The management of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste has become a major issue lately in the province of Québec, Canada. Most of it is landfilled today, which increases the burden on landfills and is environmentally unsound. In order to comply with new government guidelines, municipalities have to develop solutions to recover and recycle organic waste. In this context, this study examines two solutions for treating organic waste: home-composting and a separate biodegradable waste collection system combined with large-scale composting. The two scenarios are compared in terms of costs and environmental performance to a reference scenario where all waste is landfilled, using as a case study a fictional city of 50 000 inhabitants. Results indicate that a centralized collection system, combined to large-scale composting, has greater environmental benefits than home-composting. It cuts greenhouse gas emissions by 240% compared to the reference scenario, while emissions from home-composting remain at the reference level. However, when compared to the reference scenario, home-composting reduces waste management costs by 15% while they represent an increase of 4% with large-scale composting. The study concludes that separate biodegradable waste collection combined to large-scale composting is the best way for a municipality to achieve high environmental goals, despite a slight increase of municipal costs. The participation rate of citizens is suggested to be a crucial parameter for the success of organic waste management in the two scenarios and it should be enhanced by different means to ensure the successful implementation of the chosen solution.

This doctoral thesis contains three essays on the economics of climate change and the electricity sector. The first essay deals with the subject of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and economic growth. The second essay addresses the issues of climate change policies, especially the role of the emergent innovative technologies, and the restructuring of the electricity sector. The third essay presents a model of transmission investments in electric power networks. Chapter One studies the impacts of climate change on economic growth in the world economies. The paper contains explicit formalization of the depletion process of exhaustible fossil fuels and the phase of technology substitution. The impacts of climate change on capital flows and welfare across countries are also investigated. The restructuring of the electricity sector is studied in Chapter Two. It also analyzes how climate change policies can benefit from emergent innovative technologies and how emergent innovative technologies can lower GHG emissions. It is shown that the price of electricity is strictly rising before emergent innovative firms with zero GHG emissions enter the market, but strictly declining as the entry begins. In Chapter Three, a model of electricity transmission investments from the perspective of the regulatory approach is formulated. The Mid-West region of Western Australia, a sub-system of the South West Interconnected System is considered. In contrast with most models in the literature that deal only with network deepening, this model deals with both network deepening and network widening. Moreover, unlike the conventional investment models which are static and deal only with the long run, this model is dynamic and focuses on the timing of the infrastructure investments. The paper is a study of an optimal transmission investment program which is part of the optimal investment program for an integrated model in which investments in transmission and investments in generation are made at the same time.

Sweden aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2045. The need to immediately reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to achieve climate targets affects industry directly. The pulp and paper sector is responsible for more than 50% of industrial energy use in Sweden. Increased energy efficiency is expected to contribute significantly to the reduction of primary energy use. The recovery and utilisation of industrial excess heat (IEH) has been identified as an important potential contribution to energy efficiency in industry. Previous research based on top-down studies has estimated the availability of IEH for entire sectors, and bottom-up results for many case studies are available. While top-down studies lack detailed information on the profile of the excess heat available, bottom-up studies have limited coverage. Detailed information about excess heat amounts and temperature levels is required for the assessment of the potential of the various heat recovery technologies that are available.  The aim of this thesis is to present, in a series of steps, methods to systematically analyse an industrial process to obtain a detailed profile of the excess heat available under various process conditions, to aggregate results that can be generalised to whole industrial sectors, and to obtain IEH recovery potentials using different technologies. The assessment of the utilisation options for IEH recovery is complemented with an analysis of system aspects that could affect profitability and global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. An energy-targeting procedure combined with optimisation has been applied to six case studies of kraft pulp and paper mills in Sweden. This method obtained IEH profiles that were used in a regression analysis to estimate the IEH availability and electricity generation potentials from low and medium temperature IEH using organic Rankine cycles (ORC). A comparison of profitability and global GHG emissions between ORC electricity generation using IEH and small-scale combined heat and electricity (CHP) production is presented for three energy markets. The results show that there is a potential to increase electricity generation from low and medium temperature IEH by 7–9% in the kraft mills in Sweden, depending on the level of process integration considered. The utilisation of low and medium temperature IEH for electricity generation has the potential to reduce global GHG emissions in all the energy-market scenarios considered, but if biomass is considered a limited resource, district heating (DH) deliveries can achieve higher global GHG reductions. ORC electricity generation from low and medium temperature IEH is economically viable and showed overall better profitability and GHG emissions reductions than small-scale CHP using ORCs. The economic feasibility of ORC electricity generation is less affected by external conditions and uncertainties than direct DH deliveries. / Sverige siktar på att uppnå klimatneutralitet till 2045. Behovet av att omedelbart minska utsläppen av växthusgaser för att nå klimatmålen påverkar industrin direkt. Massa- och papperssektorn står för mer än 50% av den industriella energianvändningen i Sverige. Ökad energieffektivitet förväntas i hög grad bidra till att minska primärenergianvändningen. Återvinning och utnyttjande av industriell överskottsvärme (IÖV) har identifierats som ett betydande potentiellt bidrag till energieffektivitet i industrin. Tidigare forskning baserad på top-down studier har uppskattat tillgängligheten av IÖV för hela sektorer eller regioner, och bottom-up resultat för många fallstudier finns tillgängliga. Medan top-down studier saknar detaljerad information om profilen för tillgänglig överskottsvärme, har bottom-up studier begränsad täckning och precision. Detaljerad information om överskottsvärmemängder och temperaturnivåer krävs för att bedöma potentialen hos flera värmeåtervinningstekniker. Denna avhandling syftar till att i en serie steg presentera metoder för att systematiskt analysera en industriell process för att erhålla en detaljerad profil av tillgänglig överskottsvärme under olika processförhållanden, för att aggregera resultat som kan generaliseras för hela industrisektorer, och att erhålla återvinningspotentialer för industriell överskottsvärme med hjälp av olika teknologier. Bedömningen av olika möjligheter att använda industriell överskottsvärme kompletteras med en analys av systemaspekter som kan påverka lönsamhet och globala växthusgasutsläpp. Ett energimålsförfarande kombinerat med optimering har tillämpats på sex fallstudier av massa- och pappersbruk i Sverige, med produktion baserat på sulfatmassa. Med denna metod erhålls IÖV-profiler som används i en regressionsanalys för att uppskatta tillgängligheten av IÖV och potentialen för elproduktion från låg- och medeltempererad IÖV med organiska Rankine-cykler (ORC). En jämförelse av lönsamhet och globala växthusgasutsläpp mellan elproduktion med ORC, där IÖV utgör grunden, och småskalig kombinerad värme och el (KVV) produktion presenteras för tre energimarknader. Resultaten visar en potential att öka elproduktionen från låg- och medeltempererad IÖV med 7% till 9% i sulfatmassabruken i Sverige, beroende på graden av processintegration som beaktas. Användningen av låg- och medeltempererad IÖV för elproduktion kan potentiellt minska de globala växthusgasutsläppen i alla övervägda energimarknadsscenarier. Om biomassa betraktas som en begränsad resurs, kan emellertid direkta fjärrvärmeleveranser uppnå högre globala minskningar av växthusgaser. ORC-elproduktion från låg- och medeltempererad IÖV är ekonomiskt lönsam och visade överlag bättre lönsamhet och minskade växthusgasutsläpp än småskalig ORC-kraftvärme. Den ekonomiska genomförbarheten av ORC-elproduktion påverkas mindre av yttre förhållanden och osäkerheter än fjärrvärmeleveranser.

<p>This study investigates the price premium for labeling of carbon-relevant practices and other potentially relevant labels on meat product, including organic, grass-feeding/-fed, gluten-free, and whether it is non-GMO, etc. Prices and labeling information about beef, pork, chicken, and other meat products in selected stores from 48 states were collected via web-scraping and investigated for product claims and labels directly or indirectly related to carbon. Market-observed price premiums for reduced carbon labels or using sustainable practices were investigated alongside impacts of geography on product prices. </p> <p>Our results showed significant price premiums for almost all of the claims investigated. For beef and chicken products the variable/label with the highest price premium associated was <em>Less greenhouse gas </em>and for the pork products, the variable/label <em>Non-GMO</em> was associated with the highest price premium of those studied.</p>

Compost is commonly used as an organic amendment in cropping systems such as vineyards, and has been shown to be beneficial to carbon (C) sequestration and soil health. As perennial crops, grapevines have a larger potential for C sequestration than most crops. Yet, there is a lack of understanding regarding the relationship between compost application rate, the magnitude of C sequestration, and its environmental tradeoff in the form of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. In the study, we investigated the effects of compost application rate on soil C sequestration, GHG emissions, crop growth, and overall soil health after two annual compost treatments at J. Lohr Vineyards and Wines, Paso Robles, CA. Compost was broadcasted to the entire plot area between harvest and the first precipitation in fall at the rate of 0 (control), 2, 4, and 6 tons/acre/year. Soil C sequestration, cumulative carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions and soil physical properties were assessed at two functional locations (tractor row and vine row) and three depth increments (0-15, 15-30, and 30-60 cm). Cover crop biomass was determined in spring before mowing, while clusters per vine, cluster weight and yield were determined each year at harvest. Although compost application did not significantly affect total soil C stocks, significant increases in early indicators of C sequestration such as permanganate oxidizable carbon (POXC), aggregate distribution, and aggregate C content in large macroaggregates without increasing C mineralization suggests that C input from compost increased C stabilization in soil. Cumulative GHG emissions were not significantly affected by compost application. Both CO2 and N2O emissions were higher in the vine row than the tractor row in the dry season, but the trend for CO2 emissions was the opposite in the wet seasons. Seasonal patterns of GHG emissions were likely due to differences in plant activity and irrigation between functional locations. The lower bulk density in topsoil than subsoil, and the higher water holding capacity and aggregate stability in tractor row topsoil than in the vine row demonstrates how high C content improves soil physical properties. Cover crop growth and grape yield components were unaffected by compost application. Based on our results, early signs of C sequestration and improvements on overall soil health can be achieved in a coarse-texture vineyard in the Central Coast region after annually applying compost at a rate between 2 and 6 tons/acre for two years, without increasing GHG emissions or affecting grape yield. Further investigation is recommended to study the potential synergistic effects between compost application and cover cropping in vineyards if both practices are implemented at the same time.

Underground Coal Gasification (UCG), although not a new concept, is now attracting considerable global attention as a viable process to provide a "clean" and economic fuel from coal. Climate change legislation and the declining position of coal reserves (i.e., deeper and thinner seams) in many parts of the world are promoting and fueling the UCG renaissance. This research presents an analysis of operational parameters of UCG technology to determine their significance and to evaluate the effective range of values for proper control of the process. The study indicates that cavity pressures, gas and water flow rates, development of linkage between wells, and continuous monitoring are the most important operating parameters. A protocol for the selection of suitable sites for UCG projects is presented in this study. The site selection criteria are developed based on successes and failures of previous experiments and pilot studies. The criteria take into account the site characteristics, coal quality parameters, hydrology of the area, availability of infrastructure and regulatory and environmental restrictions on sites. These criteria highlight the merits and demerits of the selected parameters, their importance in site selection and their economic and environmental potentials. Based on the site selection criteria, a GIS model is developed to assist in selecting suitable sites for gasification in any given area of interest. This GIS model can be used as a decision support tool as well since it helps in establishing the tradeoff levels between factors, ranking and scaling of factors, and, most importantly, evaluating inherent risks associated with each decision set. The potential of UCG to conform to different frameworks defined to assess the capability and potential of any project that merits the label, "sustainable," has been evaluated. It has been established that UCG can integrate economic activity with ecosystem integrity, respect for the rights of future generations to the use of resources and the attainment of sustainable and equitable social and economic benefits. The important aspects of UCG that need to be considered for its sustainable development are highlighted. In addition, the environmental benefits of UCG have been evaluated in terms of its potential for reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The findings indicate that UCG significantly reduces GHG emissions compared to other competitive coal exploiting technologies. A model to compute the life cycle greenhouse emissions of UCG has been developed, and it reveals that UCG has distinctive advantages in terms of GHG emissions over other technologies and competes favorably with the latest power generation technologies. In addition to GHG emissions, the environmental impacts of these technologies based on various impact assessment indicators are assessed to determine the position of UCG in the technology mix. It is clear from the analysis that UCG has prominent environmental advantages and has the potential to develop and utilize coal resources in an environmentally friendly and economically sound manner. / Ph. D.

This study has focused on investigating the perceived effect on knowledge, retention and engagement from using a gamified app developed to reduce employee greenhouse emissions. Data was gathered using a “deed-based” mobile application at a large nordic commercial IT company. The employees of the company entered a month-long campaign commitment to try and improve their knowledge of sustainable emission behavior. After completing the campaign period we conducted interviews with select people to gather qualitative insight of their experience. The results found indicate that participants do not conclusively perceive a knowledge increase of sustainability and greenhouse emissions after the campaign ended. Participants generally enjoyed the competitive aspect of the gamified app, often referring to it as fun and engaging. In some cases, participants became very engaged and initiated deeper sustainability discussions with their teammates during the campaign. / Denna studie har fokuserat på att undersöka upplevd påverkan på kunskap, bibehållande av kunskap och engagemang från att använda en spelapp utvecklad för att minska anställdas CO2-utsläpp. Denna uppdragsbaserade mobilapp användes som utgångspunkt för den här studien på ett stort nordiskt IT-företag. De anställda i företaget gick in i en månadslång kampanj för att försöka förbättra sina kunskaper om hållbart utsläppsbeteende. Efter att ha slutfört kampanjperioden genomfördes intervjuer med utvalda personer för att få insikt i deras erfarenheter från kampanjen. Resultaten indikerar att deltagarna inte upplevde en kunskapsökning inom hållbarhet och växthusgasutsläpp efter kampanjens slut. Deltagarna uppskattade i allmänhet tävlingsmomentet i appen, som ofta ansågs rolig och engagerande. I i vissa fall blev deltagarna väldigt engagerade i djupare hållbarhetsdiskussioner inom laget.

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The use of biofuels as an alternative to gasoline in the transportation sector is seen by policy makers as an important strategy to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. Biobutanol is one such biofuel that is gathering increasing attention in the biofuel community, because of its preferable fuel qualities over bioethanol. However, despite increasing research into biobutanol production, the thermochemical route for biobutanol production has not been adequately studied in the peer-reviewed literature. In light of this motivation, this thesis considers the design, and economic and environmental assessment of thermochemical plants for producing second and third generation biobutanol. In addition, the potential for using process intensification technology such as dividing wall columns (DWC) in place of conventional distillation columns is also investigated as a way to improve thermochemical biobutanol plants. As a first step, a novel thermochemical plant for producing second generation biobutanol is developed. Detailed economic analysis of this plant show that it is competitive with gasoline under certain process, and market conditions. The designed plant is then extended, with some modifications, to evaluate the economic and environmental potential of a thermochemical plant for producing third generation biobutanol from macroalgae. It was concluded from the results that the thermochemical route is preferable for producing second generation biobutanol over third generation biobutanol. The novel thermochemical plant design is then updated by using a kinetic model of a pilot-scale demonstrated catalyst to represent the critical mixed alcohol synthesis reaction step. This change allows optimal unreacted syngas recycle configurations for maximizing butanol yield to be established. Furthermore, integrating a DWC, designed using a methodology developed in the thesis, into the updated thermochemical plant leads to additional plant improvements. Overall, the work carried out in this thesis demonstrates that the thermochemical route is a viable option for producing second generation biobutanol. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

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