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The release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the environment considerably contributes to air pollution. To reduce the amount of these pollutants in the atmosphere, it has been necessary to introduce strict government regulations. In the bakery industry specifically, great attention is paid to the abatement of ethyl alcohol emissions released from the cooking chambers of industrial ovens. To control these emissions, VOC abatement devices are adopted, generally based on thermal and non-thermal technologies. After a detailed review of the most common systems for VOC reduction, the different technologies were evaluated by means of a technical-economic feasibility study focusing on an industrial bakery plant located in northern Italy, to identify the optimal abatement technology, intended as the solution that reaches the best trade-off among the legislative, environmental and economic aspects. Based on these considerations, the suggested choice resulted being the vacuum ultraviolet module, because of its efficiency and economic convenience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing number of renewable energy communities (RECs) exemplifies the potential of citizen-driven actions towards a more sustainable future. However, obtaining hourly measured consumption data from REC members remains challenging, hindering accurate feasibility studies for the development of communities. This study examines the impact of estimating hourly consumption from aggregated data on REC analysis results. A case study with real consumption data from diverse users, representative of a typical community in Tuscany, Italy, was analysed to investigate various influencing factors. Multiple scenarios were simulated: two open-source tools estimated energy production from the community's PV plants, and two REC configurations were considered—one with consumers and prosumers and another with consumers and a producer (with the same total installed power). Additionally, three locations were evaluated to consider the importance of geographical positioning. The study revealed that the impact of consumption data aggregation is more significant in scenarios with low energy sharing, such as the scenario where prosumers were replaced with a producer. Geographical positioning showed no major discrepancies in energy and economic outcomes, implying that using estimated hourly consumption data from aggregated data has a relevant impact regardless of location. Furthermore, different weather files did not affect the impact of aggregated consumption data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We establish a bus market evolution model to explore the implications of subsidy policies in Hong Kong (HK) for the transition to a zero-emission bus (ZEB) fleet using an unsubsidized case as the benchmark scenario. Using the system dynamics (SD) approach, we capture the intricate feedback mechanisms among market share dynamics, cost considerations, consumer preferences, and competitive interactions within the bus market. These interactions are encapsulated within three pivotal feedback loops: scale economy, public acceptance, and bus market competition. We systematically integrate the HK-specific features of hydrogen buses (H-buses), battery electric buses (E-buses), and diesel buses (D-buses) from technical and economic perspectives and compare them to the benchmark scenario. The results show that only 66% of the bus fleet would be ZEBs by 2050, and this underscores the necessity for governmental financial incentives to expedite the transition to a fully zero-emission fleet. Furthermore, we evaluate various ZEB subsidy policy alternatives in terms of timing, intensity, and recipients. The analysis suggests that policies offering long-term and low-intensity subsidies are most beneficial, taking into account the cumulative effects and inherent delays associated with policy implementation. Importantly, the study highlights the critical balance that policymakers must achieve between short- and long-term objectives, especially given the counter-intuitive outcomes observed in the early stages of policies favoring H-buses exclusively. This study provides valuable policy insights for policymakers and upstream energy companies in HK, with potential applicability in wider real-world contexts. • Zero-emission bus alternatives are analyzed from technical and economic aspects. • Various feedback loops are considered for dynamic market analysis. • A counter-intuitive effect is observed in the hydrogen bus subsidy scenario. • A long-term subsidy with low intensity is recommended. • Tradeoff between short- and long-term policy effects is identified and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global energy transition has driven the adoption of renewable generation resources in distribution networks worldwide. This shift has presented new operational challenges for these networks. One such challenge involves determining the ideal sizing of these resources and the hosting capacity of the distribution networks to maximize their potential to enhance technical parameters within the system. This article proposes strategies to optimize the generation capacity and the selection of nodes in Colombian distribution networks, prioritizing nodes of lower voltage to improve reliability and continuity of supply. Specific methodologies are developed due to the passive and radial nature of these networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clean energy complementary system can reduce environmental pollution effectively and is considered as a future energy development direction. In this paper, an innovative solar-nuclear thermally coupled power and desalination plant for electricity and freshwater productions is proposed. As solar power and nuclear power are combined, this multi-energy system is a clean energy system and basically has no emissions of soot, sulfur oxides, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. The operating behavior assessment results of the multi-energy system show that the power generation and freshwater production systems can operate synergistically. The electric power and corresponding efficiency of the multi-energy system are 290.7 MW and 38.2%, in which the solar proportion is about 38.1%. The daily freshwater production of the multi-energy system is 3761.3 t. The economic assessment results reveal that the levelized costs of electricity and freshwater of the multi-energy system are 0.361 yuan/(kWh) and 1.645 yuan/t. The environmental protection analysis results show that in contrast with a coal-fired system, the annual emission reductions of soot, sulfur oxides, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen oxides of the multi-energy system are 7350.94 t, 12,634.42 t, 513,034.14 t, and 11,945.28 t, revealing a significant environmental protection performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global energy transition has driven the adoption of renewable generation resources in distribution networks worldwide. This shift has presented new operational challenges for these networks. One such challenge involves determining the ideal sizing of these resources and the hosting capacity of the distribution networks to maximize their potential to enhance technical parameters within the system. This article proposes strategies to optimize the generation capacity and the selection of nodes in Colombian distribution networks, prioritizing nodes of lower voltage to improve reliability and continuity of supply. Specific methodologies are developed due to the passive and radial nature of these networks.

This paper presents atechnical and economic analysis of the proposed solar PV/diesel generator smart hybrid power plant for a part of SRM IST, Delhi-NCR campus. The analysis was performed using five battery storage technologies: lead-acid, lithium-ion, vanadium flow, zinc bromide and nickel-iron. The analysis also used the HOMER Pro software. The analysis was conducted to assess performance parameters such as initial cost, simple payback period, return on investment, energy produced, renewable penetration and emission of air pollutants. The optimal solution was obtained as SPP(200 kW)/DG(82 kW)/ZB(2000 kWh), with cycle charging dispatch strategy. The initial cost of this configuration is estimated to be USD163,445, and the operating cost is USD534 per year. The net present cost is estimated to be USD170,348, and the estimated cost of energy with this configuration has been obtained as USD0.090 per kWh. It is estimated that with this optimal solution, the diesel generator may consume only 110 L/year of diesel, which is the minimum of all configurations. Sensitivity analysis was performed between the size of the solar PV array and the size of the battery, along with variations in the battery's nominal capacity and renewable fraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study attempts to analyse the technical and economic data of Iberian-breed pig farms that operate using two differentiated production models, i.e., the cebo or indoor fodder-fed pig production system where the animals are reared indoors, and the cebo campo or outdoor fodder-fed pig production system where the animals are reared outdoors with access to outdoor areas also during the fattening stage. The paper shows the study of three farms from each system with three batches per farm, where the data are obtained by way of a survey directly carried out with the farmers. Despite the conversion ratios being higher in the outdoor system, they do not translate into a significant increase in feed costs. However, labour costs are higher in the outdoor than in the indoor system. Gross margins are higher in the outdoor than in the indoor system, mainly due to the difference in incomes. Such incomes can vary temporarily subject to market prices. The outbreak of COVID-19 meant a sudden decrease in the gross profit, as the incomes went down and the costs remained at the same level. Crisis situations usually cause a reduction of the retail prices and a decrease in the profits. The current Quality Standard regulating the Iberian pig provides for various differentiated farming systems subject to the type of management implemented and the breed of the pigs. This study attempts to analyse the differences between two of these production systems, i.e., the outdoor and the indoor rearing systems by comparing the main technical and economic factors of six farms, three operating under each system, in order to ascertain the most profitable production system. This analysis is based on the information provided by the farm owners. It also evaluates the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak had on profitability. The results show that both systems spend the same resources on animal feed, which represents nearly 60% of the expense, with the price of purchase of piglets representing 30–32% of the total; however, there are differences in the cost of labour, which is higher in the outdoor variant. In economic terms, outdoor farms obtained a higher gross margin than indoor farms did. Although their production costs are higher, these are offset with larger incomes due to the higher market price of the pigs at the time of slaughter. Lastly, all the farms under study reveal large financial losses on account of COVID-19, given that there was a general decrease in the revenues due to the decrease in the selling price of the pigs, which seems to be the most determinant factor for the economic profits made by these kinds of farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-jet fuels are considered as a highly promising strategy for minimizing carbon emissions in the aviation sector. This study presents a scheme for producing bio-jet fuel from corn stover through aqueous phase conversion, focusing on the economics and environmental performance of various lignin utilization technologies. Three scenarios were simulated using Aspen Plus, each integrating a different approach: lignin hydrothermal conversion to jet fuel range arenes (LtoA), lignin gasification-syngas fermentation to ethanol (LtoE), and lignin direct combustion (LC). The energy conversion rates of the three cases are 32.75 %, 32.67 %, and 31.44 %, in that order. Technical-economic analysis and life cycle assessment were conducted for each scenario. The minimum jet fuel selling prices (MJFSP) for the three scenarios range between 2050 and 2562 $/t, 2095–2620 $/t, and 2024–2529 $/t, with greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduced by 33 %, 383 %, and 37 % compared to fossil jet fuel, respectively. Steam stripping for furfural production is the largest energy consumer, hindering economic improvement and GHG emission reduction due to inefficient furfural yield. The use of sulfuric acid and NaOH as catalysts contributes significantly to 37 % of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and 79 % of human toxicity emissions among other environmental impacts. The development of green solvents and the enhancement of lignin conversion rates could further improve the economic and environmental performance of bio-jet fuel. [Display omitted] • Aqueous phase process biorefinery integrated with lignin utilization approaches. • Lignin conversion to arenes and ethanol improved overall energy conversion ratio. • Economic and environment benefits are promising with higher lignin conversion rate. • Catalyst and steam stripping for furfural production need optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the electricity crisis, measures are needed to reduce energy consumption. The case study was conducted on the lighting system at a university sports hall. To determine the efficiency and quality, the lighting systems and technical characteristics of the sources used were identified, lighting level measurements were made, the luminotechnical coefficients and the power of the whole lighting system were calculated and the results were compared to the values set out in the standards. Following analysis, the lighting system was found not to meet the quality requirements and was energy inefficient. For financial efficiency, only the replacement of lighting was sought, keeping the same equipment and granting the same facilities to the building users. Some lighting source options were analyzed and the option to have the highest luminous efficacy and the highest energy class was chosen. The analysis shows that the investment is amortized within a maximum of 17 months. The innovative aspect is based on linking the measurements with the determination of power and the proposal of modernization solutions, which shows the need for investments to ensure the quality of the system and the increase in energy efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coke oven gas (COG) is an important energy resource that rich in hydrogen and methane, which is conventionally used for industrial heating but is embarking on high-quality utilization routes to produce bulk energy and materials. Previous work emphasized the comparison of COG utilization with external competitors but has limited understanding of the internal competitiveness of different COG utilization routes, making it impossible to scientifically guide the high-quality utilization of COG. This study proposed a technology-environment-economy assessment framework to compare the competitiveness of six high-quality COG utilization routes called COG to electricity (COGTE), COG to methanol (COGTM), COG to hydrogen (COGTH), COG to synthetic natural gas (COGTSNG), COG to synthetic ammonia (COGTSA), and COG to olefins (COGTO). The framework employed the life cycle assessment method based on an economic functional unit to calculated individual indicators and used the entropy weight method to integrate these indicators to a comprehensive score. The results show that energy consumption, water consumption, and carbon emission are critical defects of COGTSNG, COGTM, and COGTE, respectively. Net present value rate, internal rate of return, and dynamic payback period are common but differentiated disadvantages of the five COG utilization routes other than COGTO with the current market price, which are the main factors of their weaker comprehensive competitiveness. COGTO is expected to be the most promising high-quality COG utilization route thanks to its excellent competitiveness, handsome market demand, and special policy preferences. In addition to COGTM, any of the other five COG utilization routes are likely to be most competitive when raw material and product prices fluctuate by 25%, which suggests that the investment should be tailored to local specific prices, demand, and policies. • A technical-environmental-economic competitiveness assessment model is proposed. • NPVR, IRR, and DPP of COGTO reach 111.6%, 23.6%, and 5.1 years, respectively. • COGTO presents the strongest comprehensive competitiveness at the current price. • Flexible investment should be implemented when the price fluctuates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The waste sorting and treatment facilities play an important role in the management of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW), as they permit the materials to be prepared for their later reuse and recycling. The aim of this work is to carry out a technical–economic analysis of a sorting and treatment facility (STF) of light packaging and bulky waste in Gavà-Viladecans, Barcelona, Spain, by means of a methodology based on a social Cost–Benefit Analysis (sCBA), as it studies the private impacts and externalities (impacts related with environmental and social aspects) to determine the Total Benefit (the difference between revenues and costs) generated by the facility to decide whether it is operationally and economically profitable. Results: The key point of the case study is the identification, frequency, quantification and monetary valuation of the impacts generated by the facility, as well as the sale of materials, the CO2 emissions and the increase in the availability of materials, among others. By applying the methodology, it has been possible to show that this facility is operationally (BP = 7.06 €/ton) as well as economically (BT = 55.72 €/ton) profitable. Conclusions: The plant is highly profitable from a social and environmental perspective, as can be seen from the monetary valuation of the externalities. The STF fulfils a primordial function for the city of Barcelona and its environs, as it treats waste for later reuse and recycling, preventing waste from being sent to landfills and reducing the CO2 emissions from the extraction of virgin raw materials, thereby helping to reach the objectives set by the European Commission. Finally, this paper provides a guide for future researchers and decision makers interested in the economic analysis of MSW management systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade, the electrochemical conversion of CO2 to formic acid, FA, using Sn-based cathodes, was widely investigated. In this work, the technical feasibility and economic viability of this process were evaluated considering the most promising electrochemical routes reported in the literature. Five case studies, based on the utilisation of gas diffusion electrode (GDE) technologies or high CO2 pressures, were analysed. The cost for producing FA by the electrochemical route was compared with that of the conventional chemical route. Several scenarios were envisioned finding the target figures of merit, the potential bottlenecks (including low FA concentration, GDE cost and high energy consumption) of each technology and the challenges that need to be faced. It was shown that the performances of these processes are not still adequate from an economic point of view and the improvements that should be achieved were identified. To be suitable for the commercialisation, the process should reach simultaneously high current density, faradaic efficiency and actual FA concentration as well as good stability with time and a limited cost of electrodes. In addition, it was shown that the utilisation of the excess electric energy generated from renewable sources could significantly reduce the costs of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a techno-economic evaluation of the implementation of a cogeneration system in the textile sector. The study was based on energy analysis for the survey of energy data, energy audit in the industrial plant, and also, an analysis of technical and economic feasibility, based on the parameters of net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), and time of return on investment (payback). The study was based on the use of single-effect absorption chillers, with the pair lithium bromide-water (LiBr/H2O) as the working fluid. Scenario studies were created to verify the feasibility of cogeneration in terms of the current system configuration. The sensitivity analysis of the scenarios studied depending on the exchange rate from Brazilian Real to US Dollar, the natural gas tariff, the investment of time, and interest rate financing allowed to find a hypothetical scenario for natural gas rates between 0.05 and 0.14US$/m3 and an interest rate set at 3% per year, where the proposal for full cogeneration (production of electricity and heat) was quite favorable, even for the high investments of the proposed cogeneration plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) is a green methodology that allows the solvent to be easily removed by simply reducing the system’s pressure or temperature. An interesting compound to be separated through SFE is the clove’s essential oil, which contains 75.5% (m/m) of eugenol and shows many food and biomedical applications, such as antibacterial and antifungal activities, and use as an antioxidant or anti-inflammatory, and for asthma and allergy relief. Herein, we simulated the operation of a SFE plant with two 400 L-extractors using CO2 and performed the economic analysis based on real purchase costs from large-scale exportation suppliers. Our results show that this is not only a process that results in minimum harmless emissions, consuming low amounts of utilities, but is also an investment with excellent economic indicators, which is viable even if there are increases of 56% on clove’s purchase costs. A fixed capital expenditure (CAPEX) of USD 347,000 is required, leading to a high net present value (NPV) of USD 8,600,000 after the project’s lifetime (40 years), with a payback of 18.67 years and internal rate of return (IRR) of 7.29%.

Fuel cell vehicles are a possible alternative for allowing a replacement of fossil-fuel based transportation. Thereby, this work's methodology proposes a Hydrogen Refueling Station (HRS) design powered by a photovoltaic plant for supplying the taxi fleet in a Brazilian city considering different scenarios and assuming that hydrogen-powered vehicles replace the current fleet. Results show that in order to supply 100% of the taxi fleet with hydrogen, 185.4 kgH 2 /day are necessary, while only 19.8 kgH 2 /day are enough to supply just 10% of it. Results also reveal slight variations in energy intensity. Hydrogen production costs are inversely proportional to the HRS's production capacity. Hydrogen costs about US$ 8.96/kg for larger HRSs and US$ 13.55/kg for smaller ones. Finally, the proposed system is an attractive alternative in the future nationwide, due to the fact that the cost of electricity has been escalating year after year above inflation rates. • Cost of produced hydrogen ranges from 8.96 to 13.55 US$/kg. • A hydrogen production cost function in terms of the HRS capacity is provided. • Dispensers and cooling units have proportionately higher capital cost in smaller HRS. • The cost of hydrogen is inversely proportional to the capacity of HRS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article is present the procedure for the design of all components of a pico-hydro system, is designed a pico hydraulic propeller turbine according to the specific condition of water potential to an estimated site of operation based on a theoretical and technical analysis. For this purpose, the main characteristics of the runner are determined for medium of statistics correlations of different designs of turbine around the world, and defining restrictions for the design such as turbine head, nominal rate flow and power required, from the data mentioned above, the value of all the variables related to the behavior of the fluid in its passage through the impeller is established and from the value of said variables and the geometry established for the impeller, the geometry is determined and the specifications of the other components of the pico-hydro system such as the spiral chamber, the suction tube, the generator and the distributor, for which two types were studied, which are a distributor of axial input of the fluid and another radial input of the fluid with respect to the axis of rotation of the turbine. For the verification of the design and expected results, a modern engineering tool is used, such as computational fluid dynamics (CFD), especially the component (CFX) to predict the flow and performance that the designed system can produce. Finally, a technical-economic analysis is carried out to study the feasibility of implementing this type of systems in a rural area. The design of the present pico-hydro system and the contribution of computational fluid dynamics CFD, can be a viable alternative to meet the demands of electricity in a rural area that does not have this service by the supply networks responsible for this function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A pure wind system is the economically ideal configuration. • The likelihood of positive NPV decreases as more PV power is inserted. • The more PV arrays are installed, the less feasible becomes the business. • PV systems still require high investment costs compared to wind complexes. • PV systems have a low cf in comparison with wind systems. In order to mitigate the lack of energy production, several types of energy sources have been combined in a so-called hybrid energy system; however, some economic analysis must be performed to evaluate whether the hybrid business is financially feasible. This work aims to evaluate wind-PV hybrid systems technical and economically through the simulation of a hypothetical hybrid power plant in which a case study is presented. The economic viability of PV power into wind systems is assessed by the comparison of distinct scenarios, which consider different rated power for each type of source. The paper regards the context of the Brazilian energy market and is geared toward the rules, the current tariff prices, and the mean investment applied for the construction of wind and PV systems in Brazil nowadays. The results show that a pure wind energy system is economically ideal and the continuous insertion of PV power into the wind system decreases the chances of profitability. However, for certain amount of PV rated power installed in the complex, the project maintains a high probability of being successful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • The proposed alternative process present a Net Present Value (NPV) higher than the conventional technology. • Slight variations in the monolithic catalyst cost generate a considerable decrease in NPV. • The implementation of the MSR could represents a high economic risk. Abstract The monolithic stirrer reactor (MSR) which consists on monolithic structures mounted on reactor axis as agitator blades is a novel design with the potential to intensify different production processes. Its most outstanding advantages are the absence of a filtering stage after the reaction and the high-speed mass transfer. In this paper, the technical and economic feasibility of sunflower oil hydrogenation process under MSR (Pd/Al 2 O 3 /Al) configuration was studied considering a 100 ton day−1 productive plant, a 20 ton capacity reactor and a final product with 75 iodine index. Moreover, several reaction conditions were taken into account, such as catalyst loading and initial and final reaction temperatures, in order to determine the operating costs. The proposed alternative process could be profitable, displaying a higher Net Present Value (NPV) than the conventional technology one. However, slight variations in the monolithic catalyst cost performed through a sensitivity analysis generate a considerable decrease in NPV, thus determining that the implementation of the proposed alternative technology presents a high economic risk. The achieved results in this study indicate that further research is necessary in order to develop a regenerating procedure to extend the catalyst useful life, thus favouring the monolithic technology economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A technical-economic analysis was conducted on three different technological levels of spraying equipment for specialty crops, based on the results on precision spraying technologies reported in scientific literature. The application scenarios referred to general protection protocols against fungal diseases adopted in vineyards and apple orchards in Central-Southern Europe. The analysis evaluated the total costs of protection treatments (equipment + pesticide costs), comparing the use of conventional air-blast sprayers (referred to as L0), of on-off switching sprayers (L1), and of canopy-optimised distribution sprayers (L2). Pesticide savings from 10 to 35% were associated with equipment L1 and L2, as compared to L0. Within the assumptions made, on grapevines, the conventional sprayer L0 resulted in the most profitable option for vineyard areas smaller than 10 ha; from 10 ha to approximately 100 ha, L1 was the best option, while above 100 ha, the more advanced equipment L2 resulted in the best choice. On apple orchards, L0 was the best option for areas smaller than 17 ha. Above this value, L1 was more profitable, while L2 never proved advantageous. Finally, in a speculation on possible prospectives of precision spraying on specialty crops, the introduction of an autonomous robotic platform able to selectively target the pesticide on diseased areas was hypothesised. The analysis indicated that the purchase price that would make the robotic platform profitable, thanks to the assumed pesticide and labour savings over conventional sprayers, was unrealistically lower than current industrial cost. This study showed that, in current conditions, profitability cannot be the only driver for possible adoption of intelligent robotic platforms for precision spraying on specialty crops, while on-off and canopy-optimised technologies can be profitable over conventional spraying in specific conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe a design concept for a data analysis system to support process automation for comprehensive management of the production process and economic performance of a metallurgical company, and for making automated technical and economic performance decisions. This topic has been widely discussed in the worldwide scientific literature, but the potential risks of automating the decision-making process have received scant attention. Certain applied problems will require development of procedures supported by a cost-benefit analysis of the automation tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union’s (EU) climate and energy package requires all EU countries to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 20% by 2020. Based on current trends, Ireland is on track to miss this target with a projected reduction of only 5% to 6%. The agriculture sector has consistently been the single largest contributor to Irish GHG emissions, representing 33% of all emissions in 2017. Small-scale anaerobic digestion (SSAD) holds promise as an attractive technology for the treatment of livestock manure and the organic fraction of municipal wastes, especially in low population communities or standalone waste treatment facilities. This study assesses the viability of SSAD in Ireland, by modelling the technical, economic, and environmental considerations of operating such plants on commercial Irish dairy farms. The study examines the integration of SSAD on dairy farms with various herd sizes ranging from 50 to 250 dairy cows, with co-digestion afforded by grass grown on available land. Results demonstrate feedstock quantities available on-farm to be sufficient to meet the farm’s energy needs with surplus energy exported, representing between 73% and 79% of the total energy generated. All scenarios investigated demonstrate a net CO2 reduction ranging between 2059−173,237 kg CO2-eq. yr−1. The study found SSAD systems to be profitable within the plant’s lifespan on farms with dairy herds sizes of >100 cows (with payback periods of 8−13 years). The simulated introduction of capital subvention grants similar to other EU countries was seen to significantly lower the plant payback periods. The insights generated from this study show SSAD to be an economically sustainable method for the mitigation of GHG emissions in the Irish agriculture sector.

Today, it is common knowledge that increased use of renewable energies has a significant impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The most notable types of renewable energies are solar energy and wind energy, whose popularity comes from their prominent features such as cost-effectiveness, stability and easy utilization. The objective of this paper is to perform a technical-economic analysis on combined utilization of solar and wind power in two cities of Qom and Yazd, to conduct a feasibility study on the construction of clean energy producing power plants in these locations. To achieve this objective, we first gather the required data from the national meteorological organization, and then use Homer software to perform technical and economic analyses on the two considered sites. Solar and wind analyses on Qom and Yazd show that both cities have great potential in solar energy generation, but wind speed data indicate that only Qom has the wind characteristics appropriate for wind power generation. Overall, these results indicate that investments on solar energy sector of both cities will be economically justified, but only Qom has the wind characteristics required to make investments on its wind energy sector economic. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 36: 1194-1207, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study we evaluated the feasibility of two regeneration strategies of contaminated polymers employed for ex-situ soil remediation in a two-step process. Soil decontamination is achieved by sorption of the pollutants on the polymer beads, which are regenerated in a subsequent step. Tested soil was contaminated with a mixture of 4-chlorophenol and pentachlorophenol, and a commercial polymer, Hytrel, has been employed for extraction. Removal efficiencies of the polymer-soil extraction are in the range of 51–97% for a contact time ≤ 24 h. Two polymer regeneration strategies, solvent extraction and biological regeneration (realized in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor), were tested and compared. Performance was assessed in terms of removal rates and efficiencies and an economic analysis based on the operating costs has been performed. Results demonstrated the feasibility of both regeneration strategies, but the bioregeneration was advantageous in that provided the biodegradation of the contaminants desorbed from the polymer. Practically complete removal for 4-chlorophenol and up to 85% biodegradation efficiency for pentachlorophenol were achieved. Instead, in the solvent extraction, a relevant production (184–831 L kg pol −1 ) of a highly polluted stream to be treated or disposed of is observed. The cost analysis of the two strategies showed that the bioregeneration is much more convenient with operating costs of ∼12 €/kg pol i.e. more than one order of magnitude lower in comparison to ∼233 €/kg pol of the solvent extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An S–CO 2 energy-storage cycle system is added to a 660 MW coal-fired power unit to increase operational flexibility. With a round-trip efficiency (RTE) of 56.14%, a thermodynamic system for coal-fired units (with an additional S–CO 2 energy-storage cycle) is built. Turbine extraction steam was used as energy source for the energy-storage system. An analysis of the impact of different factors on the thermodynamic system-performance reveals that both the S–CO 2 flow rate and the compressor/turbine pressure ratio have a significant impact. For example, a 5 kg/s increase in S–CO 2 mass flow rate improves the RTE by roughly 5%. Furthermore, the system RTE increases by about 10% when the S–CO 2 turbine pressure ratio was increased by 1.0. The higher the steam temperature of the energy-storage source, the lower the RTE. Moreover, the effect of both S–CO 2 flow rate and turbine pressure ratio on the system investment cost and payback period is determined based on a technical and economic analysis. This study provides a reference that can be used to improve the operational flexibility of coal-fired power units. • Coal fired power unit thermal system with S–CO 2 energy storage cycle is built. • RTE of the proposed thermodynamic system is 56.14%. • S–CO 2 flow rate and pressure have a significant impact system performance. • Investment and payback period is obtained based on technical-economic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Se exponen algunas consideraciones económicas que pudieran servir de guía para una evaluación de cuán factiblepuede ser la reparación de transformadores de distribución frente a la compra de unidades nuevas para las condiciones de explotación actual. Several economic considerations are exposed that could be a guide for an evaluation of how is able to repairing ofdistribution transformers versus to buy new units for the actual exploitation conditions.

Abstract: Technical and economic analysis of construction of an ORC (Organic Rankine Cycle) cogeneration plant under Polish and German conditions is the subject of the paper. The analyzed plant consists of an ORC module or a CHP (Combined Heat and Power) gas engine unit and gas boilers. Taking into account different technical configurations (operating mode as well as capacity due to different sizing of the units) on one side, and different financial support mechanisms (mainly on the operating level) on the other side, the comparative cost-benefits analysis has been made. On the basis of the technical analysis, the basic economical indexes: NPV (net present value) and payback times have been derived for each analyzed scenario and the results have been compared and discussed. The sensitivity of NPV for tags prices has been also examined and the results have been commented. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The foul water plant, the object of this work, involves the energy exploitation of the waters from two torrents and the foul water of a town in Southern Italy. The plant layout is such that it enables, moreover, the use of the same hydraulic works to supply irrigation water in the summer to farmers who work near the proposed mini-power station. With the aim of also carrying out an economic financial evaluation, the technical choices have been economically quantified and the outcome of these analyses have provided positive indications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed a systematic approach to evaluating the environmental-economic benefits of multiple air pollution control, CO 2 mineralization, and municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) fly ash stabilization-utilization with high-gravity (HiGee) technology. MSWI fly ash due to its high alkalinity and calcium-rich compositions could be used to absorb acid gas pollutants and mineralize CO 2 simultaneously. HiGee system can be deployed to eliminate the mass-transfer limit to accelerate the reaction kinetics. Technical-economic analysis (TEA) and life cycle analysis (LCA) were integrated with the technique to order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) approach and comprehensively evaluate the prioritized alternatives. Compared to existing wet-scrubber and fly ash landfill, the combination of fly ash slurry and further utilization of cementitious material can generate additional profits of direct/indirect carbon credit, calcium carbonate byproduct, reduction of air pollution fees and fly ash utilization revenue. In terms of environmental benefits, the installed HiGee system can reduce water and energy consumption to avoid water depletion and greenhouse gas emissions. TOPSIS results prioritized the various alternatives of HiGee operation modes and provided a technological evaluation for substituting the existing scrubber in an MSWI plant. [Display omitted] • A systematic approach to evaluating the emerging technology was proposed. • Environmental-economic benefits of HiGee system in MSWI plant were evaluated. • Implementation of fly ash slurry in HiGee system has the most economic incentive. • Electricity and materials demands of HiGee system might increase additional impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]