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Assessment of Energy Accident Risks
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Assessment of Energy Accident Risks

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2019) | Viewed by 26524

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Peter Burgherr

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Head Technology Assessment Group, Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen-PSI, Switzerland
Interests: comparative risk assessment; sustainability; energy security; critical infrastructure protection; multicriteria decision analysis; energy policy; scenario analysis; resilience; databases; GIS
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Stefan Hirschberg

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis, Energy Divisions, Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
Interests: energy systems; mobility systems; life cycle assessment; cost assessment; externalities; risk assessment; resilience; sustainability assessment; scenario modeling; decision support
Dr. Matteo Spada

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory for Energy Systems Analysis, Energy Divisions, Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), CH-5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
Interests: comparative risk assessment; sustainability; energy security; critical infrastructure protection; resilience; decision support; uncertainty quantification; extreme events analysis; classical and Bayesian inference; databases; GIS

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The field of risk assessment and management is a rather young scientific discipline, and several of its fundamental ideas, principles and concepts go back to the 1970s and 1980s. The need for systematic and consistent risk assessment of energy technologies has been recognized in the same period. Accidents in the energy sector are not limited to power plants, but can occur at any stage in an energy chain. Therefore, a holistic perspective is necessary, including exploration and extraction, processing, transports and storage, power and heat generation, disposal and waste storage. Currently, traditional models for risk assessment are complemented by sophisticated statistical methods and approaches, including addressing explicitly spatial and temporal aspects. Furthermore, consideration of extreme events has received increased attention, partially due to a number of actual occurrences with significant impacts on the energy sector and beyond. Finally, risk assessment of energy accidents is more and more considered within the broader context of sustainability, resilience, energy security and critical infrastructure protection.

This Special Issue aims to provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art in accident risk assessment of current energy systems as well as concepts and approaches to handle emerging and novel risks of future systems. We welcome both theoretical/methodological and applied submissions, coming from different disciplines, including engineering, natural sciences, economy, social and political sciences. Contributions can address specific activities or infrastructures within a single energy chain or comparatively evaluate a portfolio of energy technologies, use empirical data-driven methods, system modeling, scenario analysis or other prospective/foresight approaches. Ultimately, the Special Issue will contribute to a better understanding of existing basic scientific challenges and applied research issues, both of which form the foundation for the next generation risk assessment of energy accidents, and to support the transition towards a future, low-carbon energy system.

Dr. Peter Burgherr
Dr. Stefan Hirschberg
Dr. Matteo Spada
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • risk assessment
  • energy sector
  • accidents
  • risk indicators
  • infrastructure resilience
  • energy security
  • sustainability
  • statistical analysis and modeling
  • extreme events
  • databases
  • trends
  • comparative assessment
  • Geographic Information System (GIS)

 

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1512 KiB  
Article
Energy Security Pattern Spatiotemporal Evolution and Strategic Analysis of G20 Countries
by Jinchao Li, Lina Wang, Tianzhi Li and Shaowen Zhu
Sustainability 2019, 11(6), 1629; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11061629 - 18 Mar 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2482
Abstract
With the consumption of energy, blackouts, and a series of social development problems, the discussion of energy security has become the focus of international attention. This paper aims to construct a universal multidimensional index system from four dimensions, and compare the energy security [...] Read more.
With the consumption of energy, blackouts, and a series of social development problems, the discussion of energy security has become the focus of international attention. This paper aims to construct a universal multidimensional index system from four dimensions, and compare the energy security systems of different countries by measuring the Energy Security Index (ESI) of 19 countries of G20 and analyzing their evolution characteristics. The results of this paper show that the ESI of the G20 countries is increasing, the number of dangerous countries is decreasing, mainly concentrated in the Asian and African regions, and environmental sustainability and safety use are the main factors affecting their energy security. The security countries are mainly concentrated in the developed countries of the Americas and Europe. Since 1995, the ESI of China has continued to rise and now China is a generally safe country, which reflects China’s continuous optimization of energy structure and continuous improvement of the relationship of energy systems and economic, population, and environmental systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Energy Accident Risks)
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12 pages, 444 KiB  
Communication
Evaluating Residential Consumers’ Willingness to Pay to Avoid Power Outages in South Korea
by Ju-Hee Kim, Kyung-Kyu Lim and Seung-Hoon Yoo
Sustainability 2019, 11(5), 1258; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11051258 - 27 Feb 2019
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2522
Abstract
South Korea experienced a nationwide rolling blackout in 2011 due to a rapid increase in the power demand and a lack of power supply facilities. In particular, the residential sector suffered from considerable inconveniences due to power outages, such as the interruption of [...] Read more.
South Korea experienced a nationwide rolling blackout in 2011 due to a rapid increase in the power demand and a lack of power supply facilities. In particular, the residential sector suffered from considerable inconveniences due to power outages, such as the interruption of elevators’ operation and the stopping of all electronic appliances. Since then, ensuring a stable supply of electricity has emerged as an important task. This note aims to analyze residential consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) to avoid power outages. For this purpose, 1000 households were surveyed, applying the contingent valuation (CV) method during May 2018. The respondents understood the CV question well and gave meaningful answers. The results show that the mean of households’ monthly WTP amounts to KRW 1522 (USD 1.41). This value is statistically significant. Converting it into an annual value and then expanding the value to the country indicate that the annual national value amounts to KRW 360.7 billion (USD 335.3 million). Since a substantial amount of investments should be made by power suppliers to prevent power outages in the residential sector, this value may be accepted as the upper limit of the benefits ensuing from those investments. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Energy Accident Risks)
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10 pages, 232 KiB  
Article
Economic Value of Improving Natural Gas Supply Reliability for Residential Consumers in South Korea
by Hyo-Jin Kim, Sung-Min Kim and Seung-Hoon Yoo
Sustainability 2019, 11(2), 515; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11020515 - 19 Jan 2019
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2509
Abstract
An interruption to residential natural gas (NG) may cause considerable economic damage of the entire country. Thus, the South Korean government requires information about the economic value of improving residential NG supply reliability for planning NG supply. This article aims to measure the [...] Read more.
An interruption to residential natural gas (NG) may cause considerable economic damage of the entire country. Thus, the South Korean government requires information about the economic value of improving residential NG supply reliability for planning NG supply. This article aims to measure the value using a specific case of South Korean residential consumers. The choice experiment (CE) approach was adopted for this purpose. The selected four attributes are the duration of interruption, the season of interruption, the time of day, and the day of the week. The value trade-off works among the four attributes and price attribute were sought and completed in a nationwide CE survey of 1000 households. The respondents revealed statistically significant willingness to pay for a decrease in the duration of interruption, avoiding interruption during winter rather than non-winter, and preventing interruption during off-daytime (18:00 to 09:00) rather than daytime (09:00 to 18:00). For example, they accepted a 0.10% increase in the residential NG bill for a one-minute reduction in interruption during NG supply interruption, a 5.16% increase in residential NG bill for avoiding interruption during winter rather than non-winter, and a 2.94% increase in residential NG bill for preventing interruption during off-daytime rather than daytime. However, they placed no importance on the day of the week. These results can be useful for policy-making and decision-making to improve residential NG supply reliability. It is necessary to conduct a study at regular intervals on the value of NG supply reliability because regarding NG supply reliability, it is difficult to maintain a specific value. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Energy Accident Risks)
19 pages, 4602 KiB  
Article
A Reactive Power Compensation Strategy for Voltage Stability Challenges in the Korean Power System with Dynamic Loads
by Yunhwan Lee and Hwachang Song
Sustainability 2019, 11(2), 326; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11020326 - 10 Jan 2019
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 6834
Abstract
This paper describes a methodology and specifics for technical studies on fault-induced delayed voltage recovery (FIDVR) mitigation to ensure power system reliability. Optimal locations of the dynamic volts-ampere-reactive (VAR) sources are determined for addressing the FIDVR issues in the voltage stability analysis and [...] Read more.
This paper describes a methodology and specifics for technical studies on fault-induced delayed voltage recovery (FIDVR) mitigation to ensure power system reliability. Optimal locations of the dynamic volts-ampere-reactive (VAR) sources are determined for addressing the FIDVR issues in the voltage stability analysis and assessment methodology. We propose a voltage stability analysis method for planning dynamic VAR sources for bettering electric power transmission systems under contingency conditions. A time-domain dynamic simulation is performed to assess short-term voltage stability. While conducting dynamic simulations, sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the need for dynamic VAR sources. This study focuses on a reactive power compensation strategy to determine system voltage recovery performance by optimal flexible alternating current transmission system (FACTS) placement in a metropolitan region. The objective of this study is to determine the optimal installation of dynamic VAR sources while satisfying the requirements of voltage stability margin and transient voltage dip under a set of criteria. New insights are presented on the effect of FACTS controls on the reactive power compensation, which supports voltage recovery. The main features of the proposed method are (i) the development based on a load model for FIDVR, (ii) the use of sensitivity analysis of the network to the variations of the IM load, (iii) the establishment of the control function and compensation strategy to maintain the voltage of system within criteria limits, and (iv) the use of the sensitivity analysis based on branch parameterization for unsolvable cases. Case studies on the Korean power system validated the performance of the proposed strategy, showing that it effectively installed FACTS under contingency scenarios. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Energy Accident Risks)
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13 pages, 2779 KiB  
Article
Screening-Level Risk Assessment of a Hydrogen Refueling Station that Uses Organic Hydride
by Kiyotaka Tsunemi, Kikuo Yoshida, Takehiro Kihara, Tei Saburi and Kyoko Ono
Sustainability 2018, 10(12), 4477; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10124477 - 28 Nov 2018
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3170
Abstract
This study involves a screening-level risk assessment of the impairment of human health and life related to hydrogen explosion and chemical release during the operation of a hydrogen refueling station (HRS) that uses organic hydride. First, twenty-one accident scenarios were identified involving the [...] Read more.
This study involves a screening-level risk assessment of the impairment of human health and life related to hydrogen explosion and chemical release during the operation of a hydrogen refueling station (HRS) that uses organic hydride. First, twenty-one accident scenarios were identified involving the leakage of hydrogen, toluene and methylcyclohexane (MCH) in the HRS. Next, the leakage frequency for each scenario was estimated using a hierarchical Bayesian model. Simulations were then performed of the blast-wave pressure and heat radiation after a hydrogen leak and of atmospheric dispersion of evaporated chemicals after leaks of liquid MCH and toluene. The consequences were estimated for each scenario according to leak size using the existing probit functions and threshold values. Finally, the risk due to explosion, heat radiation, and acute toxicity was estimated by multiplying the consequence by the leakage frequency. The results show that the mortality risk of explosion and acute effect is less than 10−6 per year, which is a negligible level of concern. However, the mortality risk of heat radiation in the scenarios involving hydrogen leakage from the pipe connected to the cylinders and compressors exceeds 10−4 per year inside the HRS, thereby requiring additional steps if a more-detailed risk assessment is needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Energy Accident Risks)
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16 pages, 5197 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Safety Measures of a Hydrogen Fueling Station Using Physical Modeling
by Junji Sakamoto, Hitoshi Misono, Jo Nakayama, Naoya Kasai, Tadahiro Shibutani and Atsumi Miyake
Sustainability 2018, 10(11), 3846; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10113846 - 24 Oct 2018
Cited by 24 | Viewed by 4711
Abstract
Hydrogen fueling stations are essential for operating fuel cell vehicles. If multiple safety measures in a hydrogen fueling station fail simultaneously, it could lead to severe consequences. To analyze the risk of such a situation, we developed a physical model of a hydrogen [...] Read more.
Hydrogen fueling stations are essential for operating fuel cell vehicles. If multiple safety measures in a hydrogen fueling station fail simultaneously, it could lead to severe consequences. To analyze the risk of such a situation, we developed a physical model of a hydrogen fueling station, which, when using, the temperature, pressure, and flow rate of hydrogen could be simulated under normal and abnormal operating states. The physical model was validated by comparing the analytical results with the experimental results of an actual hydrogen fueling station. By combining the physical model with a statistical method, we evaluated the significance of the safety measures in the event wherein multiple safety measures fail simultaneously. We determined the combinations of failures of safety measures that could lead to accidents, and suggested a measure for preventing and mitigating the accident scenario. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Energy Accident Risks)
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18 pages, 3766 KiB  
Article
Evaluating Power Reliability Dedicated for Sudden Disruptions: Its Application to Determine Capacity on the Basis of Energy Security
by Shoki Kosai, Chia Kwang Tan and Eiji Yamasue
Sustainability 2018, 10(6), 2059; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10062059 - 17 Jun 2018
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3361
Abstract
Given that a continuous power supply is fundamental to the economy and human well-being, development of a self-sustained electrical system that can withstand sudden disturbances by employing both renewable energy and storage technology is of significant importance. Most of the existing reliability approaches [...] Read more.
Given that a continuous power supply is fundamental to the economy and human well-being, development of a self-sustained electrical system that can withstand sudden disturbances by employing both renewable energy and storage technology is of significant importance. Most of the existing reliability approaches hardly represent a particular method of analyzing system adapting ability to remain self-sufficient in the short-term after the occurrence of sudden disruptions. In addition, existing reliability indexes are developed based on past experience, hardly covering the prediction of disruption risks. As such, a new electricity reliability quantification approach dedicated for sudden disruptions was established and the newly proposed electricity reliability prediction index was evaluated. The developed index was applied to determine optimal capacity sizing in the context of energy security. The availability of such electricity reliability predictions will allow the facility engineer to make wiser decisions to maintain a continuous power supply even after the occurrence of sudden disturbances. The developed algorithm can be readily implemented in any electrical system network including microgrid and rural electrification. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessment of Energy Accident Risks)
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