| 1. |
- Hörteborn, Axel, 1986, et al.
(author)
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Economic incentives and technological limitations govern environmental impact of LNG feeder vessels
- 2023
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In: Journal of Cleaner Production. - : Elsevier Ltd. - 0959-6526 .- 1879-1786. ; 429
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In the transition to sustainable shipping, Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), is proposed to play a role, reducing emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. However, LNG is a fossil fuel and there is an ongoing discussion regarding the extent of methane slip from ships operating on LNG, challenging the assumptions of LNG as a sustainable solution. Here we show another aspect to consider in the environmental assessment of shipping; LNG feeder vessels may spend as much as 25% of their time at sea just running the ship to ensure the pressure in the tanks are not exceeded, i.e., run time not directly attributed to the shipment of gas from one port or ship, to another. In other words, the economic incentives are currently allowing for roughly 32% increase of the ships’ operational emissions and discharges and increased navigational risks. Most coastal areas are heavily affected by anthropogenic activities and e.g., in the Baltic Sea there is consensus among the HELCOM member states that the input of nutrient and hazardous substances must be reduced. Even if the LNG feeder vessels are currently few, the possibility to reduce their environmental impact by 32% should be an attractive opportunity for future policy measures and investigation of technological solutions of the problem.
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| 2. |
- Lindahl, Niklas, 1981, et al.
(author)
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Early stage techno-economic and environmental analysis of aluminium batteries
- 2023
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In: Energy Advances. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 2753-1457. ; 2:3, s. 420-429
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- For any proper evaluation of next generation energy storage systems technological, economic, and environmental performance metrics should be considered. Here conceptual cells and systems are designed for different aluminium battery (AlB) concepts, including both active and passive materials. Despite the fact that all AlBs use high-capacity metal anodes and materials with low cost and environmental impact, their energy densities differ vastly and only a few concepts become competitive taking all aspects into account. Notably, AlBs with high-performance inorganic cathodes have the potential to exhibit superior technological and environmental performance, should they be more reversible and energy efficient, while at the system level costs become comparable or slightly higher than for both AlBs with organic cathodes and lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Overall, with continued development, AlBs should be able to complement LIBs, especially in light of their significantly lower demand for scarce materials. Several aluminium battery concepts are evaluated at material, cell and system levels for technical, economic and environmental performance, which enables them to complement lithium-ion batteries in the future.
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| 3. |
- Englund, Oskar, 1982, et al.
(author)
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Large-scale deployment of grass in crop rotations as a multifunctional climate mitigation strategy
- 2023
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In: GCB Bioenergy. - : Wiley. - 1757-1707 .- 1757-1693. ; 15:2, s. 166-184
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The agriculture sector can contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing its own greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, sequestering carbon in vegetation and soils, and providing biomass to substitute for fossil fuels and other GHG-intensive products. The sector also needs to address water, soil, and biodiversity impacts caused by historic and current practices. Emerging EU policies create incentives for cultivation of perennial plants that provide biomass along with environmental benefits. One such option, common in northern Europe, is to include grass in rotations with annual crops to provide biomass while remediating soil organic carbon (SOC) losses and other environmental impacts. Here, we apply a spatially explicit model on >81,000 sub-watersheds in EU27 + UK (Europe) to explore the effects of widespread deployment of such systems. Based on current accumulated SOC losses in individual sub-watersheds, the model identifies and quantifies suitable areas for increased grass cultivation and corresponding biomass- and protein supply, SOC sequestration, and reductions in nitrogen emissions to water as well as wind and water erosion. The model also provides information about possible flood mitigation. The results indicate a substantial climate mitigation potential, with combined annual GHG savings from soil-carbon sequestration and displacement of natural gas with biogas from grass-based biorefineries, equivalent to 13%–48% of current GHG emissions from agriculture in Europe. The environmental co-benefits are also notable, in some cases exceeding the estimated mitigation needs. Yield increases for annual crops in modified rotations mitigate the displacement effect of increasing grass cultivation. If the grass is used as feedstock in lieu of annual crops, the displacement effect can even be negative, that is, a reduced need for annual crop production elsewhere. Incentivizing widespread deployment will require supportive policy measures as well as new uses of grass biomass, for example, as feedstock for green biorefineries producing protein concentrate, biofuels, and other bio-based products.
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| 4. |
- Hansson, Julia, 1978, et al.
(author)
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COSTS FOR REDUCING GHG EMISSIONS FROM ROAD AND AIR TRANSPORT WITH BIOFUELS AND ELECTROFUELS
- 2023
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In: European Biomass Conference and Exhibition Proceedings. - : ETA-Florence Renewable Energies. - 2282-5819. ; , s. 368-372
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The potential future role of different biofuels, hydrogen, and so-called electrofuels/power-to-X (produced by electricity, water, and carbon dioxide, CO2) in different transportation sectors remains uncertain. The CO2 abatement cost, i.e., the cost for reducing a certain amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is central from a societal and business perspective, the latter specifically in the case of an emission reduction obligation system (like in Germany and Sweden). The abatement cost of a specific fuel value chain depends on the production cost and the GHG reduction provided by the fuel. This paper analyses the CO2 abatement costs for different types of biofuels, biomass-based jet fuels and electrofuels for road transport and aviation, relevant for the Swedish and EU context. Since most assessed alternative fuel pathways achieve substantial GHG emission reduction compared to fossil fuels, the fuel production cost is, in general, more important to achieve a low CO2 abatement cost. The estimated CO2 abatement cost ranges from -0.37 to 4.03 SEK/kgCO2 equivalent. Fuels based on waste feedstock, have a relatively low CO2 abatement cost. Fuel pathways based on electricity or electricity and biomass have relatively high CO2 abatement cost. The CO2 abatement cost for lignocellulosic based pathways generally ends up in between.
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| 5. |
- Johansson, Viktor, 1991, et al.
(author)
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Value of wind power – Implications from specific power
- 2017
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In: Energy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0360-5442. ; 126, s. 352-360
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper investigates the marginal system value of increasing the penetration level of wind power, and how this value is dependent upon the specific power (the ratio of the rated power to the swept area). The marginal system value measures the economic value of increasing the wind power capacity. Green-field power system scenarios, with minimised dispatch and investment costs, are modelled for Year 2050 for four regions in Europe that have different conditions for renewable electricity generation. The results show a high marginal system value of wind turbines at low penetration levels in all four regions and for the three specific powers investigated. The cost-optimal wind power penetration levels are up to 40% in low-wind-speed regions, and up to 80% in high-wind–speed regions. The results also show that both favourable solar conditions and access to hydropower benefit the marginal system value of wind turbines. Furthermore, the profile value, which measures how valuable a wind turbine generation profile is to the electricity system, increases in line with a reduction in the specific power for wind power penetration levels of >10%. The profile value shows that the specific power becomes more important as the wind power penetration level increases. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd
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| 6. |
- Nordelöf, Anders, 1975, et al.
(author)
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Less or different environmental impact?
- 2013
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In: Systems Perspectives on Electromobility 2013. - 9789198097313 ; , s. 60-75
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Electric and hybrid drivetrains are currently regarded as a promising technology forvehicle propulsion. They can reduce greenhouse and other exhaust gas emissionsfrom road transport. Electric drivetrains are more efficient than conventional internalcombustion engines fuelled by petrol or diesel (Chapter 5), and fully electrifiedvehicles does not give any tailpipe emissions. In addition, electric drivetrains canalso assist in decoupling the transport sector from its heavy reliance on fossilfuels. On the other hand, electric vehicles will require that more electricity isproduced and this can be done from several different energy sources with diverseenvironmental impacts. Furthermore, electric drivetrains require new advancedcomponents (Chapter 3) that result in additional, or at least different, environmentalimpacts compared to conventional vehicles.The trade-off between the benefits when operating of the vehicle and possiblenegative impacts from the production and from energy supply can be analysedusing life cycle assessment (LCA). However, LCA studies come in many shapesand diverging arguments on the utility of technology are based on them. Someadvocate the technology (using for example the well-to-wheels approach to guidegovernment promotion policies on different types of drivetrains and alternative fuel options)1 and others claim that the prospective for electric cars to reduce theenvironmental impacts of mobility is “substantially overrated”2 or that there will be“significant increases in human toxicity“.3This chapter provides an overview of the life cycle impacts of electric vehicles,with general conclusions and examples of results. We review existing researchand sort studies found in literature into categories by asking what we can learnfrom different LCA approaches. More specifically, which answers do we get fromwell-to-wheels (WTW) studies in comparison to complete LCA studies, and whatdifference does it make if a study includes a narrow or broad set of environmentalimpacts. We conclude by summarising these learnings and discuss implicationsfor a set of stakeholders identified in the area of vehicle electrification, such aspolicy makers and various branches of industry.
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| 7. |
- Odenberger, Mikael, 1977, et al.
(author)
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Prospects for CCS in the EU energy roadmap to 2050
- 2013
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In: Energy Procedia. - : Elsevier BV. - 1876-6102. ; 37, s. 7573-7581
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this paper is to estimate the prospects of carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the European electricity supply system taking into account possible forthcoming policy based on the recent EU Energy Roadmap communication, which suggests a 93 to 99% reduction in CO2 emissions relative 1990 levels from the electricity sector by the year 2050. Furthermore, the effect of whether or not onshore storage will be accepted is investigated. The work is based on techno-economic modeling of the European electricity generation sector under different assumptions (scenarios) of the future with respect to electricity demand and fuel prices. The results indicate that the contribution from CCS on a member state level depends on local conditions, e.g., access to local fuels like lignite, and whether or not onshore storage will be allowed. Excluding on-shore storage in aquifers, the modeling results give that CCS is centralized around the North Sea. Natural gas fired conventional power plants is likely to be a serious competitor to coal CCS in the short to medium term providing large emission reduction opportunities by fuel shifting from existing coal power plants to new high efficient gas fired combined cycles. Such development can be a barrier for early deployment of CCS, and hence, result in a delay in commercialization of CCS. The scenarios presented in the Energy Roadmap prescribe power systems almost without net CO2 emissions by 2050, which implies that CCS technologies by the year 2050 must be of a zero-emission type. The modeling presented here indicates in general a large increase in technologies with low CO2 emissions, renewables as well as a significant contribution from CCS technologies, where CCS in the investigated scenarios have the potential to contribute as much as 25-35% of total electricity generation at around year 2050.
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| 8. |
- Pizarro, Amalia, et al.
(author)
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What is the future potential for imports of combustible municipal waste to countries with extensive district heating networks? A case study of Denmark
- 2015
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In: Proceedings of Sardinia 2015 Fifteenth International Waste Management and Landfill Symposium. ; 9788862650212
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- In Europe, landfilling is the most widely used method for managing municipal solid waste. By contrast, the northern European waste market is characterized by high capacities from energy recovery plants, mostly incineration in cogeneration facilities. In Denmark, there is an overcapacity of incineration plants and this study aims to analyse if import of waste is beneficial during an interim period to divert landfilling or if it might be profitable to invest in overcapacity in the long-term in those countries where heat from incineration can be recovered. The energy and waste management system are described through linking of mathematical models, taking a holistic approach. In the short-term it pays off to import waste, avoiding landfilling; however, in the longer-term, benefits from waste trading will depend on the price of heat markets.
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| 9. |
- Sotnikov, Artem, 1985, et al.
(author)
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Simulations of a solar-assisted block-heating system
- 2017
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In: ISES Solar World Congress 2017 - IEA SHC International Conference on Solar Heating and Cooling for Buildings and Industry 2017, Proceedings. - Freiburg, Germany : International Solar Energy Society.
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Two types of simulation software TRNSYS and Polysun are studied to check their suitability for solar district heating system planning. A reference case, a part of the Vallda Heberg district heating system is modelled in both tools and results are compared with available measured data and with each other. Models are successfully calibrated. TRNSYS and Polysun models have deviations in main key figures compared to the reference case less than 2% and less than 8% respectively. A sensitivity analysis of key parameters shows that the two tools give similar results.
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| 10. |
- Adl-Zarrabi, Bijan, 1959, et al.
(author)
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Sustainability Assessment of Infrastructure Elements with Integrated Energy Harvesting Technologies
- 2016
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In: Energy and Environment. - : Wiley. - 9781119307761 ; , s. 221-234
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Book chapter (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The possibility of integrating energy harvesting devices into the bridge/tunnel structures along Coastal Highway Route E39 has been investigated in a feasibility study by the Norwegian Public Roads Administration (NPRA). The main advantage of integrating energy conversion devices in a structural element is the reduction of costs compared to stand-alone devices. The construction could be used as a foundation, a mooring point and provide a dry environment for electrical devices. Easy access to the production site could also reduce the cost for installation, operation and maintenance. Two important challenges related to harvesting renewable energy by infrastructure elements, without concerning about the energy source, are to store it or feed the energy to the grid. In the second case, tailoring generation to demand is of critical importance. Tasks such as supply and demand management, for instance, peak hour management, what kind of storage should be used - electrical or thermal - need be solved. Furthermore, integrating energy production devices in a structure might cause negative environmental impacts and affect the life expectancy and maintenance costs of such structures. The potential environmental impacts associated with renewable technologies are the consequences for bird life or marine fauna at the fjord crossing locations, as well as noise and visual impact. Thus, a sustainability assessment should be performed in order to quantify the ecological, economical and societal impacts of the suggested alternatives.
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