Use Of Alternative Energies Research Articles

Preparation and investigation of TbCrO3/montmorillonite-K10 nanocomposite electrode for electrochemical hydrogen storage application

The limited resources of fossil fuels and the increase in human’s demand for energy have made the use of alternative green energies like hydrogen very important. In this regard, achieving superior specific capacity and high-performance electrochemical hydrogen storage requires the structural design and development of highly active electrode material with cooperative influence of “spillover”, “redox”, and “physisorption” mechanisms. The aim of this report is to fabricate a binary TbCrO3/montmorillonite-K10 (TC/MMT) nanocomposite and to skillfully ensure its electrochemical ability for hydrogen storage in 2.0 M KOH electrolyte, for the first time. A facile sonochemical strategy was presented to successfully form uniform orthorhombic TC nanoparticles with varying tetradentate Schiff base ligands derived from salicylaldehyde and relative diamines as well as the molar ratio of H2Salbn to Tb3+. Characterization analyses displayed that the nucleation and growth process of TC samples can be well controlled by a molar ratio of H2Salbn:Tb3+ = 1:1 within the range of 17–72 nm. Furthermore, implementation of a well-organized MMT-based nanocomposite with various amounts of nano-TC perovskites was evaluated on the structural and electrochemical features. The greatly enhanced hydrogen storage capacity of TC/MMT nanocomposites was acquired as 734.3 mAh/g after 15 cycles, when 10.0 % of perovskite oxide is induced by MMT layers. Moreover, architecture of pristine TC and MMT electrodes possessed a 936.87 and 341.52 mAh/g discharge capacities at the same situation. These merits allow a promising potential application of the nanocomposite electrodes containing rare-earth chromite oxide and clay substrates in electrochemical energy-storage devices.

Forecasting Electricity Generation from a Renewable and Low‐Carbon Matrix Using the Stochastic Volatility Process

The need to replace nonrenewable sources is a global challenge, especially for emerging countries with financial constraints to invest in energy transition. In Brazil, electrical generation is predominantly renewable, since the hydraulic source is responsible for more than half of the domestic electricity supply. Other alternative sources, such as biomass, solar, and wind, complement the renewable portion of the Brazilian electrical matrix. However, periods of drought and climate disturbances threaten the stability of the electrical system and increase dependence on thermal generation. Based on the global movement to intensify the use of renewable sources, which are volatile and influenced by climate variations, the objective of this research is to predict electricity generation using the Heston model. This model, originally applied to predict option prices, assumes nonconstant volatility and has the ability to estimate the average value including the stochastic volatility process. The database is made up of monthly values of the volume of electrical energy generation from biomass, coal, fuel oil, hydraulic, industrial waste, natural gas, nuclear, solar, and wind sources. Compared to the Black‐Scholes model, the chosen method proved to be superior in predicting the generation from coal, hydropower, and solar energy, according to the MAE, MAPE, and RMSE statistics. We conclude that a financial model can be effectively applied to the energy sector and the Heston model can be a useful instrument to assist in the planning and management of the national electrical system. One suggestion for the Brazilian case is to encourage the use of alternative energies and low‐carbon sources, such as solar, wind, and natural gas, providing greater energy security and a more reliable electrical system.

Regulatory role, clean logistics technology and environmental sustainability

This study examines the pivotal role that regulatory frameworks play in driving the adoption of clean logistics technologies and ensuring friendly environment in Bauchi. A 5-point Likert scale instrument was used to collect data from the recruited respondents along with stratified snowball sampling method. Important variable indicators of regulatory role, clean logistics technology and environmental pollution were visualized using charts while regression was used for inferential analysis. The results reveled a positive link between regulatory role and clean logistics technology. Suggesting that an increase in regulatory role by 1% will increases clean logistics technology, specifically, the use of alternative energies by 0.2%. Moreover, the result shows a negative and important association between government regulatory role and environmental pollution. This implies that an increase in government regulatory role by 1% will mitigate environmental pollution by 0.1%. Furthermore, the result reveals a negative relationship between clean logistics technology and environmental pollution. Thus, a 1% increase in clean logistics technology will reduce environmental pollution by 0.1%. The implications of these findings for policy purpose are: (i) improved regulatory role is required to facilitate the adoption of clean logistics technology and achieve sustainable environment; (ii) minimizing emissions by logistics operators through adopting alternative sources of energy will further improve environmental sustainability.

Impact of Renewable and Non-Renewable Energy on EKC in SAARC Countries: Augmented Mean Group Approach

This study looks at the short- and long-term effects of fossil fuels, renewable energy, and nuclear energy on CO2 emissions in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries from 1982 to 2021. We assess the impacts of SAARC’s current and anticipated use of nuclear, fossil, and alternative energies by testing the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) hypothesis. The study applied the second-generation unit root test, cointegration test, and the newly introduced AMG technique to handle the presence of cross-sectional dependence. The results indicate that EKC does not hold in SAARC, and a U-shaped quadratic link exists between GDP and environmental pollution. The findings also reveal that the environmental pollution in the SAARC is caused by fossil fuel, whereas using renewable (REN) and nuclear energy can cut long-term pollution. While renewable energy is critical to minimizing environmental deterioration in SAARC, empirical findings also show that more than rising national wealth is needed to meet environmental demands. According to the results of this study, SAARC countries should take the lead in achieving sustainable growth and the efficient use of clean energy.

Compressed air storage: Opportunities and sustainability issues

AbstractAs an effective strategy to implement electrical load shifting and to encourage the use of alternative renewable energies, such as solar and wind generation, the energy storage system plays an important role in the energy internet and the smart grid. Compressed air energy storage is a promising technique due to its efficiency, cleanliness, long life, and low cost. This paper reviews CAES technologies and seeks to demonstrate CAES's models, fundamentals, operating modes, and classifications. Application perspectives are described to promote the popularisation of CAES in the energy internet and smart grids. We review recent work on CAES. We evaluate and analyse these results to discover gaps and opportunities. The most important results indicate that CAES is generally considered an EES (electrical energy storage) option for wind power integration. However, current research is beginning to investigate CAES in combination with solar energy systems. Gaps may be identified in the study associated with CAES for microgrid integration and demand management which are future uses of CAES.

Experimental Analysis of Passive Strategies in Houses with Glass Façades for the Use of Natural Light

The main objective of this research was to analyze the passive solutions that help to reduce energy consumption through the use of natural light in buildings. In this case, the analysis focused on the use of natural light in buildings with all façades made of glass. Buildings designed with the criterion of regenerative sustainability, such as glass buildings, consider not only energy efficiency and the use of renewable and/or alternative energies, but also the improvement of the health and well-being of users—very important factors during an era in which the time spent at home has been increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic (disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus). This experimental research was based on the analysis of data collected during a full year of monitoring of two scale models of Farnsworth House, a house with glass façades in all of its orientations. The results allowed us to conclude that these passive elements must be taken into account in the initial design of a building; a solar control sheet is also advisable in this type of glass building because it greatly reduces the illuminance inside the spaces, and the use of overhangs distributes the illuminance inside the rooms more evenly. In addition, the use of scale models provides a more accurate view of the parameters related to light energy.

Harnessing of Geothermal Energy for a Greenhouse in Ecuador Employing a Heat Pump: Design, Construction, and Feasibility Assessment

The world greenhouse farming area is about 500 000 ha, and more than half of vegetables grow in a greenhouse. Nevertheless, high-grown yields tend to be especially energy-intensive. Therefore, the use of alternative energies is necessary to meet the growing demand. This study proposes designing and building a coupled geothermal heat pump system for a 470 m2 greenhouse located in the Andean zone of Ecuador, which requires 15°C at night and 30°C during the day. For doing so, we calculated the energy supply of both the solar and geothermal sources, then we carried out an energy balance in the greenhouse and sized the horizontal geothermal heat pump (HGHP). Following, we evaluated the technical feasibility and built the system, including the geothermal reservoir. Finally, we assessed a financial analysis based on the Leveled Cost of Heat (LCOH) and compared its performance with similar systems in other latitudes. Technically, the operation is feasible and requires a potential of 29,56 and 65,76 kW for heating and cooling. From a financial point of view, this type of technology in Ecuador needs economic incentives to compete with traditional sources such as electricity and LPG. The results allow future research to focus on determining the influence on the productivity of crops grown in thermally conditioned greenhouses.

Energy Management Through Optimal Logistics Planning. Case Study of a Power Electrical Distribution Company in Southern Chile

Climate change is a real fact. The increase in temperatures, the change in rain cycles, the generation of more extreme seasons and natural disasters at a global and local level, are examples of its effects. In the electricity environment, the interruption of supply caused by extreme weather events is increasingly frequent; while electricity distribution companies in Chile are required by law to maintain the electric service constantly, guaranteeing the service quality and the quality of life of their customers. The adequate fulfillment of this legal mandate, require attend opportunely the client’s energy supply, before any eventuality. Consequently, electric companies must assign repair units to guarantee this objective. However, this process involves the assignment and displacement of these units in vehicles. This allocation, without efficient planning, involve an excessive consumption of resources such as fuel and other inputs that affect the environment. This leads to having to review the logistics processes and establish mechanisms to promote sustainable development, looking for tools that provide data to support and improve the evaluation process of alternatives for friendly building and architectural structures, which help to improve the environment and mitigate visual pollution, as well as the use of less polluting alternative energies (wind or solar energy, for example) that allow the direct supply of electrical energy. Therefore, this study seeks to present mechanisms to determine an optimal allocation of repair units to minimize the amount of contamination in the operational process and, in turn, establish a reference value, which can be used as a complementary element in the evaluation of the use of new non-polluting electrical technologies.

MATHEMATICAL MODELLING OF AEROSOLS IN SOLAR PANELS

The continuous demands for electricity, the fulfillment of standards in relevance with European directives have fostered Kosovo to think seriously about the use of alternative energies. The study of this study presents the effect of aerosols on the potential of solar panels in the production of electricity from solar energy. Changing the solar radiation that comes to the ground during unclear clean days is a good indicator concerning the efficiency of energy conversion. Assessing the level of concentration in aerosol concentrations from sunlight into the atmosphere is done by looking at the solar energy in the time unit and in the surface unit after the last rain when aerosol smog’s are present at this time. This paper is primarily focused to scrutinize the impact of climate conditions on the general pollution on the surface of solar panels, the efficient use of solar energy with mathematical modeling, the geographic possibilities of installing solar plants without any other impact of CO2 and aerosol smog’s, which can contribute sensitive to the security of power supply and solar thermal energy in an energy system for certain localities. Consequently, in this research we have come up to a conclusion that with the fall of rain the concentration of aerosol present at the surface of the solar panels are diminished at a large extent and the days after rain there is witnessed an increase in concentration of polluting particles which leads to reducing the efficiency of the sun's rays coming to the surface of solar panels.

Acciones ambientales: Responsabilidad Social en MiPyMes

The attention to the environment is of global urgency and is a commitment of all sectors. The objective of this research is to identify the performance of the business sector regarding the care of the environment. Posing the following research question, what are the social actions carried out by companies with respect to their environment? A non-experimental study was carried out, corresponding to 88 MiPyMes of Cd. Obregón, Sonora. Applying questionnaire consisting of 18 questions, some of them with multiple choice, measured on a Likert scale from 1 to 5, divided into three Sections: I. Data of the person in charge of the business, II. General aspects of the company and, III. Environmental actions in the company. The results obtained show that although certain activities are already being carried out, there is still a lot of work to be done, in actions such as: use of ecological and / or recyclable packaging; adoption of measures regarding the design of ecological products and / or services; Consideration of programs for the use of alternative energies, and voluntary access to environmental regulations. The results obtained will allow designing programs, where entrepreneurs acquire knowledge, which will help them develop environmental strategies through social responsibility actions, generating added value to the same organization.

Intelligent conditioning for the intensive production of tilapia in the southern zone of the State of Mexico

Fish farming is a fundamental sector of the economy for several communities. Traditionally, the processes inherent to this activity, such as the feeding of the fish, the replacement of water, the control of temperature, the level of ammonium, are carried out manually and empirically; However, in recent years they have begun to incorporate technological tools for their automation. In the present work we seek to integrate intelligent and separate control systems that exist in the market to generate a single intelligent control system, with the ability to control temperature, ammonia, water clarity, food, in such a way that is presented as a flexible and integrated production process, that meets the requirements of aquaculture health, this system should provide, to small producers in the southern area of the State of Mexico, the certainty that your product meets specifications and standards for human consumption. With this study new opportunities for the application of technologies, especially those of low cost, are envisaged, so that they are accessible to the greatest number of fish farmers and their use guarantees the improvement in the processes carried out. It also highlights the importance that the use of alternative energies can have, to make the most of natural resources and minimize the environmental impact.

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With the technological advance in electricity generation techniques and the prevailing need for sustainable development of countries, the massive use of alternative energies has been in force for the last 15 years, with clear goals towards 2020 for sustainable development. At the regulatory level, Colombia cannot be left behind in the regulation, and progress has already been made on the subject with law 1715 of 2014 and several decrees of incentives in the promotion of renewable energies. The objective of this paper is to show the state of the art on the way in which the net balance and residential energy self-consumption by DER is handled by several tax regulations in different countries of Europe; moreover, it will also go into detail about the advantages offered by using a selected methodology to consider fair charges of support for the use of the electrical network by generators distributed from photovoltaic solar energy, all this as a contribution to advances already made in this field. This is provided from a network planning approach, in which a long-term methodology is selected that efficiently integrates the distributed generation into the interconnected system and allows transition periods in its implementation to avoid disruption of network operators (ORs). Likewise, this analysis is supported by the simulated operation of a system with DER together with the changes in load flows due to decongestion and surplus injection that the electric system has in the scenario of massive use of these resources.

Using solar energy to fulling daily needs and reduce environmental pollution (Applied study in Sulaymaniyah Governorate)

The close link between environment and development has led to the emergence of a concept of sustainable development, which requires attention to protecting the environment for achieving sustainable development. Renewable energy is one of the means of protecting the environment. Therefore, many countries are interested in developing this energy source and setting it as a target. Therefore, this paper includes a statistical study of the rate of sun fall and its utilization in the generation of solar energy in the Sulaymaniyah Governorate for the period 2000-2010. Based on the results of the analysis, the environmental sustainability policies required at the governorate level or at the country level regarding the solar energy used, Environmental safety from pollution resulting from the use of conventional energy or its resources from depletion. The use of alternative energies has two objectives: to reduce the burden of non-renewable energies and to sustain them economically, Solar energy does not cause any pollution to the environment, except in rare cases. So, solar energy is considered as an energy that is not polluting the environment and does not add any more impurities that are actually present in the atmosphere due to other pollutants.

Combining feed-in tariffs and net-metering schemes to balance development in adoption of photovoltaic energy: Comparative economic assessment and policy implications for European countries

In the last fifteen years, Europe has been involved in the major development of photovoltaic (PV) solar energy. The Kyoto Protocol requirements and the European Union (EU) directives to promote the use of renewable energy sources (RES) together with environmental policies introduced for the development and use of alternative energies have generated a large number of market opportunities for this sector. Differences in the application of energy policies have caused significant imbalances in electricity systems and distortion of electricity prices. The main concern of governments is to define the support schemes to be used and how to combine them in the most profitable manner. The aim of this paper is to provide a comparative cost-effectiveness assessment using feed-in tariffs (FiT) and net-metering (NM) schemes in some representative EU countries. The authors have developed an economic model to evaluate the profitability of PV projects combining these support schemes. Results show not only the circumstances under which solar energy is economically profitable, but also the kind of PV systems, locations, minimum levels of tariff prices and specific combination of support schemes that should be promoted.

ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS IN A EDUCATIONAL BUILDING

This work consists in the study of the economical feasibility in the use of a photovoltaic system, connected to the electric grid. In order to encourage the use of alternative energies, such as solar energy, the parameters for the installation of a photovoltaic system in the educational building of the Salesian University Center of Sao Paulo, Sao Joaquim campus in Lorena, are analyzed and calculated. The bibliographic content, presented in the first chapters, corroborates with data specific to the area of electrical engineering and autonomous energy generation the efficiency of this method of generating energy. In the third chapter, calculations and data analysis of the study site are carried out for the design of the electrical system. Finally, the fourth chapter concludes the case study, referring to the economy that the generation system may provide, related to the initial investment payback.

Biohydrogen production by dark fermentation: scaling-up and technologies integration for a sustainable system

Currently, the use of alternative renewable energies is broadly supported in many countries, some of which are seriously evaluating the possibility of using hydrogen as an alternative fuel in their power systems. Hydrogen production by biological processes, such as dark fermentation, is a very promising alternative. However, this process has only been studied on the laboratory scale, and there is limited experience at the pilot scale. The main reasons of non-scaling hydrogen production by dark fermentation at large scale are unpurified hydrogen production, stability of the bioprocesses, as well as their low conversion yields joined at the formation of byproducts. Improvement of energetic yields of dark fermentation requires a better knowledge of the microorganisms involved in the mixed culture and their possible interactions, as well as the use of appropriate substrates and strategies, such as solid-state fermentation, the purification of hydrogen and the coupling of dark fermentation with other biological processes as anaerobic digestion. The present work offers an overview of the current knowledge dealing with H2-production by dark fermentation and its integration into a concept of an environmental biorefinery. Several key points are addressed, such as the benefits of using local waste as substrates, the new solid-state fermentation processes, the coupling of hydrogen purification with the production process, the association of the H2-producing process with other biological processes, such as anaerobic digestion towards biohythane production (H2/CH4). Information about pilot plant experiments was added to illustrate the feasibility of producing fermentative hydrogen and methane from organic waste at a pilot scale, as developed at Feng Chia University (Taiwan).

Solar And Wind Powered Concept Boats: The Example Of Volitan

Effects of global warming have increased the search for alternative energy use in maritime transportation, which generates 3.3 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions. Boats using solar and wind power have been developed with increased efficiency during the last decade and instead of fossil fuel dependent vehicles, sea crafts with near zero emissions are aimed. Some important milestones in solar-powered sea transportation have been achieved through experimental projects and research, yet these only indicate a beginning to an exploration of sustainable and efficient means regarding marine technologies. This article illustrates a background on alternative energy, and in particular sun and wind power use in maritime vessels, and provides a brief overview of solar boats. In line with this perspective, an award-winning sailboat concept is presented and its design challenges, considerations and criteria are discussed to document the design process. Developed to explore the possibilities offered by clean energy sources and composite materials in yacht design, Volitan is proposed as a sustainable alternative to the fossil fuel powered boats. Project employs solar and wind energies that enable a self-sufficient private sailboat to continuously circumnavigate with near zero carbon emission. The article compiles the design issues and parameters in the designing of an eco-friendly boat concept to be referred in future studies. Finally, it concludes by addressing the potential of (i) use of alternative energies that are renewable and non-polluting and (ii) use of contemporary materials and technologies in sea vessels design to achieve lightweight yet durable and low-cost boats with increased efficiency and performance.

A Sea of Change

A Sea of Change

Design and evaluation of a heat recuperator for steel slags

New techniques for emissions reduction and energy efficiency are important challenges of the steel industry. Although great advantages have been reached in these fields, there are still new opportunities. One of them is the possible development of systems to recover energy from slags.The recent policies that encourage the use of renewable and alternative energies determine a favorable scenario for the development of new techniques of heat recovering. In this context, this article presents a new heat recuperation system for the slags produced in the factories of Arcelor–Mittal in Asturias (Spain) and study in detail the design of an innovative slags heat exchanger. To adjust its performance and to determine the influence of the geometric and flow design parameters, the heat exchanger has been simulated using numerical analysis software (CFD).

Http://omicsonline.org/open-access/hybrid-membranes-prepared-by-the-solgel-process-and-based-on-silica-polyvinyl-acetate-for-methane-enrichment-from-biogas-2155-9589.1000128.php?aid=24675

The use of alternative energies to substitute or for using in a less degree the fossil fuels is one of the most important goals of our modern society. Currently research focuses on the production and use of bio-fuels, such as Biogas. However the produced biogas (composed mainly of methane, CH4) has different undesirable gases such as nitrogen, N2; carbon dioxide, CO2 and sulfur compounds, then it is very important to reduce these gases and to increase the concentration of methane gas. Regarding to that our research group is working in some type of hybrid membranes to increase the quality of methane gas in biogas and decrease the concentration of other gases. The gas separation was accomplished using hybrid membranes prepared by the sol-gel process, based on silica (SiO2) and polyvinyl acetate, PVAc. The material for the membranes was prepared using different concentrations of SiO2 (%w/w), and four different solvents (methanol, ethanol, propanol, butanol in different molar ratios) to make compatible the water, necessary for the process, and the tetraethylorthosilicate, TEOS; that is, the precursor of silica. We found that membranes porosity changed depending on the solvent used for the hybrid material preparation. The best membranes were obtained using methanol as solvent. On the other hand, when other solvents were used, the obtained membranes were of bad quality, showing abundant microcracks, visible to the eye, and for this reason they were rejected. For the gas separation tests, pure gases at low pressures similar to that found in bio-digesters conditions were used to test the hybrid membranes. Results showed that diffusion gases order is: H2, CH4, N2 and CO2. That was corroborated using a mixture of gases, as it is shown.