Price Of Fossil Fuels Research Articles

Multi-Criteria Decision Methods for Selecting a Wind Farm Site Using a Geographic Information System (GIS)

Wind energy is an economically, technically, and environmentally attractive option due to its cheapness and availability in different regions. The most important obstacle to developing renewable resources in Iran is subsidies for fossil fuels. The Iranian government has recently decided to reduce subsidies for electricity and fossil fuels, which has led to an increase in the prices of fossil fuels and electricity and makes renewable technologies more attractive to use. This study uses a multi-criteria decision method to identify wind energy potential in Khuzestan province. A GIS is used to determine the wind energy potential in this province. The technical, environmental, and economic criteria, which are a total of 14 layers of information, were examined by considering different values for each and from a Boolean point of view. The results show that, from the economic point of view, Shadegan city has the most potential and, from the technical point of view, Khorramshahr city has the highest amount of electricity production through wind energy. Furthermore, Dasht-e Azadegan city, due to its population, can supply the maximum amount of electricity it needs through wind energy. Among the three 550, 2500, and 8000 kW turbines, the 550 kW turbine has the most potential in the region.

Study and Comparison of Carnot Engine with Hydrogen Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Fuel Engines.

Today we are facing a crisis of fossil fuels and gasoline prices are at an all-time high due to various reasons. The rapid depletion and soaring prices of fossil fuels have forced us to discover new renewable resources to be used as fuels. With being renewable our energy systems should be sustainable, safe, and cost-effective. We can look forward to Hydrogen as one of the significant energy resources. The thermal efficiency of the Carnot engine is maximum. A comparison is made of Carnot efficiency and the efficiencies of other neat fuel and hydrogen-enriched fuel in engines as well as the fuel cells. For the same, we have studied hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen use as primary fuel, and hydrogen used as secondary fuel in gasoline, diesel, and CNG engine. The outcome of this research was found to be a significant rise in the thermal efficiency of these engines in comparison with neat lean fuel mixtures.

A Small Modular House as a Response to the Energy Crisis

Energy security is becoming one of the most important issues today. Continuous increases in the prices of fossil fuels, firewood and wood pellets have become commonplace in many countries. One positive effect of this situation is the greater focus on the development of renewable energy technologies and the search for solutions to reduce the heat demands of residential buildings. The purpose of this paper is to present a small modular building that can be a response to the energy crisis and Ukraine’s wave of refugees in Poland. The results of the energy simulations performed in DesignBuilder software showed that this type of house has a primary energy demand of 139.35 kWh/m2. The calculations were performed for the climatic conditions of north-eastern Poland, assuming natural gas as the fuel. The use of a geothermal heat pump reduced this value to 90.14 kWh/m2. In order to achieve a zero primary energy balance, 23.76 m2 of PV panels and 4 m2 of solar thermal collectors should be installed. In addition, the influence of the overhangs and the glazing area on the heat gain from the solar radiation was analyzed. A drop in temperature inside the house in the event of a continuous power failure was also investigated.

Environmental impact of the biogas production from dairy cows

Nowadays, biogas is widely used as a renewable energy source due to the increasing price of fossil fuels and is commonly produced from the agriculture industry. However, it mainly consists of carbon dioxide and methane, which both have impact on climate change and global warming. The objective of this study is to explore the environmental impact of biogas production from the manure of dairy cows. Normally, the potential of biogas production depends on the manure characteristics of the cows. As a result, the manure characteristics of the cows are therefore dependent on their diet. Theoretically, the dietary influences on the component ratio of the biogas. In this study, three different cow diets are used. Three samples of biogas are examined for each diet for more accuracy. The results show that the different diets of the cows have an effect on the biogas production, CO2 and CH4 contents, and the total greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, the total greenhouse gas emissions of the biogas used are reduced as compared to the equivalent use of natural gas by 43.6%, 43.8%, and 44.2% for the diet types of T1, T2, and T3, respectively.

Esterified Papaya Oil and Flamboyant Oil as a Fuel on Single Cylinder Diesel Engine

The future demand, increase in the price and environmental issues of fossil fuels necessitated the search of renewable alternate called biodiesel which reduces the dependence of fossil fuel import from other countries. The present research investigation outlines a detailed vision on the performance parameters and the exhaust characteristics of the methyl esters of papaya oil (POME) and flamboyant oil (FOME) and its blends on water cooled diesel engine comprising single cylinder running at 1500 rpm. The collected seeds are processed and found to contain oil percentage of 37% and 35% and they are esterified in a reactor to enhance its properties. From the result it is concluded that at maximum load, the blend B25 of papaya biodiesel accounted in better brake thermal efficiency than that of diesel with relatively less exhaust emission, such that the specific fuel consumption, brake thermal efficiency, exhaust gas temperature, smoke density, carbon monoxide emission, hydrocarbon emission and nitrous oxide emission are 0.27 kg/kW-hr, 31.46 %, 318°C, 49.02 Hsu, 0.095 %, 55 ppm and 988 ppm respectively.

Impact of a Carbon Tax on Energy Transition in a Deregulated Market: A Game-Based Experimental Approach

Energy companies in a competitive market face a dilemma between the short-term revenue benefits of using fossil fuels and the long-term market benefits of investing in renewables. This dilemma is caused by uncertainties in price competition, return on investment in renewables, and the price of fossil fuels. This study experimentally investigated whether a carbon tax contributes to overcoming this conflict using an online multi-player game. The participants played the role of energy companies that produce energy from either fossil fuels or renewables. The game was played seven times each, with and without taxation on fossil fuels. In the with-tax condition, the rate and timing of taxation were informed at the beginning of the game, and the tax was imposed late in the game. The gameplay results showed that the investment in renewables was increased by the actual taxation but not by the information of taxation in advance. The answers to in- and post-game questionnaires indicated that information on taxation did not reduce player anxiety about future uncertainties. These results suggest the importance of considering the effects of policies on the perceptions and future behaviors of market players.

Generation of Hybrid Energy System (Solar-Wind) Supported with Battery Energy Storage

Abstract: The utilization of renewable energy is significantly important for the world because global energy consumption is increasing, while conventional energy sources are no longer sufficient to meet the energy demand, triggering energy crises. In recent years, the increasing prices of fossil fuels and concerns about the environmental consequences of greenhouse gas emissions have renewed the interest in the development of alternative energy resources. Renewable energy is now considered a more desirable source of fuel than nuclear power due to the absence of risk and disasters [1]. Considering that the major component of greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide, there is a global concern about reducing carbon emissions. In this regard, different policies could be applied to reducing carbon emissions, such as enhancing renewable energy deployment and encouraging technological innovations. There are various of renewable energy sources such as Solar, biomass, wind, hydrogen, fuel cell, nanocomposite, and supercapacitor. Each of the energy sources are suitable for specific geographical locations and can suits from region to region. However, variation in solar radiation and wind speed caused by climate and weather conditions restricts the stable operation of renewable energy systems, therefore, causing the output to fluctuate. A hybrid renewable energy generation system can be highly efficient by combining multiple renewable energy sources and is regarded as a promising solution to overcome from this issue. Hybrid solar systems are the systems combining two renewable sources of energy, like solar and wind. Then, energy is generated through solar on sunny days and when there is limited sunshine but there is wind, energy can be generated through it. The study aims to focus on generation of hybrid solar-wind power plant with the optimal contribution of renewable energy resources supported by battery energy storage technology. The motivating factor behind the hybrid solar–wind power system design is the fact that both solar and wind power exhibit complementary power profiles. Advantageous combination of solar and wind with optimal ratio will lead to clear benefits for hybrid solar-wind power plants such as smoothing of intermittent power, higher reliability, and availability. However, the potential challenges for its integration into power grids cannot be neglected. A potential solution is to utilise one of the energy storage technologies, though all of them are still very expensive for such applications, especially at large scale. Therefore, optimal capacity calculations for energy storage system are also vital to realise full benefits. Currently, battery energy storage technology is considered as one of the most promising choices for renewable power applications. However, solar-wind power technology are most suitable for off-grid services, serving the remote are without having to build or extend expensive and complicated grid infrastructure. Therefor standalone system using renewable energy sources have become a preferred option. Hence hybrid energy systems are an ideal solution since they can offer substantial improvements in performance and cost reduction and can be tailored to varying end user requirements

Coupled system model analysis for a small modular reactor cogeneration (combined heat and power) application

The goal of this research is to develop a flexible, simple, and accurate coupled system model for nuclear combined heat and power cycle (CHP) to investigate various heat-source applications of a small modular reactor (SMR) based on off-design component models. A CHP heat exchanger system model was developed and coupled with the SMR secondary system model for a typical SMR-CHP analysis. The coupled system can be used as (1) a supporting tool for preliminary design by making it possible to calculate the required overall heat transfer capabilities of each CHP heat exchanger, and (2) a supporting tool for optimizing a nuclear CHP application with different heat extraction locations. Analysis of the proposed SMR application with respect to economic feasibility indicated that when market fossil-fuel prices are low (e.g., 2020), a typical nuclear CHP application may not be economically feasible without stronger carbon pricing. However, when the market fossil-fuel prices are high (e.g., 2022), a nuclear CHP application could be economically feasible without taking carbon pricing into consideration. For a future work, more comprehensive techno-economic analysis can be performed for specific regions, since factors such as carbon pricing, electrical prices, and required CHP heat may differ by country or a region within a country.

Multipurpose technology for simultaneous preparation of primary and secondary tillage of the soil (second phase: construction and evaluation of the prototype)

In Mexico, the continuous increase in the prices of fossil fuels and agricultural fertilizers has led to a reduction in the area planted with crops, specifically basic grains. This situation has caused substantial ecological and economic losses and a national deficit in the production of basic grains, which has aggravated the economic and social situation of agricultural producers. Faced with these production growth limitations, it is important to generate new practices and innovations that contribute to reducing these factors. In soil preparation, which is considered one of the most costly activities in food production, there is an enormous technological lag. At present, the discs plow is still by far the most widely used implement for primary soil preparation in food production, causing high rates of soil loss due to erosion, hard layers, minimal use of moisture and, consequently, low productivity. Likewise, it requires high power requirements, excessive operation times and high fuel consumption. The purpose of this research was the construction and evaluation of a prototype for simultaneous preparation of primary and secondary tillage of the soil for crop establishment to reduce operation times and fuel consumption, without detriment to the quality of work and increase yields. The results show a mechanical equipment integrated by three sections (chisel plow + harrow + lump breaker), which are combined for the simultaneous preparation of primary and secondary tillage of the soil. This technology is responsible for performing in a single step, the soil conditioning for crop production, significantly surpassing the conventional system.

Design of single switch-boosted voltage current suppressor converter for uninterrupted power supply using green resources integration

Introduction. Uninterrupted power supply is the major requirement in the areas since it involves human lives. In the current scenario the demand and price of fossil fuels is increasing rapidly and availability also is not sufficient to the needs, an alternative identification to power generation is solar and wind energies. The purpose of designing an aimed, single switch boosted voltage and current suppressor (SS-BVCS) converter topology that interfaces both the wind and solar hybrid model. The method involves in the proposed chopper converter is derived by simply merging a switch and a pair of diodes and CLC filter which is used in realization of zero voltage switching for the main switch and a reversing diode to extract high voltage gain. The designed SS-BVCS converter topology can able to have a tight self-control on two power-processing paths. The novelty of the SS-BVCS converter module is designed to ensure maximum throughput, feeding to the load with high quality uninterrupted output, by boosting the DC voltage to a required amount and thereby supressing the current. Practical value obtained by the developed model utilizes both the sources for supply to the load individually or combined based on the extraction availability of the feeder. Also, the proposed SS-BVCS module delivers with efficient lesser component count and gaining maximum power from the harvest of green energy.

Prognostic Methods for Photovoltaic Systems’ Underperformance and Degradation: Status, Perspectives, and Challenges

The ongoing energy crisis and the rising prices of fossil fuels have accelerated the need for a renewable energy transition [...]

Intentions to Use Prosumer Photovoltaic Technology in Poland

The energy transition that Poland is facing directs investment and research efforts towards renewable energy sources (RES). This topic has gained importance due to environmental and climate reasons and, recently, the ongoing military conflict between Russia and Ukraine. All these issues affect the availability and prices of fossil fuels, on which electricity production in Poland currently depends. Therefore, to change the current state of affairs, it is necessary to turn to other sources of energy, including RES. Particularly high hopes are placed on prosumer photovoltaic (PV) technology. Therefore, it becomes important to study the factors of acceptance of this technology among the Polish society. The aim of this paper is to answer two research questions: (1) what factors shape intentions to invest in prosumer PV technology and (2) what factors shape attitudes towards this technology. The research was conducted using a questionnaire on a sample of 430 people. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. The results indicate that intentions are mainly shaped by attitudes towards PV technology and, to a small extent, by the media promotion of this technology. On the other hand, the factors shaping attitudes towards prosumer PV technology are environmental, economic, and those related to the perceived ease of use of PV technology. Social factors, in the light of the research conducted, do not influence attitudes towards the technology under study.

Assessing the Impact of Fossil Fuel Prices on Renewable Energy in China Using the Novel Dynamic ARDL Simulations Approach

The past few decades have been marked by a gradual but steady increase in the reliance on renewable energy. In this study, we examined whether the prices of fossil fuels, namely, oil, coal, and natural gas, have affected renewable energy consumption in China during the period 1980–2018. To this end, we employed the novel dynamic Autoregressive Distributed Lag simulations approach. In the light of the empirical investigation, some intriguing conclusions have been drawn. We found strong evidence of the cointegrating relationship between the prices of all fossil fuels and renewable energy consumption. Furthermore, rising oil, coal, and natural gas prices resulted in increased renewable energy consumption in the long run, confirming that renewable energy sources can substitute fossil fuel energy only in the long run. Nevertheless, there is no evidence of significant effects in the short run. When considering the presence of structural breaks, the findings confirm the robustness of the dynamic ARDL simulations, as we conclude that fossil fuel prices positively affect renewable energy consumption only in the long run.

Ground-Mounted Photovoltaic and Crop Cultivation: A Comparative Analysis

Human civilization depends on energy sources, mainly fossil fuels. An increase in the prices of fossil fuels and their exhaustibility limit economic growth. Carbon dioxide emission causes global environmental problems. Global crises (including COVID-19) have sharpened food and energy supply problems. The decentralized energy supply systems as well as the expedition of the application of renewable energy may solve these challenges. The economic shift to renewable power generation intensifies the competition between food crop production and green energy for land. This paper applied an open-source spatial-based model to quantify the solar power generation (the ground-mounted photovoltaic panels) for the southern regions of Poland (the Opole region) and Ukraine (the Mykolaiv region). The model used technical, economic, and legal constraints. This study compared economic indicators of the solar power generation and the crop production projects for rain-fed land. The net present value (NPV) and the profitability index (PI) were used for the economic evaluation. Additionally, the coefficients of variation were determined to assess investment risks. The use of r.green.solar model to find the spatial distribution of the reduction of carbon dioxide emission was the novelty of this study. The analysis revealed that the PV projects have higher NPV, but lower PI compared to the crop production. The PV projects have lower coefficients of variation. This fact testifies that these projects are less risky.

Assessing the viability of decarbonising India's nitrogenous fertiliser consumption

The fertiliser sector in India is essential to its economy and for its food security. Despite being the second largest global producer of fertilisers, substantial imports of raw materials and fertilisers are required to bridge the demand gap for N–P–K fertilisers in India. Islanded green ammonia production in India shows significant potential to provide a carbon-free source of nitrogen for fertiliser production that will reduce India's imports of both nitrogenous fertilisers and the raw materials required for its production. Green ammonia production also carries many socioeconomic benefits compared to conventional production, such as enhanced job creation, reduced feedstock importation and air pollution. Using an existing islanded green ammonia production model, and applying it across India at a 1.0° (110.6 km) resolution using ERA5 (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis 5th Generation) solar irradiance, windspeed and temperature data as an input. A heatmap of the achievable levelized cost of ammonia (LCOA) is then created, identifying areas which show strong potential for green ammonia production. Three scenarios for the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) reduction are considered and a more detailed analysis is performed on five locations of particular economic and social interest. These results are then used as the present value of ammonia to benchmark the cost of islanded production of ‘green urea’ against conventional means. The major price distortions in the Indian coal and gas markets are identified and stripped out to compare the relative costs of urea production. By 2030, urea produced from green ammonia can be cost-competitive with urea produced from natural gas and even coal with a modest price of carbon and when fossil-fuel price distortions are stripped out.

Exploration of Various Microbial Systems for the Biofuel Production

Fuels on a broad scale are divided into two categories based on their renewability, i.e., renewable and non-renewable. The increasing scarcity, prices of fossil fuels, and the constantly increasing level of CO2 in the environment have led to an immediate need to investigate alternative fuels. Microorganisms are extensively being used for the generation of biofuels. The qualities of E. coli to be accessible to culture and maintenance have made it stand out among the microbes. Their ability to metabolize pentoses further draws it near to being used for biofuel production. Fermentative bacteria, particularly the class clostridia (obligate anaerobe), have been successful hydrogen producers. Dark fermentation employed by clostridia has dual advantages, i.e., production of biohydrogen and waste reduction since clostridia can utilize a broad range of substrates, including organic wastes. Moreover, the application of metabolic engineering can provide additional processes to clostridia required for the efficient production of biobutanol. The review further explores the two yeast systems, conventional and non-conventional systems. Synthetic biology tools have explored the traditional system, which comprises Saccharomyces cerevisiae for commercial purposes. The non-conventional yeast system has several advantages over the conventional ones, like ethanol tolerance, thermotolerance, inhibitor tolerance, and genetic diversity. However, the application of synthetic biology tools is still being explored in microbes like E. coli, Clostridia species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Yarrowia lipolytica. The review also incorporates excellent commercial strain features like economical fuel tolerance, inhibitor tolerance, and thermotolerance control on redox balance and yield increases. The main focus is to bridge the gap between lab-scale production and commercialization.

Optimal sizing of smart hybrid renewable energy system using different optimization algorithms

Hybrid renewable energy (HRE) sources have become a popular alternative in isolated and rural locations; because of the increased prices of fossil fuels and their CO2 emissions. This paper investigates the application of recent optimization methods to dedicate the optimal configuration of HRE sources. These HRE sources comprise photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines (WT) with a battery storage system (BSS), and backup diesel generators (DGs). The cost function for the optimization problem has been chosen to be the cost of energy (COE) and the loss of power supply probability of the HRE system. The main function of the optimization algorithms is to minimize this cost function. However, the optimal configuration cannot be accomplished without fulfilling the system reliability and operational constraints. Salp swarm algorithms (SSA), the grey wolf optimizer (GWO), and the improved grey wolf optimizer (IGWO) were employed as optimization techniques. To assess the efficacy of these optimization techniques, they were applied using MATLAB simulation. A comparison of their outcomes was conducted in order to determine which technique was the most effective. Furthermore, a statistical study was carried out to determine the performance stability of each optimization strategy. The results revealed the optimal variables, including the number of PVs, WTs, battery banks (BBs) and the capacity of DGs. Over the course of a year, the optimized configuration was put to the test against a study of its capital and fuel expenses. IGWO showed the best performance among the three techniques, while the statistical results prove the robustness of the SSA algorithm.

Characterization of Load Centers for Electric Vehicles Based on Simulation of Urban Vehicular Traffic Using Geo-Referenced Environments

The current desire for people to reduce the environmental impact of their current lifestyle, as well as the variation in the prices of fossil fuels, has materialized in a rising trend for electric vehicles (EV). These vehicles are increasingly making inroads in the automotive market and positively contributing to reducing environmental pollution by greenhouse gas emissions; therefore, they improve energy efficiency. For the success of this innovation, it is necessary to correctly identify the effective places where the charging centers for electric vehicles (CCEV) will be placed, which will contribute significantly to its development, allowing us to guarantee the autonomy of electric vehicles with a charging supply. Thus, the present work proposes a vehicle traffic simulation process using the “SUMO” simulator interface. The study’s objective is to locate sites for electric vehicle charging centers or stations, taking as the primary variable the vehicular traffic that has a strong relationship with this type of research. Consequently, the study evaluates the existing resources in geo-referenced scenarios and has analyzed the vehicular flow considering the distances of the routes. As follows, the simulation becomes a tool to recommend the location and quantity of CCEV, guaranteeing users a nearby place where they can charge their vehicle and thus achieve adequate autonomy.

Performance analysis of a solar dryer integrated with thermal energy storage using PCM-Al2O3 nanofluids.

Solar energy will assist in lowering the price of fossil fuels. The current research is based on a study of a solar dryer with thermal storage that uses water and waste engine oil as the working medium at flow rates of 0.035, 0.045, and 0.065l/s. A parabolic trough collector was used to collect heat, which was then stored in a thermal energy storage device. The system consisted of rectangular boxes containing stearic acid phase change materials with 0.3vol % Al2O3 nanofluids, which stored heat for the waste engine oil medium is 0.33 times that of the water medium at a rate of flow of 0.035l/s which was also higher than the flow rates of 0.045 and 0.065l/s. The parabolic trough reflected solar radiation to the receiver, and the heat was collected in the storage medium before being forced into circulation and transferred to the solar dryer. At a flow rate of 0.035l/s, the energy output of the solar dryer's waste engine oil medium and water was determined to be roughly 12.4, 14, and 15.1, and 9.8, 10.5, and 11.5 times lower than the crops output of groundnut, ginger, and turmeric, respectively. The energy output in the storage tank and the drying of groundnut, ginger, and turmeric crops with water and waste engine oil medium at varied flow rates of 0.035, 0.045, and 0.065l/s were studied. Finally, depending on the findings of the tests, this research could be useful in agriculture, notably in the drying of vegetables.

Integration of Solar Process Heat in Industries: A Review

Industrial manufacturing approaches are associated with processing materials that consume a significant amount of thermal energy, termed as industrial process heat. Industrial sectors consume a substantial amount of energy for process heating over a wide range of temperatures (up to 400 °C) from agriculture, HVAC to power plants. However, the intensive industrial application of fossil fuels causes unfavorable environmental effects that cannot be ignored. To address this issue, green energy sources have manifested their potential as economical and pollution-free energy sources. Nevertheless, the adoption of solar industrial process heating systems is still limited due to a lack of knowledge in the design/installation aspects, reluctance to experience the technical/infrastructural changes, low price of fossil fuels, and lack of relative incentives. For successful solar process heat integration in industries, a proper understanding of the associated design factors is essential. This paper comprehensively reviews the integration strategies of solar industrial process heating systems, appraisal of the integration points, different aspects of solar collectors, installed thermal power, and thermal storage volume covering case studies, reports and reviews. The integration aspects of solar process heat, findings, and obstacles of several projects from the literature are also highlighted. Finally, the integration locations of SHIP systems are compared for different industrial sectors to find out the most used integration point for a certain sector and operation. It was found that for the food, beverage, and agriculture sector, 51% of solar process heat integration occurs at the supply level and 27.3% at the process-level.