Publications

@article{Diaz-Maurin2013,

title = {A “Grammar” for assessing the performance of power-supply systems: Comparing nuclear energy to fossil energy},

author = {Fran\c{c}ois Diaz-Maurin and Mario Giampietro},

url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0360544212008754},

doi = {10.1016/j.energy.2012.11.014},

issn = {03605442},

year  = {2013},

date = {2013-01-01},

journal = {Energy},

volume = {49},

number = {1},

pages = {162--177},

abstract = {This article illustrates an innovative approach for the characterization and comparison of the performance of power-supply systems. The concept of 'grammar' forces to declare the pre-analytical decisions about: (i) semantic and formal categories used for the accounting - primary energy sources (PES), energy carriers (EC), and production factors; (ii) the set of functional and structural elements of the power-supply system included in the analysis. After having tamed the systemic ambiguity associated with energy accounting, it becomes possible to generate a double assessment referring to: (i) external constraints - the consumption of PES and the generation of waste and pollution; and (ii) internal constraints - the requirements of production factors such as human labor, power capacity, internal consumption of EC for making EC. The case study provided compares the production of EC (electricity) with " nuclear energy" and " fossil energy" When considering internal constraints, nuclear energy requires about twice as much power capacity (5.9-9.5 kW/GWh vs. 2.6-2.9 kW/GWh) and 5-8 times more labor (570-640 h/GWh vs. 80-115 h/GWh). Things do not improve for nuclear energy when looking at external constraints - e.g. the relative scarcity of PES. This may explain the difficulties faced by nuclear energy to gain interest from investors. textcopyright 2012 Elsevier Ltd.},

keywords = {Biophysical economics, Fossil energy, Integrated analysis, Nuclear energy, Power generation, Power-supply systems},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{Ramos-Martin2009,

title = {Catalonia's energy metabolism: Using the MuSIASEM approach at different scales},

author = {Jes\'{u}s Ramos-Mart\'{i}n and S\'{i}lvia Ca\~{n}ellas-Bolt\`{a} and Mario Giampietro and Gonzalo Gamboa},

url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0301421509004352},

doi = {10.1016/j.enpol.2009.06.028},

issn = {03014215},

year  = {2009},

date = {2009-11-01},

journal = {Energy Policy},

volume = {37},

number = {11},

pages = {4658--4671},

abstract = {This paper applies the so-called Multi-Scale Integrated Analysis of Societal and Ecosystem Metabolism (MuSIASEM), based on Georgescu-Roegen's fund-flow model, to the Spanish region of Catalonia. It arrives to the conclusion that within the context of the end of cheap oil, the current development model of the Catalan economy, based on the growth of low-productivity sectors such as services and construction, must be changed. The change is needed not only because of the increasing scarcity of affordable energy and the increasing environmental impact of present development, but also because of the aging population. Moreover, the situation experienced by Catalonia is similar to that of other European countries and many other developed countries. This implies that we can expect a wave of major structural changes in the economy of developed countries worldwide. To make things more challenging, according to current trends, the energy intensity and exosomatic energy metabolism of Catalonia will keep increasing in the near future. To avoid a reduction in the standard of living of Catalans due to a reduction in the available energy it is important that the Government of Catalonia implement major adjustments and conservation efforts in both the household and paid-work sectors. textcopyright 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.},

keywords = {Energy metabolism, Integrated analysis, MuSIASEM},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}