The work described in this thesis develops a strategy for planning domestic energy supply systems for small, rural communities. Two methods, for system optimisation are proposed: economic optimisation and thermodynamic optimisation. Both methods are applied to the small Scottish island of Eigg, as an example of a small community. It is shown that, for the range of energy equipment studied, the two methods are generally complementary. Economic theory and choice of parameters are discussed, as is the theoretical background to thermodynamic modelling. The net present value method is used to determine unit energy costs, which are used in the economic model as the parameter by which different energy sources are chosen. For thermodynamic assessment three parameters are used: exergy, second law efficiency and energy quality. Energy quality against quantity diagrams (on which areas represent exergy) are shown to be a useful way of visualising thermodynamic system performance. This work also develops methods which can be used to determine model inputs. These include: an energy census of the island of Eigg to determine the current energy system, development of a hydrological prediction model for determining hydro power potential, use of computer models to determine house space heating demands, and development of methods for predicting meteorological parameters from long term data. The application of the economic planning model to Eigg allows a much improved energy supply system for the island to be proposed. This makes energy more available, improves comfort (with regard to energy usage), and gives 30% higher energy usage for a lower unit cost than the islanders currently pay. The thermodynamic optimisation process improves the thermodynamic efficiency of the energy system on Eigg by more than 100% and shows which areas of energy technology should be investigated to harmonise economic and thermodynamic optimisation.

<p> Three chapters comprise this project. The first chapter deals with the global picture of energy supply and demand, and concludes that other sources of energy must be developed in the next fifty years.</p> <p> Chapter Two considers a number of alternate sources of energy and examines two sources in particular: (i) Hydrogen and its dependence on electricity, and (ii) Nuclear energy used to produce electricity. Certainly, Ontario has a very viable option to produce electricity by means of nuclear energy.</p> <p> Home heating can, to some extent, be controlled by the individual, and Chapter Three discusses the operation of a heat pump and its feasibility as a heating device for homes in the Southern Ontario climate.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (Teaching)

Magister Scientiae (Biodiversity and Conservation Biology) - MSc (Biodiv and Cons Biol) / Freshwater ecosystems are valuable to all components of biodiversity communities. Globally, these ecosystems are threatened by human activity and as a consequence, many vertebrates, including waterbirds, have become threatened. Wetlands are one of the most productive ecosystem types in the world. Yet, despite this, many protected area networks around the world fail to include this ecosystem type in their protected area networks. On a national scale, in South Africa, wetland loss and deteriorating wetland habitat quality continues to restrict and reduce the range of wetland waterbirds. For this thesis, Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) species distribution modelling was used to identify additional areas of possible waterbird occurrence. The MaxEnt results noted that waterbirds rely on a combination of these environmental variables for their distribution ecology in their wetland habitat, with vegetation and humidity variables having the highest predictive powers. These would be considered important predictor variables for the distribution ecology of these waterbirds.

<p>Energy supply security is a hot topic today. It highly influences energy market, national security and also residents’ daily lives. However, due to different aims and study strategies, definitions of energy supply security are different. In this report, it is defined as stable energy supply processes that result from good infrastructure, delivery of energy sources, carriers and services, which are sturdily controlled by effective energy policies. Prices of energy supply system</p><p>are also maintained on a reasonable level over a continuous period thanks to the efficient crises assessment and management.</p><p>In order to make a comprehensive research, energy situation has been deeply investigated on worldwide, EU and Swedish levels, respectively. Results from these investments obviously certify that due to the big amount of populations, there are significant imbalances between energy supply and demands in developing countries. To make things better, these imbalances don’t exist in developed world, like EU Members including Sweden because of applications of advanced technologies and wide utilizations of renewable energy carriers. Oppositely, greenhouse gases emission is a severe problem in the world, which gives rise to temperature increasing year by year! Besides the global warming, some other factors also bring about uncertainties to energy supply security, so that efficient policies are necessary in order improve the recent</p><p>situations and to create a secure atmosphere for energy supply, such as</p><p>Directive 98/30/EC for natural gas supply security, Directive 2003/55/EC for integration and compatibility of the energy regulation and Directive 2003/54/EC, the first policy that regulates EU electricity market as well as IEM Directive, which is the improvement of Directive 2003/54/EC, etc.</p><p>Although several policies aiming at creation of competitive energy markets and achieving energy supply security, vulnerabilities still exist in EU energy supply system, such as limited primary energy sources and high dependence on nuclear powers, energy network capacity inadequacy, high voltage electricity transmission, etc. Concerning Swedish energy supply system, extreme low temperatures in winter, drilling technologies and high economic budgets for heat sources from underground, hurricanes, thunderstorms to wind turbines and man-made disruptions are all potential vulnerabilities. Regarding these negative aspects, recommendations are given on four different levels, which are global, EU, Swedish and individual perspectives. Specific suggestions to achieve energy supply security include independence of different energy supplies, to enhance international cooperation, periodic assessments and inspections for energy facilities, population control, to keep original energy policies updated, to enhance abilities to resist abnormal weather conditions, to develop heat pump technologies and try to use energy in efficient ways, etc.</p>

Energy supply security is a hot topic today. It highly influences energy market, national security and also residents’ daily lives. However, due to different aims and study strategies, definitions of energy supply security are different. In this report, it is defined as stable energy supply processes that result from good infrastructure, delivery of energy sources, carriers and services, which are sturdily controlled by effective energy policies. Prices of energy supply system are also maintained on a reasonable level over a continuous period thanks to the efficient crises assessment and management. In order to make a comprehensive research, energy situation has been deeply investigated on worldwide, EU and Swedish levels, respectively. Results from these investments obviously certify that due to the big amount of populations, there are significant imbalances between energy supply and demands in developing countries. To make things better, these imbalances don’t exist in developed world, like EU Members including Sweden because of applications of advanced technologies and wide utilizations of renewable energy carriers. Oppositely, greenhouse gases emission is a severe problem in the world, which gives rise to temperature increasing year by year! Besides the global warming, some other factors also bring about uncertainties to energy supply security, so that efficient policies are necessary in order improve the recent situations and to create a secure atmosphere for energy supply, such as Directive 98/30/EC for natural gas supply security, Directive 2003/55/EC for integration and compatibility of the energy regulation and Directive 2003/54/EC, the first policy that regulates EU electricity market as well as IEM Directive, which is the improvement of Directive 2003/54/EC, etc. Although several policies aiming at creation of competitive energy markets and achieving energy supply security, vulnerabilities still exist in EU energy supply system, such as limited primary energy sources and high dependence on nuclear powers, energy network capacity inadequacy, high voltage electricity transmission, etc. Concerning Swedish energy supply system, extreme low temperatures in winter, drilling technologies and high economic budgets for heat sources from underground, hurricanes, thunderstorms to wind turbines and man-made disruptions are all potential vulnerabilities. Regarding these negative aspects, recommendations are given on four different levels, which are global, EU, Swedish and individual perspectives. Specific suggestions to achieve energy supply security include independence of different energy supplies, to enhance international cooperation, periodic assessments and inspections for energy facilities, population control, to keep original energy policies updated, to enhance abilities to resist abnormal weather conditions, to develop heat pump technologies and try to use energy in efficient ways, etc.

A critical evaluation of the national profile of energy supply and demand and the associated greenhouse gas (OHO) emissions in China has been conducted. The contribution of the transport sector in China, the road transport sector in particular, to China's overall energy demand and OHO emissions has been assessed and compared with values for other countries. Approaches for reducing energy demand and OHO emissions in the road transport sector worldwide have been reviewed. A detailed bottom-up model has been developed using 'LEAP' software, to estimate future energy demand and OHO emissions in China's road transport sector, incorporating China's recent efforts in alternative fuel promotion. Modelling approach and historical data used have been tested and verified to ensure reliability. Two scenarios have been designed to describe the future strategies relating to the development of China's road transport sector between 2005 and 2030. The 'Business as Usual' scenario is used as a baseline reference scenario, in which the government is assumed to do nothing to influence the long-term trends of road transport energy demand. The 'Best Case' scenario is considered to be the most optimized case where a series of available reduction measures are assumed to be implemented. Energy demand and OHO emissions in China's road transport sector up to 2030 are estimated in these two scenarios. The reduction potential and the relative contribution of each measure have been estimated. A 'life cycle assessment' model for the road transport sector has been developed. The life cycle energy demand and OHO emissions in China's road transport sector are estimated using the model. The reduction potential and the relative contribution of each measure have been re-assessed from a life cycle perspective. Potential impacts on global oil resources, availability and prices are discussed. The importance of life cycle assessment in evaluating the effects of different reduction measures is discussed. Policy implications are presented.

The global population of forcibly displaced people has increased during the last years, due to persecution, conflict, violence, or human rights violations. Since 1997 the number of forcibly displaced people increased from 33.9 million people to 65.6 million at the end of 2016, amongst which 22.5 million are refugees living in refugee camps around the world. These camps are usually hastily built shelters with the main objective to provide immediate protection and safety, therefore these camps rarely have power supply that can satisfy more than the basic, essential needs. However, the average length of time during which a refugee spends in exile is approximately 20 years and in order sustain shelters for such a long time, there is also a need to satisfy the long-term energy demands. The purpose of this thesis is to chart the energy-related problems in refugee camps and to evaluate potential energy supply solutions with respect to given indicators, with a setting in Central- and Eastern Africa. The given indicators are availability, scalability, adoptability, environmental impact and cost. The different energy solutions that are chosen for evaluation are fuel generators, solar power, biogas, wind power and fuel cell. A literature study is conducted with the limitation to mainly examine camps between the equator and southern Europe and where the assumption of every refugee camp having approximately the same problems is made. The literature study of different refugee camps revealed that most energy-related problems could be derived from insufficient energy supply, which results in problems with cooking and lack of lighting. The available energy resources in refugee camps are mainly firewood or charcoal, that emits hazardous gases during combustion. The collection of firewood as well as the lack of lighting also puts people, mainly women and children, at safety risks. Furthermore, the lack of decent lighting also reduces the amount of productive hours. To solve the problems, the evaluation of the chosen energy solutions could work as a foundation for projects on implementing energy systems in a refugee camp setting. The evaluation provides an overview of how the energy solutions works in relation to the given indicators and thus their ability to provide energy in an economic, social and environmental manner. Furthermore, the results from this thesis have been compiled into a project manual, with summarizing tables of each energy solution in regards to the indicators. Every refugee camp has their own needs and conditions that has to be met in order to provide sufficient energy solutions, which makes it difficult to fully assess the evaluated energy solutions. Therefore, there is a need for further work that would include a case study. By conducting a case study, the needs and conditions for the chosen refugee camp can be taken into consideration, thus resulting in a solution that could better meet the demand. In most cases, the energy related problems in refugee camps are not one solution issues but could rather be solved by combining different methods of energy access. The evaluated energy solutions could therefore be combined to meet the demands of refugee camps. / Antalet människor som är på flykt i världen har ökat under de senaste åren på grund av förföljelse, konflikt, våld eller kränkningar av mänskliga rättigheter. Sedan 1997 har antalet människor på flykt ökat från 33,9 miljoner till 65,6 miljoner i slutet av 2016, varav 22,5 miljoner är flyktingar som lever i flyktingläger runt om i världen. Flyktingläger är ofta konstruerade under nödsituationer, där det främsta syftet är att ge omedelbart skydd och säkerhet. Syftet med flyktinglägren är därmed att agera som ett tillfälligt skydd, vilket innebär att de sällan är utrustade med strömförsörjning som kan tillgodose mer än de mest grundläggande och nödvändiga behoven. Trots att lägren är konstruerade som tillfälliga lösningar, tillbringar en flykting i genomsnitt 20 år i exil. För att kunna hålla goda levnadsförhållanden under en sådan lång tid i ett flyktingläger, finns ett behov av att tillgodose lägren med långsiktiga, hållbara energilösningar. Syftet med kandidatexamensarbetet är att kartlägga energirelaterade problem i flyktingläger och att utvärdera potentiella lösningar för energiförsörjning med avseende på givna indikatorer, med fokus på Central- och Östafrika. De angivna indikatorerna är tillgänglighet, skalbarhet, acceptans, miljöpåverkan och kostnad. De olika energilösningarna som utvärderas är bränslegeneratorer, solkraft, biogas, vindkraft och bränsleceller. En litteraturstudie genomförs med den huvudsakliga begränsningen att granska läger mellan ekvatorn och södra Europa och där ett antagande om att varje flyktingläger står inför liknande problem görs. Kartläggningen av energirelaterade problem i flyktingläger visar att de flesta problem kan kopplas till en otillräcklig energiförsörjning, vilket i sin tur resulterar i problem med matlagning samt brist på belysningsmöjligheter. De tillgängliga energiresurserna är huvudsakligen ved eller kol, som vid förbränning avger hälsofarliga gaser. Insamling av ved samt brist på belysning utsätter även invånarna, främst kvinnor och barn, för säkerhetsrisker. Bristen på ordentlig belysning reducerar även antalet produktiva timmar för människorna i ett flyktingläger. För att kunna bidra med en lösning till problemen kan den utförda utvärderingen av de valda energilösningarna användas som en grund för andra projekt, som ämnar att implementera energisystem i flyktingläger. Utvärderingen ger en översikt av hur energilösningarna fungerar i förhållande till de givna indikatorerna och därmed deras förmåga att tillhandahålla energi på ett ekonomiskt, socialt och miljömässigt sätt. Resultaten från kandidatexamensarbetet har även sammanställts i en projektmanual, med en sammanställning för varje energilösning med avseende på indikatorerna. Varje flyktingläger har dock unika behov och förutsättningar som måste tillgodoses för att tillhandahålla tillfredställande energilösningar, vilket försvårar en fullständig bedömning av de utvärderade energilösningarna. Det finns därför ett behov av ytterligare undersökning innefattande en fallstudie som kan ta hänsyn till de behov och förutsättningar som kan finnas. Slutligen kräver de energirelaterade problemen i ett flyktingläger oftast en kombination av olika energilösningar, eftersom att en sådan bättre kan möta ett flyktinglägers energibehov.

The constant need of energy is something that affects us all no matter our current situation. Whether we are driving our car to work, taking the elevator or using the oven to cook dinner we end up relying on energy. Our whole society is continuously striving to achieve a higher grade of efficiency and the process of supplying ourselves with energy is no exception. The importance of appliances in our everyday life cannot be exaggerated and thus the importance of their high efficiency. Efficiency is already a keyword in the appliance industry with labels, stars and numbers helping us choosing the most suitable option for the task ahead. No matter how efficient appliances often use pure electricity as their energy source. This is where the heat pump shines being an excellent way of removing excess heat where it is not needed to somewhere where it is put to good use.    The goal of this study is to research the possibility of supplying a range of household appliances with a single solution built around a heat storage tank, this being a far simpler and cheaper solution then supplying each and every one of them with their own solution. The storage tank will act as a buffer during the peak periods of usage will be supplied with energy by a heat pump.   The system has been modeled with Comsol, a calculation and simulation software, to be able to preserve details as close to reality as possible. Different storage tank sizes combined with different heating values has been tested to determine the optimal combination.   Results show that the system is a plausible solution to the problem and that a compressor using 290W to supply the storage tank with 1000W of heat is enough to handle the peak periods of the appliance usage. The efficiency of the system depends on the heat source and while using the exhaust air from the household is recommended, the study presents two more options. The key to handling the peak periods is the storage tank acting as a buffer then being reheated over time. / Tillgången på energi eller snarare behovet av den är något som genomsyrar hela vår tillvaro. Vare sig vi tar bilen till jobbet, hissen upp till lägenheten eller värmer på maten i ugnen så gör vi oss beroende utav den. Hela vårt samhälle strävar kontinuerligt efter att effektiviseras oavsett om drivkraften är nyfikenhet, tvång eller ökad förtjänst och energitillförsel är inget undantag. Vikten av vitvaror i vår vardag kan knappast överdrivas och därför har också effektiviseringen av dem prioriterats högt. Idag jobbar industrin för fullt med att finslipa tekniken för att pressa energiförbrukningen allt lägre och man har även valt att börja utnyttja värmepumpen som ett sätt att värma apparaturen ännu effektivare. Värmepumpen är ett lysande verktyg för att flytta energi ifrån en plats med överskott till en situation med behov och att utnyttja exempelvis den energi vi annars vädrar ut ur huset till att värma hushållets vitvaror skulle innebära en betydligt effektivare resurshantering.   Studien syftar till att undersöka huruvida det totala energibehovet från ett genomsnittligt hushålls vitvaror gemensamt kan lösas utav en ensam värmelagringslösning. En ackumulatortank skall förses med värmeenergi som sedan bygger en buffert stor nog för en diskmaskin, en tvättmaskin och en torktumlare under vardaglig användning. Energitillförseln kommer att ske med hjälp utav en värmepump. Systemet är dimensionerat med hjälp utav beräkningsprogramvaran Comsol och har tagit hänsyn till variationer i såväl tankstorlek som tillförd värme från värmepumpen. Resultatet visar att lösningen är fullt möjlig och att en kompressoreffekt på ca 290W krävs för att flytta 1000W värme från en valfri källa, förslagsvis frånluften i hushållet, till vitvarorna. Den tänkta lösningen blir olika effektiv beroende på källan till värmen men visar sig vara en energisnålare lösning än konventionell eldrift. Nyckeln i sammanhanget blir ackumulatortanken som ser till att energin finns tillgänglig när den behövs och att den normalt höga effekten som krävs från vitvaror istället fylls på över tid och hanteras momentant genom tankens buffert.

The primary purpose of this dissertation is to analyze the supply and demand of energy in China by utilizing an input-output-analysis. The energy input-output table used in this dissertation was combined with other data from the Energy Statistics Yearbook of China to draw up a hybrid-unit input-output table diagram and its simulation analysis. According to the data, the shortage in China¡¦s electric-producing sector in 1997 had the strongest impact on the total output of China¡¦s economy. Over the years, electric producers have been gradually playing a vital role as China¡¦s main energy source. The analysis also pointed out that China¡¦s energy industry was insignificant prior to 1997, mainly due to government price regulation. This dissertation is therefore expected to identify a new path in the study of energy demand and supply in China.

Master's thesis. / Format: PDF. Bibl.