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Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toledo, 2010. / Typescript. "Submitted to the Graduate Faculty as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts Degree in Geography." "A thesis entitled"--at head of title. Title from title page of PDF document. Bibliography: p. 52-57.

The purpose of this paper, “Role of Nuclear Energy in Japan Post – Fukushima: Alternatives and their Impact onJapan’s GHG Emission Targets”, is to emphasize that Japan’s expected new energy policy must be in accordancewith its existing environmental targets with regards to GHG emissions. The main research question is how Japan cancontinue to meet its emissions targets in the aftermath of the Fukushima crisis, where public opinion—gaugedthrough newspaper articles—in Japan has now become outright anti-nuclear, and Japan has become compelled toadopt a new nuclear-free energy policy built around renewable energy. However, given the extremely low share ofrenewable energy in Japan’s existing energy mix, an extremely pro-nuclear government, an influential energy lobbyand an overall lack of suitable infrastructure; this goal does appear ambitious. The framework of analysis in thispaper will be of ‘sustainable development’, entailing an analysis of the three pillars of sustainability – environment,economy and social factors. In addition to these factors, security of supply will also be considered as a vital measureto determine the policy’s overall sustainability. The paper will show that while it is indeed possible for Japan tomeet its GHG emissions targets by replacing nuclear energy with renewable energy, Japan’s ability to deployrenewable energy at such a large scale remains inadequate. Through a comparison with the German experience inrenewable energy, any withdrawal from nuclear energy without properly propping up renewable energy will onlyresult in a greater shift towards primary fossil fuels – jeopardizing Japan’s emission targets, security of supply andincurring heavy import costs to its economy. The result of this analysis is to suggest measures such as an expansiveFeed-in tariff system, grid integration and stability and investment in R&D as major components of a focused andlong term energy policy up till 2030, to promote renewable energy. This paper will also posit steps required toimprove the safety and efficiency of its nuclear reactors during the interim period when renewable energy grows inits share of Japan’s energy mix.

Since the beginning of farming, and even before, humans have been actively modifying our environment in order to harvest biomass. With the ‘Great Acceleration’ of the industrial age, the global system of biomass harvest for food production has become a major driver of Earth system processes, and caused multi-dimensional sustainability issues which must be addressed in order to meet continued increases in demand for food and other biomass. In addition, bioenergy generation, with the subsequent storage of some or all of the carbon content of the feedstock (known as bioenergy with carbon storage or BECS), is now seen as an important tool for rebalancing the carbon cycle. This thesis has used a biomass flows modelling approach to examine possible trajectories for the socio-ecological metabolism of humanity, with a focus on fluxes of carbon contained in biomass. This approach connects social and economic drivers of biomass harvest with physical Earth systems processes such as the global carbon cycle. Meeting growing food demand in the years 2000-2050 is likely to be a significant challenge in its own right, necessitating the harvest of over 30% of terrestrial biomass. This can only be done without significant damage to natural ecosystems if large increases in efficiency and intensity of food production are achieved, or diets are altered. The production of livestock products is shown to be a major cause of inefficiency in biomass harvest, and changes to livestock demand or production are particularly powerful in ensuring a less damaging relationship with Earth system processes. If increases in efficiency are achieved, it may be possible to grow dedicated bioenergy crops, which, combined with the biomass available in waste and residue streams can be used to generate significant carbon dioxide removal (CDR) fluxes via BECS. Following this strategy it is possible to have a non-trivial effect on atmospheric CO2 concentration by 2050. Increasing the intensity of biomass harvest, particularly when low intensity pasture is replaced with intense bioenergy cropping, also has significant implications for ecological energy flows, and the potential trade-off between protecting biodiversity and growing bioenergy crops to mitigate climate change is also discussed. This body of work presents several interesting areas of potential conflict in different drivers of biomass harvest, and suggestions are made for ways in which to develop the approach in order to explore them.

Capacity remuneration mechanisms (CRMs) are “climbing” regulatory agendas in all liberalised power sectors, especially in the European Union. CRMs are introduced to improve system reliability and to minimise power shortages to an economically efficient extent. These schemes will have a central role in future power systems. This PhD thesis provides an in-depth review of CRM design elements and recommendations to increase their efficiency and effectiveness, particularly in view of the challenges that these mechanisms have to confront in the current power sector environment, characterised by the pursuit of decarbonisation. The attention is focused here on the interaction with regional market integration, the need for properly-designed performance incentives, and the interaction with renewable technologies. The research is based on empirical evidence collected from international experiences, which is complemented, where applicable, by a model-based analysis to examine specific design elements. The outcomes of this PhD thesis can be summarised as follows. The participation of cross-border resources in national CRMs must be guaranteed in order to fully seize the benefits of regional market integration. However, this participation requires a strong commitment from power systems (and governments) in the regional market and the implementation of network codes and market rules that deter system operators from blocking exports when the latter are the outcome of an efficient market clearing. Where short-term markets are coordinated through market coupling, the algorithm must include a conditional nomination rule that ensures that, during regional scarcity conditions, available resources are assigned to those consumers that paid for them in the CRM market. CRMs must rely on robust performance incentives that foster the actual delivery of the committed capacity. High penalty rates may increase the cost of the capacity market, but the overall cost of electricity supply may decrease. Renewable technologies should be allowed to participate in CRMs and should be exposed to the market signals provided by these mechanisms. If renewable and conventional technologies must compete in the same markets, they should do it subject to the same rules. Obviously this participation must be coordinated with renewable support schemes, discounting CRM revenues. / <p>QC 20160411</p>

This thesis aims to analyze oil as a security challenge for the European Union. The energy security policy is getting more and more important with the decrease of energy sources, which holds and shapes the balance of power in the world. Especially in the future, energy sources will be the key to political strategies. The European nations have created energy security policies in order to protect their benefits. The central argument of this thesis is that although the EU has attempted to create a common EU energy policy throughout its history, it could not escape from the impact of the national energy policy of the member states. The main focus is on the oil policy of the community. Thus, the aim of the thesis is to explore the policies created for oil security, especially in the Middle East, and why the EU could not implement these policies it created.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Environmental Science)) - Rhodes University, 2009.

The power system in Europe is undergoing a rapid transition with the expansion of renewable capacity and a decrease in dispatchable conventional technologies. An important part of planning for the power system is ensuring the security of the electricity supply. The focus of the work within the dissertation is to investigate the role of interconnectors in maintaining the security of the electricity supply. With this focus in mind, three sets of research questions are answered: How to assess the Security of Supply in a power system? With the decrease in available conventional generation capacity, how much and what new investment would be required? What role do grid interconnections play in maintaining the security of supply? These research questions are answered by starting with a framework of analysis which classifies various aspects relevant to ensuring the security of electricity supply into uncertainties, systematic risks and specific risks. A scenario-based analysis has been carried out by using a deterministic capacity expansion model to investigate systematic risks and capacity expansion requirements. This is followed by a Monte-Carlo-based stochastic generation adequacy assessment to assess specific risks. The results show significantly reduced capacity requirements from cross-border reliance in maintaining generation adequacy. Furthermore, the interaction between the increase in renewables, capacity expansion requirements and generation adequacy are analyzed.:1. Introduction 2. Literature Overview and Framework for Assessing Security of Supply 3. Numerical Analysis of Germany's Electricity Trade Surplus 4. Description of Deterministic Capacity Expansion Model 5. Description of Stochastic Modelling used to Assess Generation Adequacy 6. Scenario Based Analysis of Capacity Expansion 7. Stochastic Assessment of Generation Adequacy 8. Summary and Further Research

No / This paper aims to identify a wider holistic view of the inter-relationships relating to food security from a people, process and policy perspective. This is so that decision and policy makers can identify relevant alignments between disparate and conflicting priority elements in the field. Noting the complexity of inter-related challenges posed by food security, food supply chains and growing concerns over food waste, this paper also seeks to identify cross-cutting themes relative to shared energy and water security objectives also. The authors develop and adapt an existing food security framework to encapsulate the above culminating in a systems archetype that defines the intimate feed-forward relationship. As a viewpoint piece, there is no empirical work to report in this paper. An exploratory review of the literature has allowed for the extraction of food security concerns that need the attention of stakeholders across the enterprise to ensure robust food supply chains can be created, maintained and sustained through a better understanding and usage of information, knowledge and data. The authors present an adaptation of an existing food security framework to include dimensions of people, process and policy through the inclusion of a number of broad thematic areas including (amongst others): management best practices; sustainable business operations; consumption rights, behaviours and trading policies; lifecycle management; recovery and extraction; regulatory changes and policy reform; environmental and climate change impacts. The authors outline an overarching systems archetype based upon a combination of the Limits of Growth, Tragedy of the Commons and Attractiveness Principle archetypes. In doing so, providing decision and policy makers to identify and explore a range of food security scenarios and potential outcomes. This paper is a position paper that provides strategic directions on the impact of people, process and policy aspects on the development of food security policies from the perspective of local and central government decision makers. This paper provides a holistic worldview on key aspects of the global and national food security debate that seeks to assist decision and policy makers frame their decisions and policy interventions across dimensions of people, process and policy. Noting the impact of securing and maintaining the production, supply, consumption, health benefits and waste recovery aspects of food this paper provides a perspective on the inter-relationships that exist within the topical area and the socially mediated inter-relationships which exist and should be considered when engaging with the food security and food supply chain topical area. The paper raises awareness and highlights inherent inter-relationships within the food debate for the benefit of decision and policy makers present at the organisational level, specifically around people, process and policy.

The push for clean energy has caused a rapid growth of renewables in the electricity supply mix of the EU. Although one would assume that the impact of these technologies is entirely positive, recent research and experience indicate that there is reason for concern namely regarding the security of supply. In this context, the concern is how renewable energy sources (RES) affect the business case of conventional power generation. In response to this concern, capacity mechanisms are being considered or have already been implemented by various member states of the EU. However, in a highly interconnected electricity system, such as the one in Europe, there appears to be a risk that the uncoordinated implementation of capacity mechanisms may cause unintended cross-border effects. This research explored the performance of various capacity mechanisms in an electricity system with a strong growth in the portfolio share of variable renewable energy sources (RES). The cross-border effects of implementing various capacity mechanisms in an interconnected power system were also analyzed. In this research, two capacity mechanisms, namely a strategic reserve and a capacity market, were modeled as extensions to the EMLab-Generation agent-based model. Furthermore, two variations of a capacity market were analyzed. The first was a yearly capacity market design and the second was a forward capacity market with long term contracts. A survey of experts on the US capacity markets supplemented the modeling work with practical insights. / <p>QC 20161006</p><p>The Doctoral Degrees issued upon completion of the programme are issued by Comillas Pontifical University, Delft University of Technology and KTH Royal Institute of Technology. The invested degrees are official in Spain, the Netherlands and Sweden, respectively.</p><p>copyright (c) 2016 P. C. Bhagwat</p>