Power Projects Research Articles

Impacts of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile River’s downstream reservoirs

The Nile River Basin’s (NRB’s) water resources are vulnerable to hydrologic alteration projects. Construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a hydroelectric power project on the Blue Nile, is expected to improve living standards in Ethiopia and contribute to the country's sustainable development. However, the effects of the GERD on water resources of downstream countries (Sudan and Egypt) have been a source of concern. In this study, eight types of remote sensing data and products were used to assess the impacts of the GERD reservoir’s filling process on Ethiopia’s, Sudan’s, and Egypt’s surface water resources. Specifically, spatiotemporal variability in surface area, volume, rainfall, and water storage for five reservoirs located in Ethiopia (GERD), Sudan (Roseires and Merowe), and Egypt (Lake Nasser and Toshka) for the period 2013–2022 were examined. Results indicate that (1) the GERD reservoir’s three filling phases started in July 2020, July 2021, and August 2022, respectively, (2) at the onset of these three phases, the GERD reservoir covered an area (volume) of 110 ± 7 km2 (1.87 ± 0.07 km3), 233 ± 31 km2 (4.30 ± 0.48 km3), and 544 ± 126 km2 (11.79 ± 2.18 km3), respectively, (3) a reduction in the GERD reservoir’s area (24–49 %) observed at the end of the first two fillings is attributed to enhanced infiltration and evaporation rates at the GERD site, (4) no significant changes were observed in the Roseires and Merowe reservoir’s surface areas, although both Nasser and Toshka reservoirs saw a slight increase in surface area during the investigated period, (5) the observed increase in water storage over the five reservoirs is attributed mainly to increased rainfall rates (6–10 %) and heavy flooding during the GERD filling period, and (6) if the GERD filling continues at the similar rates for an additional four years during drought periods, Egypt's Nile water allocation might be reduced by 35.47 ± 2.29 % (16.57 ± 1.07 km3), which could translate into an agricultural land loss of 33.14 ± 1.81 % each year. This study emphasizes the critical need for Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt to work together to effectively and equitably manage the water resources of the NRB.

GEOSPATIAL TECHNIQUES FOR MAPPING AND ANALYSIS OF CLIMATIC VARIABLES IN GOMBE STATE, NORTH-EAST NIGERIA.

This study was carried out to apply satellite- based climatic data in geospatial environment to downscale climatic data into smaller political units and to generate and analyse thematic maps of climatic variables in Gombe State. Spatial climatic data on rainfall, minimum and maximum temperature were obtained from DivaGIS climatic data, while water vapour, solar radiation and wind speed were derived from the WorldClim climatic data. Monthly climatic records from 1981-2021 in twenty-four points evenly spread across Gombe State on rainfall, minimum/maximum temperature and relative humidity were obtained from NASA Power Project to generate the trends and seasonal patterns of temperature and rainfall. Daily climatic records of rainfall were also acquired from globalweather climatic data between 1979 and 2013 and processed to derive the values of rainfall indices using Nieuwolt formula. The monthly climatic records were processed using the kriging module of ArcGIS to transform the point climatic data to spatial data. The result revealed that rainfall in Gombe State occurs mainly between May and September with the peak in August, while the trends in rainfall was decreasing at the southern and northern parts of the state but increasing at the central region. Rainfall onset occurs in the 1st or 2nd week of May in the south, but late (1st week of June) in the north. Rainfall cessation at the central and northern parts of the state occurs in the 3rd or 4th weeks of September, while the southern part experiences late cessation between the 1st and 3rd week of October. The LRS ranges from 95-111 and 160-175 days in the northern and southern parts respectively. High relative humidity was recorded between May and October with the peak in August. Spatial patterns of solar radiation and wind speed were also generated and analyzed. Awareness of the use of satellite based climatic data and geospatial techniques for downscaling climatic data were recommended in order to ease the problems of lack or inadequate climatic data for spatial mapping. Causal factors for the spatial patterns of climatic variables in Gombe state was suggested for further studies.

Hydroelectricity power project and policy for Sub Saharan Africa

Hydroelectricity power project and policy for Sub Saharan Africa

Improving the Efficiency and Reliability of Renewable Energy Systems

The implications of relevant sustainable practices have reflected the scholastic features to improve the environmental resources. The study highlights the importance of conservation of environment and power system in search of proven solutions to improve the penetration level. The need for flexibility has signified the special characteristics that are conventional in increasing the integrity of renewable resources. The ideologies have global trends have integrated the cost of affectivity with the growing applications of power projects. The architecture of wind and solar energy has touched successful benchmarks with respect to the real world implications. The conceptual practices help in initializing the practices towards biomass as well as determining the impact of renewable energy on wind and solar power energy in a significant manner. In addition to that, the applications of solar or photovoltaic cell have been mentioned in the study which has greater significance. The ideas based on the emission of greenhouse gases have been evaluated in the study that shows the after effects as well. The use of passive solar energy and active solar energy has clearly discussed the concept of sustainability and the process of administering towards various climatic conditions. Lastly, the impact of renewable resources on social, environmental, technical and economic aspects has verified the relevant practice of sustainability.

Accidental paradiplomats? The curious case of Ontario school board budgets and Canadian soft power projection.

From the earliest studies of soft power in International Relations, the importance of educational exchanges has been well-established. Studies of international education in the context of Canadian soft power often draw on cases from the higher education sector. This article argues that greater attention should be paid to the K-12 level, especially as budgetary pressures in Ontario's education system are leading school boards to rapidly expand their international student recruitment efforts. Although this is not an example of intentional soft power projection, it nevertheless represents an important reminder that subnational actors may accidentally become paradiplomats whose actions have consequences on the international level. Further, this case reveals the importance of paying attention to actors typically overlooked by IR scholarship. Drawing on Joseph Nye's theory of soft power and in conversation with prior research on international education as a mechanism of soft power projection, this article traces the thread between budgetary pressures in Ontario school boards and the broader context of soft power projection.

How Realistic Are Coal Phase-Out Timeline Targets for Turkey?

Coal phase-out is considered to be critical to the success of energy transition for all countries. Yet, recent assessments indicate that energy security aspects may affect phase-out plans and/or commitments and jeopardize energy transition ambitions. This study aims to question to what extent coal phase-out targets for Türkiye are realistic. Although previous research has mainly focused on direct emission reduction targets and just transition aspects, we include a down-to-earth discussion of the potential challenges before coal phase-out. The interaction between phasing-out coal power generation and energy security aspects is also analyzed. To understand the coal phase-out timeline targets, its limitations, and constraints within the framework of future power projections, a supply–demand model with different scenarios was developed. In addition, energy storage was also discussed as an option. Analysis revealed that energy storage, in the short- and medium-term, may not be the panacea, as it may not be deployed in the scale to substitute the energy security that coal provided. Moreover, our findings indicate that phasing-out is not as simple as assumed. A target timeline is certainly not realistic considering the energy security aspect and challenges. On the other hand, economically nonviable and technically nonavailable coal-fired power plants in the power system may retire gradually (as a natural phase-out process). This may occur even without waiting for the target timeline, if there would ever officially be one.

Research and application of a Model selection forecasting system for wind speed and theoretical power generation in wind farms based on classification and wind conversion

This study focuses on ensuring the stable operation of the power grid by accurately forecasting the theoretical power generation capacity of wind turbine units, especially in scenarios integrating significant amounts of renewable energy into the grid. The forecasting process involves two key steps: initially forecasting wind speeds and then estimating theoretical power generation using wind turbine power conversion curves. This article proposes a wind speed forecasting system based on deep learning, integrating multiple hybrid models and employing deep learning algorithms to select the optimal wind speed hybrid forecasting model, optimized by the multi-objective mayfly optimization algorithm. Additionally, a wind energy conversion simulation system for wind turbines has been developed, precisely simulating the physical process of converting wind energy into electrical energy. This system, in conjunction with wind speed forecasting, estimates the theoretical power generation of wind farms. The results of this research hold significant practical implications for enhancing the operational efficiency of wind power, strengthening the grid's supply-demand balance, and increasing the economic and environmental value of wind power projects.

Exploring carbon taxes as catalysts for financing nuclear power projects in Turkey

Purpose- Climate change and the urgent need to transition to low-carbon energy systems have led nations worldwide to seek innovative financing mechanisms for sustainable energy sources. This article delves into the feasibility of leveraging carbon taxes as a potent financial instrument to promote nuclear power projects, with a particular focus on Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), in Turkey. Methodology- This study outlines a methodology for designing a tailored carbon tax framework, addresses challenges, and highlights the strategic importance of this approach. Concurrently, an empirical case study has been conducted to introduce a carbon tax in Turkey to show the fundamentals of calculating carbon tax in Turkey. Findings- By aligning carbon taxes with nuclear power initiatives, Turkey can reduce emissions, secure funding, enhance competitiveness, and contribute to global climate goals, paving the way for a sustainable energy future. Conclusion- Implementing carbon pricing mechanisms could improve Turkey's investments in SMR power plants and reinforce its stance towards a more environmentally sustainable energy future. Keywords: Green financing, nuclear power, sustainable investment, carbon taxes, financial JEL Codes: Q30, Q40, H20

Agentic misrecognition in world politics

The phenomenon of misrecognition has been analysed under various angles by philosophy, political theory, sociology and lately also by international relations (IR). In IR, (mis)recognition is mainly understood as either status denial (i.e. denial of legal state recognition), inflated honor pretentions (including positive self-images, mythical narratives of the past, Great Power projections and so on), or as a denial of vital conditions necessary for identity, individuality, and freedom. There has been much theoretical work on the problem of inclusion/exclusion or the insider/outsider problem in IR and various empirical studies have shown that misrecognition can contribute to international conflict, international inequalities, (neo)colonialism, masculine domination, and limit the overall rationality of decision-making. However, what has been generally overlooked is the question of agency, the ‘who’ that is seeking and/or entitled to be an object and subject of recognition and how such exclusions and related pathologies result from forms of misrecognition. This introduction to Agentic Misrecognition in World Politics engages with some of the problems related to the question of (mis)recognition and agency in IR, the patterns of excluded recognition, and the normative conditions that pertain to these processes of (mis)recognition. It closes with a summation of the research articles and forum contributions to this volume.

WHY DO MIDDLE POWERS PROJECT FORCES IN DISTANT REGIONS? THE CASE OF FRANCE IN THE INDO-PACIFIC

France has steadily increased its military presence in the Indo-Pacific region in recent years. However, a middle power projecting forces far away represents an anomaly for neorealism, which generally expects non-great power states to focus their limited resources on their regional neighbourhood. This article proposes a new neorealist framework to explain why middle powers sometimes intervene in distant regions and tests it on the French case. Such interventions are likely if four conditions are met. First, the middle power must live in a relatively safe neighbourhood. Second, the distant region of interest must be open to power projection. Third, this region must have a potential hegemon that threatens to overturn the local balance of power. Fourth, economic benefits must offset the middle power’s cost of projecting forces there. This study helps explain French policy in the Indo-Pacific, fills a gap in neorealist theorising, and contributes to the literature on middle-power behaviour.

A constellation design for orbiting solar reflectors to enhance terrestrial solar energy

Orbiting solar reflectors (OSRs) are flat, thin and lightweight reflective structures that are proposed to enhance terrestrial solar energy generation by illuminating large terrestrial solar power plants locally around dawn/dusk and during night hours. The incorporation of OSRs into terrestrial energy systems may offset the daylight-only limitation of terrestrial solar energy. However, the quantity of solar energy delivered to the Earth’s surface remains low due to short duration of orbital passes and the low density of the reflected solar power due to large slant ranges. To compensate for these, this paper proposes a constellation of multiple reflectors in low-Earth orbit for scalable enhancement of the quantity of energy delivered. Circular near-polar orbits of 1000 km altitude in the terminator region are considered in a Walker-type constellation for a preliminary analysis. Starting from a simplified approach, the equations of Walker constellations describing the distribution of the reflectors are first modified by introducing a phasing parameter to ensure repeating pass-geometry over solar power farms. This approach allows for a single groundtrack optimisation to define the constellation, which was carried out by a genetic algorithm for single and two reflectors per orbit with an objective function defined as the total quantity of energy delivered per day, to existing and hypothetical solar power projects around the Earth. When full-scale constellations are considered with a number of reflectors, the quantity of solar energy delivered is substantial in the broader context of global terrestrial solar energy generation.

Research on Wind Turbine Location and Wind Energy Resource Evaluation Methodology in Port Scenarios

Wind energy is widely distributed in China as a renewable energy source. Aiming to alleviate the issues resulting from fossil fuel consumption faced by developing and developed countries (e.g., climate change) and to meet development needs, this study innovatively proposed methods for the location selection of wind farms and wind turbines in port areas based on the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method. Considering that the wind turbine location is crucial to wind power generation, this paper focuses on locating wind turbines within a specific set of sea ports. The primary objectives of this paper are to evaluate the potential of wind power generation under different port scenarios and develop a method for assessing the potential of wind energy resources in wind farm areas. Firstly, a method is proposed for identifying the boundaries of wind farms in the port areas and locating wind turbines at sea ports. Furthermore, this study used the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wind speed database to test the proposed method with the real-world wind power projects of the Ports of Tianjin, Shanghai, Xiamen, Shenzhen, and Hainan, which are top ports within five major coastal port clusters in China. It is found that the potential power generation capacity of the wind power farms at the above ports is 30.71 GWh, 19.82 GWh, 16.72 GWh, 29.45 GWh, and 24.42 GWh, respectively. Additionally, sensitive results for different types of wind turbines are conducted in the following experiment. The results of this study are fundamental for enriching the research of evaluating wind energy resources of sea ports and promoting the development and use of clean energy in practical environments. Further, the method proposed in this study is essential for optimizing the location and construction of wind turbines, which may help ports in adopting a low-carbon and green development path, thereby mitigating air pollution, and promoting sustainable development.

Assessing the collaborative quality value in nuclear power intelligent construction: A value chain analysis method based on double-layer GERT network

Due to the large number of participants and the multi-dimensional heterogeneity of economic activities, the value creation links are hidden and the value relationship is difficult to identify. Only paying attention to the effect and cost input of a single enterprise’s quality business cannot maximize the value of collaborative quality control, and cannot meet the requirements of nuclear power intelligent construction. Therefore, we propose to use collaborative quality value to characterize the value creation process and coordinate the interest relationship and value distribution among participants. On this basis, a collaborative quality value chain analysis method based on the double-layer GERT network is studied to quantitatively calculate the collaborative quality value. Specifically, the collaborative quality assurance mode is constructed and the interaction behavior among participants is analyzed. The value transfer and enhancement across participants is represented by the double-layer GERT network model, and the global and local values of the value chain are quantitatively measured based on the equivalent transfer function. Then, the key quality assurance business and activities that restrict the whole chain value-added are explored, and the collaborative quality value-added strategies are proposed. Finally, the effectiveness of this method is verified by a case study involving the fabrication of reactor pressure vessel (RPV) support inside a nuclear power project. This study provides a new method for realizing the value evaluation of collaborative quality control and maximizing the collaborative quality value of the whole value chain.

Particle swarm optimization method applied in total life cycle materials allocation of electricity engineering projects in the green and low-carbon supply chain

Abstract Power grid enterprises face the problem of unbalanced supply and demand of power materials and unequal distribution; intelligent allocation of power materials can optimize the distribution and use of power resources through advanced technology and algorithms to ensure the efficient use of energy and stable supply. In this paper, the whole life cycle cost model of power supply chain is constructed and solved by improved particle swarm optimization (PSO). This algorithm combines the advantages of standard PSO and genetic algorithm (GA), avoids their disadvantages effectively, and realizes the effect of complementary advantages. This paper proposes using the sum of the costs associated with warehousing, transportation, and service penalties in the supply chain of electrical power projects as the objective function, thereby achieving the goal of optimal supply chain costs. In this study, the improved PSO algorithm is used to optimize the objective function, and the optimization results are compared with those of standard PSO algorithm and GA, revealing that its convergence is superior to the other two algorithms. Considering the influence of different factors on the cost, the superiority of the improved PSO algorithm is further verified.

Model studies for desilting basin for Teesta-VI H.E. project, Sikkim – a case study

Desilting basins play an important role in run-of-river hydro power projects on Himalayan Rivers. These rivers carry huge amount of sediment with them, due to steep slopes and fragile geology of the region. The suspended sediment enters through the power intake and ultimately the power house. This causes heavy damage to the turbines and other under water parts. Therefore, desilting basins are provided to eliminate suspended sediment from the water conductor system. The design of desilting basin is verified on a physical model for 90% removal of suspended sediment coarser than 0.2 or 0.3 mm and efficacy of flushing tunnel below in transporting the settled sediment. Central Water and Power Research Station, Pune has conducted physical model studies for desilting basin for various hydro power projects in India and neighbouring countries. One such study, Hydraulic model studies for desilting basin for 500 MW Teesta-VI Hydro Electric Project, Sikkim is presented in this paper. Various design parameters such as length of desilting basin, length and bed slope of inlet transition, outlet transition, size of silt flushing tunnel, size and spacing of openings connecting main basin with silt flushing tunnel etc. were tested during the model studies. The results in terms of settling efficiency for 0.3 mm size particles were obtained.

Study on the design calculation method and construction control method of suction drum foundation for guided frame platform

Currently, a standardized design and calculation specification for suction drum foundations has yet to exist in China. The engineering design currently depends mainly on the subjective understanding and engineering experience of the designers, which can be considered somewhat blind and subjective. In this paper, we utilize the offshore wind power project in Yangjiang City, Guangdong Province, as our case study. Building upon domestic and international research results, relevant investigations, design specifications, and engineering applications in related fields, we conduct a systematic study on the design calculation and construction control technology of the suction drum foundation. The document presents the design calculation and inspection of the suction drum foundation. Building on this foundation, we propose a sinking feasibility analysis method and a parameter value method for the suction drum foundation calculation. We also examine the suction drum foundation construction process, examining its control parameters, technology, and standards. Finally, based on the measured data from six four-barrel guided frame platform suction drum foundations that were successfully installed, the proposed design and control method are evaluated, and their effectiveness is verified. The results of this study can provide valuable references for the design and construction of similar suction drum foundation platforms.

Installation Technique and Numerical Simulation of Stress on High-Pile Footings During the Translation of Offshore Booster Stations

The foundation of the offshore substation mainly adopts the structure of a conductor support frame, and the installation of the upper blocks of the offshore substation mainly employs a lifting vessel for hoisting. The “Zhegen Sha 300 MW Offshore Wind Power Project” adopts a high-pile cap foundation for the offshore substation, making use of a translational installation method for the upper blocks. The innovative foundation design and installation scheme together form the basis of this project, which is explored in detail in this paper. Numerical simulations examining the bearing performance of the high-pile cap foundation during the translational process of the upper blocks are also performed, allowing finer insights into the design and construction of offshore wind power projects.

Fault Analysis of Microgrid With Grid-Connected and Islanded mode Using IoT-Wavelet Approach

Now a days microgrid is one of the most widely used method in power network to reduce system losses as well as improve the reliability in the field of electrical systems. Integration of power projects typically involves adding new distributed energy sources with and without compensating devices to an existing power system network. It is essential to design new protection scheme due to changes in the topology and dynamic behavior of the system. Now fast fault detection algorithmic approaches are necessary to integrate different types of generating sources and loads under smart environment. The protection scheme must provide physical monitoring as well as parametrical with the help of new technologies. Internet-of-things(IoT) is one of the source to monitor electrical systems under various environmental conditions of the system. Wavelet (WT) basically investigates the fault transient signals of different frequency and divides the waveform into different approximate and detailed coefficient values, which provides the important knowledge about the classification and location of fault. The detection of faulty-line and the location of fault by implementation wavelet detailed coefficients of Bior1.5 mother wavelet. This proposed method provides fault analysis of IoT based protection of microgrid with Grid-connected and Islanded Mode Using Wavelet Approach under various types of faults.

Chinese embedded globalization: social-economic formations in dispute in world reordering

ABSTRACT This contribution focuses on a reconceptualization of the term globalization, drawing on world system theories and the dialectical concept of countermovement. The focus is the Social-Economic Formation (SEF) concept elaborated by the Marxist tradition to understand and analyse the contemporary ascendance of China and its power projection. Based on dialectic methodology, we argue that globalization is a contradictory process of interconnectivity between SEFs in different historical eras with substantive changes in the space–time relationship. Thus, the embryonic Embedded Chinese Globalization is emerging as a historical negation of Neoliberal globalization (NG)

Why the quad is not squaring off in the South China Sea: evaluating interests, objectives and capacity

ABSTRACT The Quad has formulated repeated statements confirming their shared interests and common commitment to maritime issues and highlighting the South China Sea as an area of strategic priority. However, beyond diplomatic declarations, the Quad has taken few actions in the maritime domain and none to influence the dynamics of the South China Sea disputes. Why words have not been translated into action is the central question of this article. Comparative analysis involving three variables – interests, stakes and power projection capacity – shows that the members’ primary divergence is related to India’s deemphasising the preservation of the status quo rules-based maritime order. India is also the member preventing the Quad from moving into coordinated activities, as can be seen by the regularly coordinated diplomatic stances and naval actions conducted trilaterally among the others in the South China Sea. This will sustain the Quad as a secondary actor in the South China Sea disputes. Furthermore, it suggests that whereas Australia and Japan are responding to the evolving geopolitical structure by finding common cause with the United States-led order, India is behaving as a rising power seeking to manage the challenge posed by China while growing into its own great power status.