Optimizing energy consumption in smart cities’ mobility: electric vehicles, algorithms, and collaborative economy

Mobility and transportation activities in smart cities require an increasing amount of energy. With the frequent energy crises arising worldwide and the need for a more sustainable and environmental friendly economy, optimizing energy consumption in these growing activities becomes a must. This work reviews the latest works in this matter and discusses several challenges that emerge from the aforementioned social and industrial demands. The paper analyzes how collaborative concepts and the increasing use of electric vehicles can contribute to reduce energy consumption practices, as well as intelligent x-heuristic algorithms that can be employed to achieve this fundamental goal. In addition, the paper analyzes computational results from previous works on mobility and transportation in smart cities applying x-heuristics algorithms. Finally, a novel computational experiment, involving a ridesharing example, is carried out to illustrate the benefits that can be obtained by employing these algorithms.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Optimizing Energy Consumption in Smart Cities' Mobility : Electric Vehicles, Algorithms, and Collaborative Economy

Altres ajuts: SEPIE Erasmus+ Program (2019-I-ES01-KA103-062602)Mobility and transportation activities in smart cities require an increasing amount of energy. With the frequent energy crises arising worldwide and the need for a more sustainable and environmental friendly economy, optimizing energy consumption in these growing activities becomes a must. This work reviews the latest works in this matter and discusses several challenges that emerge from the aforementioned social and industrial demands. The paper analyzes how collaborative concepts and the increasing use of electric vehicles can contribute to reduce energy consumption practices, as well as intelligent x-heuristic algorithms that can be employed to achieve this fundamental goal. In addition, the paper analyzes computational results from previous works on mobility and transportation in smart cities applying x-heuristics algorithms. Finally, a novel computational experiment, involving a ridesharing example, is carried out to illustrate the benefits that can be obtained by employing these algorithms

Material and energy flows of the iron and steel industry: status quo, challenges and perspectives

Integrated analysis and optimization of material and energy flows in the iron and steel industry have drawn considerable interest from steelmakers, energy engineers, policymakers, financial firms, and academic researchers. Numerous publications in this area have identified their great potential to bring significant benefits and innovation. Although much technical work has been done to analyze and optimize material and energy flows, there is a lack of overview of material and energy flows of the iron and steel industry. To fill this gap, this work first provides an overview of different steel production routes. Next, the modelling, scheduling and interrelation regarding material and energy flows in the iron and steel industry are presented by thoroughly reviewing the existing literature. This study selects eighty publications on the material and energy flows of steelworks, from which a map of the potential of integrating material and energy flows for iron and steel sites is constructed. The paper discusses the challenges to be overcome and the future directions of material and energy flow research in the iron and steel industry, including the fundamental understandings of flow mechanisms, the dynamic material and energy flow scheduling and optimization, the synergy between material and energy flows, flexible production processes and flexible energy systems, smart steel manufacturing and smart energy systems, and revolutionary steelmaking routes and technologies

Assessment of bio-fuel options for solid oxide fuel cell applications

Rising concerns of inadequate petroleum supply, volatile crude oil price, and adverse environmental impacts from using fossil fuels have spurred the United States to promote bio-fuel domestic production and develop advanced energy systems such as fuel cells. The present dissertation analyzed the bio-fuel applications in a solid oxide fuel cell-based auxiliary power unit from environmental, economic, and technological perspectives. Life cycle assessment integrated with thermodynamics was applied to evaluate the environmental impacts (e.g., greenhouse gas emission, fossil energy consumption) of producing bio-fuels from waste biomass. Landfill gas from municipal solid wastes and biodiesel from waste cooking oil are both suggested as the promising bio-fuel options. A nonlinear optimization model was developed with a multi-objective optimization technique to analyze the economic aspect of biodiesel-ethanol-diesel ternary blends used in transportation sectors and capture the dynamic variables affecting bio-fuel productions and applications (e.g., market disturbances, bio-fuel tax credit, policy changes, fuel specification, and technological innovation). A single-tube catalytic reformer with rhodium/ceria-zirconia catalyst was used for autothermal reformation of various heavy hydrocarbon fuels (e.g., diesel, biodiesel, biodiesel-diesel, and biodiesel-ethanol-diesel) to produce a hydrogen-rich stream reformates suitable for use in solid oxide fuel cell systems. A customized mixing chamber was designed and integrated with the reformer to overcome the technical challenges of heavy hydrocarbon reformation. A thermodynamic analysis, based on total Gibbs free energy minimization, was implemented to optimize the operating environment for the reformations of various fuels. This was complimented by experimental investigations of fuel autothermal reformation. 25% biodiesel blended with 10% ethanol and 65% diesel was determined to be viable fuel for use on a truck travelling with diesel engine and truck idling with fuel cell auxiliary power unit system. The customized nozzle used for fuel vaporization and mixing achieved homogenous atomization of input hydrocarbon fuels (e.g., diesel, biodiesel, diesel-biodiesel blend, and biodiesel-ethanol-diesel), and improved the performance of fuel catalytic reformation. Given the same operating condition (reforming temperature, total oxygen content, water input flow, and gas hourly space velocity), the hydrocarbon reforming performance follows the trend of diesel \u3e biodiesel-ethanol-diesel \u3e diesel-biodiesel blend \u3e biodiesel (i.e., diesel catalytic reformation has the highest hydrogen production, lowest risk of carbon formation, and least possibility of hot spot occurrence). These results provide important new insight into the use of bio-fuels and bio-fuel blends as a primary fuel source for solid oxide fuel cell applications

Designing a Circular Economy for Plastics: The Role of Chemical Recycling in Germany

Greenhouse gas emissions from human economic activity are causing global warming, leading to numerous impacts, including sea level rise, biodiversity loss, and increases in extreme weather events. For this reason, parties involved in the Paris Climate Agreement agreed to limit global warming to reduce its impacts. The second largest global emitter of carbon dioxide is the industrial production of goods. Within industrial production, the chemical industry with the production of olefins and other high-value chemicals for, among other things, plastic production, has a significant impact. Therefore, the present dissertation addresses designing a circular economy for plastics employing chemical recycling, contributing to the decarbonization and defossilization of the German chemical industry. Five studies published as companion articles address substantial aspects of the chemical recycling of plastic waste as well as barriers to establishing a circular economy. Study A assesses chemical recycling via pyrolysis for lightweight packaging waste and shows that combining the currently predominant mechanical recycling with chemical recycling has economic and environmental advantages over employing these technologies individually. At the same time, more carbon can be recycled, reducing the dependence on fossil resources. Study B shows the importance of integrating the quality of secondary materials in assessing recycling routes. The preferable recycling technology can change based on the quality metrics and their integration into the assessment. Study C conducts pyrolysis experiments for automotive plastic waste and includes the generated data in an economic and environmental assessment of a chemical recycling route. Different economic and environmentally preferable waste handling options are identified when comparing chemical recycling with waste incineration with energy recovery. Study D examines the economics of automotive plastic waste pyrolysis and identifies the minimum plant input capacity at which the pyrolysis is economically feasible in German framework conditions. Study E combines the collected findings in a facility location optimization model for pyrolysis plants treating lightweight packaging and automotive plastic waste in Germany\u27s current waste treatment network. Political steering strategies are analyzed to align economic and environmental objectives in the waste treatment sector. In addition to the detailed results of the individual studies, four overarching implications are derived: First, waste containing primarily polyolefins and engineering plastics can be technically pyrolyzed and are a suitable feedstock for chemical recycling. However, the most significant waste quantities studied are generated in short-lived lightweight packaging. Second, chemical recycling is environmentally preferable over waste incineration with energy recovery for all assessed waste streams. Economically, chemical recycling is not preferable compared to waste incineration with energy recovery for automotive plastic waste resulting in a conflict of economical and environmentally preferable waste handling options. Third, the quality of the secondary materials must be considered when assessing waste recycling options, as this strongly influences economic and environmental assessment. Fourth, political steering strategies like the extension of CO$_{2}$ certificate trading and introducing recycling rates for waste that is a feedstock for waste incineration with energy recovery can align economical and environmentally preferable waste treatment options. Consequently, the present dissertation provides valuable insights into the role of chemical recycling when designing a circular economy for plastics. Therefore, it has the potential to significantly contribute to closing the circularity gap of plastics

Research on operation optimization of building energy systems based on machine learning

北九州市立大学博士(工学)本研究では、建築エネルギーシステムの運用を最適化するために機械学習を応用し、建築エネルギーシステムの運用コストを削減し、再生可能エネルギーの自給率を向上させることを重点的に扱っています。これらの一連の研究成果は、この分野に新たな知見をもたらし、建築エネルギーシステムの経済的効率を向上させるのに役立っています。In this study, we focus on applying machine learning to optimize the operation of building energy systems, with a primary emphasis on reducing the operational costs of these systems and enhancing the self-sufficiency of renewable energy. This series of research outcomes has brought new insights to the field and contributes to improving the economic efficiency of building energy systems.doctoral thesi

Secure and Sustainable Energy System

This special issue aims to contribute to the climate actions which called for the need to address Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, keeping global warming to well below 2°C through various means, including accelerating renewables, clean fuels, and clean technologies into the entire energy system. As long as fossil fuels (coal, gas and oil) are still used in the foreseeable future, it is vital to ensure that these fossil fuels are used cleanly through abated technologies. Financing the clean and energy transition technologies is vital to ensure the smooth transition towards net zero emission by 2050 or beyond. The lack of long‐term financing, the low rate of return, the existence of various risks, and the lack of capacity of market players are major challenges to developing sustainable energy systems.This special collected 17 high-quality empirical studies that assess the challenges for developing secure and sustainable energy systems and provide practical policy recommendations. The editors of this special issue wish to thank the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) for funding several papers that were published in this special issue