The wasted primary resource value: an indicator for the thermodynamics of sustainability for municipalities policy

Year 2017, , 166 - 172, 01.09.2017

Umberto Lucia

https://doi.org/10.5541/eoguijt.285621

Cited By: 3

Abstract

Exergy is a thermodynamic quantity which allows us
to obtain information on the useful work obtainable in a process. The analyses
of irreversibility are important in the design and development of the productive
processes for the economic growth, but it plays a fundamental role in the thermodynamics
analysis of socio-economic context of  municipality. Consequently, the link between the
wasted exergy and the energy cost for maintain the productive processes are
linked based on the bioengineering thermodynamics. This link holds to the
fundamental role of fluxes and to the exergy exchanged in the interaction
between the system and its environment. A new indicator, the equivalent wasted primary resource value for the work-hour, is
suggested to support the public managers for their economic decisions. Here,
the Alessandria Municipality is analysed in order to highlight the application
of the theoretical results.

Keywords

Bioeconomy; Entropy; Exergy; Inefficiency; Irreversibility; Sustainability; Thermoeconomy

References

• [1] M.A. Toman and B. Jemelkova, "Energy and economic development: an assessment of the state of knowledge," Energy Journal, Vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 93-112, 2003.
• [2] D.I. Stern, "Energy use and economic growth in the USA, A multivariate approach," Energy Economics Vol. 15, pp. 137-150, 1993.
• [3] D.I. Stern, "Limits to substitution and irreversibility in production and consumption: a neoclassical interpretation of ecological economics," Ecological Economics, Vol. 21, pp. 197-215, 1997.
• [4] D.I. Stern, "A multivariate cointegration analysis of the role of energy in the U.S. macroeconomy," Energy Economics, Vol. 22, pp. 267-283, 2000.
• [5] D.I. Stern, "Energy quality," Ecological Economics, Vol. 69, no. 7, pp. 1471-1478, 2010.
• [6] D.I. Stern, "Is energy cost an accurate indicator of natural resourses quality?," Ecological Economics, Vol. 31, pp. 381-394, 1999.
• [7] C.A.S. Hall, D. Lindenberger, R. Kümmel, T. Kroeger and W. Eichhorn, "The need to reintegrate the natural sciences and economics," BioScience, Vol. 51, pp. 663-673, 2001.
• [8] C.A.S. Hall, P. Tharakan, J. Hallock, C. Cleveland and M. Jefferson, "Hydrocarbons and the evolution of human culture," Nature, Vol. 426, pp. 318-322, 2003.
• [9] "European Union, Promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources," December 11th, 2014: http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/energy/renewable_energy/en0009_en.htm
• [10] I. Sarbu and C. Sebarchivici, "General review of ground-source heat pump systems for heating and cooling of buildings", Energy and Builgings, Vol. 70, pp. 441-54, 2014.