Socioecology Research Today

Based on the principle of cascade utilization of multiple energy resources, a gas-steam combined cycle power system integrated with solar thermo-chemical fuel conversion and CO2 capture has been proposed and analyzed. The collected solar heat at 550 °C drives the endothermic methane reforming and is converted to the produced syngas chemical exergy, and then released [...]

A micro combined heat and power (CHP) plant operating through an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) using renewable energy is analysed. The reference system is designed to produce 50 kWe. The heat sources of the system are geothermal energy at low temperature (80–100 °C) and solar energy. The system uses a solar field composed only by [...]

As an experiment in green building design and clean tech implementation, I spent a couple of weekends planning, designing, modeling, and drawing two homes for environmental sustainability and self-reliance. These homes incorporate off-the-shelf technologies and green building techniques to maximize low energy, low waste, and low consumption footprints. They are also designed for interaction with [...]

With depleting fossil fuel reservoirs and the corresponding emissions of air pollutants, we urgently need to look for alternative, renewable and sustainable energy options to counteract our strong dependence on fossil fuels for energy supplies. Solar thermal, geothermal, biomass combustion heat energy and waste heat recovery may be applied to drive combined heat and power [...]

For the present trigeneration system layout, our result has indicated that a trigeneration system consisting of 80% of microturbine, 10% of photovoltaic-thermal and 10% fuel cell to be the optimum system composition in terms of reducing operational cost, improving energy saving and minimising environment impact. The methodology portrayed in this study provides a pragmatic approach [...]

Norway, like many countries, has realized the need to extensively plan its renewable energy future sooner rather than later. Combined heat and power (CHP) through gasification of forest residues is one technology that is expected to aid Norway in achieving a desired doubling of bioenergy production by 2020. To assess the environmental impacts to determine [...]

PTG has created and patented a unique process that utilizes the Digester Gas (Biogas) that is created at a wastewater treatment facility which is used as the fuel to drive a turbine that generates electricity. The exhaust energy from the turbine (over 900°F) is then used to drive a set of heat exchangers that increase [...]

A sensitivity analysis reveals the parameters with the highest impact on the primary energy consumption and the energy costs. The primary energy factors, the energy prices and the electric efficiency of the CHP are the dominating parameters. Increasing electricity prices favour the introduction of CHP and CHCP systems whereas increasing gas prices inhibit it. The [...]

Lockheed Martin has won a $15.2 million contract to provide a biomass-fueled combined heat and power plant for a hospital in New York State. The deal funded by federal stimulus money, was awarded by the US Department of Veterans Affairs for the installation at the VA Medical Center in Canandaigua.The facility will use biomass byproducts, [...]