Green growth and nuclear energy

This article outlines nuclear energy's potential contribution as part of a green energy portfolio, as well as its role in a green economy towards green growth

Compressed Natural Gas (CNG): Potential Applications for Advanced Transportation Tanks and Vehicle Systems

The adequate supply of transport fuel has been a continuous concern ever since the automobile and individual modes of travel began the so far impetuous penetration into the transport sector. Over the years it should have become obvious that the running-out of oil phenomena is largely the result of a misperception regarding the dynamic role of technical change on the economics of hydrocarbon exploration and production, in short, on liquid fuel supply. Thus, oil availability appears not to threaten our mobility even in the medium-to-long-term future. The question of using natural gas as a transport fuel, therefore, is not a response to diminishing oil resources but the result of environmental considerations. This is particularly the case for diesel trucks and busses operating in densely populated metropolitan areas. In the past the use of compressed natural gas (CNG) as a clean and efficient vehicle fuel hinged on the heavy weight storage cylinders impacting adversely the available pay-load. Advanced light-weight reinforced aluminum storage cylinders have partially removed this obstacle. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of CNG technology and offers indications of early application niches for CNG based vehicle systems

Weiterbildung in virtuellen Lernumgebungen : Grundlage, Entwicklung und Evaluation eines Konzepts

von Larissa RognerPaderborn, Univ., Diss., 200

Energy Access and Electricity Planning

As developing countries look for ways to achieve sustainable energy services, which is essential to lift people out of poverty, the big challenge centers around providing access for all while avoiding past pitfalls without creating new ones. The reality is that this can only occur if there is a fundamental transformation of energy systems along the entire set of resource to energy service chains - and that will necessitate greater energy efficiency and a bigger role for renewables in the global energy mix energy. Competitive and private sector dominated energy markets rely on clear and consistent government energy-environment policies to align their investment decisions with sustainable development objectives. This paper tries to shed light on how developing countries can carry out energy planning by reviewing the available methodologies and tools, including their potential to integrate rural energy access and encourage the uptake of renewable energy technologies. It also probes how investment needs and cost-effectiveness are reflected in different analytic and planning tools - with a case study on Ethiopia. And it examines the interaction of energy planning and scenario development and how these are applied to informed policy making. The findings suggest that energy planning is essential and feasible. However, support is required to improve data collection and access, develop open accessible modelling tools, and build sustainable national capacity to undertake plannin