Dias Haralambopoulos

Renewable energy projects: structuring a multi-criteria group decision-making framework

This paper describes an applicable group decision-making framework for assisting with multi-criteria analysis in renewable energy projects, utilizing the PROMETHEE II outranking method. The proposed framework is tested in a case study concerning the exploitation of a geothermal resource, located in the island of Chios, Greece. The presented structure provides a serial, decomposed agenda and enhances overall process transparency. Additional, innovatory elements are the incorporation of differing levels of resource exploitation within the decision framework and the direct determination of the PROMETHEE preference thresholds. The developed methodology provides a user-friendly approach, promotes the synergy between different actors, and could pave a way towards consensus.

Selecting an Appropriate Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis Technique for Renewable Energy Planning

This article develops a methodological framework to provide insights regarding the suitability of multi-criteria techniques in the context of renewable energy planning. The second section presents main characteristics of the particular decision-making process. The third section presents the main multi-criteria analysis methods, and the fourth section reveals the requirements of the techniques for renewable energy planning and the main attributes under which these methods should be evaluated. Subsequently, in the fifth section, a comparative matrix is created with the various appropriate multi-criteria techniques and their performance. Finally in the sixth sec tion, we present our conclusions.

Environmental management framework for wind farm siting: methodology and case study.

This paper develops an integrated framework to evaluate land suitability for wind farm siting that combines multi-criteria analysis (MCA) with geographical information systems (GIS); an application of the proposed framework for the island of Lesvos, Greece, is further illustrated. A set of environmental, economic, social, and technical constraints, based on recent Greek legislation, identifies the potential sites for wind power installation. Furthermore, the area under consideration is evaluated by a variety of criteria, such as wind power potential, land cover type, electricity demand, visual impact, land value, and distance from the electricity grid. The pair-wise comparison method in the context of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is applied to estimate the criteria weights in order to establish their relative importance in site evaluation. The overall suitability of the study region for wind farm siting is appraised through the weighted summation rule. Results showed that only a very small percentage of the total area of Lesvos could be suitable for wind farm installation, although favourable wind potential exists in many more areas of the island.

Local renewable energy planning: A participatory multi-criteria approach

Renewable energy sources today can provide a promising alternative to conventional power generation, provided some economic, institutional, social and technical barriers could be overcome, and the appropriate planning instruments for their deployment are developed. In Greece, contemporary practice seems inadequate to address the multiple character of renewables and the need to ‘open up’ the decision-making process to actively include all stakeholders. A number of case studies has been examined in order to formulate a new regulatory framework. The results suggested that participatory multi-criteria decision aiding techniques can capture renewable energy and local stakeholders values as reflected in the weights and criteria. A new framework is established and proposed as a complement to current practice.

Assessing the thermal insulation of old buildings—The need for in situ spot measurements of thermal resistance and planar infrared thermography

This article reports on a methodology to determine the level of thermal insulation in old buildings through spot measurements of thermal resistance and planar infrared thermography. An old building due for renovation is used as a test case and the two methods are combined in order to obtain a total view of the building envelope. The existence of the thermal leaks on the building shell are documented and are quantified through the synchronous use of the results from spot measurements and infrared thermography analysis. The methodology proposed proves to be reliable and can also be used for non-destructive tests of the thermal characteristics of new buildings, or old buildings after renovation.

Wind characteristics and mapping for power production in the Island of Lesvos, Greece

This study investigated the wind characteristics of the island of Lesvos, Greece, with the objective of providing the necessary data for identifying the wind power production capabilities of the island. Weather patterns were examined using weather data from four Remote Automatic Weather Stations. Specific tools were used to produce the necessary windroses, Weibull curves and charts that helped to understand the prevailing wind characteristics. By using the tools of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Wind Atlas Analysis and Application Program (WAsP) as the basic calculation platform, a wind map was produced portraying the wind speeds that prevail at a height of 10m above ground level. The results of the analysis were tested and evaluated with measurements from 15 wind turbine sites by creating six alternative scenarios. The optimum scenario was used to investigate the installation of a small wind farm with five wind turbines, of 3 MW total capacity.

Energy CO2 Emissions for 1990–2020: A Decomposition Analysis for EU-25 and Greece

Abstract This article deals with the decomposition analysis of energy-related CO2 emissions in Greece and in the EU-25 from 1990 to 2020, by means of the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index technique and a baseline scenario approach based on the PRIMES simulation modeling system for energy demand and supply. The Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index technique is used and changes in CO2 emissions are decomposed into four factors: income effect, energy intensity effect, fuel share effect, and population effect. For comparison reasons, we have included in our analysis results for three other countries (i.e., Ireland, Portugal, and Belgium) of similar size with Greece and varying energy mix and economy structure. Finally, a sectoral decomposition analysis of CO2 emissions for the Greek economy is applied.

Dewatering of wastewater sludge through a solar still

Wastewater sludge was passed through a laboratory solar still in order to determine the dewatering process. A number of parameters describing the distillate and the sludge were measured at the end of each day in order to determine the process behavior under conditions of relatively high solar radiation and temperature levels. It was realized that dewatering is accelerated and further analysis is needed in order to determine optimum conditions and design parameters for a demonstration plant that will operate towards reducing the sludge volume.

Identification and assessment of environmental benefits from solar hot water production

The environmental benefits associated with the utilization of solar energy for hot water production are estimated in this work. The case of a particular country, Greece, and its electricity production system is employed to show the direct consequences of substituting electricity with solar energy for hot water production. The amount of conventional fuel saved, i.e., lignite and oil, is estimated, and the reduction in air pollution is calculated. This allows the calculation of reduction emission factors for solar hot water production to be undertaken. Data, with respect to the materials and the amount of energy necessary for the construction of the solar heaters, are also presented. These can serve as inputs to an energy-environment policy framework in order to lead to reductions in the production of air pollutants like SO2, NOx and particulates, and the release of the greenhouse gas CO2 into the atmosphere.

Analysis of wind characteristics and potential in the East Mediterranean -- the Lesvos case

Wind data recorded over a period of two years on Lesvos island in the Aegean archipelagos are analysed in order to establish the wind characteristics and the potential for electricity production. Small islands in the area are not connected to a large grid and depend on oil imports for generating electricity. The possibility of utilizing wind turbines for electricity production offers a clear advantage as far as fiscal costs, environmental pollution and fuel autonomy is concerned. The analysis of the wind profile can also be exploited for the siting of polluting industries and the development of control systems for greenhouse operation. In this work the wind speed measurements are analysed, the diurnal and interannual variations are established, and the potential for power production scaled to an appropriate height is determined.