Publications

@phdthesis{GonzalezLopez2019,

title = {Relational analysis of energy systems: Theory and applications},

author = {Jaime Rafael Gonz\'{a}lez L\'{o}pez},

url = {http://hdl.handle.net/10803/667868},

isbn = {9788449088476},

year  = {2019},

date = {2019-01-01},

pages = {143},

school = {Universitat Aut\`{o}noma de Barcelona},

abstract = {This thesis presents a novel framework for the biophysical energetic analysis of social-ecological systems based on complexity theory. Through the implementation of MuSIASEM and Relational Analysis, it generates information useful for policy discussion in a complex world where understanding sustainability is necessary. Also, it is useful for contesting agendas at integrating non-equivalent information. With the integration of the functional and structural perspective of complex systems, questions like where, how, why and what are addressed. This framework is demonstrated with some examples mainly in the Mexican Energy Reform context. You can find that al examples cover a broad diversity of energetic systems: biomass, oil and gas, electricity, and it also is argued why this framework is necessary compared to the most popular methodologies in the contemporary era. Reducing sustainability into some ratios is avoided. This thesis embraces complexity by analyzing the non-linear relations among the different social-ecological systems with the environment and within themselves. How these relations affect different outcomes and by these the anticipation which is necessary to understand when making plans for the systems under dispute. The First Chapter presents an application of the Relational Analysis and MuSIASEM to the metabolism of a village. This village is in the transition from biomass to fossil fuel, and thus implies many adjustments over functional and structural elements in the village, due to the change from subsistence into a market-based village. Within the chosen analytical framework this change can be related to the change of type of fuel and changes in social practices within the economy. The Second Chapter presents an application of the Relational Analysis and MuSIASEM to the oil and gas sector of Mexico; the analysis is used to comment on the current Energy Reform in Mexico. This chapter brings a biophysical analysis of the oil & gas sector of Mexico. Looking at the current pattern of oil and gas production in Mexico it discusses whether Mexico should remain with the same pattern or change it. It also shows the importance of complementing the economic analysis with other types of analysis dealing with issues such as energy sovereignty, environmental impact and geographic location of economic activities. In short, it shows the importance of complementing reductionist analysis when planning. Third Chapter presents an application of the Relational Analysis and MuSIASEM to the electricity production in Mexico. The analysis of the relations between structural and functional elements allow studying the nexus between land, energy, and emissions. In particular, it elucidates the spatial constraints that can be associated with the expansion of alternative sources of electricity. In the past, we emancipated from the need of using a lot of land for energy purposes by using fossil fuels. But how strong is this emancipation when relying on intermittent electricity (wind and PV)? To answer this question, we have to address the increasing demand for importation of natural gas as a back-up of the intermittent sources of electricity, and the potential rebound effect of this solution, if the pattern of consumption remains the same. In the Fourth Chapter I demonstrate how the functional perspective can be used to introduce a novel approach to energy system analysis This application shows the weakness of assessments based on ratios (EROEI for example) if we want to address the complexity associated with sustainability. Radical simplifications of indicators of energy performance (simplistic definitions of energy) can be useful for those interested in “technofixes” but not for understanding the functioning of the system. For this reason, a systemic analysis of structural and functional relations should be incorporated in the energy analysis if we want to make it useful for the understanding of the interaction of socioecological systems.},

keywords = {Complexity, Integrated assesment, MuSIASEM},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {phdthesis}

}

@phdthesis{DiazMaurin2013,

title = {The Viability and Desirability of Alternative Energy Sources Exploring the Controversy over Nuclear Power},

author = {Fran\c{c}ois Diaz Maurin},

isbn = {9788449042027},

year  = {2013},

date = {2013-01-01},

pages = {394},

school = {Universitat Aut\`{o}noma de Barcelona},

abstract = {This doctoral dissertation provides an alternative take on two related topics: the energetics of human societies (the approach), and the use of nuclear energy to make electricity (the issue). First, in relation with theoretical aspects, it provides alternative procedures based on a new formulation of energetics to generate effective analysis of the energetics of human societies. Second, in relation with practical application, it performs an integrated assessment of nuclear power based on an alternative representation of the “nuclear energy system” aimed at guaranteeing the quality of the assessment of nuclear power both on descriptive and normative sides. By doing so, the present work intends to improve the quality of the scientific discussions over energy-supply issues, and at the same time, to better understand the systemic problems associated with the large-scale deployment of nuclear power. In recent years the revived interest from the scientific community over energy-supply issues was turned into a desperate search for alternative energy sources. Yet, performing the critical appraisal of the potentiality of alternative energy sources to power modern societies requires first handling the systemic problems of conventional energy analysis once and for all. First, dealing with the energy transformations of living systems such as human societies requires adopting a ‘complex systems thinking' approach due to the unavoidable co-existence of multiple relevant dimensions and multiple relevant scales. This “technical incommensurability” on the descriptive side implies abandoning the use of the excessive simplifications of reductionism consisting in protocols generating numbers based on the adoption of one scale and one dimension at the time. Second, when deliberating over sustainability issues there is an obvious existence of different social actors \textendash different potential story tellers \textendash expressing non-equivalent but legitimate perceptions of the same issue based on their values, beliefs and goals. This problem of “social incommensurability” on the normative side is particularly evident when considering the case of nuclear power in the discussion over alternative energy sources. In fact, one easily finds contrasting \textendash and even opposite \textendash perceptions over the viability and desirability of this technology, a fact which is at the origin of its systemic controversy. This situation reflects the impossibility to generate a shared perception between social actors over the use of this technology as a viable and desirable alternative energy source. The case of nuclear power provides a very good example why alternative energy sources cannot be taken as desirable and viable “by default”. In fact, this dissertation indicates that we can only deliberate about the viability and desirability of alternative energy sources by means of “participatory integrated assessment”, which forces revisiting the role of the scientist when using science for governance},

keywords = {Complex energetics, Integrated assesment, Nuclear power},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {phdthesis}

}