Energy Regulation Research Articles

INTERNATIONAL LEGAL REGULATION OF ALTERNATIVE ENERGY WITHIN THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION

The article deals with the issues of international legal regulation of alternative energy within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Union. Based on the analysis of program and strategic documents of this integration association, a trend towards the development of alternative energy within the framework of the EAEU was revealed. It is concluded that the evolution of the paradigm towards the diversification of the energy balance and the development of international legal regulation of alternative energy will contribute to increasing the political, economic, energy stability of the EAEU and its member states.

Nobiletin Ameliorates Aging of Chicken Ovarian Prehierarchical Follicles by Suppressing Oxidative Stress and Promoting Autophagy.

With the increase in the age of laying chickens, the aging of follicles is accelerated, and the reproductive ability is decreased. Increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial malfunction are indispensable causes of ovarian aging. In this study, the physiological condition of prehierarchical small white follicles (SWFs) was compared between D280 high-producing chickens and D580 aging chickens, and the effect of a plant-derived flavonoid nobiletin (Nob), a natural antioxidant, on senescence of SWFs granulosa cells (SWF-GCs) was investigated. The results showed that Nob treatment activated cell autophagy by activating the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) pathways in D-galactose (D-gal)-generated senescent SWF-GCs, restoring the expression of proliferation-related mRNAs and proteins. In addition, the expression of inflammation-related protein NF-κB was significantly enhanced in aging GCs that were induced by D-gal. Nob supplementation significantly increased the antioxidant capacity and decreased the expression of several genes associated with cell apoptosis. Furthermore, Nob promoted activation of PINK1 and Parkin pathways for mitophagy and alleviated mitochondrial edema. Either the AMPK inhibitor dorsomorphin (Compound C) or SIRT1 inhibitor selisistat (EX-527) attenuated the effect of Nob on mitophagy. The protective effect of Nob on natural aging, GC proliferation, and elimination of the beneficial impact on energy regulation of naturally aging ovaries was diminished by inhibition of Nob-mediated autophagy. These data suggest that Nob treatment increases the expression of mitophagy-related proteins (PINK1 and Parkin) via the AMPK/SIRT1 pathways to prevent ovarian aging in the laying chickens.

Forecasting Methane Data Using Multivariate Long Short-Term Memory Neural Networks

Over the past few decades, Alberta has witnessed a remarkable expansion in its oil and gas sector. Unfortunately, this growth has come at a cost, as Alberta has become the fastest-growing source of pollutant emissions in greenhouse gases (GHGs), sulphur emissions, and water pollution in Canada. Among these GHGs, methane stands out as the second most prevalent GHG, possessing a global warming potential ~ 28 times higher than carbon dioxide over a span of 100 years, and ~ 80 times higher over a period of 20 years. Since 1986, the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) has been diligently gathering data on methane concentrations. Although this data is publicly available, its analysis has not been thoroughly explored. Our study aims to investigate the impact of temperature, wind speed, and wind direction on the predictions of methane concentration time series data, utilizing a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network model. Our findings indicate that the inclusion of climate variables enhances the predictive capabilities of the LSTM model. However, the results show that it is not obvious which variable has the most impact on the improvement although temperature appears to have a better effect on improving predictive performance compared to wind speed and direction. The results also suggest that the variance of the input data does not affect forecasting performance.

Nuclear mutagenesis and adaptive evolution improved photoautotrophic growth of Euglena gracilis with flue-gas CO2 fixation

To effectively improve biomass growth and flue-gas CO2 fixation of microalgae, acid-tolerant Euglena gracilis was modified with cobalt-60 γ-ray irradiation and polyethylene glycol (PEG) adaptive screening to obtain the mutant strain M800. The biomass dry weight and maximum CO2 fixation rate of M800 were both 1.47 times higher than that of wild strain, which was attributed to a substantial increase in key carbon fixation enzyme RuBisCO activity and photosynthetic pigment content. The high charge separation quantum efficiency in PSII reaction center, efficient light utilization and energy regulation that favors light conversion, were the underlying drivers of efficient photosynthetic carbon fixation in M800. M800 had stronger antioxidant capacity in sufficient high-carbon environment, alleviating lipid peroxidation damage. After adding 1 mM PEG, biomass dry weight of M800 reached 2.31 g/L, which was 79.1 % higher than that of wild strain. Cell proliferation of M800 was promoted, the apoptosis and necrosis rates decreased.

Obesity: A Multi Perspective of Physiology and Neurobiology Energy Regulation

BACKGROUND: World Health Organization has reported four million people die every year due to obesity comorbidity, and the prevalence of obesity is keep increasing, especially after COVID-19. Obesity has been defined as a chronic disease involving adipose tissue dysfunction which leads to metabolic diseases and psychosocial consequences. The review article will highlight some recent researches regarding the new conceptual framework that integrates both metabolic drives, as well as to summarize the numerous discussions about the current understanding of hypothalamic control of food intake and energy homeostasis.CONTENT: Obesity apparently is not simply regulated only by food and exercise. Hypothalamus takes part in controlling energy intake and expenditure via appetite regulation. Hedonic control in cortical and subcortical brain areas process cognitive, reward, information, and executive function. Managing metabolic adaptation, browning the white adipose tissue, and preserving lean mass can be another strategy to safely manage obesity.SUMMARY: Obesity need to be managed in a multimodal strategy including neurophysiology and physiology approach, together with environment support. Thus, a weight regain can be prevented. Commitment from both scientific and regulation point of view can shed a light to eradicate obesity.KEYWORDS: adipocyte, appetite, nutrition, obesity, physical activity, reward, satiety

ANALISIS KESTABILAN LERENG BERDASARKAN METODE ROCK MASS RATING PADA PT. INDOCEMENT TUNGGAL PRAKARSA Tbk, KABUPATEN BOGOR, PROVINSI JAWA BARAT

Weathering and the geological structure of the area affect slope stability. PT. Indocement Tunggal Prakarsa Tbk, Citeureup District, Bogor Regency, West Java Province, is the subject of this research. By calculating the safety factor value based on the Rock Mass Rating (RMR) using the Spencer method using Rocscience Slide 6.0 software, researchers hope to ensure slope stability. In fact, based on the slope stability analysis, it has a safety factor value of 0.900, so it is not in accordance with the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources regulation 1827/K/30/MEM/2018. Based on this, recommendations for slope analysis of the research area have been made with a safety factor value of 1.232 in accordance with applicable regulations.

Coordinated control strategy of reactive power compensation based on a flexible distribution network transformer

In order to solve the problem of the power quality caused by distributed power access to the distribution network, this paper proposes a coordinated control strategy of reactive power compensation based on a flexible distribution transformer. First, the working principle of the flexible distribution transformer is analyzed, and the mathematical model of energy acquisition and the regulation converter of the flexible distribution transformer are studied as well. The device-level control strategies of energy acquisition and regulation converters are proposed, respectively. Then, in order to maintain the stability of the bus voltage and quickly respond to the reactive power changes of the system, a coordinated control strategy for the reactive power compensation of flexible distribution transformers is proposed. The priority herein is to maximize the reactive power compensation capacity of the energy harvesting converter. When the energy harvesting converter reaches the compensation upper limit, the control converter is used for reactive power compensation to further suppress the grid voltage fluctuation. Finally, it is verified through simulations that the flexible distribution transformer can realize the reactive power compensation of the distribution network and effectively improve the power quality of the distribution network.

Kajian Teknis Dan Finansial Interkoneksi Pembangkit Listrik Tenaga Biogas Dari Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME) Pada Sistem 20 KV Di Kabupaten Musi Rawas

Using renewable energy is one way to reduce global warming. Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation No. 21 of 2016 concerning Purchase of Electricity and Biogas Power. The government has supported efforts to develop electrical energy from biogas. PT Evans Lestari is an oil palm plantation company operating in Mura with a plantation area of 9,220 ha and a mill of 60 tons/hour. In order to fulfill PLN's requirements to offer electricity supply, it is necessary to carry out a technical assessment of the connection and an economic analysis. The connection of the EBT PLT to PLN's 20 kV distribution system has been regulated in Directors' Decree No. 0357.K/DIR/2014. The benefits obtained from using DG include reducing power losses and improving the voltage profile of the distribution system. Among the types of DG that are commonly used, one of them is the Bio Gas Power Plant (PTBG) fueled by liquid palm oil waste.

Multi-Scheme Optimal Operation of Pumped Storage Wind–Solar–Thermal Generation System Based on Tolerable Energy Abandonment

In multi-energy complementary power generation systems, the complete consumption of wind and photovoltaic resources often requires more costs, and tolerable energy abandonment can bring about the more reasonable optimization of operation schemes. This paper presents a scheduling model for a combined power generation system that incorporates pumped storage, wind, solar, and fire energy sources. Through a comparison of schemes, the energy regulation function of the pumped storage power station was verified and analyzed. The CPLEX solver and MOPSO algorithm were employed to solve the daily output of a pumped storage power station in the Gansu region under various scenarios. The incorporation of pumped storage power plants has the potential to provide many benefits, including a reduction in operating expenses by about CNY 1.1163 million, a decrease in carbon emissions by 491.24 t, an enhancement in the stability of thermal power by 2.39%, and an improvement in the combined system capability to absorb additional energy. The correlation between the indicators of the combined system and the penetration rate of renewable energy is non-linearly influenced by changes in the power capacity configuration. Ultimately, the multi-objective optimization computation yields the ideal operational scheme for each power source, taking into account a tolerable energy abandonment mode.

Intelligent industry, energy regulation and ecological transformation-Taking equity financing as the moderating variable.

With the panel data of 21 China's industrial industries from 2008 to 2020, the relationship models between intelligent industry, energy regulation and ecological transformation are constructed and tested from two dimensions of resource saving and environmental friendliness, then equity financing is introduced into this model as moderating variable to discuss the moderating effects on the relationships between intelligent industry, energy regulation and ecological transformation. Results show that: ⑴China's industrial industries significantly transformed to the resource-saving type, and the environment-friendly level stayed in a slow progression. ⑵Intelligent industry affected ecological transformation positively and significantly. The impact of energy regulation on ecological transformation was nonlinear. The regulation of energy consumption can significantly stimulate the transformation of resource saving, and restrain the transformation of environmental friendliness; the regulation of energy structure can significantly stimulate the transformation of environmental friendliness. ⑶ Equity financing can positively moderate the relationship between intelligent industry and ecological transformation, and it can also moderate the regulation of energy structure and promote the transformation to environmental friendliness, especially in the low consumption industries.

Hypothalamic AMP-Activated Protein Kinase as a Whole-Body Energy Sensor and Regulator.

5´-Adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a cellular energy sensor, is an essential enzyme that helps cells maintain stable energy levels during metabolic stress. The hypothalamus is pivotal in regulating energy balance within the body. Certain neurons in the hypothalamus are sensitive to fluctuations in food availability and energy stores, triggering adaptive responses to preserve systemic energy equilibrium. AMPK, expressed in these hypothalamic neurons, is instrumental in these regulatory processes. Hypothalamic AMPK activity is modulated by key metabolic hormones. Anorexigenic hormones, including leptin, insulin, and glucagon-like peptide 1, suppress hypothalamic AMPK activity, whereas the hunger hormone ghrelin activates it. These hormonal influences on hypothalamic AMPK activity are central to their roles in controlling food consumption and energy expenditure. Additionally, hypothalamic AMPK activity responds to variations in glucose concentrations. It becomes active during hypoglycemia but is deactivated when glucose is introduced directly into the hypothalamus. These shifts in AMPK activity within hypothalamic neurons are critical for maintaining glucose balance. Considering the vital function of hypothalamic AMPK in the regulation of overall energy and glucose balance, developing chemical agents that target the hypothalamus to modulate AMPK activity presents a promising therapeutic approach for metabolic conditions such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

A black pigment that shows strong near-infrared reflectivity for solar heat control

Solar thermal energy regulation is important for sustainable development, comfortable housing, and living. Black compounds are usually considered as an absorber of solar heat. This work reports a series of black near-infrared reflective pigments, Ca2-yMgyMn(1)1-xMn(2)xO4 (x = 0–1, y = 0–0.5), which show strong near-infrared (NIR) reflectivity. Comprehensive analyses were carried out to characterize the obtained pigments including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and UV–Vis–NIR spectrophotometry. Through the substitution of MnO2 with Mn2O3, NIR solar reflectance of the black pigment can be enhanced by 13%, which might be mainly attributed to differences in particle size and lattice parameters. Meanwhile, through Mg doping, the obtained pigment Ca1.8Mg0.2MnO4 shows excellent color performances (L* = 43, a* = 0.36, b* = −0.37) and NIR solar reflectance (R*, ∼60%). EnergyPlus simulation results show that for a warm city (Haikou), using the Ca1.8Mg0.2MnO4 coating (L* = 25, R* = 51%) can reduce annual cooling energy consumption by 21%.

Cultivar-dependent grape berry dehydration in later ripening phases may be associated with energy regulation and ionic homeostasis

Climate warming and drought may alter the progression of sugar accumulation by the grape berry, and contribute to pre-harvest berry shrivel and cell vitality loss which were hypothesised to be associated with solute accumulation cessation and energy status in the berries. To explore the relationship between energy and cultivar-dependent berry cell death, we characterised the variations of pericarp constituents and energy status across five time points, five ripening phases, and three cultivars with various levels of berry shrivel and cell death. Grape berries of Shiraz, Chardonnay and Flame Seedless at the Eichorn-Lorenz stages 33 to 39 were sampled at 5:00, 9:00, 13:00, 17:00 and 21:00 on each sampling day, which were used in the analysis of water percentage, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), ethanol, sugar, L-malic acid, as well as elements with vascular mobility, including potassium (K) and sodium (Na). Shiraz and Chardonnay ceased accumulating sugar and phloem mobile elements during the later ripening phase, while Flame Seedless did not undergo water loss or cease to accumulate solutes in pericarps. Shiraz berry ripening was distinguished by greater pericarp water loss, ATP reduction, increased ion disorder susceptibility as indicated by a lower K/Na ratio, and higher ethanol concentration in the later ripening phase. The Chardonnay pericarp contained the highest ATP concentration and K/Na ratio among the three cultivars. The Flame Seedless pericarp maintained a low but stable K/Na ratio throughout berry ripening. Berry ripening phase impacted the diurnal variations of pericarp water percentage and ATP concentration. The results indicated that energy regulation and ionic homeostasis may be associated with cultivar-dependent grape pericarp hydration, solute accumulation and cell vitality during berry ripening.

Proteomic insights to decipher nanoparticle uptake, translocation, and intercellular mechanisms in plants.

Advent of proteomic techniques has made it possible to identify a broad spectrum of proteins in living systems. Studying the impact of nanoparticle (NP)-mediated plant protein responses is an emerging field. NPs are continuously being released into the environment and directly or indirectly affect plant's biochemistry. Exposure of plants to NPs, especially crops, poses a significant risk to the food chain, leading to changes in underlying metabolic processes. Once absorbed by plants, NPs interact with cellular proteins, thereby inducing changes in plant protein patterns. Based on the reactivity, properties, and translocation of nanoparticles, NPs can interfere with proteins involved in various cellular processes in plants such as energy regulation, redox metabolism, and cytotoxicity. Such interactions of NPs at the subcellular level enhance ROS scavenging activity, especially under stress conditions. Although higher concentrations of NPs induce ROS production and hinder oxidative mechanisms under stress conditions, NPs also mediate metabolic changes from fermentation to normal cellular processes. Although there has been lots of work conducted to understand the different effects of NPs on plants, the knowledge of proteomic responses of plants toward NPs is still very limited. This review has focused on the multi-omic analysis of NP interaction mechanisms with crop plants mainly centering on the proteomic perspective in response to both stress and non-stressed conditions. Furthermore, NP-specific interaction mechanisms with the biological pathways are discussed in detail.

Analysis of measures to increase the energy efficiency of educational buildings of the national university of water and environmental engineering

The implementation of energy-efficient measures at the National University of Water and Environmental Engineering (NUWEE) was started since 2000. The buildings of NUWEE are located in different parts of Rivne city and Rivne region. Buildings № 1-7 were selected by the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine for financing their thermal modernization as part of the loan project "Higher Education of Ukraine. Energy efficiency and sustainable development" with the aim of increasing their energy efficiency. The authors analyzed the measures to increase the energy efficiency of the educational buildings of the NUWEE, namely, the installation of thermal insulation of facades, roofs, floors on the ground and first surfaces, replacement of windows and doors, installation of thermal insulation of pipelines, modernization of automated thermal energy regulation units (ATERU), heating system and lighting, implementation of the energy monitoring and dispatching system, installation of the ventilation system with exhaust air heat recovery. Implementation of the proposed measures will reduce energy consumption and related costs by 60 %, namely by 6,232 MWh/year (compared to the baseline level of energy consumption of 10,286 MWh/year). It will result increasing of the buildings’ comfort and functionality. After the implementation of the described measures, the increase of the energy efficiency class of educational buildings is predicted. The implementation of energy-efficient measures will also lead to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 50 %, namely by 1,648 t/year. Measures that can pay off as soon as possible are the implementation of thermal insulation of pipelines, modernization of ATERU and lighting, implementation of energy monitoring and dispatching systems. The longest payback period will require the installation of ventilation air heat recovery, but this measure is necessary in view of the current reduction in heat energy costs for heating the external supply air in the cold period of the year.

Polyphosphate kinase deletion increases laboratory productivity in cyanobacteria.

Identification and manipulation of cellular energy regulation mechanisms may be a strategy to increase productivity in photosynthetic organisms. This work tests the hypothesis that polyphosphate synthesis and degradation play a role in energy management by storing or dissipating energy in the form of ATP. A polyphosphate kinase (ppk) knock-out strain unable to synthesize polyphosphate was generated in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. This mutant strain demonstrated higher ATP levels and faster growth than the wildtype strain in high-carbon conditions and had a growth defect under multiple stress conditions. In a strain that combined ppk deletion with heterologous expression of ethylene-forming enzyme, higher ethylene productivity was observed than in the wildtype background. These results support the role of polyphosphate synthesis and degradation as an energy regulation mechanism and suggest that such mechanisms may be effective targets in biocontainment design.

Environmental sustainability in high‐income countries: Does natural resource protection, financial inclusion, and energy innovation matters?

AbstractEnvironmental sustainability (ES) is critical for high‐income countries (HICs) because of their high ecological footprints. They are responsible for global environmental problems as they consume more natural resources, produce more output, and generate more greenhouse gases than other countries, which could have severe consequences for land degradation. In the context of resource conservation and land development policies, this study examined the impact of natural resource protection (i.e., land, water, and biodiversity), financial institution inclusion, financial market inclusion, and energy innovation (EI) on the enhancement of ES in 15 HICs from 1995 to 2020. The study applied Feasible GLS and Prais–Winsten regression to consider cross‐sectional dependence, autocorrelation, heteroscedasticity, and slope heterogeneity problems for unbiased and robust findings along with 2nd generation cointegration tests and the JKS Granger non‐causality test. Natural resource protection, financial institution inclusion, financial market inclusion, and EI have positive effects on ES, along with green energy and environmental regulations. It was also found that an increase in real income negatively impacts ES, as it increases the use of natural resources and energy and generates more waste and pollution which further accelerates land degradation. Cointegration and causality also exist between variables of interest. This shows that protecting natural resources, increasing financial inclusion, and EI can be successful strategies for fostering a green transition, reducing environmental impacts, and embracing more sustainable practices and laws to meet development goals and develop sustainable land use policies. This study suggests that HICs should protect land, water, and biodiversity, promote green financing, digital payments, EI, energy diversification, and environmental protection to achieve ES which is critically important to reduce land degradation.

Balancing short-term costs and long-term benefits: an analysis of the impact of hydroelectric power generation on electricity prices volatility in Cameroon

This study examines the short- and long-term impacts of various factors on the volatility and price of electricity in Cameroon, including hydroelectric power generation, economic growth, energy demand, and exchange rates from 2000 to 2019. The study uses an autoregressive distributed lag model. The study found that increasing hydroelectric power generation has both positive and negative impacts on electricity prices in the short and long term. While increasing the share of hydropower in overall energy production results in increased variation of electricity costs in the short term, it leads to significant price reductions in the long run. The study also found that economic growth has a considerable positive impact on the variation of power prices, while energy demand has a negative but insignificant effect on price volatility in the short term. Further, the study indicates that measures, such as encouraging SME engagement in renewable energy production, could improve the participation of local enterprises in the power industry and reduce the volatility of electricity prices. On the other hand, the study suggests that exchange rates could have a negative impact on electricity prices in the short term, but depreciation of the local currency could lower fuel costs and improve the availability of power. Overall, the study provides insights that can inform policymakers, energy regulators, and investors in making decisions that contribute to the efficient and sustainable development of Cameroon's electricity market. The study also highlights the need to prioritize power generation to stimulate economic growth and private investment while promoting renewable energy production.

List of Issues That Require Legal Regulation as Part of the Renewable Energy Regulation in Component States of Federation

The transition to renewable energy is strongly affected by legal regulation. To increase the efficiency of the introduction of renewable energy into the energy systems of component states of federations and accelerate the energy transition, it is necessary to carry out systematic work to improve regional legislation in this area. The purpose of this study was to analyze the current regulatory legal acts on the renewable energy of the regions of a number of countries such as the USA, Germany, India, Switzerland and Russia in order to form a universal list of issues that need regulation at the regional level. The main methods for achieving the objectives set in this study were the comparative legal method and the method of analysis and synthesis. As a result, a number of recommendations were developed describing how legal relations primarily need to be regulated by regional legislation, and examples of different approaches to their settlement were presented. The issues in need of legal regulation were divided into three groups according to the degree of importance of their regulation by the legislation of the component state of the federation. Further development of this study will be aimed at identifying the most effective industrial practices for resolving each of the issues included in the compiled list which will help improve the efficiency of regional legal regulation of renewable energy.

Secretin-dependent signals in the ventromedial hypothalamus regulate energy metabolism and bone homeostasis in mice

Secretin, though originally discovered as a gut-derived hormone, is recently found to be abundantly expressed in the ventromedial hypothalamus, from which the central neural system controls satiety, energy metabolism, and bone homeostasis. However, the functional significance of secretin in the ventromedial hypothalamus remains unclear. Here we show that the loss of ventromedial hypothalamus-derived secretin leads to osteopenia in male and female mice, which is primarily induced by diminished cAMP response element-binding protein phosphorylation and upregulation in peripheral sympathetic activity. Moreover, the ventromedial hypothalamus-secretin inhibition also contributes to hyperphagia, dysregulated lipogenesis, and impaired thermogenesis, resulting in obesity in male and female mice. Conversely, overexpression of secretin in the ventromedial hypothalamus promotes bone mass accrual in mice of both sexes. Collectively, our findings identify an unappreciated secretin signaling in the central neural system for the regulation of energy and bone metabolism, which may serve as a new target for the clinical management of obesity and osteoporosis.