Browsing by Author "Terrados Cepeda, Julio"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3

Impact of solar thermal energy on the energy matrix under equatorial andean context
(2022) Barragán Escandón, Edgar Antonio; Zalamea León, Esteban Felipe; Calle Sigüencia, John; Terrados Cepeda, Julio
Low-temperature solar thermal energy is a viable and mature alternative to reduce the use of fossil fuels for domestic hot water heating. The impact of the inclusion of this technology in the energy matrix in the Andean city of Cuenca, Ecuador, is analyzed. In Ecuador, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is currently used to heat water due to the high state subsidy, with a cost of 0, 11 USD for an LPG kg compared to the international price of 1.18 USD a Kg of LPG in 2021. Sustainability indicators show that the urban energy matrix would be minimally affected by a high penetration of solar thermal systems. The indicators that are positively affected are related to energy self-sufficiency, emissions, and employment at the expense of an increase in the cost of energy. Moreover, the analysis of the impact on consumption exclusively in the residential sector shows that liquefied petroleum gas consumption would drop from 73 to 64%, mainly because the liquefied gas is used in cooking. However, the change in technology is limited by the subsidized cost of liquefied petroleum gas, which makes the adoption of this technology difficult in the current state.
Incidence of photovoltaics in cities based on indicators of occupancy and urban sustainability
(2019) Barragán Escandón, Edgar Antonio; Zalamea León, Esteban Felipe; Terrados Cepeda, Julio
Previous research has assessed the potential of solar energy against possible demand; however, the sustainability issues associated with the use of large-scale photovoltaic deployment in urban areas have not been jointly established. In this paper, the impact of photovoltaic energy in the total urban energy mix is estimated using a series of indicators that consider the economic, environmental and social dimensions. These indicators have been previously applied at the country level; the main contribution of this research is applying them at the urban level to the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. Cuenca is close to the equatorial line and at a high altitude, enabling this area to reach the maximum self-supply index because of the high irradiation levels and reduced demand. The solar potential was estimated using a simple methodology that applies several indexes that were proven reliable in a local context considering this particular sun path. The results demonstrate that the solar potential can meet the electric power demand of this city, and only the indicator related to employment is positive and substantially affected. The indicators related to the price of energy, emissions and fossil fuel dependency do not change significantly, unless a fuel-to-electricity transport system conversions take place.
Renewable energy in urban areas. Critical aspects and technological selection
(2019) Barragán Escandón, Edgar Antonio; Parra González, Diego Alejandro; Zalamea León, Esteban Felipe; Terrados Cepeda, Julio
© 2019 Universidad Nacional de Colombia. All rights reserved. Environmental deterioration including the effects of global warming will require changes in the way in which the city is conceived. Thus, the need arises for public policy and planning to include the development of energy provided from cities own resources. Given the stresses that cities place on the environment, the proposed changes must be selected so as to promote sustainability. Current technology allows a city to modify how energy is provided in response to external sources. This article presents a set of technologies that could take advantage of urban resources for energy supply. Experts from several countries were surveyed to identify technologies that will have an impact on the urban energy matrix, and to identify morphological, social, and other key aspects of selection. Solar energy, both photovoltaic and thermal, were found to elicit the greatest interest among the technologies evaluated. Besides costs, politics and regulations were identified as possible determining factors when developing energy resources within cities.