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Open Access
Article
Publication date: 21 June 2019

Paulo Nobre, Enio Bueno Pereira, Francinete Francis Lacerda, Marcel Bursztyn, Eduardo Amaral Haddad and Debora Ley

This study aims to exploit the abundance of solar energy resources for socioeconomic development in the semi -arid Northeastern Brazil as a potent adaptation tool to global…

2246

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to exploit the abundance of solar energy resources for socioeconomic development in the semi -arid Northeastern Brazil as a potent adaptation tool to global climate change. It points out a set of conjuncture factors that allow us to foresee a new paradigm of sustainable development for the region by transforming the sun’s radiant energy into electricity through distributed photovoltaic generation. The new paradigm, as presented in this essay, has the transformative potential to free the region from past regional development dogma, which was dependent on the scarce water resource, and the marginal and predatory use of its Caatinga Biome.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses a pre ante design, following the procedures of scenario building, as an adaptation mechanism to climate change in the sector of energy generation and socioeconomic inclusion.

Findings

The scenarios of socioeconomic resilience to climate change based on the abundance of solar radiation, rather than the scarcity of water, demonstrates its potential as a global adaptation paradigm to climate change.

Research limitations/implications

The developments proposed are dependent on federal legislation changes, allowing the small producer to be remunerated by the energy produced.

Practical implications

The proposed smart grid photovoltaic generation program increases the country's resiliency to the effect of droughts and climate change.

Social implications

As proposed, the program allows for the reversion of a pattern of long term poverty in semi-arid Northeast Brazil.

Originality/value

The exploitation of the characteristics of abundance of the semiarid climate, i.e. its very condition of semi-aridity with abundant solar radiation, is itself an advantage factor toward adaption to unforeseen drought events. Extensive previous research has focused on weighting and monitoring drought i.e. the paradigm of scarcity. The interplay between exploiting Northeast Brazil’s abundant factors and climate change adaptation, especially at the small farmer levels constitutes a discovery never before contemplated.

Details

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, vol. 11 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-8692

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 1 May 2020

Juliana Pacheco Barbosa, Joisa Dutra Saraiva and Julia Seixas

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the opportunity for the energy policy in Brazil to tackle the very high cost-effectiveness potencial of solar energy to the power system…

3404

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the opportunity for the energy policy in Brazil to tackle the very high cost-effectiveness potencial of solar energy to the power system. Three mechanisms to achieve ambitious reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector by 2030 and 2040 are assessed wherein treated as solar targets under ambitious reductions in the greenhouse gas emissions from the power sector. Then, three mechanisms to achieve these selected solar targets are suggested.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews current and future incentive mechanisms to promote solar energy. An integrated energy system optimization model shows the most cost-efficient deployment level. Incentive mechanisms can promote renewable sources, aiming to tackle climate change and ensuring energy security, while taking advantage of endogenous energy resources potential. Based on a literature review, as well as on the specific characteristics of the Brazilian power system, under restrictions for the expansion of hydroelectricity and ambitious limitation in the emissions of greenhouse gases from the power sector.

Findings

The potential unexploited of solar energy is huge but it needs the appropriate incentive mechanism to be deployed. These mechanisms would be more effective if they have a specific technological and temporal focus. The solar energy deployment in large scale is important to the mitigation of climate change.

Originality/value

The value of the research is twofold: estimations of the cost-effective potential of solar technologies, generated from an integrated optimization energy model, fully calibrated for the Brazilian power system, while tacking the increasing electricity demand, the expected reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the need to increase the access to clean and affordable energy, up to 2040; proposals of three mechanisms to deploy centralized PV, distributed PV and solar thermal power, taking the best experiences in several countries and the recent Brazilian cases.

Details

International Journal of Climate Change Strategies and Management, vol. 12 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1756-8692

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 4 December 2017

Daniel Conte de Leon, Antonius Q. Stalick, Ananth A. Jillepalli, Michael A. Haney and Frederick T. Sheldon

The purpose of this article is to clarify current and widespread misconceptions about the properties of blockchain technologies and to describe challenges and avenues for correct…

23218

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to clarify current and widespread misconceptions about the properties of blockchain technologies and to describe challenges and avenues for correct and trustworthy design and implementation of distributed ledger system (DLS) or Technology (DLT).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors contrast the properties of a blockchain with desired, however emergent, properties of a DLS, which is a complex and distributed system. They point out and justify, with facts and analysis, current misconceptions about the blockchain and DLSs. They describe challenges that these systems will need to address and possible solution avenues for achieving trustworthiness.

Findings

Many of the statements that have appeared on the internet, news and academic articles, such as immutable ledger and exact copies, may be misleading. These are desired emergent properties of a complex system, not assured properties. It is well-known within the distributed systems and critical software community that it is extremely hard to prove that a complex system correctly and completely implements emergent properties. Further research and development for trustworthy DLS design and implementation is needed, both practical and theoretical.

Research limitations/implications

This is the first known published attempt at describing current misconceptions about blockchain technologies. Further collaborative work, discussions, potential solutions, evaluations, resulting publications and verified reference implementations are needed to ensure DLTs are safe, secure, and trustworthy.

Practical implications

Interdisciplinary teams with members from academia, business and industry, and from disciplines such as business, entrepreneurship, theoretical and practical computer science, cybersecurity, finance, mathematics and statistics, must be formed. Such teams must collaborate with the objective of developing strategies and techniques for ensuring the correctness and security of future DLSs in which our society may become dependent.

Originality value

The value and originality of this article is twofold: the disproving, through fact collection and systematic analysis, of current misconceptions about the properties of the blockchain and DLSs, and the discussion of challenges to achieving adequate trustworthiness along with the proposal of general avenues for possible solutions.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, vol. 11 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2071-1395

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 13 February 2024

Daniel de Abreu Pereira Uhr, Mikael Jhordan Lacerda Cordeiro and Júlia Gallego Ziero Uhr

This research assesses the economic impact of biomass plant installations on Brazilian municipalities, focusing on (1) labor income, (2) sectoral labor income and (3) income…

Abstract

Purpose

This research assesses the economic impact of biomass plant installations on Brazilian municipalities, focusing on (1) labor income, (2) sectoral labor income and (3) income inequality.

Design/methodology/approach

Municipal data from the Annual Social Information Report, the National Electric Energy Agency and the National Institute of Meteorology spanning 2002 to 2020 are utilized. The Synthetic Difference-in-Differences methodology is employed for empirical analysis, and robustness checks are conducted using the Doubly Robust Difference in Differences and the Double/Debiased Machine Learning methods.

Findings

The findings reveal that biomass plant installations lead to an average annual increase of approximately R$688.00 in formal workers' wages and reduce formal income inequality, with notable benefits observed for workers in the industry and agriculture sectors. The robustness tests support and validate the primary results, highlighting the positive implications of renewable energy integration on economic development in the studied municipalities.

Originality/value

This article represents a groundbreaking contribution to the existing literature as it pioneers the identification of the impact of biomass plant installation on formal employment income and local economic development in Brazil. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to uncover such effects. Moreover, the authors comprehensively examine sectoral implications and formal income inequality.

Details

EconomiA, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1517-7580

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 3 December 2020

Yaxing Ren, Saqib Jamshed Rind and Lin Jiang

A standalone microgrid (MG) is able to use local renewable resources and reduce the loss in long distance transmission. But the single-phase device in a standalone MG can cause…

1954

Abstract

Purpose

A standalone microgrid (MG) is able to use local renewable resources and reduce the loss in long distance transmission. But the single-phase device in a standalone MG can cause the voltage unbalance condition and additional power loss that reduces the cycle life of battery. This paper proposes an energy management strategy for the battery/supercapacitor (SC) hybrid energy storage system (HESS) to improve the transient performance of bus voltage under unbalanced load condition in a standalone AC microgrid (MG).

Design/methodology/approach

The SC has high power density and much more cycling times than battery and thus to be controlled to absorb the transient and unbalanced active power as well as the reactive power under unbalanced condition. Under the proposed energy management design, the battery only needs to generate balanced power to balance the steady state power demand. The energy management strategy for battery/SC HESS in a standalone AC MG is validated in simulation study using PSCAD/EMTDC.

Findings

The results show that the energy management strategy of HESS maintains the bus voltage and eliminates the unbalance condition under single-phase load. In addition, with the SC to absorb the reactive power and unbalanced active power, the unnecessary power loss in battery is reduced with shown less accumulate depth of discharge and higher average efficiency.

Originality/value

With this technology, the service life of the HESS can be extended and the total cost can be reduced.

Details

Journal of Intelligent Manufacturing and Special Equipment, vol. 1 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2633-6596

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 16 August 2019

Tianyu Feng, Xiao Yu, Yueting Chai and Yi Liu

The application of smart contract can greatly reduce transaction costs and improve transaction efficiency. The existing smart contract are expensive, single application scenario…

5273

Abstract

Purpose

The application of smart contract can greatly reduce transaction costs and improve transaction efficiency. The existing smart contract are expensive, single application scenario and inefficient. This paper aims to propose a new smart contract model to solve these problems.

Design/methodology/approach

By investigating the research history, models and platforms, this paper summarizes the shortcomings of existing smart contracts. Based on the content and architecture of traditional contract, a smart contract model with wider application scope is designed.

Findings

In this paper, several models are used to describe the operation mechanism of smart contracts. To facilitate computer execution, a decomposition method is proposed, which divides smart contracts into several sub-contracts. Then, the advantages and deployment methods of smart contract are discussed. On this basis, a specific example is given to illustrate how the application of smart contract will change our life.

Originality/value

Smart contract is gradually applied to more fields. In this paper, the structure and operation mechanism of smart contract system in reality are given, which will be beneficial to the application of smart contract to more complex systems.

Details

International Journal of Crowd Science, vol. 3 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-7294

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 21 June 2021

Colby Connelly and George Xydis

Until recently, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, whose members consist of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, has not significantly…

2346

Abstract

Purpose

Until recently, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, whose members consist of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, has not significantly focused on the green transition. Specifically, wind energy development has made minimal progress relative to that of other regions.

Design/methodology/approach

The abundance of cheap fossil fuels in the region has not incentivized renewable energy development, and where this has taken place solar technologies are often preferred.

Findings

However, lower technology costs together with lost investment opportunities – also common elsewhere in the world, has increased the pressure on the GCC region from developers. This work qualitatively addresses the challenges and the strategies for the wind development in the area. It focuses on the analysis of different proposed type of investments – driven by a state-supported proposed fund – such as utility-scale investments, industry-specific investments, manufacturing investments and regional accelerators.

Originality/value

The work also suggests that Gulf sovereign wealth funds should act as the lead investors under new schemes, such as joint ventures, for wind development in the GCC, using their wealth to offering their populations with new sources of employment as well as energy that is sustainable.

Details

Review of Economics and Political Science, vol. 6 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2356-9980

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 28 February 2023

Mohammed Jawad Abed and Anis Mhalla

The paper aims to present a grid-connected multi-inverter for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to enhance reliability indices after selected the placement and level of PV solar.

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims to present a grid-connected multi-inverter for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to enhance reliability indices after selected the placement and level of PV solar.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the associated probability is calculated based on the solar power generation capacity levels and outages conditions. Then, based on this probability, dependability indices like average energy not supplied (AENS), expected energy not supplied and loss of load expectations (LOLE) are computed, also, another indices have been computed such as (customer average interruption duration index (CAIDI), system average interruption frequency index (SAIFI) and system average interruption duration index (SAIDI)) addressing by affected customers with distribution networks reliability assessment, including PV. On the basis of their dependability indices and active power flow, several PV solar modules installed in several places are analyzed. A mechanism for assessing the performance of the grid's integration of renewable energy sources is also under investigation.

Findings

The findings of this study based on data extracted form a PV power plant connected to the power network system in Diyala, Iraq 132 kV, attempts to identify the system's weakest points in order to improve the system's overall dependability. In addition, enhanced reliability indices are given for measuring solar PV systems performance connected to the grid and reviewed for the benefit of the customers.

Originality/value

The main contributions of this study are two methods for determining the reliability of PV generators taking into consideration the system component failure rates and the power electronic component defect rates in a PV system which depend on the power input and the power loss using electrical transient analysis program (ETAP) program.

Details

Arab Gulf Journal of Scientific Research, vol. 42 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1985-9899

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 22 September 2021

Ademir M. Nascimento, Liguang Liu, João Ricardo Cumarú Silva Alves and Pierre Oriá

This paper seeks to analyze the relationship between China and the Northeast region of Brazil, aiming to identify how the renewable energy sector is being developed.

1907

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to analyze the relationship between China and the Northeast region of Brazil, aiming to identify how the renewable energy sector is being developed.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyzed secondary data from the official databases from China-Brazil chambers of commerce to establish the main points related to renewable energy in Brazil's Northeast.

Findings

It is possible to notice the main investments, highlighting the wind energy as a more prominent source recently. The authors also point the huge influence from China on Brazil's Northeast energy sector.

Research limitations/implications

It is difficult to identify the amount of Chinese capital due to the large number of mergers and acquisitions that has been taking place in recent years.

Practical implications

Identification of regions that have been receiving investments and the main interests of Chinese investors in the renewable energy sector.

Social implications

Demonstration of how the renewable energy sector has taken an important turn in Brazil due to Chinese investment.

Originality/value

To evaluate a regional consortium, analyzing its strategies for partnerships with China to help each other in global questions, as is the case of renewable energy.

Details

Revista de Gestão, vol. 28 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1809-2276

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 22 November 2022

Xinjun Zhou

Under the dual pressure of resources and environment, many countries have focused on the role of railways in promoting low-carbon development of integrated transportation and of…

Abstract

Purpose

Under the dual pressure of resources and environment, many countries have focused on the role of railways in promoting low-carbon development of integrated transportation and of even the whole society. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive study on methods to improve railway energy efficiency in other national railways and achievements made by China’s railways in the past practice, and then to propose ways in which in the future China’s railways could rationally select the path of improving energy efficiency regarding the needs of the nation's ever-shifting development and carry out the re-engineering for mechanism innovation in energy conservation and emission reduction process.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper first studies other national railways that have tried to promote the improvement of railway energy efficiency by the ways of technology, management and structural reconstruction to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions. Among them, the effect of structural energy conservation and emission reduction has become more prominent. It has become the main energy conservation and emission reduction measure adopted by foreign railway sectors. The practice of energy conservation and emission reduction of railways in various countries has tended to shift from a technical level to a structural one.

Findings

Key aspects in improving energy efficiency include re-optimization of energy structure, re-innovation of energy-saving technologies and optimization of transportation organization. Path selection includes continuing to promote electrified railway construction, increasing the use of new and renewable energy sources, and promoting the reform of railway transportation organizations.

Originality/value

This paper provides further challenges and research directions in the proposed area and has referential value for the methodologies, approaches for practice in a Chinese context. To achieve the expected goals, relevant supporting policies and measures need to be formulated, including actively guiding integrated transportation toward railway-oriented development, promoting innovation in energy-saving and emission reduction mechanisms and strengthening policy incentives, focusing on improving the energy efficiency of railways through market behavior. At the same time, it is necessary to pay attention to new phenomena in the railway industry for track and analysis.

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