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The pulp and paper industry accounts for approximately 5% of total industrial energy consumption and contributes 2% of direct carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from industries. World paper and paperboard demand and production are increasing significantly, leading to an increase in this sector's energy use and CO 2 emissions. Although current studies identify a wide range of energy-efficiency technologies that have already been commercialized for the pulp and paper industry, information is limited or scattered regarding new energy-efficiency technologies that are not yet fully commercialized. Development of emerging or advanced energy-efficiency technologies and their deployment in the market will be crucial for this industry's mid- and long-term energy saving and climate change mitigation strategies. This paper compiles available information on energy savings, environmental and other benefits, costs, and commercialization status for 25 emerging technologies to reduce the energy use and CO 2 emissions. The purpose is to provide a well-structured comprehensive review on these emerging energy-efficiency technologies for engineers, researchers, investors, policy makers, pulp and/or paper companies, and other interested parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An energy audit is a primary step toward improving energy efficiency at the facility level and ensuring a clean production. The pulp and paper sector is one of the most energy-intensive industries in Morocco. This article aimed at identifying energy conservation opportunities at a Small and Medium-sized paper industry. The audit results together with their financial viability are presented regarding the analysis of energy consumption and electrical quality issues. The paper introduces an action plan for a more efficient energy use of some specific applications such as furnaces and compressed-air installations as well. The recommended energy efficiency measures have the potential of saving about 347.85 MWh of electrical energy and 101.78 MWh of thermal energy corresponding to reductions of 11.48% and 2.22%, respectively. The total investments related to the application of the action plan is approximately 290.53 kMAD and the global payback period does not exceed one year. It was also shown that a total quantity of 283.39 t of CO 2 emissions can be saved annually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pumped storage technology plays a crucial role in achieving balance in power systems and enhancing the stability of energy systems. Scientific planning can help optimize the operation of power systems, promote the development of renewable energy, and conserve energy. This paper addresses the capacity planning problem of pumped storage stations in hybrid operation systems considering wind power uncertainty. A comprehensive decision-making method is proposed, based on the Delphi method, interval intuitionistic fuzzy theory, grey relational theory, entropy weight method, and prospect theory. This method comprehensively evaluates decision alternatives by considering various factors such as the uncertainty of qualitative indicators, the interrelationships between indicators, and the impacts of different risk environments. The test system in this paper is conducted on a hybrid wind-thermal-pump storage output model based on the IEEE 30-bus system. The optimal capacity planning scheme determined by the proposed method is 190 MW when decision-makers are risk-neutral or risk-averse, and 200 MW when they are risk-appetite. Subsequently, the case study verifies the impact of different load levels and proportions of wind power access on the optimal decision-making scheme, and compares it with decision-making method such as principal component analysis, technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution, and a combined method of Pythagorean fuzzy theory and cumulative prospect theory, validating feasibility and effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cities have emerged as critical and challenging places for promoting the green and low-carbon transformation of the economy and society in the context of the "dual carbon" targets. Meanwhile, fiscal policy is also an indispensable component of the public policy framework supporting the green and low-carbon transformation. This paper uses the pilot project of "Comprehensive Demonstration Cities for Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Fiscal Policies" ("ECER-CD" policy) implemented in China since 2011 as a quasi-natural experiment. This research theoretically analyzes and empirically tests the energy conservation and emission reduction effects of fiscal policies supporting green and low-carbon transformation utilizing methodologies such as time-varying DID and multiple periods and multiple groups of DID. The study finds that the pilot cities effectively reverse the behavioural bias of local governments and promote energy conservation and emission reduction efforts. This conclusion holds after undergoing robustness tests such as parallel trend analysis and heterogeneity treatment effects. The effectiveness of the pilot policy is attributed to the upgrade of industrial structure, improvement of energy efficiency, and the effects of green technology innovation. However, cities' geographic location and resource dependency can interfere with the effective implementation of policies. This paper also further explores the environmental dividends and economic consequences of the policy and finds that the pilot cities have certain environmental dividends and do not significantly restrain economic and social development. This study broadens the research perspective on fiscal policies in energy conservation and emission reduction and clarifies the pathways through which fiscal policies promoting green, low-carbon transformation drive energy conservation and emission reduction in cities. Moreover, it also improves the use of the Difference-in-Differences method in evaluating policy effects in scenarios such as the overlapping implementation of pilot policies and policy withdrawal. Finally, this paper proposes policy recommendations to provide more empirical evidence for China to accelerate the green and low-carbon transformation of the economy and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Water pumping systems are widely used in industrial and civil applications. During their operational life, they consume energy and materials (mainly for installation and replacement of components). The aim of this paper is to optimize the pump operations in order to save energy and enlarge the operational life of the pumps and their components. This paper addresses the multi-period (e.g. 24-hours time horizon) optimization of pumping systems. To this end, we have developed a simulation-based optimization approach including novel relevant technical features of a generic but realistic pumping system, namely cavitation and overflow. The proposed multi-period optimization differs further from the classic static optimization (i.e. at the design stage), proposing a new dynamic approach in which pump activation is steered dynamically for an optimal management of the variability of water inflow. Furthermore, the problem includes constraints on the number of pump activations allowed to reduce material strain. The performances of different meta-heuristic optimization algorithms (e.g. genetic algorithm, simulated annealing and particle swarm optimization) for solving the problem are compared. The numerical results show that energy savings are possible with the dynamic approach and that particle swarm optimization and simulated annealing algorithms provide the most suitable solutions for this problem. Highlights • Three algorithms are compared to minimize energy pump consumption. • The pump model includes energy, cavitation, overow and activation frequency. • Static and dynamic optimizations are investigated. • The dynamic optimization can reduce the energy consumption by 6.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The extensive use of energy-saving appliances can promote household energy conservation, which, to a certain extent, can help to alleviate haze pollution. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and Normative Activation Model, a research framework is developed in this paper to explore residents' intention to purchase energy-saving appliances under the influence of severe haze pollution. This paper takes the residents in Xuzhou as the object of survey. Then, the structural equation model and Bootstrap method are used to analyze the valid measurement questionnaires. The results demonstrate that residents had a very strong intention to purchase energy-saving appliances under the influence of haze pollution from the perspective of self-interest and altruism, respectively. Attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavior control and personal norm are the key factors influencing residents' purchasing intention of energy-saving appliances under frequent haze pollution, of which attitude is the most powerful influence. In addition, ascription of responsibility is a partial mediator between the relationship of awareness of consequences and personal norm, and together with awareness of consequences can positively influence personal norm. Finally, based on the empirical results, this paper proposes measures to guide consumers to buy energy-saving appliances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract As many manufacturing cities are currently experiencing serious environmental deterioration and energy crises, it is essential that they implement sustainable transitions by using cleaner production (CP) as a hopeful tool. We summarized the CP instruments applied in manufacturing cities and investigated their effect in urban sustainable transitions in this paper, by selecting Dongguan-a typical manufacturing hub in China-as a case. 264 related documents of policies, regulations, files, and notices promulgated by the Dongguan government during 2002–2017 were analyzed via content analysis to reveal the priority of major utilized tools for policy makers. We also summarized and analyzed the lifespan, dynamic trajectory, performance, function, and quantitative outcome of integrated CP instruments for sustainable transitions. It was found that CP instruments effectively decrease pollution generation, save energy, reduce resource consumption, and adjust and optimize industrial structure. It was also revealed that CP instruments embedded in sustainable transitions strategies was more effective and efficient at urban scale than that at larger scale. This paper provides a general reference for integrating CP instruments to push forward sustainable transitions in manufacturing cities, especially those cities without local legislative power in developing countries. Highlights • Content analysis were applied to analyze various cleaner production (CP) policies. • CP instruments effectively assists sustainable transition at urban scale. • Combining pollution prevention with energy conservation is effective strategies. • CP level and energy efficiency are useful indices for industrial structure optimization. • Continuity impacts the performance and outcome of CP policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The food industry is one of the world's largest contributors to carbon emissions, due to energy consumption throughout the food life cycle. This paper is focused on the residential consumption phase of the food life cycle assessment (LCA), i.e., energy consumption during home cooking. Specifically, while much effort has been placed on improving appliance energy efficiency, appliance models used in various applications, including the food LCA, are not updated regularly. This process is hindered by the fact that the cooking appliance models are either very cumbersome, requiring knowledge of parameters which are difficult to obtain or dependent on manufacturers' data which do not always reflect variable cooking behaviour of the general public. This paper proposes a methodology for generating accurate appliance models from energy consumption data, obtained by smart meters that are becoming widely available worldwide, without detailed knowledge of additional parameters such as food being prepared, mass of food, etc. Furthermore, the proposed models, due to the nature of smart meter data, are built incorporating actual usage patterns reflecting specific cooking practice. We validate our results from large, geographically spread energy datasets and demonstrate, as a case study, the impact of up-to-date models in the consumption phase of food LCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to global climate change and greenhouse gas emissions, China not only is under enormous pressure to reduce emissions from all over the world, but also confronts the problem of domestic energy shortage and ecological environment deterioration. Compared with other developed countries and regions, China has implemented an extensive development model over a long period, consuming large amounts of resources and sacrificing the environment. Therefore, how to reduce emissions and conserve energy is essential for the rapid development of China. To deal with this issue, this paper proposes the improved DEA models for measuring emission-reduction and energy-conservation (EREC) efficiency. Compared with other DEA models, the models in this paper consider not only the heterogeneity of energy management in varied regions, but also the technology gap between regions. In order to assess the level of technological development in different regions, this paper proposes a new technology gap ratio index (TGR). The proposed approach is applied for measuring the EREC efficiency of 211 Chinese cities. The results show that the overall EREC efficiency of Chinese cities is low, and the central area has the lowest EREC efficiency. There is significant technology gap between the regions; the technology level is the highest in the eastern region but the lowest in the northeastern region. We also reveal that managerial and technical factors are the two main sources for the loss of EREC efficiency in Chinese cities. The specific strategies of management and technology are suggested for all cities in different areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the policy of energy saving and emission reduction, technological innovation has become the key power-driver to improve energy utilization efficiency. By using the panel data of 21 industrial segments between 2000 and 2015, this paper investigates the driving effect of technological innovation on energy-utilization efficiency in strategic emerging industries and analyzes the critical factors influencing the driving effect of technological innovation by the stochastic frontier analysis method. The empirical result shows that technological innovation between 2000 and 2015 has had a significant positive driving effect on the energy utilization efficiency of strategic emerging industries and exhibits a development trend of year-by-year steady-state growth on the whole. The greater the value of the development expenditure of new green products and the investment in environmental pollution treatment, the greater the technological efficiency; the greater the value of the transformation expenditure of energy-saving technology, the greater the technological inefficiency. Finally, the paper proposes the countermeasures and suggestions for the driving effect of technological innovation on energy utilization efficiency in strategic emerging industries. An empirical study is made to analyze the driving effect of technological innovation on energy utilization efficiency, the positive and negative factors of technological innovation are forgotten. Strategic emerging industries can select optimal innovation behavior to improve quality and efficiency of energy utilization based on the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal mining activities have caused serious environmental problems; however, almost 30% of global primary energy demand is met using coal, making it difficult to replace in the near future. Under these circumstances, as it is not possible to completely cease coal mining activities, coal mines need to invest in cleaner production techniques to reduce environmental damage. To achieve pollution emissions and energy reductions, this paper proposes a dynamic multi-objective mixed 0–1 model based on ecological coal mining, in which environmental technological investment and production adjustments are integrated into a dynamic system to seek ecological and economic equilibrium, and emissions reductions and energy conservation are controlled using double dynamic transfer equations. Different from previous papers, this model considers the effect of production adjustments and energy conservation on the environment and the economy with the aim of achieving global optimization through integrated planning. To solve the proposed model, a hybrid algorithm with a standard and an antithetic method-based Particle Swarm Optimization (PSOs) is developed. A case study from Chaohua Colliery is presented to demonstrate the practicality and efficiency of the optimization model. The results and comparison analyses showed that as the dynamic adjustments strengthened the production and investment coordination for global optimization, integrated production and environmental investment planning provided coal mines with a superior method to solve conflicts between the ecology and the economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing requirement on energy saving, emission reduction and environmental protection in China, the straw-based power generation is developing rapidly, which can not only provide clean energy, but also address the serious environmental problems caused by farmers’ burning straw directly. Currently, the government is gradually applying Public-Private-Partnership model to this field making use of private sectors’ capital and technological advantages. To assess the risks in public-private partnership straw-based power generation projects in China, 44 risk factors were identified and 19 critical risks factors (CRFs) were selected and classified into 4 groups (CRGs) based on a questionnaire survey in this paper. Then, the likelihood of occurrence (LO), magnitude of impact (MI), the integrated risk level (IRL) of each CRF, CRG and the overall risk were calculated through the fuzzy synthetic evaluation method. The CRF “government invention” was the most critical risk factor and the CRG “project participant risk” was the most critical risk factor group. Overall, the final fuzzy synthesis result indicated that the IRL of the public-private partnership straw-based power generation projects in China was high. Finally, some recommendations were given for each CRF. The evaluation index system, the multi-criteria fuzzy synthetic evaluation framework, the obtained conclusions and the risk response measures in this paper can help policy makers and project decision makers make appropriate decisions and allocate the limited resources to the risks worthy more attention. Simultaneously, this paper can provide a reference for the private sector to avoid too risky project and at the same time facilitate the public sector to take effective measures reducing project risks so as to attract more high-quality private capital. In addition, the risk assessment in public-private partnership straw-based power generation projects has not been discussed and paid enough attention yet. Thus, this study expands the knowledge and contributes to the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to reduce the amount of energy being spent in the construction industry and to achieve the EU Climate and Energy Package goals by 2020, new ways of constructing houses is required. This research proposes construction of bio-based nearly zero energy or passive houses as one solution. Typical house construction methods in the Balkan region are analysed and compared to current Austrian house construction methods (in particular straw bale house built to passive house standards), since Austria is now one of the leading countries in Europe when it comes to offering smart and eco-friendly construction methods. This paper aims to enhance the understanding of the environmental performance of straw bale house in the Balkan region, develop the mainstream acceptance and use of straw as a construction material by proving that, such home is not only healthier for the environment, but also economically justifiable to construct than concrete/brick homes usually built in this region of the world. This is done via energy analysis in both BIM and Baubook software and construction cost calculation and comparison of two different house types virtually placed in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a representative country of Balkan region. Type 1 is bio-based house, while Type 2 is concrete house of similar geometry. During the analysis, it was discovered that Type 1 house is in compliance with passive house standards, while Type 2 isn't. Furthermore, energy use intensity according to BIM analysis for Type 1 is half of the value of the Type 2 house. Peak heating load for Type 2 house is much larger than for the Type 1 house. Global warming potential of Type 1 house is negative, which means that bio-based materials absorb CO 2 during its life. Global warming potential for Type 2 is 435.02 kgCO 2 /m 2 . In addition to this, it costs slightly less to construct Type 1 house than Type 2 house. Therefore, this paper proves that Type 1 – Bio-based house is cheaper to construct and more energy efficient than Type 2 – Concrete house that is typically being constructed in the Balkan region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The annual consumption of petroleum products in India was about 221 million metric tons in 2015. Of this, 84% was imported. The Indian industrial sector accounts for about 16%-20% of the total fuel consumption for thermal energy for different heating applications in the temperature range of 50°C--250 °C. Solar collectors can meet these temperature requirements and offer the possibility to mitigate the consumption of oil. This study highlights the fact that conversion efficiency from solar energy is much higher for process heating than for electricity generation and that process heating applications constitute a significant share of industrial energy consumption. In this paper, a methodology has been developed to estimate the potential for integration of solar collectors for process heating. The methodology employs process operating temperatures to select the type of solar collectors. The size of the solar field is estimated taking into account the thermal heat loads, working fluid and temperatures of these processes, the efficiency of the chosen solar collectors, location-based solar irradiance and capacity utilization of the solar collectors. The proposed methodology has been validated with a software tool called System Advisor Model (SAM). The techno-economic analysis will indicate the viability of solar systems for integration in industries. Therefore, the consociated parameters on economic (capital cost, fuel oil savings, monetary benefits), financial (Payback periods, Rates of Returns) and environmental (Carbon savings) are estimated. Further, the methodology has been applied to select Indian industries to verify its potential quantitatively. The industries selected include Textile, Pulp & Paper, Dairy, Leather and Automobile. Process-wise energy demands are considered while estimating the potential as the fuel requirement offset by solar energy in terms of absolute fuel oil savings, monetary benefits and carbon savings. The other economic and financial parameters mentioned above were estimated to verify the capability and present the market position of solar systems. Further, sensitivity analyses have been performed with respect to solar energy penetration and fuel oil prices to address the viability of integration of solar energy for process heating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates CO 2 emissions produced by two different container terminal operating models (tire transtainers and rail transtainers) at the port of Kaohsiung, and seeks to determine energy saving and CO 2 reduction strategies for shipping companies and terminal operators in order to comply with green port requirements. This paper's research methodology involves carbon footprint analysis and gray relational analysis. Carbon footprint analysis is employed to calculate the CO 2 emissions per container of two different container terminal operating models employing data for various areas (such as the berthing area, container yard, and gate area), where the raw data is collected from shipping companies or terminal operating companies at the port of Kaohsiung. Gray relational analysis is then used to determine the ranking order of different container terminal operating models based on the green port assessment criteria of working time efficiency, energy consumption, and CO 2 emissions. The chief findings of this paper are that the ranking order of container terminal types based on carbon footprint is tire transtainer ahead of rail transtainer; optimal green port assessment criteria constituted working time efficiency, energy cost, and CO 2 emissions; and use of container handling equipment with high operating efficiency can not only accomplish work rapidly, lessening the berthing time of ships in port, but also reduce energy costs and CO 2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments' energy-saving emission reduction policies and consumers' low-carbon preference have important implications for an enterprise's production operations. In this paper, we consider a low-carbon supply chain channel with one manufacturer and one retailer and show how to optimize the low-carbon supply chain management decision and improve the supply chain performance through contract design. This paper analyzes how the co-op advertising contract and the co-op advertising & emission reduction cost sharing contracts impact the low-carbon supply chain's optimal decision and coordination. We also explore how the optimal decision and coordination change when a retailer has fairness concerns. We have several findings. First, regardless of whether or not the retailer has fairness concerns, a co-op advertising contract cannot achieve channel coordination, but can enhance channel effectiveness; Second, when the retailer does not have fairness concerns, the co-op advertising and emission reduction cost sharing contracts can achieve channel coordination and achieve win–win situation under certain conditions; Third, the retailer's fairness concerns can change the co-op advertising and emission reduction cost sharing contracts' coordination in some cases. Our study contributes to the theoretical basis for the design of low-carbon supply chain cooperation contracts, especially in cases where the retailer has fairness concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy quota trading is critical to both energy conservation and the achievement of dual-carbon goals. However, little remains to be done on total factor productivity and economic potential for Chinese industry. The purpose of this paper is to counterfactually model and explore the effects of energy quota trading on total factor productivity and economic potential in industrial sector. We propose a command-controlled DEA model and an energy quota trading DEA model through non-parametric linear programming based on two policy strategies of energy consumption control. We then assess total factor productivity and its growth sources for 35 two-digit industrial sector in China, as well as examine economic potential and optimal path forecasts for carbon peaking. The results show that total factor productivity and economic potential for energy quota trading are higher than those for command-controlled energy policy. Energy-saving effect can be achieved for energy quota trading because the total energy input is lower. Additionally, the sources of productivity growth differ in timing. The average economic potential and total factor productivity of different industries differ due to the heterogeneity of the production conditions and scale of development of individual market players. Moreover, the catch-up emission reduction path with an increase of 8% in output and 4.76% in energy consumption is the optimal carbon peaking path under energy quota trading. Our findings shed valuable light on China's efforts to expand energy quota trading for high-quality development in the context of carbon peaking. • Propose a command-controlled DEA model and an energy quota trading DEA model. • Assess TFP and its growth sources for industrial sector in China. • Compare the impact of different energy policies on economic potential and TFP. • Estimate the energy saving and emission reduction potential of energy quota trading. • Examine the optimal energy-saving and emission-reduction path forecasts for carbon peaking.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous growth of energy consumption for metro systems has raised the public's concern. Meanwhile, both operators and passengers pursue for efficient metro services, especially during peak hours. This paper aims at designing a bi-objective optimization model and a new solution approach so that the energy conservation of metro trains and less passenger waiting time can be achieved. Firstly, considering complex routes, a multi-particle train operation model with the objectives of punctuality, parking accuracy, energy efficiency and safety provided is established for the minimization of traction energy consumption through investigating the optimal force coefficients and coast positions, while suitable dwell times and headway times of metro trains are found trough building a timetable model, which balances the regenerative energy, transfer and non-transfer passenger waiting time. Secondly, a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) and non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) based two-layer solution approach is introduced for model calculation. Finally, comparison shows that the proposed model can achieve the energy conservation of metro trains by 9.16% with passenger waiting time decreased by 15.88%. More experiments further demonstrate the superiority of the developed model and solution approach. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fundamental problem in the management of energy usage is the inability to clearly predict any possible energy saving opportunities. The cost of both under or overestimating potential returns on investment can be prohibitive to a decision maker. In recent years the simulation of energy usage using existing manufacturing simulation tools has increased in popularity among researchers, but it is decision makers who need to see the benefits of this discipline. This paper proposes an interactive manufacturing energy management toolkit which makes use of existing productivity simulation models for the prediction of energy usage. An interactive Microsoft ® Excel ® based toolkit is developed to control Lanner's WITNESS ® discrete-event simulation software using Microsoft ® Visual Basic ® for Applications. The toolkit has the ability to predict potential areas where energy saving opportunities can be made within a complex manufacturing line, and is accessible from management presentations and proposals. The interactivity of the toolkit provides an environment which facilitates efficient hypothesis testing. The paper includes an industrial case study where the approach was used to quantify theoretical savings from certain energy usage reduction scenarios within a complex automotive engine manufacturing line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Significant increases in industry energy efficiency are crucial for the transformation of the world's energy systems. Many production sites offer high energy savings capabilities, and if these are accompanied by short periods of economic amortization, companies should be willing to act. This case study provides a novel and extended energy assessment for plastics processing plants including primary energy, greenhouse gas emissions, and energy costs. The research distinguishes between the standard form of separate individual energy assessments and provides a more innovative holistic approach taking all relevant energy flows within the production system into account. Dynamic simulation offers a quick and effective way to predict the results of the possible energy saving measures highlighted in this analysis. The paper presents validated energy consumption simulations based on realistic processing conditions for two injection molding factories in different climatic zones. The results show that combining a number of separate energy saving measures can reduce the primary energy demand by around 26% for a German plant under temperate climate conditions and 20% for a Western Australian plant under Mediterranean conditions. However, when the separate energy saving measures are holistically combined the reduction in energy use significantly increases to 41% and 43% respectively. This holistic energy strategy involves incorporating better cogeneration and waste heat recovery options. For small and medium sized companies in particular major energy infrastructure investments may often be considered too expensive without examining the extended benefits from a holistic energy assessment perspective. In contrast, a holistic framework, like the one suggested in this paper could provide a number of new options for increasing energy efficiency that individually might normally not be accepted under conventional economic rate of return analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changing people's behaviour in relation to energy consumption will be one of the most important challenges in the near future. We analyzed the determinants behind individuals' decisions to adopt curtailment behaviour or to purchase energy saving products. Using data from 213 university students, we explored the influence of personal capabilities and moral norms, along with trust in information on energy saving actions provided by different entities on two energy saving behaviours. The results of the statistical model emphasise how personal norms and trust in information provided by private companies, on the one hand, and family and friends, on the other, strongly influence the adoption of energy saving actions and curtailment behaviours. The paper reveals the pivotal role of private companies in developing the market demand for energy-saving products by providing credible and scientifically-based information on environmental performance. The paper also contributes to strengthening the reliability of value-belief-norm theory and emphasizes the role of trust in information as a contextual factor that influences the adoption of a pro-environmental behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legislation targeting business carbon emissions typically excludes the significant portion of the economy comprised of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). As an alternative many governments have developed voluntary programs to assist SMEs to reduce emissions and increase their energy efficiency. To maximise benefits associated with such programs, this paper seeks to provide insights into key factors contributing to the design of successful voluntary energy efficiency programs for SMEs. This is achieved by comprehensively analysing the factors that impacted the uptake of energy savings measures by 202 SMEs which participated in the ClimateSmart Business Cluster Program (commencing in 2009). Expanding on previous research that has mostly focus on identifying inhibiting factors (barriers) to the uptake of energy savings measures, this paper offers a comprehensive assessment of barriers and motivating factors (motivators). A unique finding of this research is that SMEs experienced many different barriers and motivators while participating in the program, inferring great complexity to achieving the critical aim of reducing carbon emissions. Based on these findings, this paper argues that voluntary government energy efficiency programs should be flexibly designed and implemented to accommodate the many and various barriers. Motivating factors should be emphasised and barriers identified upfront so that the program can be tailored to the often idiosyncratic needs of SMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dry ice blasting is a highly efficient and environmentally-friendly method for cleaning of contaminated surfaces. The method is widely used in many industries, such as automotive, machinery and food industry. Dry ice blasting is a technology that requires large amounts of compressed air which is among the most expensive forms of energy currently employed in industries. Compressed air (air of high pressure and volume) accelerates particles of dry ice during the blasting. Our paper presents a comprehensive overview of saving measures which can greatly help decrease energy intensity of the blasting. Technology of dry ice blasting comprises four key elements: a compressor (generator of compressed air), a blasting machine, transport of pellets, and a blasting nozzle. Our team successively analysed these four key aspects of the technology and designed relevant savings measures, which results in identification of minimum, theoretically attainable energy consumption. Experiments and operational tests proved that application of all available savings measures may decrease energy consumption by 87% compared to current industry standards. It is possible to evaluate current technologies for dry ice blasting in terms of performance of the blasting machine and its functional properties. So far, there has been no method for evaluation of energy parameters of the technology. This paper presents a novel quantity which helps quantify and evaluate energy consumption of dry ice blasting. Main benefit of the quantity called “specific energy consumption of dry ice blasting” is the fact that it allows to compare energy consumptions of various blasting systems. For the purposes of this paper, the novel quantity is especially used to quantify the impact of recommended savings measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When new energy efficient products are struggling with their commercialisation and diffusion into widespread applications you would typically expect policy-makers and green lead-users to guide the way. This paper examines the case of the hot water circulator pump industry in Europe, where parts of the industry envisioned and worked for a voluntary energy label, bringing technological innovation, new business and energy savings of approx. 85% for each new circulator pump. The case study explores the complexities of innovation processes where technology, market, actors and policy co-evolve over time to transform an existing socio-technical regime. The paper highlights the importance of policies to reduce barriers towards innovation and energy efficiency and shows that it is not always policy-makers that establish the crucial policies that change the innovation dynamics for the benefit of the environment and the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has adopted cancellation of export tax rebate policies on many occasions to push ahead energy conservation and emission reduction since 2007. By applying a CEEPA (China Energy & Environmental Policy Analysis system) model, this paper simulates the impacts of the cancellation of export rebates on CO 2 emissions and socio-economic consequences in different scenarios so as to figure out whether it works. This paper covers three export rebate scenarios and makes comparisons between the impacts of export rebates on emission reduction effects and that of carbon tax policies. The conclusions are: 1) the current policy which cancels export rebates for key sectors can cut emissions at huge economic cost, yet it is unsustainable; 2) the policy which cancels export rebates for key sectors and meanwhile subsidizes sectoral outputs yields double dividends in the short term, thus can facilitate emission reduction yet the boost is limited; 3) the policy which cancels export rebates and boosts domestic demand helps improving residents' welfare in the short term while it may inflict pronounced social and economic impacts in the long run. So policy of this kind should be adopted with great caution; 4) export rebates generate far more economic costs than carbon tax policies in the long term, and don't contribute to optimizing the energy mix as well as the latter. In summary, canceling export rebates should not be regarded as a priority to encourage emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy management systems are considered as appropriate instruments to identify and realize energy efficiency potentials in industrial plants. Studies point out a largely untapped potential for energy efficiency in industry through the adoption of systematic energy management. We suggest introducing qualitative and quantitative modelling tools into energy management to facilitate a focused process to set priorities and identify effective measures. This paper describes the case of voestalpine Austria Draht GmbH, an Austrian wire rolling mill. voestalpine Austria Draht GmbH at present is implementing a knowledge based energy management system. Within the work described in this paper, first an overview of energy flows using Sankey diagrams was elaborated. Then a qualitative systems analysis was developed for the plant and a gap analysis done for priority areas. Subsequently physical input–output models for several energy intensive units were prepared. The paper describes the models for the cooling water system and product cooling. This study revealed a significant potential to save electricity by optimizing the control of cooling water pumps along the milling train and to recover heat from the final products. 2 GWh of electricity can be saved annually. The biggest single energy loss in the mill is the heat from air cooling the products on hook conveyors. These heat flows contain about 30–50 % of the energy input for heating up the billets. Following a theoretical analysis of the potential, a demonstration plant was developed and pilot tests were run to characterize the realistic potential of heat recovery on the hook conveyor. Based on the test results, feasibility studies for large scale plants were carried out. As a result, 0.8 GWh of heat can be recovered annually. The method was found useful because it helped to structure the existing information with a reasonable effort mostly by the operators themselves in their work and to build a conceptual model of energy flows and energy efficiency of the total plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The contribution of the European food sector to the total amount of greenhouse gases emissions is equal to 15%. The main environmental impact is due to the cultivation phase while the transformation has limited consequences. The sustainability of the food sector can be traced using an important indicator: Product Carbon Footprint. In this framework this paper presents the case of a traditional product: truffle sauce, which is a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and truffle. Its carbon footprint has been calculated based on ISO 14067, through the use of specific Product Category Rules, able to describe theoretical pre-requisites and practical rules to be followed during the analysis in order to make results comparable with other studies. Different allocation techniques have been analyzed: system expansion has been compared with allocation based on mass and economical value. It was shown that 3% variation in the mass yield of olive oil implies 2% variation in the final carbon footprint. Different harvesting techniques were considered and their energy consumption was measured on site. Final carbon footprint for truffle sauce, assuming allocation based on system expansion, is equal to 1.93 kg CO 2 eq/kg. Truffle sauce has a lower impact compared to other similar commodities (extra virgin olive oil for example). The final result of the Product Carbon Footprint is not the only scientific value added by this paper, because Product Category Rules can be used by other researchers to calculate emissions released during truffle sauce or olive oil life cycle in other particular environments. Knowing the value of these emissions, reduction measures can be designed. The limits of this study are represented by the fact that these values are deeply influenced by seasonal variability, so this aspect should be evaluated by further studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing studies pay little attention to when or under which conditions foreign direct investment (FDI) can spill energy-saving technologies. From a perspective of energy-biased technical change and using a two-layer nested constant elasticity of substitution (CES) production function, this paper investigates the energy-saving spillover effect of FDI on technical change (i.e., energy-saving spillovers) in China between 2002 and 2015. In particular, we consider the conditions of marketization, industry, technology, and labor mobility to examine whether and when FDI has energy-saving spillovers. The results indicate no income inequality effect, i.e., there is no evidence supporting that FDI flowing into low- and middle-income regions increases energy consumption, while FDI flowing into high-income regions conserves energy. However, there is a condition effect: FDI can improve (support the halo effect) or deteriorate (contradict the halo effect) the environmental performance under different conditions. Moreover, there is a threshold effect: the direction of FDI spillovers varies with the different levels of the threshold variables. An increasing marketization motivates enterprises to select energy-biased technologies. It is more likely to generate energy-saving spillovers in the regions with a lower specialized agglomeration level. FDI will have energy-biased spillovers when domestic technological level is relatively high with an evident energy-biased technology. In addition, a moderate labor mobility is beneficial to the energy-saving spillovers of FDI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydraulic press machines (HPMs) are often preferred in metal processing for their high power-to-mass ratio, stiffness, and load capacity. Unfortunately, they are also known for their high energy consumption and low energy efficiency. The mismatch between installed and demanded power is the primary cause of low energy efficiency among HPMs. This paper proposes an energy-saving hydraulic drive system based on the flywheel energy storage system (FESS) to reduce the installed power and improve the energy efficiency. The FESS is used to store redundant energy when the demanded power is less than the installed power. During pressing with slow falling, the stored energy is recycled in combination with an AC motor to work against the heavy load. Furthermore, unlike traditional FESS's, the variable frequency drive (VFD) and specific control algorithm are adopted to improve the energy storage capacity of the FESS, as well as the operation and lifetime of the hydraulic drive system. The proposed method presents the first integration of both VFD and FESS into a hydraulic drive system. Using this method, the low energy efficiency caused by high installed power can be significantly improved, and the negative effects caused by mismatches between the installed and demanded power can be largely mitigated. Finally, a test platform is set up to verify the effectiveness of the proposed hydraulic drive system. The results show that the installed power and energy consumption are reduced by approximately 30% and 40%, respectively, based on the working characteristics of a traditional drive system. • An energy-saving hydraulic drive system based on the flywheel energy storage system and variable frequency control is developed. • The installed power and average energy consumption of the traditional hydraulic press machines can be reduced by 30% and 40%, respectively. • The proposed hydraulic drive system has the same working characteristics and processing properties as the traditional drive system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improvements in energy-saving and low-carbon technologies in the economic system are foundations of sustainable economic development. Therefore, measuring the bias of technical change from the perspective of energy-saving and low-carbon is a prerequisite for clarifying whether economic growth is manifested as low-carbon and sustainable. In this paper, the production function from the perspective of energy-saving and low-carbon in China is constructed, and ridge regression is used to estimate it to measure energy and carbon bias in China's technical change. The results indicate that technical change is biased towards energy use and carbon emissions relative to capital and labor, but this bias is weakening. In general, China's economic system has always biased towards carbon emissions, and its carbon-biased technical change has the largest share in directed technical change. However, it is gradually shrinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the top carbon emitter in the world, a key step taken by China to encourage energy conservation, pollution reduction, and environmentally friendly development is the low-carbon city pilot (LCCP) policy, which has made important contributions to reducing global emissions. The LCCP policy aims to conserve energy and reduce emissions, inexorably influence many facets of the economic system because it is a well-rounded environmental management strategy. So, has this policy impacted the entrepreneurial activity of the region while achieving green development? Using panel data from China's 279 cities from 2002 to 2019, this article employs the difference-in-differences (DID) model to assess the influence of the LCCP policy on urban entrepreneurial activity. Through the results, the LCCP policy generally inhibits entrepreneurial activity. But the level of green innovation can alleviate this inhibitory effect. Based on the heterogeneity analysis, the LCCP policy exerts a more pronounced inhibitory effect on entrepreneurial activity in central and western regions, resource-based cities, and non-central cities. Further, the LCCP policy inhibits entrepreneurial activity in high-carbon industries while encouraging entrepreneurial activity in emerging industries, resulting in industrial structure change and upgrading. This paper supplies new empirical evidence for the effects of the LCCP policy on entrepreneurial activity and industrial structure change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing energy demand in manufacture is an urgent challenge. This challenge is driven by higher consumer demand for manufactured products, increasing electricity and energy prices, volatility and uncertainty in energy supply and national policy. These factors, together with a need to reduce energy consumption derived carbon dioxide emissions, strategically call for energy efficient manufacturing. In manufacturing processes, especially mechanical machining, more than 90% of environmental impact arises from direct electrical energy demand in machine tools. At the machine tool level, the biggest share of the electrical energy associated with mechanical machining is required to bring the machine to a ready state and support non-cutting operations such as spindle torque requirements, auxiliary units and movements. These activities are controlled and related to machine commands such as NC codes. In this paper comprehensive information on energy intensity in machining process, including the influence of tool wear, was studied. Key energy states were identified to build up an energy demand for machining components. The paper defines the essential power constants for a database that can assist energy prediction for any available machines and workpiece materials. The assessment of alternative toolpaths identified major opportunities for energy demand reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A key factor deciding the capacity to increase the sustainability of final products is the energy efficiency. The energy embodied in a product is an aggregation of all of the energy embodied in the products' components and subsystems, expended through its manufacturing processes and logistical activities. Currently, accurate estimation of this energy metric is hindered due to the unavailability of energy use data traceable to individual processes and equipment associated with the product's assembly. In this paper, we propose using minimally-required energy to compute energy efficiency of a product assembly process. Based on the proposed approach, efficiency metrics established on the process, product, material and equipment characteristics have been presented at the assembly activity and equipment level. A case study has been presented for a hybrid laser welding process to demonstrate the computational methods used to arrive at these efficiency metrics. Major contributions of this paper are the metrics development and exemplifying the metrics through an actual assembly process (hybrid laser welding) case study. We will explain how these metrics can provide industries with a capability to identify opportunities to improve their sustainability performance across their assembly processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Research on energy-saving retrofits of the existing industrial systems can effectively improve the systems' energy-saving level and increase company revenue. The energy-saving bottleneck diagnosis for systems is the foundation of the energy-saving retrofit design. The diagnosis also aims to yield a more targeted energy-saving retrofit, thus ensuring the energy-saving effect and investment income of the transformation project. Therefore, this paper proposes a new method to diagnose the energy-saving bottleneck of the existing industrial systems. First, the energy-saving bottleneck diagnosis is decomposed into two parts: the diagnosis of energy-saving bottleneck units and the diagnosis of energy-saving bottleneck factors. Then, the energy density decomposition method is improved and a multi-mode energy efficiency density decomposition method is proposed. Next, an energy-saving bottleneck diagnosis method for industrial systems based on multi-mode energy efficiency density decomposition and an orthogonal test method is proposed. The proposed method can analyze the energy-saving potential of existing systems, accurately locate energy-saving bottlenecks, and avoid the dependence on a large amount of expert experience or complete production data in the existing methods. Finally, the proposed method is applied to an actual circulating cooling water system and the system energy-saving bottleneck diagnosis is realized, thus verifying the practicability of the method. • Energy-saving bottlenecks in industrial systems are analyzed and decomposed. • A method for energy-saving bottleneck diagnosis from two directions is proposed. • An improved energy efficiency density decomposition method is proposed. • The diagnosis of energy-saving bottlenecks in industrial systems is achieved. • The verification is performed for an industrial circulating cooling water system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of government incentive measures on the energy-saving behavior of residents and the impact path. Previous literature has discussed the influencing factors of residents' energy-saving behavior but rarely considered the intrinsic relationship and interaction among those factors. Thus, this paper studies the effect of government incentive measures and the moderating effect of psychological factors on the energy-saving behavior of residents. Random questionnaires are used to obtain responses, followed by test analysis. Results show that the energy-saving attitude and environmental responsibility (ER) of residents have a significant positive impact on energy-saving behavior, whereas consumer values (CV) have none. This result differs from the findings of previous studies. The government subsidy policy has a vital role in promoting energy-saving behavior and a significant positive moderating effect on attitude and energy-saving behavior. However, it has a significant negative moderating effect on ER and energy-saving behavior. These interesting findings fill in some gaps in the literature and can provide good recommendations for governments to formulate and implement energy conservation and environmental protection policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the path to industrialization, the energy and environmental problems caused by the rapid growth of the manufacturing industry have attracted widespread attention. At the top scale of technological innovation, high-tech manufacturing is considered to have achieved a balance between the "Made in China 2025" strategy and energy conservation. Therefore, in this paper, we explore inter-factor substitution and the influence of different sources of technological progress on China's high-tech industries using an estimation model that incorporates a translog cost function and the 'panel seemingly unrelated regression' method. Changes in energy intensity are further decomposed into different causes including budget, output, factor substitution, and technological progress at various points throughout the period under study. The empirical findings show Morishima substitutions among three different input factors. The substitution elasticity between labor and energy is the highest, and further most sources of technological progress are biased toward saving energy. Technological progress and budget are the critical driving forces throughout the period. However, the effect of factor substitution has gradually increased in recent years. From a regional perspective, energy intensity in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region shows the most apparent decline, while the smallest decline occurs in China's western region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

District heating is an effective way to increase the share of renewables in the thermal energy sector. The district heating network (DHN) of the municipality of Ferrara in northern Italy uses a geothermal reservoir at a depth of 1 km supplying hot water at 100 °C. Besides geothermal energy, the overall annual thermal demand of 170 GWh is covered by a combined heat and power (CHP) plant fed by municipal solid waste (MSW), and by auxiliary natural gas boilers. A short-term thermal energy storage having a useful capacity of 45 MWh decouples the heat production plants from the distribution network. An advanced monitoring and control system has been recently implemented to supply a high-level service to the customers connected to the network, searching for the maximum electricity saving by reducing the supply pressure of the pumping station, and targeting the maximum natural gas saving by a proper production programming of the heat supply plants. The paper describes the main design and operational features of the district heating system, and shows how the improved operation was successful in reducing the electricity and natural gas consumption. The new pressure management consists in monitoring the differential pressure in many substations, especially those located at the periphery of the network, and adjusting the water supply pressure in order to fulfil the minimum differential pressure at the most critical substation. The modified production scheduling consists in keeping using the geothermal energy and waste-to-energy plants in periods of low thermal demand and low electricity prices to daily charge the storage system. Experimental data measured in the first months of improved operation show a high saving potential of electric power for pumping equal to 400 MWh/year, which represents a saving of 30% compared to the previous "manual" optimization of the hydraulic performance. Moreover, the enhanced storage operation enables a saving of 7000 MWh/year of energy from natural gas, which finally contributes for only 11% to the annual heat demand. The calculated payback time of only a few years shows the high cost saving potential of these energy conservation measures in such systems. Image 1 • An existing geothermal and waste-to-energy district heating system is analyzed. • The study shows the results of the energy conservation strategies implemented. • The optimization concerns both the heat generation and heat distribution sides. • The proper management of the thermal storage enables a saving of natural gas. • The reduction of the differential pressure enables a reduction of pump electricity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many years, China has invested effort into achieving resource conservation and environmentally friendly economic development. The measures implemented include promoting technological innovation, market-oriented reform and industrial structure adjustment. But there are open questions: What have the effects of these measures been? Have they helped China achieve win-win development in terms of its resources, environment, and economy? This paper aims to answer these questions by using a newly proposed global three-hierarchy meta-frontier Luenberger index that can quantify the effects of promoting technological innovation, industrial restructuring, etc., on economic growth, energy conservation and emissions reduction. The results show that (1) during 2001–2016, China's energy efficiency, economic efficiency, and emissions efficiency improved, indicating that China's efforts have brought about the win-win development of resources, the environment, and the economy; (2) the implemented measures have heterogeneous effects on economic growth, energy conservation, and emissions reduction. The implemented measures are generally beneficial to energy conservation and emissions reduction but potentially harmful to the economy; (3) the effects of these measures on economic growth, energy conservation and emissions reduction across China's regions and provinces are also quite different, indicating that local provincial governments should have a clear understanding of their own characteristics before implementing the relevant policies and measures. • A global three-hierarchy meta-frontier Luenberger index was proposed for the study. • It can quantify the effects of China's efforts on economy, energy, and emissions. • Results show that China's efforts have brought about a win-win development. • There are the heterogeneities of China's pathways to economic growth, energy conservations and emissions reductions. • The future strategies for China's win-win development should take the heterogeneities into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Affecting millions of Europeans, energy poverty is increasingly high on the political agenda. This paper compares space and water heating demand at household level in Germany and in the United Kingdom (UK) between 1991 and 2015. The elasticities of consumption of space and water heating with respect to price, income and heating degree days (HDD) are examined using non-parametric models. Domestic heating consumption is highly elastic with HDD in both countries and HDD elasticities are found to be higher in the UK. From a certain income threshold, heating demand decreases as income increases in German households whereas demand rises with higher incomes in the UK. High price elasticities indicate that UK households are very responsive to energy conservation measures, therefore implying that a pricing policy will effectively reduce heating consumption. However, in Germany, the impact of pricing policies is unclear. Thus, the most effective policy measure to decrease domestic heating consumption in Germany in the long-run should be one which targets improvements of building envelope performance levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human capital development, attractions of sustainable living standards and renewed concerns for the planet have redirected city planners to a new frontier: the creation of sustainable cities. This is evident in some initiatives taken to create cities with low to zero carbon emissions, build sustainable structures and create higher institutions of learning where sustainability practices are entrenched in their curricula. Examples of the forerunners of sustainable cities are abound; from the Middle East (Education City in Qatar and Masdar City in Abu Dhabi) to Far East (Dongtan Institute in China and New Songdo City in South Korea), new cities imbued with sustainability practices are springing forth. There are 400 big cities and 23 mega cities presently occupying the world urban spaces, with estimates of about one and 10 million inhabitants, respectively. Ironically cities occupy about 2% of the earth surface, they however consume 60–80% of global energy. The global urban population rose from 220 million to about 2.8 billion in the 20th century, and it is projected that by 2050, this will increase to 6.9 billion, which is about 70% of the world population. Therefore, sustainability campaigns, when directed at cities, would have intended impacts due to a number of factors associated with cities: large population, hub of intellectual and social integration, high consumption, etc. In creating modern sustainable cities however, the attention of cities' planners and policymakers alike should be on those goals that come under the banner of sustainability, especially when designing new or retrofitting existing human settlements (the cities); such as human capital development, energy conservation and energy efficiency, water security, efficient use of earth-abundant resources, transportation, building standards, social and economic equity, and food wastes management. Although there are few review articles in the literature that separately deal with individual sustainability fundamentals, there is a dearth of publication consolidating key sustainability principles required for modern cities. This paper reviewed each element needed to make a functional sustainable city. We adopted a simple approach; we explained each sustainability principle, highlighted its core values and gave reasons why it is an important candidate to be considered in making a working city. We critiqued the current sustainable cities by stating reasons for their strengths and explanations for their deficiencies. We engaged the future sustainable cities' planners to learn from the failures of some of the earlier hurriedly executed sustainable cities in order to have the most important elements of sustainability present in their future project execution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract A major fraction of building materials is transformed into waste at the end of a building's life cycle. For sustainability reasons, it is of importance to maintain or recycle urban stocks, and in consequence to minimise the use of primary resources, wherefore a Material Passport (MP) represents an important support-tool. A MP acts as a design optimisation tool, as well as an inventory of all materials embedded in a building and displays the recycling potential and environmental impact of buildings. In this paper, the proof of concept for a MP is demonstrated on a use case, which is a residential building, whereby a variant in timber and a variant in concrete construction are evaluated. Results show that the recycling potential of the concrete variant is better; however, concrete leads to more waste, due to its significantly higher mass in comparison with timber. The comparison of the environmental impact of the variants shows, that the variant in timber has a significantly lower impact to the environment, than the variant in concrete. Results also show that the MP-methodology has large potentials for improving the recyclability of new buildings as well as for making assumptions for upcoming materials through displaying embedded materials of existing buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The paper devised a unified basis for energy recovery processes in municipal treatment plants based on sludge footprints. Emphasis was placed upon innovative energy recovery technologies to test whether energy neutrality could be sustained or even, net useful energy could be produced. In this context, it evaluated first the energy potential of municipal wastewater treatment plant based on sludge footprints: it adopted a unified perspective where energy recovery was considered as an integral part of energy conservation in sludge. Sludge footprints of different activated sludge configurations were first analyzed based on latest concepts of process stoichiometry and modeling. The performance indicators of process modifications were analyzed and interpreted for energy conservation for a wide range of sludge age between of 0.5–50 d. An influent COD level of 500 mg/L was adopted, also defining all significant COD fractions compatible with related characterization studies. The role of primary sedimentation was accounted for where applicable. Calculations showed that 1259 kcal/m3 (75%) to 379 kcal/m3 (23%) of COD energy could be preserved in sludge as the sludge age was increased between the range of 0.5–50 d. Conventional activated sludge (CAS) conserved around 35–40% energy, corresponding to 600–650 kcal/m3. Primary sedimentation boosted the overall energy conservation to 901–990 kcal/m3, corresponding to 54–59% of the available energy in sewage COD. As expected, energy recovery by means of anaerobic digestion (biogas), remained far below the energy consumption in the treatment plant. This study envisaged syngas production by means of high temperature pyrolysis as a novel alternative instead of sludge digestion. Pyrolysis revealed a potential to yield a net useful energy (positive net energy) of 0.08–0.49 kWh/m3 for systems operated at sludge ages of 2–10 d without primary sedimentation; much higher net useful energies of 0.33–0.59 kWh/m3 could be obtained in systems with primary sedimentation operated at sludge ages 2–14 d. The study provided conclusive evidence that the real problem in establishing energy neutrality in treatment systems was the low energy recovery of the conventional sludge digestion and not the level of energy conservation in the activated sludge process; therefore, the step forward should look for more effective energy recovery processes such as high temperature pyrolysis (syngas generation) or similar novel technologies. Highlights • Sludge footprints significantly vary with operating conditions of treatment scheme. • Selected scheme of treatment limits the energy conservation. • Optimum energy conservation requires primary settling. • Energy recovery in the anaerobic digestion step is partial and quite low. • High temperature pyrolysis replacing sludge digestion would yield net useful energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper is a multi-case study of three oil and gas projects in Brazil that investigates the tacit knowledge on how to best manage energy use during the construction phase. Twenty-two in-depth interviews form the primary evidence of the case studies. The methodology incorporates network analysis of concepts that influence energy use to formalize the case studies and collect additional knowledge. The framework comprises thirteen construction activities and twenty-one systems and factors related to design, resources and site characteristics, specific to the construction domain. This set of concepts can influence the energy consumption during the construction phase. Although these concepts are present in nearly every project, their dynamics and their inter-relations with project-specific systems change, depending on the context of the project. The proposed method, which employs network analysis, help identify their interrelationships and relative importance of these concepts. In addition to the opportunities and lessons learned that can guide future energy assessments and improve energy use in construction projects, the results show how promising network analytics is to obtain knowledge usually difficult to perceive in traditional knowledge processes. Besides, this work highlights the importance of supporting collaboration between project team members to study and decide on the plans to manage/reduce energy consumption during the construction phase in oil and gas facilities. While the energy savings are smaller than the upstream and operation phases, it has received much less attention. It is also a phase with much more subjective and contextualized knowledge – making the use of case-based analyses more suitable. Highlights • Supports collaboration in studying and planning energy use during the construction phase of O&G projects. • Three case studies are conducted supported by in-depth interviews. • Network analysis is used to represent construction activities, factors and systems. • The approach represents a meaningful way to formalize the knowledge in the cases. • Can help formalize the knowledge contained in a text case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The roles played by constraint energy-saving and emission-reduction targets in the coordinated development of energy conservation, emission reduction, and economic growth are of great significance for China's sustainable progress. Applying a non-radial and non-oriented data envelopment analysis model incorporating innovation output and multiple undesirable outputs, this paper measures the green production performance (GPP) of China's industrial sectors from 2002 to 2015. Then, the effects of implementing an energy-saving target and an emission-reduction target on GPP are investigated through a Quasi-difference-in-differences method. The study shows that China's industrial GPP rose during 2002–2004 and then declined with fluctuations. GPP varies among industrial sectors, and the growth of desirable outputs dominates GPP. The energy-saving target positively affects industrial GPP in general, yet further dynamic analysis reveals that this positive effect is unstable and finally manifests a reverse impact in each five-year-plan period. The emission-reduction target adversely affects industrial GPP in general, while further dynamic analysis demonstrates that such a negative impact gradually expands over time. Therefore, the Chinese government should properly introduce market mechanisms, formulate comprehensive policy mix strategies, and increase the stability of industrial enterprises' green development to balance sustainable improvement of the industrial economy and the ecological environment. Highlights • GPP is measured by a DEA model comprising innovation and multiple undesirable outputs. • Effects of an energy-saving target and an emission-reduction target on GPP are compared. • The energy-saving target advances industrial GPP and yet undermines it gradually. • The emission-reduction target tends to depress industrial GPP over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Achieving "green" use of industrial land is beneficial to save precious land resources, protect ecological environments and achieve the green development of China's economy. In this paper, we estimate the dynamic performance of the total-factor green use efficiency of industrial land (TGUEIL) in China by using a global non-radial directional distance function (GNDDF) and the non-radial Malmquist performance of industrial land green use (NMPILGU). The results show that the TGUEIL had a rising trend in most years during 2006–2015. The eastern region enjoys the greatest TGUEIL, and the gaps in the TGUEIL between regions are narrowing. Technical progress in the industrial sector contributes more to the NMPILGU than efficiency progress. To raise the TGUEIL, we should increase the internal expenditures in R&D activities, the number of effective inventions and R&D staffs in industrial enterprises. We should promote the use of clean energy in industrial production and increase efforts in energy-saving and emission reduction. We should prohibit local governments from selling land to cover the deficit. The government should pay more attention to industrial labor redundancy in eastern China and guide orderly redundant industrial labor force transfer from eastern regions to central and western regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper constructs a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model to analyze the effects of energy price, technology, and disaster shocks on China's Energy-Environment-Economy (3E) system. It also studies stylized facts, as well as co-integration and error correction dynamic analyses, of this system. The disaster shock is modeled as a two-state Markov switching process. The results show that both technology and energy price shocks increase the ratio of environmental investment to GDP. The improvement in technology and rising energy prices helps to reduce CO 2 pollution, and improve economic restructuring. Among the three kinds of shocks, technology shock is the most important. The robustness of the model is tested through statistical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]