Advanced Materials Research Vols. 869-870

Abstract: Oil as a strategic resource, its price trend related to the development of national economy, so the study of the international oil price has important theoretical and practical significance. This paper will interpret the international oil price fluctuation mechanism from the perspective of international political economy. In addition, we will reveal some elements of influence on international oil prices, such as oil supply and demand pattern, geopolitical game, monetary, financial futures market. Then we try to put forward the some paths for the construction of energy security strategy in china.

Abstract: The energy planning based on Mean - Variance theory, guides the investors in investment decisions, trying to maximize the return and minimize the risk of investment. However, this theory is based on strong hypotheses and, in addition, input data are often affected by estimation errors. Moreover, this theory determines poor diversification increasing return and risk of the portfolio, and strong variability of the outputs when inputs are varied.In the first part of the paper, the Mean - Variance theory was applied to the energy generation in Italy; in particular, the analysis was on the actual energy mix, but also assuming the use of nuclear technology and taking into account verisimilar improvement, of technologies in the future.On the other hand, in the second part of the paper, a methodology has been applied in order to limit the problems of Mean-Variance theory applied to the energy mix settlement. In particular, the input variables have been calculated using Monte Carlo simulation, in order to reduce the estimation error, and the Resampled Efficiency ^TM technique has been applied in order to calculate the resulting new “average” efficient frontier. This methodology has been applied either not limiting or limiting the minimum and maximum percentage for every energy generation technology, in order to simulate constraints due, for example, to the technological characteristics of the plant, the availability of the sources and eventually to norms, to the territorial characteristics and to the socio-political choices. The application of Mean - Variance theory allowed to obtain energy portfolio, alternative to the actual, characterized by higher values of expected returns an lower values of risk.It was also shown that the application of the Resampled Efficiency ^TM technique with data originated with the Monte Carlo simulation effectively tackles the problems of Mean - Variance theory; in this way, the decision maker is helped in making decisions in the energy system policy and development.Thanks to this approach, applied in particular to the Italian energy contest, it was also possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the introduced modifications to the Italian actual energy mix to achieve the 2020 European Energy Directive targets in particular concerning the reduction of CO₂ levels.

Abstract: International regional energy cooperation is a complex system characterized by subject diversification, relationship complexity, and structural layering. This cooperation consists of the complementary resource system, market function system, and external environment system. We establish a structure model of the international regional energy cooperation by using structural principle and interpretive structural modeling. In the model, 38 elements were distributed across seven layers. The seven layers to which the elements were distributed included the key problem in the study of international regional energy cooperation. Four relation-chains surround the core elements and the external environment. The elements in each relation-chain interact with one another and behave in a coordinated manner. These findings provide the important basis for the stability of the mechanism of the international regional energy cooperation.

Abstract: Establishing strategic petroleum reserve is one of the important measures to ensure the safety of Chinas oil supply and concerns the long-term development of China. This paper mainly summarized the three big issues about China's strategic petroleum reserve: optimal scale, optimal reserve structure and influence factors, and put forward some ideas for further research.

Abstract: The coal industry plays an important role in the economic development of China, and the performance of the listed coal companies plays a decisive role on the healthy and stable development of the coal industry. Using the method of data envelopment analysis (DEA), the paper made a detailed analysis on three coal companies which have similar size in the two coal provinces, Inner Mongolia and Shanxi. It then put forward suggestions on the sustainable development of Chinese coal industry, and showed the direction and the way for improving the operational efficiency of the industry.

Abstract: The energy business has played an important role in an economic growth of Taiwan because the market share is in the high value that can make a significant contribution towards regional and local employment. However, Taiwan is lack of energy resources, making the country highly relies on an import for more than 98 percent of its all energy. At present, a top priority of the countrys policy is to develop clean, sustainable, independent, and efficient energy in order to eliminate the vulnerability from external disruption. Therefore, this research aims to assess the operating efficiency and to analyze factors affecting the efficiency scores of the registered energy companies in the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) recorded during 2003-2012. The super-efficiency data envelopment analysis (SE-DEA) was initially applied to reveal the additional efficiency scores, followed by the Tobit regression model used to analyze what factors determine the efficiency scores. The empirical results showed that seven DMUs performed efficiently, ranking from 7.29 to 1.02. The company with the best operating performance was Taiwan Cogeneration Corporation (TCC), while the Great Taipei Gas Corporation (GTG) revealed the worst efficiency score. Furthermore, the Tobit regression model explained that the higher number of the local employees, the greater the efficiency scores were. Besides, the lower number of the shareholders, the greater the efficiency scores were. As a result, the Taiwans government is supposed to encourage all energy companies to have a higher number of local employees and shareholders to increase their efficiency scores.

Abstract: For promoting the development of marine economy more sustainable, based the data envelopment analysis method and combined with the impact of the marine environment, the environmental performance of marine economy was evaluated for Chinese coastal provinces. Firstly the classical CCR model was used. Then a model considered undesirable outputs was made to suit to Chinese marine economy. Made use of the two models, the economic efficiencies without environmental consideration and the environmental performance index were calculated and compared. According to the results, the empirical relation between EPI and EE,per capita GDP and the industrial structure was analyzed.

Abstract: This paper presents an improved Water Ecological Carrying Capacity (WECC) evaluation index system based on Pressure-Support Force-State (PSS) Index Framework. This index system can reflect the internal relationships of WECC, highlight the direct WECC impact factors, and to some extent avoid the past problems of selecting similar indicators and poor correlation indicators with WECC using former index systems. The WECC evaluation of Tieling City is processed under PSS index system. The evaluation results show that the average value of WECC is 0.59 from 2005 to 2010. It is concluded that this city is under a weak carrying level and generally in accordance with the real situation.

Abstract: In this paper, the research status of Water Ecological Carrying Capacity (WECC) was reviewed through summarising the relevant studies. The research of WECC remains exploratory, as neither an accepted theory nor a technological system for WECC has been established. The main problems that exist in WECC research are: (1) the ambiguous definition and the imprecise expression of the WECC concept, (2) the constraints in calculating the threshold are difficult to define scientifically and precisely, and (3) the methods and process of assessing WECC are not sufficiently scientific.

Abstract: Environmental problem is one of the important factors that restricting the sustainable development of economy and social in China. Chinese central government have put forward the goal of building resource-saving and environment-friendly society, but the effect of many local governments to implement the central environmental protection policy is not well. At present, Chinese local government officials utility is mainly determined by performance, economic income, honor and duties liability security. Due to the impacts of unreasonable performance evaluation index, financial distribution system, public preferences and the weakening of environmental liability constraints, the motivation of local government in environmental protection is weak.