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Randall Babbitt - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Fire in the Brazilian Amazon: 1. Biomass, nutrient pools, and losses in slashed primary forests
    Oecologia, 1995
    Co-Authors: J. Boone Kauffman, D. E. Ward, D L Cummings, Randall Babbitt
    Abstract:

    Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has resulted in the conversion of >230,000 km^2 of tropical forest, yet little is known on the quantities of biomass consumed or the losses of nutrients from the ecosystem. We quantified the above-ground biomass, nutrient pools and the effects of biomass burning in four slashed primary tropical moist forests in the Brazilian Amazon. Total above-ground biomass (TAGB) ranged from 292 Mg ha^-1 to 436 Mg ha^-1. Coarse wood debris (>20.5 cm diameter) was the Dominant Fuel component. However, structure of the four sites were variable. Coarse wood debris comprised from 44% to 69% of the TAGB, while the forest floor (litter and rootmat) comprised from 3.7 to 8.0% of the TAGB. Total biomass consumption ranged from 42% to 57%. Fires resulted in the consumption of >99% of the litter and rootmat, yet

  • fire in the brazilian amazon 1 biomass nutrient pools and losses in slashed primary forests
    Oecologia, 1995
    Co-Authors: Boone J Kauffman, D. E. Ward, D L Cummings, Randall Babbitt
    Abstract:

    Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has resulted in the conversion of >230,000 km2 of tropical forest, yet little is known on the quantities of biomass consumed or the losses of nutrients from the ecosystem. We quantified the above-ground biomass, nutrient pools and the effects of biomass burning in four slashed primary tropical moist forests in the Brazilian Amazon. Total above-ground biomass (TAGB) ranged from 292 Mg ha-1 to 436 Mg ha-1. Coarse wood debris (>20.5 cm diameter) was the Dominant Fuel component. However, structure of the four sites were variable. Coarse wood debris comprised from 44% to 69% of the TAGB, while the forest floor (litter and rootmat) comprised from 3.7 to 8.0% of the TAGB. Total biomass consumption ranged from 42% to 57%. Fires resulted in the consumption of >99% of the litter and rootmat, yet <50% of the coarse wood debirs. Dramatic losses in C, N, and S were quantified. Lesser quantities of P, K, and Ca were lost by combustion processes. Carbon losses from the ecosystem were 58–112 Mg ha-1. Nitrogen losses ranged from 817 to 1605 kg ha-1 and S losses ranged from 92 to 122 kg ha-1. This represents losses that are as high as 56%, 68%, and 49% of the total above-ground pools of these nutrients, respectively. Losses of P were as high as 20 kg ha-1 or 32% of the above-ground pool. Losses to the atmosphere arising from primary slash fires were variable among sites due to site differences in concentration, Fuel biomass, and Fuel structure, climatic fluctuations, and anthropogenic influences. Compared to fires in other forest ecosystems, fires in slashed primary tropical evergreen forests result in among the highest total losses of nutrients ever measured. In addition, the proportion of the total nutrient pool lost from slash fires is higher in this ecosystem compared to other ecosystems due to a higher percentage of nutrients stored in above-ground biomass.

Jan Převrátil - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

Jin Liu - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Residential Fuel choice in the rural: A field research on two counties of North China
    2018
    Co-Authors: Bingdong Hou, Ce Wang, Jiawei Cai, Tianqi Chen, Meixuan Teng, Jin Liu
    Abstract:

    Solid Fuels are still widely used in rural China though the living standard has improved greatly. Energy poverty is an obvious indicator of poverty, which has serious effect on economic development, environment and health. In this paper, we conducted a detailed analysis on Fuel choice and usage behavior of different end-use activities in rural residential energy consumption. Using 717 household observations from a micro survey data in two counties of Shandong and Hebei province in 2016, we find that biomass is the Dominant Fuel used for cooking among all energy sources despite of obvious trend of decrease in recent years, accounting for 44%. Clean energy used to cook increased markedly with a proportion of nearly 50%. Biomass is also the ordinary Fuel used for water heating excerpt for solar energy. Almost 90% households rely on coal for space heating in winter, and one-third households have space heating less than 2 months. Ownerships of home appliances for basic needs is higher than that for hedonistic needs, and usage behaviors of some appliances are economical. Fuel accessibility of commercial energy has improved noticeably in rural, and the high proportion usage of biomass is affected by family income, using habits, local resources, environmental recognition, education and age. Since solid Fuels are widely used in rural, it is important to cleanse biomass, develop new energy, and improve residentsi¯ cognition about the consequences of using solid Fuels.

  • Residential Fuel Choice in Rural Areas: Field Research of Two Counties of North China
    Sustainability, 2017
    Co-Authors: Bingdong Hou, Ce Wang, Jiawei Cai, Tianqi Chen, Meixuan Teng, Jin Liu
    Abstract:

    Solid Fuels are still widely used in rural China though the living standard has improved greatly. Energy poverty is an obvious indicator of poverty, which has serious effects on economic development, environment, and health. In this paper, we conducted a detailed analysis on Fuel choice and usage behavior of different end-use activities in rural residential energy consumption. Using 717 household observations from micro-survey data in two counties of Shandong and Hebei province in 2016, we find that biomass is the Dominant Fuel used for cooking among all energy sources despite of obvious decreasing trend in recent years, accounting for 44%. Clean energy used to cook increased markedly with a proportion of nearly 50%. Solar energy is an ordinary Fuel used for water heating except for biomass. Almost 90% of households rely on coal for space heating in winter, and one-third of households have space heating for fewer than two months. Ownership of home appliances for basic needs is higher than that for hedonistic needs, and usage behaviors of some appliances are economical. Fuel accessibility of commercial energy have improved noticeably in rural areas, and the high proportion usage of biomass is affected by family income, usage habits, local resources, environmental recognition, education, and age. Since the negative effects of using solid Fuels, it is urgent to cleanse biomass, develop new energy, and improve residents’ cognition about the consequences of using solid Fuels.

Waeni Kithyoma - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Renewable energy strategies for rural Africa: is a PV-led renewable energy strategy the right approach for providing modern energy to the rural poor of sub-Saharan Africa?
    Energy Policy, 2002
    Co-Authors: Stephen Karekezi, Waeni Kithyoma
    Abstract:

    Abstract Rural areas continue to be home to majority of the population in Africa. The importance of providing modern energy to rural areas cannot, therefore, be overemphasised. Despite numerous efforts by Governments and donors in the region to promote solar photovoltaics (PVs) for rural electrification (almost every country in the region has had a rural electrification PV project), access to modern energy in rural Africa continues to be woefully low. In addition to being unaffordable to the rural masses, solar PV has the limitation that it can only be used for lighting and powering low-voltage appliances. This article reviews emerging trends in the rural energy sector of sub-Saharan Africa, and discusses the limitations of over-reliance on solar PV. It suggests possible options that could have greater impact on rural clean energy development. For the majority of rural households in the region, biomass Fuels will continue to be the Dominant Fuel of choice. Efficient technologies for the use of biomass would, therefore, ensure that scarce biomass resources are effectively utilised, and reduce the negative impacts of biomass use on women and children's health. Solar thermal, windpumps, micro-/pico-hydropower and cleaner Fuels such as kerosene and LPG, have not received adequate attention from policy makers. These energy options could significantly improve the performance of rural small- and micro-enterprises. This article argues that rural energy policies that emphasise a broader range of renewables and target income-generating activities are likely to yield greater benefits to the rural poor than the current policies that rely on the solar PV option.

Charles Lewis - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Decomposition Analysis of CO2 Emissions from Coal - Sourced Electricity Production in South Africa
    Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 2017
    Co-Authors: Mohamed Beidari, Sue-jane Lin, Charles Lewis
    Abstract:

    ABSTRACTIn 2013, the electricity sector was the largest source of South Africa’s CO2 emissions, accounting for about 60% of its total. South Africa (SA) is one of the highest CO2 emitters on a per capita basis when compared to many developed and developing countries. For a better understanding of the driving forces leading the electricity-related CO2 emission per person, this paper applies the Log Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) to analyze the influence of the factors which ruled electricity generation-related CO2 emission in SA over the period 1990–2013. We focused on coal which is the Dominant Fuel used in SA for electricity generation. The results show that the electricity generation intensity effect plays the Dominant role in decreasing CO2 emissions. However, the effect of economic activity is the major determinant that contributes to increasing CO2 emissions. In order to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions levels, meet the agreement of the COP21 agreement, and fight against CO2 emissions per-capita associated with electricity generation, it is recommended that SA’s government should improve the efficiency of its existing electricity power generation plants and expand more of its renewable energy sources (nuclear included).