Energy from different sources is fundamental to the economy of each country. Bearing in mind the limited reserves of non-renewable energy sources and the fact that their production from new deposits is becoming less economically viable, attention is paid to alternative energy sources, particularly those that are readily available or require no substantial financial investment. One possible solution may be to generate hydrogen, which will then be used for heat (energy) production using other methods. At the same time, these processes will be characterized by low emission levels compared to conventional energy sources. In recent years, more and more emphasis has been placed on the use of clean energy from renewable sources. New, more technically and economically efficient technologies are being developed. The energy use worldwide comes mostly from fossil fuel processing. It can be observed that the share of RES in global production is growing every year. At the end of the 1990s, the share of renewable energy sources was at 6–7%. Global trends indicate the increasing demand for renewable energy due to its form. Global hydrogen resources are practically inexhaustible, but the problem is its availability in molecular form. The article analyzed the use of hydrogen as a fuel. The basic problem is the inexpensive and easy extraction of hydrogen from its compounds; attention has been paid to water, which can easily be electrolytically decomposed to produce oxygen and hydrogen. Hydrogen generated by electrolysis can be stored, but due to its physicochemical properties, it is a costly process; therefore, a decision was made that it is better to store it with natural gas or use it for further reaction. In addition, hydrogen can be used as a substrate for binding and converting the increasingly problematic carbon dioxide, thus reducing its content in the atmosphere.

In recent years, changes have been made in the structure of primary energy use in the European

Union In addition, a reduction in the use of primary energy has also been observed. According to

the forecasts of the International Energy Agency, the European energy market will be subject to

further changes in the perspective of 2040. These may include the reduction of the energy consumption

and the change in the structure of the energy balance as a result pro-ecological activities.

Natural gas will be the only fossil energy carrier whose role in covering the energy demand will not

change. Along with the changes taking place in the European energy market, global changes can

also be observed. The EU Member States will continue to strive to diversify natural gas supplies.

One of the main elements of diversification of natural gas supplies is the use of LNG regasification

terminals. The reasons for that include the increasing production of natural gas, particularly in the

case of unconventional deposits, the ongoing development of liquefaction terminals, and, as a consequence,

an increase in the LNG supply in the global market. The article presents the utilization of

regasification terminals in the EU Member States and plans for the development of LNG terminals.

Europe has the opportunity to import natural gas through LNG terminals. However, until now,

these have been used to a limited extent. This may indicate that in addition to diversification tasks,

terminals can act as a safeguard against interruptions in gas supplies.

The article is focused onthe energetical balance of a technical system for the conversion of crushed tyres by pyrolysis. Process temperatures were set in the range from 500 to 650°C. Mass input of the material was 30 kg per hour. The aim of the article is to answer the following questions as regards the individual products: Under which process conditions can the highest quality of the individual products related to energy be reached? How does the thermal efficiency of the system change in reaction to various conditions of the process?

On the basis of the experimental measurements and calculations, apart from other things, it was discovered that the pyrolysis liquid reaches the highest energetic value, i.e. 42.7 MJ.kg-1, out of all the individual products of the pyrolysis process. Generated pyrolysis gas disposes of the highest lower calorific value 37.1 MJ.kg-1 and the pyrolysis coke disposes of the maximum 30.9 MJ kg-1. From the energetic balance, the thermal efficiency of the experimental unit under the stated operational modes ranging from about 52 % to 56 % has been estimated. Individual findings are elaborated on detail in the article.

To minimize oxides of nitrogen (NOx) emission, maximize boiler combustion efficiency, achieve safe and reliable burner combustion, it is crucial to master global boiler and at-the-burner control of fuel and air flows. Non-uniform pulverized fuel (PF) and air flows to burners reduce flame stability and pose risk to boiler safety by risk of reverse flue gas and fuel flow into burners. This paper presents integrated techniques implemented at pilot ESKOM power plants for the determination of global boiler air/flue gas distribution, wind-box air distribution and measures for making uniform the flow being delivered to burners within a wind-box system. This is achieved by Process Flow Modelling, at-the-burner static pressure measurements and CFD characterization. Global boiler mass and energy balances combined with validated site measurements are used in an integrated approach to calculate the total (stoichiometric + excess) air mass flow rate required to burn the coal quality being fired, determine the actual quantity of air that flows through the burners and the furnace ingress air. CFD analysis and use of at-the-burner static, total pressure and temperature measurements are utilized in a 2-pronged approach to determine root-causes for burner fires and to evaluate secondary air distribution between burners.

The paper presents the results of numerical computations performed for the furnace chamber waterwalls of a supercritical boiler with a steam output of 2400 × 103 kg/h. A model of distributed parameters is proposed for the waterwall operation simulation. It is based on the solution of equations describing the mass, momentum and energy conservation laws. The aim of the calculations was to determine the distribution of enthalpy, mass flow and fluid pressure in tubes. The balance equations can be brought to a form where on the left-hand side space derivatives, and on the right-hand side – time derivatives are obtained. The time derivatives on the right-hand side were replaced with backward difference quotients. This system of ordinary differential equations was solved using the Runge-Kutta method. The calculation also takes account of the variable thermal load of the chamber along its height. This thermal load distribution is known from the calculations of the heat exchange in the combustion chamber. The calculations were carried out with the zone method.

Combi-steamer condensation hoods are widely used in modern gastronomy. They condense steam produced by the combi-steamer and also filter solid particles, moisture, grease and smells. All these factors negatively affect the staff and dishes, so efficient work of the condensation hoods becomes important. A mathematical and experimental analysis of such a device is described in this paper. First a measurement methodology was designed and measurements of air humidity, temperature and mass flow rates were performed. The measurement procedure concerned dedicated a steam generator and combi-steamer. Next a mathematical model was developed. It was based on mass and energy balances of the condensation hood. The condensate flow rate turned out to be insufficient to fulfill the energy balance while measured directly. Hence, it was calculated from heater’s power of the steam generator and the balance model was validated. The combisteamer had an unknown output, so the condensate flow rate was provided by the balance model after its validation. A preliminary diagnosis of the device was carried out as well.

Optimal estimation of water balance components at the local and regional scales is essential for many applications such as integrated water resources management, hydrogeological modelling and irrigation scheduling. Evapotranspiration is a very important component of the hydrological cycle at the soil surface, particularly in arid and semi-arid lands. Mapping evapotranspiration at high resolution with internalised calibration (METRIC), trapezoid interpolation model (TIM), two-source energy balance (TSEB), and soil-plant-atmosphere and remote sensing evapotranspiration (SPARSE) models were applied using Landsat 8 images for four dates during 2014–2015 and meteorological data. Surface energy maps were then generated. Latent heat flux estimated by four models was then compared and evaluated with those measured by applying the method of Bowen ratio for the various days. In warm periods with high water stress differences and with important surface temperature differences, METRIC proves to be the most robust with the root-mean-square error ( RMSE) less than 40 W∙m ^–2. However, during the periods with no significant surface temperature and soil humidity differences, SPARSE model is superior with the RMSE of 35 W∙m ^–2. The results of TIM are close to METRIC, since both models are sensitive to the difference in surface temperature. However, SPARSE remains reliable with the RMSE of 55 W∙m ^–2 unlike TSEB, which has a large deviation from the other models. On the other hand, during the days when the temperature difference is small, SPARSE and TSEB are superior, with a clear advantage of SPARSE serial version, where temperature differences are less important.

The world prefers to increase energy efficiency and use energy from renewable and alternative sources. Ukraine has chosen the same path. To form recommendations for improving state support schemes for the sustainable development of renewable energy, the authors conducted a thorough analysis of the state of renewable energy in Ukraine and its legislative support. The advantage of the study is the visual presentation of data. Thus, the authors presented and analyzed which energy sources Ukraine uses for its own needs, the essence of the Ukrainian energy balance and its state in 2019. The authors found that the development of renewable energy is one of the “Sustainable Development Goals of Ukraine”, which are based on the world. The authors noted the objectives and indicators of the goal, assessed the value of the indicators and found that, even though the goal is one of the most important goals because it is in third place in the number of amendments to existing regulations, there is a lag in plans and more lag on some additional tasks. The authors systematized the legal basis for the functioning of renewable energy and revealed this process’ subject-object relations. The analysis showed that the improvement of state support schemes for the sustainable development of renewable energy should be based on European norms and standards but consider national specifics. The authors proposed and described the principles of improving state support for the sustainable development of renewable energy, which should be based on ensuring the balance of interests of the three main stakeholders of the renewable energy market: the state, energy consumers and investors.

Effective use of energy in various branches of economy is one of world trends in development of power engineering. Relevant energy consumption occurs during exploitation of buildings, so there is still potential to diminish it as far as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning are concerned. Particularly in summer season, the choice of respective roofing colour can play a decisive role for the heat flux transferred to the inside of the object. Decrease of heat flux causes a lower heat burden to the building and lower power consumption by the air conditioning systems. In winter, on the contrary, heat flux transferred to building’s interior should be higher, as a result, demand of energy for heating will be lower. However, calculations of the heat flux require that energy balance must be made for the object. Unfortunately, not all producers of roofing covers inform about the values of reflectivity and thermal emissivity of their products, which is, in turn, necessary for calculations. In the present paper, research methodology elaborated by authors is proposed for determination of thermal emissivity of roofing covers. The paper presents test stand, methodology, and research results for roofing paper in blue colour (as an example) for which the thermal emissivity is an unknown parameter.