07 Alternative energy sources (others, including development, economics) Others, including development, economics 03/01318 A vision of energy crops introduction Yamamoto, H. et nl. Nippon Enerugi Gakkaishi. 2002, 81, (4). 250-255. (In Japanese) Energy crops can be reproduced in surplus arable land as well as pasture and hydrosphere. Energy crops are more expensive than fossil fuels at present; however they might become one of the most important energy resources in the long future. The supply potential of energy crops will be vulnerable to food supply and demand parameters; therefore you should not over-expect the role of energy crops in the future. If you can develop the innovative biotechnology that enlarges the productivity of energy crops as well as food crops, energy crops will be the main energy resources in the energy systems in the future. Energy crops produced in the hydrosphere are multi-times as expensive as fossil fuels are at present. In order to introduce energy crops produced in the hydrosphere, you must innovate in the production systems including the crop field made of the rafts and the pumps in the water and the crop productivity. 03/01319 Advances in biodiesel fuel research Kann, J. er al. Proceedings of the E,~toniun Acadenr! qf Sciences. Chemistrv, 2002, 51, (2), 75-117. This paper is a review of research on biodiesel fuel sources, properties, preparation methods, production, exhaust gases emitted by using biodiesel fuel, analytic methods, and economic aspects. The main advantage of biodiesel fuel is lower concentration of greenhouse gases (esp. CO*) and other pollutants in motor exhaust gases compared to petroleum diesel fuel. The main concerns with biodiesel fuel are its relatively high price, instability, and low-temperature properties. The future aims in biodiesel fuel research are improvement of production technology and reduction of the costs of production of plant oil by plant breeding, selection, and gene technology The low-temperature properties and stability of biodiesel fuel can be improved by additives and genetic engineering of oil plants. 03/01320 An innovative simulated annealing approach to the long-term hydroschedullng problem Mantawy, A. H. et al. Inrernational Journal of Electrical POIW & Energy Systems, 2003, 25, (1). 41-46. This paper presents a new simulated annealing algorithm (SAA) to solve the long-term hydroscheduling problem. A new algorithm for randomly generating feasible trial solutions is introduced. The problem is a hard non-linear optimization problem in continuous variables. An adaptive cooling schedule and a new method for variables discretiza- tion are implemented to enhance the speed and convergence of the original SAA. A significant reduction in the number of the objective function evaluations, and consequently less iteration are required to reach the optimal solution. The proposed algorithm has been applied successfully to solve a system with four series cascaded reservoirs. Numerical results show an improvement in the solutions compared to previously obtained results. 03/01321 Analysis of biomass-residue-based cogeneration system in palm oil mills Husain, Z. et al. Biomms and Bioenergy, 2003, 24, (2), 117-124. Palm oil mills in Malaysia operate on cogeneration system using biomass residue as fuel in the boiler. The boiler produces high pressure and temperature steam which expands in a backpressure steam turbine and produces enough electric power for the internal needs of the mill. The exhaust steam from the turbine goes to an accumulator, which then distributes the steam to various processes in the mill. The study covered seven palm oil mills in the Perak state in Malaysia. The primary objectives of the study are to determine boiler and turbine efficiencies, energy utilization factor, oil extraction rate and heat/power ratio for various palm oil mills working under similar conditions and adopting same processes. The palm oil industry is one of those rare industries where very little attempt is made to save energy. The energy balance in a typical palm oil mill is far from optimum and there is considerable scope for improvement. Bench-marking is necessary for the components in the mill. Energy-use bench-marking can give an overview of energy performance of the mills. The calculations were done to get net gain in power when back pressure turbine is replaced by a condensing turbine. It was found that the boiler and turbine have low thermal efficiencies compared to conventional ones used in power plants due to non-homogeneity and non-uniform quality of the fuel. The extraction rate was around 0.188. The use of condensing turbine increase the power output by 60% and the utilization factor was found to be 65% for the cogeneration system’. 03/01322 Barriers and opportunities in reatising sustatnable energy concepts-an analysls of two Swiss case studies Pohl, C. and Gisler, P. Energy Policy, 2003, 31, (2). 175-183. What assists and what hinders sustainable energy use in being put into effect? Two case studies of sustainable energy concepts - the Zurich Solarstromhtirrse. where electricity can be purchased that is produced by solar panels, and the Swiss CO&~, a consensus oriented implemen- tation of the Kyoto-protocol - were analysed in order to investigate this question. In both case studies the unfolding of the sustainable energy concepts is reconstructed as a process starting with an abstract idea moving to a concrete realization. This process passes through a series of different social worlds and is. in turn, affected by them. These social worlds are, for example those of the concerned scientists, the professional investors, energy suppliers or governmental agencies. The case studies reveal three neuralgic challenges that have to be met when a concept advances from idea to realization through the social worlds: Firstly. the translation between social worlds changes the content of the idea. Secondly. the way each social world looks at things (socially) constructs best solutions to problems and hides others. Thirdly, the actual dynamics of the social world within which it is finally implemented must be adopted by the idea. In order to integrate these neuralgic points. scientists as well as other inventors have to retain responsibility for their sustainable energy ideas and are requested to follow them through the social worlds in order to critically survey and eventually influence their ‘content in flux’. 03/01323 Can solar sources meet Australia’s electricity and liquid fuel demand? Trainer, T. Inirrmtionui Journal o/‘Glohul Energy I.s.vues, 2003, 19, (I), 78-94. It is commonly assumed that because of its relatively high solar energy incidence Australia will be able to meet its energy demand from solar sources. However an examination of evidence on existing and probable future efficiencies and costs indicates that it will not be possible to derive sufficient electricity or liquid fuels to sustain the present high per capita rates of consumption from solar sources at affordable prices. In view of the limitations and problems associated with fossil fuel and nuclear options it is concluded that although there must be a transition to reliance on renewables, a sustainable future for Australia cannot be achieved without significant reduction in current material ‘living standards’ and in gross economic activity. However, advocates of ‘The Simpler Way’ argue that a radically alternative society based on frugal lifestyles and local economic self-sufficiency could provide a high quality of life. 03/01324 Cost-effectiveness analysis of R&D on solar cells in Jaoan Endo,’ E. and Tamura, Y. Solar Energy MureriaLr and Solar Cells, 2003, 75. (3-4), 751-759. The purpose of this paper is to validate plan of R&D on solar cells in the (New-) Sunshine Program of Japan by using cost-effectiveness analysis and to demonstrate usefulness of the analysis for R&D planning. Based on the analysis, R&D goals and/or allocation of R&D expenditure of multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) might not be appropriate after FY1996. And R&D expenditure for solar cells might be decided without forecasting increase of the mc-Si solar cell production by the subsidization programs. 03/01325 Development and optimization of power plant concepts for local wet fuels Raiko, M. 0. et ~1. Biomass and Bioenerg],, 2003. 24, (1). 27-37. Many changes in business drivers are now affecting power-producing companies. The power market has been opened up and the number of locally operating companies has increased. At the same time the need to utilize locally produced biofuels is increasing because of environ- mental benefits and regulations. In this situation. power-producing companies have on focus their in-house skills for generating a competitive edge over their rivals, such as the skills needed for developing the most economical energy investments for the best-paying customer for the local biomass producers. This paper explores the role of optimization in the development of small-sized energy investments. The paper provides an overview on a new design process for power companies for improved use of in-house technical and business expertise. As an example, illustrative design and optimization of local wet peat-based power investment is presented. Three concept alternatives are generated. Only power plant production capacity and peat moisture content are optimized for all alternatives. Long commercial experience of using peat as a power plant fuel in Finland can be transferred to bioenergy investments. In this paper, it is shown that conventional technology can be feasible for bioenergy production even in quite small size (below 10 MW). It is important to optimize simultaneously both the technology and the two businesses, power Fuel and Energy Abstracts July 2993 239