The article raised issues related to the design and execution of low-energy objects in Polish conditions. Based on the designed single-family house, adapted to the requirements of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management ("NF40" standard), the tools to assist investment decisions by investors were shown. An economic analysis and a multi-criteria analysis were performed using AHP method which had provided an answer to the question whether it is worthwhile to bear higher investment costs in order to adjust to the standards of energy-efficient buildings that fulfil a minimal energy consumption's requirements contained in Polish law. In addition, the variant of object that had optimal characteristics due to the different preferences of investors was indicated. This paper includes analysis and observations on the attempts to unify that part of the building sector, which so far is considered to be personalized, and objects in accordance with the corresponding idea are designed as "custom-made".
Biogas production has a big potential to provide clean energy. To evaluate the future production and maturity of biogas technology the generalized Weng model was proved to be effective, due to it has the minimum error. The simple algorithms to determine its parameters have been proposed. The simulation results for China, USA, and EU have been presented. The quantity and quality analysis for biogas feedstock has been carried out. Energy Return on Energy Invested (EROEI) indicator for different biofuels was considered. According to analysis done biogas from maize residue and chicken manure has high EROEI. Shannon Index was suggested to evaluate the diversity of feedstock supply. Biomass energy cost indicator was grounded to be used for feedstock energy and cost assessment. Biogas utilization pathways have been shown. Biogas boilers and CHP have the highest thermal efficiency, but biogas (biomethane) has the highest potential to earn as a petrol substitute. Utilization of biogas upgrading by-product (carbon dioxide) enhances profitability of biogas projects. Methods to assess the optimal pathways have been described.
The paper presents the basic input data and modelling results of IGCC system with membrane CO2 capture installation and without capture. The models were built using commercial software (Aspen and GateCycle) and with the use of authors’ own computational codes. The main parameters of the systems were calculated, such as gross and net power, auxiliary power of individual installations and efficiencies. The models were used for the economic and ecological analysis of the systems. The Break Even Point method of analysis was used. The calculations took into account the EU emissions trading scheme. Sensitivity analysis on the influence of selected quantities on break-even price of electricity was performed
CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) technology is one of the methods that limit the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. However, the high cost of capturing CO2 in this technology is a major obstacle to the implementation of this solution by power plants. The reduction of costs is expected primarily on the side of the capture and separation of CO2 from flue/ industrial gas. The article presents the financial performance of the most popular amine technology (MEA) against mesoporous material about MCM-41 structure obtained from fly ash, impregnated with polyethyleneimine (PEI), for CCS installations. The study was conducted for an investment comprising three key components that provide a full value chain in CCS validation (capture, transport and storage). The mineralogical studies and determination of the physicochemical properties of mesoporous material produced from waste materials such as fly ash allowed us to identify the best class sorbents of MCM-41, which can be used in CO2 capture technologies. Developing an innovative relationship not only allows 100% of CO2 to be removed but also reduces operating costs (OPEX), primarily including energy by 40% and multiple material costs relative to amine mixtures such as MEA.
Wasteful spending of public funds, leading to the creation of “ghost airports”, is often described as a regulatory failure and a major deficiency in European State aid control. It is pointed out that decisions to build or upgrade an airport are often ill-conceived, poorly implemented, and without economic justification. This raises the question whether European law, namely its State aid control system, contains inherent flaws or whether the European Commission’s decision-making process can be improved by increasing reliance on objective economic reasoning under the existing legal framework. This article provides an analysis of the decision-making problems leading to failed aid efforts; of the role of the economic approach in State aids; and of the standard of economic assessment required in State aid cases. The article concludes with de lege ferenda postulates.
Mercury emissions have become one of the problems in the energy sector in recent years. The currently used mercury removal techniques include: primary, secondary and preliminary methods. However, due to the large variation in the mercury content in hard and brown coal and the different characteristics of power plants, these methods are often not effective enough to meet the new requirements set by BREF/BAT which requires a search for new, high-efficiency solutions. The proposal for a new technology has been developed in the project “Hybrid Adsorption Systems to Reduce Mercury Emissions Using Highly Effective Polymer Components” (HYBREM). The project was implemented by the consortium of SBB Energy SA and ZEPAK Pątnów II Power Plant. An innovative, high-efficiency hybrid technology for purifying exhaust gases from mercury was developed. GORE polymer modules were used as a technology base where, in combination with the injection of solid sorbents, a hybrid technology was developed. To assess the economic efficiency of the similar case as in the HYBREM project model based on OPEX and CAPEX, each method was selected separately. The article focused on the substitution of solid sorbents used in the HYBREM project by zeolite based materials. Modified zeolite X, applied in the project, was derived from fly ash. Preliminary analysis shows that the system of proposed technologies is very cost-competitive compared only to GORE technology. The basic factors are the possibility of recovering zeolites from ash, combined with low investment outlays.
Nowadays the demand for renewable energy sources is constantly growing. There are several reasons of such state, including requirements for energy-efficient new buildings and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. An exemplary solution that may help to reduce “traditional” primary energy consumption is local energy source utilization. The article presents a simplified feasibility study of hybrid energy system under Polish law and economic conditions for a self-government unit, that is legally obliged to apply means of energy efficiency improvement. The aim of this paper is to provide a simple algorithm to find optimal hybrid PV and wind power source sizing for a prosumer. Resource data used in analyses are imported from Photovoltaic Geographical Information System and cover a period of one year. The paper includes two different methodologies applied to solve the problem of optimal hybrid energy system sizing. The first approach is heuristic and based on monthly energy balancing while the second is iterative and takes into account hourly energy balance. The results from both methods are compared and verified by HomerPro software, that shows significant differences between two algorithms. At the end economic assessment based on Net Present Value method is performed.