Techno-Economic Feasibility of a Grid-Connected Hybrid Renewable Energy System for a School in North-West Indonesia

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link. open access journalBackground: Schools typically have high diurnal fluctuation in electricity demand, with peak loads during daylight hours, which could be adequately met through harnessing solar renewable resources. This study demonstrates the strength of techno-economic assessment in selection and optimization of a grid-connected hybrid renewable energy system (HRES), utilizing local renewable resources to fulfil the daytime electricity demand for a school in northwest Indonesia. Methods: Three different scenarios are developed for optimizing the HRES configurations, comprising of PV panels, Wind turbine, Battery and Inverter. The following optimization parameters are used—one, technological performance of the HRES, in terms of their energy output to fulfil the energy deficit; two, economic performance of the HRES, in terms of their net present cost (NPC) and payback periods. Results: A clear trade-off is noted between the level of complexity of the three HRES, their renewable electricity generation potentials, NPC and payback periods. Scenario II, comprising of Solar PV and Inverter only, is found to be the most feasible and cost-effective HRES, with the optimized configuration of 245 kW PV capacity and 184 kW inverter having the lowest initial capital cost of US$51,686 and a payback time of 4 years to meet the school’s annual electricity load of 114,654 kWh. Its NPC is US$ −138,017 at the 20th year of installation. The negative value in year 20 is achieved through the sale of 40% of the renewable energy back to the grid. Conclusions: Techno-economic assessment can provide useful decision support in designing HRES relying on solar energy to serve predominantly daytime school electricity requirements in tropical countries

A community-scale hybrid energy system integrating biomass for localised solid waste and renewable energy solution: Evaluations in UK and Bulgaria

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.Growing pace of urban living is expected to simultaneously aggravate both the waste and the energy crises. This study presents feasibility assessment of a community scale hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) utilising biomass to serve the local energy needs while reducing the household solid waste volume. A modelling framework is presented and evaluated for a biomass HRES, comprising of a Wind turbine-PV Array-Biogas generator-Battery system, applied to two European cities - Gateshead (UK) and Sofia (Bulgaria) - accounting for their distinct domestic biowaste profiles, renewable resources and energy practices. Biogas generator is found to make the most substantial share of electricity generation (up to 60–65% of total), hence offering a stable community-scale basal electricity generation potential, alongside reduction in disposal costs of local solid waste. Net present cost for the biomass-integrated HRESs is found within 5% of each other, despite significant differences in the availability of solar and wind resources at the two sites. Based on a survey questionnaire targeting construction companies and energy solution developers, project costs and planning regulatory red tapes were identified as the two common implementation challenges in both the countries, with lack of awareness of HRES as a further limitation in Bulgaria, impeding wider uptake of this initiative

Impact evaluation of green–grey infrastructure interaction on built-space integrity: An emerging perspective to urban ecosystem service

This paper evaluates the role of urban green infrastructure (GI) in maintaining integrity of built-space. The latter is considered as a lateral ecosystem function, worth including in future assessments of integrated ecosystem services. The basic tenet is that integrated green–grey infrastructures (GGIs) would have three influences on built-spaces: (i) reduced wind withering from flow deviation; (ii) reduced material corrosion/degeneration from pollution removal; and (iii) act as a biophysical buffer in altering the micro-climate. A case study is presented, combining the features of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in micro-environmental modelling with the emerging science on interactions of GGIs. The coupled seasonal dynamics of the above three effects are assessed for two building materials (limestone and steel) using the following three scenarios: (i) business as usual (BAU), (ii) summer (REGEN-S), and (iii) winter (REGEN-W). Apparently, integrated ecosystem service from green–grey interaction, as scoped in this paper, has strong seasonal dependence. Compared to BAU our results suggest that REGEN-S leads to slight increment in limestone recession (< 10%), mainly from exacerbation in ozone damage, while large reduction in steel recession (up to 37%) is observed. The selection of vegetation species, especially their bVOC emission potential and seasonal foliage profile, appears to play a vital role in determining the impact GI has on the integrity of the neighbouring built-up environment

Hypothetical model of disease course of COVID-19 patients and their exit plan

In view of preparing ourselves for the possible rise of Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) cases, we have proposed a hypothetical model of disease course in COVID-19 patients admitted in Patan Hospital and the exit plan based on available evidences. This will give us a scientific basis of planning discharge of our future cases. According to it, patients are subjected to repeat Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on day 20 of illness onset and then every 4 days till negative result. Patients with two negative PCR test repeated 24 hours apart are discharged and advised for 14 days’ home quarantine. Keyword: COVID-19, disease course, exit plan, Patan Hospita

Spatial Variation in Personal Exposure of Parking Attendants to Traffic Emissions in an Urban Conurbation

This study presents temporal and spatial variations in personal exposure of parking attendants in a busy conurbation in the northern part of the UK. Two traffic related pollutants - carbon monoxide (CO) and ultrafine particulates (UFP), mainly associated with urban drives, have been considered for two distinct locations- one, in the city centre and the other in a suburban area of Leeds, a prominent city in West Yorkshire. The monitoring of pollutants was conducted while parking attendants carried out their duty along the streets during different times of the year to capture the seasonal fluctuations. Our results show a wide variation in exposure levels for both CO and UFP, marked both by seasonal and daily characteristics. There seems to be considerable variations in exposure levels depending on the location of the parking attendants with respect to traffic activity. Specifically, the level of exposure closer to market areas within the city centre, despite located in open spaces but closer to congested streets were found to be much higher owing to frequent stopping, stopping and idling of cars in search of parking spaces. This demonstrates the merit in setting up transport interchanges and park-and-ride schemes away from busy streets to ameliorate the exposure levels

Cause of hospitalization and its outcome in patient with chronic myeloid leukemia in Patan Hospital

Introduction: Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by dysregulated proliferation of granulocytes because of reciprocal translocation of chromosome 9 and 22. Despite the advances in treatment of CML, it still has a significant burden in patients’ life because of cost of medication, frequent hospitalization and effect on quality of life. The aim of this study is to find out the cause of hospitalization and its outcome in patient with CML. Method: It is a retrospective cross-sectional study conducted at Patan Hospital. The study included data of hospitalization of CML patients over a period of 3 years from April 2020 to April 2023 which was obtained from the record files and discharge notes of the patients. The data included information regarding age and sex of the patients, phase of disease, name of Tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) used, cause of hospitalization and outcome of the hospitalization. Result: There were total of 102 admissions of which 82 admissions were analyzed. The mean age was 49 y, 56% were male, 70.7% were in chronic phase of disease and imatinib was the commonest TKI used (51.2%). Disease related events were the most common cause of hospital admission (61%); 70 patients (85.4%) improved and were discharged whereas 12 patients (14.6 %) died during hospitalization. Conclusion: The commonest cause of hospitalization in CML patient was disease related events i.e. disease progression, drug related adverse effects and new diagnosis. Transformation to blast crisis had worst prognosis with increased mortality

Development of multi-functional streetscape green infrastructure using a performance index approach

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI link.This paper presents a performance evaluation framework for streetscape vegetation. A performance index (PI) is conceived using the following seven traits, specific to the street environments – Pollution Flux Potential (PFP), Carbon Sequestration Potential (CSP), Thermal Comfort Potential (TCP), Noise Attenuation Potential (NAP), Biomass Energy Potential (BEP), Environmental Stress Tolerance (EST) and Crown Projection Factor (CPF). Its application is demonstrated through a case study using fifteen street vegetation species from the UK, utilising a combination of direct field measurements and inventoried literature data. Our results indicate greater preference to small-to-medium size trees and evergreen shrubs over larger trees for streetscaping. The proposed PI approach can be potentially applied two-fold: one, for evaluation of the performance of the existing street vegetation, facilitating the prospects for further improving them through management strategies and better species selection; two, for planning new streetscapes and multi-functional biomass as part of extending the green urban infrastructure

Types and outcome of patients with acute poisoning presenting to emergency department of Patan Hospital, Nepal

Introduction: Poisoning poses major health and health related issues with the burden of mortality and morbidity in people. Pesticides ingestion poses major burden in our part of world whereas carbon monoxide, prescribed medication overdose is more common in developed regions. This study aimed at finding the type and outcome of patients with poisoning landing in emergency room of Patan hospital. Method: This is a retrospective observational study conducted at Patan hospital. This study included data of patients with acute poisoning over a period of 3 years from Apr 2020 to Apr 2023, which was obtained from the nursing register books and record section. The data included information regarding demographic profile of the patient (age and sex), type of poison and outcome of the patient namely admission, referral and mortality. Result: A total of 189 cases of acute poisoning were included in the study over a period of 3 y. Female outnumbered the male with female:male ratio of 1.14:1; 90(47.61%) were seen in age group between 18-29 y. Out of them 112(59.26%) were admitted whereas 70(37.04%) were referred and 7(3%) had mortality. Organophosphate poisoning was the most common form of poison used by the patients 116(61.38%). Conclusion: Pesticides are the most common cause of acute poisoning. Most of the cases were admitted and managed in hospital, however it still poses risk of death. Early identification of the type of poisoning will help in prompt diagnosis, standard management and patient safety

Development of multi-functional streetscape green infrastructure using a performance index approach

This paper presents a performance evaluation framework for streetscape vegetation. A performance index (PI) is conceived using the following seven traits, specific to the street environments – Pollution Flux Potential (PFP), Carbon Sequestration Potential (CSP), Thermal Comfort Potential (TCP), Noise Attenuation Potential (NAP), Biomass Energy Potential (BEP), Environmental Stress Tolerance (EST) and Crown Projection Factor (CPF). Its application is demonstrated through a case study using fifteen street vegetation species from the UK, utilising a combination of direct field measurements and inventoried literature data. Our results indicate greater preference to small-to-medium size trees and evergreen shrubs over larger trees for streetscaping. The proposed PI approach can be potentially applied two-fold: one, for evaluation of the performance of the existing street vegetation, facilitating the prospects for further improving them through management strategies and better species selection; two, for planning new streetscapes and multi-functional biomass as part of extending the green urban infrastructure