Resource Assessments (resource + assessment)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Geothermal energy utilization in Turkey

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 9 2001
G. G. Gunerhan
Abstract This paper investigates the status of geothermal development in Turkey as of the end of 1999. Turkey is one of the countries with significant potential in geothermal energy. Resource assessments have been made many times by the Mineral Research and Exploration Directorate (MTA) of Turkey. The main uses of geothermal energy are mostly moderate- and low-temperature applications such as space heating and domestic hot water supply, greenhouse heating, swimming and balneology, industrial processes, heat pumps and electricity generation. The data accumulated since 1962 show that the estimated geothermal power and direct use potential are about 4500 MWe and 31 500 MWt, respectively. The direct use capacity in thermal applications is in total 640 MWt representing only 2 per cent of its total potential. Since 1990, space heating and greenhouse developments have exhibited a significant progress. The total area of greenhouses heated by geothermal energy reached up to about 31 ha with a heating capacity of 69.61 MWt. A geothermal power plant with a capacity of 20.4 MWe and a CO2 factory with a capacity of 40000 ton yr,1 have been operated in the Denizli-Kizildere field since 1984 and 1986, respectively. Ground source heat pumps have been used in residential buildings for heating and cooling for approximately 2 years. Present applications have shown that geothermal energy in Turkey is clean and much cheaper compared to the other energy sources like fossil fuels and therefore is a promising alternative. As the projects are recognized by the public, the progress will continue. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Isolation and characterization of 19 microsatellite markers in a tropical and warm subtropical birch, Betula alnoides Buch.,Ham. ex D. Don

MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES, Issue 4 2008
J. J. GUO
Abstract Betula alnoides is an ecologically and economically important species in the tropics and warm subtropics. Nineteen polymorphic microsatellite markers were isolated from this species, which displayed three to 12 alleles per locus. The observed heterozygosities ranged from 0.100 to 0.905, and the expected heterozygosities from 0.510 to 0.893. These markers would be useful tools in genetic resource assessment, molecular marker-assistant breeding, parentage analysis and genetic diversity studies for this species. [source]


The effect of fixed-count subsampling on macroinvertebrate biomonitoring in small streams

FRESHWATER BIOLOGY, Issue 2 2000
Craig P. Doberstein
Summary 1When rigorous standards of collecting and analysing data are maintained, biological monitoring adds valuable information to water resource assessments. Decisions, from study design and field methods to laboratory procedures and data analysis, affect assessment quality. Subsampling - a laboratory procedure in which researchers count and identify a random subset of field samples - is widespread yet controversial. What are the consequences of subsampling? 2To explore this question, random subsamples were computer generated for subsample sizes ranging from 100 to 1000 individuals as compared with the results of counting whole samples. The study was done on benthic invertebrate samples collected from five Puget Sound lowland streams near Seattle, WA, USA. For each replicate subsample, values for 10 biological attributes (e.g. total number of taxa) and for the 10-metric benthic index of biological integrity (B-IBI) were computed. 3Variance of each metric and B-IBI for each subsample size was compared with variance associated with fully counted samples generated using the bootstrap algorithm. From the measures of variance, we computed the maximum number of distinguishable classes of stream condition as a function of sample size for each metric and for B-IBI. 4Subsampling significantly decreased the maximum number of distinguishable stream classes for B-IBI, from 8.2 for fully counted samples to 2.8 classes for 100-organism subsamples. For subsamples containing 100,300 individuals, discriminatory power was low enough to mislead water resource decision makers. [source]


The Assessment of Land Resources: Achievements and New Challenges

GEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, Issue 2 2002
Donald A. Davidson
It is surprising that despite all the pleas and policies regarding the development of sustainable land use systems, there is still considerable ignorance regarding the nature and significance of land resources. This paper traces the development and achievements of land evaluation during the 20th century, with particular reference to soils. The most active period was between 1950 and around 1980 with the development of soil and land capability surveys, methodological advances initiated with the FAO Framework for Land Evaluation, and regional land resource assessments. Thus there were considerable achievements in land evaluation by the early 1980s, and subsequently there have been important advances in the subject through the application of GIS, spatial analysis, modelling and fuzzy set algebra. Since the late 1990s there has been a phenomenal rise in interest in soil quality assessment. Considerable debate has focussed on definition, and methods of assessment and monitoring. The latter part of this paper discusses the major challenges to the development and application of land evaluation. The inadequacy of much soil survey data in terms of variables, quality, spatial coverage and scale is emphasised. Also, there is a continuing need to highlight the centrality of land resource issues in any attempt to develop sustainable land use systems. [source]


Implications of seasonal and diurnal variations of wind velocity for power output estimation of a turbine: a case study of Grenada

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENERGY RESEARCH, Issue 13 2003
D. Weisser
Abstract This case study highlights the importance of taking into consideration diurnal variations of wind velocity for wind energy resources assessment. Previous studies of wind energy distribution that are based on the two-parameter Weibull density function have so far neglected to consider time of day fluctuations in wind speed, instead concentrating primarily on seasonal deviations. However, this has serious implications where such a wind energy model is the underpinning of calculations for the potential power production from a wind turbine and in particular where the timing of the energy output is essential to meet electricity loads. In the case of Grenada the energy output from a wind turbine during the day is approximately two times the output at night thereby fluctuating enormously around the seasonal mean distribution. When this is not taken into account the economic and technological viability of a wind turbine project may be overestimated or not even be identified. This work shows how a wind energy resources assessment based on the Weibull distribution model can be done and how the power output of a horizontal axis turbine is calculated. An analysis of the recorded wind data confirms the application of the Weibull density function as a suitable tool for modelling wind regimes. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]