scholarly journals Sustainable Italian Cities: The Added Value of Biomethane from Organic Waste

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 2221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Cucchiella ◽  
Idiano D’Adamo ◽  
Massimo Gastaldi
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Organic Waste ◽  
Net Present Value ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Selling Price ◽  
Present Value ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Biomethane Production

This work focuses on the profitability of biomethane plants and the environmental benefits obtained recovering the organic fraction of municipal solid waste in Italy. The economic model is based on the calculations of the net present value, considering multiple capacities of biomethane production (ranging from 50 to 500 m3/h) and alternative scenarios based on the variation in subsidies, the selling price of biomethane, and the net revenues from the treatment of organic waste. The environmental analysis quantifies the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions obtained by natural gas vehicles fueled by biomethane. The economic and environmental results encourage energy change that can be achieved by municipalities that support the transformation of natural resources into green fuels. Across 15 Italian municipalities, the potential biomethane production varies from 80.4 million m3/year to 102.8 million m3/year, with an overall net present value ranging from 135 to 187 million €. In addition, the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions varies from 127 to 162 thousand-ton CO2eq/year. Both the economic and environmental results demonstrate that biomethane is a renewable resource with added value for municipalities.

Increasing ewe genetic fecundity improves whole-farm production and reduces greenhouse gas emissions intensities: 2. Economic performance

2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 1248 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. K. M. Ho ◽  
T. Jackson ◽  
M. T. Harrison ◽  
R. J. Eckard
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Net Present Value ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Present Value ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
High Fecundity ◽  
Farm Profit ◽  
Baseline System

Ewes with the fecundity Booroola (FecB) gene produce more lambs per ewe on average than ewes without the gene and offers a potential way to decrease greenhouse gas emissions (net and per unit animal product) without reducing lamb production if the lambs can be reared to market weights. Using a case study farm in south-west Victoria, a biophysical modelling study has previously showed that increased ewe fecundity from 1 to 1.5 lambs per ewe increased production by 27% and reduced net farm emissions by 21% for the same long-term stocking rate. In this study, a whole-farm economic analysis was used to investigate the relative merit of the same case study farm, with high-fecundity ewes, compared with a baseline system that represented a typical prime lamb enterprise in the region. An additional system comprising ewes with high fecundity at a lower stocking rate than the case study farm was also examined. The analysis was undertaken to establish which farm systems represented the most economically efficient use of all the resources that are employed over a run of years, and involved estimating the net present value of annual profits earned by the farm in each scenario, taking into account the total value of capital used. The potential revenue from the sale of carbon credits through the Carbon Farming Initiative was also investigated. After accounting for the additional costs involved, increasing ewe fecundity resulted in an increase in annual whole-farm profit compared with the baseline system, but risk, considered as the variability in farm profit, also increased. Decreasing stocking rate for the high-fecundity system reduced annual operating profit and net present value at a 5% discount rate, but had less risk compared with the higher stocking rate system. While both systems that incorporated high-fecundity ewes reduced greenhouse gas emissions, revenue from the sale of carbon credits was small compared with revenue from the sale of lambs, wool and culled ewes. Despite this, and assuming the required increases in fertility and weaning rates could be achieved consistently on-farm, ewes with high fecundity may offer producers the opportunity to increase production and profit as well as decrease greenhouse gas emissions.

Economics of camel control in central Australia

2010 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam G. Drucker ◽  
Glenn P. Edwards ◽  
William K. Saalfeld
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Discount Rate ◽  
Net Present Value ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Control Programme ◽  
Present Value ◽  
Strong Argument ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Central Australia

A cost-effectiveness analysis based on a bioeconomic model was carried out with regard to specific feral camel control strategies in central Australia. Two different aerial control strategies were modelled for the period 2009–20. Strategy 1 involved annual removals, whereas strategy 2 involved periodic removals only when a specific feral camel density was reached. The direct benefits to the pastoral industry of feral camel control were also modelled in terms of reduced grazing competition together with infrastructure damage. A single environmental service related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions was further considered. Although the present costs of control under the two strategies are considerable ($4.10–4.95 million over 12 years at a 5% discount rate), they are far outweighed by the present benefits to the livestock industry from reduced competition ($46.3 million), as well as to society as a whole through reduced greenhouse gas emissions ($32.1 million). Including reduced infrastructure damage, the net present value of control is $75.2 million under strategy 1 and $73.3 million under strategy 2 (over 12 years at a 5% discount rate), suggesting that a control strategy based on annual removals should be preferred over a strategy of periodic removals. Given the large positive net present value of control and the robustness of the overall findings, there would appear to be a strong argument for considering the implementation of a full-scale, long-term feral camel control programme in the near future.

Our Energy Inheritance: Nuclear Power

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hewitt Crane ◽  
Edwin Kinderman ◽  
Ripudaman Malhotra
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Nuclear Waste ◽  
Energy Security ◽  
Nuclear Power ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Nuclear Technology ◽  
Value Judgments ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
The World

Of the various alternatives to fossil energy, nuclear power is the most advanced and the best positioned to become a major source of energy. It is also essentially free of CO2 emissions, and if reducing greenhouse gas emissions is truly the highest concern, then we will have to develop nuclear power. Yet developing nuclear power would also pose challenges in terms of waste disposal, and proliferation of nuclear weapons including the risk of a terrorist organization acquiring such weapons. To some environmentalists nuclear power presents a serious, dilemma. Support or opposition to nuclear power is strongly affected by value judgments as well as lack of disseminated information on questions: What happens if there is leakage of nuclear waste someday? To what extent would people and the world be affected? Would we be trading international security for energy security—does nuclear power increase our vulnerability to terrorist attacks? The mixture of clear benefits with outstanding questions currently allows some nations to embrace nuclear power, some to accept it grudgingly, and still others choose to ignore it. Given its availability and environmental benefits, nuclear is an option that cannot be ignored if we are to tackle the energy problem in a serious way. To assume that we can store and safeguard the waste for thousands of years may be hubris, but we come out in favor of developing nuclear technology in part because we already have to store the legacy nuclear waste that has been generated over the last 50 years. Another 60 or so years of waste will represent a marginal addition to that enormous task, but it would buy us badly needed time to carefully develop other energy sources that do not entail net greenhouse gas emissions. Also, we find that many of the concerns raised against the development of nuclear power are vastly exaggerated. For example, as we describe in this chapter, safe storage of the waste does not require 10,000 years: if we use reprocessing technologies, the remaining waste could be rendered benign in a couple of centuries.

scholarly journals Two Novel Energy Crops: Sida hermaphrodita (L.) Rusby and Silphium perfoliatum L.—State of Knowledge

Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 928
Author(s):  
Laura Cumplido-Marin ◽  
Anil R. Graves ◽  
Paul J. Burgess ◽  
Christopher Morhart ◽  
Pierluigi Paris ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Energy Production ◽  
Biogas Production ◽  
Soil Health ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Bioenergy Crops ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Gas Emissions

Current global temperature increases resulting from human activity threaten many ecosystems and societies, and have led to international and national policy commitments that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Bioenergy crops provide one means of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from energy production and two novel crops that could be used for this purpose are Sida hermaphrodita (L.) Rusby and Silphium perfoliatum L. This research examined the existing scientific literature available on both crops through a systematic review. The data were collated according to the agronomy, uses, and environmental benefits of each crop. Possible challenges were associated with high initial planting costs, low yields in low rainfall areas, and for Sida hermaphrodita, vulnerability to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. However, under appropriate environmental conditions, both crops were found to provide large yields over sustained periods of time with relatively low levels of management and could be used to produce large energy surpluses, either through direct combustion or biogas production. Other potential uses included fodder, fibre, and pharmaceutical uses. Environmental benefits included the potential for phytoremediation, and improvements to soil health, biodiversity, and pollination. The review also demonstrated that environmental benefits, such as pollination, soil health, and water quality benefits could be obtained from the use of Sida hermaphrodita and Silphium perfoliatum relative to existing bioenergy crops such as maize, whilst at the same time reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy production. Future research should examine the long-term implications of using Sida hermaphrodita and Silphium perfoliatum as well as improve knowledge on how to integrate them successfully within existing farming systems and supply chains.

Agricultural Organic Waste Recycling to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

2015 ◽  
pp. 167-181
Author(s):  
Tom Wassenaar ◽  
François Dumoulin ◽  
Jean-Luc Farinet ◽  
Jean-Marie Paillat ◽  
Laurent Thuriès ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Organic Waste ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Gas Emissions

Automobile Fuel Economy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grady Killeen ◽  
Arik Levinson
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Electric Vehicles ◽  
Fuel Economy ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Automotive Fuel ◽  
History Of

In March 2017, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt reopened an evaluation of the automotive fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards that the EPA had finalized in January. This case provides a history of the rules, along with assessments of their costs and benefits. It addresses numerous debates, including the environmental benefits of the rules, the role of electric vehicles, whether the standards should be less strict for larger cars, and tradeoffs between fuel economy and safety.

scholarly journals TESTING OF OVERSULFATED CEMENT BASED ON NATURAL POUZZOLANE

2021 ◽  
pp. 176-183
Author(s):  
Dimbimalala Mavoniaina RATSARAHASINA ◽  
Hery Mikaela RATSIMBAZAFY ◽  
Jean de Dieu RAMAROSON
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Selling Price ◽  
Gas Emissions ◽  
Performance Point ◽  
New Type

Currently, cement plants face a major environmental problem due to greenhouse gas emissions during the production of Portland clinker. In order to mitigate this negative impact on the environment, this study aims to partially or completely replace conventional cement with a new type of cement that has properties similar to conventional cements. To enhance local mineral resources, the use of natural pouzzolane is adopted. As this binder is obtained by a mixture of activated natural pouzzolane, gypsum, lime and a small amount of conventional cement, the work is to determine the optimal parameters to obtain the best result, and the value for money. The property of the natural pouzzolane needs to be improved by thermal activation to obtain better activity, a treatment of 2 hours at 500oC was carried out. Then several tests were carried out by varying the different parameters that can influence the characteristics of the cement developed. The best composition determined is 65% pouzzolane, 15% cement, and 5% gypsum. A comparative study was carried out to classify this new type of cement. From a mechanical performance point of view, this oversulphate cement is able in the medium term to compete with the conventional cements produced by the company HOLCIM, and even outperform it in the longer term. In addition, the cost of production and the selling price are lower than those of conventional cements. So the use of this cement in the field of civil engineering can be considered, it has potential and contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Even if the results are sufficient, a thorough study is still needed to improve this type of cement. KEYWORDS: pouzzolane, clinker, oversulfated cement

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