Atmospheric modelling of tritium forms transport: review of capabilities and R&D needs for the assessment of fusion facilities environmental impact

One of the key scrutiny issues of new coming energy era would be the environmental impact of fusion facilities managing one kg of tritium. The potential change of committed dose regulatory limits together with the implementation of nuclear design principles (As Low as Reasonably achievable - ALARA -, Defense in Depth -D-i-D-) for fusion facilities could strongly impact on the cost of deployment of coming fusion technology. Accurate modeling of environmental tritium transport forms (HT, HTO) for the assessment of fusion facility dosimetric impact in Accidental case appears as of major interest. This paper considers different short-term releases of tritium forms (HT and HTO) to the atmosphere from a potential fusion reactor located in the Mediterranean Basin. This work models in detail the dispersion of tritium forms and dosimetric impact of selected environmental patterns both inland and in-sea using real topography and forecast meteorological data-fields (ECMWF/FLEXPART). We explore specific values of this ratio in different levels and we examine the influence of meteorological conditions in the HTO behavior for 24 hours. For this purpose we have used a tool which consists on a coupled Lagrangian ECMWF/FLEXPART model useful to follow real time releases of tritium at 10, 30 and 60 meters together with hourly observations of wind (and in some cases precipitations) to provide a short-range approximation of tritium cloud behavior. We have assessed inhalation doses. And also HTO/HT ratios in a representative set of cases during winter 2010 and spring 2011 for the 3 air levels.

Strategic rigidity and foresight for technology adoption among electric utilities

The variation in the adoption of a technology as a major source of competitive advantage has been attributed to the wide-ranging strategic foresight and the integrative capability of a firm. These possible areas of competitive advantage can exist in the periphery of the firm's strategic vision and can get easily blurred as a result of rigidness and can permeate in the decision-making process of the firm. This article explores how electric utility firms with a renewable energy portfolio can become strategically rigid in terms of adoption of newer technologies. The reluctance or delay in the adoption of new technology can be characterized as strategic rigidness, brought upon as a result of a firm's core competence or core capability in the other, more conventional technology arrangement. This paper explores the implications of such rigidness on the performance of a firm and consequently on the energy eco-system. The paper substantiates the results by emphasizing the case of Iberdrola S.A., an incumbent firm as a wind energy developer and its adoption decision behavior. We illustrate that the very routines that create competitive advantage for firms in the electric utility industry are vulnerable as they might also develop as sources of competitive disadvantage, when firms confront environmental change and uncertainty.

Gasification technology assessment of sterile coal to clean electrical power generation.

Sterile coal is a low-value residue associated to the coal extraction and mining activity. According to the type and origin of the coal bed configuration, sterile coal production can mainly vary on quantity, calorific value and presence of sulphur compounds. In addition, the potential availability of sterile coal within Spain is apparently high and its contribution to the local power generation would be of interest playing a significant role. The proposed study evaluates the availability and deployment of gasification technologies to drive clean electricity generation from waste coal and sterile rock coal, incorporating greenhouse gas emission mitigation systems, like CO2, H2S and NOx removal systems. It establishes the target facility and its conceptual basic design proposal. The syngas obtained after the gasification of sterile coal is processed through specific conditioning units before entering into the combustion chamber of a gas turbine. Flue gas leaving the gas turbine is ducted to a heat recovery steam generation boiler; the steam produced within the boilerdrives a steam turbine. The target facility resembles a singular Integrated Gasification in Combined Cycle (IGCC) power station. The evaluation of the conceptual basic design according to the power output set for a maximum sterile contribution, established that rates over 95% H2S and 90% CO2 removal can be achieved. Noticeable decrease of NOx compounds can be also achieved by the use of commercial technology. A techno-economic approach of the conceptual basic design is made evaluating the integration of potential unitsand their implementation within the target facility aiming toachieve clean power generation. The criterion to be compliant with the most restrictive regulation regarding environmental emissions is setting to carry out this analysis.

A trait-based approach for predicting species responses to environmental change from sparse data : how well might terrestrial mammals track climate change?

Funded by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) CEH projects. Grant Numbers: NEC05264, NEC05100 Natural Environment Research Council UK. Grant Number: NE/J008001/1 © 2016 The Authors. Global Change Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

A genomic approach to gene fusion technology

Gene expression profiling provides powerful analyses of transcriptional responses to cellular perturbation. In contrast to DNA array-based methods, reporter gene technology has been underused for this application. Here we describe a genomewide, genome-registered collection of Escherichia coli bioluminescent reporter gene fusions. DNA sequences from plasmid-borne, random fusions of E. coli chromosomal DNA to a Photorhabdus luminescens luxCDABE reporter allowed precise mapping of each fusion. The utility of this collection covering about 30% of the transcriptional units was tested by analyzing individual fusions representative of heat shock, SOS, OxyR, SoxRS, and cya/crp stress-responsive regulons. Each fusion strain responded as anticipated to environmental conditions known to activate the corresponding regulatory circuit. Thus, the collection mirrors E. coli's transcriptional wiring diagram. This genomewide collection of gene fusions provides an independent test of results from other gene expression analyses. Accordingly, a DNA microarray-based analysis of mitomycin C-treated E. coli indicated elevated expression of expected and unanticipated genes. Selected luxCDABE fusions corresponding to these up-regulated genes were used to confirm or contradict the DNA microarray results. The power of partnering gene fusion and DNA microarray technology to discover promoters and define operons was demonstrated when data from both suggested that a cluster of 20 genes encoding production of type I extracellular polysaccharide in E. coli form a single operon.

Genetically Engineered Crops: A Study of Major Environmental Implications and U.S. Policy

The adoption of genetically modified crops is becoming evermore common in United States agriculture. However, this relatively new technology carries a negative stigma and perceived risks that have resulted commonly in public disapproval. In the United States, bioengineered crops are highly regulated. The significance of environmental benefits such as decreased chemical impact, increased soil conservation, heightened carbon sequestration, decreased energy demands, and reduced air emissions, are important enough to warrant a revision to U.S. policy. The U.S. policy structure needs to be simplified and made more efficient to better facilitate the speed with which new GE products can, and should, be developed while still providing adequate mitigation of potential environmental risks such as species invasiveness and impacts on non-target species.

Surface and Groundwater Environmental Policy Compliance at the Adams County Regional Park and Fairgrounds

The Adams County Regional Park and Fairgrounds must comply with environmental policies related to surface water and groundwater protection. This paper assesses various methods which have proven to be effective in the reduction of nutrients and other contaminants found in surface and groundwater at comparable livestock-based venues. Data was gathered from other facilities in order to identify specific compliance alternatives and evaluate management options. Empirical research, coupled with GIS mapping technology yielded explicit water quality management recommendations for the Adams County Regional Park and Fairgrounds. The outcome of this research and mapping exercise include twelve management recommendations and two site-specific locations for structural BMPs designed to better control water pollution at the Adams County Regional Park and Fairgrounds.

Environmental and Occupational Optometry. Lesson 8 (Course 2013-2014)

Tema 8: Pantallas de visualización de datos. Actividad voluntaria nº 5.

Making low-carbon technology support smarter. Bruegel Policy Brief 2015/02, 18 August 2015

This Policy Brief describes the interaction between three approaches that are effective in driving innovation in low-carbon technologies. Based on that, the author provides four recommendations for making low-carbon technology support smarter. THE ISSUE Combating climate change on the global level will be much easier when abundant low-carbon technologies that are competitive in their cost and capabilities are available. But private companies underinvest in low-carbon innovation because they cannot capture the climate benefits. There are three policies to address this issue: pricing carbon, supporting deployment of as-yet uncompetitive technologies and supporting research and development.

Stabilization/solidification of CERCLA and RCRA wastes : physical tests, chemical testing procedures, technology screening, and field activities.

"May 1989."

Accidents and unscheduled events associated with non-nuclear energy resource and technology /

Mode of access: Internet.

Immobilization technology seminar : speaker slide copies and supporting information /

EPA symbol on cover.

The Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation Program : spring update to the technology profiles fourth edition.

Mode of access: Internet.

The cost digest : cost summaries of selected environmental control technologies /

Mode of access: Internet.

Basics of pump-and-treat ground-water remediation technology /

Mode of access: Internet.