Prospects for the use of SMR and IGCC technologies for power generation in Poland

This study is a preliminary assessment of prospects for new power generation technologies that are of particular interest in Poland. We analysed the economic competitiveness of small size integrated gasification combined cycle units (IGCC) and small modular reactors (SMR). For comparison we used one of the most widely applied and universal metric i.e. Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE). The LCOE results were complemented with the results of energy-economic model TIMES-PL in order to analyse the economic viability of these technologies under operation regime of the entire power system. The results show that with techno-economic assumptions presented in the paper SMRs are more competitive option as compared to small IGCC units

Prospects for the use of SMR and IGCC technologies for power generation in Poland

This study is a preliminary assessment of prospects for new power generation technologies that are of particular interest in Poland. We analysed the economic competitiveness of small size integrated gasification combined cycle units (IGCC) and small modular reactors (SMR). For comparison we used one of the most widely applied and universal metric i.e. Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE). The LCOE results were complemented with the results of energy-economic model TIMES-PL in order to analyse the economic viability of these technologies under operation regime of the entire power system. The results show that with techno-economic assumptions presented in the paper SMRs are more competitive option as compared to small IGCC units

Near future of Polish energy system – COP21 and BAT conclusions

Next years will be very important for the development of the Polish energy system. Substantial part of the existing capacities are obsolete and need to be replaced or at least deeply modernised to fulfil expected emissions regulations. A hybrid of TIMES-PL and TIMES-MACRO energy-economic models was used to analyse the possible changes in the power generation mix and economic impact of different scenarios that combine the climate and air pollution regulations. The results show that to maintain the CO2 emission reduction trend a combination of measures is needed including the use of renewables, nuclear, natural gas and clean coal technologies. However, such transition in the energy sector will lead to a cumulative GDP loss in the near future once the possible GDP gains could happen after 2045 in which the economic, technical and legislative conditions are very difficult to foresee

Near future of Polish energy system – COP21 and BAT conclusions

Next years will be very important for the development of the Polish energy system. Substantial part of the existing capacities are obsolete and need to be replaced or at least deeply modernised to fulfil expected emissions regulations. A hybrid of TIMES-PL and TIMES-MACRO energy-economic models was used to analyse the possible changes in the power generation mix and economic impact of different scenarios that combine the climate and air pollution regulations. The results show that to maintain the CO2 emission reduction trend a combination of measures is needed including the use of renewables, nuclear, natural gas and clean coal technologies. However, such transition in the energy sector will lead to a cumulative GDP loss in the near future once the possible GDP gains could happen after 2045 in which the economic, technical and legislative conditions are very difficult to foresee

Uśrednione koszty energii elektrycznej dla technologii klasycznych

Rozważania na temat perspektyw rozwoju energetyki powinny opierać się na pewnych przesłankach, dotyczących m. in. kosztów wytwarzania energii elektrycznej. W czasach monopoli, gdy o rozwoju decydował centralny planista, koszty były najważniejszym czynnikiem. Obecnie, w sytuacji rynku energii o doborze technologii powinny decydować kryteria biznesowe, ale wobec zasad polityki klimatycznej, stają się kryterium drugorzędnym. Podstawowym jest wybór technologii o niskich lub zerowych emisjach dwutlenku węgla. Niemniej koszty technologii, zwłaszcza perspektywicznych są jednym z ważniejszych czynników branych pod uwagę przy wskazywaniu kierunków rozwoju energetyki

Diagnostyka ultrasonograficzna w gabinecie lekarza rodzinnego – przegląd piśmiennictwa

Ultrasound, which is a safe and non-invasive diagnostic modality that uses more and more advanced imaging techniques, has become the first-choice examination in various diseases. It is more and more often used in the general practitioner’s office to supplement physical examination and interview. Aim: The aim of this paper is to review the Polish medical literature pertaining to the usage of ultrasound imaging in general practice as well as to present advantages, disadvantages and utility associated with conducting ultrasound examinations by general practitioners based on selected publications. Material and methods: The analysis involved 15 articles found in Polish medical literature published in 1994–2013 in 9 medical journals. These publications were obtained using various data bases, such as Polish Medical Bibliography, Google Scholar as well as websites of “Lekarz Rodzinny” and “Ultrasonografia.” Results: Of 15 available publications, 5 papers present the usage of ultrasound imaging by a primary care physician for general purposes, 4 discuss the usage of abdominal scans, 3 – imaging of the neck and lymph nodes, 1 – lungs, and 2 discuss its usage for specific disease entities. In over 70% of the papers, the financial aspect associated with the usage of this modality in general practice is mentioned. More than a half of the publications draw attention to the possibility of using point-of-care ultrasound examinations. Advantages of ultrasonography most often mentioned by the authors include: good effects of screening, safety, short duration and low cost. The authors of eight publications also indicate disadvantages associated with ultrasound imaging used by a general practitioner. Conclusions: In the Polish literature, there are relatively few papers on the role of ultrasonography in the office of a primary care physician. This modality is more and more often becoming a tool that helps primary care physicians to establish diagnoses, accelerates the initiation of treatment and directs the further diagnostic process.Ultrasonografia, będąca bezpieczną i nieinwazyjną metodą diagnostyczną, wykorzystującą coraz bardziej udoskonalone techniki obrazowania, stała się badaniem pierwszego wyboru w wielu schorzeniach. Coraz częściej stosowana jest w gabinecie lekarza rodzinnego jako metoda uzupełniająca badania podmiotowe i przedmiotowe. Cel: Celem pracy był przegląd piśmiennictwa polskiego opisującego wykorzystanie badania ultrasonograficznego w gabinecie lekarza rodzinnego oraz przedstawienie zalet, wad i przydatności wykonywania samodzielnego badania ultrasonograficznego przez lekarzy rodzinnych, na podstawie analizy wybranych artykułów. Materiał i metoda: Analiza objęła 15 artykułów wyszukanych w polskim piśmiennictwie, opublikowanych w latach 1994–2013 w 9 czasopismach medycznych. Publikacje znaleziono za pomocą różnych baz danych, takich jak Polska Bibliografia Lekarska, Google Scholar, strony internetowe pism „Lekarz Rodzinny” i „Ultrasonografia”. Wyniki: Z 15 dostępnych publikacji 5 stanowiły artykuły przedstawiające zastosowanie ultrasonografii w gabinecie lekarza rodzinnego w wymiarze ogólnym, w 4 opisano wykorzystanie badania jamy brzusznej, w 3 – szyi i węzłów chłonnych, w 1 – płuc oraz w 2 omówiono badanie w konkretnych jednostkach chorobowych. W ponad 70% prac poruszony został aspekt ekonomiczny związany z zastosowaniem ultrasonografii w gabinecie lekarza rodzinnego. W ponad połowie artykułów zwrócono uwagę na możliwość wykorzystania badań ultrasonograficznych typu point-of-care. Wśród zalet ultrasonografii najczęściej wymieniano korzystne badanie przesiewowe, bezpieczeństwo, krótki czas trwania, niski koszt badania. Autorzy ośmiu publikacji wskazali również wady związane ze stosowaniem USG w gabinecie lekarza rodzinnego. Wnioski: W polskim piśmiennictwie dostępnych jest niewiele publikacji opisujących rolę ultrasonografii w gabinecie lekarza pierwszego kontaktu. Ultrasonograf coraz częściej staje się narzędziem ułatwiającym lekarzowi podstawowej opieki zdrowotnej postawienie diagnozy, przyspiesza też rozpoczęcie leczenia pacjentów i ukierunkowuje dalszą diagnostykę

Ultrasound imaging in the general practitioner's office – a literature review

Ultrasound, which is a safe and non-invasive diagnostic modality that uses more and more advanced imaging techniques, has become the first-choice examination in various diseases. It is more and more often used in the general practitioner’s office to supplement physical examination and interview. Aim: The aim of this paper is to review the Polish medical literature pertaining to the usage of ultrasound imaging in general practice as well as to present advantages, disadvantages and utility associated with conducting ultrasound examinations by general practitioners based on selected publications. Material and methods: The analysis involved 15 articles found in Polish medical literature published in 1994–2013 in 9 medical journals. These publications were obtained using various data bases, such as Polish Medical Bibliography, Google Scholar as well as websites of “Lekarz Rodzinny” and “Ultrasonografia.” Results: Of 15 available publications, 5 papers present the usage of ultrasound imaging by a primary care physician for general purposes, 4 discuss the usage of abdominal scans, 3 – imaging of the neck and lymph nodes, 1 – lungs, and 2 discuss its usage for specific disease entities. In over 70% of the papers, the financial aspect associated with the usage of this modality in general practice is mentioned. More than a half of the publications draw attention to the possibility of using point-of-care ultrasound examinations. Advantages of ultrasonography most often mentioned by the authors include: good effects of screening, safety, short duration and low cost. The authors of eight publications also indicate disadvantages associated with ultrasound imaging used by a general practitioner. Conclusions: In the Polish literature, there are relatively few papers on the role of ultrasonography in the office of a primary care physician. This modality is more and more often becoming a tool that helps primary care physicians to establish diagnoses, accelerates the initiation of treatment and directs the further diagnostic process

The Health Impact and External Cost of Electricity Production

The use of fossil fuels, which still dominate global primary energy consumption, results not only in emissions of greenhouse gas but also in emissions of pollutants such as SO2, NOx, and PM. Damage caused by air pollution can be expressed in monetary terms in the form of external costs to society. The goal of this paper is to answer the following questions: How much will the energy sector’s emissions change as a result of decarbonization? What is the estimated level of external costs related to human health in future energy scenarios? How large are the estimated external costs compared to the planned investments in this sector? The study conducted for the period 2018–2050 used the impact pathway approach and covered the centralized power and heat generation sector in Poland. The reported values of the concentration–response functions that relate human exposure to air pollution with health impact were reviewed. The results show that external costs decrease from an estimated annual level in the range of EUR 782–1911 million in 2018 to EUR 36–876 million in 2050. The cumulative value of avoided external costs between 2018 and 2050 is significantly lower than the planned capital expenditures in the energy sector in Poland

The Health Impact and External Cost of Electricity Production

The use of fossil fuels, which still dominate global primary energy consumption, results not only in emissions of greenhouse gas but also in emissions of pollutants such as SO2, NOx, and PM. Damage caused by air pollution can be expressed in monetary terms in the form of external costs to society. The goal of this paper is to answer the following questions: How much will the energy sector’s emissions change as a result of decarbonization? What is the estimated level of external costs related to human health in future energy scenarios? How large are the estimated external costs compared to the planned investments in this sector? The study conducted for the period 2018–2050 used the impact pathway approach and covered the centralized power and heat generation sector in Poland. The reported values of the concentration–response functions that relate human exposure to air pollution with health impact were reviewed. The results show that external costs decrease from an estimated annual level in the range of EUR 782–1911 million in 2018 to EUR 36–876 million in 2050. The cumulative value of avoided external costs between 2018 and 2050 is significantly lower than the planned capital expenditures in the energy sector in Poland