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Fossil-fueled transportation is the main type of transportation used all over the world. Transportation in the United States consumes almost one third of global transportation energy and is one of the major contributors to CO 2 emissions. To deal with ever increasing environmental pollution and reduce energy consumption, a solar Trike design is presented in this paper to offer an alternative means of transportation. The solar Trike offers a higher occupancy rate, speed and travel range that can satisfy the needs of the local commute. The design, economics, sustainability and performance analysis of the solar Trike is presented in this paper. The dimension and power requirement of the solar-powered tricycle was determined based on aerodynamic force, rolling resistance, expected payload, travel velocity and distance and solar irradiance. A CAD model was built and analyzed for sustainability before building the prototype. Test run results of the prototype suggested the technical feasibility and practical applicability of the design. An LCA was performed to evaluate environmental impacts during various stages of the product life: manufacturing to disposal using SolidWorks Sustainability software. Manufacturing, operating and environmental costs are analyzed for economic viability of the design. The annual costs of CO 2 emissions, design and installation, annual maintenance, and costs to store the power for one full charge amount to $417. With a travel range of 37.1 km on a full charge, the proposed solar-powered tricycle is able to meet more than 90% of all trip distances in the USA. The proposed solar powered tricycle reduces energy consumption by more than 41%, as well as decreases CO 2 emissions by more than 75%, in comparison with the railroad, the best mode of existing transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Offshore wind is one of the most fascinating industries in the renewable energy sector and it is experiencing a remarkable growth. Offshore wind energy generation offers an opportunity in the race to decrease the dependence on fossil fuels, reduce green house emissions, increase energy security and create employment opportunities. UK has proven success in offshore wind and has been enjoying the economic benefits of offshore wind since over a decade. Offshore wind energy is an emergent renewable energy industry in the United States. The United States is coping up with the challenges and heading up fast to catch up with the industry. India is still in its infancy stage where the policy frameworks are framed by MNRE government and getting ready with the tools to enter into the offshore market. This paper researches the current situation and trend of offshore wind industries in UK and US, from aspects of policy, grid connections, operation and maintenance and cost reduction and analyses the proper direction and pathways of the industry to India. Therefore this paper highlights the scenario as to how these three countries UK, USA and India, respectively, are enabling offshore wind, to make a vital and sizeable contribution to the low carbon economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasingly severe global environmental problems and the decrease of the storage of the fossil energy, renewable energy sources (RES) are drawing more and more attention. In China, renewable energy generation (REG) is experiencing a rapid development; however, its investment, transmission and management remain immature and deficient compared with those of the developed countries. First, this paper summarises the developing situation of REG in China through taking the booming wind power and photovoltaic power as examples, indicating that the grid connection rate of REG has yet to be improved. Then, this paper focuses on the grid connection management mode of REG in China which includes the following aspects: operation management, organisation management and grid connection incentive policy. Third, based on the above research, this paper analyses the existing problems of the grid connection management mode of REG. Finally, a coordinated management mechanism is proposed to solve the problems impeding large-scale grid connection of REG in China, including the coordinated management mechanism of integrated planning and transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares 39 cities from all over the world that shifted fuel used in urban buses that serve public transport. The study seeks to find out which configurations (combination of conditions) lead to the choice of compressed natural gas (CNG). In order to archive the objective, a qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) was performed, modelling three main conditions (variables) associated with fuel shifting that produced the option for CNG (positive outcome) or other vehicle fuel (negative outcome). Results show that CNG is more attractive economically than other options, which by the methodology terms, it is considered a necessary condition. However, economic viability alone is not sufficient to cause the choice for CNG, it only happens when there is an absence of concern in being dependent on fossil fuels or the presence of an interest in promoting better public transportation services. These combinations of conditions, which are context sensitive, show the complex nature of choosing cleaner substitutes for diesel oil. The use of QCA permitted a comparison between all sample cases, reduced the complexity of the urban transportation planning, and allowed a better understanding of this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Since the beginning of the last century, energy affairs have always been taken into global consideration due to their effects on economies, policies, security and the environment. Fossil fuels have been the first recourse for global energy supply needs (80% of total energy consumption); nonetheless, owing to the production of greenhouse gases, they are gradually being replaced with renewable energy resources. In addition, renewable energy resources are perpetual, unlike fossil fuels, which may be exhausted in less than one century. From 2005 to 2010 (coinciding with Iran's fourth development program), renewable energy resources enjoyed a double-digit global growth rate as a result of environmentally friendly perception and a reduction in equipment price. Some policies and strategies were globally adopted to support renewable energy resources (Feed-In-Tariff, subsidies, etc.). Iran began utilizing renewable resources from the early 1990s and set targets and policies for renewable energy resource utilization in the fourth development program. However, Iran's trend has not aligned with global trends, and it appears that its enormous fossil fuel reserves overshadow the growth of renewable energy resources in the country. In this paper, the status, achievements and policies of Iran during the fourth development program will be discussed and compared with global trends. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A renewable biofuel economy is projected as a pathway to decrease dependence on fossil fuels as well as to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Ethanol produced on large-scale from lignocellulosic raw materials is considered the most potential next generation automotive fuel. In this paper, a Life Cycle Assessment model was developed to evaluate the environmental implications of the production of ethanol from five lignocellulosic materials: alfalfa stems, poplar, Ethiopian mustard, flax shives and hemp hurds and its use in passenger cars. Two ethanol-based fuel applications, E10 (a mixture of 10% ethanol and 90% gasoline by volume) and E85 (85% ethanol and 15% gasoline by volume) were assessed and the results were compared to those of conventional gasoline (CG) in an equivalent car. The environmental performance was assessed in terms of fossil fuels requirements, global warming, photochemical oxidant formation, acidification and eutrophication by means of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology in order to identify the best environmental friendly lignocellulosic source. The results show that, compared to CG, life cycle greenhouse gases emissions are lower for etanol blends, specifically up to 145% lower for E85-fueled car derived from Ethiopian mustard. This crop is also the best option in terms of eutrophying emissions regardless the ratio of ethanol in the blend. In the remaining impact categories, other feedstocks are considered beneficial, that is, poplar in the case of photochemical oxidants formation and flax shives for acidification. Concerning fossil fuels requirements, decreases up to 10% and 63% for E10 and E85 derived from hemp hurds and Ethiopian mustard, respectively, were obtained. According to the results, the study clearly demonstrates the importance of using low intensive energy and high biomass yield crops. LCA procedure helps to identify the key areas in the ethanol production life cycle where the researchers and technicians need to work to improve the environmental performance. Technological development could help in lowering both the environmental impact and the prices of the ethanol fuels. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]