Analysis of a Spanish energy scenario with Generation IV nuclear reactors

The advantages of fast-spectrum reactors consist not only of an efficient use of fuel through the breeding of fissile material and the use of natural or depleted uranium, but also of the potential reduction of the amount of actinides such as americium and neptunium contained in the irradiated fuel. The first aspect means a guaranteed future nuclear fuel supply. The second fact is key for high-level radioactive waste management, because these elements are the main responsible for the radioactivity of the irradiated fuel in the long term. The present study aims to analyze the hypothetical deployment of a Gen-IV Sodium Fast Reactor (SFR) fleet in Spain. A nuclear fleet of fast reactors would enable a fuel cycle strategy different than the open cycle, currently adopted by most of the countries with nuclear power. A transition from the current Gen-II to Gen-IV fleet is envisaged through an intermediate deployment of Gen-III reactors. Fuel reprocessing from the Gen-II and Gen-III Light Water Reactors (LWR) has been considered. In the so-called advanced fuel cycle, the reprocessed fuel used to produce energy will breed new fissile fuel and transmute minor actinides at the same time. A reference case scenario has been postulated and further sensitivity studies have been performed to analyze the impact of the different parameters on the required reactor fleet. The potential capability of Spain to supply the required fleet for the reference scenario using national resources has been verified. Finally, some consequences on irradiated final fuel inventory are assessed. Calculations are performed with the Monte Carlo transport-coupled depletion code SERPENT together with post-processing tools.

The importance of the industrialization of Brazilian shale when faced with the world energy scenario

This article discusses the importance of the industrialization of Brazilian shale based on factors such as: security of the national energy system security, global oil geopoliticsl, resources available, production costs, oil prices, environmental impacts and the national oil reserves. The study shows that the industrialization of shale always arises when issues such as peak oil or its geopolitics appear as factors that raise the price of oil to unrealistic levels. The article concludes that in the Brazilian case, shale oil may be classified as a strategic resource, economically viable, currently in development by the success of the retorting technology for extraction of shale oil and the price of crude oil. The article presents the conclusion that shale may be the driving factor for the formation of a technology park in Sao Mateus do Sul, due to the city`s economic dependence on Petrosix.

The role of nuclear power in the future energy system

Currently widely accepted consensus is that greenhouse gas emissions produced by the mankind have to be reduced in order to avoid further global warming. The European Union has set a variety of CO2 reduction and renewable generation targets for its member states. The current energy system in the Nordic countries is one of the most carbon free in the world, but the aim is to achieve a fully carbon neutral energy system. The objective of this thesis is to consider the role of nuclear power in the future energy system. Nuclear power is a low carbon energy technology because it produces virtually no air pollutants during operation. In this respect, nuclear power is suitable for a carbon free energy system. In this master's thesis, the basic characteristics of nuclear power are presented and compared to fossil fuelled and renewable generation. Nordic energy systems and different scenarios in 2050 are modelled. Using models and information about the basic characteristics of nuclear power, an opinion is formed about its role in the future energy system in Nordic countries. The model shows that it is possible to form a carbon free Nordic energy system. Nordic countries benefit from large hydropower capacity which helps to offset fluctuating nature of wind power. Biomass fuelled generation and nuclear power provide stable and predictable electricity throughout the year. Nuclear power offers better energy security and security of supply than fossil fuelled generation and it is competitive with other low carbon technologies.

Facing the future: energy performance certificates and commercial property

Purpose – The paper aims to present the findings of a “situation review” of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), focusing on energy performance certificates (EPCs) to highlight areas of specific importance for the UK property investment community. The paper is based on research commissioned by the Investment Property Forum (IPF) and funded through the IPF Research Programme (2006-2009). Design/methodology/approach – Interviews were undertaken with experts from the fields of property investment and building engineering. The interviews were undertaken with to identify: the current knowledge of EPCs in the property investment sector; key issues with practical implementation of the legislation; and perceptions of the potential impacts of legislation, particularly in relation to value stakeholder and behaviour. Findings – The paper finds that, although the regulations have been published, there is still a need for clarification in the marketplace with regard to some of the detail of regulations and the certification process. The following areas are of most concern to property investors: costs of surveys; potential difficulties with the process; and a shortage of assessors. With respect to these impacts it is becoming clear that investors who have not yet started considering the EPBD and its requirements within their strategy are likely to face difficulties in the short term. The most significant value-related impacts of EPBD are expected to be value differentiation of properties and “price chipping” against the rental or capital value of the property, where an occupier or potential purchaser will use the recommendations contained within an EPC to force a reduction in value. The latter is expected to emerge in the short term, whereas the former is expected to be realised over the medium to long term. Both these impacts have potentially significant implications for property investment holdings and also future investment behaviour.

DOD future energy resources : proceedings of workshops held at the National Defense University /

"The enclosed CD contains Adobe PDF files of this report and presentations delivered at two workshops on DOD future energy resources"--P. [2] of cover.

Energy conservation : a demand-side alternative for meeting future energy needs : a staff report.

Sunset project manager : Terry H. Stoica.

Mitigation possibilities to Greenhouse gas emissions from power production in India

Global warming is assertively the greatest environmental challenge for humans of 21st century. It is primarily caused by the anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) that trap heat in the atmosphere. Because of which, the GHG emission mitigation, globally, is a critical issue in the political agenda of all high-profile nations. India, like other developing countries, is facing this threat of climate change while dealing with the challenge of sustaining its rapid economic growth. India’s economy is closely connected to its natural resource base and climate sensitive sectors like water, agriculture and forestry. Due to Climate change the quality and distribution of India’s natural resources may transform and lead to adverse effects on livelihood of its people. Therefore, India is expected to face a major threat due to the projected climate change. This study proposes possible solutions for GHG emission mitigation that are specific to the power sector of India. The methods discussed here will take Indian power sector from present coal dominant ideology to a system, centered with renewable energy sources. The study further proposes a future scenario for 2050, based on the present Indian government policies and global energy technologies advancements.

Evaluation of the main energy scenarios for the global energy transition

Energy scenarios are used as a tool to examine credible future states and pathways. The one who constructs a scenario defines the framework in which the possible outcomes exist. The credibility of a scenario depends on its compatibility with real world experiences, and on how well the general information of the study, methodology, and originality and processing of data are disclosed. In the thesis, selected global energy scenarios’ transparency and desirability from the society’s point of view were evaluated based on literature derived criteria. The global energy transition consists of changes to social conventions and economic development in addition to technological development. Energy solutions are economic and ethical choices due to far-reaching impacts of energy decision-making. Currently the global energy system is mostly based on fossil fuels, which is unsustainable over the long-term due to various reasons: negative climate change impacts, negative health impacts, depletion of fossil fuel reserves, resource-use conflicts with water management and food supply, loss of biodiversity, challenge to preserve ecosystems and resources for future generations, and inability of fossil fuels to provide universal access to modern energy services. Nuclear power and carbon capture and storage cannot be regarded as sustainable energy solutions due to their inherent risks and required long-term storage. The energy transition is driven by a growing energy demand, decreasing costs of renewables, modularity and scalability of renewable technologies, macroeconomic benefits of using renewables, investors’ risk awareness, renewable energy related attractive business opportunities, almost even distribution of solar and wind resources on the planet, growing awareness of the planet’s environmental status, environmental movements and tougher environmental legislation. Many of the investigated scenarios identified solar and wind power as a backbone for future energy systems. The scenarios, in which the solar and wind potentials were deployed in largest scale, met best the set out sustainability criteria. In future research, energy scenarios’ transparency can be improved by better disclosure on who has ordered the study, clarifying the funding, clearly referencing to used sources and indicating processed data, and by exploring how variations in cost assumptions and deployment of technologies influence on the outcomes of the study.

Japan´s energy future: Between a return to nuclear energy and a turn to renewables

After the triple disaster of 11 March 2011, Japan is at an energy crossroad. In the short and medium run it depends on fossil fuel imports to ensure its energy security, but the long term will be determined by the decisions taken at present. For Japan energy security is a national security challenge, as stated in its National Security Strategy. The article reviews the Japanese nuclear path, studies the factors shaping the Japanese electricity market and analyzes the current energy situation. Moreover, it also assesses the principles that have marked Japan’s energy policy and the two last Strategic Energy Plans -one prior to Fukushima and the other after it- before tackling the debate on the optimal future energy mix that Japan should adopt to meet its energy security trilemma, marked by its environmental commitment.

Development of a methodology to incorporate risk and uncertainty in electricity power planning

Dissertação de mestrado em Engenharia Industrial

Going beyond energy intensity to understand the energy metabolism of nations: the case of Argentina

The link between energy consumption and economic growth has been widely studied in the economic literature. Understanding this relationship is important from both an environmental and a socio-economic point of view, as energy consumption is crucial to economic activity and human environmental impact. This relevance is even higher for developing countries, since energy consumption per unit of output varies through the phases of development, increasing from an agricultural stage to an industrial one and then decreasing for certain service based economies. In the Argentinean case, the relevance of energy consumption to economic development seems to be particularly important. While energy intensity seems to exhibit a U-Shaped curve from 1990 to 2003 decreasing slightly after that year, total energy consumption increases along the period of analysis. Why does this happen? How can we relate this result with the sustainability debate? All these questions are very important due to Argentinean hydrocarbons dependence and due to the recent reduction in oil and natural gas reserves, which can lead to a lack of security of supply. In this paper we study Argentinean energy consumption pattern for the period 1990-2007, to discuss current and future energy and economic sustainability. To this purpose, we developed a conventional analysis, studying energy intensity, and a non conventional analysis, using the Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM) accounting methodology. Both methodologies show that the development process followed by Argentina has not been good enough to assure sustainability in the long term. Instead of improving energy use, energy intensity has increased. The current composition of its energy mix, and the recent economic crisis in Argentina, as well as its development path, are some of the possible explanations.