[en] The European gas distribution industry will be faced with real challenges during the coming ten years. Additional import of natural gas from non-European Community countries will be required in view of the growing demand and the concomitant decrease in gas production in the European Community. This implies that facilities for the long-distance transport of gas will have to be built and that considerable investments are required. It is argued that the recommendation for the liberalization of the gas market by the Commission of the European Communities is unsuited to face future developments of the European gas market. (A.S.)

[en] Monitoring and targeting software systems have proved to be valuable tools for energy control, permitting to save five to ten percent of energy. The article reviews the systems that are presently available in England and illustrates how these systems are successfully used in practice in small (British Telecom) and middle large (Charles Wells Brewery) industrial applications. (A.S.)

[en] Regional emission balances are vital with regard to an efficient energy and environmental policy. The emission balances were calculated on the basis of a top-down approach, making use of the regional energy balances for the three regions in Belgium (Wallonie, Brussels, Flanders regions). The emissions of NO_X-, SO₂-and CO₂-gases in 1990 for the Flanders, the Wallonie and the Brussels region are presented. (A.S.)

[en] The processes of power production and low temperature heat are analyzed on the basis of exergic energy production. The efficiency of exergic electric power varies as a function of the applied technology from 40 to 55 percent while the efficiency of combustion and heat transfer is as low as 22 percent. Higher efficiencies are obtained by heat power coupling and heat pumps. (A.S.)

[en] The combined production of heat and power by the total energy principle contributes to a considerable saving of primary energy and the reduction of greenhouse gases such as CO₂. The policy of the Belgian power producer, Electrabel, with regard to the total energy principle and the general criteria for cooperation between Electrabel and power distribution or production companies are summarized. (A.S.)

[en] The economic aspects and the feasibility of total energy coupling in a recreation park are assessed. The feasibility study is based on an analysis of the energy demand, an assessment of employable total energy equipment, and simulation calculations for different total energy configurations. Depending on the chosen reference scenario, the application of the total energy leads to an annual saving of 7 to 13 percent on primary energy and a reduction of the CO₂ emission of 1 to 7 percent per year. The relatively low reduction of the annual CO₂ emission is explained by the high portion of nuclear energy in the total power production in Belgium. (A.S.)

[en] The economic aspects of energy production from waste wood are evaluated. Heating systems based on the incineration of wood have been considerably improved recently. Several aspects of the incineration of waste wood are reviewed: the implications with regard to the greenhouse effect, the calorific value of wood, the incineration process, and the cost price calculation of energy production by waste wood incineration. In conclusion is stated that energy production by waste wood incineration is a valuable economic alternative for heat production by oil products, especially in view of the current anti-pollution taxes in Belgium. (A.S.)

[en] Regional energy balances are vital in federal Belgium where the regional (Wallonie, Brussels, Flanders) authorities are fully qualified in the matter of energy and environmental policy. The energy balance for the Flanders region for 1990 is presented. Due to the absence of detailed statistic information, the energy balance for the Flanders region was calculated as a remainder by subtracting the energy balances for the Wallonie and the Brussels Metropolitan region from the federal Belgian energy balance. From the energy balances, differences in energy consumption between the regions are evaluated. The proposed energy balances are used for making up the pollution balances for NO_x, SO₂, and CO₂ per region. (A.S.)

[en] Heat transformers are a promising technology for optimal exploitation of waste heat streams. The use of heat transformers is efficient for energetic, exergetic, and economic reasons. Heat transformers are environment-friendly, and reduce both thermal pollution and the pollution by greenhouse gases. The practical use of heat transformers is however still limited to the water/LiBr pair. The application of new media and the multistage heat transformer are promising new developments. (A.S.)

[en] In the Netherlands, a considerable amount of electric power is produced by total energy plants. It is now planned to increase the capacity of electric energy, produced by combined heat and power plants to 4500 MV_e in 2000. The energy policy of the national government as well as the forms of cooperation between the energy sector and small to large energy consumers with regard to energy production by total energy plants are reviewed. (A.S.)