Environmental Valuation & Cost-Benefit News

Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2010.06.022

Abstract: Aside from their zero fuel costs, the pumped-storage units can reduce emissions of thermal generating units. The objective of this study is to investigate (a) thermal unit commitment with considerations for environmental constraints (ECUC), and (b) pumped-storage and thermal unit commitment with considerations for environmental constraints (PSECUC) based on a new optimization methodology. The PSECUC determines the start-up and shut-down schedules of pumped-storage and thermal generating units that meet the required demand so that the costs for fuel, start-up, and emissions (TC) are minimized. For the ECUC (thermal generating units only), the results show improvements of 0.03 and 0.50% in TC and excess emissions (EXEM), respectively. For the PSECUC, it is determined that 2-pumped-storage units can simultaneously decrease the TC and EXEM by 1.20 and 60%, respectively.

by M.E. Nazari 1, M.M. Ardehali 1 and S. Jafari 2
1. Energy Research Center, Department of Electrical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
2. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
Energy
Volume 35, Issue 10, October 2010, Pages 4092-4101

Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2010.03.005

Abstract: Composting of sewage sludge is one of the most suitable solutions for managing and recycling such waste. With the aim to decrease ocean disposal and increase recycling, composting of sewage sludge and its application to reclaimed soil in landfills were studied, including measurements of various parameters for composting and feasibility study. Pot experiments with three tree species (Quercus acutissima, Liriodendron tulipifera, and Betula schmidtii) were performed to evaluate the effects of compost treatments on the soil properties and tree growth responses. Sewage sludge compost improved soil characteristics such as moisture, organic matter, N content, and respiration. It also improved soil porosity and bulk density. The leaf biomass and tree physiological parameters such as the chlorophyll contents and photosynthesis rates increased after the compost treatments. Heavy metal accumulation in the soil after the treatments was lower than the Ecological Soil Screening Levels (Eco-SSLs) for plants set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Further, heavy metal accumulation in the leaves was insignificant compared with that of the control. Recycling sewage sludge compost as fertilizer will generate economical profits. Therefore, the use of sewage sludge compost as a soil conditioner in landfills would be an efficient and cost-effective method to restore the fertility of reclaimed soil and an environment-friendly solution for disposal problems.

by Uhram Song and Eun Ju Lee, both of the School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Sillim-dong san 56-1, Seoul 151-742, Republic of Korea; Tel.: +82 2 8806673; fax: +82 2 8831254.
Resources, Conservation and Recycling via Elsevier Science Direct www.ScienceDirect.com
Volume 54, Issue 12; October, 2010; Pages 1109-1116

Googled

Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trd.2010.04.007

Abstract: There is a growing interest in process heterogeneity in the way that individuals evaluate packages of attributes in real or hypothetical markets and make choices. We consider the role of the relative magnitude of pairs of attributes that are defined on a common metric (e.g., minutes or dollars), to look at the extent to which attributes might be added in preference revelation, in contrast to the commonly adopted single rule of compensatory behaviour. The focus is on a choice model specification that allows for different treatments of pairs of attributes across a sample, in contrast to studies that impose a single rule on all observations, and that does not require supplementary information on whether specific individuals claimed to have added up attributes; rather we structure a non-linear utility function that permits a probabilistic aggregation of each attribute. We translate this into a willingness to pay for travel time-savings for car commuters, in the context of tolling roads in Sydney, and contrast it with the results from the additive model, and a model where self-stated attribute processing information is taken into account. The empirical evidence suggests that mean willingness to pay increases when the addition rule is accounted for. This is a potentially important message for environmental applications where two or more attributes have a common metric.

by David Layton 1 and David A. Hensher 2
1. Daniel J. Evans School of Public Affairs, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-3055, USA
2. Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment via Elsevier Science Direct www.ScienceDirect.com
Volume 15, Issue 7; October, 2010; Pages 394-404
Special Issue: Specification and interpretation issues in behavioural models used for environmental assessment

A September, 2008 paper with the same title available free of charge at http://ws.econ.usyd.edu.au/itls/wp-archive/itls-wp-08-20.pdf from The University of Sydney, The Australian Key Centre in Transport and Logistics Management reports the following:

The empirical context being studied ... translates into the following behavioural processing strategy: when choosing between a tolled and a non-tolled route as defined by free flow time, slowed down time (or congestion), a toll and running cost of a car, when, for example, the difference between free flow and congestion time is less than a threshold value, the common-metric attributes are added and assigned a common marginal disutility; when the difference is greater than the threshold value, the attributes maintain their own marginal disutility.... Price partitioning is shown to act as an incentive to process multiple product dimensions. Although the interest in partitioning is common to our inquiry, our focus is different. We explore ways in which partitioned attributes, such as components of trip travel time (namely free flow time and slowed down or congestion created time), are used to reference particular cognitive experiences which results in the possible redefinition of the marginal (dis)utility of attributes that have a common metric.
...
The willingness to pay for travel time savings (VTTS) for each of free flow and slowed down time, after accounting for the utility distributions encapsulating common-metric partition preservation and attribute aggregation [has an] an absolute difference of 30 cents and 22 cents per hour respectively for free flow and slowed down time values.... This may not seem to be large (respectively 2.42 and 1.35 percent increase), but this translates into substantial differences in time benefits when applied to forecasting toll road benefits, and hence patronage. For example, for toll roads in Sydney, when accounting for the full distribution of VTTS in model 2 for free flow and slowed down time, this translates into an overall time benefit of between $5m to $35m per annum depending on which toll road is being assessed.

Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2009.11.032

Abstract: There are several policy tools available for the provision of ecosystem services. The economic characteristics of the ecosystem service being provided, such as rivalry and excludability, along with the spatial scale at which benefits accrue can help determine the appropriate policy approach. In this paper Robin J. Kemkes, Joshua Farley and Christopher J. Kolibawe provide a brief introduction to ecosystem services and discuss the policy tools available for providing them along with the dimensions, political feasibility and appropriateness of each tool. Throughout the paper they focus primarily on payments as a mechanism for ecosystem service provision. The authors present a framework for determining the characteristics of an ecosystem service and when payments are a viable policy tool option based on the characteristics. Additionally, we provide examples of when payments do not provide a socially desirable level of ecosystem benefits. Kemkes, Farley and Koliba conclude with a summary of policy recommendations, specifically desirable property rights and payment types based on the particular classification of an ecosystem service. They also discuss the advantages of creating monopsony power to reduce transaction costs, delineating and bundling ecosystem services and utilizing existing intermediaries.

Article Outline
1. Overview
2. Introduction to ecosystem services
3. Policy tools for ecosystem service provision
4. Monopsony and monopoly power
5. Characteristics of ecosystem services
5.1. Rivalry
5.2. Excludability
5.3. Spatial distribution
6. Ecosystem service classification
7. Summary of recommendations
7.1. Delineating and bundling services
7.2. Provisioning locally valuable services
7.3. Pooling supply and demand
7.4. Utilizing existing intermediaries
8. Conclusion

by Robin J. Kemkes 1, Joshua Farley 2 and Christopher J. Koliba 3
1. University of Massachusetts, Department of Economics, Amherst, MA 01003, United States
2. The University of Vermont, Gund Institute for Ecological Economics, 590 Main Street, Burlington, VT 05405-1708, United States
3. The University of Vermont, Community Development and Applied Economics, 103D Morrill Hall, Burlington, VT 05405, United States
Ecological Economics via Elsevier Science Direct www.ScienceDirect.com
Volume 69, Issue 11; September 15, 2010; Pages 2069-2074
Special Section - Payments for Ecosystem Services: From Local to Global

Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2010.06.037

Abstract: The well-to-wheels assessment is widely used in the automotive sector to analyze the efficiency and competitiveness of different powertrain/fuel options. The paper proposes a global index that takes into account both the energy and environmental aspects on an uniform basis, through the assignment of the costs associated to the energy and to the pollutant emissions. The European market is analyzed and other pollutants (NOx, PM and SOx) are added to the traditional well-to-wheels evaluations (energy and GHG). The proposed well-to-wheels global index offers a useful place-list that takes into account both energy and environmental aspects and, at the current market conditions, it results that the energy cost prevails (70–85%) over the environmental costs, and among the analyzed external costs, the main contribution is due to the GHG emissions. Natural gas-derived fuels seem to be the most promising. The global index for battery electric vehicle from a European mix are closely linked to the driving range. Conventional biofuels are very critical at present, while significant improvement of the well-to-wheels global index is foreseen for when new generation biofuels will be mature (2030 forecast). In short, even though the proposed global index is not an exhaustive index, it could be a useful tool for decision makers.

by Marco F. Torchio and Massimo G. Santarelli; all of the Dipartimento di Energetica, Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino 10129, Italy; Tel.: +39 011 0904501; fax: +39 011 0904499.
Energy via Elsevier Science Direct www.ScieceDirect.com
Volume 35, Issue 10; October, 2010; Pages 4156-4171