Kelly R. Cowan

Developing Oregon's renewable energy portfolio using fuzzy goal programming model

Renewable energy continues to be a hot topic in the United States affecting security and sustainability. A model to create renewable energy portfolio is established using guidelines drawn by Oregons Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) legislation with the objective of responding to a 25% of the state electricity demand by renewable resources in 2025. The fuzzy goal programming model is adaptable to accommodate changes in energy costs and future advances in technology maturity. It can also take into consideration the preferences of policy-makers and stakeholders. This model can help to reveal the costs and benefits of complex decisions regarding renewable energy.

Forecasting the adoption of emerging energy technologies: Managing climate change and evolving social values

With the linkage between fossil fuel use and climate change now almost universally accepted, addressing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) has become a subject of great social urgency and technological challenge. A variety of models exists or are under development for analyzing the role of more sustainable systems, such as renewable energy technologies, in mitigating climate change. However the direct cost of these technologies is generally higher than that of fossil fuel systems. Methods are needed to more fully account for externalities, societal impacts, and social values associated with fossil fuels versus sustainable energy systems. This paper presents a conceptual model targeted to inform better energy policy and management of energy resources to optimize for climate change. The model builds on Linstones multiple perspectives: technical, organizational and personal by attempting to forecast technology development along these perspectives. Thus factors enabling faster and better adoption by consumers, and faster and efficient development by organizations are evaluated by taking the potential technological improvements into account.

Technology planning for emerging business model and regulatory integration: The case of electric vehicle smart charging

Smart grid has been described as the Energy Internet: Where Energy Technology meets Information Technology. The incorporation of such technology into vast existing utility infrastructures offers many advantages, including possibilities for new smart appliances, energy management systems, better integration of renewable energy, value added services, and new busiss models, both for supply-and demand-side management. This paper proposes to build upon existing roadmapping processes by considering an integrated set of factors, including policy issues, that are specifically tuned to the needs of smart grid and have not generally been considered in other types of roadmapping efforts. It will also incorporate expert judgment quantification to prioritize factors, show the pathways for overcoming barriers and achieving benefits, as well as discussing the most promising strategies for achieving these goals.

Carbon-Sequestration Technologies: A Review of the Current State of the Art and Market Potential of Managing Carbon Emissions

Fossil fuels will remain the dominant source of energy well into the 21st century. Carbon sequestration is a potential solution for limiting the atmospheric release of carbon dioxide emissions that may contribute to global warming. If successful, carbon sequestration would enable the continued use of established, economically viable energy sources until the technological, economic, social, and ecological feasibility of radically new energy sources such as hydrogen can be realized. Clean carbon-based energy presents a potentially practical solution to fill the energy gap. It enables the use of current energy sources and infrastructure while minimizing the negative impact of fossil fuels on the environment. Businesses and consumers will be minimally impacted. This paper examines the current state of the art in carbon sequestration technologies and assesses their market potential

Adoption of Energy Efficiency Technologies: A Review of Behavioral Theories for the Case of LED Lighting

What factors are most significant in understanding adoption behavior for energy efficiency technologies by commercial, residential, and industrial customers? The case of energy efficient lighting technologies is specifically examined. Several types of lighting technologies are compared to indoor LED lighting to determine how the technology meets the needs of the various user types. What factors are most significant in motivating technology adoption for such technologies, and preventing subsequent technology disadoption? This is particularly important for energy efficient lighting technologies, as both technology adoption and technology disadoption can be extremely rapid, and ongoing user involvement is often required to recognize full benefits from these technologies. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) is useful in explaining adoption behavior related to stakeholder expectation and buy-in for the new technologies. UTAUT contains four elements that can be adapted to fit this research: (1) Performance Expectancy; (2) Effort Expectancy; (3) Social Influences; and (4) Facilitating Conditions. In the case of energy efficient lighting adoption, and LED adoption in particular, performance expectancy and effort expectancy can be related to factors such as future energy price expectancies, actual savings results, and ease of energy savings. Factors involving social influences include perceptions of environmental friendliness among different user groups, and facilitating conditions include policies, incentives, and educational programs to encourage adoption. Some conclusions are then drawn regarding adoption factors for emerging energy efficient lighting technologies.