A preliminary environmental assessment of power generation systems for a stand-alone mobile house with cradle to gate approach

Due to the sporadic characteristics of solar and wind power it has been a challenge to generate a highly reliable power with photovoltaic and or wind turbines alone. A fuel cell as a supplementary energy source is an alternative to overcome this challenge. PV/wind/fuel cell hybrid power system may be a feasible solution for stand-alone applications. In this study, which is a preliminary work of a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), comparison of the power generation alternatives in terms of environmental impacts by evaluating their environmental and energy efficiencies and impacts during the productions of the system components was given. Also, impacts during the production of wind turbines, PV panels, fuel cells and diesel generators were inspected. Eco-Indicator 99 impact assessment method was used as the impact assessment method. It was shown that the in human health and ecosystem quality damage categories the PV panels are less environmentally efficient when compared with other power generation technologies with similar capacities.</p

In her shoes : transnational digital solidarity with Muslim women, or the hijab?

Transnational solidarity has been taken up by feminist scholars, social scientists and activists who discuss or practice solidarity with the plights of different individuals, groups, and communities. This paper addresses transnational solidarity by investigating World Hijab Day, a campaign that shows solidarity with Muslim women by encouraging non‐Muslim women to temporarily wear the hijab. By analysing online activities and social media of the campaign, and investigating public debates surrounding it, the paper explores the centrality of the hijab as the unifying symbol. Results include reflections on the representations of female Muslimness, the hijab and gender roles in the campaign and insights on implications and possibility of transnational digital solidarity. Using the data, and drawing on literature of transnational solidarity, significance and implications of transnational activism in different online and digital geographies of solidarity are interrogated. The conclusion discusses the values and limits of solidarity activism that is based on notions or symbols of similarity or sameness and the role cyberspace plays in transnational reach of the campaign, and in creating online proximity

Eco-efficiency analysis for remote area power supply selection in Western Australia

Remote area power supply (RAPS) systems in Western Australia account for more than 56% of total off-grid electricity supply in Australia and utilise carbon emission intensive diesel and gas generating technologies for power supply. Most of these RAPS systems are run by environmentally unfriendly conventional fuel due to economic reasons. An eco-efficiency analysis (EEA) framework was therefore developed to explore the environmental and economic efficiency of the current diesel RAPS systems in Western Australia. ISO 14040:2006 for Life Cycle Assessment and AS/NZS 4536:1000 (R2014) for Life Cycle Costing have been used to estimate the associated environmental impacts and costs of RAPS systems in conducting an EEA. The results show that the integration of solar photovoltaic panels and an energy storage system into existing diesel generating units for power supply could improve the eco-efficiency of the existing system. It was found that a 4% increase in total life cycle costs with the use of a hybrid system could potentially decrease the overall environmental impacts by 16%