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

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

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