Energy alternatives for lighting in households: An evaluation using an integrated goal programming-AHP model

Application of multi-criteria decision making to sustainable energy planning—A review

Abstract: Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques are gaining popularity in sustainable energy management. The techniques provide solutions to the problems involving conflicting and multiple objectives. Several methods based on weighted averages, priority setting, outranking, fuzzy principles and their combinations are employed for energy planning decisions. A review of more than 90 published papers is presented here to analyze the applicability of various methods discussed. A classification on application areas and the year of application is presented to highlight the trends. It is observed that Analytical Hierarchy Process is the most popular technique followed by outranking techniques PROMETHEE and ELECTRE. Validation of results with multiple methods, development of interactive decision support systems and application of fuzzy methods to tackle uncertainties in the data is observed in the published literature.

A review of energy models

Abstract: Energy is a vital input for social and economic development of any nation. With increasing agricultural and industrial activities in the country, the demand for energy is also increasing. Formulation of an energy model will help in the proper allocation of widely available renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, bioenergy and small hydropower in meeting the future energy demand in India. During the last decade several new concepts of energy planning and management such as decentralized planning, energy conservation through improved technologies, waste recycling, integrated energy planning, introduction of renewable energy sources and energy forecasting have emerged. In this paper an attempt has been made to understand and review the various emerging issues related to the energy modeling. The different types of models such as energy planning models, energy supply–demand models, forecasting models, renewable energy models, emission reduction models, optimization models have been reviewed and presented. Also, models based on neural network and fuzzy theory have been reviewed and discussed. The review paper on energy modeling will help the energy planners, researchers and policy makers widely.

A comparative analysis for multiattribute selection among renewable energy alternatives using fuzzy axiomatic design and fuzzy analytic hierarchy process

Abstract: Renewable energy is the energy generated from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and geothermal heat which are renewable. Energy resources are very important in perspective of economics and politics for all countries. Hence, the selection of the best alternative for any country takes an important role for energy investments. Among decision-making methodologies, axiomatic design (AD) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) are often used in the literature. The fuzzy set theory is a powerful tool to treat the uncertainty in case of incomplete or vague information. In this paper, fuzzy multicriteria decision- making methodologies are suggested for the selection among renewable energy alternatives. The first methodology is based on the AHP which allows the evaluation scores from experts to be linguistic expressions, crisp, or fuzzy numbers, while the second is based on AD principles under fuzziness which evaluates the alternatives under objective or subjective criteria with respect to the functional requirements obtained from experts. The originality of the paper comes from the fuzzy AD application to the selection of the best renewable energy alternative and the comparison with fuzzy AHP. In the application of the proposed methodologies the most appropriate renewable energy alternative is determined for Turkey.

Integrated renewable energy systems for off grid rural electrification of remote area

Abstract: The off grid electrification by utilizing Integrated Renewable Energy System (IRES) is proposed to satisfy the electrical and cooking needs of the seven-uneletrified villages in the Almora district of Uttarakhand state, India. Four different scenarios are considered during modeling and optimization of IRES to ensure reliability parameters such as energy index ratio (EIR) and expected energy not supplied (EENS). The optimum system reliability, total system cost and cost of energy (COE) have also been worked out by introducing the customer interruption cost (CIC). The four different renewable energy scenarios have been compared for the considered study area using the LINGO software version 10. The fourth renewable energy scenario accounting 44.99% micro hydropower (MHP), 30.07% biomass, 5.19% biogas and 4.16% solar energy along with the additional resources of wind (1.27%) and energy plantation (12.33%) has been found to be the best among the different options considered. Furthermore, the optimal reliability for the fourth IRES system has been found to be 0.95 EIR at the optimized cost of Rs 19.44 lacs with estimated COE of Rs 3.36 per kWh. The COE obtained using LINGO software and HOMER software has also been compared and briefly discussed for all the four scenarios. In order to verify feasibility and cost of system for different biomass fuel prices, a sensitivity analysis has also been carried out and it has been found that the fourth scenario is more sustainable than the other considered options.

Decision analysis in energy and environmental modeling: An update

Abstract: The 1995 survey on decision analysis (DA) in energy and environmental modeling by [Huang et al. Decision analysis in energy and environmental modeling. Energy 1995; 20: 843–855] lists 95 publications. We updated the survey and found that the number of publications has almost tripled to 252. We also extended and refined this earlier survey by classifying the 252 studies by source of publication, DA method, application area, and several new attributes. Statistical analyses using hypothesis testing and a multiple attribute analysis on the suitability of different DA methods in each application area were conducted. It was found that the importance of multiple criteria decision-making methods and energy-related environmental studies has increased substantially since 1995. We also describe some new developments that have taken place since the last survey.

Energy for a Sustainable World

Abstract: A team of members from Brazil Sweden India and the US have conducted an energy analysis which focused on energy demand rather than energy supply. This end-use analysis is entitled the End Use Global Energy Project (EUGEP). The EUGEP global energy scenario for 2020 indicates a per capita energy use in industrialized countries of almost 50% lower than what it was in 1980 (3.2 kilowatts/person vs. 6.3 kilowatts/person). The scenario assumes a widespread shift from the inefficient noncommercial fuels to modern energy technologies in high efficiency applications. Other assumptions include limited growth in nuclear power a balanced energy supply mix and limits in use of fossil fuels especially coal. It finds that a mean 1.3 kilowatts/person could support the living standard present in western Europe in the late 1980s. The EUGEP scenario depicts a society in which global energy use is only 10% higher than it was in the late 1980s despite an increase in the population to 7 billions people compared with an increase of over 100% for conventional projections. This energy analysis serves only as an illustration of the technically possible. It communicates to policymakers that they have a choice. The analysts present case studies from Sweden and the US. They also address global energy and use as it applies in developing countries and market-oriented countries.

Operations Research: Principles and Practice

Abstract: The Nature of Operations Research Linear Programming Network Analysis Advanced Topics in Linear Programming Decision Analysis Random Processes Queueing Models Inventory Models Simulation Dynamic Programming Nonlinear Programming Appendices Index

Barriers to improvements in energy efficiency

Abstract: The growing recognition of the potential energy savings available through improvements in energy efficiency has sparked an increased interest in the actors involved in implementing these improvements and the barriers that they can encounter. This paper identifies these actors and creates a topology for the various barriers that hinder their efforts to achieve better energy efficiencies at the very lowest level of the energy consumer to the very highest level of the global financial agencies. The analysis concludes that four essential factors will help facilitate the dissemination of energy-efficiency improvements: relying on combinations of measures for overcoming each barrier to energy efficiency; using combinations of measures at the strategic level; employing policy-assisted, market-oriented mechanisms and promoting technological innovation as a means for achieving improved energy efficiency.