scholarly journals Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Alternative Energy Sources for the Western Australian Transport Sector

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (14) ◽  
pp. 5565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Najmul Hoque ◽  
Wahidul Biswas ◽  
Ilyas Mazhar ◽  
Ian Howard
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Alternative Energy Sources ◽  
Western Australian

Environmental obligation, fuel security, and human health issues have fuelled the search for locally produced sustainable transport fuels as an alternative to liquid petroleum. This study evaluates the sustainability performance of various alternative energy sources, namely, ethanol, electricity, electricity-gasoline hybrid, and hydrogen, for Western Australian road transport using a life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) framework. The framework employs 11 triple bottom line (TBL) sustainability indicators and uses threshold values for benchmarking sustainability practices. A number of improvement strategies were devised based on the hotspots once the alternative energy sources failed to meet the sustainability threshold for the determined indicators. The proposed framework effectively addresses the issue of interdependencies between the three pillars of sustainability, which was an inherent weakness of previous frameworks. The results show that the environment-friendly and socially sustainable energy options, namely, ethanol-gasoline blend E55, electricity, electricity-E10 hybrid, and hydrogen, would need around 0.02, 0.14, 0.10, and 0.71 AUD/VKT of financial support, respectively, to be comparable to gasoline. Among the four assessed options, hydrogen shows the best performance for the environmental and social bottom line when renewable electricity is employed for hydrogen production. The economic sustainability of hydrogen fuel is, however, uncertain at this stage due to the high cost of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs). The robustness of the proposed framework warrants its application in a wide range of alternative fuel assessment scenarios locally as well as globally.

scholarly journals Alternative and Transitional Energy Sources for Urban Transport

2020 ◽  
pp. 586-596 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmitriy Ya. Rozhko
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Urban Transport ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Political Factors ◽  
Alternative Energy Sources

In urban areas, the transport sector is one of the main sources of significant energy consumption and carbon emissions. Although diesel and gasoline are still the main sources of energy used in urban transport, more and more attention is now being paid to alternative and transitional sources of energy, as they are renewable and have less negative impact on the environment. However, the successful use of alternative energy sources can be hindered by various technical, economic and political factors. This article discusses the latest literature on alternative and transitional energy sources in order to understand the possibility of their use in urban transport at present, as well as the possibility of introducing these sources in the future

Environmental aspects of the use of lubricating oils and alternative energy sources on the way to improve transport sector of the world economy

2020 ◽  
Vol 05 ◽  
pp. 26-29
Author(s):  
V.A. Zolotov ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Economy ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Internal Combustion Engines ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Production Volume ◽  
Environmental Aspects ◽  
Lubricating Oils ◽  
Alternative Energy Sources ◽  
The World

The article presents some features of new technologies in the field of improving transport and its inherent environmental aspects of the use of lubricating oils and alternative energy sources in modern conditions of development of the global economy. Transport enjoys a predominant share in the consumption of lubricants in the world market and in fact about 57 % of the world production volume is used in this sector of the economy. In accordance with global trends, the design development of traditional reciprocating internal combustion engines is carried out in conjunction with the development and implementation of environmental requirements for them in the largest economies in the world - European Union standards (Euro-7), India (Bharat Stage VI - the equivalent of Euro-6 standard) and China (China 6 is a more stringent version of the Euro-6 standard), aimed at reducing exhaust emissions. Actual additions to the SAE J300 classification include relatively low kinematic viscosity of oils, which allows engine manufacturers to meet the requirements of environmental standards that regulate emission of particles with exhaust gases and fuel economy - reducing fuel consumption. The advent of electric vehicles is having an increasing impact on transport and energy infrastructure. This long-term trend will also affect the manufacturing sector, where demand for traditional lubricants is expected to decline. The transport market today is making progress towards reducing carbon dioxide emissions and increasing fuel economy. Despite this, further investments by the automotive industry in improving the design of piston engines around the world are declining, and the supply of new engines for car manufacturers after 2021 is predictably reduced.

An Emergent Trans-Asian Energy Nexus: Likely Costs and Possible Benefits

2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 237-267
Author(s):  
Leanne Piggott
Keyword(s):  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Oil Consumption ◽  
Global Energy ◽  
Alternative Energy Sources ◽  
Major Supplier

In this article, I state that the IEA predicts that global energy usage will continue to increase over the next twenty years by as much as 45%, driven largely by the emerging economies of North and South Asia. This assessment is most pertinent in relation to oil, which currently accounts for the largest share of global energy use due to the oil dependence of the transport sector. I point out that the major supplier of oil to the global market, West Asia’s Arabian/Persian Gulf, is also experiencing relatively high energy consumption growth, and the Gulf states have thus found themselves confronted with the paradox of needing to develop alternative energy sources for their own domestic use while requiring the world’s traditional dependence on oil to continue so that they can maintain their export revenues. To the extent that alternative energy sources are developed, the commerciality of the oil reserves of supplier states is made less secure. The article explains how the growth in oil consumption has also raised questions about the medium to long-term security of supply for Asian oil-importing states which have invested substantially in supply contracts and in acquiring equity in upstream production in the Gulf. I examine both the potential threats and benefits that might arise from this emerging trans-Asian oil nexus including the increasing dependence by Asian oil importers on supplies from an inherently unstable region, and the pursuit of alternate technologies by suppliers and consumers.

scholarly journals DESIGN FEATURES AND HAZARDS OF HYDROGEN FUEL CELL CARS

Fire Safety ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 52-57
Author(s):  
O. Lazarenko ◽  
V.-P. Parkhomenko ◽  
R. Sukach ◽  
B. Bilonozhko ◽  
A. Kuskovets
Keyword(s):  
High Pressure ◽  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
The United States ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Potential Hazard ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel Cell ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
Alternative Energy Sources ◽  
Short Period

Introduction. The gradual and relentless development of alternative energy sources and the constant strug-gle of humanity with excess greenhouse gas emissions led to the simultaneous development of vehicles with alternative energy sources. Currently, vehicles that run exclusively on electricity and are virtually safe for the environment are becoming increasingly popular. Among the variety of vehicles running on electricity, it is necessary to single out vehicles that use compressed hydrogen to generate electricity. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCV) are already widely used in the United States, Germany, Japan, and the rest of the world, and their governments are constantly expanding and developing the appropriate infrastructure for them.The purpose and objectives of the study. The paper analyses the basic structure of HFCV and identifies the main scenarios of possible emergencies, namely: fire or explosion of fuel tanks with hydrogen; leakage, flaming of hydrogen from fuel lines (tank) under the high pressure; high-pressure hydrogen jet fire; leakage of hydrogen in the compartment (garage, closed parking) without further combustion.Methods. In the work on the subsequent literature review, the probable dangers for the personnel of the emergency rescue units involved in the elimination of certain emergency scenarios were identified.Results. It is established that: during the combustion of HFCV the most probable jet fire of hydrogen (flame temperature can reach 2000 0C), and also possible explosion of hydrogen cylinders or gas-air mixture with a significant range. Secondly, leakage of hydrogen in the compartment can cause its destruction in a relatively short period (about 15 seconds), and/or poisoning (asphyxia) of people due to a sharp decrease in oxygen concentration.Conclusions. The analysis and generalization of existing knowledge on the potential hazard of HFCV is conducted, electric cars give us reasonable grounds to argue that the regulatory framework for the construction and installation of security systems for land and underground parking, places of accumulation of such vehicles is not adapted to today's realities. At the same time, the following studies should be directed at estimating probablee risks of such emergencies.

scholarly journals Principles for the application of life cycle sustainability assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 1900-1905 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonia Valdivia ◽  
Jana Gerta Backes ◽  
Marzia Traverso ◽  
Guido Sonnemann ◽  
Stefano Cucurachi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Social Life Cycle Assessment ◽  
Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Bottom Line ◽  
Life Cycle Initiative ◽  
Iso 14040 ◽  
Trade Offs

Abstract Purpose and context This paper aims to establish principles for the increased application and use of life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA). Sustainable development (SD) encompassing resilient economies and social stability of the global system is growingly important for decision-makers from business and governments. The “17 SDGs” emerge as a high-level shared blueprint for peace, abundance, and prosperity for people and the planet, and “sustainability” for supporting improvements of products and organizations. A “sustainability” interpretation—successful in aligning stakeholders’ understanding—subdivides the impacts according to a triple bottom line or three pillars: economic, social, and environmental impacts. These context and urgent needs inspired the LCSA framework. This entails a sustainability assessment of products and organizations in accordance with the three pillars, while adopting a life cycle perspective. Methods The Life Cycle Initiative promotes since 2011 a pragmatic LCSA framework based on the three techniques: LCSA = environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) + life cycle costing (LCC) + social life cycle assessment (S-LCA). This is the focus of the paper, while acknowledging previous developments. Identified and reviewed literature shows challenges of addressing the three pillars in the LCSA framework implementation like considering only two pillars; not being fully aligned with ISO 14040; lacking interconnectedness among the three pillars; not having clear criteria for results’ weighting nor clear results’ interpretation; and not following cause-effect chains and mechanisms leading to an endpoint. Agreement building among LCSA experts and reviewing processes strengthened the consensus on this paper. Broad support and outreach are ensured by publishing this as position paper. Results For harmonizing practical LCSA applications, easing interpretation, and increasing usefulness, consensed ten LCSA principles (10P) are established: understanding the areas of protection, alignment with ISO 14040, completeness, stakeholders’ and product utility considerations, materiality of system boundaries, transparency, consistency, explicit trade-offs’ communication, and caution when compensating impacts. Examples were provided based on a fictional plastic water bottle Conclusions In spite of increasing needs for and interest in SD and sustainability supporting tools, LCSA is at an early application stage of application. The 10P aim to promote more and better LCSA applications by ensuring alignment with ISO 14040, completeness and clear interpretation of integrated results, among others. For consolidating its use, however, more consensus-building is needed (e.g., on value-laden ethical aspects of LCSA, interdependencies and interconnectedness among the three dimensions, and harmonization and integration of the three techniques) and technical and policy recommendations for application.

Life cycle costing as a bottom line for the life cycle sustainability assessment in the solar energy sector: A review

Solar Energy ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 192 ◽  
pp. 238-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Ximenes Naves ◽  
Camila Barreneche ◽  
A. Inés Fernández ◽  
Luisa F. Cabeza ◽  
Assed N. Haddad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Energy Sector ◽  
Life Cycle Costing ◽  
Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment ◽  
Bottom Line

UNBRIDGEABLE GAP BETWEEN TRANSPORT POLICY AND PRACTICE IN HUNGARY / VENGRIJOS TRANSPORTO TOLITIKOS IR PRAKTIKOS TOTRŪKIS

2012 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 104-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabor Szendro ◽  
Maria Csete ◽  
Adam Torok
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Transport Sector ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Additional Tool ◽  
Alternative Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Share

Due to the increasing energy demand and mobility of the human population and in order to pursue sustainable development and decrease fossil fuel dependency there is a major need to use alternative energy sources. Nowadays the 20-20-20 policy is under revision. It has become clear that the transport sector on the EU level will not be able to meet the goal of 20% usage of renewable energy sources by 2020. Our paper investigates the possibilities of Hungary for reaching 10% of renewable energy sources in transport sector. Our research indicates that blending bioethanol and biodiesel with conventional fuels is not sufficient not provide an effective and alternative way to fulfill 10% part of transport-related energy demand. Further efforts are needed that can only be done by deep analysis of the current situation and active participationin policymaking as an additional tool of reaching the target: changing our social behaviour. Furthermore, our investigationshows that this general problem can occur not only in Hungary but in those European countries that targeted the 10% renewable energy share in their transport sector. Santrauka Dėl vis kylančio energijos poreikio ir gyventojų mobilumo bei siekiant įgyvendinti tvariosios plėtros principus, sumažinti priklausomybę nuo iškastinio kuro, didėja būtinumas naudoti alternatyviuosius energijos išteklius. Svarbu konkrečiau apibrėžti projekto „20–20–20“ tikslus. Akivaizdu, Europos Sąjungos lygiu transporto sektoriui nepavyks įgyvendinti, kad iki 2020 m. atsinaujinantys šaltiniai būtų naudojami 20 proc. Nagrinėjamos Vengrijos transporto sektoriaus galimybės alternatyviuosius energijos šaltinius naudoti 10 proc. Atlikus tyrimus nustatyta, kad maišyti bioetanolį ir biodyzeliną su įprastiniu kuru nėra pakankama priemonė, kad taptų efektyvia alternatyva ir transportui būtinos energijos poreikį patenkintų 10 proc. Būtinos tolesnės pastangos, dalyvaujant suinteresuotosioms šalims, išsamiai analizuoti esamą situaciją ir keisti socialinę elgseną, kad tai taptų papildoma priemone siekiant tikslo. Nustatyta, kad ši bendrojo pobūdžio problema gali kilti ne tik Vengrijoje, bet ir tose Europos šalyse, kuriose užsibrėžta atsinaujinančius šaltinius transporto srityje naudoti 10 proc.

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