The Swedish electricity market was historically based on predictable and controllable power plants. The introduction variable renewable energy (VRE) sources in the market have led to less predictability and larger short-term variations in the generation profiles. These effects are compounded as the market share of VRE sources are increasing, and in Sweden’s case as the nuclear power plants are being phased out. Different metrics of value are calculated to shed light on the economic potential of new power sources. A not yet commonly used metric is the value factor of a technology, which represents the net increase or net decrease in revenue due to if the generation coincides with a high or low spot price of electricity. The thesis seeks to calculate the value factors and analyse their place within the northern European electricity market. In order to calculate the value factors and analysing them, the acquisition of datasets for varying market variables was required. The three sources of these datasets was for this thesis the ENTSO-E Transparency Platform, Nord Pool and Svenska kraftnät. These sources combined could supply datasets for market variables dating back to 2015 for Sweden and each country with an international connection with Sweden. This limits the scope of this analysis to 2015 - 2019 for Sweden and six other countries. The value factors were calculated for each Swedish electric price region divided into five categorical technologies, wind-, solar-, hydro-, nuclear- and heat power. The results from this only gave concrete results for two technologies. Wind power are shown to generally have a value factor below one and hydro power in the two northern regions have a value factor above one. This indicates that the market is saturated for wind power while in demand for hydro power from northern Sweden. Every other pair of technology and region vary as to not indicate whether the market is in demand of it or not. Analysing the association of variables was accomplished using a correlation study. Variables that consistently have a critical correlation factor, either linear or monotonic, are identified as associated variables. Out of these pairs of associated variables, the ones with a shared trend in either correlation or normalized regression with the trend of the appropriate value factor are identified as associated with the same value factor. This resulted in several associated variables for each value factor. Neither of these associations can by this methodology be identified as having a causal relation, it only displays correlations which could be incidental.

Brazil\'s discoveries of large gas reservoirs in the offshore ultra-deep waters of the presalt fields show a promising scenario, along with strategic investment and adequate policy, for the development of natural gas infrastructure and a sustainable transition in the Brazilian electricity mix. Such transition should occur through the use of transnational natural gas pipelines connected to large industrial facilities and power stations, as part of strategic planning to expand industrial usage, and avoid the shortage of electricity supply, with economic and environmental advantages. Since the most important debates of the new millennium are focused on globalization and sustainable development for nations, transnational energy integration in Latin America has been receiving increasingly attention from researchers and policy makers. In this overall context, the purpose of the present research was to develop a model to study, in a comparative manner, the thermoelectric generation, as well as to analyze the effect of legal frameworks and governmental policies on the development of infrastructure and natural gas market in Brazil, with a detailed study of the most relevant market and regulatory mechanisms. A comparison was performed in terms of the most relevant regulatory legislation in Brazil and other relevant Member States of the South American economic block. The study also evaluates the sanctions imposed by ANEEL Resolution n. 583 of 2013 on suppliers, due to the lack of NG supply for thermoelectric utilities, proposing an alternative formula, thought to mitigate the influence of averages and other electricity market parameters, therefore decreasing the sanction value for the NG supplier, without compromising the contract neutrality. Different factors were analyzed in order to determine which technology would be the most efficient in terms of levelized costs. Results indicated that natural gas-fired generators are very competitive and efficient, when compared to other thermoelectric sources in both economic and environmental aspects, even when externalities were included. Also, that further strategic investment and adequate regulatory policy changes are required from the market agents, in order to foster the development of pipeline infrastructure and the expansion of natural gas use in Brazil. The study also demonstrates that the environmental impact of the CH4 leakage equals that of CO2 release from combustion at about 4.2% leakage on a mass basis, when methane leakage rises to a level in which natural gas becomes as greenhouse gas intensive as biomass. / As descobertas de substanciais reservatórios de gás natural no Brasil, localizados em águas ultra profundas após a camada Pré-Sal, demonstram um cenário promissor, aliado a investimentos estratégicos e a políticas públicas adequadas, para o desenvolvimento da infraestrutura de gás natural e uma transição sustentável na matriz elétrica brasileira. Tal transição deveria ocorrer por intermédio do uso de tubulação transnacional de gás natural, conectada a grandes instalações industriais e a usinas termelétricas, como parte de um planejamento estratégico voltado à expansão do uso de gás natural na indústria e a evitar a escassez no suprimento de energia elétrica, com vantagens econômicas e ambientais. Considerando que os debates mais relevantes do novo milênio estão focados na globalização e no desenvolvimento sustentável das nações, a integração transnacional na América Latina tem recebido crescente atenção por parte de pesquisadores e de elaboradores das políticas públicas. Nesse contexto geral, a proposta da presente pesquisa foi a de desenvolver um modelo para estudar, de uma forma comparativa, a geração termelétrica, bem como analisar o impacto do arcabouço jurídico-regulatório e das políticas governamentais no desenvolvimento da infraestrutura e do mercado do gás natural no Brasil, com um estudo detalhado dos mais relevantes mecanismos regulatórios e de mercado. Foi realizado, ainda, um comparativo da legislação regulatória do gás natural no Brasil com outros Estados-Membros relevantes do Mercosul. O estudo também avalia as sanções impostas pela Resolução ANEEL n. 583 de 2013 nos fornecedores, devido a corte no suprimento de gás natural para empreendimentos de geração termelétrica, propondo um cálculo alternativo visando a mitigar a influência das médias e outros parâmetros intrínsecos ao mercado de energia, dessa maneira reduzindo as sanções contratuais para o fornecedor de gás natural, sem prejudicar a neutralidade contratual. Diferentes fatores foram analisados de forma a determinar qual tecnologia seria a mais eficiente em termos de custos nivelados de eletricidade. Os resultados indicaram que as termelétricas a gás natural são muito competitivas e eficientes, quando comparadas com outros tipos de combustível, tanto pelo aspecto ambiental quanto pelo econômico, mesmo quando externalidades são incluídas. Ainda, que são necessárias mudanças nas políticas regulatórias e no investimento estratégico por parte dos agentes do mercado, de forma a incentivar o desenvolvimento de infraestrutura e a expansão do uso do gás natural no Brasil. O estudo também evidencia que o impacto ambiental do vazamento de CH4 se iguala àquele do CO2 liberado pela combustão em cerca de 4.2% em base mássica, quando o vazamento de metano atinge um nível em que seu impacto como gás do efeito estufa fica equivalente à biomassa.

Brazil\'s discoveries of large gas reservoirs in the offshore ultra-deep waters of the presalt fields show a promising scenario, along with strategic investment and adequate policy, for the development of natural gas infrastructure and a sustainable transition in the Brazilian electricity mix. Such transition should occur through the use of transnational natural gas pipelines connected to large industrial facilities and power stations, as part of strategic planning to expand industrial usage, and avoid the shortage of electricity supply, with economic and environmental advantages. Since the most important debates of the new millennium are focused on globalization and sustainable development for nations, transnational energy integration in Latin America has been receiving increasingly attention from researchers and policy makers. In this overall context, the purpose of the present research was to develop a model to study, in a comparative manner, the thermoelectric generation, as well as to analyze the effect of legal frameworks and governmental policies on the development of infrastructure and natural gas market in Brazil, with a detailed study of the most relevant market and regulatory mechanisms. A comparison was performed in terms of the most relevant regulatory legislation in Brazil and other relevant Member States of the South American economic block. The study also evaluates the sanctions imposed by ANEEL Resolution n. 583 of 2013 on suppliers, due to the lack of NG supply for thermoelectric utilities, proposing an alternative formula, thought to mitigate the influence of averages and other electricity market parameters, therefore decreasing the sanction value for the NG supplier, without compromising the contract neutrality. Different factors were analyzed in order to determine which technology would be the most efficient in terms of levelized costs. Results indicated that natural gas-fired generators are very competitive and efficient, when compared to other thermoelectric sources in both economic and environmental aspects, even when externalities were included. Also, that further strategic investment and adequate regulatory policy changes are required from the market agents, in order to foster the development of pipeline infrastructure and the expansion of natural gas use in Brazil. The study also demonstrates that the environmental impact of the CH4 leakage equals that of CO2 release from combustion at about 4.2% leakage on a mass basis, when methane leakage rises to a level in which natural gas becomes as greenhouse gas intensive as biomass. / As descobertas de substanciais reservatórios de gás natural no Brasil, localizados em águas ultra profundas após a camada Pré-Sal, demonstram um cenário promissor, aliado a investimentos estratégicos e a políticas públicas adequadas, para o desenvolvimento da infraestrutura de gás natural e uma transição sustentável na matriz elétrica brasileira. Tal transição deveria ocorrer por intermédio do uso de tubulação transnacional de gás natural, conectada a grandes instalações industriais e a usinas termelétricas, como parte de um planejamento estratégico voltado à expansão do uso de gás natural na indústria e a evitar a escassez no suprimento de energia elétrica, com vantagens econômicas e ambientais. Considerando que os debates mais relevantes do novo milênio estão focados na globalização e no desenvolvimento sustentável das nações, a integração transnacional na América Latina tem recebido crescente atenção por parte de pesquisadores e de elaboradores das políticas públicas. Nesse contexto geral, a proposta da presente pesquisa foi a de desenvolver um modelo para estudar, de uma forma comparativa, a geração termelétrica, bem como analisar o impacto do arcabouço jurídico-regulatório e das políticas governamentais no desenvolvimento da infraestrutura e do mercado do gás natural no Brasil, com um estudo detalhado dos mais relevantes mecanismos regulatórios e de mercado. Foi realizado, ainda, um comparativo da legislação regulatória do gás natural no Brasil com outros Estados-Membros relevantes do Mercosul. O estudo também avalia as sanções impostas pela Resolução ANEEL n. 583 de 2013 nos fornecedores, devido a corte no suprimento de gás natural para empreendimentos de geração termelétrica, propondo um cálculo alternativo visando a mitigar a influência das médias e outros parâmetros intrínsecos ao mercado de energia, dessa maneira reduzindo as sanções contratuais para o fornecedor de gás natural, sem prejudicar a neutralidade contratual. Diferentes fatores foram analisados de forma a determinar qual tecnologia seria a mais eficiente em termos de custos nivelados de eletricidade. Os resultados indicaram que as termelétricas a gás natural são muito competitivas e eficientes, quando comparadas com outros tipos de combustível, tanto pelo aspecto ambiental quanto pelo econômico, mesmo quando externalidades são incluídas. Ainda, que são necessárias mudanças nas políticas regulatórias e no investimento estratégico por parte dos agentes do mercado, de forma a incentivar o desenvolvimento de infraestrutura e a expansão do uso do gás natural no Brasil. O estudo também evidencia que o impacto ambiental do vazamento de CH4 se iguala àquele do CO2 liberado pela combustão em cerca de 4.2% em base mássica, quando o vazamento de metano atinge um nível em que seu impacto como gás do efeito estufa fica equivalente à biomassa.

California is experiencing a rapid increase in interest for the potential of converting ocean waves into clean electricity. Numerous applications have been submitted for the permitting of such renewable energy projects; however the profitability, practicability, and survivability have yet to be proven. Wave energy conversion technology has steadily matured since its naissance in the 1970’s, several wave energy power installations currently exist, and numerous plans for commercial power plant are in the works on the shores of multiple continents. This study aims to assess the economic viability of two proposed commercial wave energy power plant projects on the Central California Coast. A theoretical 25 MW capacity wave energy plant located at a site five nautical miles off of Point Arguello, in Santa Barbara County is compared to a site five nautical miles off of Morro Bay, in the County of San Luis Obispo. The Pacific Gas and Electric Company and Green Wave Energy Solutions, LLC have proposed full-scale commercial wave power plants at these sites, and are currently undergoing the federal permitting processes. Historical wave resource statistics from 1980 to 2001 are analyzed with performance specifications for the AquaBuOY, Pelamis P1, and WaveDragon wave energy converters (WECs) to calculate the annual electrical output of each device at each site. Sophisticated computer modeling of the bathymetric influence on the wave resource at each site is presented using the program Simulating Waves Nearshore (SWAN) developed by the Delft University of Technology. The wave energy flux, significant wave height, and peak period are computed at each site for typical summer and winter swell cases, using seafloor depth measurements at a 90 meter rectangular grid resolution. The economic viability of commercial electricity generation is evaluated for each WEC at each site by the calculation of the net present value of an estimated 25-year project life-cycle, the internal rate of return, and the required cost of electricity for a 10-year project simple payback period. The lowest required price of electricity is $0.13/kWh and occurs at the Point Arguello site using the AquaBuOY WEC. The highest annual capacity factor is 18% using the Pelamis WEC. The net present value and internal rate of return calculations suggest that the AquaBuOY WEC is profitable at both sites for electricity prices above $0.14/kWh. Shallow water wave propagation SWAN modeling demonstrated favorable wave energy flux states for WEC operation and power generation at both sites, with typical winter energy fluxes of 30-37 kW/m.

Renewable energy sources have become very popular in the last years in electricity generation thanks to the technological developments, the increase in the price of fossil fuels and the environmental concerns. These factors have also prompted Turkey to utilize her very rich renewable energy sources to meet the demand increasing around 7% annually. In this study, solar and wind energy potential of Turkey is analyzed in terms of its economics to find out whether these sources are real alternatives to fossil fuels in electricity generation. Before this analysis, wind and solar energy technologies and costs and wind and solar energy potential of Turkey are discussed. Then, models are set up for five technologies which are onshore wind, offshore wind, solar PV, solar trough and solar tower technologies models to calculate cash flows which are used to calculate payback, NPV, IRR, LCE and shut-down price to conduct economic analysis. In addition to base case scenario, uncertainty analysis is done for the most promising technologies which are onshore wind and solar tower technologies by evaluating NPV and LCE under uncertain environment. The main finding of these analyses is that only onshore wind projects are attractive in Turkey; none of other technologies is attractive. However, with a minor increase in the regulated price for solar thermal electricity, tower plant projects will also be attractive. / text

abstract: An eco-industrial park (EIP) is an industrial ecosystem in which a group of co-located firms are involved in collective resource optimization with each other and with the local community through physical exchanges of energy, water, materials, byproducts and services - referenced in the industrial ecology literature as "industrial symbiosis". EIPs, when compared with standard industrial resource sharing networks, prove to be of greater public advantage as they offer improved environmental and economic benefits, and higher operational efficiencies both upstream and downstream in their supply chain. Although there have been many attempts to adapt EIP methodology to existing industrial sharing networks, most of them have failed for various factors: geographic restrictions by governmental organizations on use of technology, cost of technology, the inability of industries to effectively communicate their upstream and downstream resource usage, and to diminishing natural resources such as water, land and non-renewable energy (NRE) sources for energy production. This paper presents a feasibility study conducted to evaluate the comparative environmental, economic, and geographic impacts arising from the use of renewable energy (RE) and NRE to power EIPs. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology, which is used in a variety of sectors to evaluate the environmental merits and demerits of different kinds of products and processes, was employed for comparison between these two energy production methods based on factors such as greenhouse gas emission, acidification potential, eutrophication potential, human toxicity potential, fresh water usage and land usage. To complement the environmental LCA analysis, levelized cost of electricity was used to evaluate the economic impact. This model was analyzed for two different geographic locations; United States and Europe, for 12 different energy production technologies. The outcome of this study points out the environmental, economic and geographic superiority of one energy source over the other, including the total carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, which can then be related to the total number of carbon credits that can be earned or used to mitigate the overall carbon emission and move closer towards a net zero carbon footprint goal thus making the EIPs truly sustainable. / Dissertation/Thesis / LCOE calculation charts / Gabi Life-cycle analysis / Masters Thesis Mechanical Engineering 2014

Climate change and renewable energy technologies are internationally discussed topics. Recently the subject was discussed during the Paris climate conference, COP21. Which lead to the establishing of the first ever universal agreement, legally binding climate deal, which include 195 countries around the world. With the goal to decrease global warming by 1.5 degrees Celsius the need of new innovative technologies are increasing dramatically.   This thesis will examine the characteristics of renewable energy technology investment behavior by identifying drivers and forces for companies to invest in relatively new and less mature technologies, which are usually associated with high investment costs. Is it possible to financially justify investments in renewable energy technologies during the current market situation with historically low energy prices and with a production surplus? By examining the market and investments the aim is to identify and understand what drives companies to invest in renewable energy technologies and if it is profitable from a financial sustainable perspective.   The main results and derived conclusions are that RET investments behavior are influenced by several forces and drivers. The findings indicate that investments in RETs aren’t necessarily economical sustainable but rather that other objectives are of more importance than profitability in the short term.

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(地球環境学) / 甲第20539号 / 地環博第160号 / 新制||地環||32(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院地球環境学舎地球環境学専攻 / (主査)教授 宇佐美 誠, 教授 佐野 亘, 准教授 吉野 章, 准教授 平田 彩子 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Global Environmental Studies / Kyoto University / DFAM

Demand for cloud-based applications and remote digital storage is increasing. As such, data center capacities will need to expand to support this shift in computing. Data centers consume substantial amounts of electricity in support of their operations, and larger data centers will mean that more energy is consumed. To reduce electricity bills, data center operators must explore innovative options, and this thesis proposes leveraging solar technology for this purpose. Three different photovoltaic and concentrated photovoltaic costing scenarios, as well as four different Ontario-based electricity tariff scenarios – time-of-use, feed-in tariff, power purchase agreement, and a peak-dependent electricity charge involving the province’s global adjustment fee – will be used to determine if there is a business case for using solar technology at data centers in Ontario to reduce energy costs. Discounted net present value, return on investment, internal rate of return, and levelized cost of electricity will be calculated to determine the economic viability of solar for this application, and both deterministic and stochastic results will be provided. Sensitivity of the four metrics to variability from energy yield, operations and maintenance costs, as well as system prices will also be presented.

With environmental concerns and energy needs increasing, many regions in the world are promoting renewable energy technologies making use of various policy instruments. Although today the PV systems price is decreasing, which gives it a competitive edge; we see the technology still being dependent on policy instruments for its dissemination.   The aim of this study is to research on whether or not a solar PV system is economically viable under certain circumstances. The study analyzes this by performing a cost beneficial analysis for the lifetime of the solar PV system making use of a discounted savings model. The systems being considered in this study are from California and Germany as these regions are leading in solar PV dissemination in their respective regions. The policies that are aiding the deployment of solar PV technologies are varied and thus this study compares benefits from different policy instrument for a residential customer investing in a solar PV system.   The research objectives in this study are pursued making use of major concepts such as Grid Parity, Levelized Cost of Electricity and financial methods such as discounting.  Further, to understand how the different independent variables such as retail electricity prices, PV system pricing, WACC, self-consumption rate and storage availability are having an impact and how the results change with variation in these variables, a sensitivity analysis is conducted.   The results obtained in this study show that a solar PV system installed in California and Germany both make net benefits over their lifetime. When compared, the Californian solar PV system under the Net Energy Metering policy is making more net economic benefits in the range of $ 40,351 in Eureka and $53,510 in San Francisco; when compared to the German solar PV systems under the Feed in Tariff ranging $4,465 in Berlin and $11,769 in Munich. Furthermore the Californian solar PV systems still prove to be more beneficial even when compared to the German solar PV systems under the self-consumption law of the Feed in Tariff ranging $ 6,443 in Berlin and $ 13,141 in Munich.  But when the self-consumption rate is increased in the German case, it is noted that the associated benefits increase.   The study at hand thus results in the California Net Energy Meter policy instrument proving to be more beneficial to a residential customer than the German Feed in tariff with and without self-consumption. Another important finding made in this study is that despite the German solar PV system making lesser benefits than the Californian ones, they attain Grid Parity before the ones in California.