The purpose of this paper is to establish if Marshallian and Jacobian knowledge spillovers affect job creation in the green energy sector. Whether these two effects exist is important for the number of jobs created in related fields and jobs pushed away in other sectors. In the analysis, the production efficiency, in terms of jobs and job spillovers, from inventions in solar, wind and energy efficiency, is explored through data envelopment analysis (DEA), based on the Malmquist productivity index, and tobit regression. A panel dataset of American and European firms over the period of 2002−2017 is used. The contribution to the literature is to show the role of the spillovers from the same technology sector (Marshallian externalities), and of the spillovers from more diversified activity (Jacobian externalities). Since previous empirical evidence concerning the innovation effects on the production efficiency is yet weak, the paper attempts to bridge this gap. The empirical findings sugge... [more]

Reducing energy waste is one of the primary concerns facing Remote Industrial Plants (RIP) and, in particular, the accommodations and operational plants located in remote areas. With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to attack the health of workforce, managing the balance between energy efficiency and Occupation Health and Safety (OHS) in the workplace becomes another great challenge for the RIP. Maintaining this balance is difficult mainly because a full awareness of the OHS will generally consume more energy while reducing the energy cost may lead to a less effective OHS, and the existing literature has not seen a system that is designed for the RIPs to conserve energy usage and improve workforce OHS simultaneously. To bridge this gap, in this paper, we propose an AI Empowered Cyber Physical Ecosystem (AECPE) solution for the RIPs, which integrates Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), artificial intelligence, and mobile networks. The preliminary results of lab experiments and field tests pro... [more]

The main goal of setting energy efficiency priorities is to find ways to reduce energy consumption without harming consumers and the environment. The renovation of buildings can be considered one of the main aspects of energy efficiency in the European Union (EU). In the EU, only 5% of the renovation projects have been able to yield energy-saving at the deep renovation level. No other study has thus far ranked the EU member states according to achieved results in terms of increased usage in renewable sources, a decrease in energy usage and import, and reduction in harmful gas emissions due to energy usage. The main purpose of this article is to perform a comparative analysis of EU economies according to selected indicators related to the usage of renewable resources, energy efficiency, and emissions of harmful gasses as a result of energy usage. The methodological contribution of our study is related to developing a complex and robust research method for investment efficiency assessmen... [more]

The advent of deep-learning technology promises major leaps forward in addressing the ever-enduring problems of wireless resource control and optimization, and improving key network performances, such as energy efficiency, spectral efficiency, transmission latency, etc. Therefore, a common understanding for quantum deep-learning algorithms is that they exploit advantages of quantum hardware, enabling massive optimization speed ups, which cannot be achieved by using classical computer hardware. In this respect, this paper investigates the possibility of resolving the energy efficiency problem in wireless communications by developing a quantum neural network (QNN) algorithm of deep-learning that can be tested on a classical computer setting by using any popular numerical simulation tool, such as Python. The computed results show that our QNN algorithm can be indeed trainable and that it can lead to solution convergence during the training phase. We also show that the proposed QNN algorit... [more]

In terms of power and energy consumption, DRAMs play a key role in a modern server system as well as processors. Although power-aware scheduling is based on the proportion of energy between DRAM and other components, when running memory-intensive applications, the energy consumption of the whole server system will be significantly affected by the non-energy proportion of DRAM. Furthermore, modern servers usually use NUMA architecture to replace the original SMP architecture to increase its memory bandwidth. It is of great significance to study the energy efficiency of these two different memory architectures. Therefore, in order to explore the power consumption characteristics of servers under memory-intensive workload, this paper evaluates the power consumption and performance of memory-intensive applications in different generations of real rack servers. Through analysis, we find that: (1) Workload intensity and concurrent execution threads affects server power consumption, but a ful... [more]

Hygrothermal modelling is increasingly used to inform building envelope design. A key input for these calculations is the material’s vapour diffusion properties. Respecting a growing international concern, this research has questioned the appropriateness of the current test method to establish construction material for vapour diffusion properties. This article reports on the empirical measurement of the vapour diffusion properties of two vapour-permeable building membranes commonly used in Australia residential systems when subjected to variable relative humidity conditions. The method involved completing dry cup and wet cup standard tests as specified in ISO 12572, (23 °C and 50% relative humidity RH). Further tests were then conducted as temperature remained at 23 °C but the relative humidity changed to 35%, 65% and 80%, respectively, in order to know if the diffusion properties are the same or change with varying relative humidity. The results from the wet cup and dry cup tests unde... [more]

Thanks to advances in smart metering devices (SM), the electricity sector is undergoing a series of changes, among which it is worth highlighting the ability to control the response to all events that occur in the electricity grid with the intention of making it more smart. Predicting electricity consumption data is a key factor for the energy sector in order to create a completely intelligent electricity grid that optimizes consumption and forecasts future energy needs. However, it is currently not enough to give a prediction of energy consumption (EC), but it is also necessary to give the prediction as fast as possible so that the grid can operate in the shortest possible time. An approach for developing EC prediction systems is introduced here by the use of artificial neural networks (ANN). Differently from other research studies on the subject, a divide-and-conquer strategy is used so that the target system’s execution switches from one to another specialized small models that fore... [more]

Technological advancements have led to increased confidence in the design of large-scale wireless networks that comprise small energy constraint devices. Despite the boost in technological advancements, energy dissipation and fault tolerance are amongst the key deciding factors while designing and deploying wireless sensor networks. This paper proposes a Fault-tolerant Energy-efficient Hierarchical Clustering Algorithm (FEHCA) for wireless sensor networks (WSNs), which demonstrates energy-efficient clustering and fault-tolerant operation of cluster heads (CHs). It treats CHs as no special node but equally prone to faults as normal sensing nodes of the cluster. The proposed scheme addresses some of the limitations of prominent hierarchical clustering algorithms, such as the randomized election of the cluster heads after each round, which results in significant energy dissipation; non-consideration of the residual energy of the sensing nodes while selecting cluster heads, etc. It utilize... [more]

The sustainable environment has been a desired situation around the world for the last few decades. Environmental contaminations can be a consequence of various economic activities. Different socio-economic factors influence the environment positively or negatively. Many previous studies have resulted in the efficient allocation of inputs as an environment-friendly component. This paper investigates the effects of energy efficiency on ecological footprint in the ASEAN region using balanced panel data from 2001 to 2019. First, this paper technically derives the energy efficiency, using the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) of the translog production type of single output and multiple inputs. Findings of the SFA show that the Philippines and Singapore have the highest energy efficiency (94%) and Laos has the lowest energy efficiency (85%) in the ASEAN region. The estimated average efficiency score of the ASEAN region was around 90%, ranging from 85% to 96%, indicating that there is stil... [more]

Induction contour hardening of gear wheels belongs to effective heat treatment technologies especially recommended for high-tech applications in machinery, automotive and aerospace industries. In comparison with long term, energy consuming conventional heat treatment (carburizing and consequent quenching), its main positive features are characterized by high total efficiency, short duration and relatively low energy consumption. However, modeling of the process is relatively complicated. The numerical model should contain both multi-physic and non-linear formulation of the problem. The paper concentrates on the modeling of rapid induction heating being the first stage of the contour induction hardening process which is the time consuming part of the computations. It is taken into consideration that critical temperatures and consequently the hardening temperature are dependent on the velocity of the induction heating. Numerical modeling of coupled non-linear electromagnetic and temperat... [more]

This paper addresses the modeling of convective and radiative heat transfer to achieve an acceptable level of indoor temperature. The results presented were obtained in a pilot project in which an energy-efficient house was built on a site located west of Algiers. The main objective was to perform a numerical simulation to investigate how the temperature of the heat-transfer fluid circulating in the floor heating system affected the temperature of the indoor air and also how surface radiosity affected the temperature profile of the indoor air. The study employed the finite element method integrated into the Comsol Multiphysics software. The model was validated using experimental data reported in the literature for the pilothouse at the same meteorological conditions. An error of about 2.32% was apparent between the experimental and theoretical results. Results showed that the increase of the heating transfer fluid temperature from 30 to 50 °C produced the same temperature of about 15.1... [more]

The issue concerns the initial stage of work on a method for performing a rapid assessment of the energy efficiency and illuminance of a street lighting installation. The proposed method is based on simultaneous measurement of illuminance from three lux meters placed on the roof of the vehicle. The data are acquired in road traffic, while the vehicle is driving. The proposed solution will allow in the future to quickly and reproducibly obtain data about the lighting parameters of the studied road section. The illumination values are localised using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Based on the collected measurement data, with the use of terrain maps, geographic information system (GIS) data and installation design documentation, it will be possible to determine in detail the parameters of energy efficiency indicators for a selected section of the street for the entire street according to the EN13201-5 standard. Preliminary tests were conducted on a section of about one kilome... [more]

A significant proportion of the total energy consumption in office buildings is attributable to lighting. Enhancements in energy efficiency are currently achieved through strategies to reduce artificial lighting by intelligent daylight utilization. Control strategies in the field of daylighting and artificial lighting are mostly rule-based and focus either on comfort aspects or energy objectives. This paper aims to provide an overview of published scientific literature on enhanced control strategies, in which new control approaches are critically analysed regarding the fulfilment of energy efficiency targets and comfort criteria simultaneously. For this purpose, subject-specific review articles from the period between 2015 and 2020 and their research sources from as far back as 1978 are analysed. Results show clearly that building controls increasingly need to address multiple trades to achieve a maximum improvement in user comfort and energy efficiency. User acceptance can be highligh... [more]

This paper presents both the results of a study of the existing heat exchanger network (HEN) of an industrial unit for ethylbenzene (EB) production by the alkylation of benzene with ethylene, and an analysis of four different HEN retrofit projects carried out using process integration methods. The project of modernization of HEN was carried out using classical methods of Pinch analysis. For this case, the value of ΔTmin is determined, which is limited by the technological conditions of the process. Additionally, two different heat pump (HP) integration options and the joint retrofit Pinch project with HP integration are under consideration. The economic analysis of each of the projects was carried out. It is shown that the best results will be obtained when implementing the joint project. As a result, steam consumption will be reduced by 34% and carbon dioxide emissions will be decreased by the same amount.

The costs related to the operation of street lighting can be significant expenses for municipalities; therefore, it is very important to take advantage of opportunities for improving energy efficiency. In this paper, the authors studied the effects of the implementation of energy efficiency measures in a street lighting system. Different scenarios, including replacing luminaires, replacing inefficient lamps, and installing a dimming control system, are analysed. The model includes a detailed analysis of the techno-economic characteristics of both LED street luminaires and LED corn bulbs available on the market. The results show that the replacement of low-power, high-intensity discharge lamps with LED corn bulbs is an economically favourable solution that provides desirable economic project parameters with relatively low investments. Moreover, in the case of a relatively low price of electricity for street lighting, it is the preferable solution in most scenarios.

In this paper, a finite-element-based model is being introduced and developed, using the Cast3m (CEA, Paris, France) simulation tool, to evaluate the thermo-mechanical behavior of a small-scale test bed. In fact, many studies on thermal behavior of cavities have been carried out in literature. However, none of them took into account the co-existence of all thermal phenomena (conduction, convection, internal/external radiation). The work presented in this paper presents a thermo-mechanical model, which aims to combine, in a holistic way, these phenomena. An experimental validation of the thermal model has been first carried out using an infrared camera and DS18B20 (Maxim Integrated Products, Dallas, TX, USA) numerical sensors. Results are reported and show the accuracy of the proposed model since both numerical and experimental values of heat transmittance fit together. The main objective is to evaluate heat losses through the walls, by means of heat transmittance calculation, and propo... [more]

Recently, due to regulations on emissions of vessels, fuel is changing to liquefied natural gas (LNG). When using LNG as fuel, it is advantageous in terms of fuel saving and boil-off gas control if a small-scale liquefaction process is installed on the ship. However, due to the limited space, the small-scale liquefaction process for ships has to consider not only efficiency but also simplicity and compactness. In this respect, it is different from the process in onshore liquefaction plants, and research on this is insufficient. Therefore, this paper performs a comparative analysis in terms of efficiency by simplifying the composition of the mixed refrigerant in the liquefaction process. Additionally, a single mixed refrigerant process is used to pursue the compactness of the process. For comparative analysis, the liquefaction process is designed and simulated, and the specific power consumption calculated as the power required to liquefy the unit LNG is used as the objective function t... [more]

Industrial environments are heterogeneous systems that create challenges of interoperability limiting the development of systems capable of working collaboratively from the point of view of machines and software. Additionally, environmental issues related to manufacturing systems have emerged during the last decades, related to sustainability problems faced in the world. Thus, the proposed work aims to present an interoperable solution based on events to reduce the complexity of integration, while creating energetic profiles for the machines to allow the optimization of their energy consumption. A publish/subscribe-based architecture is proposed, where the instantiation is based on Apache Kafka. The proposed solution was implemented in two robotic cells in the automotive industry, constituted by different hardware, which allowed testing the integration of different components. The energy consumption data was then sent to a Postgres database where a graphical interface allowed the opera... [more]

The implementation of increasingly stringent emissions and efficiency targets has seen engine downsizing and other complementary technologies increase in prevalence throughout the automotive sector. In order to facilitate ongoing improvements associated with the use of these strategies, delivering enhancements to the performance and stability of the turbocharger compressor when operating at low mass flow rates is of paramount importance. In spite of this, a few concepts (either active or passive) targeting such aims have successfully transitioned into use in automotive turbochargers, due primarily to the requirement for a very wide compressor-operating range. In order to overcome the operational limitations associated with existing pre-swirl generation devices such as inlet guide vanes, this study developed a concept comprising of an electrically driven axial fan mounted upstream of a standard automotive turbocharger centrifugal compressor. Rather than targeting a direct contribution t... [more]

In recent years, the use of electric Autonomous Wheeled Mobile Robots (AWMRs) has dramatically increased in transport of the production chain. Generally, AWMRs must operate for several hours on a single battery charge. Since the energy density of the battery is limited, energy efficiency becomes a key element in improving material transportation performance during the manufacturing process. However, energy consumption is influenced by the navigation stages, because the type of motion necessary for the AWMR to perform during a mission is totally defined by these stages. Therefore, this paper analyzes methods of energy efficiency that have been studied recently for AWMR navigation stages. The selected publications are classified into planning and motion control categories in order to identify research gaps. Unlike other similar studies, this work focuses on these methods with respect to their implications for the energy consumption of AWMRs. In addition, by using an industrial Self-Guide... [more]

The research project Fraunhofer Cluster of Excellence “Programmable Materials” aims to develop new materials that can change their properties according to defined boundaries. This article describes the development and use of a novel programmable phase change material (PCM) for latent heat storage applications. At the moment, these PCMs have a programmable trigger mechanism incorporated that activates the crystallization of the material as a reaction to a defined stimulus so that the stored heat is released. In future development stages, programmability is to be integrated on the material level. The latent heat storage that is based on PCMs can be recharged by using the energy of the sun. As an example, for a possible application of such a material, the use of a novel programmable PCM in greenhouses to support heating energy reduction or to reduce the risk of frost is explained. Using the hygrothermal simulation tool WUFI® Plus, the effects in greenhouse constructions without and with c... [more]

The main purpose of this research is to assess the energy efficiency in Russia on its path towards the modernization of its energy systems. This modernization can be seen as an effective means for promoting decarbonization and energy-saving initiatives. Our methods include a comprehensive overview of the development of the energy sector in Russia, which is distinguished by the high concentration of state-owned enterprises, the absence of clear market mechanisms, as well as the domination of the fossil fuels represented by natural gas and oil. Furthermore, we present the perspectives of developing the renewable energy technologies in Russia. Our results enable us to create an in-depth analysis of the perspectives of modernization of the Russian energy sector and to draw the key connotations for its further development. Moreover, the outcomes of this paper can provide useful policy implications and guidelines for modernizing energy efficiency and energy systems for Russian stakeholders a... [more]

Software-defined networks have become more common in data centers. The programmability of these networks is a great feature that allows innovation to be deployed fast, following the increasing number of new applications. This growth comes with a cost of more processing power and energy consumption. Many researchers have tackled this issue using existing routing techniques to dynamically adjust the network forwarding plane to save energy. On the control-plane, researchers have found algorithms for positioning the controller in a way to reduce the number of used links, thus reducing energy. These strategies reduce energy consumption at the expense of processing power of the controllers. This paper proposes a novel approach to energy efficiency focused on the network’s control-plane, which is complementary to the many already existing data-plane solutions. It takes advantage of the parallel processing capabilities of modern off-the-shelf multicore processors to split the many tasks of the... [more]

This research presents an energy efficiency improvement solution for supermarkets with the use of low-E glass doors for open refrigerators and a digital semi-hermetic compressor to fix the speed of semi-hermetic compressors. The impact of a door’s installation causes its load to be reduced by 40%, and the compressor shuts down frequently, which decreases its lifetime. In order to ensure that energy-saving solutions do not affect maintenance costs, the installation of a digital semi-hermetic compressor is proposed to lower costs and save energy. Our economic results from tests carried out at a 3000 square meter supermarket, which was open from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. and in which we installed 82 doors on 15 open refrigerators, showed a 1.1-year payback period with an energy saving rate of 192,220 kWh/year for store No.1 (R22) and in which we installed 80 doors on 15 open refrigerators, showed a 1.4-year payback period with an energy saving rate of 171,185 kWh/year for store No.2 (R404A)... [more]

A number of microeconomic choice models are currently applied to demonstrate systematic biases in energy consumer behavior. The models highlight the hidden potential of energy savings from policies that target the so-called behavioral anomalies. Nevertheless, whether these patterns are repeatable or not is not clear, because the efforts to determine the transferability or generalizability of these models are practically nonexistent. This paper uses a unique collection of empirical data from five EU countries collected within the CONSEED project to refine and develop further the standard consumer decision model, validate it for policy purposes, and elaborate on its transferability between countries. The pooled samples allow for a more reliable investigation of the relative importance of the factors influencing consumers’ attitudes and beliefs towards energy investment decisions. Based on the statistical tests conducted to evaluate the “transferability” of the pooled models (i.e., the po... [more]