Search results for "Payback time"
showing 8 items of 8 documents
A Comparison of Solar and Conventional Pavements Via Life Cycle Assessment
2023
The sustainable and green development of roads is lately receiving significant attention. As a multi-functional road capable of both accommodating traffic loads and generating clean energy, solar pavements exhibit a strategic opportunity for the future path of development in the road engineering. Although solar pavements have significant environmental benefits during their operation, they can lead to increased carbon emissions during the process of material preparation, construction, maintenance, etc. Therefore, it is essential to implement the framework of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to investigate their potential environmental impacts and/or benefits. Hence, this paper systematically anal…
Life cycle assessment of a solar thermal collector: sensitivity analysis, energy and environmental balances
2005
Abstract Starting from the results of a life cycle assessment of solar thermal collector for sanitary warm water, an energy balance between the employed energy during the collector life cycle and the energy saved thanks to the collector use has been investigated. A sensitivity analysis for estimating the effects of the chosen methods and data on the outcome of the study was carried out. Uncertainties due to the eco-profile of input materials and the initial assumptions have been analysed. Since the study is concerned with a renewable energy system, attention has been focused on the energy indexes and in particular the “global energy consumption”. Following the principles of Kyoto Protocol, …
A sustainable phenolic compound extraction system from olive oil mill wastewater
2017
Abstract The reduction of environmental impact and the achievement of economic advantages based on by-product recovery is the aim of applying methodologies for phenolic compounds extraction from Olive Oil Mill Wastewater. Volume reduction of Olive Oil Mill Wastewater could generate important advantages in terms of waste disposal cost abatement and, in addition, reuse in the production of foods with health properties could lead to economic benefits. Despite the fact that literature shows that several techniques have been developed, few economic approaches have been presented. This paper assesses the economic feasibility of a system based on membrane filtration and reverse osmosis processes f…
A Simplified LCA Tool for Solar Heating and Cooling Systems
2016
Abstract This paper presents a user-friendly Life Cycle Assessment tool, which aims to support researchers, designers and decision-makers in evaluating the life cycle energy and environmental advantages related to the use of solar heating and cooling (SHC) systems in substitution of conventional ones, considering specific climatic conditions and building loads. The tool was developed within the Task 48 “Quality Assurance & Support Measures for Solar Cooling Systems”, promoted by the International Energy Agency in the framework of the SHC Programme.
Life Cycle Assessment of Solar Technologies
2015
This chapter analyses the most common solar technologies and assesses their energy and environmental performance, based on a life cycle perspective. After a preliminary description of the main technologies, the chapter presents a review of studies on solar plants, as published in scientific journals in the past decade. Successively, the chapter assesses solar plants in comparison to other renewable and non-renewable based technologies, including a discussion of uncertainties and criticalities in the assessment
Methodological insights on Life Cycle Assessment of solar energy technologies
2012
Renewable energies are reliable sources to move the world toward a sustainable energy economy, to achieve the emission reduction targets and to face the shortage of worldwide fossil fuels reserves. A reliable energy and environmental profile of renewable energy technologies (RETs) may not leave out considerations on the impacts of the background system, including also the production, use, and disposal of such systems. In this context the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is an established methodology to estimate the energy and environmental benefits and drawbacks of RETs and to identify components and life cycle stages having the largest impacts. In the present Chapter the authors focus on the an…
Economic and technical feasibility of a photovoltaic system in university building
2009
The use of renewable sources for electric power production can compensate the ever increasing energy demand in buildings. This article shows a study on the feasibility – both from the economic and technical point of view, of a photovoltaic system to be built on the premises of a university faculty. After a historical analysis on the building’s consumption – both on a yearly and monthly base, which highlights the need for an autonomous electric power production system, the difficult task of the technical optimization was undertaken with the aim of minimizing the impact or visual interference of the plant. A series of simulations allowed estimating the right compromise between producibility o…
Cost optimal analysis of lighting retrofit scenarios in educational buildings in Italy
2017
Abstract The European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) recast proposes, a comparative methodology to calculate cost-optimal levels of minimum energy performance requirements for buildings. This paper presents a method able to select the best retrofit action for lighting system, selectively analysing the daylight conditions and applying the cost-optimal methodology for different scenarios proposed for two existing educational buildings located in Italy. With the aim to improve both energy efficient and visual comfort conditions, the retrofit scenarios include lighting solutions with different combinations. They consider the replacement of lamps with more efficient lighting so…