Sustainability analysis of SEEA indicators for non-renewable resources

Despite the fact that the non-renewable resources industry contributes greatly to regional and national gross domestic product(GDP),it casts massive negative impacts on the environment,which fails to be deducted from economic growth.Hence,sustainable development of non-renewable resources(extraction and processing)is playing an essential role in boosting economic growth continuously.The System of Integrated Environmental and Economic Accounting(SEEA)proposed by the United Nations Statistics Division(UNSD)provides a brand-new perspective for sustainability study.This paper designs a fundamental approach of green accounting for non-renewable resources based on SEEA.Three main aspects of the accounting are extracted to explore the way of analysis for sustainability indicators,which are not touched upon by SEEA.Main analyses are as follows:(1)the analysis on the influence of the change of the discount rate in user cost(UC);(2)correlation analysis between environmental degradation and pollutants emission intensity;(3)analysis of the accounting results of green GDP and green GCF(gross capital formation).Then taking petroleum resources in Shandong Province as an example,this paper will calculate and analyze green data based on the accounting and analytical approaches discussed above.However,sustainability indicators studied in the paper are just associated with past economic activities,while investigation into the factors of the change of sustainability indicators is the one most critical point in relevant policymaking.

Cost of non-renewable energy in production of wood pellets in China

Assessing the extent to which all bio-fuels that are claimed to be renewable are in fact renewable is essential because producing such renewable fuels itself requires some amount of non-renewable energy （NE） and materials. Using hybrid life cycle analysis （LCA）--from raw material collection to delivery of pellets to end users--the energy cost of wood pellet production in China was estimated at 1.35 J/J, of which only 0.09 J was derived from NE, indicating that only 0.09 J of NE is required to deliver 1 J of renewable energy into society and showing that the process is truly renewable. Most of the NE was consumed during the conversion process （46.21%） and delivery of pellets to end users （40.69%）, during which electricity and diesel are the two major forms of NE used, respectively. Sensitivity analysis showed that the distance over which the pellets are transported affects the cost of NE significantly. Therefore the location of the terminal market and the site where wood resources are available are crucial to saving diesel.

Optimization of post-warranty sequential inspection for second-hand products

This paper considers an optimal sequential inspection schedule for a second-hand product after that the free nonrenewable warranty is expired. The length of warranty is prespecified and during the warranty period, the product is minimally repaired by the dealer when it fails. Following the expiration of the non-renewing warranty, the product is inspected and upgraded sequentially a fixed number of times at the expenses of the customer.At each inspection, the failure rate of the product is reduced proportionally so that the product is upgraded. The product is assumed to deteriorate as it ages and the replacement of the product occurs when a fixed number of inspections are rendered. In addition,the intervals between two successive inspections are assumed to decrease monotonically. The main objective of this paper is to determine the optimal improvement level to upgrade the product at each inspection so that the expected maintenance cost during the life cycle of the product is minimized from the perspective of the customer. Under the given cost structures, we derive an explicit formula to obtain the expected maintenance cost incurred during the life cycle of the product and discuss the method to find the optimal level of the improvement analytically in case the failure times follow the Weibull distribution. Numerical results are analyzed to observe the impact of relevant parameters on the optimal solution.

Resources—Towards Sustainable Use

A resource is any physical or virtual entity of limited availability used to earn good life.Resources are divided into natural and human resources.Natural resources are derived from the environment and are classified on the basis of origin,including biotic resources like forests,animals and their products, marine organisms and minerals.Abiotic resources

Performance and Efficiency Simulation Study of a Smart-Grid Connected Photovoltaic System

The availability of non-renewable energy sources such as crude oil, natural gas, coal etc., is fast diminishing. So the renewable energy sources such as solar, hydropower, geothermal, wind, tidal energy, are gaining more and more importance. Many new developments to convert these renewable energy sources into usable forms are taking place. Most renewable energy sources are used to produce electricity. In this paper, a performance and efficiency simulation study of a smart-grid connected photovoltaic system using Chroma DC programmable power supply, AC programmable source and an Aurora Inverter is proposed. The simulation is performed in MATLAB environment where the Current-Voltage (I-V) and Power-Voltage (P-V) curves from the solar array simulator are generated and plotted. The proposed topology has been verified with satisfactory results. In addition, temperature and irradiance effects on I-V and P-V characteristic curves are verified. Also, the efficiency curves of the photovoltaic grid interface inverter are generated in the study. The MATLAB code developed in this paper is a valuable tool for design engineers comparing different inverters, calculating the optimum efficiency of a given inverter type.

Energy Scenario: Production, Consumption and Prospect of Renewable Energy in Australia

Australia is the world’s 9th largest energy producer, 17th largest consumer of non-renewable energy resources and ranks 18th on a per person energy consumption basis.Australia’s energy consumption is primarily composed of non-renewable energy resources (coal, oil, gas and related products), which represent 96% of total energy consumption. Renewables, the majority of which is bioenergy (wood and wood waste, biomass, and biogas) combined with clear energy namely wind, solar hot water, solar electricity, hydroelectricity account for the remaining 4% consumption.Australia’s renewable energy resources are largely undeveloped which will contribute directly to the Australian economy. In this article, a review of literature on energy scenario is presented and discussed.Australia’s total energy production, consumption, storage and export (including renewable and non-renewable) data has been analyzed and discussed in this study. The main objective of the study is to analyze the prospect of renewable energy inAustralia. This study concludes that Australian economy will grow faster if its undeveloped renewable energies can be used efficiently for electricity generation and transport sector.

Development of a Small Hydropower Plant: Case of Ikere Gorge Dam, Oyo State, Nigeria

Energy crisis and environmental safety has become a thing of global concern, Nigeria inclusive. This is due to the increasing energy prices and environmental impact. Energy generated from the non-renewable energy sources has been linked up with this energy crisis and non-friendly environment. Research is therefore been geared towards harnessing renewable energy resources as alternative sources of energy generation. Renewable energy sources such as hydropower, wind, geothermal and solar just to mention a few are environmentally friendly. This study therefore aims at exploring renewable energy sources and thus designing a small hydropower plant using Ikere gorge Dam as case study. A survey was conducted through personal interview and probing of previous records of the site. Basic parameters such as flow rate of 31.8 m3/s and a head of 30 m were obtained. These parameters were used together with the standard equations for the design of the small hydropower plant. Costing analysis of the plant was carried out in other to estimate the cost of the plant. The comparative analysis of the renewable and non-renewable energy sources was also carried out. The theoretical power obtained for small hydropower project is 9.36 MW. The initial cost of the project is estimated at N63,343,970 with an estimated annual maintenance cost of N500,000. The annual energy output is 3.6 × 107 kWh and the project has estimated annual revenue of N579,960,000. When compared with other renewable energy sources, the cost of small hydropower plant is low and when compared with dwindling oil prices and environmental effects of non-renewable energy sources, small hydropower stands second to none. The study established that Ikere gorge Dam is a feasible site for a small hydropower plant and a small hydropower plant has also been designed;hence small hydropower plant is therefore recommended.

A Set of Coherent Indicators for the Assessment of the Energy Profitability of Energy Systems

The concern on climate change and on the limitations of fossil fuels is leading to the promotion of renewable-based energy options. However, the assessment of the energy profitability of a technology is still a controversial topic, especially when renewable-based systems are compared with non-renewable ones and when the depletion of the stocks of available resources is not accounted properly. As a matter of fact, some popular energy indicators do not seem to cover all the aspects of the problem, with the risk of drawing ambiguous conclusions. A set of life cycle-based indicators is proposed in order to establish a more reliable approach to the assessment of energy products which decouples the different contributions given by renewable and non-renewable resources. The proposed set of indicators has been quantified for different groups of energy products and compared with an energy indicator frequently used (i.e. EROI). A coherent assessment of the depletion of energy resources and of the energy profitability of the products is presented. The indicators could even contribute to understand the feasibility of energy projects and plans by evaluating their impact on the stock of energy resources.

Our Daily Life Dependency Driven by Renewable and Nonrenewable Source of Energy

Our dependency on energy is so vital that it makes it difficult to imagine how humans can live on our planet earth without it.The demand for electricity,for example,is directly related to the growth of the population worldwide,and presently,to meet this demand,we need both renewable and nonrenewable energy.While nonrenewable energy has its shortcomings(negative impact on climate change,for example),renewable energy is not enough to address the ever-changing demand for energy.One way to address this need is to become more innovative,use technology more effectively,and be aware of the costs associated with different sources of renewable energy.In the case of nuclear power plants,new innovative centered around small modular reactors(SMRs)of generation 4th of these plants make them safer and less costly to own them as well as to protect them via means of cyber-security against any attack by smart malware.Of course,understanding the risks and how to address them is an integral part of the study.Natural sources of energy,such as wind and solar,are suggesting other innovating technical approaches.In this article,we are studying these factors holistically,and details have been laid out in a book by the authors’second volume of series title as Knowledge Is Power in Four Dimensions under Energy subtitle.

Factors Influencing the Use of Solar Energy Technology in a Local Township of Blantyre City, Malawi

Challenges with access to electricity are global but becoming increasingly high in Malawi where more than 96% of the electricity is produced from hydro generation. Energy sources for electricity production can be renewable or non-renewable. Due to many challenges facing hydropower production such as water levels, debris in the inlet ponds, etc., renewable energy sources that produce clean energy such as solar power are becoming common. However, despite such opportunities, access to electricity whether renewable (solar) or non-renewable (hydro production) to many people in urban areas in Malawi is still a challenge. A household survey was carried out involving 100 households aimed to establish factors that influence the use of solar energy technology in Machinjiri, one of the townships in the city of Blantyre, in southern Malawi. Only 32% of the households have access to solar energy. Results indicated that the level of education attained has an influence on the peoples’ choices to use solar technology. In this regard, respondents with basic primary school certificate reported 8% while those with college education reported 32% and those with higher education, Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) reported 52% use of solar energy for lighting. Some of the reasons for not using solar energy include: low production during winter (55%), not durable (23%), no knowledge (18%) and others mention combined reasons (4%). Only a few people use solar energy for lighting. Therefore, there is a need for the government and non-governmental organizations to continue sensitizing people on the importance of using renewable energy such as solar energy. Furthermore, the government should create deliberate conditions to make solar energy equipment affordable to many Malawians with low incomes.

Natural resource scarcity,fossil fuel energy consumption,and total greenhouse gas emissions in top emitting countries

Natural resource scarcity,fossil fuel energy consumption,and total greenhouse gas emissions are critical issues that require immediate attention.With the global population steadily increasing and economies expanding,the demand for natural resources,particularly fossil fuels,has experienced an unprecedented surge.This surge in consumption is directly linked to the alarming rise in greenhouse gas emissions.The study examines the nexus between agricultural nitrous oxide emissions and natural resource scarcity,taking into account the dynamics of agriculture,forestry,fishing value addition,fossil fuels,and total greenhouse gas emissions in top-emitting countries between 1971 and 2020.Natural resource scarcity positively correlates with agriculture,forestry,fishing,fossil fuel energy consumption,and total greenhouse gas emissions.There is a decrease in natural resource scarcity in countries that emit agricultural nitrous oxide,forestry,fishing emissions,fossil fuel energy consumption,and greenhouse gas emissions.Policy-makers may promote sustainable development,mitigate climate change,and ensure the longterm viability of agricultural systems by addressing the dynamics of agriculture,forestry,and fishing value addition in top-emitting countries.Through strategic policy interventions,supported by technology transfer,capacity building,and market-based instruments,the agricultural,forestry,and fishing sector can achieve a more sustainable future while addressing the challenges of natural resource scarcity.

The legal sustainability of energy substitution in Nigeria’s electric power sector:renewable energy as alternative

Non-renewable fuel sources have been the predominant energy sources and a significant source of foreign exchange income for Nigeria,while at the same time there is a severe problem of electricity inconsistency and persistent power blackouts in Nigeria.The research aims to end the concern for deficient energy use,and to encourage energy efficiency and sustainability.Nigeria has not maximized the advantages of renewable energy after the denationalisation of its electricity industry despite the current transformation in the power industry and the rising demand for renewable energy supply.The research adopts a doctrinal legal approach with a library-based legal research technique with a comparative legal method.It reveals that the absence of a comprehensible legal regime with encouragement for the use of renewable energy is the fundamental element causing the slow utilization of renewable energy as a substitute source of energy in Nigeria.It is suggested that,among other reforms,there is a need for a comprehensible legal regime on renewable energy and the encouragement of strict implementation of energy regulatory strategies and policies with incentives for the application of renewable energy sources in Nigeria.

Warranty and Preventive Maintenance Analysis for Sustainable Reverse Supply Chains

In addition to being environmentally friendly,remanufactured products are popular with consumers because they offer the latest technology at a lower price,in comparison to brand new products.However,some consumers hesitate to buy remanufactured products because they are skeptical about their quality.Thus,they are unsure of the extent to which the product will render services when compared to a new product.A promotional marketing strategy employed by remanufacturers is to offer warranties for these products.To that end,this study scrutinizes the impact of offering non-renewing warranties on remanufactured products.Specifically,in this paper,a methodology is suggested,which simultaneously minimizes the cost incurred by the remanufacturers and maximizes consumer confidence toward buying remanufactured products.This study uses a discrete-event simulation to optimize the implementation of a two-dimensional non-renewing warranty policy for remanufactured products.The implementation is illustrated using a specific product recovery system called the Advanced Remanufacturing-To-Order system.The experiments in the study were designed using Taguchi’s Orthogonal Arrays to represent the entire domain of the recovery system to observe system behavior under various experimental conditions.