ABSTRACT
The pandemic scenario caused by Covid-19 generated negative impacts. Covid-19 has made it clear that our daily lives depend to a high degree on access to energy. Therefore, now more than ever, it is necessary to promote new activities such as local food production, but also local energy capture. This article is an attempt to expose and quantify the benefits of a renewable energy transition in Ecuador post Covid-19 and post-oil. The generation, consumption, and reserves of oil in Ecuador were characterized, and the concept of energy transition was applied to evaluate the possibilities of integration of renewables, the progressive exit of thermal power plants, and future energy strategies. The year 2015 was taken as a basis and it was determined that energy use was 154.0 TWh / year, which corresponds to an end-user of approximately 147 TWh / year. The objective was to reduce this end-use demand to 80.0 TWh/year by 2055 through the integration of renewables and energy efficiency, for which 5 transition phases were planned until a 100% renewable system was obtained. It is concluded that the energy transition in Ecuador is technically possible and economically viable, without giving up the energy well-being that we currently enjoy. However, results show that even 100% renewable is not enough to face climate change.
ABSTRACT
Irrigation is increasingly being called upon to help stabilize and grow food and water security in the face of multiple crises;these crises include climate change, but also recent global food and energy price crises, including the 2007/08 food and energy price crises, and the more recent crises triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and the war on Ukraine. While irrigation development used to focus on public, large-scale, surface- and reservoir-fed systems, over the last several decades, private small-scale investments in groundwater irrigation have grown in importance and are expected to see rapid future growth, particularly in connection with solar-powered pumping systems. But is irrigation 'fit-for-purpose' to support population growth, economic development, and multiple food, energy and climate crises? This paper reviews how fit-for-purpose irrigation is with a focus on economies of scale of surface and groundwater systems, and a particular examination of systems in Sub-Saharan Africa where the need for expansion is largest. The review finds challenges for both larger surface and smaller groundwater systems in the face of growing demand for irrigated agriculture and dwindling and less reliable water supplies. To support resilience of the sector, we propose both a holistic design and management improvement agenda for larger surface systems, and a series of suggestions to improve sustainability concerns of groundwater systems.
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Each month brings new fears and new reasons to worry about the future. In a world marked by permanent change, by the occurrence of the unthinkable generating a continuous feeling of insecurity, having confidence has become increasingly difficult: confidence in the future, confidence in our environments, in our organisations, confidence in our contemporaries, confidence in our collaborators and confidence in our ability to face a difficult tomorrow. Confidence and fear are inseparable and they are like the opposite sides of the same coin. Unable to look at both sides of a coin at the same time, we must constantly fight our fears with confidence. Therefore, more than ever, trust is an essential element to obtain team security and it only takes one person feeling insecure for the overall confidence of the team to be eroded. This feeling of low self-confidence is particularly true for the younger generation of veterinary surgeons and specialized veterinary assistants. This can result in difficulties that are often unexpressed and can lead professionals to abandon these vocations of "passion" since they do not feel up to the expectations of clients and managers alike. Building the self-confidence of the people concerned has become a professional priority. The origin of the feeling of lack of self-confidence is collective. Therefore, its treatment is collective. Since each member has the capacity to fight against their fears, he or she can play their part and increase security in the team.
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This special issue consists of seven articles examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the markets of selected commodities, including: seafood, lumber, crawfish, cattle/beef, fruits and vegetables in the USA, cotton and garments in Bangladesh, and fuel oil globally.
ABSTRACT
Oilseeds are grown mainly for the extraction of vegetable oils and for its by-products needed in livestock feed and in other industrial uses. The oils obtained from them are becoming a staple food used in daily cooking in several countries, and as a result the world demand is constantly increasing. This situation, combined with the exponential increase in the world population and other cyclical factors, is leading to a surge pricing, especially in importing countries. This increase in prices is fueled by soaring oil prices and disruption in supplies following Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions in the Black Sea. Morocco is directly impacted by these fluctuations given that the country imports almost its total needs in vegetable oils, oilseeds and meals. The high dependence on imported vegetable oils and oilseed products has a detrimental effect on the economy of Morocco and weighs heavily on the country's trade balance. Considering their increasingly important role in society, the development of a local oilseed sector to reduce Morocco's dependence on imports and cope with the vagaries of global markets has never been more topical in the current context of sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty.
ABSTRACT
A few industries, such as the beverage industry, have experienced some growth in sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. Globally, beverage companies alone generate over 200 million tonnes of biomass annually, which largely ends up as animal feed or in landfills. With the UK government's commitment to reduce its carbon footprint by at least 68% in 2030, many companies, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs), are exploring options to reduce carbon emissions and develop roadmaps to become carbon neutral. It has thus become imperative for beverage companies to find value in or repurpose their waste. This paper unlocks the potential for improving the fuel properties of beverage waste through a blending process and explores the determination of optimal fractions for the blends via characterization. With an initial moisture content of 82 and 58 wt.% brewery spent grain (BSG) and spent coffee grounds (SCG), respectively, the pre-treatment process reduced moisture content by approximately 10-15 wt.%. The study concludes that biomass blending improved the fuel properties of the biomass, providing a competitive comparison with coal for energy applications.
ABSTRACT
To date, irregularity and lack of power supply remain a global problem in the rural areas of underdeveloped and developing countries. This paper proposes a new concept for rural electrification by using palm oil mills to co-produce biodiesel from sludge palm oil. We performed a case study based on a medium-sized palm oil mill in Central Kalimantan. Approximately 2.5 tonnes of biodiesel could be produced daily using an enzymatic batch process and potentially support around 1,375 households of 4 people each in the surrounding areas. Subsequently, we performed a techno-economic assessment to study the commercial feasibility of the concept for rural electrification using the enzymatic biodiesel as opposed to commercial diesel. A 10% price deduction was applied to incentivize the local community to use the co-produced biodiesel. From our analysis, the rural electrification concept was found to be commercially viable with a return on investment of 29% and a breakeven period of less than 4 years of operation. Barring the short-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the price fluctuations of diesel and crude palm oil, the long-term commercial prospect of this rural electrification concept is attractive as it financially benefits both the rural community and the mill operators.
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The current global pandemic threatens the food, energy, and water security of households given the economic fallout that it has caused. In this analysis, we present preliminary survey data from respondents in Colorado, United States. We asked how the pandemic and related lockdown orders have impacted the food, energy, and water security of their households. Results imply that, in the near term, households have avoided significant insecurities, yet many have serious concerns moving forward.
ABSTRACT
Food e-commerce has seen significant growth over the past decade that accelerated after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last-mile transportation and logistics are widely considered the most expensive and least efficient portion of the supply chain and have multiple important energy trade-offs such as cargo capacity and consumer density. Last-mile transportation energy use in rural areas is underrepresented in the literature. This study proposes a hybrid agent-based and discrete event model framework for evaluating the last-mile transportation energy use of van- and car-based food delivery services in a rural community, based on meal-kit and grocery delivery operations, respectively. This framework quantifies last-mile energy use in rural areas, and is demonstrated here using a neighborhood outside of Austin, TX as an analytical testbed. The study focuses on the effects of consumer density, cargo limitations, and vehicle speed. For the conditions examined with this framework, diesel delivery vans use more total energy than passenger cars for the same trip, though a van delivering four orders uses less energy per-order than a car delivering one order. However, there are trade-offs between vehicle type and mileage, cargo capacity, route density, and speed that are particularly important for delivery services operating in rural areas. This framework can be used by service providers to assess route-specific trade-offs for each vehicle and gauge which is preferable for given operating conditions or to evaluate the energy, and thus also cost, impact of expanding their services to rural areas.
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Based on panel data of 31 provincial capital cities in the country from January 21 to November 20, 2020, this research empirically analyzes the impacts of daily newly confirmed cases and daily new deaths from COVID-19 on PM10, PM2.5, SO2, CO, and NO2 emissions form green energy consumption by using the method of System Generalized Moments (SYS-GMM). We conclude that the COVID-19 pandemic has an inhibitory effect on all types of emissions, in that a greater number of confirmed cases and deaths brings about more stringent anti-epidemic policies, fewer emissions, and better air quality in China. Moreover, we use the methods of sample segmentation, cross-sectional regression, and pollutant emissions of the top three cities in terms of GDP to test their robustness. Overall, our evidence advances the debate over air quality after COVID-19, and that evidence from China provides beneficial experiences that correlate to its provincial data.
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USA continues to be the largest producer of ethanol globally followed by Brazil. The Covid-l9 pandemic impacted the sector adversely as the rise in unemployment, plus the attendant restrictions on movement resulted 11: people driving much less than before and thereby decreasing demand for transportatian fuel. US companies Poet, Valera and AIM will continue to dominate the league table of top producers. The Brazilian company Raizen 1: expected to move up in rankings (to 4) 11: 2021/22 following the recent acquisition of the sugar-ethanhl producer Biosev.
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The aviation industry is responsible for 12% of transport-related GHG emissions and 2-3% of the global GHG emissions, thus raising concerns for sustainable alternatives such as aviation biofuels. This study sought to analyze the potential of producing aviation fuel from rubber seed oil. Rubber seed oil (RSO) was extracted and the physicochemical properties investigated as well as the fatty acid composition. This result was simulated in ASPEN plus to determine the potential aviation biofuel produced using the UOP HEFA process. The study shows that the golden yellowish oil derived from rubber seed possessed a density 0.9 g/cm3 and pH of 6, refractive index of 1.48, heating value of 23.75 MJ/kg and composed of 75% area of FFA with Oleic and Linoleic acid been the most dominant. The HEFA process on ASPEN Plus showed 81% of feedstock was converted to hydrocarbons with aviation biofuel yield of 46%. It was estimated that the installation of the plant for aviation biofuel production has a total capital cost of $ 8,650,480 and a total operation cost of $ 328,728. The economic analysis shows that at a cost of USD 4/kg (USD 3.01/liter) of aviation biofuel has an Internal rate of return of 18.62% profitability of 1.18 and payback period of 14.9 years of the plant operating. This study established that rubber seed oil shows suitability and potential for sustainable aviation biofuel production.
ABSTRACT
One of the key challenges in the coming years is to produce enough safe and nutritious food for the future generations without exceeding the planetary reserves even more. In circular agriculture, waste is seen as a raw material to produce new valuable products, including crops, food, feed and energy. Another characteristic of the concept is the need to reduce the consumption of resources and discharges into the environment. This article analyzes the concept of circular agriculture as well as the necessary government policies for implementing this concept as the development paradigm. It is highly recommended for governments to promote circular agriculture, especially in the post COVID-19 period, as means to improve different objectives, including better environmental conditions, climate change mitigation, public health, etc. It is also recommended to support and facilitate the development of circular economy principles as well as to implement best practices from existing initiatives around the world.
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This article discussed the bioeconomy, operating in cycles, the state of Europe, and where opportunities and deficits exist with Hans Mayrhofer, Secretary General of the Ecosocial Forum Austria & Europe. Since the European Commission introduced the Knowledge-Based Bioeconomy in 2005, the bioeconomy has evolved in more than 60 nations from a research-focused strategy to a political one. This is supported by the advantages of biological resources over those derived from fossil fuels, as well as the advantages for innovation, biodiversity, and climate change. This article also addresses strategies for overcoming these obstacles and suggests focusing on the bioeconomy as a societal value economy that supports the attainment of the SDGs and the circular economy. It is advised that the bioeconomy use a systemic approach and act, operate, and do commerce in chains and cycles. Following the Covid-19 epidemic, the bioeconomy will be more important than ever in the coming ten years.
ABSTRACT
U.S. Ethanol Market Faced Shock in 2020: The US. ethanol market faced pandemic-related shocks in 2020, as COVID-19 reduced driving miles and demand for transportation fuel. These shocks ultimately impacted U.S. feed-grains markets, particularly corn. Since the creation of the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) in 2005, and the subsequent passage of RFSZ in 2007, the use of corn for ethanol fuel has created a link between US. feed grain markets and transportation fuel use. As a result of this linkage, the sudden change in social and economic behaviors caused by COVID-19 led to changes in US. com markets. The following is a broad summary of the pre-pandemic state of the ethanol market, the 2020 ethanol market, and the identification of certain market factors that are expected to be important for the outlook of the US. ethanol market. Ethanol Market Trends and Conditions Prior to COVID-19: For the 4 years spanning 2016-2019, the US. motor gasoline product supplied was quite stable. According to US. Energy Information Administration data (EIA), monthly gasoline product supplied averaged about 11.9 billion gallons between 2016-2019. Deviations generally followed seasonal patterns. Gasoline supply levels began 2020 up slightly from their 2016-2019 averages: 11.4 billion gallons in January, compared to an average January-supply level of 11.3 billion gallons and 10.9 billion gallons in February, compared to an average of 10.7 billion gallons.
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Electricity in Bali majorly is supplied by power plants in Java which use fossil-fuelled. With petroleum and coal reserves to run out by 2025, Bali Government has issued Governor Ordinance No. 45/2019 concerning clean energy in encouraging Balinese to use rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV). As backboned tourism industry, Bali has drastically been declining due to COVID-19 causing most hotels and their supporting industries closed, the government then has changed the orientation from urban tourism to rural tourism. This paper proposes rooftop solar PV power plant program in the tourism village representing all 8 regencies and 1 municipality (Sudaji in Buleleng, Catur and others in Bangli, Tenganan in Karangasem, Kerta in Gianyar, Blimbingsari in Jembrana, Paksebali in Klungkung, Bongan in Tabanan, Bongkasa in Badung, and Sanur Kauh in Denpasar). Recent studies show huge potential for solar energy in Bali and the program is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals (Bali SDGs). The study elaborates problems in implementing the program since solar PV is still new and traditions could hinder the people in the tourism village to utilize it. Behaviour approach must be explored to make the program can be successfully done.
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In this study, the time-varying dynamic relationships among real exchange rate, average real oil price and food inflation is investigated in Turkey during the period of 2006:1-2021:12. For this reason, TVP-VAR models are applied. The findings from this study revealed that the pass-through effect of real exchange rate on food inflation increases rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and this effect reaches the highest level in October 2021 in which the fluctuations in exchange rate occured. Besides, it is detected that raises in average oil prices significantly enhance food inflation since the vaccination proccess, starting in early 2021, has caused increases in production and demand.
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These proceedings contain 59 articles focusing the discussion on the roles of the COVID-19 vaccine against climate change, as well as formulating comprehensive and efficient strategies on how to increase the effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine against climate change. Topics also revolve around areas such as: impact of depletion or enhancement of air, water, soil, and vegetation resource capabilities;strategy for environmental disaster reduction research;pollution and contamination of land surface and atmosphere;climate model and uneven precipitation distribution;the implication of climate adaptation and mitigation research;carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emission, recycle and reuse energy research;policy and legal aspect of climate change;infrastructures risks and planning on climate adaptation;marine ecosystem affected by climate change;and direct and indirect risks to wellbeing.
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These proceedings contain 76 articles focused on four thematic areas: energy, energy management, built environment, and environment and global change. New energy innovations were presented with the focus of sustainable development. Different policies on building environments were propounded at the conference. The issues on the environment and global climate were dynamically discussed. The focus of conference participants ranged from pollution to primary agents that activate a different process in the environment. There were focuses on the COVID-19 with salient predictions and preventive suggestions for a sustainable environment. The challenges and prospect of energy management, which spans through, technologies, finance, and optimizations, were discussed holistically.
ABSTRACT
In any industry, recruitment, training and effective onboarding of a new staff is considered to be a challenging task. In the backwash of the coronavirus pandemic, however, the industry is now found in completely new landscape. The old followed practices for recruiting and training are no longer effective enough. There is complete new set of requirements established by the COVID-19. Post the outbreak of pandemic, hospitality industry has witnessed a drastic change. Sudden lockdown and prolonged closure of the hotels has made the employees of the industry suffer a lot. From a busy working day to a day without any work has been a very unpleasant transition for everyone. However, post unlock hotels have started their operations slowly following all the new normal implemented post COVID-19. Imagine, a crisis to forces hospitality industry to change their way of operations almost overnight. Notwithstanding initial fears and anxiety, industry has realized that these changes in operations could be treated as a blueprint for upcoming years. This is what the industry leaders are finding across the globe as they respond to the COVID-19. Housekeeping being a core department responsible for maintaining the upkeep of the hotel, is no longer responsible for just the cleaning jobs. The role has changed 360 degrees and the department has truly become a backbone of the hotels. In the difficult times of pandemic, staffs have reskilled and upskilled themselves to deal with this situation and create safe and hygienic environment for both staff and guest. Lot of training programs have been implemented vigorously before the reopening of hotels, making their staff ready to take up the new challenges. These training programs have helped the staff members keep their morals high and welcome guests with new energy and hope.