Climate change is at the top of the development agenda in Central America. This region, together with the Caribbean, is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change in Latin America. Climate change is manifesting itself through higher average temperatures and more frequent droughts that result in higher water stress, and through the rising frequency of extreme weather events such as tropical storms, hurricanes, floods and landslides, all of which pose significant challenges in the rural water supply and sanitation sector. The paper starts with a review of the historic data on temperature and precipitation trends in Central America and particularly at the regional level in Nicaragua. The data reveal a clear trend of the growing climate variability, increased water stress for crops, and greater frequency of extreme weather events. The rising intensity and frequency of ex-treme weather events is among the most critical risks to the region's development agenda, and they translate into high economic losses. This paper examines the impacts and implications of potential climate change on water resources in Nicaragua and makes key recommendations to integrate climate change and rural water supply and sanitation policies and programs in a way that increase resilience to current and future climate conditions. | 0

Mestrado (Trabalho de Projeto), Engenharia e Gestão de Sistemas de Água, 13 de novembro de 2019, Universidade dos Açores. | Nos últimos anos tem-se assistido a uma subida dos preços dos combustíveis fósseis o que motiva a procura por outras soluções que promovam o desenvolvimento sustentável. A necessidade de aumentar e diversificar as formas de produção de energia elétrica suscitou mudanças na política energética que incentivam a produção através de recursos de origem renovável. A quantidade de água que é desperdiçada para o mar nos Açores, sem que lhe seja dado qualquer uso, é elevada e isso motiva a procura desse recurso para a sua valorização. Assim, passa pelos objetivos deste projeto valorizar o recurso água, através do conhecimento das características gerais de uma mini-hídrica de baixa queda e os procedimentos que antecedem a fase de construção ou no caso estudado, a fase de transformação de antigos moinhos para produção de energia. Pretende-se realizar o dimensionamento dos principais componentes que constituem uma mini-hídrica, nomeadamente, o canal de adução e o conjunto turbina-gerador. O estudo da arte foi realizado para dois pequenos moinhos, situados na ribeira dos Bispos, no concelho da Povoação, após a impossibilidade de aproveitamento na ribeira do Purgar, devido à falta de dados sobre o caudal e à inexistência de zonas com queda de água significativa. Analisou-se as características do local (queda), do recurso hídrico (caudal) e infraestruturas existentes, permitindo a escolha da turbina, a verificação do canal de adução, estimar a potência nominal a instalar e a energia produzida em ano médio. Por último, foi feito um estudo de viabilidade considerando a valorização patrimonial a par do aluguer dos moinhos para turismo rural. | ABSTRACT: In recent years, we’ve been watching a rise on fossil fuels price, which motivates the search for other solutions that promote sustainable growth. The need to increase and diversificate the ways of producing electric energy evokes changes on our energy policy that encourage its production through resources of renewable origin. The amounts of water that is wasted for the Açores sea, without any use, its high and that motivates a search for this resource and its appraisement. There for, goes through the objectives of this dissertation valorize the water resource, through the general knowledge of a mini-hydric whit low fall and the procedures that precede the construction phase or in the study case, transformation phase of old mills for the energy production. It is intended to do a dimensioning of the main components that constitute a mini-hydric, namely, the aduccion channel, and the turbine-generator compound. The art study was done for two small mills, located in Ribeira dos Bispos, on the Povoação district, after the impossibility of exploitation in Ribeira do Purgar, due to lack of data on the flow rate and the lack of significant waterfall zones. The characteristics of the place were analyzed (fall), of the hydric resource (flow rate) and existing infrastructure, allowing to choose the turbine, the aduccion chanel verification, estimate the nominal potency to install and the energy produced in the average year. Lastly, it was made a viability study considering the patrimony increase at par to the renting of the mills for rural tourism.

La energía del gradiente salino (EGS) es una fuente renovable abundante ampliamente desaprovechada para complementar y diversificar el mix energético actual, intensivo en emisiones y uso de agua, y apoyar la sostenibilidad y circularidad del, intensivo en energía, sector del agua. Esta tesis doctoral propone un marco metodológico para avanzar en el diseño óptimo en costes y medioambientalmente sostenible del proceso electrodiálisis reversa (EDR) en la recuperación de EGS de corrientes residuales del sector del agua. Este marco integra un modelo matemático del dispositivo EDR validado experimentalmente, una caracterización medioambiental mediante análisis de ciclo de vida, y un modelo de programación disyuntivo generalizado para la optimización de sistemas EDR a gran escala implementados en plantas desaladoras o estaciones depuradoras de aguas residuales. La herramienta de diseño propuesta puede ser de interés en del proceso de toma de decisiones que apoye la promoción y despliegue comercial de la EDR. | Salinity gradient energy (SGE) is a vast yet largely untapped renewable source for complementing and diversifying the current carbon- and water-intensive energy mix and supporting the sustainability and circularity of the energy-intensive water sector. This doctoral thesis proposes a methodological framework for advancing the cost-optimal and environmentally sustainable design of reverse electrodialysis (RED) process for SGE recovery from waste streams in the water sector. This framework combines an experimentally validated mathematical model of the RED device, an environmental characterization through life cycle assessment, and a generalized disjunctive programming model to optimize large-scale RED systems deployed in desalination plants or wastewater treatment plants. The proposed design tool may be of interest in the decision-making process that supports the promotion and commercial deployment of RED technology. | This research was financially supported through the R&D Projects CTM2017-87850-R and RTI2018-093310-B-I00 funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033) and by “ERDF A way of making Europe”, the R&D Project PDC2021-120786-I00 funded by the MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and “European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR, the R&D Project RM16-XX-046- SODERCAN/FEDER funded by SODERCAN, and the R&D Project LIFE19 ENV/ES/000143 funded by the LIFE Programme of the European Union. Carolina Tristán acknowledges the financial support from the research fellowship PRE2018-086454 funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (MCIN/AEI/ 10.13039/501100011033) and “ESF Investing in your future”.

Este artículo presenta una solución técnica y sostenible a nivel energético, orientada a la calefacción y Agua Caliente Sanitaria (ACS) para 1.400 viviendas sociales en la provincia de Tierra del Fuego. La propuesta se centra en reducir emisiones de carbono y aprovechar residuos forestales de Tolhuin, clasificada en la zona VI según la Norma IRAM 11.603, con inviernos muy rigurosos y temperaturas mínimas de -16.0ºC. En lugar de optar por gas natural, se proponen calderas alimentadas con pellets de madera derivados de biomasa forestal local. Una evaluación técnica detallada de las calderas que consideró potencia térmica, rendimiento y horas de funcionamiento, y teniendo en cuenta la variabilidad en la disponibilidad de pellets, identifica que la implementación podría incrementar en un 2% la cantidad de hogares calefaccionados en la provincia. Esta propuesta no solo tiene el potencial de reducir emisiones de CO2 y valorizar residuos forestales, sino también de impulsar la economía local y diversificar la matriz energética. A través de este estudio, se establecen bases técnicas para abordar desafíos ambientales y energéticos, promoviendo un enfoque de climatización sustentable frente al cambio climático. Se aclara que el enfoque es energéticamente sostenible, sin abordar aspectos constructivos de las viviendas. | This article presents a technical and energy-sustainable solution aimed at heating and Domestic Hot Water (DHW) for 1,400 social housing units in the province of Tierra del Fuego. The proposal focuses on reducing carbon emissions and leveraging forestry waste from Tolhuin, classified in zone VI according to the IRAM 11.603 standard, with harsh winters and minimum temperatures of - 16.0ºC. Instead of choosing natural gas, boilers powered by wood pellets derived from local forestry biomass are proposed. A detailed technical evaluation of the boilers, considering thermal power, performance, and operating hours, and taking into account the variability in pellet availability, indicates that implementation could increase the number of heated homes in the province by 2%. This proposal not only has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions and valorize forestry waste but also to boost the local economy and diversify the energy matrix. Through this study, technical foundations are established to address environmental and energy challenges, promoting a sustainable heating approach in the face of climate change. It is clarified that the approach is energy sustainable, without addressing constructive aspects of the housing. | Asociación Argentina de Energía Solar

El Centro Integrado de Tecnologías del Agua (CITA), le invita a participar en el V Taller Nacional de Promoción de Tecnologías para el abasto de agua y el uso de las Fuentes Renovables de Energía, a celebrarse en el Hotel Gran Club Santa Lucia, Camagüey, del 26 al 29 de Septiembre de 2017.

El presente documento contiene los estudios, diseños, construcción y puesta en marcha de dos sistemas de generación eléctrica a través de energías: hidráulica y fotovoltaica para operar de manera económica y ambientalmente autosostenible todos los procesos de la planta de tratamiento de agua potable del acueducto del municipio de González -Cesar. Este proyecto fue el primero en el país que incorporó de manera autónoma, exclusiva y completa la implementación de dos fuentes de energía renovable garantizando la disminución de los costos medios de operación de la prestación del servicio del acueducto traducido en un bajo costo tarifario para el usuario final, además de garantizar la seguridad del aprovisionamiento energético conservando el capital natural del territorio. Se aplicó una metodología tipo cascada o waterfall desarrollando secuencialmente las etapas del proyecto. La posición estratégica y el potencial de radiación solar de la zona garantizaron la perfecta aplicabilidad de la energía hidráulica gracias a su altura piezométrica de más de 110 mca y la fotovoltaica con la instalación de 12 módulos solares. La viabilidad financiera del proyecto se determinó con la comparativa entre los costos del sistema eléctrico convencional vs los costos de los sistemas de energías renovables (fotovoltaico e hidráulico) donde estos últimos además de económicos, disminuyen costos medio de operación y cumplieron con la responsabilidad ambiental para con el planeta. | This document contains the studies, designs, construction and start-up of two electricity generation systems through energy: hydraulic and photovoltaic to operate in an economical and environmentally self-sustainable way all the processes of the potable water treatment plant of the aqueduct of the González-Cesar municipality. This project was the first in the country that autonomously, exclusively and completely incorporated the implementation of two sources of renewable energy, guaranteeing the reduction of the average operating costs of the provision of the aqueduct service, translated into a low tariff cost for the user. final, in addition to guaranteeing the security of energy supply while preserving the natural capital of the territory. A waterfall or waterfall type methodology was applied, sequentially developing the stages of the project. The strategic position and the potential for solar radiation in the area guaranteed the perfect applicability of hydraulic energy thanks to its piezometric height of more than 110 mca and photovoltaic with the installation of 12 solar modules. The financial viability of the project was determined by comparing the costs of the conventional electricity system vs the costs of renewable energy systems (photovoltaic and hydraulic) where the latter, in addition to being economic, reduce average operating costs and comply with environmental responsibility for with the planet. | Magíster en Ciencias y Tecnologías Ambientales | http://www.ustabuca.edu.co/ustabmanga/presentacion | Maestría