Search results

The purpose of this paper is to propose a fixed PV energy system design and a sun tracking PV energy system design to meet the primitive energy demands of a typical house in Sakarya, Turkey with energy payback times (EPBT) and greenhouse payback times (GPBT) calculations.

The designs were developed based on the total solar radiation received on the surface of the PV modules. The EPBT and the GPBT of the designs were investigated by utilizing the current embodied energy data of the literature and annual energy output of the proposed systems. The monthly mean total solar radiation, the yearly total solar radiation and the annual energy output of the systems were calculated according to the results of previous studies of authors on 80-W prototypes of a fixed PV energy system tilted at the yearly optimum tilt angle of Sakarya and a two-axis sun tracking PV energy system.

The annual energy outputs of the fixed system and the tracking system were established to be 10.092 and 10.311 MJ, respectively. EPBT of the systems were estimated 15.347 years for the fixed system and 11.932 years for the tracking systems which were less than the lifespan of PV modules. The greenhouse gas emitted to produce and install the systems were estimated to be 6,899.342 kg for the fixed system and 5,040.097 kg for the tracking system. GPBT of the systems were calculated to be 5.203 and 2.658 years, respectively.

PV energy is clean without greenhouse gas emission during the operation. However, significant emissions occur in the life cycle of PV modules until the installation is completed. Therefore reducing the number of PV modules make great differences in the GPBT of PV energy systems. In this paper, comparisons between the GPBT results of the optimally tilted fixed system and tracking system were performed to discuss the best option by means of environmental concerns.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual framework for handling end of life (henceforth EoL) scenarios of solar photovoltaic (solar PV) panels, which includes different options available to businesses and end-users, as well as promoting the collaboration between government and all relevant stakeholders.

This paper adopts purposeful sampling, secondary data and content analysis to develop an appropriate conceptual framework that helps to create awareness of the appropriate options for dealing with the EoL cases of solar PV panels.

From the data analysis, it is revealed that reuse, repair and recycling of solar PV panels can ensure value creation, public-private partnership and a solution for education in sustainability, and thus, prolonging the useful life cycle of the products.

This paper limits the analysis on developing economies and the use of selected literature based on the recycling of solar PV panels.

This paper is an initial attempt to create an awareness by identifying, analyzing and educating the stakeholders to handle appropriately any EoL scenario of solar PV panels.

The aim of the research is to determine the influence of photovoltaic (PV) installation and the share of façade glazing on the energy profile of nursery buildings in the Baltic Sea region, as well as defining the most favorable configuration in terms of energy efficiency.

The article provides comparative calculations of energy performance indicators (Ep, Ed, Eu) and CO₂ emissions (mCO₂) made for the defined model of the nursery. It includes calculations concerning energy performance of the building, depending on its PV power (0–60 kWp), PV efficiency (100 and 85%) and façade glazing ratio (GR = 25%, 50% and 75%).

The results of the research indicate that an increase in the PV power exerts proportional impact on the reduction of the Ep and Ed indicators, as well as on the CO₂ emissions. Only low GR values (25%) reduce the Eu indicator significantly. Decrease in high range of GR values (over 50%) does not provide proportional effects. In the variant: 60 kWp (100% efficiency) with GR = 25%, the biggest share (99.5%) of RES was obtained. This proves that the concept of energy independent nursery buildings is feasible and reasonable in the examined location.

Designing buildings towards environmental neutrality requires laborious pre-design conceptual work before developing the right solutions. The set of results of the relationship between the variables of the building's envelope, energy performance indicators and the required involvement of active RES installations to achieve high energy performance of a building presented in the article is valuable. It allows for a preliminary decision of the direction of the design solutions selection in the design process of public utility buildings, such as nurseries. Thus, it may significantly shorten the pre-design analysis process for the location of the southern part of the Baltic Sea region.

The novelty of the paper relies on examining the dependences between PV power and façade glazing ratio in terms of their influence on energy profile of nursery buildings.

When comparing renewables with fossil fuels, emotional approaches are fuelled by the difficulties in defining a proper metric able to make consistent comparisons among energy sources. In literature several approaches have been proposed, all effective in some way but ineffective in others. Variables like energy density, prices, estimated resources, life time emissions, water use and waste, all come at the same time to form an unmanageable mix. This paper discuss the adoption of a shared metric to clarify the boundary conditions that limit the solutions can be operated and to define which scenarios are sustainable and which are not.

Energy density and power density are the cornerstones of the physical limitations in the exploitation of the energy sources. On this basis, a novel classification of energy sources, volumetric and flowing, has been proposed and discussed in light of three parameters: abundance, power density and sustainability. Eventually, an extended definition of power density based on life-cycle assessment is adopted.

Sustainable power density makes possible compare the different energy options and shows how limitation in land comes to be the root of all resources limitations.

A definition of a unique parameter is proposed and pros and cons of all energy options are calculated and put in a single graphic providing new insights into the energy policy.

The role of local authorities is crucial in addressing the essential needs of communities, and they possess the right to impose property taxes on all properties within their territory. Property taxes are levied on all properties, contributing to approximately 60% of the local authority’s finances. However, their role in this policy is not frequently understood, primarily in executing property tax reassessment. Hence, this paper aims to reveal property tax reassessment implementation and identify its key challenges.

The latest tone of the list record was extracted from the local government division, Ministry of Housing and Local Government Malaysia, to answer the research objective. The data were received on November 2021 by email. Furthermore, through the literature review, the most significant challenges in property tax reassessment were identified, compared and presented.

The results highlight that property tax reassessment implementation in West Malaysia is at the level of concern where only two councils have the latest tone of the list. However, larger councils have a higher performance compared to smaller councils. The findings also reveal various challenges in property tax reassessment, such as insufficient human resources, inadequate property systems and software and lack of financial capacity. Others include a shortage of competent assessors, lower public education, political interference and socioeconomic uncertainty.

This study offers practical implications to policy and decision-makers in the West Malaysian local authorities. Despite inferior performance by West Malaysian local authorities, there is a need for conducting property tax reassessment activity to ensure the quality and uniformity of the assessment. This study suggests that local government stakeholders and managers should devote more attention to formulating long-term plans and promoting the property tax reassessment practice. The property tax reform could solve the current situation of substandard reassessment activity.

This study explains, compares and interprets the actual statistical data through the figures and summarises the challenges of property tax reassessment activity among local authorities.

The purpose of this research paper is to explore the understanding of sustainable development and sustainability reporting concepts among Malaysian local authorities' personnel.

The research involved interviews with 23 respondents from 16 selected councils in Malaysia. Interview results were analysed by using the interpretive textual analysis.

The meaning of the sustainable development concept is quite broad from the local authority's perspective in Malaysia. Local authorities' personnel view sustainable development as: societalist, ecologist and individualist. Only staff directly involved in the sustainable development activity implementation understood the meaning of the sustainable development concept. The respondents indicated the importance of educating people on the awareness of sustainable development in their understanding on this concept. Consistent with the western values, 13 councils (81 per cent) agreed with the definition by GRI.

The research is restricted to Malaysian local authorities and is descriptive in nature. The findings are limited to case studies in several states, thus generalizing the results is not possible at this stage.

There is a deeper appreciation of where local authority personnel gain their understanding of sustainable development issues, and how they participate in the discourse around sustainable development.

Very little research has been undertaken into how local authority personnel gain their knowledge, either about sustainable development and sustainability reporting or about their views on the subject. The research attempts to fill this gap and the way for similar work to be undertaken overseas. Accordingly, this paper calls for further discussion on local authorities' role in achieving sustainable development and on the public sector interpretation of sustainable development in general.