Asta-Ja and Energy Security in Nepal

Energy independence and sustainable renewable energy sources are the two main components of energy security for Nepal. More than 2/3rd of energy consumed in Nepal comes from biofuels and waste and about 1/4th of energy consumed comes from coal and petroleum products. With increasing number of motor vehicles and rising demand for cooking gas, Nepal’s coal and petroleum import bills in recent years have reached over Rs. 200 billion. With its vast water resources, Nepal has a great potential for energy independence and sustainability and achieve energy security. Nepal’s current 1,689 MW hydroelectricity capacity is expected to reach over 5,000 MW in next three to five years, which means Nepal will have a large amount of clean energy in the market. This increased hydropower production will also require an increased domestic consumption by making hydroelectricity affordable, reliable, and high-quality energy by improving its distribution system. Nepal also has a very high potential for solar power, which need to be harnessed and brought to the national grid. Nepal needs to harness all energy sources, which consist of hydropower, solar power, wind power, biofuels, and biogas, in a sustainable way for its energy independence and security. Because Nepal is in a geologically active and natural disasters prone area, it is critical to ensure ecological balance of Asta-Ja elements, Nepali letter, Jal (water), Jamin (land), Jungle (forest), Jadibuti (medicinal and aromatic plants), Janashakti (manpower), Janawar (animal), Jarajuri (crop plants) and Jalabayu (climate) while developing energy resources. Asta-Ja Framework serves as the connecting bridge between the energy resources and the end users. Strategic planning for comprehensive energy development considering ecological balance of Asta-Ja resources, decarbonization and electrification of energy end uses, improvement of energy infrastructures, continuous monitoring and evaluation of energy sector, and development of hydropower plants and alternative energy sources such as solar and wind is suggested for energy security in Nepal.

Towards Smart Green Cities: Analysis of Integrated Renewable Energy Use in Smart Cities

This study aims to estimate and explore the experience of introducing renewable energy use in the context of the world’s smart cities. In this regard, the study points out that the use of green energy is an important part of sustainable development. Environmental problems are a matter of global concern. Hence sustainable development is one of the approaches to end the harmful anthropogenic impact. The work includes quantitative assessment methods, for example, statistics, quantitative analysis, analogy, and synthesis. As a result, the analysis confirms that the effective development of a smart green city is impossible without the introduction of several renewable energy sources, the integrated use of which will reduce the likelihood of problems with the city’s energy supply. Likewise, the outcome accentuates that the desire to fully switch to renewable energy sources (RES) can be accompanied by several problems as the creation of RES technologies does not always take the risk of abnormal situations into account. In conclusion, the research findings are recommended to be taken into consideration by researchers in the field of smart and sustainable cities development, as well as urbanists and economists for designing future smart green cities based on renewable energy sources.

Real Power Loss Reduction by Cinnamon ibon Search Optimization Algorithm

In this paper Cinnamon ibon Search Optimization Algorithm (CSOA) is used for solving the power loss lessening problem. Key objectives of the paper are Real power Loss reduction, Voltage stability enhancement and minimization of Voltage deviation. Searching and scavenging behavior of Cinnamon ibon has been imitated to model the algorithm. Cinnamon ibon birds which are in supremacy of the group are trustworthy to be hunted by predators and dependably attempt to achieve a improved position and the Cinnamon ibon ones that are positioned in the inner of the population, drive adjacent to the nearer populations to dodge the threat of being confronted. The systematic model of the Cinnamon ibon search Algorithm originates with an arbitrary individual of Cinnamon ibon. The Cinnamon ibon search algorithm entities show the position of the Cinnamon ibon. Besides, the Cinnamon ibon bird is supple in using the cooperating plans and it alternates between the fabricator and the cadger. Successively the Cinnamon ibon identifies the predator position; then they charm the others by tweeting signs. The cadgers would be focussed to the imperilled regions by fabricators once the fear cost is more than the defence threshold. Likewise, the subterfuge of both the cadger and the fabricator is commonly used by Cinnamon ibon. The dispersion of the Cinnamon ibon location in the solution area is capricious. An impulsive drive approach was applied when dispossession of any adjacent Cinnamon ibon in the purlieu of the present population. This style diminishes the convergence tendency and decreases the convergence inexorableness grounded on the controlled sum of iterations. Authenticity of the Cinnamon ibon Search Optimization Algorithm (CSOA) is corroborated in IEEE 30 bus system (with and devoid of L-index). Genuine power loss lessening is attained. Proportion of actual power loss lessening is amplified.

Setting Up Optimal Meteorological Networks: An Example From Italy

A permanent assessment of climate regime in forest sites has a key role in forest resource conservation and preservation of ecosystem services, biodiversity and landscape multi-functionality, informing sustainable forest management. In this view, time-series of meteorological data relative to several monitoring sites from the ICP-Forest network in Italy, were analyzed with the aim to define the number of site-specific observations, which can be considered adequate for further analysis on forest resource management. The relative importance of each factor accounted in our analysis (season, year, variable, plot, sampling proportion) was investigated comparing results through the use of descriptive statistics.

Adaptive Dragonfly Optimization Based Placement of Capacitor Banks for Voltage Stability Enhancement in Distribution Networks

The present day ever escalating power demand moves the operating point of the distribution networks in the vicinity of the voltage stability boundaries. Any small reactive power unbalance between the generation and demand may trigger voltage instability, which makes the voltage magnitude to fall slowly until a rapid change occurs. This paper presents an adaptive dragonfly optimization based method for placement of shunt capacitor banks with a view of improving the voltage stability besides enhancing the voltage profile and lowering the network losses. Simulation results on 33 and 69-node distribution networks exhibit the greater performances of the suggested algorithm.

Land Planning, Agro-forest Systems, and Implications for Ecosystem Services: Insights from Northern Italy

Negative environmental changes generally addressed as ‘syndromes’ are evaluated in the context of Soil Degradation (SD) and interpreted by using a ‘Land-Use/Land Cover Changes’ (LULCCs) framework in order to disentangle ‘past trajectories’, ‘present patterns’, and ‘future changes’. This approach allows to discuss the potential impact on SD processes and it represents an informed basis for identifying measurable outcomes of SD. This study focuses on the case of Emilia Romagna, a region located in the North of Italy with high-value added agricultural productions. A multi-temporal analysis of land-use changes between 1954 and 2008 has been proposed, discussing the evolution of associated SD syndromes in Emilia Romagna. The contributing information have been used as a baseline for Sustainable Land Management (SLM) strategies. This framework of analysis provides useful tools to investigate and to monitor the effects of SD in the Mediterranean basin where several regions underwent common development patterns yelding global pathological symptoms of environmental degradation.

Editorial Strategic Planning for Energy and the Environment: Theories, Practice and the Future

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the importance of strategic planning in general and its application in energy and the environment in particular. In the contemporary world, planning is so common that we cannot even manage everyday life without plan. Strategic planning is a formalized, structured, planned way to manage planning from formulation to implementation, evaluation, and control. When we talk about energy, we mostly talk about the various forms (physical) of energy such as nuclear, thermal, chemical, electrical, or other forms which create and transform energy. The sources of energy can be solar, wind, water, nuclear, electromagnetism or related to fossil – coal, gas, petroleum etc. The world rarely has sufficient energy therefore, strategic planning for energy is essential to sustain and maintain the energy supply and demand. The environment is our entire surroundings including the land, air, water, or the combination of all biotic and abiotic factors of the planet. We have ample evidence that anthropogenic disturbances have already destroyed the balance of nature, as a result the global climatic pattern is changed, and there has been unprecedented damage to our ecosystem. Such severe impacts due to global environmental change mean that it is extremely urgent that we formulate a strategic plan (or plans) to protect the environment. There are as yet no alternatives for Planet Earth, therefore we need planned strategies to minimize the environmental problems. This review outlines why strategic planning is so important for the future of energy and the environment since they go hand in hand.

Solar Irradiation Forecasting Technologies: A Review

Renewable energy has received a lot of attention in the previous two decades when it comes to meeting electrical needs in the home, industrial, and agricultural sectors. Solar forecasting is critical for the efficient operation, scheduling, and balancing of energy generation by standalone and grid-connected solar PV systems. A variety of models and methods have been developed in the literature to forecast solar irradiance. This paper provides an analysis of the techniques used in the literature to forecast solar irradiance. The main focus of the study is to investigate the influence of meteorological variables, time horizons, climatic zone, pre-processing technique, optimization & sample size on the complexity and accuracy of the model. Due to their nonlinear complicated problem solving skills, artificial neural network based models outperform other models in the literature. Hybridizing the two models or performing pre-processing on the input data can improve their accuracy even more. It also addresses the various main constituents that influence a model’s accuracy. The paper provides key findings based on studied literature to select the optimal model for a specific site. This paper also discusses the metrics used to measure the efficiency of forecasted model. It has been observed that the proper selection of training and testing period also enhance the accuracy of the model.

Changing Climatic Conditions Affect Surface Water Quality in Southwestern Louisiana in the United States

Climate change impacts on rising temperatures, changes on rainfall patterns, drought, flooding, sea level rise, glacier melts, and incidence of diseases and parasites are reported worldwide in recent decades. This study investigates the effects of changing climatic conditions – particularly air temperature and precipitation, on surface water temperatures and other water quality parameters, such as the conductivity, dissolved oxygen (DO), pH, and turbidity. A statistical analysis was performed on air temperature and precipitation data from 1980 to 2005 to determine the changing climatic conditions. The water quality data for four waterbodies in southwestern Louisiana was also analyzed to examine trends between the air temperature and surface water temperatures, precipitation and surface water temperatures, and precipitation and water quality parameters. There was an unexpected increase in surface water temperature with an increase in precipitation. As the precipitation and air temperature increased, so did the surface water temperature. This increase in surface water temperature was correlated with decrease in DO levels. The increase in precipitation also correlated with an increase in pH and turbidity in Bayou Plaquemine Brule. This study’s findings could be utilized in a dynamic climate modeling system to provide more accurate predictions of climate change in southwestern Louisiana.

Asta-Ja Framework: A Peaceful Approach to Food, Water, Climate, and Environmental Security Coupled with Sustainable Economic Development and Social Inclusion in Nepal

Sustainable conservation, development, and utilization of natural and human resources is necessary for accelerated economic growth and fast-paced socio-economic transformation of Nepal. Asta-Ja Framework, which is a theoretically grounded grassroots based peaceful and self-reliant planning and development approach, offers practical strategies for sustainable conservation and development of natural and human resources enhancing food, water, climate, and environmental security, accelerated economic growth, and socio-economic transformation of Nepal. Asta-Ja includes interconnected eight resources in Nepali letter, Ja, – Jal (water), Jamin (land), Jungle (forest), Jadibuti (medicinal and aromatic plants), Janashakti (manpower), Janawar (animal), Jarajuri (crop plants) and Jalabayu (climate). Asta-Ja Framework is a unifying framework for planning and resources development and has a strong footing on science, business, and eastern philosophy. While providing practical guidelines for achieving food, water, climate and environmental security, this article presents Nepal Vision 2040, which is developed considering challenges that Nepal is currently facing and its available Asta-Ja resources, envisioning that Nepal’s economic development reaching at the par of developed nations by 2040. Key strategic sectors identified in Nepal Vision 2040 include smallholder mixed-farming system, agro-jadibuti industrialization, protection of drinking water sources, climate change adaptation, environmental pollution control, conservation of natural resources, infrastructure, tourism, renewable energy, alleviation of inequalities, and good governance. This article demonstrates strategies for addressing social discrimination and inequalities through the process of Asta-Ja community capacity-building and self-reliant development. Ecological balance of Asta-Ja resources is necessary for sustainable natural resources, economic development, and community resiliency. The Government of Nepal is suggested to adopt Asta-Ja Framework as its national planning and development framework for sustainable economic growth and fast-paced socio-economic transformation of the country.