A motivation for integrated resource assessments is that they can capture indirect cross-sectoral effects of sectoral policies. This work investigates the electricity system implications from the implementation of basin-wide electricity and water systems efficiency measures. The spatial scope includes the four states that share the Syr Darya River basin. Different interests dictate the management of water resources in the basin. They are necessary for irrigation downstream in spring and summer and upstream, for hydropower generation during winter. The study investigated options to decrease the need for electricity upstream through efficiency measures and by the expansion of regional electricity trade. The scenarios were simulated by developing a multi-country electricity system model using the open source energy modelling system (OSeMOSYS). The results show that lesser investments in hydropower capacity could be needed and less water required in winter. This would reduce pressure on shared water resources.

The measurement units of yearly wind electricity and hydrogen production in the following sections of the previously published paper as titled above are now changed from (MWh/year and kTon/year) to (GWh/year and tons/year). These changes apply to all the measuring units in text and related tables of the following sections. All the results of this paper are still valid and unchanged. 

Sub-Saharan Africa has been at the epicenter of an ongoing global dialogue around the issue of energy poverty. More than half of the world's population without access to modern energy services lives there. It also happens to be a sub-continent with plentiful renewable energy resource potential. Hydropower is one of them, and to a large extent it remains untapped. This study focuses on the technical assessment of small-scale hydropower (0.01-10 MW) in Sub-Saharan Africa. The underlying methodology was based on open source geospatial datasets, whose combination allowed a consistent evaluation of 712,615 km of river network spanning over 44 countries. Environmental, topological, and social constraints were included in the form of constraints in the optimization algorithm. The results are presented on a country and power pool basis.

A computational model has been developed for a heavy water reactor (HWR) reactor to analyze the temperature distribution of the moderator and pressure tube and to determine the thermal stress analysis of pressure tube (PT) using the non linear elastic model for thermal expansion. For an IAEA ICSP problem, the experimental set up and model were developed by the Fuel Channel High Temperature Heat Transfer (FCHTHT) laboratory in Canada. In case of LOCA or primary heat transfer failure, PT experiences a significant heat flux that results in ballooning of PT. Following the PT deformation, PT/CT contact may occur and thus there is spike in heat flux at calandria tube (CT) resulting in the local dryout of CT. The study was divided into two parts, pre-contact phase and contact phase. The analysis is made by using the COMSOL multiphysics software. The results reveal the effect of buoyancy and support the validation of experimental set up where the graphite heater is offset below the centre to account for the buoyancy effects. The PT was deformed at higher temperature and came in contact at 74.4 seconds.

Nowadays, more than 620 million people in Africa live without access to electricity. Nowhere in the world is the chasm between available energy resources and access to electricity greater than on the African continent. With the exception of conventional hydropower, the share of renewable energy in the electricity mix remains insignificant, despite the considerable untapped renewable energy potential in the region. A critical issue in the development of renewable energy sources is the cost, which is a function of the resource availability, the geographic and topological characteristics of a studied area as well as the selected energy conversion technologies. This paper applies a detailed Geographic Information Systems (GIS) approach in order to identify the cost of generating electricity using onshore wind turbines considering several localization criteria. The levelized cost of wind generated electricity is calculated geospatially and shall be used as an indicator to compare different suitable sites at the pre-feasibility stage. The levelized cost of generating electricity varies between 0.04 and 0.17 USD/kWh, placing wind power in a cost competitive position in the electricity market of the continental countries.

In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Agenda 2030, which comprises a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) defined by 169 targets. 'Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all by 2030' is the seventh goal (SDG7). While access to energy refers to more than electricity, the latter is the central focus of this work. According to the World Bank's 2015 Global Tracking Framework, roughly 15% of the world's population (or 1.1 billion people) lack access to electricity, and many more rely on poor quality electricity services. The majority of those without access (87%) reside in rural areas. This paper presents results of a geographic information systems approach coupled with open access data. We present least-cost electrification strategies on a country-by-country basis for Sub-Saharan Africa. The electrification options include grid extension, mini-grid and stand-alone systems for rural, peri-urban, and urban contexts across the economy. At low levels of electricity demand there is a strong penetration of standalone technologies. However, higher electricity demand levels move the favourable electrification option from stand-alone systems to mini grid and to grid extensions.

India is a privileged country in terms of wind resource regime. However, most of it remains untapped at the same time as ca 240 million people lack access to electricity in the country (19% of the total population). This calls for a thorough estimation of the amount of wind energy that could be technically and economically seized to assess the potential penetration of wind power into the country's energy system. The utilization of wind energy is associated with a plethora of localization criteria and thus it should be systematically addressed by spatial assessments to guarantee its harmonization with socio-economic systems, infrastructure and ecosystems. This study focuses on onshore wind power and strives to provide with estimates of techno economic potential based on state of the art wind power technology. Socio-economic, geographical and technical criteria regarding the localization of wind farms are outlined and implemented through a detailed a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis. The levelized cost of wind generated electricity is then calculated geospatially. According to this assessment there are several states that signify high yearly wind energy yield, such as Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat, whilst Goa and other states indicate the least or negligible wind power potential. The levelized cost of generating electricity ranges between 57 and 100 USD/MWh, which places wind power in a competitive position in the Indian electricity market.

Due to modern advancements in renewable energy systems and increasing prices of fossil fuels wind energy is getting a lot of attention all over the world. In this regard, Sweden also fixed motivated targets to get energy supply from local renewable energy resources. So, local wind power could help the country in achieving the targets. In this study, economic indicators of wind energy were spatially estimated for Sweden by using ArcGIS tool. In order to do this, as input data one-year high resolution modeled annual average wind data was processed by means of Rayleigh distribution, wind turbine power curve, land use constraints, technical constraints and economic parameters. Based on the input data, it was concluded that Sweden possesses economically feasible wind energy resource. The results of the study indicate that southern and central regions could produce economically viable wind electricity in all aspects as compared to the northern region of the country. Lastly, it was recommended to speed up wind energy penetration in Sweden, communal awareness and acceptance regarding the resource should be increased to avoid possible misunderstanding. Additionally, the capability of the national electric grid should be enhanced to take up the large scale unpredictable wind energy resource.

Access to clean and affordable modern energy is crucial to fostering social and economic development and to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Efficient policy frameworks and effective electrification programs are required in order to ensure that people are electrified in a sustainable manner. These programs differ from country to country depending on geographic and socioeconomic conditions. Electrification planning process must consider the geographical characteristics of the resources as well as the spatial dimension of social and economic drivers of energy demand in order to find the most optimal energy access solution. Geographical theory and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in particular can play a significant role in electrification planning, since they are capable of managing the data needed in the decision making process and may integrate and assess all possible options. This paper focuses on considering these characteristics by applying a recently developed GIS based methodology to inform electrification planning and strategies in Ethiopia. The paper illustrates two major aspects of energy planning; 1.) how the optimal electrification mix is influenced by a range of parameters including population density, existing and planned transmission networks and power plants, economic activities, tariffs for grid-based electricity, technology costs for mini-grid and off-grid systems, and fuel costs for consumers and 2.) how the electrification mix differs from location to location. For a certain level of energy access, on-grid connections would be optimal for the majority of the new connections in Ethiopia; grid extension constitutes the lowest cost option for approximately 93% of the newly electrified population in this modelling effort with 2030 as time horizon. However, there are some remote areas with low population density where a mini-grid (ca. 6%) or a stand-alone solution (ca. 1%) are the most economic options. Depending on local resource availability, these systems deploy varied combinations of solar, wind, hydro and diesel technologies.

Hydrogen produced with the help of local wind energy resource can be considered as a key energy carrier, which can play a major role in switching the transport fuels from fossil to renewable. In this paper, we preliminary assessed the wind generated hydrogen production potential in order to provide the environmentally clean, renewable and cheap fuel to the road transport sector of Sweden. Vestas-112 wind turbine (V-112) and proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyzer were used as main components. Land use restrictions related to wind to hydrogen energy installation were also taken into account. Geographic Information System (GIS) tool was used for this study. We estimated that in Sweden, 25,580 ktons/year of hydrogen can be produced by using local wind energy resource, which is equivalent to 860 TWh of energy. Moreover, by using per capita gasoline consumption of Sweden, it was also estimated that during year 2011, 2900 ktons of imported gasoline was used in transport sector, which emitted 8700 ktons of CO2 into the local atmosphere of country. It was also estimated that in Sweden, gasoline consumption and CO2 emission can be reduced to 50% by using only 530 ktons i.e. (2%) of total local wind generated hydrogen production.