1,720,979 research outputs found
Alternatives to gas flaring: a multi-criteria decision approach applied to a case study in Russia
No full textDuring recent years, the issue of gas flaring has become an increasingly relevant problem for the international community.
The claim to more sustainable development offers a renewed prospective in the observation of gas flaring and emphasizes
that recovering the associated gas could induce economic, environmental and social benefit. The true core of the issue, as is
widely accepted, is not a lack of appropriate technologies, but in the number of criteria involved, which makes it difficult to
identify a list of alternatives and connecting all the involved stakeholders in the negotiation process. The complexity of this
problem can be mitigated using a decision-making method. The objective of the present work is to identify and formulate a
supportive decision system based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process. Application of the model to a real case underlines the
strengths and weaknesses of the model, leading to the conclusion that a selection of the most sustainable alternatives needs
to be based on a number of criteria that need to be recognized and agreed amongst the stakeholders
A solar utility in Tanzania: field-based experience on the electricity-development nexus
No full textThis paper presents a case study from a project in Arusha region (north Tanzania), aiming at improving access to electricity in secondary schools through the establishment of a social enterprise, in charge of promoting rural electrification by applying the '4As Framework' with an innovative way and business structure. The work highlights benefits and challenges from the field, in order to drawn some key recommendations
Off-grid systems for rural electrification in developing countries: Definitions, classification and a comprehensive literature review
Full text linkAccess to electric power supply has always had a significant role in promoting improvements in all the society sectors, nevertheless nowadays 1.3 billion of people still do not have electricity access. Moreover, most of them live in rural areas of developing countries which are often isolated, scattered populated and characterized by poor infrastructure and services. In this situation, the growing consideration towards the target of universal access to energy has emphasized the role of rural electrification, and off-grid small-scale generation represents one of the most appropriate options. As a consequence, the scientific literature has devoted attention to this topic with a large number of papers. In this frame, the present analysis focuses on off-grid systems for rural electrification and provides a general framework to this topic and an analytical review of the literature. The work is based on the review of more than 350 papers mainly published from 2000 to 2014 within selected journals, and it is organized in two sections. In the first one we describe the role of small-scale generation systems throughout the process of electrification, the main features of rural areas and their typical energy uses, and we propose a new comprehensive taxonomy for off-grid systems for rural electrification. In the second one we develop an extensive review of the selected literature according to the proposed classification and to five main research areas: Technology: layout and components; Models and methods for simulation and sizing; Techno-economic feasibility analyses and sustainability analyses; Case studies analyses; Policy analyses. The work results in a comprehensive review which organizes and capitalizes the main fundamentals of the addressed topic and provides elements to get acquainted with the literature
Anaerobic digestion or composting? Small-scale plants design and holistic evaluations in a Sub-Saharan African context
Full text linkIn small developing settings, is it worth building anaerobic digestion (AD) or composting plants? This study explores the economic, management, and environmental dimensions of two small-scale alternatives for organic fraction municipal solid waste (OFMSW) treatment within the context of Lacor Hospital (Uganda): aerated static pile composting (S1) and AD with digestate composting (S2), both designed to manage approximately 347.5 tOFMSW annually. In the optimistic scenario, S1 achieves a cost savings of about -2.9 USD tOFMSW-1 , while S2 incurs costs of 2.1 USD tOFMSW - 1 . In the pessimistic scenario, S1's costs rise to 3.9 USD tOFMSW- 1 , while S2 becomes more expensive at 9.5 USD tOFMSW - 1 . Management analysis underlines S2's complexity due to AD operations and digestate drying. Total normalized environmental impacts of S1 can be quantified with about 0.125 mPt tOFMSW - 1 , whereas S2 is equal to about -6.163 mPt tOFMSW- 1 . However, in an optimistic scenario, climate change endpoint category results are similar. On balance, the LCA analysis indicates that AD can be better than standalone composting. However, in developing settings serving approximately 3000 inhabitants, it is crucial to prioritize economic and management sustainability that can be obtained only by small-scale composting plants. These findings provide definite insights for small-scale waste management projects in low-income regions, offering valuable data and references for plant design and their replicability. The study sets the ultimate definition of the most feasible option to treat OFMSW in low-income settings: community composting. Unfortunately, economic barriers remain the main challenge: citizens should pay for the service and landfill management fees should be set by local governments
Cooking in refugee camps and informal settlements: A review of available technologies and impacts on the socio-economic and environmental perspective
No full textIn the world, the number of forcibly displaced people is arising. These people have several needs, especially in terms of food security. The humanitarian response usually focuses on food availability and access, while food processing is often neglected. In this framework, cooking technologies play an essential role. Many scientific studies and international reports address the issue of clean cooking technologies dissemination in developing countries. Less information is instead available in the literature for the specific case of humanitarian contexts, such as refugee and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps, or informal humanitarian settlements. Unsustainable and inefficient cooking technologies or practices can have direct impact on food preparation, and indirect effects on local biomass resources overexploitation, health of local people, and social conflicts between hosted and hosting communities. This study aims at presenting a systematic review of both scientific and grey literature on cooking technologies and related practices, including a selection of experiences from the implementation of cooking devices in humanitarian projects and programmes. The Authors conclude that the attention to the problem is arising, but still very few information is available, in terms of scientific research
Towards an holistic approach to energy access in humanitarian settings: the SET4food project from technology transfer to knowledge sharing
Full text linkThe increasing number of displaced people in the world not only requires rapid humanitarian actions, but also attention to host communities and a holistic and long-term vision. Energy has not been really considered a major topic in people displacement, yet, resulting in negative impacts on several aspects, including food security. New solutions are required, in terms of energy planning, technology development, and adaptation, as well as decision making, sensitization, training, and support to humanitarian actors. The Sustainable Energy Technologies for food security (SET4food) project phase 1 (2014–2015) developed a number of tools to support identification, adaptation, and introduction of appropriate solutions, tested some pilot innovations in critical areas, and promoted the enhancement of humanitarian response capability in the energy sector via an extensive capacity building program. In addition, a second phase of the project (2015–2018) fostered networking and collaboration between the main actors by developing an e-sharing platform, called ENERGYCoP, including a global not-for-profit community of practices for humanitarian professionals working in the energy sector. The platform may enable the shift from traditional “technological transfer” to a more participative approach on co-design and technological cooperation activated by a knowledge sharing mechanism. This paper outlines the main challenges and the achieved results of SET4food, providing recommendations for researchers and practitioners on the way forward
Energy Technologies for Food Utilization for Displaced People: from identification to evaluation
Full text linkBy end-2014, the number of forcibly displaced people in the World was 59.5 million, the highest after the II World War. UNHCR (2015) reports that they are 19.5 million refugees, 38.2 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 1.8 asylum-seekers, and they have been progressively increased in number for the last 4 years, with an estimation of 13.9 newly displaced in 2014. Such people have several needs, especially in terms of food security. Humanitarian actors usually try to address them focusing on food availability and access, while food utilization is often neglected (Haver K., Harmer A., Taylor G., 2013). The utilization of food, including the access to drinking water, is one of the four pillars of food security, and affects food properties in terms of nutritional intake, especially micronutrients, and healthiness (European Commission, 2009). Appropriate technologies for cooking, food preservation, and water purification are required, but all of them entail the access to fuel or other energy sources. Indeed, access to energy for displaced people is very important from different perspectives, but it is often problematic, and entails five key challenges: “protection, relations between hosts and displaced people, environmental problems, household energy-related natural resource restrictions and livelihood-related challenges” (Lyytinen 2009, pag. 1). The importance of energy for development was pointed out by the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) Initiative, while Safe Access to Fuel and Energy (SAFE) focused the attention on crisis-affected populations, in particular refugees and IDPs (SAFE, 2015). Indeed, if people living in camps, and similarly in informal settlements, are provided with energy services, they may access to a wide range of opportunities to change their condition, and conduct a more productive and active life (Bellanca, 2014). Unfortunately, several gaps are still present in humanitarian response for providing displaced people with an adequate access to energy, and studies are few, mainly related to stoves and generally without an independent impact assessment (Gunning, 2014). Very few displaced people have access to modern forms of energy: generally their practices are unsustainable, with average household costs of at least 200 USD per year (family of five) and disproportionate CO2 emission compared to quantity and quality of energy finally utilized (Lahn & Grafham, 2015). Therefore, the gap in giving the right importance to energy access – in particular in linking relief, rehabilitation and development – is clear
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