This thesis presents the application of a series interconnection module for small distributed generation (DG) or renewable energy systems integration in the distribution network. The concept used one set of voltage source converter (VSC) with battery energy storage system to control the injected voltage magnitude and phase angle for power injection and voltage sag mitigation applications. Through an energy storage device and the VSC, the module allows storage of surplus energy during off peak period and release for use during daytime peak load period, therefore, exhibits a load leveling characteristic. Due to its series connection characteristic, it is convenient in preventing islanding operation and suitable for voltage sag mitigation. The concept is suitable for locations where the voltage phase shift is not a problem. Due to the use of only one set of VSC, it is economic for customer site distributed energy resource applications.

The energy crisis and environmental consciousness arising in recent years induce the rapid development of renewable energy technology, especially in solar energy field. Under the policy support of Germany and Japan, the solar energy market expands to the world speedily. Moreover, due to the high values of environmental protection topics in United Nations and European Union and Kyoto Protocol establishment, the renewable energy industry is imperative to prevail among the world. As a result of the industrial rapid growth, companies adopt all kinds of tactics to develop capability in order to occupy the renewable energy market. Thanks to the remarkable achievement in LCD-TFT and semiconductor industries, Taiwan manufacturers applied the past experiences to invest in the solar cell industry, especially in thin film solar cell product. During 2005 to 2007, many companies found one after another. This research mainly probes into the trend of Taiwan thin film solar cell industry. First, understand the competitors and global market conditions, then penetrate the industrial structure with Porter¡¦s five forces model, discuss the competitive advantage of Taiwan with Porter¡¦s diamond model, and look for the competitive ability of Taiwan thin film solar cell industry by SWOT analysis. Finally, the research proposes some developing suggestions for Taiwan thin film solar cell industry.

Hydrocarbon conversion and synthesis gas production are two components of the power production process that require significant development and exploration in the advanced energy arena. To remain within our current fueling infrastructure, it is imperative that an efficient and reliable mechanism to facilitate these components of the power production process is developed for automotive applications. A honeycomb monolith rhodium based catalyst has been identified as a potential fuel reformer element for use in automotive hydrocarbon fuel conversion. Using the novel and minimally invasive SpaciMS (Spatially resolved capillary inlet Mass Spectroscopy), developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratories, and an internal temperature acquisition system, the impact of fuel inlet space velocity on the operating rhodium based catalytic fuel reformer of interest was parametrically studied. In situ temperature and species profiles of the catalyst during steady state operation were produced. The data acquired through these experiments was then used to demonstrate analytic capability by conducting thermodynamic analyses on the operating fuel reformer. Experimental and analytical results can be used in development of design considerations for fuel conversion systems.

The increasing demand for energy and the increased depletion rate of nonrenewable energy resources call for research on renewable alternatives. Mapping the availability of these resources is an important step for development of energy conversion projects. For this purpose, the wave power potential along the Atlantic coast of the southeastern USA, and the tidal stream power along the coast of Georgia are investigated in this study. Wave power potential is studied in an area bounded by latitudes 27 N and 38 N and longitudes 82 W and 72 W (i.e. North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and northern Florida). The available data from National Data Buoy Center wave stations in the given area are examined. Power calculated from hourly significant wave heights and average wave periods is compared to power calculated using spectral wave energy density. The mean power within 50 km of the shore is determined to be low, whereas higher power is available further offshore beyond the 3500 m contour line. The tidal stream power potential along the coast of the state of Georgia is evaluated based on the NOAA tidal predictions for maximum tidal currents and three dimensional numerical modeling of the currents with Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). The modeling results are validated against the available measurements. This region has low to moderate average tidal currents along most of the coast, but with the possibility of very strong local currents within its complex network of tidal rivers and inlets between barrier islands. Tidal stream power extraction is simulated with a momentum sink in the numerical models at the estuary scale to investigate effect of power extraction on the estuarine hydrodynamics. It is found that different power extraction schemes might have counterintuitive effects on the estuarial hydrodynamics and the extraction efficiency. A multi-criteria method that accounts for the physical, environmental and socioeconomic constraints for tidal power conversion schemes is proposed to select favorable locations and to rank them according to their suitability. For this purpose, the model results are incorporated into a Geographical Information System (GIS) database together with other geospatial datasets relevant to the site selection methodology. The methodology is applied to the Georgia coast and the candidate areas with potential are marked.

<p>Climate change and sustainable development are interlinked in several ways. A global sustainable development with decreased emissions of green-house gases is seen as a prerequisite for mitigation of climate change. Simultaneously a changing climate will put constraints to development endeavours in developing countries. Yet, a sustainable pathway should include both mitigation and adaptation to climate change facilitating social development, economic growth and a stable environment in developing countries. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol is combining reduced green-house gas emissions with sustainable development in the CDM project’s host country. This so called dual goal has turned out hard to fulfil, especially the local development objective.</p><p> </p><p>This thesis studies how CDM projects contribute to local development and how this development is viewed differently by various stakeholders. This was made through qualitative interviews with actors connected to two CDM projects in Southern India. In addition, a literature review and a document study was made. The projects chosen are in the renewable energy sector, using biomass fuel. Renewable energy is regarded as an important factor to come to terms with increasing green-house gas emissions.</p><p> </p><p>The results from the literature review and document study show that the expected contribution by CDM projects to local sustainable development is usually expressed in terms of employment, distribution of benefits, social infrastructure, access to energy and technology transfer. The environmental benefit is included in the reduction of green-house gas emissions. In the context of local development, stakeholder participation is brought up as an important factor. The results of the interviews present similar categories of development linked to CDM projects. However, differing views of actual local development assisted by the CDM project was discerned in the answers.</p><p> </p><p>This study points to scale-related problems linked to the global benefit of mitigation of climate change in combination with local development. In conclusion, there is a need for monitoring and evaluation of actual contribution by CDM projects to local sustainable development. To facilitate local sustainable benefits of CDM projects, enhanced stakeholder participation is necessary during the whole project activity period.</p><p><strong> </strong></p>

Thesis (M.Sc.)--Victoria University of Wellington, [2008] / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Rutgers University, 2009. / "Graduate Program in Materials Science and Engineering." Includes bibliographical references (p. 164-172).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Missouri University of Science and Technology, 2009. / Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed December 15, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 72-80).

Syftet med rapporten är att beskriva hur fastighetsbolaget, Varbergs Fastighets AB och energibolaget, Halmstad Energi och Miljö hanterar de risk-, och osäkerhetsfaktorer som förekommer vid solcellsinvesteringar. För att energisamhället skall nå en hållbar framtid krävs att elproduktionen kommer ifrån förnybara energikällor. Sedan år 2008 har installationstakten för solceller i Sverige ökat. År 2012 installerades 8,3 MW solceller och år 2013 mer än fördubblades den installerade effekten till 19 MW (Lindahl, 2014). Trots utvecklingen står solenergin för 0,03 procent av Sveriges totala elproduktion, vilket kan jämföras med Tyskland där solenergin står för 5,3 procent av den totala elproduktionen år 2014 (IEA International energy agency, 2014). En investerare vill från investeringen nå en så hög avkastning som möjligt och samtidigt reducera och undvika de uppkomma riskerna. Det multinationella brittiskt-amerikanska revisor och konsultföretaget Pricewaterhousecoopers definierar risk som en osäker framtida händelse som kan påverka företagets möjlighet att uppnå de framtida strategiska, operationella och finansiella mål (Pricewaterhousecoopers, 1999). Den här studien har sin utgångspunkt i den samhällsvetenskapliga hermeneutiken. Studien antar att verkligheten är subjektiv och att observationer av den kräver tolkning. Det resultat som presenteras kommer därmed vara en tolkning av verkligheten och inte resultera i några generella teorier (Eriksson &amp; Wiedersheim-Paul, 2014). Vår kvalitativa fallstudie grundar sig i en induktiv ansats där vi samlat in empirisk data genom att intervjua två företag och en solcellsexpert. Vi har intervjuat Varbergs Fastighets ABs processledare och hållbarhetsansvarig och Halmstad Energi och Miljös strategichef. Vi har även intervjuat branschorganisationen Svensk solenergis ordförande. Våra respondenter har stärkt vårt arbete med konstruktiv data för att vidare studera risk och osäkerhet i solcellsinvesteringar. Studien tyder på att de risker som föreligger vid solcellsinvesteringar är förhållandevis lika mellan aktörerna men det som skiljer är företagens riskhanteringsstrategier för att behandla dem. De allmänna riskerna som belyses av solcellsexperten är i enlighet med de risker som företagen påvisar men att den genomgående risken är en allmän låg kunskap kring solceller. / This study attempts to describe how the real estate company, Varbergs Fastighets AB and the energy-company, Halmstad Energi och Miljö copes with factors of risks and uncertainties that may occur while investing in photovoltaic. To enable the energy society to attain a sustainable future, the production of energy must be provided by renewable sources. Since 2008, the rate of the installation of photovoltaic in Sweden has increased. In 2012, 8.3 MW of solar cells were installed and by 2013, the installed effect was more than doubled (Lindahl, 2014). Despite this bright development, the solar energy in Sweden only provides 0.03 percent of the overall energy production in the year of 2014 (IEA International energy agency, 2014). An investor wants from the investment reach as high a return as possible while reducing and avoiding the risks incurred. The multinational British-American accountant and consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers defines risk as an uncertain future event that may affect the company's ability to achieve future strategic, operational and financial targets (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 1999). This study takes its point of departure in the hermeneutics of the social science. The study assumes that the reality is subjective, and thus demands an interpretation of the observations from it. The result presented in this report will therefore be an interpretation of the reality and consequently not answer in any general theories (Eriksson &amp; Wiedersheim-Paul, 2014). Our qualitative case study has its base in an inductive approach, where empirical data has been gathered by interviewing two companies and one expert of photovoltaic. We have interviewed the process manager and the manager of sustainability of Varbergs Fastighet AB and the strategy executive of Halmstad Energy och Miljö. We have also interviewed the chairman of Swedish solar energy. Our respondents have strengthened our work with constructive data, to further study the risks and uncertainties associated with investments in photovoltaic. This study indicates that the risks presented by investments in photovoltaic are relatively similar between the operators, but the distinguishing factor is the treatment of the risks by the companies. The common risks illuminated by the experts of photovoltaic runs accordingly with the risks demonstrated by the companies, though it is clear that the pervading risk is general poor knowledge of photovoltaic.

This work integrates perennial feedstock yield modeling using climate model data from current and future climate scenarios, land use datasets, transportation network data sets, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools, and Mixed integer linear programming (MILP) optimization models to examine biorefinery network designs in the southeastern United States from an overall systems perspective. Both deterministic and stochastic cases are modeled. Findings indicate that the high transportation costs incurred by biorefinery networks resulting from the need to transport harvested biomass from harvest location to processing facilities can be mitigated by performing initial processing steps in small scale mobile units at the cost of increased unit production costs associated with operating at smaller scales. Indeed, it can be financially advantageous to move the processing units instead of the harvested biomass, particularly when considering a 10-year planning period (typical switchgrass stand life). In this case, the mobile processing supply chain configuration provides added flexibility to respond to year-to-year variation in the geographic distribution of switchgrass yields. In order to capture the effects of variation in switchgrass yields and incorporate it in optimization models, yield modeling was conducted for both current and future climate scenarios. (In general profits are lower in future climate scenarios). Thus, both the effects of annual variation in weather patterns and varying climate scenarios on optimization model decisions can be observed.