Window Of Opportunity For Sustainable Energy

The article considers the ways of increasing the sustainability of the energy sector in an unstable environment and technology modernization that implies radical structural transformations in the configuration of energy systems. The authors show that power engineering should be given a special emphasis in this context because it is the most stable branch of the energy sector in terms of its vulnerability to crisis. The article suggests that the processes of electrification that further technological progress and increase the innovative potential of a region’s economy should be viewed as a driver forging a ‘smart partnership’ of power engineering and manufacturing. The authors analyze positive effects and price risks that emerge in the course of the implementation of electrification programs and use the analysis as a basis for their recommendations for developing regional electric power systems and effective relationships between utilities and consumers.The work was supported by Act 211 Government of the Russian Federation, contract № 02.A03.21.0006

Interdisciplinarity as heuristic resource for energy management

As high-tech industries continue to experience dynamic growth and problems of development in high-tech industries are getting increasingly complex, managers have to embrace the need for new competencies that match present-day challenges. This calls for a qualitative change in the architecture of education to bring it up to date with contemporary trends. Using cases from Russia, the paper aims to provide a groundwork for an interdisciplinary approach to building professional competencies in energy managers as a framework for forward-looking management of high-tech industries in a nonlinear environment. The authors identify factors that determine the new management imperative and set out methodological principles of developing a management culture. A model of professionalism in management is proposed that is the result of a complex interplay of interrelated competencies. The paper also explains the key features of an interdisciplinary training programme. To prove the research hypothesis, an analysis was conducted of empirical data from expert reviews by executives at Russian energy companies and leading academics

Modeling and simulation of Li-Ion conduction in POLY(Ethylene Oxide

Prof. Moshe Israeli passed away on Feburary 18, 2007. This paper is dedicated to his memory Polyethylene oxide (PEO) containing a lithium salt (e.g. LiI) serves as a solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) in thin-film batteries and its ionic conductivity is a key parameter of their performance. We model and simulate Li + ion conduction in a single PEO molecule. Our simplified stochastic model of ionic motion is based on an analogy between protein channels of biological membranes that conduct Na +, K +, and other ions, and the PEO helical chain that conducts Li + ions. In contrast with protein channels and salt solutions, the PEO is both the channel and the solvent for the lithium salt (e.g., LiI). The mobile ions are treated as charged spherical Brownian particles. We simulate Smoluchowski dynamics in channels with a radius of ca 0.1nm and study the effect of stretching and temperature on ion conductivity. We assume that each helix (molecule) forms a random angle with the axis between these electrodes and the polymeric film is composed of many uniformly distributed oriented boxes that include molecules with the same direction. We further assume that mechanical stretching aligns the molecular structures in each box along the axis of stretching (intra-box alignment). Our model thus predicts the PEO conductivity as a function of the stretching, the salt concentration and the temperature. The computed enhancement of the ionic conductivity in the stretch direction is in good agreement with experimental results. The simulation results are also in qualitative agreement with recent theoretical and experimental results.

The ins and outs of participation in a weather information system

In this paper our aim is to show even though access to technology, information or data holds the potential for improved participation, participation is wired into a larger network of actors, artefacts and information practices. We draw on a case study of a weather information system developed and implemented by a non-profit organisation to both describe the configuration of participation, but also critically assess inclusion and exclusion. We present a set of four questions - a basic, practical toolkit - by which we together with the organisation made sense of and evaluated participation in the system

Managers for sustainable electric power industry of tomorrow

To be able to lead a large-scale technological overhaul of the electricity generation sector and actively operate in energy markets, it is necessary to substantially increase the professional level of management. Moreover, there is no doubt that the social responsibility of power engineering as a vital infrastructure industry will only continue to increase, competition will intensify while the existing shortage of knowledge will grow. This is happening amid overall instability, uneven and chaotic demand for energy on the part of economic systems. On the other hand, energy consumers, investors and society as a whole are putting an increasing emphasis on reliability, pricing transparency and environmental impacts. The study provides substantiation and a new research and methodology platform for forward-looking education of energy managers. Its purpose is to equip professionals with knowledge and competencies that they will need for working in emerging technological and organisational and economic systems that will be based on new principles and will function in a turbulent external environment. The global energy education is used as an example of building educational content and methodology for the forward-looking training of future energy leaders. © 2018 WIT PressACKNOWLEDGEMENT The work was supported by Act 211 Government of the Russian Federation, contract № 02.A03.21.0006

A methodological framework for organizational risk management in energy companies

Energy production has always been associated with a number of operational (technological) risks as well as risks resulting from external events. A large number of tools has emerged recently that utilize complex software solutions to minimize such risks, which shows in a significant reduction of failures at energy facilities in the past few years and a growth in the key performance indicators of energy businesses. The most difficult ones to assess and prevent are organizational risks. The probability of such risks increases alongside the progress of structural transformations in the global energy sector. Such risks, despite their internal nature, are capable of triggering serious deformations within the governance system of an energy company and, given the specific features of the energy sector, lead to a sharp performance drop across the industry. The article presents a methodological framework for operational risk management in energy companies that is based upon the idea of identifying the priority results of companies’ performance. The proposed methodology is essentially about forming the risk space of an energy company and using it as a basis for quantitative assessment of the probability of risk events. This will in turn make it possible to identify critical organizational risks, assess anticipated damage and think of preventive management impact to offset the risk events. © 2017 WIT Press.ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The work was supported by Act 211 Government of the Russian Federation, contract No 02. A03.21.0006

Comparison of competitiveness of grid companies and industrial companies' own generating units

In contemporary Russia, the existing electricity supply model is gradually changing, the focus shifting to the priority development of small-scale distributed power generation. It is, however, impossible to significantly reduce grid electricity consumption in the near future. Conditions for grid companies are getting increasingly competitive, which may result in higher tariffs for consumers. At the same time, the development of small-scale power generation in this country is chaotic and its efficiency has never been adequately compared to that of grid electricity consumption. The article looks at factors and conditions that may help boost grid companies' competitiveness. It also provides a new developed methodology for comparative analysis of the efficiency of the construction of a company's own generating unit as opposed to consuming grid electricity. The article contains estimates of the cost of connection technologies to the grid and electricity tariffs for different scenarios of development. The article looks at the potential for tariff reduction and reveals peculiarities and the cost of construction and operation of generating units for industrial companies. The methodology was tested in Chelyabinsk Region which is served by JSC "Interregional Distribution Grid Company of Ural". © 2017 WIT Press

Factoring environment into electrification management in a region

Electrification is an integrated continuous process of production, transmission, distribution and use of electric power in a region's economy. Analysis of global trends shows that demand for electric power as the most advanced and flexible energy carrier has been growing as many countries are in transition to a new industrial landscape. Along with that, the energy provision of industrial and domestic processes is becoming more intellect-intensive, while environmental issues are receiving special attention. This determines the relevance of the study. The authors have designed a methodology for factoring the environment into regional electrification programs. The methodology includes the following steps: ranking and selecting facilities to be electrified based on the criterion of minimal values of the 'electricity-for-fuel substitution coefficient'; application of the energy and economic effect to financially compensate for environmental impacts; introduction of demand side management programs that help improve the environmental situation in the region. An 'ideal' structural model of electrification is proposed for regions with high eco-loads. The model combines a method for selecting facilities to be electrified, pro-active energy conservation, adding more energy installations utilizing carbon-neutral fuels to the power generating system. © 2018 WIT Press.ACKNOWLEDGMENT The work was supported by Act 211 Government of the Russian Federation, contract No 02. A03.21.0006

Fulfilling the potential of nuclear power industry through demand side management

The study analyzes the feasibility and ways of including nuclear power plants (NPPs) in demand side management (DSM) programs. Reducing peak load on energy systems is of high interest to nuclear energy managers because the load grows and so does the share of base load, providing an impetus for the construction of new NPPs in regions. The authors propose the principles and mechanisms of DSM and a system of organizational and economic measures that would encourage energy companies to get actively engaged in DSM programs. It is shown that it is appropriate to consider DSM as a way of improving the flexibility characteristics of new NPPs, such as their increasing their capacity factor, boosting output while reducing costs and, therefore, increasing their profitability. © 2017 WIT Press