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Investigating The Impacts Of Conventional And Advanced Treatment Technologies On Energy Consumption At Satellite Water Reuse Plants, Jonathan Roy Bailey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With the ever increasing world population and the resulting increase in industrialization and agricultural practices, depletion of two of the world's most important natural resources, water and fossil fuels, is inevitable. Water reclamation and reuse is the key to protecting these natural resources. Water reclamation using smaller decentralized wastewater treatment plants, known as satellite water reuse plants (WRP), have become popular in the last decade. With stricter standards and regulations on effluent quality and requirements for a smaller land footprint (i.e. real estate area), additional treatment processes and advanced technologies are needed. This greatly increases the energy consumption of an …

Toward Renewable Eenergy Geo-Information Infrastructures: Applications Of Giscience And Remote Sensing That Build Institutional Capacity, K. Calvert, Joshua M. Pearce, W. E. Mabee

Department of Materials Science and Engineering Publications

Sustained policy support is necessary in order to drive a transition toward renewable energy (RE). The ability to realize RE policy objectives is constrained by a range of geographic factors related to resource potential, the distribution of resources, land availability/suitability, the absorptive capacity of proximal infrastructure, and local socio-political acceptance. With this in mind, this paper provides a systematic review of how geographic information science and remote sensing techniques have been applied to reduce uncertainties surrounding renewable energy development, with emphasis on policy and planning needs. The concept of a ‘geo-information infrastructure’ is used to bring coherence and direction to …

Climate Change Up Close And Personal: Impacts On Hampton Roads Region, Russell De Young

November 16, 2012: Best Practices for Adapting to Sea Level Rise and Flooding

No abstract provided.

Sustainable Renovation In Kosova, Sadije Kelmendi

UBT International Conference

The built environment is one of the most obvious examples of the impact of human activity. Globally, buildings have a substantial impact on our energy use and the pollution of our environment. Buildings consume 35-40% of our primary energy. From that 35-40% of buildingrelated CO2 emissions, 29% of that could be cut by 2020 using existing technologies. Governments around the world are starting to define requirements for sustainable buildings. Targets are being set for reductions in energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. As Kosova faces big energy challenges in both low energy production and at the same time high energy …

The Effectiveness Of The Use Of Solar Panels In Hotels Of Durres Area, Asllan Hajderi, Shkelqim Gjevori

UBT International Conference

In the present study is analyzing the case of the application of solar energy with vacuum tube collectors for heating water for sanitary needs in hotels of Durres areas. In recent years there has been a special interest by the leading authorities to the EU countries and the U.S., for the use of renewable energies in general and solar energy in particular. This is mainly related with the reduction of environmental pollution from gas CO2, which directly influences the greenhouse effect and global warming. Unlike other forms of renewable energy, like wind turbines, photovoltaic panels and biomass usages, the use …

Cdm Potential In Palm Solid Waste Cogeneration As An Alternative Energy In Aceh Province, Mahidin Mahidin, Izarul Machdar, Muhammad Faisal, Muhammad Nizar

Makara Journal of Technology

Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) as a solid waste in Crude Palm Oil (CPO) industry does not utilized yet as an alternative energy source to generate electricity. It is well known that use of solid wate (biomass) as an energy source is part of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) scheme due to direct reduction of Green House Gases (GHGs) emission and provide a direct contribution to sustainable development. Utilization of EFB as a source of energy is very potential to be implemented in Aceh since this province has 25 CPO Mills at the moment which actively produce about 870,000 ton EFB …

Smarter Finance For Cleaner Energy: Open Up Master Limited Partnerships (Mlps) And Real Estate Investment Trusts (Reits) To Renewable Energy Investment, Felix Mormann, Dan Reicher

Short Works

Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)—both well-established investment structures—should be opened up to renewable energy investment. MLPs and, more recently, REITs have a proven track record for promoting oil, gas, and other traditional energy sources. When extended to renewable energy projects these tools will help promote growth, move renewables closer to subsidy independence, and vastly broaden the base of investors in America’s energy economy. The extension of MLPs and REITs to renewables enjoys significant support from the investment and clean energy communities. In addition, MLPs for renewables also enjoy bipartisan political backing in Congress.

Environmental Law And Fossil Fuels: Barriers To Renewable Energy, Uma Outka

Vanderbilt Law Review

Renewable energy is gaining momentum around the globe, but the United States has only just begun to change its energy trajectory away from fossil fuels. Today, only about 10% of electricity in the United States is generated from renewable energy, and most of that comes from hydroelectric power plants that have been operating for many years. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects 30% of new capacity over the next twenty years will utilize renewable resources, without significant changes in U.S. energy policy, but at that pace renewable energy will still account for only 16% of generated electricity. These prospects stand …

Interstate Transmission Challenges For Renewable Energy: A Federalism Mismatch, Alexandra B. Klass, Elizabeth J. Wilson

Vanderbilt Law Review

It is impossible to talk about developing renewable energy resources in the United States without also talking about developing electric transmission infrastructure. More specifically, the transmission-planning strategies that may have worked in the past are no longer effective to integrate new sources of renewable energy into the transmission grid. Transmission lines were historically built to link large stationary power plants to nearby electricity demand centers like cities. For renewable energy, however, state mandates and policies are driving investment in wind-and to a lesser extent solar-energy, creating a need for new transmission lines to link these dispersed resources with electric load …

Finance Minutes 11/01/2012, Finance Committee

Finance Committee

No abstract provided.

Building-Related Renewable Energy And The Case Of 360 State Street, Sara C. Bronin

Vanderbilt Law Review

This Article focuses on small-scale and midsized facilities and does not consider large-scale facilities, which tend to be located far from population centers. These facilities certainly raise pressing legal concerns, not least of which is how the energy sprawl they create should be managed. Indeed, siting (along with initial start-up financing) is a primary barrier to large-scale renewable energy. This Article sets large-scale facilities aside and focuses primarily on projects whose scale allows them to be incorporated into inhabited structures.

Slides: Unido: Partner For Prosperity, Kandeh K. Yumkella

2012 Energy Justice Conference and Technology Exposition (September 17-18)

Presenter: Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Chairman, UN Energy; Director General, United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)

16 slides

Status Of Biodiesel Research And Development In Pakistan, Abdul Aziz Abdul Raman

Abdul Aziz Abdul Raman

Performance of biodiesel in engines is well established and biodiesel is currently adjudged as a low carbon fuel with the most potential of replacing fossil fuels. The fossil fuel sources are dwindling in Pakistan resulting in importation of about 8.1 million tonnes at approximately US$ 9.4 billion per annum. In the ambit of this justification, augmenting the energy scarce resources in Pakistan through intense harnessing of the varied biodiesel sources can adequately address the deficiency and can ensure energy security. Towards this end, the progress attained in biodiesel related researches in Pakistan are evaluated and presented with the view of …

Takings And Transmission, Alexandra B. Klass

Alexandra B. Klass

Ever since the Supreme Court’s controversial 2005 decision in Kelo v. City of New London, courts, state legislatures, and the public have scrutinized eminent domain actions like never before. Such scrutiny has focused, for the most part, on the now-controversial “economic development” or “public purpose” takings involved in the Kelo case itself, where government takes private property to convey it to another private party who promises to develop the property in a way that will increase the tax base, create new jobs, assist in urban renewal, or otherwise provide economic or social benefits to the public. By contrast, until recently, …

Sensitivity Studies Of A Low Temperature Low Approach Direct Cooling Tower For Building Radiant Cooling Systems, Medhi Nasrabadi, Donal Finn, Ben Costelloe

Conference Papers

Recent interest in cooling towers as a mechanism for producing chilled water, together with the evolution of radiant cooling, have prompted a review of evaporative cooling in temperate maritime climates. The thermal efficiency of such systems is a key parameter, as a measure of the degree to which the system has succeeded in exploiting the cooling potential of the ambient air. The feasibility of this concept depends largely however, on achieving low approach water temperatures within an appropriate cooling tower, at acceptable levels of energy performance. Previous experimental work for a full scale evaporative cooling system has shown that it …

Using Life Cycle Assessment Methods To Guide Architectural Decision-Making For Sustainable Prefabricated Modular Buildings, Jeremy Faludi, Michael Lepech, George Loisos

Dartmouth Scholarship

Within this work, life cycle assessment modeling is used to determine top design priorities and quantitatively inform sustainable design decision-making for a prefabricated modular building. A case-study life-cycle assessment was performed for a 5,000 ft² prefabricated commercial building constructed in San Francisco, California, and scenario analysis was run examining the life cycle environmental impacts of various energy and material design substitutions, and a structural design change. Results show that even for a highly energy-efficient modular building, the top design priority is still minimizing operational energy impacts, since this strongly dominates the building life cycle's environmental impacts. However, as an …

Modeling A Solar-Heated Anaerobic Digester For The Developing World Using System Dynamics, Johanna Bentley

Theses

Much of the developing world lacks access to a dependable source of energy. Agricultural societies such as Mozambique and Papua New Guinea could sustain a reliable energy source through the microbacterial decomposition of animal and crop waste. Anaerobic digestion produces methane, which can be used directly for heating, cooking, and lighting. Adding a solar component to the digester provides a catalyst for bacteria activity, accelerating digestion and increasing biogas production. Using methane decreases the amount of energy expended by collecting and preparing firewood, eliminates hazardous health effects linked to inhalation of particles, and provides energy close to where it is …

Linked Data In Renewable Energy Domain, Henry Abanda, Joseph Tah

International Congress on Environmental Modelling and Software

The vision of the Semantic Web is to build a global Web of data that links different resources. To this end, the first step is to put data on the Web in the form that machines can naturally understand or convert to useful forms. This can be achieved through Linked Data technology, an emerging publishing paradigm in which not only documents, but also data are linked over the Web. The ultimate goal underpinning Linked Data is to enable different individuals and organisations to efficiently contribute and share data about different domains. Climate change impacts and/or energy scarcity are among the …

Agenda: A Low-Carbon Energy Blueprint For The American West, University Of Colorado Boulder. Natural Resources Law Center, University Of Colorado Boulder. Renewable And Sustainable Energy Institute, Western Resource Advocates, Rocky Mountain Research Station (Fort Collins, Colo.)

A Low-Carbon Energy Blueprint for the American West (Martz Summer Conference, June 6-8)

The future of the planet may depend upon our ability to increase energy supplies even as we reduce carbon emissions. This conference will address how a low-carbon energy program might evolve with a particular focus on the American West. It will focus on the future of energy in the West--on a “managed transition” to a different energy mix, on the need to nest this effort in a framework that acknowledges interconnections, and on identifying the most salient opportunities to consider the legal, political, financial, and technical challenges.

Implementation Of Biogas Plant In Sahwa Yogurt Kitchen, Manon Lelievre, Nashon Msafiri, Melissa Whaling

Business and Social Enterprise

The Lake Victoria region is densely populated and has been for many decades. Population growth alongside great economic expansion has led to a consistent population increase. For instance, in the 1960s there were 6 million people in the area and this has grown to about 30 million today. This population explosion has had severe environmental implications as overpopulation has put a strain on natural resources and has increased environmental degradation and pollution. Alongside this, many economic activities that rely on natural resources have been negatively impacted by environmental strains. Among many effects of this high population density is the competition …

Putting The Wind At Our Backs: Assessing U.S. Potential For 20% Wind Energy By 2030, Kevin T. Harnett

Honors Theses

The discussion surrounding the future of energy, particularly in the United States, has gained significant momentum in recent years for an obvious reason — it’s daunting. Our dependence on fossil fuels has positioned our nation in an undesirable predicament with a questionable future. With the associated consequences, principally Climate Change, it is essential that energy be addressed as a primary national concern. Renewables need to flip the switch.

Investigating Potential Improvements To Enhance The Performance Of A Solar Thermal Collection System: Design Of The Dual Axis Tracking System, Eric Landry

Honors Theses

Due to the current energy crisis, there are a large number of opportunities in the applications of renewable energy technologies. Specifically, my partner and I have explored those associated with a solar thermal collection dish. The sun, being a virtually limitless supply of energy, ought to be used to its fullest potential. This technology is designed to do just that. Using a concave reflective surface, the sun’s thermal energy is concentrated to a central location where it is then collected by a working fluid. This type of approach achieves very high temperatures and maximizes the effectiveness of the thermal energy …

Net Co2 Reduction Analysis For A Wind Farm, Darren Del Dotto

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the net CO2 reduction benefit that can be achieved by using wind instead of coal power. Coal power has a significantly higher rate of CO2 emissions than wind generation, but wind power generation has a significant amount of embodied energy. The goal of this study is to determine the net carbon reduction benefit that can be achieved using wind power after accounting for factors such as embodied energy in materials and construction.

Modeling Biofuel Production In Southern Pine Forests: The Effects On Soil Properties, Brittany L. Oakes

Honors Theses

From consuming energy alone in 2009, the United States ranked second as a carbon emitter at 5,425 million metric tons annually; China was the leader at 7,706 million metric tons and India placed third at 1,591 million metric tons (EIA, 2010). Yet in 2009, the U.S. consumed more electricity than both China and India and was the leading importer of electricity (EIA, 2010). Incorporating more domestic sources of renewable energy can simultaneously alleviate two issues: mitigating climate change catastrophes and significantly reduce our dependence on foreign markets for electricity and other forms of energy. Additionally, evidence of dwindling international oil …

Small-Scale Solar Central Receiver System Design And Analysis, Daniel Murray

Master's Theses

This thesis develops an analytical model of a small-scale solar central receiver power plant located at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California at 35.28° N, 120.66° W. The model is used to analyze typical energy output at any time during the year. The power plant is designed to produce an output of 100 kW electrical power, and is supplemented by the combustion of natural gas. Methodologies for determining the proper size and layout of heliostats, optimal tower height, receiver size, and turbine engine selection are developed. In this specific design, solar shares of up to 73.2% …

First Presidential Debate Marked By Attacks On Front-Runner Enrique Peña Nieto, Carlos Navarro

NotiEn: An Analytical Digest About Energy Issues in Latin America

The four candidates seeking to become the next president of Mexico squared off in an uninspiring and sometimes confusing debate marked by attacks and disqualifications. "Three of the four candidates seeking the presidency in the July 1 election interacted in a disorderly and perhaps schizophrenic manner," said the Coahuilabased daily newspaper Vanguardia. "They mixed criticisms with promises that have already been heard for the last few months in advertisements and interviews." However, Gabriel Quadri de la Torre, candidate of the PANAL party, stood out from the other three candidates, specifically on the topic of renewable energy policy.

Data Anti-Suppression Methods And An Application Of Spatial Concentration Measures To Evaluate Green Energy Value Chain Concentration, David Lane Register

Masters Theses

A number of renewable, or so-called “green energy” products have emerged in response to the environmental, national security, and economic risks posed by the consumption of fossil fuels. The development of the renewable fuels sector, including ethanol, biodiesel, landfill and dairy methane gas, and solar and wind energy have also been considered potential sources of economic growth. But continuously changing market and policy conditions put at risk recent accomplishments in green energy sector development, thus placing a greater emphasis on efficient coordination between producers and suppliers.

Recent advances in firm location theory have produced a variety of analytical tools to …

Energy Sources And The Production Of Electricity In The United States, David Manukjan

Honors College Theses

The current sources of energy that the United States uses to produce electricity are costly, extremely damaging to the environment, and cause us to rely on other countries for our energy needs. The Obama Administration has begun working on replacing coal and oil with cleaner sources of energy. Over the last decade, alternative energy sources have been slowly gaining popularity as the American public learns more about climate change. However, the U.S. government will not use renewable energy as a complete substitute for fossil fuels in the immediate future because of their higher market price. The world is struggling to …

A Baseline Study Of Biofuel Feedstock Growth On Non-Traditional Agronomic Land In Utah, Dallas A. Hanks

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Nearly all highway, airport, and military areas in Utah cost money to maintain and are often safe harbor for noxious weeds and pests. This project hypothesized that money could be saved and biofuel feedstocks could be grown in these areas, improving sustainability. Agronomic conditions and growth methods were tested to determine if biofuel feedstock production could occur on these marginal, non-traditional plots of land. Models developed illustrate that maintenance costs for these areas can be nullified if oilseed crops grown yield 600 pounds/acre and are used for biodiesel production. This feedstock yield would result in approximately 25 gallons of biodiesel …

Bubble-Free Oxygen And Carbon Dioxide Mass Transfer In Bioreactors Using Microporous Membranes, Ravi Balgobin

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Increasing gas-liquid mass transfer in bioreactors is a major goal for performance improvement in bioprocesses. The effects of bubble-free oxygen and carbon dioxide mass transfer using microporous membranes were tested in a flat module and a hollow fiber module for applications in a bio-fuel cell and cultivation of microalgae. The volumetric mass transfer coefficient, K_La, was compared to conventional bubbling. Liquid agitation rates influenced the mass transfer, as the limiting factor was the liquid boundary layer thickness. The K_La increased as the membrane hydrophobicity increased. The effect of pore size was found to be negligible …