the consumption of petroleum products in Russia and the world are analyzed. It is shown that in the conditions of severe environmental restrictions, which are increasingly affecting the economic development of industries and transport, the forecast of demand for petroleum products must be carried out taking into account the specifics of the fiscal and environmental policy of the state.

Cinematography Drone with Automated Ability for Self-flight and Maneuverability

Abstract: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles or UAVs are an amazing piece of machinery that have proven their usefulness in various industries like construction, military, logistics, filmmaking, etc. They’re either operated remotely by a human controller from the ground or have automated capabilities to control its own flight. But due to several technological and environmental restrictions there are many models that can guarantee complete autonomous behavior of the drone. For being truly autonomous, UAVs will need to get far better at sensing its surroundings and obstacles to decide its own path and react in time to avoid collisions. This project specifically aims at enhancing the drones used in the tourism sector for the betterment of traveling experience of people by automating the process of capturing their experience along with autonomous flight capabilities. ML enabled cinematography drones to tackle the gap in the market where good camera drones are unavailable at a lower price point with an added benefit of hands-free automated flight patterns to capture cinematic shots. We have tried to achieve this milestone by using sensors that can detect the surrounding obstacles in real-time and manipulate its flight path to capture cinematic shots of the target object. Through the project we’re also automating various shots like hover, 360 degree view, follow at focus, etc that the drone will include into its flight path on the go. Operating an unmanned flying machine is very challenging especially when you’re flying the drone out of your line of sight and detecting objects using just one FPV camera or monitoring several cameras at the same time is not humanly possible. Hence, through this project we’re not only allowing travellers to enjoy their journey but also take videos of places they can’t reach without having to worry about losing or crashing their drones. There can be further research on this flying model to inculcate it for various industries as the flying pattern and requirement changes in each sector. Keywords: UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), Drone, Cinematography, ML, FPV, Automated flight

Identification of the Critical Enablers for Perishable Food Supply Chain Using Deterministic Assessment Models

Today’s perishable food supply chains must be resilient to handle volatile demands, environmental restrictions, and disruptions in order to meet customers’ requirements. The enablers of the perishable food supply chain have not yet been explored. In this paper, a bibliometric systematic literature review has been conducted to identify the articles related to the perishable food supply chain. Next, with these identified articles, a map is created with bibliographic data using Vosviewer network visualization software, and then the enablers were identified by conducting keyword co-occurrence analysis. Later, a total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) is employed to analyze the interrelationships among enablers and then determine each enabler’s hierarchies, further representing them in a diagraph. Finally, the identified enablers are classified using cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) analysis, and the graph is plotted. The results obtained from the deterministic assessment model provide the critical enablers for the perishable food supply chain. The obtained critical enablers and their hierarchies provide valuable insights for researchers in the context of perishable food supply chain for further study.

Assessment of flow ramping in water bodies impacted by hydropower operation in Norway – Is hydropower with environmental restrictions more sustainable?

Hydropower production is a key electricity generation technology in many parts of the world which can play a significant role in the transition towards a green and clean energy system. Hydropower can mobilize flexible energy on demand (hydropeaking) to balance out intermittent electricity from wind and photovoltaics. Adoption of hydropower as a peaking power source could lead to increased frequency of flow ramping in rivers downstream hydropower tailraces, which is one of the main stressors for riverine biota in alpine rivers. Both planned and accidental shutdowns of hydropower turbines need ecological mitigation. Our survey revealed that >3000 km of rivers downstream ca 800 hydropower plants in Norway may be ecologically impacted by non-natural flow fluctuations, and few have appropriate mitigation thresholds. A considerable eco-friendly peaking service may come from the Norwegian hydropower portfolio of over 19 GW installed capacity, with outlets into fjords, reservoirs or other large water bodies which normally dampen the ecological impacts of flow ramping. Intensive flow ramping occurs with irregular intervals from most types of hydropower. Although the highest frequency of stops were revealed in hydropower turbines not impacting river flow from storage hydropower, a significant number of turbine flow stops lasting over half a day in most types and categories of diversion hydropower.We suggest that further emerging ecosystem-based mitigations need to be adapted in hydropower licenses. This includes operational thresholds for both up and down ramping, constructional measures like by-pass valves, retention basins and increased base-flow or flow cap to ensure sustainability for hydropower operations.Our data reveal some of the most intensive hydropeaking operations from hydropower impacting longer rivers. Hence, our data underpins the potential for restoring downstream modified flow by ecosystem based measures related to both up and down ramping events in many regulated rivers.