scholarly journals The Feasibility and Environmental Impact of Sustainable Public Transportation: A PV Supplied Electric Bus Network

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 3987
Author(s):  
Zakariya Dalala ◽  
Omar Al Banna ◽  
Osama Saadeh

Limited fuel resources and the huge negative impact on the environment from using fossil fuels have led to an urgency to utilize the most energy efficient solutions for public transportation. Environmentally sustainable solutions can deliver the same benefits of traditional systems, but without the negative impacts. The Bus Rapid Transit Project of Amman (Amman BRT) is used as a case study. Proposed measures include using electric buses instead of diesel ones, and installing elevated photovoltaic systems above buses parking and routes, in addition to using LED street lighting. The feasibility study of applying the proposed measures on the Amman BRT project showed that only 7.1 years is needed to payback the incremental investment throughout this transformation. Capital expenditure (CAPEX) is higher than the baseline buses, while operational expenditure (OPEX) is much lower, resulting in a 32% lower total cost of ownership (TCO). In addition, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are reduced by 27,203.68 metric ton of CO2 per year and 408,055.26 metric tons for the 15-year lifetime of the project.

2021 ◽  
Vol 116 (1) ◽  
pp. 136-144
Author(s):  
Olzhas Kairmukhambetov

The depletion of fossil resources, energy dependence, rise in fuel prices, and environmental issues caused by fossil fuel vehicles, combined with advancements in battery technology and manufacturing processes, have accelerated the transition to electric vehicles. Evidence indicates that electric buses play an important role in public transportation if we are to reduce climate change and the environmental effects of fossil fuels. Several electric alternatives are currently operational, and the debate about which is the best is generating a lot of interest. This article examines the different performance characteristics of three types of electric buses: hybrid, fuel cell, and battery. Based on simulation models and operational data provided by various scholars in various contexts, the economic, operational, energy, and environmental characteristics of each technology are examined in depth. The study creates a systematic evaluation of electric buses based on a side-by-side analysis of 16 features that help people make better decisions. According to the report, the selection of electric technology is highly dependent on the operational background and energy profile. Furthermore, it emphasizes that hybrid buses would not have a substantial reduction in GHG emissions and are only ideal for short-term goals as a stepping stone toward complete electrification of transportation. While battery and fuel cell buses are arguably capable of meeting current operational needs, the initial investment is still a significant barrier. Given the anticipated advances in battery technology and the trend to use renewable sources in power generation, the Overnight Battery Electric Bus is advocated as the most appropriate option for bus transit contexts given the expected improvements in battery technology and the trend to utilize sustainable sources in electricity generation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-193
Author(s):  
Lucia Helena Gomes Coelho ◽  
Meire Maki Akamine ◽  
Raquel Gentil Batista Ribeiro ◽  
Humberto De Paiva Junior

The development of the airport segment faces environmental externalities especially related to the increase in emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) from combustion of fossil fuels by the aircraft engine, by the machinery for the maintenance of the planes and also by the vehicles used for passengers connections (private cars, taxicabs or public transportation system). In this scope, the current work presents the case study of the expansion of the Viracopos International Airport at Campinas – São Paulo, Brazil. To evaluate that, the methodology of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was implemented to estimate the emissions of GHGs by aircraft for the years 2008 (before expansion), 2012 (current picture) and 2016 (future scenario) observing the changes in demand for passengers and cargo transportation. To evaluate the emissions from the vehicles it was used the AIMSUN microsimulation software to estimate emissions in the years 2012 and to simulate sensitivity scenarios for the year 2016. It was found that the inventory of CO2 emissions for both types of transports considered for Viracopos airport showed similar orders of magnitude, what can be inferred about the equivalent contribution of these two modes on emissions of GHGs for the study area. These results may serve as a basis for establishing emission management plans of air pollutants by the competent organizations and to propose more targeted and effective measures to reduce the GHG emissions by these sources.


Author(s):  
Theresa M. Marteau

Meeting climate change targets to limit global warming to 2°C requires rapid and large reductions in demand for products that most contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These include production of bulk materials (e.g. steel and cement), energy supply (e.g. fossil fuels) and animal source foods (particularly ruminants and their products). Effective strategies to meet these targets require transformative changes in supply as well as demand, involving changes in economic, political and legal systems at local, national and international levels, building on evidence from many disciplines. This paper outlines contributions from behavioural science in reducing demand. Grounded in dual-process models of human behaviour (involving non-conscious and conscious processes) this paper considers first why interventions aimed at changing population values towards the environment are usually insufficient or unnecessary for reducing demand although they may be important in increasing public acceptability of policies that could reduce demand. It then outlines two sets of evidence from behavioural science towards effective systems-based strategies, to identify interventions likely to be effective at: (i) reducing demand for products that contribute most to GHG emissions, mainly targeting non-conscious processes and (ii) increasing public acceptability for policy changes to enable these interventions, targeting conscious processes. This article is part of the themed issue ‘Material demand reduction’.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 8444
Author(s):  
Olga Gurova ◽  
Timothy Robert Merritt ◽  
Eleftherios Papachristos ◽  
Jenna Vaajakari

Wearable technologies involve the integration of technology into clothing or accessories to bring new functionalities for people on the move. Many examples of wearables are emerging, from simple fitness tracking watches to electronics deeply embedded into garments for multi-touch sensing and control for personal music players. Without careful development, wearables can have a negative impact on the environment due to increased production of electronic components, increased e-waste from abandoned devices, and increased energy usage. We examine environmental sustainability issues through a review of recent research and cases across three broad areas including the fashion industry, information and communications technology (ICT), and wearable technologies. In the analysis, we examine stages in the product life cycle and identify the unique issues for each sector, including the extraction of materials, production process, distribution of products, use, and disposal of products that have reached the end of their life. The findings are gathered as implications for design so that researchers, educators, designers, developers, and product managers will gain an overview of the issues related to environmental sustainability. Related examples of products and prototypes are provided to enable informed choices during the design and development of wearables that are more environmentally sustainable.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 143-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evaldo Costa ◽  
Julia Seixas ◽  
Patrícia Baptista ◽  
Gustavo Costa ◽  
Thomas Turrentine

Abstract This paper compares the energy consumption, CO2 emissions and public policies of two mega-cities, Sao Paulo (SP) and Shanghai (SH), in order to identify their GHG emissions mitigation policies. Both cities have experienced rapid growth of the automotive sectors resulting in sizable pollution and CO2 emission challenges. SP has successfully implemented the ethanol and encouraged the growth of the fleet of light-duty vehicles. SH has coal-based power generation and restricted the ownership of the vehicles in an attempt to reduce GHG emissions, invested in public transportation and electric mobility. Tabular analysis of secondary data was adopted in this study, revealing also that SP has considerably expanded individual transportation. Despite investments in ethanol, the city could not contain the increase in CO2 emissions from road transportation. SH invested in public transportation and inhibited individual transportation, but also failed to contain CO2 emissions. Mitigation policies and measures taken were not sufficient to prevent growth of CO2 emissions in both cities. To reduce CO2 emissions in transportation, SP and SH should focus on public policies to encourage public and clean transportation and limit the burning of fossil fuels.


Author(s):  
Chima Ngumah ◽  
Jude N. Ogbulie ◽  
Justina C. Orji ◽  
Ekpewerechi S. Amadi

With the growing demerits of fossil fuels - its finitude and its negative impact on the environment and public health - renewable energy is becoming a favoured emerging alternative. For over a millennium anaerobic digestion (AD) has been employed in treating organic waste (biomass). The two main products of anaerobic digestion, biogas and biofertilizer, are very important resources. Since organic wastes are always available and unavoidable too, anaerobic digestion provides an efficient means of converting organic waste to profitable resources. This paper elucidates the potential benefits of organic waste generated in Nigeria as a renewable source of biofuel and biofertilizer. The selected organic wastes studied in this work are livestock wastes (cattle excreta, sheep and goat excreta, pig excreta, poultry excreta; and abattoir waste), human excreta, crop residue, and municipal solid waste (MSW). Using mathematical computation based on standard measurements, Nigeria generates about 542.5 million tons of the above selected organic waste per annum. This in turn has the potential of yielding about 25.53 billion m³ of biogas (about 169 541.66 MWh) and 88.19 million tons of biofertilizer per annum. Both have a combined estimated value of about N 4.54 trillion ($ 29.29 billion). This potential biogas yield will be able to completely displace the use of kerosene and coal for domestic cooking, and reduce the consumption of wood fuel by 66%. An effective biogas programme in Nigeria will also remarkably reduce environmental and public health concerns, deforestation, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-193
Author(s):  
Lucia Helena Gomes Coelho ◽  
Meire Maki Akamine ◽  
Raquel Gentil Batista Ribeiro ◽  
Humberto De Paiva Junior

The development of the airport segment faces environmental externalities especially related to the increase in emissions of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs) from combustion of fossil fuels by the aircraft engine, by the machinery for the maintenance of the planes and also by the vehicles used for passengers connections (private cars, taxicabs or public transportation system). In this scope, the current work presents the case study of the expansion of the Viracopos International Airport at Campinas – São Paulo, Brazil. To evaluate that, the methodology of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was implemented to estimate the emissions of GHGs by aircraft for the years 2008 (before expansion), 2012 (current picture) and 2016 (future scenario) observing the changes in demand for passengers and cargo transportation. To evaluate the emissions from the vehicles it was used the AIMSUN microsimulation software to estimate emissions in the years 2012 and to simulate sensitivity scenarios for the year 2016. It was found that the inventory of CO2 emissions for both types of transports considered for Viracopos airport showed similar orders of magnitude, what can be inferred about the equivalent contribution of these two modes on emissions of GHGs for the study area. These results may serve as a basis for establishing emission management plans of air pollutants by the competent organizations and to propose more targeted and effective measures to reduce the GHG emissions by these sources.


2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lamhot P. Manalu

Crop drying is essential for preservation in agricultural applications. It is performed either using fossil fuels in an artificial mechanical drying process or by placing the crop under the open sun. The first method is costly and has a negative impact on the environment, while the second method is totally dependent on the weather. The drying process requires a lot of energy in relation to the amount of water that must be evaporated from the product. It is estimated that 12% of the total energy used by the food industries and agriculture absorbed in this process. Due to the limitation of energy resources, it is important to keep researching and developing of diversification and optimization of energy This study aims to assess the use of energy for cocoa drying using solar energy dryer and bin-type dryer, as well as to determine the drying efficiency of each type of dryer. The results showed that the efficiency of the solar dryer drying system ranges between 36% to 46%, while the tub-type dryers between 21.7% to 33.1%. The specific energy of solar dryer ranged from 6.17-7.87 MJ / kg, while the tub-type dryers 8.58-13.63 MJ / kg. Dryer efficiency is influenced by the level of solar irradiation and the amount of drying load, the higher the irradiation received and more cocoa beans are dried, the drying efficiency is also higher and the specific energy further down.Proses pengeringan memerlukan banyak energi sehubungan dengan banyaknya air yang harus diuapkan dari bahan yang dikeringkan. Pengeringan dapat dilakukan dengan menggunakan pengering mekanis berbahan bakar fosil atau dengan menempatkan produk di bawah matahari terbuka. Metode pertama adalah mahal dan memiliki dampak negatif pada lingkungan, sedangkan metode kedua sangat tergantung pada cuaca. Diperkirakan bahwa 12% dari total energi yang dipergunakan oleh industri pangan dan pertanian diserap untuk proses ini. Mengingat semakin terbatasnya sumber energi bahan bakar minyak maka usaha diversifikasi dan optimasi energi untuk pengeringan perlu terus diteliti dan dikembangkan. Salah satunya adalah pemanfaatan energi surya sebagai sumber energi terbarukan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengkaji penggunaan energi untuk pengeringan kakao dengan memakai pengering energi surya dan pengering tipe bak, serta untuk mengetahui efisiensi pengeringan dari masing-masing tipe pengering. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahwa efisiensi total sistem pengeringan alat pengering surya berkisar antara 36% dan 46%, sedangkan pengering tipe bak antara 21.7% dan 33.1%. Kebutuhan energi spesifik alat pengering surya berkisar antara 6.17-7.87 MJ/kg, sedangkan alat pengering tipe bak 8.58-13.63 MJ/kg. Efisiensi alat pengering dipengaruhi oleh tingkat iradiasi surya dan jumlah beban pengeringan, semakin tinggi iradiasi yang diterima pengering serta semakin banyak biji kakao yang dikeringkan, maka efisiensi pengeringan juga semakin tinggi dan kebutuhan energi spesifik semakin turun.Keywords: energy, efficiency, cocoa, solar dryer, bin-type dryer.


2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 85
Author(s):  
Rina Nur Chasanah ◽  
Andreas Wijaya

Public infrastructure and congestion issues become salient problems in Indonesia. According to INRIX Global Traffic Scoreboard (2018): Jakarta was ranked as twelfth worst in the world. Air quality also becoming another issues that derived from traffic congestion causing air pollution. To mitigate this issue, government has been established MRT Jakarta in 2019. This study aims to evaluate and improving service level of Moda Raya Terpadu (MRT) in order to encourage more people using public transportation, moreover altering people using public transportation would reduce the amount of fossil fuels and reducing bad air pollution for a better climate. Methodolgy of the research using service quality theory with five dimension from Parasuraman et. al, and extended in Importance Performance Analysis (IPA) method. Therefore, data was distributed using questionnaire with 18 item measurement and 102 respondents was collected. As a result, tangibility, reliability, and responsiveness dimension had been classified in quadrant one, followed assurance dimension in quadrant two, however empathy dimension had been measured in quadrant four and indicates to be improved.


Author(s):  
David Mares

This chapter discusses the role of energy in economic development, the transformation of energy markets, trade in energy resources themselves, and the geopolitical dynamics that result. The transformation of energy markets and their expansion via trade can help or hinder development, depending on the processes behind them and how stakeholders interact. The availability of renewable, climate-friendly sources of energy, domestically and internationally, means that there is no inherent trade-off between economic growth and the use of fossil fuels. The existence of economic, political, social, and geopolitical adjustment costs means that the expansion of international energy markets to incorporate alternatives to oil and coal is a complex balance of environmental trade-offs with no solutions completely free of negative impact risk. An understanding of the supply of and demand for energy must incorporate the institutional context within which they occur, as well as the social and political dynamics of their setting.


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