Search results for "low-carbon"
showing 10 items of 12 documents
Preventing early age chloride migration into low-carbon concrete
2019
The use of substituting cementitious materials (SCMs) to produce low-carbon concrete is escalating. This contributes to reducing the anthropogenic emission of CO2, and to reduce harmful temperature gradients during cement hydration in massive structures. Mature low-carbon concretes are known to perform well on both strength and durability. However, the maturity process is slow compared to that of standard concrete. Structures made from low-carbon concrete are subject to penetration of agents like chloride at early age, accelerating degrading processes. Chloride penetration is a major problem especially to infrastructure, due to seawater proximity and the use of de-icing agents. Solutions fo…
On the Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring in dwellings: a feasibility perspective
2021
The oncoming modernization process of the power grids, driven above all by decarbonisation objectives and the continuous improvement of digital technologies, is encouraging active participation in the electricity market by consumers through the Demand-Response mechanism. From this perspective, the introduction of smart meters and energy consumption monitoring devices plays a fundamental role, being able to give benefits to consumers, suppliers and the electricity grid itself. This paper proposes a supervised method of non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) based on the recognition of patterns in the time domain with the Dynamic Time Warping algorithm which is suitable for low-cost smart meter…
Life cycle energy and environmental impacts of a solid oxide fuel cell micro-CHP system for residential application
2019
Abstract Fuel cells are considered one of the key technologies to reach the ambitious European goal of a low carbon economy, by reducing CO2 emissions and limiting the production of other pollutants. The manuscript presents an assessment of the life cycle energy and environmental performances of a solid oxide fuel cell system for household applications using primary data from the manufacturing phase and experimental data for the start-up and operation phases. The Life Cycle Assessment methodology is applied, based on a functional unit of 1 MJ of exergy and includes the life cycle steps from the raw materials extraction to the maintenance. The results show a particular relevance of the opera…
Transition to sustainability: Italian scenarios towards a low-carbon economy
2014
This paper analyzes different policies that may promote the transition to sustainability, with a particular focus on the energy sector. We present a dynamic simulation model where three different strategies for sustainability are identified: reduction in GHG emissions, improvements in energy efficiency and the development of the renewable energy sector. Our aim is to evaluate the dynamics that those strategies may produce in the economy, looking at different performance indicators: rate of growth, unemployment, fiscal position, GHG emission, and transition to renewable energy sources. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2014.
Applicability of Existing Public Transport Sustainability Indicators to Norwegian Small Cities and Towns
2021
World-wide, developed countries tend to have a higher share of transport related emissions. In Norway, approximately one third of transport emissions are connected to passenger cars. With most inhabitants living in small cities and towns that have low population densities and high car dependency, and having made passenger transport decarbonization a national priority, there is a need to account for the success or failure of implemented sustainable transport solutions in Norway.Research on sustainable transport and indicators to measure its development tends to focus on large cities raising the question if indicators defined for large cities fit to the realities of smaller urban settlements?…
Fostering the energy efficiency through the energy savings: The case of the University of Palermo
2019
This paper reports the strategy implemented by the Palermo University (Italy) aimed at fostering the energy performance of its campus, particularly towards financing energy saving measures. The basic idea is that the money saved through the energy efficiency actions, constitute the main flywheel to fund further savings and energy efficiency interventions. Results of this paper might bring a useful contribution to the energy planning of cities, since campuses may be regarded as emblematic case study of what can be done in cities because they reproduce, at a little scale, the functioning of wider urban contexts.
REALIZATION OF ASSUMPTIONS OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE LOW EMISSION ECONOMY ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE OPOLSKIE VOIVODESHIP
2017
Evolution of pyrolysis and gasification as waste to energy tools for low carbon economy
2021
Is there a convincing case for climate veganism?
2020
AbstractClimate change compels us to rethink the ethics of our dietary choices and has become an interesting issue for ethicists concerned about diets, including animal ethicists. The defenders of veganism have found that climate change provides a new reason to support their cause because many animal-based foods have high greenhouse gas emissions. The new style of argumentation, the ‘climatic argument(s) for veganism’, may benefit animals by persuading even those who are not concerned about animals themselves but worry about climate change. The arguments about the high emissions of animal-based food, and a resulting moral obligation to abstain from eating such products, are an addition to t…
Just transition principles and criteria for food systems and beyond
2022
In this article, we propose a framework of principles and criteria for just transitions in food systems. Climate mitigation activities are urgently needed in food systems, but can have damaging social, environmental, economic, and health impacts. Consequently, food system transitions can cause significant side effects across and beyond food systems, aggravating existing inequalities and unsustainabilities, causing new ones, or hampering equal engagement in the transition itself. Thus, justice questions stand at the core of assessing decarbonization pathways and policies and must link to other sectors as well: Who bears the costs and who enjoys the benefits of the transitions? Can transition…