The use of Urban Solid Waste (USW) as sources of energy has acquired rising importance in current discussions of alternative energy supplies, in particular in Brazil. This paper brings to these discussions an examinat...The use of Urban Solid Waste (USW) as sources of energy has acquired rising importance in current discussions of alternative energy supplies, in particular in Brazil. This paper brings to these discussions an examination of the concept of solid wastes, including their historic origins and formation, taking their social, economic and cultural characteristics into account, including point view of waste production liturgy. Consequently, a spendthrift society slanted towards the decreasing marginal utility of assets must make efficient use of its USW in order to reduce excessive output. Besides that, this document presents the Brazilian potential of urban solid waste to produce electric power.展开更多
This paper presents a computational method to model and evaluate if Pumped Storage Plants (PSP) have the potential to reduce the intermittency of wind generation from different sites in Brazil and to improve the opera...This paper presents a computational method to model and evaluate if Pumped Storage Plants (PSP) have the potential to reduce the intermittency of wind generation from different sites in Brazil and to improve the operation efficiency of hydroelectric plants when operating in cascade. Since the problem to be solved does not have a defined analytic solution, a Stochastic Optimization Algorithm was implemented to reach an optimal solution to the set of equations, inputs and proposed scenarios. A case study was developed based on the Paraná River Basin and the results shows that the model can operate in a variety of different operational patterns, making feasible the evaluation of different hydrological and wind scenarios. Given the Model support, it is easy to assume different PSP storage and generation capacities, allowing the comparison between the efficiency improvement of a conventional Pumped-Storage and a Season-al-Pumped-Storage in the same scenario. The study concludes that a PSP can effectively reduce the intermittency of wind and solar sources and contribute to the optimization of the Brazilian electricity sector.展开更多
The motivation to calculate this empirical model resulted from often observing—at the time disconcerting—excess dinitrogen gas (N2 concentration > background concentration) in bubble-gas emission samples, collect...The motivation to calculate this empirical model resulted from often observing—at the time disconcerting—excess dinitrogen gas (N2 concentration > background concentration) in bubble-gas emission samples, collected primarily for the purpose of carbon budget research, from Brazilian rivers and reservoirs sampled during roughly 100 field surveys lasting 4 days each on average and executed between years 2000 and 2012. We model the (serendipitously) measured dinitrogen gas above environmental concentration (N2aec) escaping in bubbles from Brazilian rivers as a function of dissolved nitrogen (N) in water. To this model, we mathematically add a pre-existing model of diffusively emitted denitrified dinitrogen (also as a function of dissolved N) from streams in the United States of America (USA). The resulting model predicts denitrified dinitrogen water-air emission from inland waters in the USA, China and Germany.展开更多
The aim of this paper is to present and analyze the factors, motivations and criteria considered in the decision-making processes of the actors belonging to the biodiesel production chain in Brazil. The biodiesel prod...The aim of this paper is to present and analyze the factors, motivations and criteria considered in the decision-making processes of the actors belonging to the biodiesel production chain in Brazil. The biodiesel production chain consists of three main agents： the farmers, the soybean processing plants and the oil refinery/distributor. For the farmers organized in cooperatives the central decision is whether to sell oil-bearing crops for the production of biodiesel. In contrast, for the soybean processing plants that convert the crops into vegetable and/or biodiesel, the decision to produce this fuel is based on the wish to expand their market portfolio. Government tax incentives strongly influence both decisions regarding which oil-bearing crop to use and the amount of vegetable oil to be transformed into biodiesel. Finally, the oil refinery/distributor is obliged by law to mix the biodiesel with the mineral diesel and perceives this as a liability. The results show the existence of different characteristics linked to the decision-making process and a significant lack of synchronicity in the aims and motivations behind the agents＇ decisions. This state of decisional misalignment leads to heightened uncertainty regarding the sustainability of the Brazilian biodiesel production program.展开更多
Water scarcity is a threat for mankind and its symptoms have been aggravated by several factors such as climate change effects, increase in population and accelerated urbanization. Among the alternatives of water supp...Water scarcity is a threat for mankind and its symptoms have been aggravated by several factors such as climate change effects, increase in population and accelerated urbanization. Among the alternatives of water supply, the desalination has become one of the most sustainable solutions to provide freshwater. However, the process of desalination requires high quantities of energy and the use of renewable energy sources can make the technology affordable for regions characterized by fresh-water scarcity where the supply from electricity is not accessible. In this context, wind power can be singled out because of the constant innovations and progress of the wind power industry, which grows rapidly worldwide. This study aims to use patent applications for the technological forecasting of wind-powered desalination in order to analyse its innovation potential. China is the leader country in the technological development of this field, accounting for almost 80% of patent applications in the last 17 years. The patents analysis showed that innovations are being developed to combine the wind power, mainly, with Reverse Osmosis technology. This study also shows the immense potential of integrating of these two technologies as a strategic alternative for remote regions affected by a lack of freshwater and with no electricity access.展开更多
While the main concerns with municipal solid waste in developed countries like the European Union and the United States are to reduce and recycle the energy recover in order to drastically reduce the residues disposal...While the main concerns with municipal solid waste in developed countries like the European Union and the United States are to reduce and recycle the energy recover in order to drastically reduce the residues disposal to landfill, for developing countries the targets on waste management are much more basic. This seems to be the case in Brazil that with a new regulation, it still attempts to eradicate the inadequate waste disposal for open dumps. Thus, the aim of this paper is to depict the context, the criteria and discuss the strategies used for: the municipalities achieve the goals and adhere the plan;choice and configuration of disposal sites;and economic instruments adopted and bringing the whole scenario to discussion, including methane emissions inventory thru the case study of the Rio de Janeiro State. The Rio de Janeiro State municipal solid waste management scenario has drastically changed in last five years from 9% of residues sent to adequate destinations, to the perspective of eradication of open dumps before the end of 2014. The results indicate that only adequate disposal of waste is mandatory with the prevalence of the sanitation approach. The evidences also indicate that planning goals to reduce waste are modest and the landfill gas recover is generally accepted as the optimal solution. This paper concludes that, unless the stakeholders add to the plan a more aggressive policy to increment, the competitiveness of other waste technologies that favor the landfilling reduction and energy recover, Rio de Janeiro State will face the increase of landfill numbers and sizes, management cost, environmental and leachate impact, post-closure care expenses, contaminating life-span, and methane emissions.展开更多
文摘The use of Urban Solid Waste (USW) as sources of energy has acquired rising importance in current discussions of alternative energy supplies, in particular in Brazil. This paper brings to these discussions an examination of the concept of solid wastes, including their historic origins and formation, taking their social, economic and cultural characteristics into account, including point view of waste production liturgy. Consequently, a spendthrift society slanted towards the decreasing marginal utility of assets must make efficient use of its USW in order to reduce excessive output. Besides that, this document presents the Brazilian potential of urban solid waste to produce electric power.
文摘This paper presents a computational method to model and evaluate if Pumped Storage Plants (PSP) have the potential to reduce the intermittency of wind generation from different sites in Brazil and to improve the operation efficiency of hydroelectric plants when operating in cascade. Since the problem to be solved does not have a defined analytic solution, a Stochastic Optimization Algorithm was implemented to reach an optimal solution to the set of equations, inputs and proposed scenarios. A case study was developed based on the Paraná River Basin and the results shows that the model can operate in a variety of different operational patterns, making feasible the evaluation of different hydrological and wind scenarios. Given the Model support, it is easy to assume different PSP storage and generation capacities, allowing the comparison between the efficiency improvement of a conventional Pumped-Storage and a Season-al-Pumped-Storage in the same scenario. The study concludes that a PSP can effectively reduce the intermittency of wind and solar sources and contribute to the optimization of the Brazilian electricity sector.
文摘The motivation to calculate this empirical model resulted from often observing—at the time disconcerting—excess dinitrogen gas (N2 concentration > background concentration) in bubble-gas emission samples, collected primarily for the purpose of carbon budget research, from Brazilian rivers and reservoirs sampled during roughly 100 field surveys lasting 4 days each on average and executed between years 2000 and 2012. We model the (serendipitously) measured dinitrogen gas above environmental concentration (N2aec) escaping in bubbles from Brazilian rivers as a function of dissolved nitrogen (N) in water. To this model, we mathematically add a pre-existing model of diffusively emitted denitrified dinitrogen (also as a function of dissolved N) from streams in the United States of America (USA). The resulting model predicts denitrified dinitrogen water-air emission from inland waters in the USA, China and Germany.
文摘The aim of this paper is to present and analyze the factors, motivations and criteria considered in the decision-making processes of the actors belonging to the biodiesel production chain in Brazil. The biodiesel production chain consists of three main agents： the farmers, the soybean processing plants and the oil refinery/distributor. For the farmers organized in cooperatives the central decision is whether to sell oil-bearing crops for the production of biodiesel. In contrast, for the soybean processing plants that convert the crops into vegetable and/or biodiesel, the decision to produce this fuel is based on the wish to expand their market portfolio. Government tax incentives strongly influence both decisions regarding which oil-bearing crop to use and the amount of vegetable oil to be transformed into biodiesel. Finally, the oil refinery/distributor is obliged by law to mix the biodiesel with the mineral diesel and perceives this as a liability. The results show the existence of different characteristics linked to the decision-making process and a significant lack of synchronicity in the aims and motivations behind the agents＇ decisions. This state of decisional misalignment leads to heightened uncertainty regarding the sustainability of the Brazilian biodiesel production program.
文摘Water scarcity is a threat for mankind and its symptoms have been aggravated by several factors such as climate change effects, increase in population and accelerated urbanization. Among the alternatives of water supply, the desalination has become one of the most sustainable solutions to provide freshwater. However, the process of desalination requires high quantities of energy and the use of renewable energy sources can make the technology affordable for regions characterized by fresh-water scarcity where the supply from electricity is not accessible. In this context, wind power can be singled out because of the constant innovations and progress of the wind power industry, which grows rapidly worldwide. This study aims to use patent applications for the technological forecasting of wind-powered desalination in order to analyse its innovation potential. China is the leader country in the technological development of this field, accounting for almost 80% of patent applications in the last 17 years. The patents analysis showed that innovations are being developed to combine the wind power, mainly, with Reverse Osmosis technology. This study also shows the immense potential of integrating of these two technologies as a strategic alternative for remote regions affected by a lack of freshwater and with no electricity access.
文摘While the main concerns with municipal solid waste in developed countries like the European Union and the United States are to reduce and recycle the energy recover in order to drastically reduce the residues disposal to landfill, for developing countries the targets on waste management are much more basic. This seems to be the case in Brazil that with a new regulation, it still attempts to eradicate the inadequate waste disposal for open dumps. Thus, the aim of this paper is to depict the context, the criteria and discuss the strategies used for: the municipalities achieve the goals and adhere the plan;choice and configuration of disposal sites;and economic instruments adopted and bringing the whole scenario to discussion, including methane emissions inventory thru the case study of the Rio de Janeiro State. The Rio de Janeiro State municipal solid waste management scenario has drastically changed in last five years from 9% of residues sent to adequate destinations, to the perspective of eradication of open dumps before the end of 2014. The results indicate that only adequate disposal of waste is mandatory with the prevalence of the sanitation approach. The evidences also indicate that planning goals to reduce waste are modest and the landfill gas recover is generally accepted as the optimal solution. This paper concludes that, unless the stakeholders add to the plan a more aggressive policy to increment, the competitiveness of other waste technologies that favor the landfilling reduction and energy recover, Rio de Janeiro State will face the increase of landfill numbers and sizes, management cost, environmental and leachate impact, post-closure care expenses, contaminating life-span, and methane emissions.
