It is very likely that human being is contributing to the process of global warming. Industrial activities such as cement production are among the largest sources of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, there are ongoing efforts to reduce the CO2 emissions attributed to the cement production. In order to be able to systematically identify, classify, and evaluate the most effective, applicable, and feasible CO2 improvement measures, it is essential to have an assessment framework, which has an environmental management perspective. Such a framework should be able to cover the widest range of potential CO2 improvement measures, therefore it has to have a wide system perspective and consider all material, and energy flows within the industry as useful resources. The first part of this thesis uses the concepts of Industrial Ecology and Industrial Symbiosis as the supporting theoretical concepts for developing such assessment framework. The framework has semi-qualitative approach for assessing different measures and is developed in two parts: (1) generic and (2) site-specific assessment. The first part considers general aspects of the measures such as level of Industrial Symbiosis (i.e. complexity of business approach), the potential of each measure for reducing CO2 emissions, and their technological maturity. The second part assesses the feasibility of the measures regarding the conditions of a specific cement producing system. Aspects such as organizational applicability, technical and infrastructural applicability, and the existing level of implementation of each measure are considered. In the second part of this thesis, the developed framework is applied on a selected cement production system which is a cluster composed of three cement plants in Germany (owned by CEMEX) referred to as the Cluster West. The result of the assessment provides insights about the state-of-the-art of CO2 improvement measures in cement industry in general and also demonstrates which of these measures are most (or least) suited for development in the Cluster West. The production system of the Cluster West has effectively applied CO2 improvement measures in areas such as producing blended cement products, using alternative fuels (and renewable fuels) for clinker production. In addition, its clinker production (the Kollenbach plant that is part of the Cluster West) has relatively good energy efficiency. According to the results of the assessment, CO2 improvement measures such as co-generation (producing electricity from excess heat of the plant), using renewable fuels, using alternative materials for clinker production, and increasing the usage of alternative fuels are among the most applicable choices for further implementation. / In relation with LIU-CEMEX Indsutrial Ecology project (2011)

To remain competitive in an environment with limited natural resources and ever-increasing operational costs, energy efficiency cannot be ignored. From this perspective the need for Energy Service Companies (ESCos) has arisen to address the supply constraint of national utilities and emission reductions faced by governments, to mitigate climate change. This has led to the development of two energy-efficiency finance business applications in South Africa, namely Demand-Side Management (DSM) under Eskom and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol. The technologies developed by ESCos, primarily for DSM energy efficiency projects, can be directly applied to generate Certified Emission Reduction (CERs) units, or carbon credits under the CDM business model. ESCo executives now need to decide which option will be more profitable; a once-off Rand/MW value from Eskom-DSM or an annual return on investment (ROI) from selling CERs over an extended crediting period. With a volatile CER price and bureaucratic registration procedures, it is very important that managers have all the right information at hand before making such decisions. A unique energy-efficiency investment decision model is developed that incorporates cost benefit analysis, based on the ESCos chosen risk profile. All attributes to the model of both DSM and CDM are defined, discussed and quantified into a decision analysis framework that would minimize risk and maximize profit. These attributes include life cycle analysis, technology transfer, cash flow, future CER prices, and associated project and political risks. The literature and background information that builds up to the development of this decision model serves as a complete handbook with guidelines to the South African energy services industry and investors. This study proposes a new energy-efficiency methodology under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that would increase the amount of CDM energy efficiency projects in South Africa and internationally. The methodology is designed to improve control system efficiency of any large electricity consumer instead of being equipment-specific. This implies that developers can use the same methodology regardless of whether the end-users are clear water pumping systems, compressed air systems, fans etc. This will reduce the cost of registering new methodologies with the UNFCCC and make CDM a more lucrative option to ESCos and other developers. This new energy-efficiency methodology and finance decision model was used in a case study to test its validity and accuracy. Two supporting technologies, REMS-CARBON and OSIMS, were developed in conjunction with HVAC International and tested at the clear water pumping system of Kopanang gold mine. The results from the case study demonstrated that this model is an acceptable tool in ensuring that ESCos gain maximum benefit from energy efficiency finance initiatives. Due to the experience gained with the modalities, procedures and pitfalls of DSM and CDM, further suggestions are made for new protocols to follow the Kyoto Protocol post-2012. South Africa and specifically ESCos could be very well positioned in a global “cap-andtrade” future carbon market. / PhD (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009

To remain competitive in an environment with limited natural resources and ever-increasing operational costs, energy efficiency cannot be ignored. From this perspective the need for Energy Service Companies (ESCos) has arisen to address the supply constraint of national utilities and emission reductions faced by governments, to mitigate climate change. This has led to the development of two energy-efficiency finance business applications in South Africa, namely Demand-Side Management (DSM) under Eskom and the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol. The technologies developed by ESCos, primarily for DSM energy efficiency projects, can be directly applied to generate Certified Emission Reduction (CERs) units, or carbon credits under the CDM business model. ESCo executives now need to decide which option will be more profitable; a once-off Rand/MW value from Eskom-DSM or an annual return on investment (ROI) from selling CERs over an extended crediting period. With a volatile CER price and bureaucratic registration procedures, it is very important that managers have all the right information at hand before making such decisions. A unique energy-efficiency investment decision model is developed that incorporates cost benefit analysis, based on the ESCos chosen risk profile. All attributes to the model of both DSM and CDM are defined, discussed and quantified into a decision analysis framework that would minimize risk and maximize profit. These attributes include life cycle analysis, technology transfer, cash flow, future CER prices, and associated project and political risks. The literature and background information that builds up to the development of this decision model serves as a complete handbook with guidelines to the South African energy services industry and investors. This study proposes a new energy-efficiency methodology under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) that would increase the amount of CDM energy efficiency projects in South Africa and internationally. The methodology is designed to improve control system efficiency of any large electricity consumer instead of being equipment-specific. This implies that developers can use the same methodology regardless of whether the end-users are clear water pumping systems, compressed air systems, fans etc. This will reduce the cost of registering new methodologies with the UNFCCC and make CDM a more lucrative option to ESCos and other developers. This new energy-efficiency methodology and finance decision model was used in a case study to test its validity and accuracy. Two supporting technologies, REMS-CARBON and OSIMS, were developed in conjunction with HVAC International and tested at the clear water pumping system of Kopanang gold mine. The results from the case study demonstrated that this model is an acceptable tool in ensuring that ESCos gain maximum benefit from energy efficiency finance initiatives. Due to the experience gained with the modalities, procedures and pitfalls of DSM and CDM, further suggestions are made for new protocols to follow the Kyoto Protocol post-2012. South Africa and specifically ESCos could be very well positioned in a global “cap-andtrade” future carbon market. / PhD (Mechanical Engineering), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009

Global warming is currently a major challenge faced by the world. Reduction of carbon emissions is of paramount importance in the context of global warming. There are widespread ongoing efforts to find satisfactory ways of surmounting this challenge. The basic objective of all such efforts can be summarized as conception and formation of protocols to reduce the pace of global carbon levels. Countries and global companies are now engaged in understanding systematic ways of achieving well defined emission targets. In this dissertation, we explore the specific problem faced by a global industry or global company in allocating carbon emission reduction units to its different divisions and supply chain partners in achieving a required target of reductions in its carbon reduction program. The problem becomes a challenging one since the divisions and supply chain partners are often autonomous and could exhibit strategic behavior. Game theory and mechanism design provide a natural modeling tool for capturing the strategic dynamics involved in this problem. DSIC (Dominant Strategy Incentive Compatibility), AE (Allocative Efficiency), and SBB (Strict Budget Balance) are the key desirable properties for carbon reduction allocation mechanisms. But due to an impossibility result in mechanism design, DSIC, AE, and SBB can never be simultaneously achieved. Hence in this dissertation, we offer as contributions, two elegant solutions to this carbon emission reduction allocation problem. The first contribution is a mechanism which is DSIC and AE. We first propose a straightforward Vickrey-Clarke-Groves (VCG) mechanism based solution to the problem, leading to a DSIC and AE reverse auction protocol for allocating carbon reductions among the divisions. This solution, however, leads to a high level of budget imbalance. To reduce budget imbalance, we use redistribution mechanisms, without affecting the key properties of DSIC and AE. The Cavallo-Bailey redistribution mechanism, when applied to the above reverse auction protocol leads to reduced budget imbalance. To reduce the imbalance further, we propose an innovative forward auction protocol which achieves less imbalance when combined with the Cavallo-Bailey redistribution mechanism. The forward auction protocol also has the appealing feature of handsomely rewarding divisions that reduce emissions and levying appropriate penalties on divisions that do not participate in emission reductions. The second contribution is a DSIC and SBB mechanism. Even though the first mechanism tries to reduce the budget imbalance, there is always a surplus which cannot be distributed among divisions and is wasted. So, in this part, by slightly compromising on efficiency, we propose a mechanism which is DSIC and SBB. The SBB property guarantees that there is no need for any monetary support from an external agency for implementing the mechanism and there is no leakage of revenue.

The goal of this diploma thesis was to create a comprehensive overview of the recent devel-opment in the fight against the climate change in European Union and complement it with evidence on how the CO2 reduction measures impacted the energy industry. Firstly, the ener-gy industry of the European Union is introduced with its basic characteristics. Information on the climate change and on actions that have been established so far in order to fight the cli-mate change is also provided. Next, the theoretical knowledge from the environmental eco-nomics is presented together with the various concepts on how to address the issues connected with the externalities. EU ETS and renewable energy subsidies (FiTs) are further analyzed and practical insights on how the measures work are also offered. The practical part contributes with analyses of case studies of Germany and Czech Republic, in which the key success factors of the policies and their impact are assessed.

<p>The electrification trend affecting off-road vehicles is paving the way toward dedicated electrified hydraulic actuation systems. Although traditional centralized fluid power architectures are still utilized in many applications for low cost, power density, and reliability, nowadays emission policy results in an increasing interest in developing electro-hydraulic actuator (EHA) solutions. EHAs enable non-throttling actuation and energy recuperation during overrunning loads, leading to higher transmission efficiency and lower fuel consumption. These features in energy efficiency make EHAs competitive in meeting emission regulations compared to conventional hydraulic solutions.</p> <p>The key challenge in developing the EHA solution comes from the high cost and space requirements, especially for the adoption of self-contained EHAs in mobile applications. In this study, two architectures for the EHA are proposed, a closed-circuit architecture and an open-circuit one, to determine the most practical and efficient configuration. The most effective open-circuit architecture with distributed concepts is further investigated for implementation, which requires less modification of the mechanical structures and performs more efficiently than the closed-circuit alternative. The proposed EHA is driven by an electro-hydraulic unit (EHU) consisting of a variable-speed electric motor and a fixed-displacement hydraulic pump, which is relatively cost-effective. A novel hydraulic configuration is proposed, which allows the EHA to cover full-speed operating ranges in four quadrants. </p> <p>To verify the EHA design, the behavior of the proposed system should be predicted prior to costly experiments and demonstrations. For this purpose, an integrated simulation model is developed based on the lumped parameter approach in the Amesim environment. The model includes the electric system, the hydraulic system, and the mechanism to be implemented, which are capable of flexible analysis of functionality, efficiency, and thermal performance.</p> <p>In this work, a dedicated test rig for EHA testing is developed. The test rig can help verify EHA performance, test the control algorithm, and diagnose errors before implementing the system on real applications. The experimental results from the test rig also validate the simulation model. An independent load drive of the test rig allows testing all possible  loading conditions of the proposed EHA, thus demonstrating the energy performance in four quadrants. Thermal behavior is investigated with long duty cycles to determine the need for additional cooling equipment. After the validation of the hydraulic configuration, a power electronics setup is added to the test rig, which allows to drive the EHA system with the novel designed EHUs. Validation on the test platform paves the way for implementation in a vehicle. </p> <p>As a final step, the proposed EHA system is implemented in a reference vehicle, a Case New Holland TV380 skid steer loader. A novel designed EHU is adopted to drive the system for technology demonstration. The energy savings capacity of the EHA is investigated in comparison to the baseline measurements of the traditional open-center hydraulic architecture. The impressive savings from the reduction of throttling losses and energy recovery guide the possible commercialization of such EHAs in mobile hydraulic applications. The controller design of the implemented EHA system is investigated with the aim of improving the dynamic performance, e.g., reducing damping oscillation. Basic power management strategies are also studied to integrate EHA with the power train of current hydraulic machines. Regarding future work, based on this research but not within the scope of this study, the proposed EHA system can be adopted with different types of prime movers, such as axial piston machines as the hydraulic part of an EHU. Furthermore, the design approach proposed in this study can help resize the EHA system for other applications with different loading conditions and power requirements, and the energy savings capability can be further investigated. With this, a comprehensive market analysis will be performed for the commercialization of EHA. </p>

There is a lot of gravitational potential energy waste when hydraulic excavators work, which seriously affects the efficiency of the whole machine and produces a large amount of emissions. In order to reduce the energy consumption and emissions of large hydraulic excavators which the boom is driven by two hydraulic cylinders, an integrated drive and potential energy recuperation principle is proposed. In the implementation, the original two-chamber hydraulic cylinders are replaced by three-chamber hydraulic cylinders with energy storage chambers, and the energy storage chambers are directly connected with the hydraulic accumulator. The dead weight of the working device is balanced by the initial hydraulic pressure of the hydraulic accumulator, and the gravitational potential energy is directly recuperated. A digital prototype is established for the simulation work to verify the energy-saving effect. Then a test prototype is constructed according to the simulation work. The standard 90° loading duty cycle tests show that compared with the standard hydraulic excavators of the same type, in the case of meeting the same digging force, the working efficiency of the excavator increases by 20.7% and the fuel consumption decreases by 17.1%. In terms of 8 hours of work per day, a single excavator can save fuel up to 47 L per day and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 123.6 kg.

<p dir="ltr">Smart windows, dynamically adjusting optical transmittance, face global adoption challenges due to climatic and economic variability. Aiming these issues, we synthesized a methyl cellulose (MC) salt system with high tunability for intrinsic optical transmittance (89.3%), which can be applied globally to various locations. Specifically, the MC window has superior heat shielding potential below transition temperatures while turning opaque at temperatures above the Lower Critical Solution Temperature (LCST), reducing the solar heat gain by 55%. Such optical tunability is attributable to the particle size change triggered by the temperature-induced reversible coil-to-globular transition. This leads to effective refractive index and scattering modulation, making them prospective solutions for light management systems, an application ahead of intelligent fenestration systems. MC-based windows demonstrated a 9°C temperature decrease compared to double-pane windows on sunny days and a 5°C increase during winters in field tests, while simulations predict an 11% energy savings.</p><p dir="ltr">Incorporating MC-based phase change materials in passive solar panels indicated optimized energy efficiency, offering a sustainable alternative. Real-time simulations validate practical applicability in large-scale solar panels. Furthermore, a temperature-responsive sorbent with a dark layer demonstrates an optimal optical and water uptake performance. Transitioning between radiative cooling and solar heating, the sorbent exhibits high water harvesting efficiency in lab and field tests. With an adjustable LCST at 38 ℃, the cellulose-based sorbent presents a potential solution for atmospheric water harvesting, combining optical switching and temperature responsiveness for sustainable water access. Furthermore, the ubiquitous availability of materials, low cost, and ease-of-manufacturing will provide technological equity and foster our ambition towards net-zero buildings and sustainable future.</p>

In Cam Pha city (Quang Ninh province) there existes a lot of vegetation having a high degree of degradation. Findings of the research plots located in 4 years (2012-2015) have shown that, vegetation IC has the largest biomass (biomass fresh: 78.70 tons / ha; dry biomass: 36.65 tons / ha), followed by the grass vegetation (fresh biomass: 62.08 tons / ha; dry biomass: 25.67 tons / ha ). Vegetation IA has the lowest biomass (biomass fresh: 33.73 tons / ha; dry biomass: 15.18 tons / ha). The average amount of accumulated carbon in the biomass of vegetation IC is 18.33 tones / ha, in that vegetation IA was 7.60 tones/ ha, in the grass vegetation is 12.84 tones / ha. During the ecological succession, vegetation IC showed an increase in the ability to accumulate carbon (the amount of biomass carbon accumulation of vegetation IC in the 4th year was 21.97 tons / ha). In addition, the paper also proposed the suitable methods of using degraded vegetation in Cam Pha city, Quang Ninh province. / Ở thành phố Cẩm Phả, tỉnh Quảng Ninh tồn tại nhiều thảm thực vật có mức độ thoái hóa cao. Kết quả nghiên cứu trong các ô nghiên cứu định vị trong 4 năm (2012 - 2015) cho thấy, thảm cây bụi IC có sinh khối lớn nhất (sinh khối tươi: 78,70 tấn/ha; sinh khối khô: 36,65 tấn/ha), tiếp đến là thảm cỏ (sinh khối tươi: 62,08 tấn/ha; sinh khối khô: 25,67 tấn/ha). Thảm cây bụi IA có sinh khối thấp nhất (sinh khối tươi: 33,73 tấn/ha; sinh khối khô: 15,18 tấn/ha). Giữa các thảm thực vật này còn khác nhau về cấu trúc sinh khối và tỷ lệ sinh khối khô / sinh khối tươi. Lượng cacbon trung bình được tích lũy trong sinh khối của thảm thực vật cây bụi IC là 18,33 tấn/ha, ở thảm cây bụi IA là 7,60 tấn/ha, ở thảm cỏ là 12,84 tấn/ha. Trong quá trình diễn thế, thảm cây bụi IC có sự tăng lên về khả năng tích lũy cacbon (Lượng cacbon được tích lũy trong sinh khối của thảm cây bụi IC ở năm thứ 4 là 21,97 tấn/ha). Ngoài ra, bài báo còn đề xuất phương thức sử dụng hợp lý các thảm thực vật thoái hóa ở thành phố Cẩm Phả, tỉnh Quảng Ninh.

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