Biofuels technology development in Southern Africa

ABSTRACT

The benefits of biofuels depend on the feedstock, conversion pathway and local context. This paper assesses biofuels technology readiness and developments to provide foresight to biofuels development in Southern Africa. Efficient conversion pathways, coupled with biomass from waste or high-yielding energy crops, will reduce both the costs of biofuels production, and the environmental impacts. Compared to petroleum fuels, the current commercial biofuels (ethanol, biogas and biodiesel) typically offer carbon emission reductions of 30–50% but are marginally more expensive. The extent of biofuels market penetration will therefore be influenced by mandates (blending targets) and subsidies (green premium). Advanced biofuels promise greater efficiencies and carbon emission reductions at reduced cost but will require further research and development to reach commercialisation. If developed appropriately, biofuels can reduce carbon emissions and improve energy security, while enabling sustainable agriculture and improved natural resources management.     

Bioelectricity in Malaysia: economic feasibility,environmental and deforestation implications

We investigate the economic feasibility of bioelectricity production from biomass in Malaysia and its impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and storage, agricultural prices, agricultural employment and deforestation. For this purpose, we develop a partial equilibrium model that projects agricultural prices, production, imports, exports, domestic consumption and land use in 5‐year increments between 2015 and 2065. Our results show that by 2030 biomass‐generated electricity can supply 36.5 per cent of the electricity generated in Malaysia, 16 times more than the 2016 electricity supply from biomass. Increased bioelectricity production from biomass will significantly reduce GHG emissions and will help Malaysia meet its commitment in the Paris Agreement to mitigate GHG emission by 45 per cent before 2030. Our modelling shows that biomass‐generated electricity creates a derived demand for waste biomass that expands the area of oil palm plantations. The expansion lowers agricultural prices, boosts agricultural employment and leads to some deforestation as landowners clear rainforest to plant oil palm trees. Nonetheless, the deforestation does not increase GHG emissions since GHG gains from bioelectricity significantly exceed GHG losses from deforestation.     

市场导向与政策导向对生物质能源企业绩效影响研究——基于组织学习的中介效应

基于文献分析与推导,立足生物质能源企业微观视角,构建以组织学习为中介变量的概念模型,实证探究了市场导向和政策导向对生物质能源企业绩效的影响。研究发现,市场导向通过组织学习对生物质能源企业绩效产生正向影响,政策导向既可直接也可间接通过组织学习对生物质能源企业绩效产生正向影响。因此,为生物质能源企业经营管理者提出的策略建议是:培育市场化,重视市场导向与组织学习的结合;加深政策变革感知,全面响应政策导向和加强组织学习能力的培养。     

生物质能源可利用潜力评价*——以黑龙江省重点国有林区为例

[目的]生物质能源具有污染少、可再生等特点,合理地对其开发利用是黑龙江省重点国有林区经济转型发展的一种探索。通过对黑龙江省重点国有林区生物质能源资源量的计算,明确了生物质能源的可利用潜力及变化趋势,以期为其产业发展的政策制定提供理论参考。[方法]文章利用自下而上估算法,以林木生物质的资源量和农作物秸秆的产量为原始数据,对2005—2015年黑龙江省重点国有林区生物质能源可利用潜力进行评价。[结果](1)研究期间,黑龙江省重点国有林区林木生物质资源可利用潜力小幅下降,农作物秸秆资源可利用潜力稳步上升。(2)林木生物质资源中,商品林采伐剩余物可利用潜力骤降,森林抚育剩余物可利用潜力增加;农作物秸秆资源中,粮食作物秸秆可利用潜力逐年上升。(3)黑龙江省重点国有林区生物质能源可利用潜力随着国家"天保工程"和"重点国有林区全面禁止天然林商业性采伐"政策的实施而发生变化。[结论]黑龙江省重点国有林区生物质能源丰富,可利用潜力较大,其中农作物秸秆资源可利用潜力增速较快。     

Creating Opportunities for Women in the Renewable Energy Sector: Findings from India

This paper identifies opportunities and constraints that low-income women face in accessing livelihoods in the renewable-energy sector in India through qualitative and quantitative research conducted in collaboration with The Energy Resources Institute (TERI) and the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) in 2012–13. Whereas previous research has focused on women mostly as end users of solar and biomass technologies, this research attempts also to understand women's potential as entrepreneurs, facilitators, designers, and innovators. Findings reveal that although access to technology and employment in the energy sector is limited by inadequate purchasing power and low social status, there is tremendous potential to create livelihoods for women at all levels of the energy supply chain. Broader findings indicate that women can gain optimal traction from employment in the energy sector only if there are wider socially progressive policies in place, including state intervention to create a robust social welfare infrastructure and accessible, high-quality, public services.     

Analyzing the impact of intermodal-related risk to the design and management of biofuel supply chain

This study presents a mathematical model that designs a reliable multi-modal transportation network for a biofuel supply chain system, where intermodal hubs are subject to site-dependent probabilistic disruptions. The disruption probabilities of intermodal hubs are estimated by using a probabilistic model which is developed using real world data. We developed an accelerated Benders decomposition algorithm to solve this challenging NP-hard problem. Numerical analysis show that the model selects to use intermodal hubs located in areas with low disruption probabilities. In case of a disaster, the reliable solution results in 6.21% savings over the minimum cost solution.     

1983-2006年南四湖湿地植被动态变化研究

采用实地调查和实验分析,结合遥感和地理信息系统技术,研究南四湖湿地在1983-2006年浮游植物和水生维管束植物的种类、分布和生物量变化.结果表明,1983-2006年,南四湖湿地植被生物量整体呈下降趋势,反映了人类的围垦、养殖等活动造成湿地初级生产力的降低,并且这种影响由湖泊外围向湖心弱化,对外围湿地的影响最大.     

中国生物质能发电的费用分摊机制

研究中国生物质能发电费用分摊机制,对于促进可再生能源产业乃至低碳能源产业发展具有重大政策指导意义。本文将现有的生物质能发电费用分摊机制分为费用来源、费用支付和配额交易三个环节分别进行解读,并对我国自2006年以来的六个生物质能发电补贴方案的执行情况进行了系统整理,发现当前的费用分摊机制已经无法满足生物质能发电产业发展的需要。同时,在对生物质能发电费用分摊机制的三个环节的研究中,发现现行的生物质能发电费用分摊机制存在费用来源太少、支付机制不合理、配额交易机制不清晰等问题。以上问题有违《可再生能源法》中规定的有利于促进可再生能源发电利用和经济合理原则。本文针对这些问题提出了相应的对策建议:拓宽征收电价附加资金的渠道,明确电价附加收入的调配方式,规范配额证的交易秩序。     

福建省生物质能源政策永续发展模型建构与评价

结合生物质能源政策永续发展的目标,构建了一个由四个层次指标构成的生物质能源政策永续发展评价指标体系,以此反映生物质能源政策永续发展的本质特征、内在规律和演变趋势。福建省生物质能源政策永续发展评价结果显示:福建省生物质能源政策的整体绩效水平尚处于永续发展的起步阶段,政府在生物质能产业有效规制与激励方面应加强能源市场机制建设,努力发展绿色能源消费,这也是最优先推动的永续能源策略之一。此外,推动生物质能的教育宣传与科技研发、加大政府公共研发、强化公众参与、提高人力资本素质是未来的努力方向。     

清洁发展机制下黑龙江省生物质能利用分析

清洁发展机制可以为生物质能的利用提供资金帮助和技术支持,文章结合黑龙江省生物质能利用及生物质清洁发展机制项目现状,分析了清洁发展机制下黑龙江省利用生物质能的优势、劣势、机会及威胁,并提出了CDM机制下促进黑龙江省生物质能利用的对策。