Economic Challenges Facing Kentucky’s Electricity Generation Under Greenhouse Gas Constraints

From the preface: For the Energy and Environment Cabinet (EEC), which has primacy in administering most federal environmental laws and regulations at the state level, we have to understand the implications of what is arguably one of the most challenging issues to confront us—greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and their impact on climate change. Efforts to reduce GHG or carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have moved beyond the point of discussion at the national level, and the United States Supreme Court has ruled that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has the authority to regulate GHG emissions. Furthermore, while public opinion on climate change has fluctuated over the years, a majority of Americans accept some linkage between GHG emissions and climate change. Although public opinion should never be a driver for science-based policy decisions, it is clear that people expect the nation to take action on this issue. And it is. Thus, discussion and consideration of contingency plans to meet such possible future regulatory frameworks is well advised

Analysis of ground-source heat pumps in north-of-England homes

YesThe performance of Ground Source Heat Pump (GSHP) systems for domestic use is an increasing area of study in the UK. This paper examines the thermal performance of three bespoke shallow horizontal GSHP systems installed in newly built residential houses in the North of England against a control house which was fitted with a standard gas boiler. A total of 350 metres of High Density Polyethylene pipe with an external diameter of 40 mm was used for each house as a heat pump loop. The study investigated (i) the performance of a single loop horizontal Ground Heat Exchanger (GHE) against a double loop GHE and (ii) rainfall effects on heat extraction by comparing a system with an infiltration trench connected to roof drainage against a system without an infiltration trench above the ground loops. Parameters monitored for a full year from October 2013 to September 2014. Using the double GHE has shown an enhanced performance of up to 20% compared with single GHE. The infiltration trench is found to improve performance of the heat pumps; the double loop GHE system with an infiltration trench had a COP 5% higher than that of the double loop GHE system without a trench

Waste to energy in the UK: policy and institutional issues

A sustainable waste management policy is necessary to manage the growing stream of municipal solid waste in ecologically sustainable ways. Although landfill has been the dominant form of waste management in the UK there is a need to comply with the European Union landfill directive. Waste to energy (WtE) is a viable waste management option to reduce the reliance on landfills and reap the energy benefits of waste. The first waste-fired power plant was built in the UK in 1885 but several barriers have constrained the use of WtE. This paper assesses the policy and institutional context for the development of WtE in the UK. It discusses how public opinion and choice of technology are important factors in achieving a wider acceptance of WtE in the UK. There is a need to devise coordinated policies on sustainable waste management at the regional and local levels. Furthermore, making all WtE technologies eligible for renewable obligation certificates could support the development of the technology and divert waste from landfills. The absence of efficient heat delivery networks is also a barrier to fulfilling the potential for WtE in the UK

Competing coalitions: The politics of renewable energy and fossil fuels in Mexico, South Africa and Thailand

This paper analyses why middle-income countries incentivize renewable energy despite inexpensive domestic fossil fuel resources and lack of international support. We examine the politics of renewable energy programs in Mexico, South Africa and Thailand. All three countries hold abundant local fossil fuel and renewable energy resources. We argue that renewable energy programs become implementable policy options in fossil fuel resource-rich middle-income countries when coalitions of powerful political actors support them. This study presents an analysis of the domestic coalitions in support of and those in opposition to renewable energy policies from a discourse network perspective. Discourse networks reflect actors and the arguments they share to advance or hamper the policy process. The analysis draws on a data set of 560 coded statements in support or opposition of renewable energy from media articles, policy documents and interviews. Findings show similar structures of competing coalitions in all three countries, with the discourse in all three countries revealing strong linkages between environmental and economic considerations

Risks of Coal Seam and Shale Gas Extraction on Groundwater and Aquifers in Eastern Australia

In the developed world there are growing concerns about water security due to the increase in exploration and production of coal seam and shale gas in peri-urban areas using both the hydraulic fracturing (fracking) technique of gas production and the method of extraction of naturally occurring groundwater by pumping it from coal formations to release coal seam gas (CSG). In Australia there is a competing prerequisite to maintain and increase the natural resource base as well as the need to protect and sustain the supply of potable and agricultural groundwater in peri-urban areas. One identified issue for this chapter is whether the increasing popularity of fracking in peri-urban and semi-rural areas in New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland poses a risk to the quality of groundwater supply as well as its contamination. The other main issue is whether the extraction of groundwater from coal seams where fracking is not needed has a major impact on groundwater depletion; and, if so, investigating the appropriate risk assessment and risk management approaches

Of embodied emissions and inequality: rethinking energy consumption

This paper situates concepts of energy consumption within the context of growing research on embodied emissions. Using the UK as a case study I unpack the global socio-economic and ecological inequalities inherent in the measurement of greenhouse gas emissions on a territorial basis under the international climate change framework. In so doing, I problematise questions of distribution, allocation and responsibility with regards to the pressing need to reduce global GHG emissions and the consumption that generates them. I challenge the disproportionate emphasis that energy policy places on supply as opposed to demand, as well as its overriding focus on the national scale. Consequently I argue that any low carbon transition, in addition to a technological process, is also a geographical one that will involve the reconfiguration of "current spatial patterns of economic and social activity" (Bridge et al., 2013:331), as well as relationships both within countries and regions and between them

Valuing the manufacturing externalities of wind energy: assessing the environmental profit and loss of wind turbines in Northern Europe

This study draws from a concept from green accounting, lifecycle assessment, and industrial ecology known as 'environmental profit and loss” (EP&L) to determine the extent of externalities across the manufacturing lifecycle of wind energy. So far, no EP&Ls have involved energy companies and none have involved wind energy or wind turbines. We perform an EP&L for three types of wind turbines sited and built in Northern Europe (Denmark and Norway) by a major manufacturer: a 3.2 MW onshore turbine with a mixed concrete steel foundation, a 3.0 MW offshore turbine with a steel foundation, and a 3.0 MW offshore turbine with a concrete foundation. For each of these three turbine types, we identify and monetize externalities related to carbon dioxide emissions, air pollution, and waste. We find that total environmental losses range from €1.1 million for the offshore turbine with concrete foundation to €740,000 for onshore turbines and about €500,000 for an offshore turbine with steel foundation—equivalent to almost one-fifth of construction cost in some instances. We conclude that carbon dioxide emissions dominate the amount of environmental damages and that turbines need to work for 2.5 to 5.5 years to payback their carbon debts. Even though turbines are installed in Europe, China and South Korea accounted for about 80% of damages across each type of turbine. Lastly, two components, foundations and towers, account for about 90% of all damages. We conclude with six implications for wind energy analysts, suppliers, manufacturers, and planners. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Using the theory of planned behavior to explore environmental behavioral intentions in the workplace

This paper presents a study using the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to explore environmental behavioral intentions in a workplace setting. The first stage of the research process was the development of a questionnaire covering TPB constructs, their antecedent beliefs, and environmental behavioral intentions across three scenarios (switching off PCs every time employees left their desks for an hour or more; using video-conferencing for meetings that would otherwise require travel; and recycling as much waste as possible), using best practice guidelines to ensure that it was specific and precisely defined for the target population. This was then administered to N = 449 participants, with the resulting dataset used to test hypotheses relating antecedent beliefs to behavioral intentions via the potentially mediating effect of TPB constructs. TPB constructs were found to explain between 46% and 61% of the variance in employee intentions to engage in three environmental behaviors, and to mediate the effects of specific antecedent beliefs upon employee intentions to engage in these behaviors. The results form a basis upon which interventions could be developed within the host organization, and are discussed in relation to their implications, in terms of theory, practice and future research

Heat pipe based municipal waste treatment unit for home energy recovery

A heat pipe based pyrolysis chamber has been developed and tested as an efficient, cost effective and space saving municipal waste treatment unit. The performance of the chamber was evaluated based on the temperature distributions inside the chamber, its electricity consumption and the chemical characteristics of the final pyrolysis products (bio-chars and pyro-oils) obtained from the process and validated by three test runs. In all the three tests, the type of waste treated was municipal waste obtained from households. In addition, special cases of challenging waste configurations, such as mixed domestic plastics and PVC are reported. The chemical analysis of the pyrolysis and the ash residues from the municipal solid waste showed no toxic elements in their composition. The main component of the char was calcium, the fluid oil obtained from the initial stages of pyrolysis had a similar composition to that of water, while the dense oil produced during the final stage of the process showed traces of iron and a potential composition match to commercial additive oils. The chemical analysis of the chars and ash obtained from the mixed domestic waste showed no toxicity for the mixed plastic char but a potential toxicity of the PVC char due to the existence of lead and chlorine. Calculations regarding the coefficient of performance (COP) of the heat pipe based pyrolysis unit indicated that the COP decreased with the increase of moisture content of the waste stream. For 0% moisture content in the waste stream the COP of the unit was 9.4 and the carbon footprint of the unit was 0.0782 kg CO2e per kg of treatment. On the other hand, for a maximum moisture content of 100% the COP was 0.53 and the CO2 emissions were 0.3873 kg CO2e per kg of treatment