Although technology change (usually involving an improvement in energy efficiency) is not inherently a geographic process, it does not occur uniformly over geographic space. Consequently, mathematical modeling and behavioral and innovation diffusion studies by geographers have improved our understanding of the pervasive phenomenon of technology energy efficiency change in energy markets. Similarly, creative government policies in Germany since 1990 have led to a faster rate of adoption of renewable energy sources, compared to the United States. (more…)
The development of the ‘‘new’’ wind and solar technologies is of great importance for the future contribution of RESs to energy sup ...
Renewable energy sources cannot run out and causes so little damage to the environment that its use does not need to be restric ...
In Europe, modern renewable energy sources technologies were explored thoroughly for the first time after the oil embargo/ price cr ...
Government expenditures on energy R&D, energy conservation have risen steadily over the past decade, but only two countries, Japan ...
"Spain has great potential but lack geothermal legislation and investment." Besides being clean, renewable and friendly, easily man ...
Reductions in carbon intensity, C/E, the carbon emitted per unit of energy generated, reflect the degree to which societies decarbonize their energy sources. The long-term trend has been a shift from coal to oil to natural gas––hydrocarbons with decreasing C/H ratios emitting progressively less CO2 per joule. However, the increasing use of clean low-carbon fuels is not sustainable without somehow disposing of excess carbon because it opposes the trend in the abundance of fossil fuels, with coal resources being the most abundant followed by oil and gas. (more…)
The global cycling of carbon involves both biological and physical processes. Only the biological components are discussed here. Pl ...
The flux of carbon among terrestrial, aquatic, and atmospheric pools is at least partially controlled by photosynthetic process ...
It is of interest to examine potential sources of greenhouse gases sources or atmospheric CO2 by analysis of the global distrib ...
Climate change caused by the enhanced greenhouse effect is one of the most significant global environmental issues. Increased emiss ...
The global carbon cycle involves both biological and physical processes. Only the biological components are discussed here. Pla ...
n fabricating microscale energy systems, a number of operating conditions must first be taken into account. Foremost are the operating temperatures throughout the device. Often with mesoscale/ microscale energy systems, two closely spaced parts of the same device have a large temperature difference between them; hence, a large gradient can be present. A primary constraint is to have the material withstand the maximum temperatures existing in the system, but the gradients and thermal expansion must also be tolerated. (more…)
Silicon is the material of choice for most Micro Electro Mechanical Systems due to (1) the feature size often being in the rang ...
Extensive insulation repairs are usually done by contractors having the specific skills and equipment appropriate to the type o ...
Fuel cells are direct energy conversion devices that combine two reactants to produce electrical power. The reactants are typic ...
Microtechnology-Based Energy and Chemical Systems will most likely employ combustion for driving processes such as vapor generation ...
Insulation is what keeps the heat energy of a boiler system from leaking out of the system on its way to the end users. Inspect ...
The most fundamental process from an energy systems standpoint is heat transfer to (or from) a working fluid. This unit operation typically occurs in small channels, the characteristic diameter of which is less than 1 mm. Other heat transfer exchanger configurations, such as fluid flowing through a network of posts or through a mesh, are also possible. Specific examples of this fundamental unit operation include phase change occurring in boilers (modular steam boiler), evaporators, and condensers. (more…)
Mixing is a process where two or more liquids or gas phase components are brought together and combined to form a uniform compositi ...
Micro technology can be employed to produce miniaturized refrigeration and cryocooling systems. Although process intensificat ...
Separation is a unit operation used in absorption heat pumps and chemical processing applications such as solvent extraction and pr ...
Microtechnology-Based Energy and Chemical Systems will most likely employ combustion for driving processes such as vapor generation ...
Many small-scale energy systems require effective miniaturized pumps and expanders. These devices are responsible for conveying ...
Microtechnology-Based Energy and Chemical Systems will most likely employ combustion for driving processes such as vapor generation and vapor barrier, endothermic chemical reactions, and (most notably) fuel reforming. Both fuel reformers and combustors will be of a miniature design relying on embedded catalysts for promoting chemical reactions at moderate temperatures (350–7501C). Many potential configurations exist depending on the application and constraints on the design. Microchannel arrays are a potential configuration; mesh and post architecture is another to achieve the desired surface area and small diffusional lengths necessary. (more…)
Fuel cells are direct energy conversion devices that combine two reactants to produce electrical power. The reactants are typic ...
Mixing is a process where two or more liquids or gas phase components are brought together and combined to form a uniform compositi ...
Heat-actuated heat pumps are cooling systems requiring no electricity for operation. Rather, a heat source is used, avoiding the ne ...
Many characteristics of traditional engines make them attractive for use in power generation and propulsion technology. They tend t ...
The most fundamental process from an energy systems standpoint is heat transfer to (or from) a working fluid. This unit operation t ...
The European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) has offered, and the European Commission (EC) has accepted, a voluntary commitment to reduce the CO2 emissions from new light-duty passenger vehicles, with firm fleetwide targets of 140 g CO2 /km (B41 mpg for gasoline) by 2008, measured under the new European test cycle (Directives 93/116/EC and 99/100/EC). This represents approximately a 25% reduction from the 1995 average of 187 g/km (B30 mpg) on this cycle. The European cycle is likely to produce lower fuel economy ratings than the U.S. combined urban/ highway cycle, so the ‘‘U.S. equivalent’’ miles per gallon ratings of the year 2008 European fleet will likely be higher than 41 mpg if the targets are met. (more…)
Although the automotive industry is a vigorous sponsor of research and development in vehicle efficiency technology—worldwide, ...
Addressing global warming, however, is a highly complex and daunting endeavor. Many climate experts have urged the world to stabili ...
We know of no studies that have examined vehicle taxation incentives programs elsewhere in the world, but it seems likely that ...
A variety of information programs exist in the major automobile markets to assist potential purchasers of new cars in comparing fue ...
There are various and somewhat complementary reasons to foster the growth of renewable energy sources in Europe. A major incent ...
The age of industrialization came into full force through the modern exploration and use of fossil fuels. As one of its most striking phenomena, the rapid expansion of cities throughout the late 19th and the 20th centuries was a direct outcome of the fossil fuel energy economy as well. (more…)
The aim is to work with cities in advancing renewable energy technologies and systems and to help promote the renewable energy indu ...
The Solar City approach originally emerged from a new generation of International Energy Agency (IEA) energy research and developme ...
In the absence of useful and established patterns of practice, a search is under way for new means of reconciling local government’ ...
As a reaction to these historical perspectives, the building industry has witnessed a certain rise in design responses to regio ...
Climate change caused by the enhanced greenhouse effect is one of the most significant global environmental issues. Increased emiss ...
Researchers at the Institute of Chemical Technology have developed a new catalyst that allows to obtain, from bioethanol, hydrogen for direct use in fuel cells.
According to the researchers note the ITQ, the new catalyst is a new step towards the sustainable production of hydrogen with “interesting applications”, for example, buses, trains or trams based fuel cells.
It is an active catalyst at low temperatures, high selectivity to hydrogen production water and low carbon monoxide and methane. These three features can improve both energy and economic efficiency of hydrogen production process. “Hydrogen is currently produced by steam reforming of natural gas that operates at 900 º C, compared to 350 º C to working our catalyst, leading to a major energy savings,” said Antonio Chica, a researcher at the ITQ.
Likewise, the catalyst developed by the ITQ produced “very little” carbon monoxide, which means “breakthrough”, mainly to ensure optimal performance of the fuel cell because the CO is causing the malfunction of the batteries.
Also get “significant benefit” to the process of producing high purity hydrogen because it would involve the partial or total removal of one of the most expensive in the process units (units that use catalysts that are fairly expensive and aimed at the removal of CO by water displacement reactions and preferential oxidation). Similarly, the final stage of purification is simplified both in terms of energy and technology, which would mean “a considerable cost savings,” he said.
“The catalyst that we have developed could have interesting applications in industrial production of hydrogen. It has proven its efficiency in the laboratory, through the study of plant-level scale pilot will have to confirm the good results obtained so far, “said Girl.
The issues of hydrogen storage run through the hydrogen production, hydrogen transport, supply and demand for end use of hydrog ...
The hydrogen can come from various sources including fossil fuels, wind, solar, biomass, nuclear, solar thermo-chemical reactio ...
With ethanol’s future uncertain, many commentators see the transportation debate evolving into a war between two other technologies ...
Hydrogen has many applications when it comes to fuel. It can be used both in internal combustion engines and hydrogen fuel cells. ...
Fuel cells are typically classified according to type of electrolyte. While many varieties of fuel cells have been demonstrated ...
Many readers may be unfamiliar with the way economists typically view the process of technological change, thus it is useful to first establish this common understanding. Furthermore, to understand the potential for public policy to affect energy efficiency, it is also necessary to understand the process through which technology evolves: invention, innovation, energy diffusion, and product use. (more…)
Now it is possible to move back in the process of technological change from diffusion to innovation. In the energy efficiency area, ...
The aim of this broad sweep through the area of energy innovation, highlighting the main actors, activities, policies, institutions ...
Mixing is a process where two or more liquids or gas phase components are brought together and combined to form a uniform compositi ...
Beginning at the end of the technological change process, research has consistently shown that diffusion of new, economically ...
Energy efficiency is defined here to mean energy services provided per unit of energy input (for example, gallons of water hea ...
Foundations have made good progress on the energy front, but huge gaps remain. Promising technologies in energy production and use today prove that the prospects for an affluent but low-carbon society are good. But the U.S. and the world economies continue to run primarily on oil and coal. As the largest consumer and producer of energy in the world, the United States has the responsibility to lead the transition to cleaner energy technologies. (more…)
Not surprisingly, most Energy Research and Development takes place in industrialized countries where both the public and private se ...
World energy use has increased steadily over the past several decades. Much of the growth in world energy consumption has been ...
The development of the ‘‘new’’ wind and solar technologies is of great importance for the future contribution of RESs to energy sup ...
Germany is considered a world leader in wind energy deployment, with electricity production from wind having gone up more than eigh ...
Recently, attention to energy efficiency has been gaining momentum. The attention given by policy maker is mainly due to concer ...