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The article discusses a report published by the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) that examined the technical feasibility of using wind energy for electricity generation. The report assessed the costs, impacts and challenges associated with the production of 20% wind energy by 2030. Results have shown that there is a need for an enhanced transmission infrastructure and an increase in turbine installations to achieve 20% wind energy.
Categories: Publication; Types: Citation; Tags: Pacific Northwest, resources
In the last decade, climate change has been one of the major concerns with regard to the health of the earth's ecosystem. The problem of a changing climate is related to not only climate, energy consumption and emissions of greenhouse gases, but also effects of such a change on the earth's ecosystems, resources and human settlements, as well as the need to reduce or avoid these effects. In this study, an inexact-fuzzy multiobjective programming model was proposed for adaptation planning of land resources management in the Mackenzie Basin under changing climate. This integrated adaptation planning enables the inclusion of systems interaction and feedback mechanisms and can therefore yield insights that scattered...
We have developed a state-scale version of the MARKAL energy optimization model, commonly used to model energy policy at the US national scale and internationally. We apply the model to address state-scale impacts of a renewable electricity standard (RES) and a carbon tax in one southeastern state, Georgia. Biomass is the lowest cost option for large-scale renewable generation in Georgia; we find that electricity can be generated from biomass co-firing at existing coal plants for a marginal cost above baseline of 0.2-2.2 cents/kWh and from dedicated biomass facilities for 3.0-5.5 cents/kWh above baseline. We evaluate the cost and amount of renewable electricity that would be produced in-state and the amount of out-of-state...
Rising global demand for energy, high energy prices, climate change, and the threat of terrorism all point to the need for greater energy efficiency and conservation in the United States. While technological innovation is plainly needed, our laws and institutional arrangements must also play an important role. The United States has scores of legal and policy tools from which to choose to improve energy efficiency and curb energy consumption. This Article, which grows out of a Spring 2006 seminar at theWidener University School of Law, evaluates a handful of these tools: transit-oriented development; fuel taxation; real-time pricing for electricity use; public benefit funds; improving the efficiency of existing residential...
This scholarly work explores the causes precipitating the collapse of the nuclear industry during the late 1970s and early 1980s, viewing the nuclear energy sector as a paradigmatic example of the fundamental incompatibility between democracy and capitalism. Though he never explicitly blames either capitalism or democracy, author John L. Campbell explains how the fact that the two are governed by contradictory decision-making logics ultimately doomed the nuclear industry during the time period he examines. Campbell considers policy constraints and faliures in industry and government, such as a lack of standardization in reactor construction and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission’s (AEC) inability to craft a reactor...
BACKGROUND AND HISTORY -- From the Dawn of History -- Colonial America -- An Overview of Natural Resource Issues and Conflicts -- Acquisition: 1781-1867 -- Disposal: 1781 -- Reservation: 1872 -- Custodial Management: 1897-1950 -- Intensive Management: 1950-1960 -- Consultation and Conflict: 1960- -- References -- PROBLEMS, CONTROVERSIES AND SOLUTIONS -- Minerals, Oil, and Natural Gas Exploration and Drilling -- Supply and Demand -- Extraction and Money -- Damage from Mining Activities -- Oil and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- Protected Areas Policy -- Fee Demonstration Program -- Staffing and Infrastructure Maintenance -- Too Many Protected Areas? -- Rangeland Management -- Regulating the Range -- Subsidization...
Ecological and economic systems are open systems that require energy to change the thermodynamic states of materials from naturally occurring to more valued forms. These changes are accompanied by information flows and changes in the order of systems and their surroundings. In this paper, thermodynamics is used to assess these system changes and relate them to the knowledge present in a system. Particular emphasis is given to (1) the fundamental relationships among material, energy and information flows, and changes in order and knowledge, (2) the role of equilibrium and non-equilibrium thermodynamics in assessing system change, (3) the increasing role of material and energy flows through economic systems, and (4)...
This scholarly work explores the causes precipitating the collapse of the nuclear industry during the late 1970s and early 1980s, viewing the nuclear energy sector as a paradigmatic example of the fundamental incompatibility between democracy and capitalism. Though he never explicitly blames either capitalism or democracy, author John L. Campbell explains how the fact that the two are governed by contradictory decision-making logics ultimately doomed the nuclear industry during the time period he examines. Campbell considers policy constraints and faliures in industry and government, such as a lack of standardization in reactor construction and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission’s (AEC) inability to craft a reactor...
This scholarly work explores the causes precipitating the collapse of the nuclear industry during the late 1970s and early 1980s, viewing the nuclear energy sector as a paradigmatic example of the fundamental incompatibility between democracy and capitalism. Though he never explicitly blames either capitalism or democracy, author John L. Campbell explains how the fact that the two are governed by contradictory decision-making logics ultimately doomed the nuclear industry during the time period he examines. Campbell considers policy constraints and faliures in industry and government, such as a lack of standardization in reactor construction and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission’s (AEC) inability to craft a reactor...
Biofuels world production has increased sharply in recent years. Oil reserves depletion, the oil high price and the confidence in biofuels “carbon neutrality” are the main causes of this phenomenon. However, claims related to the negative consequences of biofuel programs are frequent; mainly those related to the biofuels/food competition and sustainability. This paper aims to contribute for the development of a framework for sustainability indicators as a tool for performance assessment. The most used indicators to measure the biofuels sustainability are: Life Cycle Energy Balance (LCEB), quantity of fossil energy substituted per hectare, co-product energy allocation, life cycle carbon balance and changes in soil...
Adam Smith’s farmworker paradox reflects the fact that those who do the most essential work in society earn the least, just as his diamonds and water paradox revolves around the low valuation that markets place on essential resources. This article explores the perverse economic logic that leaves markets to run roughshod over both humanity and nature. It also explores how economists either attempted to come to grips with or, more commonly, sought to either avoid or justify this phenomenon.
Categories: Publication; Types: Citation; Tags: economic theory, resources, scarcity
This paper provides an overview of issues and opportunities associated with the use of biomass for electric power generation. Important physical characteristics of biomass and waste fuels are summarized, including comparisons with conventional fossil fuels, primarily coal. The paper also provides an overview of the current use of biomass and waste fuels for electric power generation. Biomass and waste fuels are currently used for approximately 9800 MW of electric generating capacity, including about 6100 MW of capacity fueled by wood/wood waste and about 2200 MW of capacity fueled with municipal solid waste. Perspectives on the future availability of biomass fuels (including energy crops) are addressed, as well...
This scholarly work explores the causes precipitating the collapse of the nuclear industry during the late 1970s and early 1980s, viewing the nuclear energy sector as a paradigmatic example of the fundamental incompatibility between democracy and capitalism. Though he never explicitly blames either capitalism or democracy, author John L. Campbell explains how the fact that the two are governed by contradictory decision-making logics ultimately doomed the nuclear industry during the time period he examines. Campbell considers policy constraints and faliures in industry and government, such as a lack of standardization in reactor construction and the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission’s (AEC) inability to craft a reactor...
The article discusses a report published by the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) that examined the technical feasibility of using wind energy for electricity generation. The report assessed the costs, impacts and challenges associated with the production of 20% wind energy by 2030. Results have shown that there is a need for an enhanced transmission infrastructure and an increase in turbine installations to achieve 20% wind energy.
Categories: Publication; Types: Citation; Tags: Pacific Northwest, resources
This paper analyses an ongoing environmental conflict over the prospect of gold mining at Mount Ida, Turkey, and aims to unpack the valuation languages social actors in the conflict use to either support or oppose gold mining. Based on a field study consisting of 37 in-depth interviews, three focus groups, and a survey administered to a total of 738 citizens, the factors that affect local public's positions vis-à-vis gold mining at Mount Ida and their choice of valuation languages are examined. Assessing the conflict at Mount Ida in terms of valuation languages enables us to better comprehend the various dimensions of the conflict and differentiate between the disagreements that can be controlled and solved via...
Ecological and economic systems are open systems that require energy to change the thermodynamic states of materials from naturally occurring to more valued forms. These changes are accompanied by information flows and changes in the order of systems and their surroundings. In this paper, thermodynamics is used to assess these system changes and relate them to the knowledge present in a system. Particular emphasis is given to (1) the fundamental relationships among material, energy and information flows, and changes in order and knowledge, (2) the role of equilibrium and non-equilibrium thermodynamics in assessing system change, (3) the increasing role of material and energy flows through economic systems, and (4)...
Two basic retorting technologies are being developed: modified in situ (MIS) for underground retorting, and aboveground retorting (AGR) for processing mined shale. These technologies are not presently ready for large-scale commercialization, but a sound R&D base exists, and they could be made ready either by modular demonstration projects or construction of pioneer plants. The MIS process is being developed on two sites and one commercial facility is planned. Aboveground retorts have been tested at up to one-tenth of full size and at least one commercial-scale retort is planned in conjunction with an MIS demonstration. There are no firm plans for testing other above- -ground retorts, although several companies have...
Noise exposure is known to cause hearing loss and a variety of disturbances, such as annoyance, hypertension and loss of sleep. It is generally accepted that these situations are caused by the acoustical events processed by the auditory system. However, there are acoustical events that are not necessarily processed by the auditory system, but that nevertheless cause harm. Infrasound and low frequency noise (ILFN, <500Hz) are acoustical phenomena that can impact the human body causing irreversible organic damage to the organism, but that do not cause classical hearing impairment. Acoustical environments are normally composed of all types of acoustical events: those that are processed by the auditory system, and those...
Biofuels world production has increased sharply in recent years. Oil reserves depletion, the oil high price and the confidence in biofuels “carbon neutrality” are the main causes of this phenomenon. However, claims related to the negative consequences of biofuel programs are frequent; mainly those related to the biofuels/food competition and sustainability. This paper aims to contribute for the development of a framework for sustainability indicators as a tool for performance assessment. The most used indicators to measure the biofuels sustainability are: Life Cycle Energy Balance (LCEB), quantity of fossil energy substituted per hectare, co-product energy allocation, life cycle carbon balance and changes in soil...
Various conservation models have been implemented in Nepal since 1973, however their impacts on resources use and conservation attitudes are scarcely known. To address the hypothesis that conservation attitudes should improve around protected areas (PAs) with more social and economic interventions, stratified random questionnaire surveys of 234 households were conducted in two PAs in the Western Terai of Nepal: Bardia National Park (BNP), in which interventions have been more widespread for longer time periods, and Sukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve (SWR), in which interventions are relatively recent. Both are part of a major landscape-level conservation programme under implementation in Nepal, and both are under threat...