J. Remec and Nives Dolšak. “Potentials for Reductions of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from the Industrial Sector in Transitional Economies - A Case Study of Implementation of Absorption Chillers and Co-Generation” World Resource Review, (1996) Vol. 8, No. 4., pp. 467-480.

ABSTRACT:

Central and East European (CEE) countries together with the former USSR emitted about 25 percent of the world energy-related carbon dioxide, due to high energy-intensity of their industries and high dependence on coal. This paper focuses on two technologies that would reduce the need for fossil-fuel burning by improving energy efficiency in the industrial sector—absorption chillers and co-generation. Further, the paper analyzes their market penetration potentials in Slovenia, one of the fastest transforming CEE economies.

The majority of industrial heat consumers use their own facilities, mainly burning fossil fuels, to generate heat and purchase electricity for their cooling needs. Absorption chillers can be used either for heating or cooling as well as for both processes simultaneously. They can use waste heat. The required temperature level of the waste heat depends on the working mixture and on the cycle used in the device. Co-generation—combined heat and power production—facilitates the transformation of the chemical energy of fossil fuels into mechanical or electrical energy whereby the remaining energy can be used to generate process heat, to hear buildings directly, and/or to drive an absorption chiller.

Technical potentials are not necessarily realized in industrial processes. New technology employment in companies depends on multiple factors. This paper first summarizes the existing models explaining technology adoption. Then, it focuses on the impact of macro economic and institutional factors to point out the policy instruments that may facilitate faster diffusion of the examined energy-efficiency technologies in transitional economies, thereby reducing energy-related carbon dioxide emissions from the industrial sector.