Dissertations / Theses: 'Energy communities'

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Prevedi, Andrea. "Energy Communities in Italy." Master's thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2020. http://amslaurea.unibo.it/21973/.

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Citizens are expected to have a great role in the future global energy transition toward a low-carbon economy and climate neutrality. The creation of energy communities can empower citizens, who become prosumers, providing flexibility and ancillary services, reducing losses and grid investment deferral. It also brings environmental and social benefits, activating virtuous circles in the local economy. The purpose of this work is to analyze the current regulatory framework energy community; a deeper analysis is performed on renewable energy community whose regulation has been already transposed in the Italian regulation. Moreover, a realistic business-case is presented in order to verify the feasibility of a renewable energy community and a collective self-consumption schemes in the CAAB-FICO area. The final part of the work seeks to present an overview of the possible future perspectives regarding energy community and their possible contribution to smart-cities development. Particular attention has been given to the role of the energy management system in an energy community and a how it can be designed to improve the community’s energy efficiency through the implementation of production and load forecasts.

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Cameron, Lewis J. "Energy 'access' for sustainable development : enabling modern energy practices in rural communities." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2017. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/18337/.

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Modern energy services are a foundation for sustainable development. As recently acknowledged by the multilaterally supported UNDP’s ‘energy access for all’ objective, it is a missing cog for the socio-economic, empowerment, livelihood enhancement and sustainability of more than 2 billion people in developing and less developed countries. Efforts to provide modern energy services, however, face pervasive challenges reflective of wider development efforts, establishing the imperative for greater understanding of their underlying dimensions as a basis for enhancing sustainable development pathways. The thesis pursues this through ethnographic studies of innovative and contrasting energy access pathways in remote areas of Nepal. These were supported by preliminary site visits, semi-structured interviews, participant observation and observant participation with a range of key development actors, led by a reflexive, multi-sited research approach. The research reveals that the challenges and opportunities of effective energy access and sustainable development are embedded in under-recognised social routines and contexts that subsume essential dimensions of daily life. These are dynamic, multi-actor and interconnected through routinised codes, performances and institutions for which social emotions, meanings and relations are integral. Interventions, technologies and impacts interdepend on these mundane interactions and structures, signifying the vital role of social agency and conventions in everyday life. ‘Access’ is a constant (re)negotiation of these within a socio-technical context. The findings demonstrate the value of integrating these dimensions into development approaches through being attentive to, and co-produced by, the plurality of actors, settings and routines. A practice theory informed approach supported the analysis to signify further distinctive policy, research and pathway implications. The thesis thus demonstrates the potential of a social practice approach for enabling a more sensitive and effective framework for enabling energy access for sustainable development.

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Alam, Muddasser. "Enabling cooperative and negotiated energy exchange in remote communities." Thesis, University of Southampton, 2013. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/366694/.

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Energy poverty at the household level is defined as the lack of access to electricity and reliance on the traditional use of biomass for cooking, and is a serious hindrance to economic and social development. It is estimated that 1.3 billion people live without access to electricity and almost 2.7 billion people rely on biomass for cooking, a majority of whom live in small communities scattered over vast areas of land (mostly in the Sub-Saharan Africa and the developing Asia). Access to electricity is a serious issue as a number of socio-economic factors, from health to education, rely heavily on electricity. Recent initiatives have sought to provide these remote communities with off-grid renewable microgeneration infrastructure such as solar panels, and electric batteries. At present, these resources (i.e., microgeneration and storage) are operated in isolation for individual home needs, which results in an inefficient and costly use of resources, especially in the case of electric batteries which are expensive and have a limited number of charging cycles. We envision that by connecting homes together in a remote community and enabling energy exchange between them, this microgeneration infrastructure can be used more efficiently. Against this background, in this thesis we investigate the methods and processes through which homes in a remote community can exchange energy. We note that remote communities lack general infrastructure such as power supply systems (e.g., the electricity grid) or communication networks (e.g., the internet), that is taken for granted in urban areas. Taking these challenges into account and using insights from knowledge domains such game theory and multi-agent systems, we present two solutions: (i) a cooperative energy exchange solution and (ii) a negotiated energy exchange solution, in order to enable energy exchange in remote communities. Our cooperative energy exchange solution enables connected homes in a remote community to form a coalition and exchange energy. We show that such coalition a results in two surpluses: (i) reduction in the overall battery usage and (ii) reduction in the energy storage losses. Each agents's contribution to the coalition is calculated by its Shapley value or, by its approximated Shapley value in case of large communities. Using real world data, we empirically evaluate our solution to show that energy exchange: (i) can reduce the need for battery charging (by close to 65%) in a community; compared with when they do not exchange energy, and (ii) can improve the efficient use of energy (by up to 10% under certain conditions) compared with no energy exchange. Our negotiated energy exchange solution enables agents to negotiate directly with each other and reach energy exchange agreements. Negotiation over energy exchange is an interdependent multi-issue type of negotiation that is regarded as very difficult and complex. We present a negotiation protocol, named Energy Exchange Protocol (EEP), which simplifies this negotiation by restricting the offers that agents can make to each other. These restrictions are engineered such that agents, negotiation under the EEP, have a strategy profile in subgame perfect Nash equilibrium. We show that our negotiation protocol is tractable, concurrent, scalable and leads to Pareto-optimal outcomes (within restricted the set of offers) in a decentralised manner. Using real world data, we empirically evaluate our protocol and show that, in this instance, a society of agents can: (i) improve the overall utilities by 14% and (ii) reduce their overall use of the batteries by 37%, compared to when they do not exchange energy.

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Payakpate, Janjira. "Knowledge management platform for promoting sustainable energy technologies in rural Thai communities." Payakpate, Janjira (2008) Knowledge management platform for promoting sustainable energy technologies in rural Thai communities. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, 2008. http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/426/.

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Sustainable energy services aim to meet the energy demands and to improve the living standards of rural communities with the utilization of sustainable energy technologies. Such services are becoming increasingly important due to the reduction of traditional energy resources and the ongoing increase in the demands. The demands are mainly due to the growth of population, domestic consumptions and industrial uses. In addition, increasing awareness of issues such as global warming, carbon emission, peak oil and the need for a sustainable environment has kindled keen interests in sustainable energy around the world. Many projects on sustainable energy services have been launched and particularly in developing countries. In most areas, at least one type of sustainable energy resources is available. In the case of Thailand, in additional to resources such as solar and wind, there are other sustainable energy resources in the forms of biomass and waste residue from agricultural products. However, there exist practical problems hindering the success of many sustainable energy projects. Two key reasons are the lack of in depth knowledge regarding the sustainable energy systems among the local users, and the limited budgets for planning, research and development. Therefore, the need to promote better understanding of sustainable energy technologies is necessary in order to gain better utilization of the energy services and acceptance by the community. One possible solution is the use of a Knowledge Management System (KMS). Based on advanced Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the integration of knowledge management and web technologies has enabled KMS to be developed as an effective tool for the sharing, management and dissemination of valuable knowledge on any particular subject. This combination has the potential to promote the knowledge and initiate relevant activities thereby enabling the acquisition and management of diverse types of information and data. Typical functions and services which could be provided are: checking updated information on sustainable energy resources around a particular area; teaching of sustainable energy systems development and maintenance processes; sharing of best practices and lessons learned etc. With the availability of the internet, a Web-based KMS will be a valuable channel for the gathering, sharing, extracting and dissemination of knowledge about the sustainable energy services for the Thai communities. This thesis presents the research and development of a knowledge management (KM) platform for sustainable energy technologies. The system is implemented with web GIS server-side application and it is installed at the School of Renewable Energy Technology, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand. To assess the effectiveness of the developed system, surveys in the form of pre-questionnaires and post-questionnaires from the users are used. Such information is used to determine the effectiveness of the system and to measure the improvement of the participants' knowledge on the subject. There are three groups of participants involved in this study: local government administrators, researchers and general users. The overall results of the questionnaires reveal that the participants are satisfied with the performance of the KM platform. The results also indicated that the KM platform provides adequate knowledge on the subject and it has a high level of user friendliness. It was found that the participants' knowledge is also increased and the increase is in proportion to the time they engaged with the KM platform. A linear regression analysis of the researchers and local government administrators has shown that the increment of the participants' knowledge has a linear relationship with the learning period on the KM platform with statistical significance. Findings from this study can be used as a guideline and for further development on improving the local Thai communities' knowledge on sustainable energy technologies.

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Pringle, Rhona. "Moving towards whole settlement energy self-sufficiency in rural communities." Thesis, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/10443/2883.

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Energy has become an important issue for governments, communities and individuals, as concerns about energy prices, security of supply and climate change increase. Community scale low carbon energy systems could play an important role in future energy systems, but until recently UK government policy focussed on centralised energy systems. A number of rural communities elsewhere in Europe have made transformational whole settlement transitions from fossil fuel dependent towards renewable powered energy systems; however, the number of these in the UK is limited. Using a case study approach of European and UK cases, this research examines: reasons why rural communities embark on journeys towards whole place energy self-sufficiency; what capacities are present and contributions of these on outcomes achieved; whether there are similarities or differences between Europe and the UK and whether these are generalisable. European cases are examined using secondary and UK cases mainly primary data sources. Cases had varying rationales for embarking on whole settlement approaches to energy self-sufficiency. Whilst these don’t appear to determine the degree of energy self-sufficiency achieved, a whole settlement approach was considered important. No cases achieved energy self-sufficiency, but most made significant progress towards this and the idea did function as a boundary object. A number of capacities were present across all the cases such as public funding for energy system delivery, some capacities were present in the majority of cases and there were differences in capacities between the European and UK cases including leadership by local government. If the UK is serious about whole place energy self-sufficiency there needs to be; a commitment to public funding and resolving whether local authorities at their current scale and resourcing can provide leadership, or if alternative forms of local governance need to be found.

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Hartmanis, Eric, and Robin Lindblom. "Business Models for Energy Communities : A Case Study on the Swedish Market." Thesis, KTH, Skolan för industriell teknik och management (ITM), 2021. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-300168.

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Global warming is one of our time’s most pressing issues and the energy industry is the leading cause. In the current Swedish electricity systems, individual consumers hold little to no power as the system is inherently centralized, with large incumbent actors. The Swedish electricity grid is prognosticated to encounter a troublesome situation with grid capacity as society enjoys and evergrowing electrification. The climate issueshave however given renewable energy a more predominant role in the Swedish energy sector. Through the directives of the European Union’s Clean Energy Package, each member state now has to enact laws enabling for individuals to cooperatively engage in selfproduction of energy as a joint entity, which in turn enables for new niche technologies to become market actors. Energy communities is such an entity with a promising outlook to become both a considerable market actor, and an actor that can help alleviate grid tensions. The purpose of this study is to: 1) investigate how the internal business model for energy communities could be constructed in order to maximize societal outreach and promote the creation of new energy communities, and 2) to investigate how the business models could be constructed in order to coexist with the incumbent structures, while contributing to the developments in the sociotechnical regime. The study utilizes an abductive approach through the form of a single case study and qualitative data collection methods. The results are presented and analyzed using the business model canvas framework and its potential is analyzed through the MultiLevel Perspective. The prospects of energy communities in Sweden using photovoltaic (PV) production units are overall positive. The value propositions that lie at the core of the proposed business model are constituted of environmental benefits, autarky, social values and economic costs savings. The most prosperous developmental path for energy communities in order to in the future be recognized in the sociotechnical regime is through a relationship characterized by cooperation with the incumbent structures.
Global uppvärming är en av vår tids största problem, och energiindustrin är den största bidgrande faktorn. I det nuvarande energisystemet har individen lite kontroll, eftersom systemet är till hög grad centraliserat med stora aktörer. Effektbrist och kapacitetsbrist är växande problem i det svenska elnätet, vilket späds på av ökad elektrifiering. Klimatförändringarna har dock givits en större roll i den svenska energisektorn. Genom ett direktiv på EU nivå, Ren Energi paketet, kan nu varje medlemsstat etablera lagar för hur individer kan engagera sig och samarbeta i elproduktion för att själva bli marknadsaktörer. Ett samlingsnamn för sådana aktörer är energigemenskaper. Energigemenskaper kan bidra till att motverka både klimatkrisen men också problemen i elnäten. Syftet med denna studie är att: 1) undersöka hur affärsmodellen för energigemenskaper kan utformas så att man maximerar samhällsspridning och promoterar skapandet av nya energisamhällen, och 2) undersöka hur affärsmodellen can konstrueras så att de kan samexistera med nuvarande aktörer i energisystemet och dessutom utveckla det vidare. Denna studie har ett abduktivt tillvägagångssätt, genom en fallstudie med kvalitativ datainsamling. Resultaten presenteras och analyseras med business model canvas och dess potential undersöks med hjälp av MultiLevel Perspective ramverket. Utsikterna för energigemenskaperna, med fokus på solcellsproduktion, är överlag goda. Energigemenskapens affärsmodells främsta värderbjudanden var klimatmedvetenhet, autarki, sociala attribut och kostnadsbesparingar. Den mest lovande utvecklingsbanan för energigemenskaper inkluderar karaktäriseras av inkludering och samarbeta med de stora och nuvarande aktörerna i energisystemet.

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Gaslac, Lucero, Sebastian Willis, Grimaldo Quispe, and Carlos Raymundo. "A hybrid energy system based on renewable energy for the electrification of low-income rural communities." Institute of Physics Publishing, 2018. http://hdl.handle.net/10757/624632.

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Electrification of low-income rural areas that have a limited connection or no access to electrical grids is one of the most demanding challenges in developing countries such as Peru. The international commitment to stop global warming and the reduction in the cost of renewable sources of energy have reduced the prices of fossil fuels in some cases. This has opened the way to the current research which proposes a hybrid energy system (HES) based on the use of renewable sources of energy. Therefore, a renewable electricity system (HRES) was set up at the village of Monte-Catache in the Cajamarca region, which is one of the poorest areas of Peru. Surveys and field studies were used to evaluate the socioeconomic characteristics, availability of renewable energy resources, and energy demand of this region. Potential energy sources were evaluated, and isolated photovoltaic systems with a battery bank were found to be the most appropriate according to the results obtained in the simulation with HOMER. This proposal constitutes an interesting contribution for future energy solutions in isolated and low-income rural areas.
Revisión por pares

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Niemelä, A. (Antton). "Sustainability of small-scale renewable energy solutions in northern rural communities." Master's thesis, University of Oulu, 2017. http://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:oulu-201701121048.

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This thesis aims to make a proposal for an economically and socially justified and environmentally sustainable of a small-scale hybrid energy generation system for a community of ten houses. The work was performed in frames of the Renewable Community Empowerment in Northern Territories (RECENT) project, financed by the Northern Periphery and Arctic Programme. The aim of the project was to improve the energy efficiency and self-sufficiency of northern communities by utilizing local energy sources. The chosen pilot site of this work was the conceptual eco-district of Päivänpaisteenmaa, to be built in Muhos. In the theoretical part of this thesis, the concept of sustainability is explored as a goal set for human systems from global to local levels. Constituents of human well-being and intergenerational equity are also explored. Importance of ecosystem services is explained as the fundamental condition to continue supporting life on Earth. Further, the modern energy situation is discussed as an anthropogenic activity in urgent need for change, due to the limited nature of fossil fuel resources and the consequences of CO₂ emissions on our climate. The role of distributed energy generation for sustainability and energy security is explained. Additionally, policy and actions made on different levels to build capacity for sustainable development are reviewed. As part of the RECENT project, guidelines and templates on assessing the sustainability of community renewable energy projects have been made. For this, nine indicators were selected, an evaluation scale suggested, and the use of templates was tested for the concept plan of Päivänpaisteenmaa eco-district. The practical part of the work explores the feasibility of energy generation and efficient technologies in the pilot site. Comparison of different options was done, their shortcomings and possible synergy advantages, as well as environmental, economic and social impacts were also assessed. The system was sized in order to meet peak energy needs and considering the Northern locale of the pilot site. The key research questions of the work were; What is the technical feasibility of renewable energy generation by ground source heat pump, solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems in the pilot site? Will the renewable energy investment have a positive social and environmental impact while it is able to return the initial costs of the system? What are the potential savings in CO₂ emissions when adapting these technologies? The work suggested adapting comprehensive energy solution for the family houses including energy efficient building, using heat-storing fireplace, avoid use of electric saunas, ground source heat pump and a shared solar PV system. The payback time calculated was 10 years on average, provide for the families’ hot water needs, 26% of electricity needs and would result in 70% savings in CO₂ emissions
Tämän diplomityön tavoitteena oli tehdä taloudellisesti ja sosiaalisesti perusteltu sekä ympäristön kannalta kestävä ehdotus hybridienergiajärjestelmästä kymmenen talon yhteisölle. Työ on tehty osana RECENT (Renewable Community Empowerment in Northern Territories) -projektia, jonka rahoittajana toimii Pohjoinen periferia ja Arktinen -ohjelma. Tämän työn tavoitteena oli parantaa pohjoisten yhteisöjen energiatehokkuutta ja energiaomavaraisuutta hyödyntämällä paikallisia energialähteitä. Työhön valittu pilottikohde oli Päivänpaisteenmaan ekokortteli, joka on suunniteltu toteutettavaksi Muhoksen kunnassa. Tämän työn teoriaosuudessa kestävä kehitys on esitetty päämääränä, jonka tavoitteena on turvata niin ihmisten kuin luonnon järjestelmien hyvinvointi, sekä paikallisella että maailmanlaajuisella tasolla. Kestävään kehitykseen liittyen työssä on käsitelty yksilön ja yhteisön hyvinvoinnin perusehtoja sekä yli sukupolvien ulottuvia tasa-arvokysymyksiä. Ekosysteemipalveluiden tärkeys on esitetty perustavanlaatuisena ehtona monipuolisen elämän jatkuvuudelle. Lisäksi fossiilisten polttoaineiden rajallisuutta ja hiilidioksidipäästöjen vaikutuksia ilmastolle on käsitelty nykyisen, kestämättömän energiantuotannon näkökulmasta. Hajautetun energiantuotannon rooli on käsitelty kestävän kehityksen sekä energiaturvallisuuden näkökulmista. Myöskin kestävää kehitystä edesauttavia, eri tasoilla vaikuttavia lainsäädäntöjä sekä paikallisia toimia on esitelty. Osana RECENT-projektia työssä luotiin lomakkeet sekä ohjeistus yhteisöjen uusiutuvan energian projektien kestävyyden arvioimiseksi. Arviointia varten valittiin yhdeksän kestävyysindikaattoria, joiden antamat tulokset suhteutettiin esitytetyllä mitta-asteikolla. Kestävyysarviointilomakkeet testattiin suunnitellulla Päivänpaisteenmaan ekokorttelilla. Työn käytännön osuudessa käsitellään energiantuotanto- sekä energiatehokkuusteknologioiden soveltuvuutta pilottikohteelle. Näiden teknologiavaihtoehtojen synergiaetuja ja vajaavaisuuksia vertailtiin soveltuvuuden selvittämiseksi. Pilottikohteen energiajärjestelmän taloudellisia, sosiaalisia ja ympäristöllisiä vaikutuksia arvioitiin. Järjestelmä mitoitettiin ottaen huomioon pilottikohteen pohjoinen sijainti sekä pilottikohteen energian huippukulutukset. Avaintutkimuskysymykset olivat; Mikä on maalämpöpumpun, aurinkosähkö- sekä aurinkolämpöjärjestelmien tekninen soveltuvuus uusiutuvan energian tuotannossa? Onko uusiutuvan energian investoinnilla positiivinen sosiaalinen sekä ympäristöllinen vaikutus, ja kykeneekö se samalla palauttamaan alkuperäisen investoinnin arvon. Työssä ehdotettiin pilottialueen omakotitaloille laajamittaisen energiaratkaisun käyttöön ottamista, johon sisältyy mm. energiatehokkaan rakentamisen toteuttaminen, varaavien tulisijajärjestelmien käyttäminen, sähkökiukaiden välttäminen, maalämpöpumppujärjestelmän hyödyntäminen sekä yhteisaurinkosähköjärjestelmän hankkiminen. Hankintojen keskimääräinen takaisinmaksuaika laskettiin olevan 10 vuotta, tuottaen kotitalouksien kuuman veden, 26 % vuotuisesta sähköntarpeesta sekä saavuttaen 70 % säästön hiilidioksidipäästöissä

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Gormally, Alexandra Marie. "An interdisciplinary approach to assessing renewable energy potential in upland communities." Thesis, Lancaster University, 2013. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.633104.

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Greenius, Leigh, Elsa Jagniecki, and Kati Thompson. "Moving Towards Sustainable Community Renewable Energy : A Strategic Approach for Communities." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Sektionen för ingenjörsvetenskap, 2010. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-2609.

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The developed world relies on an enormous supply of electricity and heat energy to power countless daily activities, predominantly using non-renewable fossil fuels. Although this energy assists people in meeting their basic human needs, the way in which it is produced is at odds with the ability of people to continue to meet their needs in the future. The current trend towards renewable energy generation in the developed world that involves community members is a positive step away from current unsustainable energy practices. A Strategic Sustainable Development (SSD) approach helps to guide planning and decision making by using a vision of a sustainable energy future to assist in undertaking strategic actions. To offer practical support to communities wanting to work towards sustainable energy generation, this research combines the experience of communities undertaking Community Renewable Energy projects with an SSD approach, producing a Sustainable Community Renewable Energy Tool.

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Mthiyane, Frederick Sandile. "Electrical energy efficiency awareness by poor communities in South Africa and its impact on their energy needs." Thesis, Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/817.

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Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Suid-Afrikaanse Heropbouings Program (HOP) asook die Groei Indiensnemings- en Herverdelingsprogram(GEAR) het ‘n geweldige hoë standaard gestel vir die verskaffing van basiese dienste soos behuising en elektrifisëring vir almal. Die meer effektiewe gebruik van elektriese energie het die sosiale en politieke potensiaal om by te dra tot die sukses van GEAR ten opsigte van die geteikende lae inkomste gemeenskappe waar daar nie tans voldoende elektriese energie beskikbaar is nie. Hierdie studie dek ook die inisiatiewe ten opsigte van effektiewe elektriese energie waaroor die Suid-Afrikaanse regering in vennootskap met Eskom tans navorsing doen om te bepaal of daar enige ekonomiese waarde is, en/of die lae inkomste gemeenskappe deur die sogenoemde inisiatiewe bevoordeel kan word. Die studie sluit ook navorsing in om die bewustheid van die lae inkomste gemeenskappe ten opsigte van effektiewe elektriese energie te bepaal. Die studie kyk verder na verskeie ander voltooide studies ten opsigte van effektiewe energie in lae inkomste gemeenskappe. Alhoewel verskeie ander effektiewe energie programme wel hoë ekonomiese en omgewings voordele uit 'n sosiale oogpunt inhou, is dieselfde programme glad nie aantreklik vir die verbruikers nie. Vir hierdie feit is die regering se bemiddeling wel belangrik. Die uitslag van die studie ondersoek ook die verskillende beleidsopsies (nie in diepte nie) om die struikelblokke van effektiewe energie te oorkom, asook moontlike oplossings vir die regering om die verskille tussen wat goed is vir die gemeenskap, en wat goed is vir die elektriese industrie te oorbrug. Die studie toets ook die bewustheid van effektiewe energie onder die lae inkomste gemeenskappe en hul huidige deelname aan effektiewe energie programme.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: South Africa’s Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) as well as Growth Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) set ambitious goals for providing basic services to all, including housing and electrification. More efficient use of electrical energy has the potential to socially and politically support the goals of GEAR, particularly when it is targeted at low-income communities lacking adequate energy services. This study looks at electrical energy efficiency initiatives that the South African government has under taken on its own as well as in partnership with Eskom and to check if there is any economic value that the poor communities may benefit from these initiatives. The study will also check the awareness of poor communities of electrical energy efficiency. Various studies in the subject of energy efficiency in relation to the poor communities that have been done in the past will also be looked at in this study. While many energy efficiency programmes may have significant economic and environmental benefits from a social perspective, they may not be as attractive to utilities and consumers. That is why government intervention is important. As a result this study also examine (not in great depth) the policy options for overcoming the significant barriers to energy efficiency, and ways government can bridge the gap between what is good for society and what is good for the electricity industry. This study extends further on checking the awareness of energy efficiency by the poor communities and their current participation in the energy efficiency programmes.

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Mewes, Daniela. "Applications of Solar Thermal Technology for Plastic Waste Management in Developing Communities." Thesis, KTH, Energiteknik, 2018. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-232672.

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As the plastic industry continues to grow globally, with plastic materials contained in a vast quantity of consumer products, the management of the resultant waste has become one of the greatest challenges of our time. Greater than 8 million metric tons of plastics were estimated to enter the world’s oceans as of 2010, with an even larger amount remaining on land. The associated ecological and health effects of plastic waste disposal are many, and existing solutions can only tackle small portions of the waste.China and Indonesia top the current list of contributors to ocean contamination with plastic waste, which is dominated by Asian countries. China in particular is positioned as the world’s leader in plastic production. The waste management scenarios of these countries and associated energy outlooks are discussed, where the plastic waste of the islands of Indonesia is mostly a result of residential, not industrial activities. These calculations are projected to 2025 with recent values of population growth, as an update to previous literature, with Vietnam now expected to supersede both Indonesia and the Philippines. Given the available solar resource in the top coastal plastic waste producing nations, many of which lie within close proximity to the equator, the feasibility of applying solar thermal power for the melting of plastic waste is examined. Melting points of common plastics are typically below 200°C, and thus lie within the range of low-temperature parabolic solar thermal systems.A prototype non-evacuated tube parabolic trough was constructed following methodologies for accessible technologies for the developing world. Tests in Stockholm, Sweden demonstrated its ability to partially melt waste ABS from a 3D printer. Internal temperatures up to 211°C were recorded in further tests in Ioannina, Greece, where HDPE, LDPE, and PP were successfully melted along with waste household items. Heat loss was calculated as well as associated internal dynamics, examining the interaction of ambient conditions with the chosen design parameters. Additional testing is needed to constrain surface heat loss for higher temperature applications such as plastics like PET that melt above the exhibited range. Future refinements to the design are discussed as well as the role micro-projects have in the reduction of plastic waste at its source within developing countries.
Plastindustrin fortsätter att växa årligen, med plast som finns i en stor mängd konsumentprodukter, har hanteringen av det resulterande avfallet blivit en av de största utmaningarna i vår tid. Mer än 8 miljoner ton av plast beräknades nå världens hav varje år enligt en studie ifrån 2010, med en ännu större mängd kvar på land. De därmed sammanhängande ekologiska och hälsopåverkande effekterna av att leva med en sådan mängd plastavfall är många, och befintliga lösningar kan bara hantera små delar av avfallet.Kina och Indonesien leder nuvarande lista över bidragsgivare till havsplast, som domineras av asiatiska länder. Kina är i synnerhet världsledande inom plastproduktion. Avfallshanteringsscenarierna i dessa länder och därtill hörande energiutsikter diskuteras, där plastavfallet på Indonesiens öar främst är ett resultat av bostads-, och inte industriell verksamhet. Dessa beräkningar projiceras till 2025 med de senaste värdena av befolkningstillväxt, som en uppdatering till tidigare litteratur, där Vietnam nu förväntas överträffa både Indonesien och Filippinerna. Med tanke på den tillgängliga solressursen i de största bidragande kustområderna, av vilka många ligger i närheten av ekvatorn, undersöks möjligheten att applicera solvärme för smältning av plastavfall. Smältpunkterna av vanlig plast är vanligtvis under 200 °C och ligger således inom området för lågtemperaturparabola solvärmesystem.En prototyp med icke-evakuerat rörparaboliskt tråg konstruerades enligt metoder och tillgänglig teknik för utvecklingsvärlden. Test i Stockholm visade på förmåga att delvis smälta rest ABS från en 3D-skrivare. Interna temperaturer upp till 211 °C registrerades i ytterligare tester i Ioannina, Grekland, där HDPE, LDPE och PP framgångsrikt smältes tillsammans med avfallshushållsartiklar. Värmeförlusten beräknades liksom tillhörande inre dynamik, genom att undersöka samspelet mellan omgivningsförhållandena och de utvalda designparametrarna. Ytterligare testning behövs för att begränsa ytvärmeförlusten vid högre temperaturapplikationer, såsom PET plast som smälter över det uppvisade intervallet. Framtida förädlingar till designen diskuteras liksom den roll som lokala mindre projekt har i minskningen av plastavfall vid dess källa inom utvecklingsländerna.

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Figueroa, Aguilar Roxanne de Lourdes 1973. "Empowering communities through comprehensive community-based energy advocacy : assessing energy programs and advocacy in California and New Mexico." Thesis, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/30109.

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Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, February 2004.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 74-77).
While energy permeates virtually all facets of our lives, from our pocketbooks to our health, issues regarding energy fail to garner widespread attention until price surges or blackouts impede everyday activities. With higher energy burdens and higher incidences of power plants in their neighborhoods, however, low-income and Latino/communities of color confront significant economic and environmental energy-related challenges on a daily basis. Energy policies not only impact the prices and provision of energy, but also affect the environmental, economic and physical well-being of communities. Sustainable energy policies that embrace renewable energy sources, energy-efficiency and conservation, and low-income energy programs, in conjunction with reliability and affordability issues, can significantly mitigate the environmental and economic energy burdens confronting low-income and communities of color, as well as the community at-large. Yet, community advocates concerned with issues such as sustainable development, housing, health, environmental justice, and economic development, to name but a few, often leave energy policy to the 'experts,' including utilities and regulators, which tend to overlook these issues, particularly with respect to low-income and communities of color.
(cont.) As a result, each state provides varying levels of energy efficiency and low-income energy assistance programs, leaving some communities out in the cold. This thesis explores the energy-related challenges confronting low-income and Latino communities in California and New Mexico. Through the analysis of two contrasting environmental and low-income energy programs and advocacy approaches in California and New Mexico, the goal of this thesis is to challenge the community 'laissez faire' approach to energy policy and highlight the vital role of comprehensive community-based energy advocacy.
by Roxanne de Lourdes Figueroa Aguilar.
M.C.P.

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com, jpayakpate@gmail, and Janjira Payakpate. "Knowledge Management Platform for Promoting Sustainable Energy Technologies in Rural Thai Communities." Murdoch University, 2008. http://wwwlib.murdoch.edu.au/adt/browse/view/adt-MU20081203.115333.

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Sustainable energy services aim to meet the energy demands and to improve the living standards of rural communities with the utilization of sustainable energy technologies. Such services are becoming increasingly important due to the reduction of traditional energy resources and the ongoing increase in the demands. The demands are mainly due to the growth of population, domestic consumptions and industrial uses. In addition, increasing awareness of issues such as global warming, carbon emission, peak oil and the need for a sustainable environment has kindled keen interests in sustainable energy around the world. Many projects on sustainable energy services have been launched and particularly in developing countries. In most areas, at least one type of sustainable energy resources is available. In the case of Thailand, in additional to resources such as solar and wind, there are other sustainable energy resources in the forms of biomass and waste residue from agricultural products. However, there exist practical problems hindering the success of many sustainable energy projects. Two key reasons are the lack of in depth knowledge regarding the sustainable energy systems among the local users, and the limited budgets for planning, research and development. Therefore, the need to promote better understanding of sustainable energy technologies is necessary in order to gain better utilization of the energy services and acceptance by the community. One possible solution is the use of a Knowledge Management System (KMS). Based on advanced Information and Communication Technology (ICT), the integration of knowledge management and web technologies has enabled KMS to be developed as an effective tool for the sharing, management and dissemination of valuable knowledge on any particular subject. This combination has the potential to promote the knowledge and initiate relevant activities thereby enabling the acquisition and management of diverse types of information and data. Typical functions and services which could be provided are: checking updated information on sustainable energy resources around a particular area; teaching of sustainable energy systems development and maintenance processes; sharing of best practices and lessons learnedetc. With the availability of the internet, a Web-based KMS will be a valuable channel for the gathering, sharing, extracting and dissemination of knowledge about the sustainable energy services for the Thai communities. This thesis presents the research and development of a knowledge management (KM) platform for sustainable energy technologies. The system is implemented with web GIS server-side application and it is installed at the School of Renewable Energy Technology, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, Thailand. To assess the effectiveness of the developed system, surveys in the form of pre-questionnaires and post-questionnaires from the users are used. Such information is used to determine the effectiveness of the system and to measure the improvement of the participants knowledge on the subject. There are three groups of participants involved in this study: local government administrators, researchers and general users. The overall results of the questionnaires reveal that the participants are satisfied with the performance of the KM platform. The results also indicated that the KM platform provides adequate knowledge on the subject and it has a high level of user friendliness. It was found that the participants knowledge is also increased and the increase is in proportion to the time they engaged with the KM platform. A linear regression analysis of the researchers and local government administrators has shown that the increment of the participants knowledge has a linear relationship with the learning period on the KM platform with statistical significance. Findings from this study can be used as a guideline and for further development on improving the local Thai communities knowledge on sustainable energy technologies.

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Clavier, Juan. "Integration of renewable energy and storage in remote communities: an economic assessment." Thesis, McGill University, 2014. http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=121542.

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This thesis investigates the economic benefits derived from the integration of photovoltaic panels, energy storage systems and demand response systems into diesel-powered remote communities. The work addresses two issues associated with isolated grids: (1) the monetization of benefits as a consequence of operational improvements (2) the optimal utilization of storage and photovoltaic panels in diesel-powered grids. An evaluation of such changes from a long-term planning perspective is presented in the form of an economic benefit assessment tool. The developed methodology assesses the impacts on the financial flows of the incorporation of storage and demand response systems for two cases: a diesel-powered grid and a PV-diesel grid. The study, a cost-benefit analysis, highlights a set of benefits and incurred costs from the perspective of remote communities' stakeholders. The primary goal of the proposed systems is to reduce diesel consumption and thus improve the profitability of a remote community electricity production system.
Cette étude explore les avantages économiques résultant de l'intégration de panneaux photovoltaïques, de systèmes de stockage d'énergie et de systèmes de gestion de la demande dans des communautés isolées, où l'alimentation électrique se fait par générateur diesel. Ce travail porte sur deux aspects fondamentaux du réseau isolée: (1) la monétisation des avantages obtenus des améliorations opérationnelles; (2) l'utilisation optimale du stockage et de panneaux photovoltaïques dans les réseaux fonctionnant au diesel. Pour ce faire, un outil d'évaluation est présenté afin de mesurer les impacts de cette approche dans une perspective de planification à long terme. La méthodologie développée évalue les impacts sur les flux financiers résultant de l'intégration des systèmes de stockage et des systèmes de gestion de la demande pour deux études de cas: un système à génération diesel et un système PV-diesel. L'étude, axée sur une analyse de coûts-bénéfices, met en évidence une série d'avantages et de coûts du point de vue des parties prenantes des collectivités isolées. Les mises en oeuvre ont pour objectif principal de réduire la consommation de diesel du système et d'améliorer ainsi la rentabilité des systèmes de production d'électricité des collectivités isolées.

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Souster, Terri A. "Marine biodiversity of Antarctic hard rock communities : species biomass and energy use." Thesis, Open University, 2018. http://oro.open.ac.uk/53959/.

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This thesis presents the first seasonal study in the Antarctic of shallow water hard rock communities, including surveys to quantify biodiversity and biomass (Ash Free Dry Mass, AFDM). In addition temporal changes in biodiversity since 1998 were evaluated in the same location. To do this all benthic organisms greater than 3mm in size were collected at 6m, 12m and 20m depth from three transects near Rothera Point, Adelaide Island (67° 34’ S, 68° 07’ W) in the summer and winter of 2015. Organisms were identified and their wet, dry and ash free dry masses obtained. Benthic community structure did not vary seasonally, low metabolic costs due to slowed growth rates, reproduction, development with the ability to cease feeding for the winter months may explain the lack of change between season. Community structure did, however, vary with depth, which agrees with previous studies of shallow water Antarctic hard substratum communities. Comparisons between the 2015 and 1998 survey showed reductions of both biodiversity and organic biomass at all three depths over the intervening 17 years. The greatest change was at 12m where faunal density, diversity, richness and biomass all declined significantly between 1998 and 2015. Ice scour is thought to be the main driver of this change as previous studies have shown an increase in ice scour frequency around 10m depth. The effects of seasonality on metabolism were also investigated using the five most common marine invertebrates and significant energy transformers Odontaster validus, Sterechinus neumayeri, Nacella concinna, Heterocucumis steineni and Ophionotus victoriae. Measurements of metabolic rates using closed circuit respirometry were carried out across a size range (juveniles to fully reproductive adults), to represent the population of five locally abundant species during the austral summer and winter. Oxygen consumption of Sterechinus neumayeri and Odontaster validus was significantly higher (by 39% & 44% respectively) in summer than winter. However, metabolic rates showed no consistent seasonal trends in Nacella concinna, and in Ophionotus victoriae and Heterocucumis IV steineni were higher in summer than winter, but only in large individuals which could be due to feeding and reproducing during the summer months. Seasonal metabolic changes were in line with previous studies on Antarctic marine invertebrates. Having established the metabolic rates of these species, identifying how much organic carbon there is in each and what they eat (diet), it is possible to estimate the energy required within the ecosystem to meet their metabolic demands long term. Molecular methods were employed to advance our understanding of diet. Gut contents from the same five species were analysed using DNA extraction and molecular techniques. This project forms a baseline to understand future changes in Antarctic benthic biodiversity and to analyse energy flows in these communities.

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Norman, Gisela. "A Critical Review of the UNDP Guyana Hinterland Rural and Poor Communities (HRPC) Project." Thesis, KTH, Energisystemanalys, 2019. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-260060.

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The Government of Guyana sees the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) diffusion as critical in quality of life improvement. Together with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) they are conducting a project to provide internet access to Hinterland, Rural and Poor Communities (HRPC) through Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs) powered by stand-alone hybrid energy systems including solar Photovoltaics (PV) and Li-Ion batteries. The project is facilitated by the UNDP Office of Information Management and Technology (OIMT), using the 7-step process (UNDP best practice for green energy related implementations). This report aims at improving the 7-step process by critically reviewing the UNDP Guyana HRPC project, drawing also on experience from previous projects. The results highlight deviations from the original process and the recommended actions are to create principles and guidelines to follow when such deviations happen. It is further recommended to expand the process, make it more flexible and applicable to different types of projects. Finally, knowledge sharing between United Nations (UN) organs and UNDP units could be highly beneficial when creating a more flexible process. Since the ICT diffusion is seen as critical in quality of life improvements, this report also aims to create a framework to evaluate what impact the project can have on the people. Intended outcomes of the project, issues and key priorities identified by the communities, lessons learnt from other projects and relevant concepts are the basis for the suggested Key Performance Indicators to monitor. By using formal data collection, with the expressed permission of the user, ICT activities can be measured and evaluated. Indicators on health, education, economic activities, business development etc. can be easily gathered this way. Complemented by surveys and/or interviews in line with the UNDP Sustainable Livelihood Framework for qualitative aspects and technical monitoring of the Solar PV system, this could enable sufficient information to assess the quality of life improvements and view the success of the implemented project.
Guyanas regering ser spridningen av Informations- och kommunikationsteknik som en viktig del i arbetet mot en förbättrad levnadsstandard. Tillsammans med Förenta Nationernas utvecklingsprogram (UNDP) har regeringen startat upp ett projekt som ska förse Guyanas inland, landsbygdsområden och fattiga samhällen med internetanslutning. Detta görs genom Very Small Aperture Terminals (VSATs), kombinerad mottagare och sändare för datatrafik (vanligen en parabolantenn), vars eltillförsel kommer från fristående hybridenergisystem bestående av solceller samt Li-Ion batterier. Projektet verkställs av UNDPs byrå för information, management och teknologi (OIMT) som använder UNDPs bästa praxis för utförandet av energirelaterade projekt, 7-stegs processen. Syftet med denna rapport är att förbättra 7-stegs processen genom att kritiskt granska UNDP och Guyanas regerings gemensamma projekt. Resultaten påvisar åtskilliga avvikelser från den ursprungliga 7-stegs processen och de rekommenderade åtgärderna är att skapa grundprinciper samt riktlinjer att följa då ett projekt avviker på detta sätt. Det är vidare rekommenderat att expandera processen, göra den mer flexibel, för att smidigt kunna använda den för olika typer av projekt. Kunskapsdelning mellan FN organ samt enheter inom UNDP skulle vara högst fördelaktigt vid skapandet av en mer flexibel process. Då informations- och kommunikationsteknik ses som en viktig del i arbetet mot en förbättrad levnadsstandard är syftet med rapporten vidare att utvärdera vilken påverkan projektet har på invånarna i de berörda områdena. Föreslagna indikatorer för uppföljning av detta är grundade i de avsedda resultaten för projektet, samhällenas egna prioriteringsområden, lärdomar dragna från tidigare utförda projekt samt relevanta koncept. Genom datainsamling av internetbaserade aktiviteter, med explicit godkännande av användaren, kan indikatorer för hälsa, utbildning, ekonomiska aktiviteter, företagande osv. mätas och utvärderas. Kompletterat med intervjuer i linje med UNDPs ramar för hållbara levnadsvillkor (för att mäta de kvalitativa aspekterna av internetanslutningen) och med tekniska övervakningssystem av solcellernas prestanda bör det vara tillräckligt med information för att bedöma förbättringarna i levnadsstandard och projektets framgång

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Pinney, Adam A. "Planning energy systems for small, rural communities (including economic, technical and thermodynamic criteria)." Thesis, University of Strathclyde, 1987. http://oleg.lib.strath.ac.uk:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=21489.

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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.

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Sachinski, Jeffrey M., Rudolph W. Cook, and Beth M. Matteson. "Budget savings through the responsible use of energy in Navy privatized housing communities." Thesis, Monterey, California: Naval Postgraduate School, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/10945/44661.

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Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited
In 1996, Congress authorized the Military Housing Privatization Initiative, which led to the increase in basic allowance for housing (BAH) for active duty members to achieve zero out of pocket housing expenses while living in military privatized housing. Privatized housing residents are not fully incentivized to conserve energy. Average energy costs, taken over like sized groups, are used as a baseline to justify the amount paid to the actual energy provider out of BAH proceeds collected from the service member. Water baselines do not exist in privatized housing, resulting in zero incentive to conserve water. We propose that the responsible use of energy incentive options can be promoted using a different system. Our approach pays members a direct subsidy equal to a fair market value of the rental property, coupled with a utilities model which is based on baseline utility costs and family size. This approach will effectively and efficiently utilize the Navy BAH system while reducing overall costs to the Navy. Future research could be conducted on the feasibility of expanding our recommendations to encompass all services.

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Ayers, James, Gabriel Melchert, and Julius Piwowar. "The Impact of Renewable Energy Cooperatives on the Social Resilience of Their Communities." Thesis, Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Institutionen för strategisk hållbar utveckling, 2014. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-3504.

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Major global problems, manifested by climate change and social inequality, reinforce the need for a societal shift towards sustainable practices. This transition requires new approaches in the future design of society. The current energy system, based on fossil fuels and centralized infrastructure is a key contributor to many of the socio-ecological issues related to the sustainability challenge. The intent of this research is to examine renewable energy cooperatives as an alternative to minimize the negative impacts of the current energy system. Using a Strategic Sustainable Development (SSD) approach with a Resilience Attribute Framework, this research explored the presence of resilience attributes (Trust, Diversity, Learning and Self-organization) and sustainability behavior in renewable energy cooperatives. The research then explored, through interview and surveys, the perceived impacts that these cooperatives had on the resilience and sustainability behavior of the wider community. Findings showed that energy cooperatives displayed high levels of the resilience through the attributes of: - Trust: due to non-profit status, ownership structure, localisation and shared values - Diversity: due to member and service diversity - Learning: through collaboration, diverse member knowledge and participation - Self-organization: due to cooperative development, leadership and outcomes (infrastructure and energy knowledge). This study showed that renewable energy cooperatives have numerous impacts on their community however; there were no significant evidence to suggest energy cooperatives transferred their high levels of social resilience to the community.

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Spitilli, Ludovico. "Optimization models for optimal battery operation in Swiss energy communities: the Lugaggia case." Master's thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2022. http://amslaurea.unibo.it/25692/.

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The next 30 years are going to be crucial for the future of climate in Europe and in the world: the globally increase of the population and the rise of the energy demand to guarantee higher life-standards, while keeping carbon-emissions low, are pushing the road of the Paris-agreement goals towards challenging paths. A massive and never-seen before green revolution is nedeed as well as the commitment of all the policy-makers involved to be on track with these goals. Europe can be considered the pioneer of this green revolution since at the heart of its Climate-Energy strategy, i.e. the Green Deal, there is a large economic investment (1/3 of the 1.8 trillion euros investments from the NextGenerationEU Recovery Plan and the EU’s seven-year budget) and a more ambitious program in the short term like an improvement of 32.5% in energy efficiency and a 32% share for Renewable Energy by 2030 . The legislative acts to reach these targets are contained in the Clean Energy Package. It can be considered the EU's "energy rulebook" and it's based on 3 key pillars: energy efficiency, renewable energy generation and the new role of consumers in a greener society. In this contest, there is a legislative support for collective energy actions and citizens’ active participation in energy markets through the definition of Energy Communities. This thesis aims to describe the role of Energy Communities in Europe with a particular focus to Switzerland. In chapter 1 the regulatory framework will be introduced, followed in chapter 2 by the different business models that can be implemented. In the 3rd chapter, the Lugaggia energy community, object of study of this thesis, is presented. After a discussion on convex optimization theory in chapter 4, the algorithms used to reach an optimal economical operation of the energy community are introduced in chapter 5. In the end, chapter 6, the results are analyzed and discussed.

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Bayazit, Sema. "The impacts of the residential location on transport energy use : a case study from Ankara." Thesis, University of Nottingham, 1997. http://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/11790/.

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Efficient use of energy is one of the key elements of sustainability. Energy consumption through transport has been increasing, not because transport has become less energy efficient but rather because the overall travel demand has been increasing so rapidly. An increasing number of trips by motorised modes as well as increasing travel distance are two main indicators of this trend. In order to lower the energy used by transport, consideration must be given not only to the policies directly related to transport, but also to those related to urban development. It may be possible to reduce the amount of energy use in an urban environment through these policies. Thus, one of the objectives of planning activity is the realisation of cities which promote short distance trips with more energy efficient transport modes. The main concern of this research is to examine the possibilities of having more energy efficient travel demand patterns and to find out under what circumstances, the spatial structure of an urban area allows for a reduction in the energy used by transport. Urban residential developments that tend to move out of the city are especially good example of development that might result in more energy intensive travel demand patterns. In terms of its relation both to the inner city and in itself, the overall travel demand characteristics of a city can easily be changed by residential choice. New housing developments, especially the out-of-city ones, may lead residents either to travel for longer distances, or to use cars widely, or both. But, it could stimulate them to travel for shorter distances or to use motorised modes less, or both. The spatial structure of a new development and its connection and relation to other facilities (such as work places, schools, shopping areas, recreational places and so forth), shape travel demand patterns. This research has attempted to define the travel demand patterns of the inner and out-of city residents of Ankara and to discuss the factors affecting them. Beside this comparative analysis, there was an attempt to discover what the out-of city residents would do if they were living in the inner city districts. The possibilities of having more energy efficient travel demand patterns in the selected districts of Ankara were examined. It is evident from the survey results that transport energy use changes due to the location of a residence relative to the CBD. Living in an out-of city area means travelling for longer distances and a wider use of motorised modes. Living near to the central facilities encourages walking trips. Trips by motorised modes also have a considerable share, but the travel distance is not as long as in the out-of city case. Additionally, dependence on cars has been accelerating through the increasing distance of residence from the central inner city facilities. Following the assumption that the previous residence of out-of city residents was the inner city, the comparison of previous and actual travel demand patterns indicates that they used to have less energy intensive travel demand patterns. The main reason behind the urban decentralisation policy was to reduce the air pollution level in Ankara. Research findings, however, confirms that increasing travel demand together with transport energy consumption are negative outcomes of this policy. These developments are contributing the environmental problems through wider use of motorised modes and long distance trips and air pollution created by huge volume of traffic coming into the inner city. Thus, it is out of question whether the planning objectives have been reached or not through the urban decentralisation measures or what should be the additional measures or policies to contribute sustainable urban development process.

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Lamb, Robert. "Analysis of net-zero energy homes and net-zero energy communities in hot and humid climates from the builders perspective." [Gainesville, Fla.] : University of Florida, 2009. http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/UFE0025018.

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Kalin, Karem Leigh. "Energy, nutrient, and food intake of eight year-old children in low-income communities." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 2000. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk1/tape4/PQDD_0026/MQ61916.pdf.

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Meyer, Lars Alan. "In Light of Energy: Influences of Light Pollution on Linked Stream-Riparian Invertebrate Communities." The Ohio State University, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1345479410.

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Mehra, Amaani. "Is India's Push for Renewables a Shove to its Impoverished Communities?" Scholarship @ Claremont, 2019. https://scholarship.claremont.edu/scripps_theses/1335.

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India has ambitious targets to develop extensive renewable energy infrastructure by 2022. These targets are driven by the country’s pressing environmental and demographic concerns. While the development of such infrastructure can have many benefits, the costs of are often disproportionately borne by some of the most impoverished groups due to land acquisition and displacement. Land acquisition often occurs in rural areas, where the majority of the population are farmers or tribal groups. While there are laws to protect the rights of these groups, the effectiveness of these laws is often undermined by state governments that prioritize investment. Looking at the development of solar, wind, and small hydropower, the various impacts on rural communities are evident. Without adequate compensation for the loss of land and the suffering caused by displacement, these groups can often be left worse off than before. Government support needs to be carried out in a way that encourages maximum deployment, while also enforcing regulations that protect the rights of rural communities.

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Roberts, Erin Mared. "Reducing energy consumption in everyday life : a study of landscapes of energy consumption in rural households and communities in North Wales." Thesis, Cardiff University, 2016. http://orca.cf.ac.uk/95669/.

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Despite governmental efforts to constrain residential energy consumption over recent decades, energy use within our homes accounts for a third of overall British energy use, and its share is steadily rising. Much of the existing academic and policy literature surrounding household energy consumption has revolved around developing more energy efficient technologies and buildings, as well as encouraging households to purchase those more efficient technologies. Conversely, less attention has been paid to the ways in which these technologies and homes are actually used, and how this influences a household’s energy consumption. Understanding how and why people use energy in the ways that they do, and how this varies according to spatial and temporal context, is critical to gaining an insight into the ways in which we might foster change and ultimately reduce domestic energy demand. In particular, this thesis sheds light on the dynamics of household energy demand in the rural sphere. This thesis draws on the accounts of 11 households in ‘deep’ rural Gwynedd that were recruited on the basis of their composition, ranging from single-person households, young families and emptying nests, in order to explore how consumption practices are patterned through the lifecourse. By employing practice theory, and combining it with concepts from geographical and life-course perspectives; the thesis produces rich, spatio-temporal and relational accounts of how household energy use has changed – or remained the same - through time. This necessarily meant engaging with things that matter to people – be that through valued relationships with places, significant others or with things. The ways in which we consume are necessarily connected to ideas about who to be and how to live, and as such, may be deeply connected to people’s identities. This has particular implications for policy interventions in that practices bound up with valued identities and ideals may prove resistant to change.

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Winther, Anne M. "Survive or thrive : creating options for sustainable communities in rural Scotland." Thesis, University of Stirling, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/1893/21186.

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Environmental and socio-economic crises are creating compelling needs for radical social change. This project investigated the options and barriers for three Scottish rural communities (Fintry, Killin and Kinlochleven) to become sustainable and thrive in a future resource-constrained world. A unique, holistic and mixed methods approach was used to assess baseline sustainability, envision and model futures and develop possible options for sustainability. Central to this investigation was the development of a strong and holistic model of a sustainable community: the sustainable community design (SCD). This framework shaped the assessment of each community’s baseline sustainability. Sustainability was measured for the ten aspects of the SCD using a scorecard approach with a basket of indicators populated by primary data (collected in a household survey) and secondary data (national statistics). Sustainable consumption was analysed using the Resources and Energy Analysis Programme (REAP) to generate each community’s ecological footprint (EF) and results were compared to current estimates of per capita world biocapacity to gauge sustainability. Even the most sustainable community was only sustainable in three out of ten of the SCD’s aspects and this community had the highest EF. Although the most deprived community had the lowest EF, it was unsustainable in all ten SCD aspects. The results reflected the heterogeneity of rural communities and complexity of sustainability measurement. The SCD scorecard approach for sustainability measurement was shown to be sensitive and robust and can be applied to rural communities across Scotland. Future visions were created in focus groups, in which participants were asked to envision what their community would need to thrive in 2030 under the scenario of peak oil and a low carbon economy. Vision ideas and examples of best practice and technological innovation were used to create narrative scenarios for modelling transport, food and energy futures. The scenarios’ EFs were calculated in REAP for three discrete levels of change: a marginal change, a step change and radical transformation. The results suggested that radical transformation is required for communities to become sustainable. Key features are likely to be re-localised and highly co-operative societies, which utilise technological innovations (such as electric cars powered by renewable energy) and share resources to maximise opportunities for living in rural areas. A community’s transformation is likely to be bespoke and require local control, requiring changes to governance and supportive policy. Key barriers identified were availability of affordable technological innovations, energy injustice, power to achieve self-determination, community governance, property rights and sustainability literacy. A process model, incorporating the SCD scorecard approach, was proposed for furthering sustainable community development and research. In taking an interdisciplinary and mixed methods approach, this study has pioneered a novel approach to the holistic enquiry of the options for creating sustainable rural communities.

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Dixon, Dorothea Elizabeth. "A comparative international review of power sector reform and its impact on access to electricity by poor communities." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2004. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/6741.

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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-111).
Since the early 1980's, a number of countries have been undertaking power sector reform. Very often the drivers for change included the need to reduce reliance on public finances and to obtain foreign capital, either to service loans, or for investing in new capacity. Latin American countries were the forerunners in this regard, with Chile amongst the first. The other main driver was to improve the financial and technical performance of the electricity industry. The rationale for this initiative could also be found in other factors, which are discussed as the countries are dealt with individually later in this document. One important aspect thereof is clearly the 'public benefit' implications of power sector reform, which are more pressing in developing countries. Until the 1980's, the electricity industry was viewed as a natural monopoly, and the concept of economies of scale reinforced this point of view. However, with dramatic technology improvements, it became possible to generate electricity competitively in smaller power plants, and thus alternatives to monopolistic industries were increasingly feasible. Competition is now possible in generation and supply. Developers other than the state can participate in the industry either as Independent Power Producers (IPPs) or as distributors and suppliers of electricity. According to the principle of competition, the introduction of new players into the market should lower electricity prices. This study investigates if this holds true in developing countries and whether power sector reform slows down or accelerates electrification access for the poor.

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Gomez, Sandra. "A systems approach to the design of wind energy electricity generators for small isolated communities." Thesis, University of Reading, 1993. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.333372.

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Maxia, Alessandro. "Isolated electrical microgrids employing renewable energy resources:analysis of the electrification of remote communities in Peru." Master's thesis, Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna, 2010. http://amslaurea.unibo.it/894/.

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This project points out a brief overview of several concepts, as Renewable Energy Resources, Distributed Energy Resources, Distributed Generation, and describes the general architecture of an electrical microgrid, isolated or connected to the Medium Voltage Network. Moreover, the project focuses on a project carried out by GRECDH Department in collaboration with CITCEA Department, both belonging to Universitat Politécnica de Catalunya: it concerns isolated microgrids employing renewable energy resources in two communities in northern Peru. Several solutions found using optimization software regarding different generation systems (wind and photovoltaic) and different energy demand scenarios are commented and analyzed from an electrical point of view. Furthermore, there are some proposals to improve microgrid performances, in particular to increase voltage values for each load connected to the microgrid. The extra costs required by the proposed solutions are calculated and their effect on the total microgrid cost are taken into account; finally there are some considerations about the impact the project has on population and on people's daily life.

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Larsen, Zachary R. "In Defense of the Modern Company Town: Wyoming's Uranium Communities." DigitalCommons@USU, 2019. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7633.

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Most people are at least aware that, in the past, companies that owned mines, lumber mills, and other large-scale industrial projects in isolated areas also ran company towns. For many people, such towns conjure up images miserable working conditions, exploitative company stores, and inadequate shacks for most workers, while managers live in relative luxury up on “snob knob.” Most people are also fairly certain that such towns, at least in the United States, died out about the same time as the horse and buggy. Several industries in Wyoming, however, continued to support company towns through the end of the 20th century, with one such town surviving into the early 2000s. This project looks at two of these towns supported by the uranium mining and milling industry that dominated central Wyoming’s economy for about 30 years starting in the mid-1950s. These towns, Gas Hills and Jeffrey City, along with Wyoming’s other modern company towns represent a new era in the history of these communities. Furthermore, they actually had many advantages for inhabitants, companies, and the local economy, especially compared to a small conventional community located near a resource boom. Often, and in contrast to the towns in this thesis, conventional towns must scramble to meet the demands of a massive migration, only to be left with unpaid bonds when the resource dries up or becomes no longer profitable.

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Junod, Martha-Anne N. "Risks, Attitudes, and Discourses in Hydrocarbon Transportation Communities: Oil by Rail and the United States’ Shale Energy Revolution." The Ohio State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1595345780677671.

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Vosloo, Arno. "Agent-based energy management system for remote community microgrid." Thesis, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11838/1188.

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thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree: Master of Technology: Electrical Engineering in the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Rural communities are often unable to access electrical energy due to their distant location away from the national grid. Renewable energy sources (RESs) make it possible to provide electrical energy to these isolated areas. Sustainable generation is possible at a local level and is not dependant on connection to a national power grid. Microgrids are small scale, stand-alone electricity networks that harness energy at its geographical location, from natural resources. These small scale power grids are either connected to a national grid or operate separately by obtaining their power from an RES. Microgrids are becoming increasingly popular because they can provide electricity, independently of the national grid. The size of microgrid systems are dependent on the amount of energy that needs to be drawn and the amount of energy that has to be stored. Mechanical and electrical system component sizes become bigger due to increased operational energy requirements. Increases in component sizes are required on growing power networks when higher current levels are drawn. Energy management of microgrids must thus be introduced to prevent overloading the power grid network and to extend the operational life of the storage batteries. Energy management systems consist of different components which are seen as operational units. Operational units are responsible for measurement, communication, decision–making and power supply switching control, to manipulate the power output to meet the energy demands. Due to the increasing popularity of DC home appliances, it is important to explore the possibility of keeping these microgrids on a DC voltage basis. Electrical generation equipment such as photovoltaic panels can be used to generate DC at designed voltage levels. The energy management system connects the user loads and generation units together to form the microgrid. The aim of this study was to carry out the design of an agent–based energy management system for rural and under-developed communities. It investigates how the control of the output of the energy management system can be carried out to service the loads. The simulations were done using the following software packages: Simulink, Matlab, and SimPowerSystems. PV sources, energy management system (EMS) and user load parameters are varied in the simulation software to observe how the control algorithm executes load shedding. A stokvel-type charge share concept is dealt with where the state-of-charge (SOC) of batteries and user consumption will determine how grid loads are managed. Load shedding within the grid is executed by monitoring energy flow and calculating how much energy is allowed to be used by each consumer. The energy management system is programmed to always provide the largest amount of energy to the consumer with the lowest energy consumption for each day. The batteries store surplus electrical energy during the day. Load shedding starts at 18:00 each day. Users will be disconnected from the grid whenever their allotted energy capacity were depleted.

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Osu, Victor Richard. "A critical evaluation of the prospects for a transition towards ocean based renewable energy development in Nigeria." Thesis, Robert Gordon University, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10059/2455.

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The move towards addressing two pertinent energy challenges that is access to electricity and climate change has seen the transition towards sustainable forms of energy including Ocean Based Renewable Energy (OBRE). However, much work remains to be done in understanding the critical success factors that could enable such potential transition, especially in the area of OBRE electricity generation. This research addresses this concern by drawing on transition theory and frameworks to critically evaluate the prospects towards OBRE development in Nigeria. The rationale for the study stems from issues around the inadequate supply of electricity, which has become a profound concern and, where its absence is mostly observed in rural and remote areas including coastal communities. Based on an interpretative philosophical stance, the study adopted a qualitative approach for conducting the research. In-depth semi-structured interviews were used to collect data from twenty-seven research participants. The research findings revealed that there is scope for transitioning towards OBRE electricity generation. However, this potential may be hindered by key features of the incumbent socio-technical regime: inconsistency of statements in formal policy documents; unclear institutional arrangements to foster renewable energy development; and lack of regulatory and market support mechanisms, which keep renewable energy development at the margins. Nevertheless, the study found certain perceived critical success factors that when considered could aid in facilitating OBRE development in Nigeria. These included, in particular, meaningful stakeholder engagement that aimed to harmonise the diverse interests of key actors’ and the role of adequate political governance to facilitate OBRE design and implementation. The research concludes by developing a conceptual intervention model called the OBRE Transition Model. This model argues that through more meaningful engagement with pertinent stakeholders’ and stronger political commitment, the prospect for a transition towards OBRE development in Nigeria could be accomplished. This thesis is the first of its kind to study the prospects for a transition towards OBRE innovation in West Africa. Additionally, the model that has been developed is now going to be corroborated in an OBRE project in Nigeria, thus, forming the evidence on the model’s potential applicability for future study.

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Schuette, Krystal M. "Endependence: renewable energy in a rural community." Thesis, Kansas State University, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/8780.

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Master of Landscape Architecture
Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning
Mary C. Kingery-Page
Rural Kansas communities are almost entirely dependent on large energy corporations. These corporations, in turn, are almost completely dependent on fossil fuels for energy production. Three major implications exist within these dependencies: 1) the dependence of rural communities on large corporations reduces the potential of a local economy to support itself; 2) the dependence on fossil fuels has severe environmental impacts; and 3) fossil fuels are non-renewable resources and will inevitably be exhausted. A rural Kansas community has resources necessary to achieve and maintain energy independence in a renewable manner. The design of these systems in regard to economy, society, aesthetics, technology, and ecology will play a key role in sustaining these resources into the future. The intent of the project is to create a tool for rural communities to evaluate localized renewable energy potential using Washington, Kansas as an example. Several questions were addressed to determine the capacity and feasibility of each local energy resource: What renewable energy resources are available to a rural Kansas community and are they sufficient for the community to achieve energy independence? How can the resource or its production be designed and maintained in regard to its environmental impact and long-term viability? What are the implications of energy independence for the community’s identity? Because each question is dependent upon the answer to a previous question, a decision tree was the most viable method for the project’s analysis and development. Research into the technology and science associated with each resource provided a general knowledge of the definitions associated with and processes necessary to determine the feasibility of the resource. For resources receiving a positive feasibility rating, analysis continued with a basic cost/benefit analysis that compares potential costs involving implementation and maintenance with the payback, offsets, and incentives involved in utilizing each resource. Analysis of each feasible resource continued with site suitability analysis. The analysis of each resource resulted in resource maps showing potential implementation locations for three renewable resources studied: hydro, wind, and solar. The maps and accompanying graphics communicate the integration of renewable energy technologies into the existing community’s identity.

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Olson-Hazboun, Shawn K. "Public Opinion on Renewable Energy: The Nexus of Climate, Politics, and Economy." DigitalCommons@USU, 2017. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/5860.

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Increased use of renewable energy sources in the generation of electricity isa crucial component of transitioning to a less polluting energy system in the United States. Technologies like solar photovoltaic cells and wind turbines are being deployed at a rapid rate around the country, which means that an increasing portion of the public is becoming aware of renewable energy systems. The construction of these new industrial facilities has resulted in a variety of public reactions, positive and negative. Citizen opposition has been widely observed toward a variety of renewable energy facilities, and citizen groups can influence policy-making at the national, state,and local levels. Further research is needed to understand under what circumstances the public may take oppositional stances. To examine this topic, I analyze public perceptions of renewable energy using three different datasets. First, I used data from a survey conducted in 2014 in five communities in Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho experiencing renewable energy development(n=906). This dataset allowed me to untangle what factors help explain both individual as well as community-level variation in support for renewable energy. Second, I employed nationally representative survey data (n=13, 322)collected from 2008 to 2015 to examine the influence of a number of factors hypothesized to shape individuals’ level of support for renewable energy policies including socio-demographic characteristics, political beliefs, belief in anthropogenic climate change, and nearby extractive industry activities. Last, I analyzed discourse about renewable energy in sixty-one semi-structured interviews with individuals representing various community sectors in three energy-producing rural communities in Utah. My research findings, on a whole, suggest that several place-based factors are significant in shaping public opinion about renewable energy, including community experience with renewable energy and local economic reliance on extractive industries. I also find pervasive climate skepticism across study sites. These findings indicate the need for broad-based and non-partisan discursive frames for renewable energy. Last, these findings speak to the importance of the ‘just transitions’ concepts, and the need to incorporate those communities most marginalized by the current system of fossil fuels extraction and production as society moves forward toward a cleaner energy economy.

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Nostrand, Seth Van. "Closer designing a manufacturing facility for the Zuni Pueblo solar energy reinvestment initiative /." View thesis online, 2009. http://docs.rwu.edu/archthese/15/.

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Longobardi, Francesca, and Filippo Padovani. "Delivering sustainable energy transition : A techno-economic analysis on households, businesses and communities of the Keweenaw Peninsula." Thesis, KTH, Energiteknik, 2020. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-285897.

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Energy security understood as the practice by which risks associated with interruptions to the energy supply are low, represents one of the main objectives of energy policies in many countries. In this context, Keweenaw County or Michigan's northernmost County is placed as locked in an unreliable, unsustainable and particularly wasteful energy system. The cost of electricity is among the highest in comparison with the national average tariffs, extreme weather makes grid outages commonplace, and the vast majority of both electricity and heat is supplied by fossil fuels. This thesis project aims to identify the most appropriate strategies for the evaluation of alternative and more sustainable energy systems that can replace the current ones. The first phase of the thesis was based on quantifying the energy needs of the analyzed region. To do this, a bottom-up approach based on buildings archetypes has been adopted. At the beginning of the modelling process a new reference building stock, in which different building types and construction periods have been considered, has been designed. Once the energy loads of single buildings have been obtained, the results have been scaled at a community level. In total, three types of consumers have been addressed throughout the following study: individual households, businesses, and communities. System design configurations intended to satisfy requests in terms of lights and electric appliances, space heating and cooling, cooking and service hot water have been examined. Energy supply technologies such as solar photovoltaics (PV), storage, air source heat pumps (ASHP), ground source heat pumps (GSHP) and small-scale biomass combined heat and power (CHP) units are analyzed. Multiple electrification levels, from baseline to more advanced configurations where electricity represents the only energy carrier are evaluated. A different approach is adopted at community scale where different scenarios are discussed. Technical feasibility and economic viability of each electrification level in the case of residential and commercial sectors as well as of community related scenarios are tested. The costs and benefits of implementing this electrification strategy and a decentralized energy scenario are quantified by means of key performance indicators (KPIs) such as total life cycle costs, primary renewable energy fraction (PREF), annual CO2 emissions, primary energy intensity (PEI) and levelized cost of energy (LCOE). Ultimately, the results obtained from the simulations suggest the concrete possibility of an energy transition towards sustainable energy systems based on distributed generation. In detail, heat pumps coupled with solar PV represents a more sustainable and cost-efficient alternative to traditional fossil-based heating. The most advanced electrification levels analyzed, are configured as the most promising options for all buildings, in particular in the forecast of technologies cost reductions and lower electricity rates. However, several obstacles to their deployment are currently present. Accordingly, a business model innovation designed to unlock these sustainable energy systems is explored.
Energisäkerhet som förstås som den praxis där riskerna i samband med avbrott i energiförsörjningen är låga representerar ett av de viktigaste målen för energipolitiken i många länder. I detta sammanhang finns Keweenaw County eller Michigan nordligaste län som låst i ett opålitligt, ohållbart och särskilt slösaktigt energisystem. Elkostnaden är bland de högsta i jämförelse med de nationella genomsnittspriserna, extrema väder gör nätavbrott vanligt och den stora majoriteten av både el och värme levereras av fossila bränslen. Denna avhandling syftar till att identifiera de mest lämpliga strategierna för utvärdering av alternativa och mer hållbara energisystem som kan ersätta de nuvarande. Den första fasen av avhandlingen baserades på att kvantifiera energibehovet i den analyserade regionen. För att göra detta har man använt sig av en nedifrån och upp-metod baserad på byggnadens arketyper. I början av modelleringsprocessen har en ny referensbyggnad utformats, där olika byggtyper och byggperioder har beaktats. När energibelastningarna för enstaka byggnader har uppnåtts har resultaten skalats på gemenskapsnivå. Tre typer av konsumenter har tagits upp i totalt genom följande studie: enskilda hushåll, företag och samhällsgrupp. Systemkonfigurationskonfigurationer som är avsedda att tillgodose önskemål när det gäller belysning och elektriska apparater, uppvärmning och kylning, matlagning och service av varmvatten har undersökts. Energitillförselteknik som solceller (PV), lagring, värmepumpar med luft (ASHP), värmepumpar (GSHP) och småskaliga biomassa kombinerade värme- och kraftenheter (CHP) analyseras. Flera elektrifieringsnivåer utvärderas, från baslinjen till mer avancerade konfigurationer i vilken el representerar den enda energibäraren. Ett annat tillvägagångssätt antas i gemenskapsskala där olika scenarier diskuteras. Teknisk genomförbarhet och ekonomisk lönsamhet testas för varje elektrifieringsnivå för bostads- och kommersiella sektorer samt för samhällsrelaterade scenarier. Kostnaderna och fördelarna med att genomföra denna elektrifieringsstrategi och ett decentraliserat energiscenario kvantifieras med hjälp av nyckeltal (KPI) såsom totala livscykelkostnader, primär förnybar energifraktion (PREF), årliga koldioxidutsläpp, primär energiintensitet (PEI) och nivåiserad energikostnad (LCOE). Avslutningsvis, föreslår de resultat som erhållits från simuleringarna den konkreta möjligheten till en energiövergång mot hållbara energisystem baserat på distribuerad produktion. I detalj utgör värmepumpar tillsammans med solceller ett mer hållbart och kostnadseffektivt alternativ till traditionell fossilbaserad uppvärmning. De mest avancerade elektrifieringsnivåerna som analyserats är konfigurerade som de mest lovande alternativen för alla byggnader, särskilt i prognosen för teknikminskningar och lägre elpriser. Flera hinder för deras användning finns dock för närvarande. Därefter undersöks en affärsmodellinnovation som är utformad för att låsa upp dessa hållbara energisystem.

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Abdulhamid, Ismat Ayman, and Ismat Ayman Abdulhamid. "Refugee Relief: The Development of Resilient Camps and Sustainable Communities: The Case of Al Zaatari Refugee Camp." Thesis, The University of Arizona, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/625268.

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The continuous turmoil in some regions of the Middle East, including Syria and Iraq, has resulted in the displacement of millions of people, a big portion of those displaced people end up seeking refuge in neighboring countries, where often refugee camps are set up by multiple contributors for humanitarian causes. The infill form of planning that comes with an emergency situation such as war, does not optimize the individual, social and energy efficiency aspects of refugee camps. Looking at the various refugee camps around the world gives an insight on how to/ or not to design in relation to climatic conditions. Lessons learned can also be deducted from looking at established camps and social programs. The goal is to design a grouping of Green shelters that allows for individual wellbeing and social interaction alongside the rest of the basic human needs.

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Plehanov, Aleksandr Vladimirovich. "On the possibility of a small nuclear reactor application for energy supply of isolated communities in Northern Canada." Thesis, University of British Columbia, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2429/54620.

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Isolated northern communities in Canada are currently satisfying their needs in energy using ineffective and environmentally unfriendly diesel generators. There has been long desire to find an alternative solution which would provide these settlements with electrical energy and heat inexpensively and with the least environmental impact. One possibility is to adopt a well-developed nuclear submarine reactor technology which has been used for the past 60 years. Most modern nuclear submarines use uranium-235 enriched up to 98% and allow operating the nuclear reactor without refueling for up to 25 years. The second option which offers many benefits, such as abundance and availability of cheaper fuel, greater anti-proliferation benefits as well as better safety, is the thorium option, a new approach, which has not been extensively researched and tested yet but which could offer attractive benefits once implemented. This thesis investigates a possibility of a small nuclear reactor application based on the research in the field of nuclear submarine technology for peaceful purposes and molten salt reactor experiment conducted by the Oak Ridge Lab, and compares uranium and thorium options with the currently used diesel generator technology. Fossil fuel scarcity and greenhouse effect of their use require finding alternative energy sources, and, nuclear technology provides such opportunity, especially, when highly enriched uranium is not available or difficult to obtain due to proliferation concerns. Thorium which is abundant, and is not currently in high demand or use, could be a great opportunity for the following reasons: (1) thorium is significantly cheaper and requires less processing than uranium; (2) thorium fuel could be used as a circulating liquid mixed with molten fluoride salts instead of using solid fuel elements which need special preparation; (3) the fluoride salts can be used as a reactor coolant due to their better chemical properties.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Electrical and Computer Engineering, Department of
Graduate

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McGowan, Andrew R. "Biofuel cropping system impacts on soil C, microbial communities and N₂O emissions." Diss., Kansas State University, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/2097/20510.

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Doctor of Philosophy
Agronomy
Charles W. Rice
Substitution of cellulosic biofuel in place of gasoline or diesel could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation. However, emissions of nitrous oxide (N₂O) and changes in soil organic carbon (SOC) could have a large impact on the GHG balance of cellulosic biofuel, thus there is a need to quantify these responses in cellulosic biofuel crops. The objectives of this study were to: (i) measure changes in yield, SOC and microbial communities in potential cellulosic biofuel cropping systems (ii) measure and characterize the temporal variation in N₂O emissions from these systems (iii) characterize the yield and N₂O response of switchgrass to N fertilizer and to estimate the costs of production. Sweet sorghum, photoperiod-sensitive sorghum, and miscanthus yielded the highest aboveground biomass (20-32 Mg ha⁻¹). The perennial grasses sequestered SOC over 4 yrs, while SOC stocks did not change in the annual crops. Root stocks were 4-8 times higher in the perennial crops, suggesting greater belowground C inputs. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) abundance and aggregate mean weight diameter were higher in the perennials. No consistent significant differences were found in N₂O emissions between crops, though miscanthus tended to have the lowest emissions. Most N₂O was emitted during large events of short duration (1-3 days) that occurred after high rainfall events with high soil NO₃₋. There was a weak relationship between IPCC Tier 1 N₂O estimates and measured emissions, and the IPCC method tended to underestimate emissions. The response of N₂O to N rate was nonlinear in 2 of 3 years. Fertilizer induced emission factor (EF) increased from 0.7% at 50 kg N ha⁻¹ to 2.6% at 150 kg N ha⁻¹. Switchgrass yields increased with N inputs up to 100-150 kg N ha⁻¹, but the critical N level for maximum yields decreased each year, suggesting N was being applied in excess at higher N rates. Yield-scaled costs of production were minimized at 100 kg N ha-1 ($70.91 Mg⁻¹). Together, these results show that crop selection and fertilizer management can have large impacts on the productivity and soil GHG emissions biofuel cropping systems.

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Turton, David John. "The changing social geography of energy impacted communities with particular reference to coal mining in Eastern England : an investigation into the social interaction of mining families in village communities across the Selby Coalfield." Thesis, Manchester Metropolitan University, 1999. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.285875.

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Macleod, Adrian K. A. "The role of marine renewable energy structures and biofouling communities in promoting self-sustaining populations of non-native species." Thesis, University of the Highlands and Islands, 2013. https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/portal/en/studentthesis/the-role-of-marine-renewable-energy-structures-and-biofouling-communities-in-promoting-selfsustaining-populations-of-nonnative-species(0c7f0d89-74e8-4468-83c9-4216e4f2b1a8).html.

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Novel environments and biological communities created by the large-scale deployment of Marine Renewable Energy Devices (MREDs) have the potential to promote the spread of non-native species (NNS). Knowledge of how community composition resident on MREDs is shaped by geography, local hydrodynamics and the duration of deployment, will clarify how these technologies will interact with natural habitats, including the provision of suitable habitat for NNS. A network of navigation buoys was used to study biofouling communities in areas proposed for MRED deployment. Significant differences in community structure were observed in different geographic areas. A significant reduction in number of taxa present and community wet-weight was observed where buoys were deployed in greater tidal flow rates. However, overall community composition was not significantly different between ‘high’ (>1 ms-1) and ‘low’ (<1 ms-1) flow areas and for buoys deployed for different time durations (1-7 years). These finding have important implications for the longevity of devices and their interaction with natural habitats, including proposed ‘artificial reef’ effects. In total five non-native species were identified on the buoys sampled, supporting the need to monitor MREDs as the industry grows. Hydrodynamic and biotic features of the epibenthic communities were used to predict the presence of the most prevalent NNS, the amphipod Caprella mutica, in addition to other native amphipod species. Caprella mutica presence was found to be significantly affected by increasing flow speed compared with the native amphipod Jassa herdmani. Behavioural flume studies investigating flow-related processes governing the presence of non-native amphipods supported these findings. This study details how the hydrodynamic and biological environments created by MREDs determine their suitability for the establishment of self-sustaining populations, and therefore their dispersal potential for NNS. These findings inform design criteria and management options to minimise the biosecurity risk that these structures will pose as the industry expands.

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Ihbal, Abdel-Baset M. I. "Investigation of Energy Demand Modeling and Management for Local Communities. Investigation of the electricity demand modeling and management including consumption behaviour, dynamic tariffs, and use of renewable energy." Thesis, University of Bradford, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/5678.

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Various forecasting tools, based on historical data, exist for planners of national networks that are very effective in planning national interventions to ensure energy security, and meet carbon obligations over the long term. However, at a local community level, where energy demand patterns may significantly differ from the national picture, planners would be unable to justify local and more appropriate intervention due to the lack of appropriate planning tools. In this research, a new methodology is presented that initially creates a virtual community of households in a small community based on a survey of a similar community, and then predicts the energy behaviour of each household, and hence of the community. It is based on a combination of the statistical data, and a questionnaire survey. The methodology therefore enables realistic predictions and can help local planners decide on measures such as embedding renewable energy and demand management. Using the methodology developed, a study has been carried out in order to understand the patterns of electricity consumption within UK households. The methodology developed in this study has been used to investigate the incentives currently available to consumers to see if it would be possible to shift some of the load from peak hours. Furthermore, the possibility of using renewable energy (RE) at community level is also studied and the results presented. Real time pricing information was identified as a barrier to understanding the effectiveness of various incentives and interventions. A new pricing criteria has therefore been developed to help developers and planners of local communities to understand the cost of intervention. Conclusions have been drawn from the work. Finally, suggestions for future work have been presented.
Libyan government

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46

Ihbal, Abdel-Baset Mostafa Imbarek. "Investigation of energy demand modeling and management for local communities : investigation of the electricity demand modeling and management including consumption behaviour, dynamic tariffs, and use of renewable energy." Thesis, University of Bradford, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10454/5678.

Full text

Abstract:

Various forecasting tools, based on historical data, exist for planners of national networks that are very effective in planning national interventions to ensure energy security, and meet carbon obligations over the long term. However, at a local community level, where energy demand patterns may significantly differ from the national picture, planners would be unable to justify local and more appropriate intervention due to the lack of appropriate planning tools. In this research, a new methodology is presented that initially creates a virtual community of households in a small community based on a survey of a similar community, and then predicts the energy behaviour of each household, and hence of the community. It is based on a combination of the statistical data, and a questionnaire survey. The methodology therefore enables realistic predictions and can help local planners decide on measures such as embedding renewable energy and demand management. Using the methodology developed, a study has been carried out in order to understand the patterns of electricity consumption within UK households. The methodology developed in this study has been used to investigate the incentives currently available to consumers to see if it would be possible to shift some of the load from peak hours. Furthermore, the possibility of using renewable energy (RE) at community level is also studied and the results presented. Real time pricing information was identified as a barrier to understanding the effectiveness of various incentives and interventions. A new pricing criteria has therefore been developed to help developers and planners of local communities to understand the cost of intervention. Conclusions have been drawn from the work. Finally, suggestions for future work have been presented.

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Barquero, Viviana, and Viviana Barquero. "Livelihood Assessment of Rural Delicias Chihuahua as Means for Developing a Community Energy Model." Diss., The University of Arizona, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10150/621141.

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The electricity sector around the world is significantly changing towards the adoption of cleaner energy sources and its implementation through distributed generation technologies. The need to expand rural electrification to reduce energy poverty and the trends in decentralizing power generation are becoming major drivers of change. In Mexico, there are very few comprehensive studies on energy use and its impact on rural livelihoods. Energy studies in the development literature tend to analyze livelihoods that do not have access to modern energy services, and do not take into account that many rural communities, although connected to the grid, still may be considered energy poor. This research presents findings of current livelihood conditions of three rural communities in the Mexican state of Chihuahua, in the context of livelihood diversification and energy poverty. This paper also presents a feasibility study for the development of a community energy model that will fulfill energy and vegetable intake requirements for each community analyzed. Results show that these communities can potentially improve their livelihood conditions through the implementation of what this research calls a Community Integrated Sustainable Energy (CISE) model by reducing energy poverty and food insecurity. By adopting a CISE model, communities will become healthier by becoming supporters of energy conservation and energy efficiency strategies. The adoption of this community energy model will also encourage climate change mitigation by increasing resilience to vulnerable communities through enhancing food and energy security. The aim of this research is to inform stakeholders (including policy makers, urban planners, and community members themselves) of the current status of Chihuahua's communities and to start a dialogue in Mexico about engaging in a community-led, clean energy project that would generate electricity for those communities while preserving rural livelihoods.

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Gorman, Mary Kathleen. "Social Consequence, Stakeholder Influence, and Resource Needs for Marcellus Shale Communities." ScholarWorks, 2014. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/103.

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The process of natural gas recovery by horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, is a major scientific advance in unconventional energy development. Attention has largely been focused on its economic advantages and potential negative environmental repercussions, while less consideration given to its social dimensions. The purpose of this study was to explore the social consequences of fracking for communities in the Appalachian Basin's Marcellus shale. Research questions focused on the role of stakeholders and the resource needs of localities in shaping public policy. This study was guided by the tenets of the Boomtown theory along with key issues in fracking research such as environmental impacts, water resources, public health and safety, economics, and ethical concerns. An embedded case study research design was employed, using a purposive sample of 8 economic and policy subject matter experts from the 3 most prolific drilling counties in Pennsylvania. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews and were analyzed using open and axial coding with cross-case comparison. Results suggested that positive economic social consequences of fracking involved sustainability in providing generational and employment stability. Negative consequences, such as traffic, damaged infrastructure, and housing shortages, were temporary and manageable. Logistical and demographic information were valuable resources for community leadership, and stakeholders favored autonomy in decision making. The implications for social change include informing policy makers how to prepare the local workforce to be adaptable, establish sufficient infrastructure to support change, and educate communities to leverage opportunity in advance of new industry.

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van, Geel Catherina Francisca (Nienke). "Predator movements in complex geography : spatial distribution and temporal occurrence of low-density bottlenose dolphin communities off western Scotland." Thesis, University of the Highlands and Islands, 2016. https://pure.uhi.ac.uk/portal/en/studentthesis/predator-movements-in-complex-geography(f898982a-6509-4e73-9340-b0ad7463ae6d).html.

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The coastal waters off western Scotland are inhabited by two small under-studied common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) communities: the Inner Hebrides and the Sound of Barra (SoB) community. The region is considered for future developments for the marine renewables industry, which have the potential to negatively impact these communities; however the assessment of impacts and the development of plans to minimise these are currently hampered by a lack of knowledge about the dolphin's distribution and residency patterns, and spatial and temporal mobility. Using a variety of research methods (dedicated cetacean surveys and targeted photo-ID trips, acoustic monitoring and the collection of opportunistic photo-ID and sightings data from the general public) the current study examined local dolphin spatial and temporal mobility patterns by investigation of their spatial distribution and temporal occurrence. Collectively, the results revealed the presence of two socially and geographically separated (at least 2006-2013) resident communities which both demonstrated year-round presence and long-term site-fidelity, but maintained different ranging patterns. Long-term presence of individuals from the Inner Hebrides community dated back to 2001 and dolphins from this community ranged widely in nearshore waters throughout the entire currently known communal range, and practically used the entire range throughout the year. The SoB community, on the other hand, appeared to have a more restricted distribution, and appeared female-dominated. Summer censuses of the SoB community revealed annual estimates of ≤15 dolphins, with four individuals first identified in 1995, and at least eight calves born since 2005. Acoustic presence of dolphins in the SoB varied through the year, and in relation to the tidal and diel cycles. This study demonstrated that the integration of complementary methodological approaches is useful in investigating mobility patterns of low-density populations, and given the indications for social and spatial isolation, these communities should be managed independently.

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Arthur, Jarred Bradley. "The influence of upstream forest on macroinvertebrate communities in pastoral landscapes." Thesis, University of Canterbury. School of Biological Sciences, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/10092/4925.

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The conversion of native forest to agricultural land has been an on-going issue threatening the health of New Zealand’s freshwater systems. However, despite the fact that this has been occurring since early European settlement, our understanding of the mechanistic relationships between riparian vegetation and stream condition are poorly developed. This research investigated: (i) how forests affect downstream benthic macroinvertebrate communities in pasture and the environmental factors driving community change; (ii) how upstream forest size impacted the rate of change in downstream environmental drivers and associated macroinvertebrate community structure; and (iii) whether the addition of coarse particulate organic matter (a single potential driver of forest community structure) can reset community structure to that of a forested state. Physico-chemical conditions, basal energy resources, and macroinvertebrates were surveyed in several New Zealand headwater streams. At Mount Egmont National Park, 10-12 sites were surveyed across a longitudinal forest-pasture gradient in each of five streams flowing from continuous forest to dairy farmland. My results showed that forests can have marked effects downstream. From the forest edge, water temperatures increased consistently, with a rise of approximately 0.2ºC per 100 m of downstream distance. By contrast, coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) decreased rapidly downstream of the forest, however, low levels of “forest-derived” CPOM were still present 300m downstream from the forest edge. These environmental changes drove significant shifts in macroinvertebrate community structure. Moreover, pasture communities were markedly different from those in forest, despite being only 100 m from the forest edge. In particular, total macroinvertebrate and EPT richness and densities decreased, and communities shifted from evenly distributed allochthonous-based communities to autochthonous-based communities, highly dominated by molluscs (e.g., Potamopyrgus spp.) Subsequent surveys of 6-8 sites across a longitudinal forest-pasture gradient in each of eleven streams flowing from forest fragments of different sizes into grazed pastures throughout the Canterbury region, indicated that stream temperature increased more rapidly downstream of small- and medium-sized fragments, than larger fragments. A Berger-Parker dominance index also indicated that macroinvertebrates responded principally to water temperature, with communities being more highly dominated by temperature-tolerant molluscs in streams flowing from small-sized forest fragments. Several headwater streams in Canterbury were also highly retentive, with marked CPOM rarely exported beyond 50 m downstream of the forest. Experimental additions of leaf litter to the pasture reaches of the same streams dramatically increased amounts of stored benthic CPOM. Although non-significant, trends indicated that EPT and shredder densities increased at litter addition sites, providing promise that CPOM can function as a mechanism directly enhancing healthy stream communities. My findings support the contention that when the replanting of entire stream reaches is infeasible, the use of riparian management strategies which focus on the planting of intermittent patches along stream banks can potentially improve stream habitat and community health downstream.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Energy communities'

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