nach oben

2010 | Buch

Kapitel lesen Erstes Kapitel lesen

Entropy, Water and Resources

An Essay in Natural Sciences-Consistent Economics

verfasst von: Horst Niemes, Mario Schirmer

Verlag: Physica-Verlag HD

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Einloggen, um Zugang zu erhalten

Über dieses Buch

This book lies at the intersection of natural sciences, economics, and water en- neering and is in line with the long tradition of environmental economics at the University of Heidelberg. In the 1970s, the Neo-Austrian Capital Theory was developed using the fundamental laws of thermodynamics as a common language between the natural and social sciences. Niemes (1981) integrated the dynamic and irreversibility characteristics of the natural environment into the Neo-Austrian c- ital theory. Faber et al. (1983, 1987, 1995) then extended this interdisciplinary approach further to create a comprehensive, dynamic, environmental resource model. Over the last 3 decades, the theoretical foundations of environmental economics have been modi ed and there have been an impressive variety of applications. This book aims to reduce the gaps between economic theory, natural sciences, and engineering practice. One of the reasons these gaps exist is because economic assumptions are used to construct dynamic environmental and resource models, which are not consistent with the fundamental laws of the natural sciences. Another reason for the gap might be the distance between academic theory and real world situations. Based on an extended thermodynamic approach, the authors explain which economic assumptions are acceptable for constructing a dynamic model that is consistent with the natural sciences. In particular, the special role of water in the production and reproduction activities will be considered as an integral component.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

The Water Use Model

Frontmatter

Chapter 1. Introduction

An Essay in Natural Sciences Consistent Economics

Abstract

This book at the intersection of natural sciences, economics, and water engineering aims to reduce the gaps between economic theory, natural sciences, and engineering practice. Based on an extended thermodynamic approach, the authors explain which economic assumptions are acceptable for constructing a dynamic model that is consistent with the natural sciences. In particular, the special role of water in the production and reproduction activities will be considered as an integral component. Water is generated in a separate water treatment process and is used to transport the unavoidable by-products of production and reproduction activities to a wastewater sector. In this respect, not only environmental protection aspects, but also the interrelation between the water requirements and the use of non-renewable resources for producing desired consumption goods will be highlighted.

Horst Niemes, Mario Schirmer

Chapter 2. Conceptual Foundations: Thermodynamics and Capital Theory

Abstract

Economic transformation processes, specifically the extraction of non-renewable natural resources for production and reproduction activities, are irreversible. The entropy notion of classic thermodynamics and its equivalent in information theory can be applied to derive the relations between free energy, useful work (exergy), unusable work (anergy) and changes in the concentrations of desired raw materials and undesired residuals that are being discharged into the natural environment. Capital theory is a corner stone in economic theory and ecological economics for analysing the dynamics of environmental and resource problems. It will be shown that information theory can be used to extend thermodynamics and allow an interpretation of capital theory that is consistent with the natural sciences.

Horst Niemes, Mario Schirmer

Chapter 3. General Design of Dynamic Models for Water Uses

Abstract

Water plays a special role in dynamic water use and water infrastructure models because it is involved in both production and reproduction activities. The extraction of required raw materials, which are combined to create desired consumption and capital goods, generates inter-temporal concentration changes of non-renewable resources in the natural environment. Increasing amounts of water are needed to transport the undesired residuals that are created by the economic activities to the wastewater treatment sector. It will be shown that the use of free energy and human labour inputs for water production and wastewater treatment are closely connected to the changes in concentration of the residuals that are generated by the different processes in the economic system. The general design of dynamic models includes the model structure as well as the characteristics of the different processes that make up the water production and wastewater treatment sectors. The dynamics of the model are determined by the development of the capital stocks, which carry innovation effects in terms of human labour and energy inputs.

Horst Niemes, Mario Schirmer

Chapter 4. Specifications for Constructing the Water Use Model

Abstract

Some restrictions are introduced based on the theoretical foundations and the general design. These restrictions deal with the timing and model structure, the number of desired goods and un-avoidable by products, and the process coefficients. Apart from the energy requirements for extracting raw materials from the natural environment and for producing water and treating wastewater, the relation of the capital stocks to the human labour inputs determines the dynamics of the water use model. Since the capital stock is only built up for the production sector, no capital stocks for the water and wastewater sector exist in the basic model. Instead of using dilution and damage functions for the relation between emissions and the environmental targets, the water and wastewater treatment requirements are determined by exogenously given water quality standards.

Horst Niemes, Mario Schirmer

Chapter 5. Constraints of the Water Use Model

Abstract

The model constraints for the flow variables are introduced for the consumption good amounts and the required raw materials. The constraints for the water, wastewater, and energy amounts are formulated as well as those for sustaining and developing the capital stock variable. The relation between the human labour inputs and the capital stock reflects the technological progress within the model. The development of the capital stock depends on the path for the consumption good and the time preference of the target, or inter-temporal, welfare function. The number of variables in the system of constraints will be reduced by substituting the capital good amounts and the accumulated capital stock with the consumption good amounts. This substitution will be done using the so-called no-storage assumption. This assumption also allows the aggregation of process inputs to sector inputs, which simplifies the determination of the optimality conditions.

Horst Niemes, Mario Schirmer

Chapter 6. Optimality Conditions of the Water Use Model

Abstract

The optimality concept is focused on deriving the so-called non-profit conditions. These non-profit conditions are expressed in the form of actual and inter-temporal marginal costs for producing the desired quantity of the consumption good and the associated water and generated wastewater amounts. These marginal costs are based on the shadow prices for the two essential input factors, the human labour inputs and the energy inputs. The concentrations of the extracted raw materials are given exogenously. Therefore, there are declining functions for the production and reproduction activities in the past, which cause actual and inter-temporal marginal costs for using non-renewable natural resources in the future. The decrease of the raw materials concentrations is combined with an increase in un-avoidable residuals, which must be transported by water to the wastewater treatment sector. As a result, the use of non-renewable resources also leads to actual and inter-temporal marginal costs for water production and wastewater treatment.

Horst Niemes, Mario Schirmer

The Water Infrastructure Model

Frontmatter

Chapter 7. Case Studies Guiding the Integration of Water Infrastructure

Abstract

The integration of water infrastructure into the natural sciences-consistent dynamic models is guided by two case studies. The first case study deals with the contamination problems of the Leuna aquifer. The problems were caused by past activities and can only be solved using external technological intervention because the aquifer has an extraordinarily low self-purification capability for the specific pollutants. The groundwater treatment technology that was chosen for the site must operate for a minimum of 20 years. Since the polluter-pay-principle cannot be applied, the estimated dynamic prime costs for solving this problem must be understood as political prices, or social costs, which have to be paid by future generations. The second case study focuses on the revision and extension of the water and wastewater system for the city of Adana in Turkey. This project emphasizes how past activities determine the future development of the water infrastructure for urban centres. The case study shows in detail which essential components must be integrated into the water infrastructure model and which aggregation level is acceptable for closing the gap between theory and practical application.

Horst Niemes, Mario Schirmer

Chapter 8. Specifications for Constructing the Water Infrastructure Model

Abstract

The model structure is extended by introducing capital stocks with innovation properties for the water production and distribution sector and for the wastewater collection and treatment sectors. Besides water saving strategies and wastewater collection rate improvements, the increase in the energy efficiency will also be connected to the development of these capital stocks. The development of the capital stocks for the different sectors depends on the development path for producing the quantities of the desired consumption good. These are mainly determined by the optimality conditions under the model constraints. In particular, for the water infrastructure model, there is a need to reduce the number of flow and stock variables. This is achieved using a substitution strategy in advance. Otherwise, determining model constraints and the derivation of optimality conditions becomes a complicated procedure.

Horst Niemes, Mario Schirmer

Chapter 9. Constraints of the Water Infrastructure Model

Abstract

When formulating the model constraints, special attention must be given to the aggregation of processes to sectors. The aggregation level, however, should not go too far because the model should reflect practical requirements from an engineering point of view. The capital stocks for the water infrastructure will be divided into those for civil work and those for mechanical and electrical equipment facilities. Because water losses in the water distribution system, wastewater generation rates, and leakages change over time, the water and wastewater amounts differ sector by sector within the actual and future time intervals. These structural changes depend on the past and future activities.

Horst Niemes, Mario Schirmer

Chapter 10. Optimality Conditions of the Water Infrastructure Model

Abstract

The optimality conditions are formulated as non-profit conditions. They are expressed as actual and inter-temporal marginal costs for human labour and energy inputs for the production sector and for the water and wastewater sectors. These marginal costs depend on the development path of the consumption goods, which are accompanied by structural changes that are caused by innovation effects within the different sectors. The reduction of water losses from the water distribution system, for example, leads to a decrease in the required water quantities. The reduction of wastewater leakages, on the other hand, results in an increase in the quantities of wastewater to be treated. These changes in the actual and inter-temporal marginal costs for wastewater treatment can be interpreted as beneficial increases of reduced wastewater leakages, which generate social costs in the form of health risks and damages to the water infrastructure. As a result, the actual and inter-temporal marginal costs for using non-renewable resources for production are combined with those costs for water and its infrastructure.

Horst Niemes, Mario Schirmer

Backmatter

Titel: Entropy, Water and Resources
verfasst von: Horst Niemes
Mario Schirmer
Verlag: Physica-Verlag HD
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-7908-2416-2
Print ISBN: 978-3-7908-2415-5
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7908-2416-2