...Introduction Around 77 percent of the electricity used by South Africa comes from coal produced electricity (Statistics South Africa, 2009). South Africa ranks in the top twenty countries in the world in carbon dioxide emissions. As a result, South Africa has set out to lower its greenhouse emissions and push for renewable energy. There are many paths to take in reaching this goal, but I believe South Africa should adopt a similar program as Germany’s Community Wind Power program in order to meet some of its renewable energy goals and needs and solve some of its infrastructure and economic issues. Background of South African Energy Eskom is South Africa’s national power utility, which generates about 95 percent of the electricity in South Africa (U.S. Commercial Service, 2012). Of the total electricity generated in South Africa, 88 percent comes from coal fired power, 6.5 percent comes from a nuclear station, and 2.3 percent comes from hydroelectric and pumped storage schemes (U.S. Commercial Service, 2012). Also, South Africa is crucial to the rest of Africa’s infrastructure, supplying two thirds of Africa’s electricity. In addition to being so crucial to Africa’s infrastructure, South Africa is one of the cheapest electricity producers in the world. The 2009 world economic crisis reduced South Africa’s power supply constraints, but this reduction didn’t last long. In 2010, the electricity demand in the country began to rise again with no sign of slowing down or declining...
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...Renewable Energy 50 (2013) 456e463 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Renewable Energy journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/renene Overview of potential and utilization of renewable energy sources in Turkey E. Toklu* Department of Mechanical Engineering, Duzce University, Düzce, Turkey a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Received 22 May 2012 Accepted 20 June 2012 Available online 9 August 2012 Keywords: Energy utilization Renewable energy Sustainable development Turkey a b s t r a c t The necessity of minimizing environmental impacts of energy use, particularly those with potentially worrisome global effects, is perhaps the greatest challenge resulting from the twentieth century’s energy advances. The renewable energy technologies of wind, biofuels, solar thermal and photovoltaics are nally showing maturity and the ultimate promise of cost competitiveness. Turkey’s demand for energy and electricity is increasing rapidly and heavily dependent on expensive imported fossil energy resources that place a big burden on the economy and environmental pollution is becoming an important concern in the country. With respect to global environmental issues, Turkey’s carbon dioxide emissions have grown along with its energy consumption. States have played a leading role in protecting the environment by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. In this regard, renewable energy resources appear to be the one of the most ef cient and effective solutions...
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...Sustainable Design Case Study on Fashion designer, Stella McCartney. • Stella McCartney would always touch on an element of a sustainable or eco collection in everything she did. • In her lingerie collection, she had a part of the collection that was organic, or with her Adidas collaboration again there were organic materials or recycled materials in the bags or shoes, and every part of her design at some stage comes into contact with that. • She wanted to isolate the collection and in itself make it completely sustainable .She stated she wanted to bring all those elements together and show the importance that it had within the brand. • The designer felt using conventional dyes was an efficient use of resources and had damaging consequences. Though she had to resort to using them in some of her collections she felt it was important to create high quality products for the consumer and not lose its desirability yet also try to be responsible in thinking how to source materials. • She usually sourced organic fabrics. • Some challenges she did face were playing by the rules and being limited. There were less colours, fabrics and different quality attributes she wasn't used to. • She agreed that "80 per cent of a product’s environmental impact is decided at the design stage". • She refrains from using fur or leather in her designs and she exemplified in the reason in the quote, "In the fashion world I think that most designers know fur is wrong. More and more of them also know about...
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... a new generation of wind power turbines is being considered at this very same site and the surrounding area. Although this newly proposed wind farm along six miles of ridgeline is estimated to produce 50 megawatts of electricity and provide enough power for 15,000 households, this project will result in the irreversible destruction of this mountain top ecosystem. The environmental costs greatly outweigh any financial benefits that this proposed project offers. Background In early 2007 a renewable energy company named Noble power, a company that specialized in wind turbine construction, met with local officials to float the idea of a wind park on the Pittsford ridgeline known as Grandpa’s Knob. Noble ran into financial problems as a result of the 2008 recession and was forced to close its Rutland office in January 2009.Another event happened in 2008 when Vermont set a goal of having 25% its energy needs met by renewables by the year 2025. One year later, Reunion Power, a renewable energy company based in Manchester VT, bought out nobles’ stake in the project and erected two meteorological towers and began gathering data on wind speeds. At the time there was some excitement about this project, as reflected in a statement made by West Rutland Town...
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...Go Green Go Green 2012 Jeremy Nicholl HUM 111 3/18/2012 2012 Jeremy Nicholl HUM 111 3/18/2012 Go Green I believe Green technology is very important as we proceed in the clean-up process of our planet and as we explore alternatives for fossil fuels. Drilling for oil within our country may seem easier and less expensive, however it is a short term solution; we must not rely or assume that fossil fuels are an unlimited resource. We must consider alternatives for fuel and energy while recognizing the effects of pollution on the ozone layer. As we explore different types of renewable energy resources, we must be sure that they are safe on the environment and safe to use in homes or automobiles. Another aspect to consider is the availability of the resource. We do not want to waste time exploring resources which are not going to be readily available or resources that will diminish. The need for fossil fuels in the near future is still a necessity until a transformation can be made to an alternative source. There will always be a demand for fossil fuels, the goal is to reduce to use of fossil fuels as the burning of these fuels emits pollution into our atmosphere. The advantages of fossil fuels are that they are already readily available and distributed worldwide, which is very convenient. You can get gasoline and oil at any gas station and even some grocery stores, across the entire United States. Another advantage...
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...| | |NAME : RAUNAK ZATAKIA | | | |COURSE : ( BBA / TP / ) | | | |SUPERVISOR : Prof. Tapobrata Ray | | | |TITLE : Telecom Industry Marketing | |DATE : 06.12.2013 | Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment Of the requirements of the Graduate Degree BACHELOR IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION J.D.BIRLA INSTITUE At the JADAVPUR UNIVERSITY KOLKATA The Controller of Examination, Jadavpur University, Kolkata Respected sir, This research work has been conducted by me and is an...
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...Finance at Clarkson University, analyzed the impact of renewable energy policies and the relative adoption of those types of energies. He notes that at one time, conventional wisdom suggested that renewable energy sources would gain primacy due to the “rising costs for fossil fuels, growing concern about environmental issues, and national security concerns with imported oil” (Menz, 2005). However, the reality has been “virtually constant” production of electricity from renewable sources, with “coal and nuclear responsible for about two-thirds of net electricity generation in the United States for the last several decades” (Menz, 2005). As regards adoption of solar photovoltaic technology, some argue that its deployment has been tailored towards “a conglomeration of regional markets and special applications” for which significant production will remain elusive until standardized practices of connecting it to existing grid technology are established (Shum & Watanabe, 2007). The stunted deployment of renewable energy technology and failure to meet expectations for growth to surpass fossil fuels, are argued to be due to conventional fuel subsidies that “actively discourage consumers from seeking cleaner alternatives, encourage the overconsumption of resources… and lead to capacity development and consumer patterns in excess of true needs” (Sovacool, 2009). With significant conventional fuel subsidies intact, the demand for renewable sources will invariably be deflated unless government...
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...Opportunities for Women in Renewable Energy Technology Use in Bangladesh (Phase I) April 2004 Joint UNDP/World Bank Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme (ESMAP) and Bank Netherlands Water Partnership Program (BNWPP) Contents Preface........................................................................................................................vii Abbreviations and Acronyms....................................................................................xi Executive Summary.................................................................................................xiii Background and Context .................................................................................xiii Objectives ....................................................................................................... xiv Coastal Electrification and Women’s Development Microenterprise (CEWDM) ............................................................................................. xv Development of Training Modules ................................................................... xv Operational Performance................................................................................ xvi Social Outcomes............................................................................................. xvi Electrification Options as a Function of Household Income .......................... xvi Costs of Rural Lighting and Electrification.................................................
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...Max Altschuler ENVD 3115 Professor Marcel S. de Lange December 8, 2013 Earthship Design, Materials, and Sustainability Earthship design is a movement initiated by Michael Reynolds. Earthship Biotecture is a method of architecture and design that incorporates recycled materials, earthen materials, and renewable energy sources into a sustainable and self-sufficient home. The purpose of this according to Michael Reynolds it to achieve energy independence, sustainable housing, and relieve the burdens of stress on the environment from conventional building methods while keeping cost minimal. Utilizing waste and earthen materials, Michael was able to construct comfortable living, beautiful architectural design, and self-sufficiency with sustainable technologies. In achieving low cost construction methods, as little as $20 a square foot, a new way of living can be imagined in which utilities, mortgages, and sustenance cost are reduced. This reduction in expenses provide for the availability of greater opportunities due to decreased economic constraints, but furthermore provides a cost effective and sustainable method for supplying homes for those stricken with poverty. The purpose of this writing is to discus some of the materials and methods required and the various components that work together to create a dynamic self-sufficient home. The first concept discussed is the principle of thermal mass to maintain a constant temperature. Houses are built with south facing...
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...considerable thought as a solution to the looming energy crisis. The Australian Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Renewable Energy (ACRE) was established in July 1996 with a goal of undertaking research on issues of power generation, storage and conditioning, energy efficiency, system integration and policy analysis (Smith 2008). The goal of the Australian government to attain a renewable energy target of 2% by the year 2010 caused a dramatic interest in wind energy within the country (Paulson 2001). Advantages With the current focus on global climate issues wind energy has been found to be very advantageous as it is produced naturally (Wagner & Mathur 2009). The process of production involves manipulation of a naturally available resource (wind power) and thus does not pollute the air. It is known that power plant rely on combustion of fossil fuels and thus pollute the environment. Turbines do not produce any pollutants (Wagner & Mathur 2009). Another advantage with wind energy is that unlike fossil fuels which are geographically isolated to specific regions, wind energy is available in almost all regions of the world (Wagner & Mathur 2009). This wide distribution of the resource suggests that this resource can be a major factor in reducing pollution caused by consumption of fossil fuels. It also suggests that it can be novel solution to the issue of depletion of non renewable resources given its widespread availability. In addition to the advantages listed above, wind energy is also...
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...Afgan, et al 2005. Multi- Criteria Assessment of New and Renewable Energy 27 (739-755). Bell, et al 2010. Nonprofit Sustainability: Making Strategic Decisions. Villiers Publication. London (114). Blackwood, et al 2011. The Nonprofit Sector in Brief: Public Charities, Giving, and Volunteering. Washington D.C Urban Institute (53-65). Bowman, et al 2011. Financial Capacity and Sustainability of Ordinary Nonprofits. Management and Leadership 3rd Ed. Oxford University Press (37-51). Brandlow,K. 2007.The Role of Government in Community Development in Aotearoa New Zealand. Victoria University o Wellington (13-42). Bray, Llona 2010. Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits: Real-World Strategies that Work 2ndEd. Macmillan Press Limited (71-90). Bridger, et at 2004. Building the Sustainable Community. University of Texas Press, USA (462-92). Cavallaro, F. 2005. Integrated Multi-Criteria System to Assess Sustainable Energy Option.Oxford University Press (140-154). Chile, L. 2006. Good Development Practice: An Instrument for Building Community SocietyNew York. Orbis Books (400-412). Costanza, R. et al 2007. An Introduction to Ecological Economics. St. Lucie Press, Boca Raton, Florida (4-93). Dorothy, A. Johnson 2005. Center for Philanthropy and Leadership 4th Ed. Villiers Publication. London (77-98). Hackler, et al 2007. The Strategic Use of Information Technology by Nonprofit...
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...Enviroment Management We know that the most important thing we can do to reduce our impact on the environment is to improve our products’ environmental performance. That’s why we design them to use less material, ship with smaller packaging, be free of many toxic substances, and be as energy efficient and recyclable as possible. So as we continue to grow faster than the rest of the industry, we’re doing it with products that are friendlier to the environment than ever, and we remain committed to creating products that have the least amount of impact on the environment. Though our revenue has grown, our greenhouse gas emissions per dollar of revenue have decreased by 21.5 percent since 2008. And we’re still the only company in our industry whose entire product line not only meets but exceeds the strict energy guidelines of the ENERGY STAR specification. Environmentally conscious materials. In addition to eliminating toxins and designing products with highly recyclable aluminum enclosures, Apple works with environmentally conscious materials including recycled plastics, recycled paper, biopolymers, and vegetable-based inks. We have also found ways to reengineer secondary materials to the high standard of our designs. For example, our fan assemblies in Mac Pro use advanced materials derived from repolymerized plastic bottles. Speaker assemblies and internal brackets in the Apple Thunderbolt Display are made from recycled PC-ABS. In 2012, our latest achievements included the...
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...2. Energy Sources and Consumption Level a) Fossil Fuel: Oil, Nature Gas and Coal Oil China is the second largest oil consumer and oil importer in the world.(EIA,2013) The demand of oil is driven by the rapidly growing economic and the large population. Oil consumption is also influenced by Chinese government’s energy polices, national oil companies and oil imports. In order to perform more efficiently the Chinese government has improved their policymaking and implementation capacity. Nation oil companies dominate the production of China’s oil. They also do oversea acquisition to meet the increasing demand of oil and develop more qualified technicians. China’s oil imports are increasing over years. It predicted that China will become the largest oil importers by 2013. Most of China’s oil fields are located onshore. They are more mature and the productions are approaching the peak of capacity. Now, China is more concentrated on developing fields which are located in new western interior provinces and offshore. Nature Gas The consumption of nature gas is rising very fast. In 2007, China became to be a net import of nature gas since the Chinese government promoted the consumption of nature gas to reduce the pollution from the use of coal.(EIA,2013) The major source of natural gas are from southwest of country and offshore fields such as Yellow Sea and South China Sea. Government encourages to developing more fields, pipelines and advanced technology to satisfy the rapidly...
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...this analysis are useful during the formulation of a strategic plan. Before starting a SWOTT analysis, a clear and attainable business objective should be defined. The purpose of the analysis is to identify the negative and positive factors found within and outside of the company that influence its performance. Background Jumbo Guest Ranch is a ranch that targets the middle income earners and corporations as its principal clientele base. To improve profit margins while focusing on this market segment, the strategy of the ranch is self-sustenance and expansion. These two key strategic components are responsible for the ranch’s differentiation strategy. To enable its self-sustenance strategy, the farm will use renewable energy forms, such as solar and wind while most other resources and materials will be obtained from its farm. The Analysis In an attempt to help develop full awareness of all factors, both internal and external, which may affect the decision-making process and strategic planning, the SWOTT analysis will be utilized. The tool is excellent in emphasizing viable opportunities, identifying roadblocks, organizing the available information and presenting solutions. To carry out the analysis effectively, the following SWOTT analysis table below will be used. SWOTT Analysis – Jumbo Guest Ranch External Forces and Trends |...
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...sustainable design of urban communities | | Supporting development and conservation strategies that help protect our natural environment and make our communities more attractive, economically stronger, and more socially diverse. * Environmentally Responsible Redevelopment and Reuse (ER3) * Green Buildings * Green Homes * Making Smart Growth Happen * Sustainable and Healthy Communities Research * Sustainable Skylines Air, Climate & Energy Working to reduce atmospheric levels of pollution and greenhouse gases, promote green energy, and adapt to a changing climate. * Air, Climate and Energy Research * Clean Energy * Clean Automotive Technology * Greening EPA * Green Power Partnership * Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) * SmartWay Transport Water Helping to manage, protect, and restore water resources and ecosystems through sustainable management of natural resources. * Green Infrastructure * Safe and Sustainable Water Resources Research. * Sustainable Water Infrastructure * Water Resource Adaptation Program (WRAP) * Water Sense Materials Management & Safe Products Promoting the use of cleaner materials and seeking to reduce material waste and chemical contamination. * Chemical Safety for Sustainability Research * Composting: Science and Technology * Design for the Environment (DfE) *...
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