Pricing environmental externalities in the power sector. Ethical limits and implications for social choice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soderholm, Patrik; Sundqvist, Thomas

2003-01-01

During the last decade, a series of valuation studies have made attempts at estimating the external environmental costs of various power generation sources. The purposes of this paper are: (a) to explore some of the ethical limits of the economic valuation of environmental impacts; and (b) to analyze what the implications are of these limits for the social choice between different electric power sources. Environmental valuation based on welfare economic theory builds on restrictive behavioral foundations and can only partly model moral values, although such values are an essential part of people's preference towards the environment. In addition, public preferences are seldom exogenously given as is commonly assumed in economic theory, but are instead formed in public discourse. For this reason, the range of electricity externalities where economic valuation (and thus cost-benefit analysis) should be applied is likely to be narrower than often assumed. After analyzing the scope, methodology and the results of the so-called ExternE project, the paper concludes that many power generation externalities are either inherently 'new' or inherently 'complex'. In these cases, the initial challenge lies not in 'discovering' private preferences, but in specifying the conditions for public discourse over common ways of understanding what the pertinent issues are about. This implies that research on the environmental externalities of power generation must, in addition to refining the theory and the applications of existing non-market valuation techniques, also address the instruments and content of political and moral debate

Electric utility resource expansion planning using environmental externalities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mitchell, D.

1992-01-01

This paper describes the recent experience of San Diego Gas ampersand Electric Company using environmental externalities in the expansion planning of its electrical system. This is the first time that this method of planning has been used in the electric utility industry in California. The paper reviews the conceptual development of the monetary values for environmental externalities and shows how the application of these values modifies the resource selection process. This paper should be of interest to professionals involved in policy issues relating to the use of environmental externalities as a means to improve the environment. The experience gained through this analyses should also benefit electric utility personnel involved in planning, and regulators interested in planning

Environmental externalities related to power production on biogas and natural gas based on the EU ExternE methodology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Per Sieverts; Ibsen, Liselotte Schleisner

1998-01-01

This paper assesses the environmental impacts and external costs from selected electricity generation systems in Denmark. The assessment is carried out as part of the ExternE National Implementation, which is the second phase of the ExternE project and involves case studies from all Western...... European countries. The project use a “bottom-up” methodology to evaluate the external costs associated with a wide range of different fuel cycles. The project has identified priority impacts, where most are impacts from air emissions. Externalities due to atmospheric emissions are calculated through...

Parental knowledge is an environmental influence on adolescent externalizing.

Science.gov (United States)

Marceau, Kristine; Narusyte, Jurgita; Lichtenstein, Paul; Ganiban, Jody M; Spotts, Erica L; Reiss, David; Neiderhiser, Jenae M

2015-02-01

There is evidence both that parental monitoring is an environmental influence serving to diminish adolescent externalizing problems and that this association may be driven by adolescents' characteristics via genetic and/or environmental mechanisms, such that adolescents with fewer problems tell their parents more, and therefore appear to be better monitored. Without information on how parents' and children's genes and environments influence correlated parent and child behaviors, it is impossible to clarify the mechanisms underlying this association. The present study used the Extended Children of Twins model to distinguish types of gene-environment correlation and direct environmental effects underlying associations between parental knowledge and adolescent (age 11-22 years) externalizing behavior with a Swedish sample of 909 twin parents and their adolescent offspring and a US-based sample of 405 White adolescent siblings and their parents. Results suggest that more parental knowledge is associated with less adolescent externalizing via a direct environmental influence independent of any genetic influences. There was no evidence of a child-driven explanation of the association between parental knowledge and adolescent externalizing problems. In this sample of adolescents, parental knowledge exerted an environmental influence on adolescent externalizing after accounting for genetic influences of parents and adolescents. Because the association between parenting and child development originates in the parent, treatment for adolescent externalizing must not only include parents but should also focus on altering their parental style. Thus, findings suggest that teaching parents better knowledge-related monitoring strategies is likely to help reduce externalizing problems in adolescents. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. © 2014 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Externalities of energy. Swedish implementation of the ExternE methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nilsson, Maans; Gullberg, M.

1998-01-01

The growing interest for developing economic instruments for efficient environmental policies has opened up a large area of multi-disciplinary research. ExternE is an example of this research, combining disciplines such as engineering, ecology, immunology and economics expertise to create new knowledge about how environmental pressures from energy production affect our nature and society. The ExternE Project aims to identify and, as far as possible quantify the externalities of energy production in Europe. The Stockholm Environment Institute has carried out a preliminary aggregation: -Coal Fuel Cycle: centred around Vaesteraas Kraftvaermeverk, Vaesteraas. This is the largest co-generation plant in Sweden, with four blocks and a maximum co-generation output of 520 MW electricity and 950 MW heat. The analysis is carried out on boiler B4. -Biomass Fuel Cycle: centred around Haendeloeverket, Norrkoeping. This plant predominately burns forestry residues, but a variety of fuels are combusted. Haendeloeverket has an installed capacity of 100 MW electricity and 375 MW heat, in a total of three boilers and two back-pressure turbines. The analysis is carried out on boiler P13. -Hydro Fuel Cycle: Klippens Kraftstation, Storuman. Built in 1990-1994, it is the youngest hydro power station in Sweden. It has been designed and built with significant efforts to account for and protect environmental values. Installed capacity is 28 MW. The environmental impact assessment from the construction of this plant is carried out, but the evaluation is still not finalized. The preliminary aggregation aimed to test whether ExternE results could be used to make estimates for the entire Swedish electricity production system. Hence, national results as well as results from other partner countries in ExternE has been applied

Environmental externality and inequality in China: Current Status and future choices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Xiaoli; Zhang, Sufang; Fan, Chunyang

2014-01-01

Along with China's rapid economic growth, the environmental externality in the country is getting more and more serious. China's environmental externality is accompanied by environmental inequality, which presents two characteristics: First, the health loss caused by environmental externality is concentrated in the elderly and children. We take Beijing as an empirical analysis to conclude that children (0–4 years old) are the largest group suffered from respiratory disease; while the seniors are the largest group suffered from cardiovascular disease. Second, China's environmental inequality is mainly caused by the transfer of industries from urban to rural areas/suburbs. The villagers in poor rural areas are the biggest victims. China's environmental inequality is reflected particularly by the phenomenon of “cancer villages” which has existed ever since the end of 1970s. Finally, policy recommendations are provided for reducing China's environmental externality and inequality. - The seniors and children are the biggest victims of air pollution, and the transfer of industries from urban to rural areas led to occurrence of “cancer villages” in China

Political Measures for Strategic Environmental Policy with External Effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ohyama, A. [Graduate School of Economics, Kyoto University, Kyoto (Japan); Tsujimura, M. [Faculty of Economics, Ryukoku University, Otsu (Japan)

2006-10-15

This paper investigates an environmental policy designed to reduce the emission of pollutants under uncertainty, with the agent problem as an optimal stopping problem. We first analyze the two cases in which there are one agent and two competing agents by following Ohyama and Tsujimura (2005). When we consider a model of strategic agents, we need to analyze the external economic effect that is peculiar to an agent's environmental policy implementation. Then, to improve and resolve these external effects, we examine three alternative political measures, comprising an environmental subsidy, an environmental tax and an emission trading system. The results of the analysis indicate that the environmental subsidy and environmental tax promote environmental policy. However, they do not create an incentive to be the leader. On the other hand, an emissions trading system not only promotes environmental policy but also creates an incentive for leadership.

Political Measures for Strategic Environmental Policy with External Effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohyama, A.; Tsujimura, M.

2006-01-01

This paper investigates an environmental policy designed to reduce the emission of pollutants under uncertainty, with the agent problem as an optimal stopping problem. We first analyze the two cases in which there are one agent and two competing agents by following Ohyama and Tsujimura (2005). When we consider a model of strategic agents, we need to analyze the external economic effect that is peculiar to an agent's environmental policy implementation. Then, to improve and resolve these external effects, we examine three alternative political measures, comprising an environmental subsidy, an environmental tax and an emission trading system. The results of the analysis indicate that the environmental subsidy and environmental tax promote environmental policy. However, they do not create an incentive to be the leader. On the other hand, an emissions trading system not only promotes environmental policy but also creates an incentive for leadership

Electricity generation and environmental externalities: Case studies, September 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-09-28

Electricity constitutes a critical input in sustaining the Nation`s economic growth and development and the well-being of its inhabitants. However, there are byproducts of electricity production that have an undesirable effect on the environment. Most of these are emissions introduced by the combustion of fossil fuels, which accounts for nearly 70 percent of the total electricity generated in the United States. The environmental impacts (or damages) caused by these emissions are labeled environmental ``externalities.`` Included in the generic term ``externality`` are benefits or costs resulting as an unintended byproduct of an economic activity that accrue to someone other than the parties involved in the activity. This report provides an overview of the economic foundation of externalities, the Federal and State regulatory approaches, and case studies of the impacts of the externality policies adopted by three States.

Assessment of environmental external effects in the production of energy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schleisner, L.; Meyer, H.J.; Morthorst, P.E.

1995-01-01

A project in Denmark has been carried out with the purpose to assess the environmental damages and the external costs in the production of energy. The energy production technologies that will be reported in this paper are wind power and a conventional coal fired plant. In the project the environm......A project in Denmark has been carried out with the purpose to assess the environmental damages and the external costs in the production of energy. The energy production technologies that will be reported in this paper are wind power and a conventional coal fired plant. In the project...... the environmental damages for the energy production technologies are compared, and externalities in the production of energy using renewable energy and fossil fuels are identified, estimated and monetized....

Impact of a possible environmental externalities internalisation on energy prices: The case of the greenhouse gases from the Greek electricity sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgakellos, Dimitrios A.

2010-01-01

The present paper is concerned with the impact of the internalisation of environmental externalities on energy prices. In this context, its aim is to quantify the external cost of greenhouse gases (specifically carbon dioxide) generated during electricity production in the thermal power plants in Greece and to estimate the impact on the electricity production cost and on the electricity prices of a possible internalisation of this external cost by the producers. For this purpose, this paper applies the EcoSenseLE online tool to quantify the examined externalities. This research finds that the calculated external cost is significantly high (compared to the corresponding production cost) mainly in lignite-fired power plants. Specifically, a possible internalisation of this external cost would increase the production cost by more than 52% (on average), which, in turn, would affect similarly the electricity prices. This finding could be important for decision makers in the electricity sector to develop strategies for emission reduction and to develop environmental and energy policies. The general limitation of the external cost methodology applies to this work as it uses the standard method developed for the Externe project. Similarly, the data limitations as well as assumptions related to the costs and exclusions/ omissions of cost elements affect the results.

ExternE: Externalities of energy Vol. 1. Summary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holland, M.; Berry, J.

1995-01-01

There is a growing requirement for policy analysts to take account of the environment in their decision making and to undertake the specified cost-benefit analysis. Within the European Union this is reflected in the 5th Environmental Action Programme, and the Commission's White Paper entitled 'Growth, competitiveness, employment and the ways forward to the 21st century'. This has led to a need for evaluation of environmental externalities. The ExternE Project commenced in 1991 as the European part of a collaborative study between the European Commission and the US Department of Energy. It aims to be the first systematic approach to the evaluation of external costs of a wide range of different fuel cycles. The project will result in an operational accounting framework for the quantification and monetarisation of priority environmental and other externalities. This framework will allow the calculation of the marginal external costs and benefits for specific power plants, at specific sites using specified technologies. There are three major phases in the project. Phase 1 was undertaken in collaboration with the US Department of Energy. In this phase the teams jointly developed the conceptual approach and methodology and shared scientific information for application to a number of fuel cycles. On the European side work concentrated on the nuclear and coal fuel cycles which together were expected to raise many of the fundamental issues in fuel cycle analysis. The project is currently nearing completion of Phase 2. During this phase the methodology has been applied to a wide range of different fossil, nuclear and renewable fuel cycles for power generation and energy conservation options. Also a series of National Implementation Programmes is underway in which the methodology and accounting framework are being applied to reference sites throughout Europe. In addition the general methodology is being extended to address the evaluation of externalities associated with

A geographically resolved method to estimate levelized power plant costs with environmental externalities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rhodes, Joshua D.; King, Carey; Gulen, Gürcan; Olmstead, Sheila M.; Dyer, James S.; Hebner, Robert E.; Beach, Fred C.; Edgar, Thomas F.; Webber, Michael E.

2017-01-01

In this analysis we developed and applied a geographically-resolved method to calculate the Levelized Cost of Electricity (LCOE) of new power plants on a county-by-county basis while including estimates of some environmental externalities. We calculated the LCOE for each county of the contiguous United States for 12 power plant technologies. The minimum LCOE option for each county varies based on local conditions, capital and fuel costs, environmental externalities, and resource availability. We considered ten scenarios that vary input assumptions. We present the results in a map format to facilitate comparisons by fuel, technology, and location. For our reference analysis, which includes a cost of $62/tCO_2 for CO_2 emissions natural gas combined cycle, wind, and nuclear are most often the lowest-LCOE option. While the average cost increases when internalizing the environmental externalities (carbon and air pollutants) is small for some technologies, the local cost differences are as high as $0.62/kWh for coal (under our reference analysis). These results display format, and online tools could serve as an educational tool for stakeholders when considering which technologies might or might not be a good fit for a given locality subject to system integration considerations. - Highlights: • We propose a method to add externalities to LCOE. • We present the least cost technology for every county in the US. • The cheapest technology depends on many characteristics of that locale. • We present online tools for users to change our assumptions. • Our tools are useful in discussing the impact of policy on the cost of electricity.

Externalities of fuel cycles 'ExternE' project. Summary report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holland, M.; Berry, J.

1994-01-01

There is a growing requirement for policy analysts to take account of the environment in their decision making and to undertake the specified cost-benefit analysis. Within the European Union this is reflected in the 5th Environmental Action Programme, and the Commission's White Paper entitled 'Growth, competitiveness, employment and the ways forward to the 21st century'. This has led to a need for evaluation of environmental externalities. The ExternE Project commenced in 1991 as the European part of a collaborative study between the European Commission and the US Department of Energy. It aims to be the first systematic approach to the evaluation of external costs of a wide range of different fuel cycles. The project will result in an operational accounting framework for the quantification and monetarisation of priority environmental and other externalities. This framework will allow the calculation of the marginal external costs and benefits for specific power plants, at specific sites using specified technologies. There are three major phases in the project. Phase I was undertaken in collaboration with the US Department of Energy. In this phase the teams jointly developed the conceptual approach and methodology and shared scientific information for application to a number of fuel cycles. On the European side work concentrated on the nuclear and coal fuel cycles which together were expected to raise many of the fundamental issues in fuel cycle analysis. The project is currently nearing completion of Phase 2. During this phase the methodology has been applied to a wide range of different fossil, nuclear and renewable fuel cycles for power generation and energy conservation options. Also a series of National Implementation Programmes are underway in which the methodology and accounting framework are being applied to reference sites throughout Europe. In addition the general methodology is being extended to address the evaluation of externalities associated with

The Relationship Between the Genetic and Environmental Influences on Common Externalizing Psychopathology and Mental Wellbeing

Science.gov (United States)

Kendler, Kenneth S.; Myers, John M.; Keyes, Corey L. M.

2012-01-01

To determine the relationship between the genetic and environmental risk factors for externalizing psychopathology and mental wellbeing, we examined detailed measures of emotional, social and psychological wellbeing, and a history of alcohol-related problems and smoking behavior in the last year in 1,386 individual twins from same-sex pairs from the MIDUS national US sample assessed in 1995. Cholesky decomposition analyses were performed with the Mx program. The best fit model contained one highly heritable common externalizing psychopathology factor for both substance use/abuse measures, and one strongly heritable common factor for the three wellbeing measures. Genetic and environmental risk factors for externalizing psychopathology were both negatively associated with levels of mental wellbeing and accounted for, respectively, 7% and 21% of its genetic and environmental influences. Adding internalizing psychopathology assessed in the last year to the model, genetic risk factors unique for externalizing psychopathology were now positively related to levels of mental wellbeing, although accounting for only 5% of the genetic variance. Environmental risk factors unique to externalizing psychopathology continued to be negatively associated with mental wellbeing, accounting for 26% of the environmental variance. When both internalizing psychopathology and externalizing psychopathology are associated with mental wellbeing, the strongest risk factors for low mental wellbeing are genetic factors that impact on both internalizing psychopathology and externalizing psychopathology, and environmental factors unique to externalizing psychopathology. In this model, genetic risk factors for externalizing psychopathology predict, albeit weakly, higher levels of mental wellbeing. PMID:22506307

Environmental Externalities of Geological Carbon Sequestration Effects on Energy Scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Smekens, K.; Van der Zwaan, B.

2004-03-01

Geological carbon sequestration seems one of the promising options to address, in the near term, the global problem of climate change, since carbon sequestration technologies are in principle available today and their costs are expected to be affordable. Whereas extensive technological and economic feasibility studies rightly point out the large potential of this 'clean fossil fuel' option, relatively little attention has been paid so far to the detrimental environmental externalities that the sequestering of CO2 underground could entail. This paper assesses what the relevance might be of including these external effects in long-term energy planning and scenario analyses. Our main conclusion is that, while these effects are generally likely to be relatively small, carbon sequestration externalities do matter and influence the nature of future world energy supply and consumption. More importantly, since geological carbon storage (depending on the method employed) may in some cases have substantial external impacts, in terms of both environmental damage and health risks, it is recommended that extensive studies are performed to quantify these effects. This article addresses three main questions: (1) What may energy supply look like if one accounts for large-scale CO2 sequestration in the construction of long-term energy and climate change scenarios; (2) Suppose one hypothesizes a quantification of the external environmental costs of CO2 sequestration, how do then these supposed costs affect the evolution of the energy system during the 21st century; (3) Does it matter for these scenarios whether carbon sequestration damage costs are charged directly to consumers or, instead, to electricity producers?

Magnetic response to applied electrostatic field in external magnetic field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Adorno, T.C. [Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Fisica, Caixa Postal 66318, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); University of Florida, Department of Physics, Gainesville, FL (United States); Gitman, D.M. [Universidade de Sao Paulo, Instituto de Fisica, Caixa Postal 66318, Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil); Tomsk State University, Department of Physics, Tomsk (Russian Federation); Shabad, A.E. [P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute, Moscow (Russian Federation)

2014-04-15

We show, within QED and other possible nonlinear theories, that a static charge localized in a finite domain of space becomes a magnetic dipole, if it is placed in an external (constant and homogeneous) magnetic field in the vacuum. The magnetic moment is quadratic in the charge, depends on its size and is parallel to the external field, provided the charge distribution is at least cylindrically symmetric. This magneto-electric effect is a nonlinear response of the magnetized vacuum to an applied electrostatic field. Referring to the simple example of a spherically symmetric applied field, the nonlinearly induced current and its magnetic field are found explicitly throughout the space; the pattern of the lines of force is depicted, both inside and outside the charge, which resembles that of a standard solenoid of classical magnetostatics. (orig.)

Energy tax harmonization in the European Union: a proposal based on the internalization of environmental external costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorigoni, S.; Gulli, F.

2002-01-01

Energy tax harmonization is a crucial step towards the creation of a single market. In this article the possibility of achieving such an objective is discussed. The paper consists of two sections. In the first the European taxation on energy products is analysed. This analysis is useful in showing the differences that exist between the European countries that account for the difficulties met so far in the process of harmonization. In this respect we comment on the recent proposal of the Directive of the European Union, which lays down the obligation of minimum levels of taxation in all European member states. In the second section, after simulating the effects related to the adoption of a common environmental taxation (a first best solution based on the internalization of environmental external costs), we propose, as a second best solution, an excise tax harmonization model taking into consideration the specificity of each country and being, as far as possible, coherent with the environmental objective. This model proposes: the introduction of a minimum level of taxation on all products equal to the external cost due to the greenhouse effect (a common carbon tax); the possibility, given to the member states, of deviating from such minimum levels, in accordance with their specific requirements, internalizing in the price of the different products, by means of taxes additional to that CO 2 minimum, the external costs associated with other pollutant agents (the same in all countries); the opportunity, in case it should be necessary to exceed the entire external cost, for the member states to apply increases that are in accordance with the environmental objective. (author)

Quantifying the Sensitivity of the Production of Environmental Externalities to Market-Based Interventions in the Power Sector

Science.gov (United States)

Peer, R.; Sanders, K.

2017-12-01

The optimization function that governs the dispatching of power generators to meet electricity demand minimizes the marginal cost of electricity generation without regard to the environmental or public health damages caused by power production. Although technologies exist for reducing the externalities resulting from electricity generation at power plants, current solutions typically raise the cost of power production or introduce operational challenges for the grid. This research quantifies the trade-offs and couplings between the cooling water, greenhouse gas emissions, and air quality impacts of different power generating technologies under business as usual market conditions, as well as a series of market-based interventions aimed to reduce the production of those externalities. Using publicly available data from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) for power plant water use and emissions, a unit commitment and dispatch power market simulation model is modified to evaluate the production of environmental externalities from power production. Scenarios are developed to apply a set of fees for cooling water, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and sulfur oxide emissions, respectively. Trade-offs between environmental performance, overall generation costs, and shifts in the power plants dispatched to meet demand are quantified for each power market simulation. The results from this study will provide insight into the development of a novel market-based framework that modifies the optimization algorithms governing the dispatching of electricity onto the grid in efforts to achieve cost-effective improvements in its environmental performance without the need for new infrastructure investments.

Health-related external cost assessment in Europe: methodological developments from ExternE to the 2013 Clean Air Policy Package.

Science.gov (United States)

van der Kamp, Jonathan; Bachmann, Till M

2015-03-03

"Getting the prices right" through internalizing external costs is a guiding principle of environmental policy making, one recent example being the EU Clean Air Policy Package released at the end of 2013. It is supported by impact assessments, including monetary valuation of environmental and health damages. For over 20 years, related methodologies have been developed in Europe in the Externalities of Energy (ExternE) project series and follow-up activities. In this study, we aim at analyzing the main methodological developments over time from the 1990s until today with a focus on classical air pollution-induced human health damage costs. An up-to-date assessment including the latest European recommendations is also applied. Using a case from the energy sector, we identify major influencing parameters: differences in exposure modeling and related data lead to variations in damage costs of up to 21%; concerning risk assessment and monetary valuation, differences in assessing long-term exposure mortality risks together with assumptions on particle toxicity explain most of the observed changes in damage costs. These still debated influencing parameters deserve particular attention when damage costs are used to support environmental policy making.

Genetic and Environmental Associations Between Procrastination and Internalizing/Externalizing Psychopathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Gustavson, Daniel E; du Pont, Alta; Hatoum, Alexander S; Hyun Rhee, Soo; Kremen, William S; Hewitt, John K; Friedman, Naomi P

2017-09-01

Recent work on procrastination has begun to unravel the genetic and environmental correlates of this problematic behavior. However, little is known about how strongly procrastination is associated with internalizing and externalizing psychopathology, and the extent to which shared genetic/environmental factors or relevant personality constructs (e.g., fear of failure, impulsivity, and neuroticism) can inform the structure of these associations. The current study examined data from 764 young adult twins who completed questionnaires assessing procrastination and personality and structured interviews regarding psychopathology symptoms. Results indicated that procrastination was positively correlated with both internalizing and externalizing latent variables, and that these correlations were driven by shared genetic influences. Moreover, the association between procrastination and internalizing was accounted for by fear of failure and neuroticism, whereas the association between procrastination and externalizing was primarily explained by impulsivity. The role of procrastination in psychopathology is discussed using a framework that highlights common and broadband-specific variance.

Pesticide Environmental Accounting: A method for assessing the external costs of individual pesticide applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leach, A.W.; Mumford, J.D.

2008-01-01

The Pesticide Environmental Accounting (PEA) tool provides a monetary estimate of environmental and health impacts per hectare-application for any pesticide. The model combines the Environmental Impact Quotient method and a methodology for absolute estimates of external pesticide costs in UK, USA and Germany. For many countries resources are not available for intensive assessments of external pesticide costs. The model converts external costs of a pesticide in the UK, USA and Germany to Mediterranean countries. Economic and policy applications include estimating impacts of pesticide reduction policies or benefits from technologies replacing pesticides, such as sterile insect technique. The system integrates disparate data and approaches into a single logical method. The assumptions in the system provide transparency and consistency but at the cost of some specificity and precision, a reasonable trade-off for a method that provides both comparative estimates of pesticide impacts and area-based assessments of absolute impacts. - A method to estimate the external costs of a pesticide application based on the ecotoxicology, environmental behaviour and application rate of an active ingredient

Life Cycle Assessment, ExternE and Comprehensive Analysis for an integrated evaluation of the environmental impact of anthropogenic activities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pietrapertosa, F.; Cosmi, C. [National Research Council, Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis C.N.R.-I.M.A.A. C.da S.Loja, I-85050 Tito Scalo (PZ) (Italy); National Research Council, National Institute for the Physics of Matter, C.N.R.-I.N.F.M. Via Cinthia, I-80126 Naples (Italy); Macchiato, M. [Federico II University, Department of Physical Sciences, Via Cinthia, I-80126 Naples (Italy); National Research Council, National Institute for the Physics of Matter, C.N.R.-I.N.F.M. Via Cinthia, I-80126 Naples (Italy); Salvia, M.; Cuomo, V. [National Research Council, Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis C.N.R.-I.M.A.A. C.da S.Loja, I-85050 Tito Scalo (PZ) (Italy)

2009-06-15

The implementation of resource management strategies aimed at reducing the impacts of the anthropogenic activities system requires a comprehensive approach to evaluate on the whole the environmental burdens of productive processes and to identify the best recovery strategies from both an environmental and an economic point of view. In this framework, an analytical methodology based on the integration of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), ExternE and Comprehensive Analysis was developed to perform an in-depth investigation of energy systems. The LCA methodology, largely utilised by the international scientific community for the assessment of the environmental performances of technologies, combined with Comprehensive Analysis allows modelling the overall system of anthropogenic activities, as well as sub-systems, the economic consequences of the whole set of environmental damages. Moreover, internalising external costs into partial equilibrium models, as those utilised by Comprehensive Analysis, can be useful to identify the best paths for implementing technology innovation and strategies aimed to a more sustainable energy supply and use. This paper presents an integrated application of these three methodologies to a local scale case study (the Val D'Agri area in Basilicata, Southern Italy), aimed to better characterise the environmental impacts of the energy system, with particular reference to extraction activities. The innovative methodological approach utilised takes advantage from the strength points of each methodology with an added value coming from their integration as emphasised by the main results obtained by the scenario analysis. (author)

Perspective on energy security and other non environmental externalities in electricity generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bohi, D.R.

1994-01-01

Applications of the term externality to non environmental matters are often controversial and ambiguous. This paper argues that these externalities are also rarer or less important than sometimes alleged. The paper examines various potential energy security externalities and concludes that none of them are relevant to decisions regarding electric generation. Externalities may exist with regard to effects on local employment and the local infrastructure, although their importance is location specific and their measurement is highly subjective. In short, the consideration of this subset of externalities may confuse policy makers more than it helps them. (author). 15 refs

Compendium of selected references on air emissions; health, risk, and valuation research; and environmental externalities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szpunar, C.B.

1992-07-01

In preparing to develop a cost-benefit methodology that could be applied to potential projects abroad involving new coal-fired power plants that make use of US clean coal technologies, the author reviewed a wide variety of reference sources. These are listed in this publication. Before this review, the author had conducted a number of literature searches that identified source material in the newly rediscovered field of environmental externalities and related topics that might also be of value to other energy and environmental researchers. Those sources that appeared to be appropriate but that the author was unable to review are also listed in this document. Thus, this document serves as a comprehensive compendium of source material on these subjects, arranged alphabetically within categories

External factors influencing the environmental performance of South African firms

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Peart, R

2001-01-01

Full Text Available This article reviews the external factors that influence environmental performance of companies in South Africa, drawing on international and local literature. After considering factors within the natural, social, economic and institutional...

Effect of externally applied periodic force on ion acoustic waves in superthermal plasmas

Science.gov (United States)

Chowdhury, Snigdha; Mandi, Laxmikanta; Chatterjee, Prasanta

2018-04-01

Ion acoustic solitary waves in superthermal plasmas are investigated in the presence of trapped electrons. The reductive perturbation technique is employed to obtain a forced Korteweg-de Vries-like Schamel equation. An analytical solution is obtained in the presence of externally applied force. The effect of the external applied periodic force is also observed. The effect of the spectral index (κ), the strength ( f 0 ) , and the frequency ( ω ) on the amplitude and width of the solitary wave is obtained. The result may be useful in laboratory plasma as well as space environments.

Genetic and environmental influences on the familial transmission of externalizing disorders in adoptive and twin offspring.

Science.gov (United States)

Hicks, Brian M; Foster, Katherine T; Iacono, William G; McGue, Matt

2013-10-01

Twin-family studies have shown that parent-child resemblance on substance use disorders and antisocial behavior can be accounted for by the transmission of a general liability to a spectrum of externalizing disorders. Most studies, however, include only biological parents and offspring, which confound genetic and environmental transmission effects. To examine the familial transmission of externalizing disorders among both adoptive (genetically unrelated) and biological relatives to better distinguish genetic and environmental mechanisms of transmission. Family study design wherein each family included the mother, father, and 2 offspring, including monozygotic twin, dizygotic twin, nontwin biological, and adoptive offspring. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate familial transmission effects and their genetic and environmental influences. Participants were recruited from the community and assessed at a university laboratory. A total of 1590 families with biological offspring and 409 families with adoptive offspring. Offspring participants were young adults (mean age, 26.2 years). Symptom counts of conduct disorder, adult antisocial behavior, and alcohol, nicotine, and drug dependence. RESULTS There was a medium effect for the transmission of the general externalizing liability for biological parents (r = 0.27-0.30) but not for adoptive parents (r = 0.03-0.07). In contrast, adoptive siblings exhibited significant similarity on the general externalizing liability (r = 0.21). Biometric analyses revealed that the general externalizing liability was highly heritable (a2 = 0.61) but also exhibited significant shared environmental influences (c2 = 0.20). Parent-child resemblance for substance use disorders and antisocial behavior is primarily due to the genetic transmission of a general liability to a spectrum of externalizing disorders. Including adoptive siblings revealed a greater role of shared environmental influences on the general externalizing liability

Consideration of environmental externality costs in electric utility resource selections and regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ottinger, R.L.

1990-01-01

A surprising number of state electric utility regulatory commissions (half) have started to require consideration of environmental externality costs in utility planning and resource selection. The principal rationale for doing so is that electric utility operations impose very real and large damages to human health and the environment which are not taken into account by traditional utility least cost planning, resource selection procedures, or by government pollution regulation. These failures effectively value the residual environmental costs to society of utility operations at zero. The likely future prospect for more stringent governmental pollution regulation renders imprudent the selection of resources without taking environmental externality costs into consideration. Most regulatory commissions requiring environmental externality consideration have left it to the utilities to compute the societal costs, although a few have either set those costs themselves or used a proxy adder to polluting resource costs (or bonus for non-polluting resources). These commissions have used control or pollution mitigation costs, rather than societal damage costs, in their regulatory computations. This paper recommends that damage costs be used where adequate studies exist to permit quantification, discusses the methodologies for their measurement, and describes the means that have been and might be used for their incorporation

Valuing environmental externalities from rice-wheat farming in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lv, Yao; Gu, Shu-zhong [Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101 (China); Guo, Dong-mei [Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy, State Environmental Protection Administration, Beijing 100029 (China)

2010-05-15

Environmental externalities generated by agriculture are attracting considerable attention. However, most research has focused either on environmental services that agriculture provides as a distinct ecosystem or the negative environmental impacts that agriculture imposes. Therefore, there is a great need to re-evaluate the all-round environmental roles of agriculture, to optimize environmental performance of agriculture and non-trade concerns in World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations. By valuing the environmental externalities of agriculture, this article aims to heighten awareness of the environmental roles of agriculture to stimulate its implication in agricultural policy-making. The study presents estimates of economic values of environmental externalities from rice-wheat farming system in Zhenjiang, in aspects of greenhouse gas emissions, non-point source pollution, carbon sequestration and water containing capacity. We provide a step-by-step analytic procedure, with each step including measurement of physical dimensions and monetary evaluation. The former is based on a large-scale literature review, which provided a vital foundation for the monetary valuation. The results reveal that the values of greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural land, agricultural non-point source pollution, carbon sequestration by crop and soil, and the flood control function provided by agricultural land are estimated as: - US$3.61 x 10{sup 7} a{sup -1}, - US$4.59 x 10{sup 6} a{sup -1}, + US$2.30 x 10{sup 9} a{sup -1} and + US$2.21 x 10{sup 7} a{sup -1}, respectively. The net value of environmental externalities is as high as + US$2.28 x 10{sup 9} a{sup -1}, representing 17.87% of local GDP and 4.12 times the total agricultural output value in 2006. The results suggest that crops and soil in Zhenjiang are the most important carbon sinks, and that agriculture in Zhenjiang has huge positive environmental externalities, although both greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural

Environmental Externalities Related to Power Production Technologies in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ibsen, Liselotte Schleisner; Nielsen, Per Sieverts

1997-01-01

of the Danish part of the project is to implement the framework for externality evaluation, for three different power plants located in Denmark. The paper will focus on the assessment of the impacts of the whole fuel cycles for wind, natural gas and biogas. Priority areas for environmental impact assessment...

Do Internal and external environmental management contribute to the triple bottom line?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Giovanni, P.

2012-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of both internal and external environmental management (EM) on the triple bottom line (TBL), which embraces environmental, economic, and social performance. Both direct and indirect effects are estimated in order to capture the overall

Main problems of external monitoring in the accidental zone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gavrikov, O.K.; Gul'din, A.N.; Komarov, V.I.; Malkov, V.L.; Smirnov, N.V.; Sukhoruchkin, A.K.; Proskuryakov, A.G.

1989-01-01

Operational experience of the external monitoring service during emergency response is analysed as applied to the problems of optimization of environmental monitoring under accidental conditions. Problems of rapid and strategical environmental radiation monitoring are considered

Awareness of external costs - helps to improve environmental protection. The methodological convention for estimates of environmental externalities: the energy and transport sectors as examples; Externe Kosten kennen - Umwelt besser schuetzen. Die Methodenkonvention zur Schaetzung externer Kosten am Beispiel Energie und Verkehr

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-04-15

Today, environmental policy has to face economic considerations more than in former times. By means of an economic valuation of environmental damage, it is possible to estimate the economic utility of environmental policy measures. This is important because today's environmental policy prevents tomorrow's environmental damage. At present, there is no other field where this fact has become as obvious as in climate policy. All recent publications have provided evidence that climate protection is worthwhile because the costs of climate protection measures are lower than those resulting from inactivity. Economic valuation means to weigh a number of choices and targets against each other. Valuation requires value judgements. How to define a damage event? How to weigh different goods which deserve protection against each other and damage occurring today against that occurring in the future? How to deal with uncertainty with regard to future returns and risks? These are only a few of the problems depending on value judgements that we have to face. This applies in general and not only in economic valuation. The Methodological Convention elaborated by the Federal Environment Agency addresses these problems. It has been the intention of the authors to explain and substantiate their value judgements and the criteria underlying the valuation of environmental damage (as well as that of environmental damage that has been avoided). Thus, the Federal Environment Agency wishes to make a contribution to transparency and consistency of decision-making in environmental policy. The principles of valuation suggested may be used for example to substantiate cost rates for external costs incurred by energy production and transport. The exemplary calculations have demonstrated that the internalization of environmental costs has been achieved in part only. Policy makers may choose different ways to gradually improve this situation. Internalization does not necessarily mean that

Archives: African Journal of Applied Zoology and Environmental ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Archives: African Journal of Applied Zoology and Environmental Biology. Journal Home > Archives: African Journal of Applied Zoology and Environmental Biology. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

Monetization of Environmental Externalities (Emissions from Bioenergy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isabelle BROSE

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Bioenergy from agriculture is today in the heart of sustainabledevelopment, integrating its key components: environment and climate change,energy economics and energy supply, agriculture, rural and social development.Each bioenergy production route presents externalities that must be assessed inorder to compare one bioenergy route to another (bioenergy route. The lack ofprimary and reliable data on externalities is, nevertheless, an important nontechnologicalbarrier to the implementation of the best (bioenergy routes. In thisarticle, we want to monetize one environmental externality from bioenergy:emissions (GHG: CO2, CH4, N2O, O3; CO, NOx, SO2, metal, and PM. We have tomonetize emissions on the basis of their effects on health, global warming, and soiland water quality. Emissions will be quantified through Life Cycle Analysis (LCAand ECOINVENT database. Impacts on health will be monetized on the basis ofmortality (number of life expectancy years lost multiplied by Value Of Life Year(VOLY and morbidity (number of ill persons multiplied by Cost Of Illness(COI. Impacts on global warming will be monetized by Benefits Transfers fromthe Stern Review and its critics. Finally, impacts on soil and water quality will bemonetized by Averting Behaviour or Defensive Expenses methods. Monetizationresults will be gathered, weighted, and incorporated in states and firms’ decisionmakingtools. They would enhance capacity of policy makers and managers tochose the best (bioenergy routes.

Estimation of environmental external costs between coal fired power plant and nuclear power plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moon, G. H.; Kim, S. S.

2000-01-01

First of all, this study evaluated the impacts on the health and the environment of air pollutants emitted from coal power plant and nuclear power pant, two major electric power generating options in Korea. Then, the environmental external costs of those two options were estimated by transforming the health and environment impact into monetary values. To do this, AIRPACTS and Impacts of Atmospheric Release model developed by IAEA were used. The environmental external cost of Samcheonpo coal power plant was estimated about 25 times as much as that of Younggwang nuclear power plant. This result implies that nuclear power plant is a clean technology compared with coal power plant. This study suggests that the external cost should be reflected in the electric system expansion plan in order to allocate energy resources efficiently and to reduce economic impact stemming from the environmental regulation emerged recently on a global level

Pesticide Environmental Accounting: a method for assessing the external costs of individual pesticide applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Leach, A W; Mumford, J D

2008-01-01

The Pesticide Environmental Accounting (PEA) tool provides a monetary estimate of environmental and health impacts per hectare-application for any pesticide. The model combines the Environmental Impact Quotient method and a methodology for absolute estimates of external pesticide costs in UK, USA and Germany. For many countries resources are not available for intensive assessments of external pesticide costs. The model converts external costs of a pesticide in the UK, USA and Germany to Mediterranean countries. Economic and policy applications include estimating impacts of pesticide reduction policies or benefits from technologies replacing pesticides, such as sterile insect technique. The system integrates disparate data and approaches into a single logical method. The assumptions in the system provide transparency and consistency but at the cost of some specificity and precision, a reasonable trade-off for a method that provides both comparative estimates of pesticide impacts and area-based assessments of absolute impacts.

External injection systems applied in modern cyclotrons designed and manufactured in NIIEFA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bogdanov, P.V.; Vasilchenko, I.N.; Veresov, O.L.; Gavrish, Yu.N.; Grigorenko, S.V.; Zuev, Yu.V.; Kozienko, M.T.; Mudrolyubov, V.G.; Strokach, A.P.; Tsygankov, S.S.

2012-01-01

The main parameters and design features of the external injection systems applied in modern cyclotrons designed and manufactured in NIIEFA and intended for production of radionuclides for medicine are presented. The use of these external injection systems instead of a traditional internal source allows the current of the accelerated beam to be significantly increased and the in-leakage of the working gas to the acceleration chamber to be reduced, which results in reduced beam losses in the process of acceleration and lower equipment activation.

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management - Vol ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management. ... AFRICAN JOURNALS ONLINE (AJOL) · Journals · Advanced Search · USING ... Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management - Vol 22, No 5 (2018) .... Growth Performance of Five Bean (Phaseolus spp) Varieties as Influenced by Organic ...

Testing the role of external debt in environmental degradation: empirical evidence from Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Katircioglu, Salih; Celebi, Aysem

2018-03-01

This study investigates the role of external debt stock in Turkey, which has suffered from heavy (external and domestic) debt stock for many years. Annual data from 1960 to 2013 was analyzed using time series analysis in order to study this. The results confirm the validity of the conventional environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) in the case of Turkey. However, this study also found that Turkey's external debt stock did not influence the Turkish economy's long-term EKC behavior. Fortunately, the results suggest that there are important interactions among external debt stock, CO 2 emissions, energy consumption, and real income; that is, changes in external debt volume precede changes in these aggregates' volumes.

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management - Vol ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management. ... AFRICAN JOURNALS ONLINE (AJOL) · Journals · Advanced Search · USING ... Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management - Vol 22, No 4 (2018) ... Evaluating the effect of mobility speed on the performance of three handover algorithms in ...

Foreign direct investment, institutional development, and environmental externalities: evidence from China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Danny T; Chen, Wendy Y

2014-03-15

The question of how foreign direct investment (FDI) affects a host country's natural environment has generated much debate but little consensus. Building on an institution-based theory, this article examines how the institutional development of a host setting affects the degree of FDI-related environmental externalities in China (specifically, industrial sulfur dioxide emissions). With a panel data set of 287 Chinese cities, over the period 2002-2009, this study reveals that FDI in general induces negative environmental externalities. Investments from OECD countries increase sulfur dioxide emissions, whereas FDI from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan shows no significant effect. Institutional development reduces the impacts of FDI across the board. By focusing on the moderating role of institutions, this study sheds new light on the long-debated relationships among FDI, institutions, and the environments of the host countries. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Measuring the environmental benefits of hydrogen transportation fuel cycles under uncertainty about external costs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chernyavs'ka, Liliya; Gulli, Francesco

2010-01-01

In this paper, we attempt to measure the environmental benefits of hydrogen deployment in the transportation sector. We compare the hydrogen pathways to the conventional transportation fuel cycles in terms of external costs, estimated using the results of the most accurate methodologies available in this field. The central values of performed analysis bring us ambiguous results. The external cost of the best conventional solution ('oil to diesel hybrid internal-combustion engine') in some cases is just higher and in others just lower than that of the best fossil fuel to hydrogen solution ('natural gas to hydrogen fuel cell'). Nevertheless, by accounting for the uncertainty about external costs, we are able to remove this ambiguity highlighting that the hydrogen pathway provides significant environmental benefits ,especially in densely populated areas, assuming 100% city driving.

Environmental protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hull, A.P.

1979-01-01

Environmental Studies and Internal Dosimetry projects include: Environmental Protection; 1977 Environmental Monitoring Report; Sewage Sludge Disposal on the Sanitary Landfill; Radiological Analyses of Marshall Islands Environmental Samples, 1974 to 1976; External Radiation Survey and Dose Predictions for Rongelap, Utirik, Rongerik, Ailuk, and Wotje Atolls; Marshall Islands - Diet and Life Style Study; Dose Reassessment for Populations on Rongelap and Utirik Following Exposure to Fallout from BRAVO Incident (March 1, 1954); Whole Body Counting Results from 1974 to 1979 for Bikini Island Residents; Dietary Radioactivity Intake from Bioassay Data, a Model Applied to 137 Cs Intake by Bikini Island Residents; and External Exposure Measurements at Bikini Atoll

Internal and external influences on pro-environmental behavior: participation in a green electricity program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, C.F.; Moore, M.R.; Kotchen, M.J.; Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor, MI

2003-01-01

This paper integrates themes from psychology and economics to analyze pro-environmental behavior. Increasingly, both disciplines share an interest in understanding internal and external influences on behavior. In this study, we analyze data from a mail survey of participants and non-participants in a premium-priced, green electricity program. Internal variables consist of a newly developed scale for altruistic attitudes based on the Schwartz norm-activation model, and a modified version of the New Ecological Paradigm scale to measure environmental attitudes. External variables consist of household income and standard socio-demographic characteristics. The two internal variables and two external variables are significant in a logit model of the decision to participate in the program. We then focus on participants in the program and analyze their specific motives for participating. These include motives relating to several concerns: ecosystem health, personal health, environmental quality for residents in southeastern Michigan, global warming, and warm-glow (or intrinsic) satisfaction. In a statistical ranking of the importance of each motive, a biocentric motive ranks first, an altruistic motive ranks second, and an egoistic motive ranks third. (author)

Internalizing external environmental costs of agriculture into product prices, Case study for milk and potatoes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Masselink, Dirk Jan

2007-01-01

Society has to pay large amounts of money to compensate for the environmental damages caused by farm emissions. These external costs are not fully accounted for in product prices and internalization of these external costs into the cost price of agricultu

Assessment of private economic benefits and positive environmental externalities of tea plantation in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Xue, Hui; Ren, Xiaoyi; Li, Shiyu; Wu, Xu; Cheng, Hao; Xu, Bin; Gu, Baojing; Yang, Guofu; Peng, Changhui; Ge, Ying; Chang, Jie

2013-10-01

Tea plantations are rapidly expanding in China and other countries in the tropical and subtropical zones, driven by relatively high private economic benefit. However, the impact of tea plantations on the regional environment, including ecosystem services and disservices are unclear. In this study, we developed an assessment framework for determining the private economic benefits and environmental externalities (the algebraic sum of the regulating services and disservices) of tea plantations in China. Our results showed that tea plantations provided private economic benefits of 5,652 yuan ha(-1) year(-1) (7.6 yuan = 1 USD in 2007) for tea farmers, plus positive environmental externalities of 6,054 yuan ha(-1) year(-1) for the society. The environmental externalities were calculated as the sum of the value of four regulating services, including carbon sequestration (392 yuan ha(-1) year(-1)); soil retention (72 yuan ha(-1) year(-1)); soil fertility protection (3,189 yuan ha(-1) year(-1)) and water conservation (2,685 yuan ha(-1) year(-1)), and three disservices, including CO2 emission (-39 yuan ha(-1) year(-1)), N2O emission (-137 yuan ha(-1) year(-1)) and nonpoint source pollution (-108 yuan ha(-1) year(-1)). Before the private optimal level, the positive environmental externalities can be maintained by private economic benefits; if a social optimal level is required, subsidies from government are necessary.

Down the slippery slop: Utility incorporation of environmental externalities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vandenberg, A.J.; Tempchin, R.S.; Mitnick, S.A.; Harron, A.L.

1993-01-01

Advocates of incorporating environmental externalities in electric utility decision-making have concentrated on new electric generating resources, with some success. Such public utility commission actions compel utilities to consider, explicitly, the cost of sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and other emission of power-plants when comparing the economics of new generating resources with those of other resource options (e.g., demand-side management and gas-fired non-utility generator projects). This paper summarizes a study which estimated costs of incorporating externalities in utility system operations. We also present an analysis of the Tellus work in this area, and contrast Tellus' methodology, assumptions and results with our own. Estimates of the cost of incorporating externalities in system operations is rather large, in terms of the increased fuel and purchased power cost that ratepayers would have to bear. For the eight cases we examined, the incorporation of externalities caused fuel and purchased power cost to be 9.3 to 69.5 percent higher, relative to what it would have been under traditional generating unit commitment and dispatch. Furthermore, we believe that these estimates of fuel and purchased power cost increases are conservative. In particular, because our analyses focused on utility system operations in 1995, the key assumption about the fuel cost differential (i.e., coal versus natural gas) probably underestimates the differential in later years, significantly, when virtually all forecasters foresee faster cost escalation rates for gas. In general, the higher the fuel cost differential, the faster cost escalation rates for gas. In general, the higher the fuel cost differential, the greater the cost of an externality policy. Unless the record is set straight soon, the idea that incorporating externalities is virtually costless will further spread in the regulatory community and among government policy-makers

Laser generated hot electron transport in an externally applied magnetic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burnett, N.H.; Enright, G.D.

1986-01-01

The authors have investigated the effect of an externally applied DC magnetic field on the generation and transport of hot electrons in CO/sub 2/ laser irradiation of cylindrical targets. The targets used in these studies were 6.3 mm diameter metal rods through which a pulsed current was driven from an external capacitor. Magnetic fields up to 150 kgauss were produced at the target surface. The CO/sub 2/ laser was focused with an f/5 lens resulting in a laser intensity of ≅3 x 10/sup 14/ W/cm/sup 2/ in a 100 μm diameter focal spot. The effect of the external magnetic field on the generation and inward transport of superhot (≥ 100 keV) electrons was studied. Principal diagnostics included a six channel hard x-ray spectrometer, a high energy x-ray pinhole camera, a LiF Laue x-ray spectrograph and a Ross-filtered (W-Ta) pair of x-ray detectors. The latter two diagnostics were designed to detect Au Kα /sub emission at 68.2 keV

Economic evaluation of environmental externalities in China’s coal-fired power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Xiaoli; Cai, Qiong; Ma, Chunbo; Hu, Yanan; Luo, Kaiyan; Li, William

2017-01-01

Serious environmental externalities exist in China’s power industry. Environmental economics theory suggests that the evaluation of environmental externality is the basis of designing an efficient regulation. The purposes of this study are: (1) to identify Chinese respondents’ preferences for green development of electric power industry and the socio-economic characteristics behind them; (2) to investigate the different attitudes of the respondents towards pollution and CO_2 reduction; (3) to quantitatively evaluate the environmental cost of China’s coal-fired power generation. Based on the method of choice experiments (CE) and the 411 questionnaires with 2466 data points, we found that Chinese respondents prefer PM2.5, SO_2 and NO_x reduction to CO_2 reduction and that the environment cost of coal-fired power plants in China is 0.30 yuan per kWh. In addition, we found that the socio-economic characteristics of income, education, gender, and environmental awareness have significant impacts on respondents’ choices. These findings indicate that the environmental cost of coal-fired power generation is a significant factor that requires great consideration in the formulation of electric power development policies. In addition, importance should also be attached to the implementation of green power price policy and enhancement of environmental protection awareness. - Highlights: • Chinese respondents have willingness to pay premium for green development. • The environment cost of coal-fired power plants in China is 0.30 yuan/kwh. • Chinese respondents prefer PM2.5, SO_2 and NO_x reduction to CO_2 reduction. • Environmental awareness has significant impacts on respondents’ preferences. • Income, education and gender affect the evaluation results.

Dispersion of pollutants, environmental externalities due to a pulverized coal power plant and their effect on the cost of electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Czarnowska, Lucyna; Frangopoulos, Christos A.

2012-01-01

Energy conversion systems generate pollution that causes damages to the environment and the society. The objective of this work is to study the dispersion of pollutants and assess the environmental and social cost due to pollution from such a system. For this purpose, a pulverized coal power plant is selected. Using thermodynamic principles combined with empirical techniques, the quantities of pollutants emitted by the plant are estimated. Then, using the EcoSenseWeb software, which is based on the results of the ExternE project, the external environmental cost (externalities) of pollution is assessed. The plant is considered as located in four different cities in Poland and the externalities are calculated for each city separately. It is shown that the external environmental cost has a strong influence on the unit cost of electricity. In addition, the dispersion of pollutants is presented for the plant located in Olsztyn city. Furthermore, the plant is considered as located near the capitals of European countries and the environmental externalities are calculated for each city. The neighboring countries that are strongly affected by the plant in each particular city are identified. The sensitivity of the unit cost of electricity to certain important parameters is investigated. -- Highlights: ► The external cost of pollution has a significant impact on the cost of electricity. ► The results depend on the particular plant, location and level (local-global). ► Externalities make the installation of abatement equipment economical. ► The source location of emissions has a significant effect on the external cost. ► The transboundary pollution has a strong effect on the environmental cost.

Accounting for external costs in a study of a Swedish district-heating system - An assessment of environmental policies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fahlen, E.; Ahlgren, E.O.

2010-01-01

Sweden has historically had strict emission control by implementation of economic policy instruments with the aim of internalising the external costs of air pollution. This study aims to evaluate how well current Swedish policy instruments reflect the environmental costs associated with heat generation in several district-heating (DH) plants in the DH system of Goeteborg. Furthermore, it aims to simulate and evaluate the operation of the DH system based on its social cost-effectiveness which takes into account the DH system's private and external costs (non-internalised environmental costs). The study shows that the economic policy instruments do not fully internalise all external costs whereas for certain technologies, the costs in terms of taxes, emission permits, environmental fees, etc. are higher than the environmental costs caused by the pollutants, given the environmental cost estimates used in the study. The simulation results show that the deviating internalisation of external costs affects the economic ranking of the different plants within the studied DH system. The estimated loss in social-cost effectiveness of the operation of the DH system of Goeteborg is noticable but relatively small if compared to the variable heat generation costs for most of the studied DH plants.

Internal and external environmental factors affecting the performance of hospital-based home nursing care.

Science.gov (United States)

Noh, J-W; Kwon, Y-D; Yoon, S-J; Hwang, J-I

2011-06-01

Numerous studies on HNC services have been carried out by signifying their needs, efficiency and effectiveness. However, no study has ever been performed to determine the critical factors associated with HNC's positive results despite the deluge of positive studies on the service. This study included all of the 89 training hospitals that were practising HNC service in Korea as of November 2006. The input factors affecting the performance were classified as either internal or external environmental factors. This analysis was conducted to understand the impact that the corresponding factors had on performance. Data were analysed by using multiple linear regressions. The internal and external environment variables affected the performance of HNC based on univariate analysis. The meaningful variables were internal environmental factors. Specifically, managerial resource (the number of operating beds and the outpatient/inpatient ratio) were meaningful when the multiple linear regression analysis was performed. Indeed, the importance of organizational culture (the passion of HNC nurses) was significant. This study, considering the limited market size of Korea, illustrates that the critical factor for the development of hospital-led HNC lies with internal environmental factors rather than external ones. Among the internal environmental factors, the hospitals' managerial resource-related factors (specifically, the passion of nurses) were the most important contributing element. © 2011 The Authors. International Nursing Review © 2011 International Council of Nurses.

Environmental fate of pesticides applied on coffee crops in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this paper was evaluate the environmental fate of pesticides applied in coffee crops in southeast of Brazil, using the level I fugacity model. Chemical and physical characteristics of the pesticides were considered in different environmental compartments and applied fugacity equations. The preliminary evaluation ...

Quality assurance of external exposure measurement for national survey of environmental natural radioactive level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yue Qingyu

1995-01-01

This paper summarizes the quality assurance work of external exposure measurement for national survey of environmental natural radioactive level. It mainly introduces instrumentation used in external exposure measurement and its properties, the measurement results of three times of national in-site intercomparison, and in-site sample check results of measurement results from 29 provinces, cities and autonomous regions and Wuhan, Baotou cities

76 FR 55384 - External Peer Review Meeting for the Draft Guidance of Applying Quantitative Data To Develop Data...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-07

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA/100/J-11/001; FRL-9460-1] External Peer Review Meeting for... attend this peer review meeting as observers. Time will be set aside for observers to give brief oral... the draft document, EPA intends to consider the comments from the external peer review meeting along...

[Applying Ethics, Placating Ethics, or Applying ourselves to Ethics? A Critical View of Environmental Ethics as Applied Ethics].

Science.gov (United States)

Serani Merlo, Alejandro

2016-01-01

There is actually a pervasive tendency to consider environmental ethics and bioethics as specific cases pertaining to a supposed kind of ″applied ethics″. Application can be understood in two different meanings: a concrete sense, as in technical applications, and a psychological meaning, as when we mentally apply ourselves to a task. Ethics has been always thought as a practical knowledge, in a ″praxical″ sense and not in a ″poietic″ one. Ethics has to do with ″ends″ not with ″means″; in this sense ethics is ″useless″. Since ethics has to do with the ultimate meaning of things, ethical choices give meaning to all practical activities. In that sense ethics instead of being useless must be considered as ″over-useful″ (Maritain). Nowadays politics tend to instrumentalize ethics in order to political objectives. The consequence has been the reconceptualization of specific ethics as applied ethics. Environmental ethics and bioethics are then submitted to politics following the logic of technical applications. Environmental ethics and bioethics considered as applied ethics are at risk to becoming not only useless, but also meaningless.

Environmental external radiation at some Bulgarian localities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spurny, F.; Turek, K.; Gelev, M.

2004-01-01

Studies of the environmental radiation background are important from several points of view. First, they permit to estimate the exposure of humans to natural radiation background as a function of different geographical and geophysical parameters. Second, such studies can give also relevant information concerning the consequences of human activities on the presence of ionizing radiation and its sources in the environment. Our both institutions have started since 2000 year common studies in the field of environmental radiation background and its variation with the locality considered. First we have decided to compare the measuring methods used. They were compared on the territory of the Institute of Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (INRNE BAS), particularly in the surroundings of IRT 2000 research reactor. Further, they were compared also at the monitoring station on the territory of INRNE BAS. Finally, the studies were enlarged to the Moussala Observatory of the Institute at Rila Mountains. Several measuring instruments were used to characterize external environmental radiation exposure: Environmental radiation dose rate meter NB 3201 developed in the Czech Republic with a plastic scintillator with small NaI-TL crystal used to compensate the energy dependence to low energy photons; MDU-Liulin semiconductor spectrometer with Si-diode as the sensitive element able to characterize the radiation with both low and high LET; Thermoluminescent detectors (TLD) CaSO 4 :Dy, powder of this TLD material was filled to an Al dose. Results obtained are presented, analysed and discussed. A good agreement of the results obtained was observed, also when compared to the results of other experimental groups. (authors)

The regulatory instruments for the correction of energy-related environmental externalities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labanderia Villot, X.; Lopez Otero, X.; Rodriguez Mendez, M.

2007-01-01

In this paper we deal with the different regulatory instruments for the correction of energy-related environmental externalities. This objective is justified by the size and general occurrence of this type of externalities in contemporary societies. In this sense, we distinguish between three main generations of instruments: conventional regulations, market mechanisms and voluntary approaches. In all cases, some practical examples of their application are presented, albeit emphasizing the experience with the so-called market instruments and the results of hypothetical simulations for the Spanish case. As a general conclusion we underline the role of economic analysis in the design, choice and evaluation of those mechanisms, which also explains the structure and contents of the article. (Author)

Stabilisation of ballooning modes in torsatrons with an externally applied toroidal current

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, W.A.

1996-01-01

It has been found that ideal ballooning modes can impose very restrictive volume average β limits in torsatrons much below the typical values close to 5% that are required to be economically realisable as reactor systems and it has been shown that externally applied toroidal currents that are peaked can destabilise the Mercier criterion in this type of configuration. We will show here that if the applied currents are hollow, they can stabilise the ballooning modes without triggering Mercier instabilities and as a result raise the limiting β* from 2% to 5%. (author) 3 figs., 10 refs

Approaches in estimation of external cost for fuel cycles in the ExternE project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Afanas'ev, A.A.; Maksimenko, B.N.

1998-01-01

The purposes, content and main results of studies realized within the frameworks of the International Project ExternE which is the first comprehensive attempt to develop general approach to estimation of external cost for different fuel cycles based on utilization of nuclear and fossil fuels, as well as on renewable power sources are discussed. The external cost of a fuel cycle is treated as social and environmental expenditures which are not taken into account by energy producers and consumers, i.e. these are expenditures not included into commercial cost nowadays. The conclusion on applicability of the approach suggested for estimation of population health hazards and environmental impacts connected with electric power generation growth (expressed in money or some other form) is made

The external costs of electricity generation: a comparison of generation technologies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozdemiroglu, E [Economics for the Environment Consultancy, London (United Kingdom)

1995-12-01

Electricity generation, like any economic activity, leads to costs that can be grouped in two categories: (a) private or internal and (b) external. Private costs are those paid by the buyers and sellers of energy within the market system. The external costs, however, are not included in the market price mechanism as they accrue to third parties other than the buyer and the seller. External costs include environmental external costs and non-environmental external costs. There are two conditions for the existence of external costs: (a) market failure, or the inability of markets to account for the cost of environmental impacts of energy generation and the market structure and (b) government or policy failure, or the policies that cause private generators to pay either higher or lower costs than they would if these interventions did not exist. A third reason can be added for the existence of non-environmental externalities: energy security, or certain costs faced by society as a result of over-reliance on imported energy. Section A introduces the concept of external costs and benefits. Section B looks at the environmental externalities of energy generation. The procedure is to develop the methodology to estimate what are known as externality adders, i.e. a monetary value for the environmental costs and benefits associated with selected generation technologies, expressed in pence per kilowatt-hour. The result is an `adder` because, in principle, the sum can be added to the private cost of generating electricity to obtain a measure of the `full` or `social` cost. The selected generation technologies are conventional coal, wind power, small-scale hydro, energy crops, incineration of municipal solid waste and energy recovery from landfill. The data reported are based on the application of the technologies in Scotland, but the methodology can be applied anywhere. Section C takes a brief look at the non-environmental externalities including the general theory and evidence

The external costs of electricity generation: a comparison of generation technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozdemiroglu, E.

1995-01-01

Electricity generation, like any economic activity, leads to costs that can be grouped in two categories: (a) private or internal and (b) external. Private costs are those paid by the buyers and sellers of energy within the market system. The external costs, however, are not included in the market price mechanism as they accrue to third parties other than the buyer and the seller. External costs include environmental external costs and non-environmental external costs. There are two conditions for the existence of external costs: (a) market failure, or the inability of markets to account for the cost of environmental impacts of energy generation and the market structure and (b) government or policy failure, or the policies that cause private generators to pay either higher or lower costs than they would if these interventions did not exist. A third reason can be added for the existence of non-environmental externalities: energy security, or certain costs faced by society as a result of over-reliance on imported energy. Section A introduces the concept of external costs and benefits. Section B looks at the environmental externalities of energy generation. The procedure is to develop the methodology to estimate what are known as externality adders, i.e. a monetary value for the environmental costs and benefits associated with selected generation technologies, expressed in pence per kilowatt-hour. The result is an 'adder' because, in principle, the sum can be added to the private cost of generating electricity to obtain a measure of the 'full' or 'social' cost. The selected generation technologies are conventional coal, wind power, small-scale hydro, energy crops, incineration of municipal solid waste and energy recovery from landfill. The data reported are based on the application of the technologies in Scotland, but the methodology can be applied anywhere. Section C takes a brief look at the non-environmental externalities including the general theory and evidence

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management. ... Types Of Contributions. Original research papers; review articles; case studies and short communications. 3. Copyright ... Example: Chukwu, M; Olusegun, AW; Mohammed, SSD.

ExternE: Externalities of energy Vol. 4. Oil and gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friedrich, R.; Krewitt, W.; Mayerhofer, P.

1995-01-01

Awareness of the environmental damage resulting from human activity, particularly commencing energy use, has grown greatly in recent years. Effects such as global warming, ozone depletion and acid rain are now the subjects of much research and public debate. It is now known that these and other effects damage a wide range of receptors, including human health, forests, crops, freshwater ecosystems and buildings. Such damages are typically not accounted for by the producers and consumers of the good in question (in this case energy). They are thus referred to as 'external costs' or 'externalities', to distinguish them from the private costs which account for the construction of plant, cost of fuel, wages, etc. In recent years there has been a growing interest in the assessment of the environmental and health impacts of energy, and the related external costs. This concern is driven by a number of different factors: the need to integrate environmental concerns in decision making over the choice between different fuels and energy technologies; the need to evaluate the costs and benefits of stricter environmental standards; increased attention to the use of economic instruments for environmental policy, the need to develop overall indicators of environmental performance of different technologies; major changes in the energy sector, including privatisation, liberalisation of markets, reduction of subsidies, etc. An agreed methodology for calculation and integration of external costs has not been established. Earlier work is typically of a preliminary nature and tends to be deficient with respect to both the methods employed and the quality of models and data used. In consequence of this a collaborative project, the EC/US Fuel Cycles Study, was established between Directorate General XLI (Science, Research and Technology) of the European Commission and the United States Department of Energy. This ran for the period 1991 to 1993, and good agreement on a variety of

Evaluating external costs of human health and environmental impacts using IAEA model SIMPACTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bobric, Elena; Jelev, Adrian

2005-01-01

SIMPACTS (Simplified Approach for Estimating Impacts and External Costs of Electricity Generation) model developed at the International Atomic Energy Agency is a powerful and convenient tool for evaluating external costs induced by different energy sources. The model was developed for industrial countries and for developing countries as well where studies of alternatives of sustainable energy policies are conducted. The SIMPACTS allow the decision making factors involved in energy policy to have reasonable estimates of environment impacts and relating costs appealing to a rather low number of input parameters. The paper aims at analyzing by means of SIMPACTS the environmental impact produced by Cernavoda NPP operation in two cases: a) the impact of the Cernavoda NPP itself; b) the impact of an hypothetical coal based power plant of the same power level and located on the Cernavoda NPP site. The SIMPACTS modules AIRPACTS and NUCPACTS were applied to assess the impacts on human health, agricultural crops and building materials from exposure to routine atmospheric emissions and as well to quantify and value the adverse effects on human health due to routine atmospheric release of radionuclides from the NPP, via radioactive waste ground disposal or resulting from accidents in nuclear facility, respectively. The conclusion of this study based on SIMPACTS model application to assess the health effects and damage cost per year is that the Cernavoda NPP presents the lower health effects and damage cost comparing with power plants of other types

Externalities - an analysis using the EU ExternE-results

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-10-01

The EU project ExternE quantified the externalities for the different energy technologies. In this work, the ExternE results are used in a MARKAL-analysis for the Nordic countries. The analysis does not go into detail, but gives some interesting indications: The external costs are not fully covered in the Nordic energy systems, the present taxes and charges are not high enough. The emissions from the energy systems would be strongly reduced, if taxes/environmental charges were set at the level ExternE calculate. The emissions from power production would be reduced most. Renewable energy sources and natural gas dominate the energy systems in the ExternE case

Applied research of environmental monitoring using instrumental neutron activation analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Young Sam; Moon, Jong Hwa; Chung, Young Ju

1997-08-01

This technical report is written as a guide book for applied research of environmental monitoring using Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis. The contents are as followings; sampling and sample preparation as a airborne particulate matter, analytical methodologies, data evaluation and interpretation, basic statistical methods of data analysis applied in environmental pollution studies. (author). 23 refs., 7 tabs., 9 figs.

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management. ... Impacts of Organic Wastes on Water Quality of Woji Creek in Port Harcourt, Nigeria ... of Old Netim Village in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria ...

African Journal of Applied Zoology and Environmental Biology

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The African Journal of Applied Zoology and Environmental Biology (formerly the African Journal of Applied Zoology) was inaugurated to meet the growing need for an indigenous authoritative organ for the dissemination of the results of scientific research into the fauna of Africa. Its scope has been widened and the title ...

Nevada Applied Ecology Group procedures handbook for environmental transuranics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, M.G.; Dunaway, P.B.

1976-10-01

The activities of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) integrated research studies of environmental plutonium and other transuranics at the Nevada Test Site have required many standardized field and laboratory procedures. These include sampling techniques, collection and preparation, radiochemical and wet chemistry analysis, data bank storage and reporting, and statistical considerations for environmental samples of soil, vegetation, resuspended particles, animals, and other biological material. This document, printed in two volumes, includes most of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group standard procedures, with explanations as to the specific applications involved in the environmental studies. Where there is more than one document concerning a procedure, it has been included to indicate special studies or applications more complex than the routine standard sampling procedures utilized

Nevada Applied Ecology Group procedures handbook for environmental transuranics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

White, M.G.; Dunaway, P.B.

1976-10-01

The activities of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) integrated research studies of environmental plutonium and other transuranics at the Nevada Test Site have required many standardized field and laboratory procedures. These include sampling techniques, collection and preparation, radiochemical and wet chemistry analysis, data bank storage and reporting, and statistical considerations for environmental samples of soil, vegetation, resuspended particles, animals, and others. This document, printed in two volumes, includes most of the Nevada Applied Ecology Group standard procedures, with explanations as to the specific applications involved in the environmental studies. Where there is more than one document concerning a procedure, it has been included to indicate special studies or applications perhaps more complex than the routine standard sampling procedures utilized

The Role of External Environment in Upper Echelons Theory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yamak, Sibel; Nielsen, Sabina; Escribá-Esteve, Alejandro

2014-01-01

and industrial organization theories, a cross-level conceptual model outlining the direct, mediating, and moderating effects of the external environment on upper echelons is developed. This review distinguishes between industry and institutional levels of analysis and three types of environmental characteristics......Upper echelons research has largely focused on the antecedents and consequences of top management teams (TMTs) from the team and firm levels of analysis. This paper reviews empirical research on TMTs with a specific emphasis on the role of the external environment. Applying institutional...

24 CFR 1000.18 - What environmental review requirements apply?

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 24 Housing and Urban Development 4 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false What environmental review requirements apply? 1000.18 Section 1000.18 Housing and Urban Development Regulations Relating to Housing and... HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT NATIVE AMERICAN HOUSING ACTIVITIES General § 1000.18 What environmental...

Quantifying Third-Party Impacts and Environmental Externalities from a Cap-And-Trade System for Groundwater Management

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, H. F.; Yang, Y. C. E.; Brown, C.

2016-12-01

Economic decision models, such as the cap-and-trade system, have been shown to be useful in the context of groundwater management. A uniformly applied cap-and-trade system can however result in significant spatially and temporally varying hydrogeologic impacts that reduce public welfare. Hydrological challenges associated with the cap-and-trade system for groundwater management include establishing appropriate system boundaries, setting system-wide sustainable yield and limiting third party impacts from extractions. Given these challenges, these economic models need to be supplemented with physically based hydrogeologic models that are able to represent the spatial and temporal heterogeneity in conditions across a region. This investigation assesses third-party impacts and environmental externalities resulting from a cap-and-trade system in a sub-basin of the Republican River Basin, overlying the Ogallala aquifer in the High Plains of the United States. The economic model is coupled with a calibrated physically based groundwater model. The cap-and-trade system is developed using a multi-agent system model where individual benefits of each self-interested agent are maximized subject to bounds on irrigation requirements and water use permits. We then compare the performance of the cap-and-trade system with a smart groundwater market which, in addition to a cap on total groundwater extraction, also incorporates streamflow constraints. The results quantify third-party impacts and environmental externalities resulting from uncontrolled trading. This analysis demonstrates the value added by a well-designed cap-and-trade system able to account for basin-wide heterogeneity in hydrogeologic and ecological conditions by establishing trading limits, managing inter-area transfers and setting exchange rates for permit trading.

Applied Science Division annual report, Environmental Research Program FY 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cairns, E.J.; Novakov, T.

1984-05-01

The primary concern of the Environmental Research Program is the understanding of pollutant formation, transport, and transformation and the impacts of pollutants on the environment. These impacts include global, regional, and local effects on the atmosphere and hydrosphere, and on certain aspects of human health. This multidisciplinary research program includes fundamental and applied research in physics, chemistry, engineering, and biology, as well as research on the development of advanced methods of measurement and analysis. During FY 1983, research concentrated on atmospheric physics and chemistry, applied physics and laser spectroscopy, combustion theory and phenomena, environmental effects of oil shale processing, freshwater ecology and acid precipitation, trace element analysis for the investigation of present and historical environmental impacts, and a continuing survey of instrumentation for environmental monitoring

Environmental Assessment for the Warren Station externally fired combined cycle demonstration project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1995-04-01

The proposed Penelec project is one of 5 projects for potential funding under the fifth solicitation under the Clean Coal Technology program. In Penelec, two existing boilers would be replaced at Warren Station, PA; the new unit would produce 73 MW(e) in a combined cycle mode (using both gas-fired and steam turbines). The project would fill the need for a full utility-size demonstration of externally fire combined cycle (EFCC) technology as the next step toward commercialization. This environmental assessment was prepared for compliance with NEPA; its purpose is to provide sufficient basis for determining whether to prepare an environmental impact statement or to issue a finding of no significant impact. It is divided into the sections: purpose and need for proposed action; alternatives; brief description of affected environment; environmental consequences, including discussion of commercial operation beyond the demonstration period.

Weighing environmental externalities: How to do it right

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freeman, A.M. III; Burtraw, D.; Harrington, W.; Krupnick, A.J.

1992-01-01

In this paper, the authors focus on the procedure of incorporating monetary measures of external damages as address to private bids and ranking alternatives on the basis of their social costs. They assume that it will be possible to develop methods and models to calculate environmental damages for specific electricity supply options. They reject the use of marginal control cost as a proxy for marginal damages. The question they address here is whether the marginal damage from an increase in electricity supply is the correct adjustment or adder to private cost for least-cost utility planning. They show that arriving at the correct adder depends on both the form that the existing environmental regulations take - that is, whether pollution is controlled by taxation, tradable emissions permits, or direct regulation - and, in the case of an emissions tax, whether the degree of control of pollution is optimal, too strict, or not strict enough according to the criterion of economic efficiency. They make explicit the circumstances under which the correct adder will be equal to marginal damages, will be some other positive number, or zero, or even negative. If emissions reductions are achieved by direct regulation or command and control policies (CAC), then the correct adder is always just equal to marginal damages

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management - Vol ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management. ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH .... microbiological examination of hand-dug wells, boreholes and public water sources in selected areas of Ibadan, Nigeria ...

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management - Vol ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management. ... Mercury in Aquatic Systems of the Gulf Islands National Seashore, Southeastern ... and Chemical Remediation on Agricultural Soil Properties and Crop Growth · EMAIL FREE ...

Photovoltaic dependence of photorefractive grating on the externally applied dc electric field

Science.gov (United States)

Maurya, M. K.; Yadav, R. A.

2013-04-01

Photovoltaic dependence of photorefractive grating (i.e., space-charge field and phase-shift of the index grating) on the externally applied dc electric field in photovoltaic-photorefractive materials has been investigated. The influence of photovoltaic field (EPhN), diffusion field and carrier concentration ratio r (donor/acceptor impurity concentration ratio) on the space-charge field (SCF) and phase-shift of the index grating in the presence and absence of the externally applied dc electric field have also been studied in details. Our results show that, for a given value of EPhN and r, the magnitude of the SCF and phase-shift of the index grating can be enhanced significantly by employing the lower dc electric field (EONphotovoltaic-photorefractive crystal and higher value of diffusion field (EDN>40). Such an enhancement in the magnitude of the SCF and phase-shift of the index grating are responsible for the strongest beam coupling in photovoltaic-photorefractive materials. This sufficiently strong beam coupling increases the two-beam coupling gain that may be exceed the absorption and reflection losses of the photovoltaic-photorefractive sample, and optical amplification can occur. The higher value of optical amplification in photovoltaic-photorefractive sample is required for the every applications of photorefractive effect so that technology based on the photorefractive effect such as holographic storage devices, optical information processing, acousto-optic tunable filters, gyro-sensors, optical modulators, optical switches, photorefractive-photovoltaic solitons, biomedical applications, and frequency converters could be improved.

Incorporating environmental externalities into the capacity expansion planning: An Israeli case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Becker, Nir; Soloveitchik, David; Olshansky, Moshe

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Long term energy-environmental planning problems for the electricity sector. → Environmental considerations in the capacity expansion plan. → Modified version of WASP-IV as a multiple objective programming model. → Multi-objective analysis of trade-offs between costs and pollutants reduction. -- Abstract: In this paper we use the WASP-IV model and develop methodology to estimate the impact of several environmental externality costs on the electricity sector development plan. For this purpose, 22 cases were generated which were later on reduced to only seven non-dominated cases by considering this problem as a dynamic multiple objective programming model. The major impact of internalizing the external cost is on fuel use. In the electricity generation system more natural gas and less coal has been used. A cost benefit analysis (CBA) of three scenarios has been performed focusing on taxing only one pollutant while looking at its overall implication. The benefit cost ratio was about 4.5 while the net benefit was about 200 million USD (depending on the scenario). Multi-objective analysis among the different scenarios was carried in a dynamic setting. Seven scenarios appear in the non-dominated set. Out of them five appears in every year and those should have a higher weight placed on them by policy makers. Out of those five, two are a single tax on one pollutant. Thus, policy makers might want to consider a mixture of taxes but for the sake of simplicity can also use a simple one tax on a given pollutant.

Externality or sustainability economics?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bergh, Jeroen C.J.M. van den

2010-01-01

In an effort to develop 'sustainability economics' Baumgaertner and Quaas (2010) neglect the central concept of environmental economics-'environmental externality'. This note proposes a possible connection between the concepts of environmental externality and sustainability. In addition, attention is asked for other aspects of 'sustainability economics', namely the distinction weak/strong sustainability, spatial sustainability and sustainable trade, distinctive sustainability policy, and the ideas of early 'sustainability economists'. I argue that both sustainability and externalities reflect a systems perspective and propose that effective sustainability solutions require that more attention is given to system feedbacks, notably other-regarding preferences and social interactions, and energy and environmental rebound. The case of climate change and policy is used to illustrate particular statements. As a conclusion, a list of 20 insights and suggestions for research is offered. (author)

Update of the external cost for environmental damage (for Flanders) with regard to air pollution and climatic change; Actualisering van de externe milieuschadekosten (algemeen voor Vlaanderen) met betrekking tot luchtverontreiniging en klimaatverandering

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Nocker, L.; Michiels, H.; Deutsch, F.; Lefebvre, W.; Buekers, J.; Torfs, R. [Unit Ruimtelijke Milieuaspecten, VITO, Mol (Belgium)

2010-12-15

This report contains a set of indicators for calculating external costs of air-polluting substances and greenhouse gases. The external costs of environmental damage relate to the damage to human health, eco systems, buildings and economy as a result of an activity. This leads to loss of welfare for inhabitants in Flanders and abroad for the current and future generations. The magnitude and evolution of the external or environmental damage cost resulting from air pollution is one of the indicators for the MIRA report that translates the state of the environment into consequences for man and economy. [Dutch] Dit rapport bevat een set van kengetallen voor de berekening van de externe kosten van luchtverontreinigende stoffen en broeikasgassen. De externe kosten of milieuschadekosten hebben betrekking op de schade aan menselijke gezondheid, ecosystemen, gebouwen en economie als gevolg van een activiteit. Dit leidt tot een verlies aan welvaart voor inwoners in Vlaanderen en het buitenland, voor deze en toekomstige generaties. De omvang en evolutie van de externe of milieuschadekosten ten gevolge van luchtverontreiniging ia 1 van de indicatoren voor het MIRA rapport die de toestand van het milieu vertaalt naar gevolgen voor mens en economie.

2009 Gordon Research Conference, Applied and Environmental Microbiology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dubilier, Nicole [Max Planck Inst. for Marine Microbiology, Bremen (Germany)

2009-07-12

The topic of the 2009 Gordon Conference on Applied and Environmental Microbiology is: From Single Cells to the Environment. The Conference will present and discuss cutting-edge research on applied and environmental microbiology with a focus on understanding interactions between microorganisms and the environment at levels ranging from single cells to complex communities. The Conference will feature a wide range of topics such as single cell techniques (including genomics, imaging, and NanoSIMS), microbial diversity at scales ranging from clonal to global, environmental 'meta-omics', biodegradation and bioremediation, metal - microbe interactions, animal microbiomes and symbioses. The Conference will bring together investigators who are at the forefront of their field, and will provide opportunities for junior scientists and graduate students to present their work in poster format and exchange ideas with leaders in the field. Some poster presenters will be selected for short talks. The collegial atmosphere of this Conference, with extensive discussion sessions as well as opportunities for informal gatherings in the afternoons and evenings, provides an ideal setting for scientists from different disciplines to exchange ideas, brainstorm and discuss cross-disciplinary collaborations.

Environmental restoration/waste management-applied technology semiannual report, January--June 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adamson, M.; Kline-Simon, K.

1992-01-01

This is the first issue from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory of The Environmental Restoration/Waste Management-Applied Technology (ER/WM-AT) Semiannual Report, a continuation of the Advanced Processing Technology (APT) Semiannual Report. The name change reflects the consolidation of the APT Program with the Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Program to form the Environmental Restoration/Waste Management-Applied Technology (ER/WM-AT) Program. The Livermore site mirrors, on a small scale, many of the environmental and waste management problems of the DOE Complex. The six articles in this issue cover incineration- alternative technologies, process development for waste minimization, the proposed Mixed Waste Management Facility, dynamic underground stripping, electrical resistance tomography, and Raman spectroscopy for remote characterization of underground tanks

ExternE: Externalities of energy Vol. 3. Coal and lignite

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, J.; Holland, M.; Lee, D.

1995-01-01

Awareness of the environmental damage resulting from human activity, particularly concerning energy use, has grown greatly in recent years. Effects such as global warming, ozone depletion and acid rain are now the subjects of much research and public debate. It is now known that these and other effects damage a wide range of receptors, including human health, forests, crops, freshwater ecosystems and buildings. Such damages are typically not accounted for by the producers and consumers of the good in question (in this case energy). They are thus referred to as 'external costs' or 'externalities', to distinguish them from the private costs which account for the construction of plant, cost of fuel, wages, etc. In recent years there has been a growing interest in the assessment of the environmental and health impacts of energy, and the related external costs. This concern is driven by a number of different factors: the need to integrate environmental concerns in decision making over the choice between different fuels and energy technologies; the need to evaluate the costs and benefits of stricter environmental standards; increased attention to the use of economic instruments for environmental policy; the need to develop overall indicators of environmental performance of different technologies; major changes in the energy sector, including privatisation, liberalisation of markets, reduction of subsidies, etc. An agreed methodology for calculation and integration of external costs has not been established. Earlier work is typically of a preliminary nature and tends to be deficient with respect to both the methods employed and the quality of models and data used. In consequence of this a collaborative project, the EC/US Fuel Cycles Study, was established between Directorate General XII (Science, Research and Technology) of the European Commission and the United States Department of Energy. This ran for the period 1991 to 1993, and good agreement on a variety of

Assessment of the externalities of biomass energy for electricity production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Linares, P; Leal, J; Saez, R M

1996-10-01

This study presents a methodology for the quantification of the socioeconomic and environmental externalities of the biomass fuel cycle. It is based on the one developed by the ExternE Project of the European Commission, based in turn in the damage function approach, and which has been extended and modified for a better adaptation to biomass energy systems. The methodology has been applied to a 20 MW biomass power plant, fueled by Cynara cardunculus, in southern Spain. The externalities addressed have been macroeconomic effects, employment, CO{sub 2}, fixation, erosion, and non-point source pollution. The results obtained should be considered only as subtotals, since there are still other externalities to be quantified. anyway, and in spite of the uncertainty existing, these results suggest that total cost (those including internal and external costs) of biomass energy are lower than those of conventional energy sources, what, if taken into account, would make biomass more competitive than it is now. (Author)

Monetary value of the environmental and health externalities associated with production of ethanol from biomass feedstocks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kusiima, Jamil M.; Powers, Susan E.

2010-01-01

This research is aimed at monetizing the life cycle environmental and health externalities associated with production of ethanol from corn, corn stover, switchgrass, and forest residue. The results of this study reveal current average external costs for the production of 1 l of ethanol ranged from $0.07 for forest residue to $0.57 for ethanol production from corn. Among the various feedstocks, the external costs of PM 10 , NO X , and PM 2.5 are among the greatest contributors to these costs. The combustion of fossil fuels in upstream fertilizer and energy production processes is the primary source of these emissions and their costs, especially for corn ethanol. The combined costs of emissions associated with the production and use of nitrogen fertilizer also contribute substantially to the net external costs. For cellulosic ethanol production, the combustion of waste lignin to generate heat and power helps to keep the external costs lower than corn ethanol. Credits both for the biogenic carbon combustion and displacement of grid electricity by exporting excess electricity substantially negate many of the emissions and external costs. External costs associated with greenhouse gas emissions were not significant. However, adding estimates of indirect GHG emissions from land use changes would nearly double corn ethanol cost estimates.

External radiation surveillance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Antonio, E.J.

1995-06-01

This section of the 1994 Hanford Site Environmental Report describes how external radiation was measured, how surveys were performed, and the results of these measurements and surveys. External radiation exposure rates were measured at locations on and off the Hanford Site using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). External radiation and contamination surveys were also performed with portable radiation survey instruments at locations on and around the Hanford Site.

External radiation surveillance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Antonio, E.J.

1995-01-01

This section of the 1994 Hanford Site Environmental Report describes how external radiation was measured, how surveys were performed, and the results of these measurements and surveys. External radiation exposure rates were measured at locations on and off the Hanford Site using thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLD). External radiation and contamination surveys were also performed with portable radiation survey instruments at locations on and around the Hanford Site

Lessons learned from applying external input to DOE policy decision making

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Imholz, R.M.; Hindman, T.B. Jr.; Brubaker, D.M.

1990-01-01

Our nation has entered an era in which the public is demanding clean up and restoration of its environment, understandable information, and participation in decision making. The US Department of Energy's (DOE's) culture, which grew out of the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) culture of classification, compartmentalization, and strict-need-to-know dissemination of information, was in direct conflict with this demand for public involvement. The DOE recognized this and committed to changing their culture into one of openness and public involvement in decision making and policy direction. This paper reports that as a result, DOE created a number of external review groups, one of them being the State and Tribal Government Working Group (STGWG). The STGWG was created to review the first Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Five-Year Plan. The Five-Year Plan establishes an agenda for compliance and cleanup of DOE installations against which progress can be measured

Externalities of fuel cycles 'ExternE' project. Natural gas fuel cycle. Estimation of physical impacts and monetary valuation for priority impact pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holland, M.; Watkiss, P.; Berry, J.; Johnson, C.; Lee, D.

1994-01-01

been established. Earlier work is typically of a preliminary nature and tends to be deficient with respect to both the methods employed and the quality of models and data used. In consequence of this the ExternE Project was established in 1991, with the following main objectives; 1) To identify and develop a suitable methodology with which to quantify the external costs and benefits of the major fuel cycles for electricity generation and conservation, using the best available models and data. This to be done using a common framework for assessment of different fuel cycles, in order that fair comparison can be made between them. 2) To use this methodology to assess the external costs for a number of case studies representative of each fuel cycle. 3) To make recommendations on areas in which further research is required in order that future estimates of damages can be made with greater confidence. To meet these objectives we have stressed transparency, consistency and comprehensiveness as guiding principles for the work. This applies particularly to the methods used, definition of study boundaries and listing of effects that are considered and those that are not. These principles are essential to allow valid comparison to be made between different fuel cycles, for which priority impacts may differ greatly, as illustrated by comparison of the gas, nuclear and wind fuel cycles. The present report is one of a series covering the following fuel cycles; coal, uranium, lignite, oil, gas, wind, photovoltaics, biomass and small scale hydroelectric projects. Energy security and energy conservation are also being considered within a similar framework. The methodology used is broadly similar to that identified for Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) by The Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. It is split into the following stages; 1) Definition of objectives and system boundaries; 2) Collation of an inventory of burdens associated with the process in question; 3

Unsteady flow of two-phase fluid in circular pipes under applied external magnetic and electrical fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gedik, Engin; Recebli, Ziyaddin; Kurt, Hueseyin; Kecebas, Ali

2012-01-01

The unsteady viscous incompressible and electrically conducting of two-phase fluid flow in circular pipes with external magnetic and electrical field is considered in this present study. Effects of both uniform transverse external magnetic and electrical fields applied perpendicular to the fluid and each other on the two-phase (solid/liquid) unsteady flow is investigated numerically. While iron powders are being used as the first phase of two-phase fluid, pure water was used as the second phase. The system of the derived governing equations, which are based on the Navier-Stokes equations including Maxwell equations, are solved numerically by using Pdex4 function on the Matlab for both phases. The originality of this study is that, in addition to magnetic field, the effect of electrical field on two-phase unsteady fluids is being examined. The magnetic field which is applied on flow decreases the velocity of both phases, whereas the electrical field applied along with magnetic field acted to increase and decrease the velocity values depending on the direction of electrical field. Electrical field alone did not display any impact on two-phase flow. On the other hand, analytical and numerical results are compared and favorable agreements have been obtained. (authors)

An atomic resolution scanning tunneling microscope that applies external tensile stress and strain in an ultrahigh vacuum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujita, D; Kitahara, M; Onishi, K; Sagisaka, K

2008-01-01

We have developed an ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscope with an in situ external stress application capability in order to determine the effects of stress and strain on surface atomistic structures. It is necessary to understand these effects because controlling them will be a key technology that will very likely be used in future nanometer-scale fabrication processes. We used our microscope to demonstrate atomic resolution imaging under external tensile stress and strain on the surfaces of wafers of Si(111) and Si(001). We also successfully observed domain redistribution induced by applying uniaxial stress at an elevated temperature on the surface of a wafer of vicinal Si(100). We confirmed that domains for which an applied tensile stress is directed along the dimer bond become less stable and shrink. This suggests that it may be feasible to fabricate single domain surfaces in a process that controls surface stress and strain

Environmental assessment of insulation methods. Environmental data for insulation products and eco-profiles for light external walls; Miljoevurdering af isoleringsmetoder. Miljoedata for isoleringsprodukter og miljoeprofiler for lette ydervaegge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Krogh, K.; Rasmussen, J.O.; Nielsen, P.A.

2001-07-01

The project included selected insulation products like products made of cellulose fibres, flax fibres and perlite, which could all be used in external walls, internal walls, cavity walls and lofts. Up till now only products of mineral fibres were used. The aim of the project was to collect environmental data for selected products for the whole lifetime and to assess environmental impacts caused by the products. The total environmental impacts of a building element, e.g. external walla, were calculated from environmental data of the products. The impacts could be shown in a diagram, eco-profiles, which also showed contributions of the materials to the total impacts. The calculations used the principles of life cycle assessment (LCA), but today LCA does not include health aspects in the indoor climate or environmental health aspects caused by disposal processes. Therefore, this project included qualitative assessments for these two life cycle phases. The project did not treat impacts in the working environment as these health aspects are covered by other projects (COWI, 2000 and Engelund et al., 1999). (au)

External costs of energy - do the answers match the questions? Looking back at 10 years of ExternE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krewitt, W.

2002-01-01

While the claim for 'getting prices right' is quite popular in conceptual policy papers, the implementation of appropriate internalisation strategies is still hampered by a lack of reliable external cost data. Great expectations were set into the ExternE project, a major research programme launched by the European Commission at the beginning of the 1990s to provide a scientific basis for the quantification of energy related externalities and to give guidance supporting the design of internalisation measures. After more than a decade of research, the ExternE label became a well recognised standard source for external cost data. Looking back into the ExternE history, the paper pursues how emerging new scientific insights and changing background assumptions affected external cost estimates and related recommendations to policy over time. Based on ExternE results, the usefulness and inherent limitations of external cost estimates for impact categories like climate change or nuclear waste disposal is discussed. The paper also gives examples on how external costs in spite of remaining uncertainties are successfully used to support environmental policy. (Author)

Externality costing for hydroelectric projects: Is it desirable? Is it possible?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernier, L.

1992-01-01

The assignment of monetary values to environmental and social impacts of hydroelectric projects is discussed. The strengths and weaknesses of the economic approach to externality costing are noted. The problem to be faced is that environmental externalities associated with a hydro project very often involve resources that have little or no relation with the market, such as disturbances of land not used for commercial activities. The valuation of externalities related to thermal power plants is examined to provide lessons for quantifying the externalities of hydro projects. One observation is that there is very little information on the real impacts of such phenomena as the release of greenhouse gases, making quantification of their effect difficult; another is that impacts from atmospheric emissions are well in excess of simple deterioration of material goods or recreational activities that have some relationship to the market. Applied to hydro projects, the lessons from these observations indicate that there are no exact and homogeneous measurement units for impacts of actions such as diking or alteration of wildlife habitats. One approach that has been tried is the contingent valuation method, which relies on asking respondents how much they would pay to avoid an impact or risk. This approach is criticized and it is suggested to experiment with a review of the tradeoffs between several possible environmental impacts defined in a precise manner

Internalizing the external costs of biogas supply chains in the Italian energy sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patrizio, P.; Leduc, S.; Chinese, D.; Kraxner, F.

2017-01-01

In Italy biogas support schemes are being revised to include subsidies for the production of biomethane. Energy policies should foster environmentally optimal solutions, especially because social acceptance issues often arise in the case of biogas. In this paper we use the external cost methodology to quantify the environmental impact of airborne emissions associated with biogas-based energy vectors and their corresponding fossil substitutes These are evaluated at supply chain level and incorporated in a spatially explicit optimization model. The method is applied to northern Italy to compare the potential impact of alternative policy options. It is found that, while the external costs of biogas-based pathways are always lower than corresponding fossil fuel based pathways, the differences are generally so small that policies based on internalization of external costs alone would not lead to further development of biogas-based technologies. For all utilization pathways, consideration of local externalities leads to a less favourable evaluation of biogas-based technologies, which results in external costs even higher than the substituted fossil fuel if biogas is allocated to local heating. - Highlights: • A MILP model has been developed to optimize the economic and environmental performance of the biogas supply chain. • The external costs methodology has been included in the optimization process. • The emissions of the most relevant pollutants generated along the supply chain have been included in the assessment. • Different biogas utilization pathways have been considered.

The calculation of external gamma-ray doses from airborne and deposited radionuclides in the environmental code NECTAR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corbett, J.O.

1982-02-01

A computer program has been developed for the rapid evaluation of external gamma-ray doses from airborne and deposited radionuclide mixtures. Based on a gaussian dispersion model, the program calculates the dose at any position, including points high above ground level or upwind of the source. Meteorological frequency data for wind speed, direction, atmospheric stability and rainfall are fully taken into account. The calculational model assumes that the ground surface is perfectly flat and that gamma-ray paths are entirely in air; the possible errors caused by these and other assumptions are discussed, with suggested correction factors. The program applies various criteria to determine the best approximation or numerical integration method for each target point; execution times (on an IBM 370 machine) thus vary from less than 0.01s to about 0.3s per target point for a single weather category. The program has been incorporated in the environmental release program NECTAR. (author)

Behind the wheel and on the map: Genetic and environmental associations between drunk driving and other externalizing behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Quinn, Patrick D; Harden, K Paige

2013-11-01

Drunk driving, a major contributor to alcohol-related mortality, has been linked to a variety of other alcohol-related (e.g., Alcohol Dependence, early age at first drink) and non-alcohol-related externalizing behaviors. In a sample of 517 same-sex twin pairs from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examined 3 conceptualizations of the etiology of drunk driving in relation to other externalizing behaviors. A series of behavioral-genetic models found consistent evidence for drunk driving as a manifestation of genetic vulnerabilities toward a spectrum of alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related externalizing behaviors. Most notably, multidimensional scaling analyses produced a genetic "map" with drunk driving located near its center, supporting the strength of drunk driving's genetic relations with a broad range of externalizing behaviors. In contrast, nonshared environmental associations with drunk driving were weaker and more diffuse. Drunk driving may be a manifestation of genetic vulnerabilities toward a broad externalizing spectrum. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Externalities of energy and atomic power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-09-01

Energy technology ensures not only energy supply but also has great impacts on society and environments. Economical value and effect evaluation alone doesn't mean appropriate so the evaluation of 'externalities' should be appreciated. In order to assess atomic power in this context, the Atomic Energy Society of Japan set up a research committee on 'externalities of energy and atomic power' from April 2002 to March 2006, whose activities were described in this report. In addition to environmental effects and environmental externalities, four areas were newly studied as follows: (1) biological effects of low dose rate exposure and externalities, (2) externalities as social/economical effects including stable supply and security, (3) energy technologies evaluation and (4) social choice and decision-making. (T. Tanaka)

External Costs Associated with Electricity Generation in Lithuania: Impact of Ignalina NPP Closure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Streimikiene, D.

2000-01-01

Sustainability and development have been founded on continuing growth in energy demand and distribution, and management of natural resources through proper allocation and efficiency. It is clear that the use of energy in all its forms and applications provides an enormous benefit to society. However, it is also associated with numerous environmental and social challenges, such as, e.g., the health effects of air pollution. These burdens are referred to as external costs, as they have not been included in the market price of energy. The purpose of externalities research is to quantify damages in order to allow rational decisions to be made that weigh the benefits of actions to reduce externalities against the costs of doing so. Ultimately, market failure could be reduced by internalization of the external costs during energy planning. The paper deals with the problems of external costs associated with electricity generation in Lithuania and evaluates the environmental impact related to increased atmospheric pollution when the first unit at Ignalina NPP will be closed in 2005. Simplified methodology for the evaluation of external costs based on Impact Pathway Approach developed by International Atomic Energy Agency was applied. Achieved results indicate that due to the increased atmospheric pollution the external costs associated with electricity generation in the case of the first unit closure at Ignalina NPP would amount to 130 million USD. (author)

External communication in environmental projects; La comunicacion externa en los proyectos ambientales

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ruiz Feltrer, C.

2004-07-01

The public's awareness of industrial projects is constantly growing. In addition, if such project imply any sort of environmental impact, their awareness increases and may result in a series of deterrents to the start-up of the said projects. The present article focuses on one of the most powerful of management tools through, at the same time, the one most often forgotten by companies: external communication. In the first part of the article, we shall analyse the reasons why many industrial projects never actually see the light of day. Starting from three working hypotheses, we came to the conclusion that we must be proactive in our communication if we wish our development to be durable and to last. In the second part, we put forward a method for planning communication aimed at first of all, foreseeing, and, ultimately, solving situations arising from the deterrents already mentioned. We have used a classical planning model from which to develop a specific application called Environmental Communication. (Author)

Quality assurance applied to an environmental surveillance program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oakes, T.W.; Shank, K.E.; Eldridge, J.S.

1977-01-01

A discussion of a quality assurance program applied to environmental surveillance activities is presented. This includes the philosophy and concepts of quality assurance, along with a detailed assessment of the sources of uncertainty in a monitoring program. The role management must play for a successful program is also discussed, and the quality assurance program implemented at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is presented

Essays on environmental policy analysis: Computable general equilibrium approaches applied to Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hill, M.

2001-01-01

This thesis consists of three essays within the field of applied environmental economics, with the common basic aim of analyzing effects of Swedish environmental policy. Starting out from Swedish environmental goals, the thesis assesses a range of policy-related questions. The objective is to quantify policy outcomes by constructing and applying numerical models especially designed for environmental policy analysis. Static and dynamic multi-sectoral computable general equilibrium models are developed in order to analyze the following issues. The costs and benefits of a domestic carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) tax reform. Special attention is given to how these costs and benefits depend on the structure of the tax system and, furthermore, how they depend on policy-induced changes in 'secondary' pollutants. The effects of allowing for emission permit trading through time when the domestic long-term domestic environmental goal is specified in CO 2 stock terms. The effects on long-term projected economic growth and welfare that are due to damages from emission flow and accumulation of 'local' pollutants (nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide), as well as the outcome of environmental policy when costs and benefits are considered in an integrated environmental-economic framework

Environment and externalization; Environnement et externalisation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kremlis, G.; Renaud, R. [Association francaise des ingenieurs et techniciens de l' environnement, AFITE, 75 - Paris (France); Touron, M. [Veritas, 75 - Paris (France)] [and others

2001-07-01

This document presents the discussions of the 16 may 2000, concerning the externalization and the environment and proposes to answer the following questions: is the externalization a new strategy to better perceive, hopeful engineering department, the technological risks problems, the environment or the land pollution? Does the externalization allow a better organization of the enterprise? To analyse the situation, the document presents the white book of the environmental liability, the administration point of view, some enterprises examples and the importance of the environmental management. (A.L.B.)

A Methodology Proposal to Calculate the Externalities of Liquid Biofuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Galan, A.; Gonzalez, R.; Varela, M. [Ciemat. Madrid (Spain)

1999-05-01

The aim of the survey is to propose a methodology to calculate the externalities associated with the liquid bio fuels cycle. The report defines the externalities from a theoretical point of view and classifies them. The reasons to value the externalities are explained as well as the existing methods. Furthermore, an evaluation of specific environmental and non-environmental externalities is also presented. The report reviews the current situation of the transport sector, considering its environmental effects and impacts. The progress made by the ExternE and ExternE-transport projects related the externalities of transport sector is assessed. Finally, the report analyses the existence of different economic instruments to internalize the external effects of the transport sector as well as other aspects of this internalization. (Author) 58 refs.

Methodology of social and environmental external costs estimation in the Ukraine’s energy sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karaieva Nataliia Veniaminivna

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Paper objective is analysis of the external costs assessment model for the eco-social damage, and/or human capital losses caused by environmental pollution from the energy enterprises in Ukraine. Using the given method, necessary initial socio-economic parameters were defined and used for calculating the social costs of capital health losses in Ukraine due to deterioration of the environment, and due to the negative impact of energy sector on the air quality for the period 2002-2013. On the proposed technique determines the range value of social losses due to the negative impact of energy on air quality in Ukraine excluding future external costs for years 2002 – 2013 ranges from 1.6 – 4.5% of GDP, and the range of values of taking into account future costs is 2.0 – 6.2% of GDP.

External-environmental and internal-health early life predictors of adolescent development.

Science.gov (United States)

Hartman, Sarah; Li, Zhi; Nettle, Daniel; Belsky, Jay

2017-12-01

A wealth of evidence documents associations between various aspects of the rearing environment and later development. Two evolutionary-inspired models advance explanations for why and how such early experiences shape later functioning: (a) the external-prediction model, which highlights the role of the early environment (e.g., parenting) in regulating children's development, and (b) the internal-prediction model, which emphasizes internal state (i.e., health) as the critical regulator. Thus, by using data from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development, the current project draws from both models by investigating whether the effect of the early environment on later adolescent functioning is subject to an indirect effect by internal-health variables. Results showed a significant indirect effect of internal health on the relation between the early environment and adolescent behavior. Specifically, early environmental adversity during the first 5 years of life predicted lower quality health during childhood, which then led to problematic adolescent functioning and earlier age of menarche for girls. In addition, for girls, early adversity predicted lower quality health that forecasted earlier age of menarche leading to increased adolescent risk taking. The discussion highlights the importance of integrating both internal and external models to further understand the developmental processes that effect adolescent behavior.

GLYCOHEMOGLOBIN - COMPARISON OF 12 ANALYTICAL METHODS, APPLIED TO LYOPHILIZED HEMOLYSATES BY 101 LABORATORIES IN AN EXTERNAL QUALITY ASSURANCE PROGRAM

NARCIS (Netherlands)

WEYKAMP, CW; PENDERS, TJ; MUSKIET, FAJ; VANDERSLIK, W

Stable lyophilized ethylenediaminetetra-acetic acid (EDTA)-blood haemolysates were applied in an external quality assurance programme (SKZL, The Netherlands) for glycohaemoglobin assays in 101 laboratories using 12 methods. The mean intralaboratory day-to-day coefficient of variation (CV),

What motivates money donation? A study on external motivators

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nivea Coelho Degasperi

Full Text Available Abstract The objective of this study is to identify external motivating factors that favor individual money donation. Methodologically, we adopted a descriptive and quantitative cross-sectional study. In order to collect data, we prepared a questionnaire containing 49 statements based on external motivating variables of regular individual money donation found in the literature on the subject. After testing the questionnaire, we applied it to 1073 Brazilians, regular money donors and we performed an exploratory factor analysis. Conclusively, we identified 8 external factors that motivate individual money donation: Trust, Reward, Leadership influences, Characteristics of the organization, Environmental influences, Personal benefits, Characteristics of beneficiaries and Future Interests. We expect that these 8 factors combined, could become a useful tool to improve the management of charitable organizations, especially in defining campaigns or other marketing strategies to attract new donors and raise funds on occasions that are favorable to individual money donation.

Energy policy and externalities: an overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pearce, D.

2002-01-01

Substantial progress has been made in estimating the monetary value of the environmental impacts of different energy systems. Perhaps the best known study in Europe is that sponsored by the European Commission and known as the ExternE programme. In the USA a comparable project is that jointly sponsored by the US Department of Energy and the European Commission. There are many others. In each case what is sought is a monetary value of an environmental impact arising from a unit of energy, usually standardised as a kilowatt hour. These environmental impacts are usually termed 'externalities'. An externality exists if two conditions are met. First, some negative (or positive) impact is generated by an economic activity and imposed on third parties. Second, that impact must not be priced in the market place, i.e. if the effect is negative, no compensation is paid by the generator of the externality to the sufferer. If the effect is positive, the generator of the externality must not appropriate the gains to the third party, e.g. via some price that is charged. In the energy externality literature, the procedure of expressing the externalities in, say, cents or milli-euros (1000 th of an Euro = m-euro) per kWh results in an 'adder'. An adder is simply the unit externality cost added to the standard resource cost of energy. Thus, if an electricity source costs X m/euros to produce or deliver, the final social cost of it is (X+y) m-euros where y is the externality adder. While externality adders have been researched most in the context of energy, they are increasingly being estimated for other economic sectors, notably transport and agriculture. This paper presents the uses of such figures. (author)

External costs of electricity; Les couts externes de l'electricite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rabl, A. [Ecole des Mines de Paris, 75 (France); Spadaro, J.V. [International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Vienna (Austria)

2005-07-01

This article presents a synthesis of the ExternE project (External costs of Energy) of the European community about the external costs of power generation. Pollution impacts are calculated using an 'impact pathways' analysis, i.e. an analysis of the emission - dispersion - dose-response function - cost evaluation chain. Results are presented for different fuel cycles (with several technological variants) with their confidence intervals. The environmental impact costs are particularly high for coal: for instance, in France, for coal-fired power plants it is of the same order as the electricity retail price. For natural gas, this cost is about a third of the one for coal. On the contrary, the environmental impact costs for nuclear and renewable energies are low, typically of few per cent of the electricity price. The main part of these costs corresponds to the sanitary impacts, in particular the untimely mortality. In order to avoid any controversy about the cost evaluation of mortality, the reduction of the expectation of life due to the different fuel cycles is also indicated and the risks linked with nuclear energy are presented using several comparisons. (J.S.)

Evaluation of the external costs of energy production in the Helsinki metropolitan area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otterstroem, T.

1995-01-01

The aim of the research is to evaluate the external costs of energy production at Helsinki metropolitan area (Helsinki, Espoo, Vantaa). The previously developed valorization method for effects on population centres is adjusted. All the main health, material and environmental effects will be taken into account in the research. The effects of emissions of the energy production of the Helsinki metropolitan area on concentrations of the impurities in the air and through them on human and environment will be evaluated. The estimates will be based on the relativistic fuels consumption and the emission data of Helsinki metropolitan area. Life-cycle reasoning will be applied so that the emissions of the main components of the fuels used in the metropolitan area will be included in the estimation. The cost-effectiveness of the investments will be estimated by comparing the environmental investments of energy boards with the external costs. The methods of this work can be applied to estimation of the profitability of energy production plants from the point of view of national economy also elsewhere in the country

Fast-ion losses induced by ELMs and externally applied magnetic perturbations in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia-Munoz, M; Rodriguez-Ramos, M; Äkäslompolo, S; De Marne, P; Dunne, M G; Dux, R; Fietz, S; Fuchs, C; Geiger, B; Herrmann, A; Hoelzl, M; Kurzan, B; McDermott, R M; Strumberger, E; Evans, T E; Ferraro, N M; Pace, D C; Lazanyi, N; Nocente, M; Shinohara, K

2013-01-01

Phase-space time-resolved measurements of fast-ion losses induced by edge localized modes (ELMs) and ELM mitigation coils have been obtained in the ASDEX Upgrade tokamak by means of multiple fast-ion loss detectors (FILDs). Filament-like bursts of fast-ion losses are measured during ELMs by several FILDs at different toroidal and poloidal positions. Externally applied magnetic perturbations (MPs) have little effect on plasma profiles, including fast-ions, in high collisionality plasmas with mitigated ELMs. A strong impact on plasma density, rotation and fast-ions is observed, however, in low density/collisionality and q 95 plasmas with externally applied MPs. During the mitigation/suppression of type-I ELMs by externally applied MPs, the large fast-ion bursts observed during ELMs are replaced by a steady loss of fast-ions with a broad-band frequency and an amplitude of up to an order of magnitude higher than the neutral beam injection (NBI) prompt loss signal without MPs. Multiple FILD measurements at different positions, indicate that the fast-ion losses due to static 3D fields are localized on certain parts of the first wall rather than being toroidally/poloidally homogeneously distributed. Measured fast-ion losses show a broad energy and pitch-angle range and are typically on banana orbits that explore the entire pedestal/scrape-off-layer (SOL). Infra-red measurements are used to estimate the heat load associated with the MP-induced fast-ion losses. The heat load on the FILD detector head and surrounding wall can be up to six times higher with MPs than without 3D fields. When 3D fields are applied and density pump-out is observed, an enhancement of the fast-ion content in the plasma is typically measured by fast-ion D-alpha (FIDA) spectroscopy. The lower density during the MP phase also leads to a deeper beam deposition with an inward radial displacement of ≈2 cm in the maximum of the beam emission. Orbit simulations are used to test different models for 3D

Externalities of fuel cycles 'ExternE' project. Coal fuel cycle. Estimation of physical impacts and monetary valuation for priority impact pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, J.E.; Holland, M.R.; Watkiss, P.R.

1994-01-01

Background to the ExternE Project Awareness of the environmental damage resulting from human activity, particularly concerning energy use, has grown greatly in recent years. Effects such as global warming, ozone depletion and acid rain are now the subjects of much research and public debate. It is now known that these and other effects damage a wide range of receptors, including human health, forests, crops, freshwater ecosystems and buildings. Such damages are typically not accounted for by the producers and consumers of the good in question (in this case energy). They are thus referred to as 'external costs' or 'externalities', to distinguish them from the private costs which account for the construction of plant, cost of fuel, wages, etc. In recent years there has been a growing interest in the assessment of the environmental and health impacts of energy, and the related external costs. This concern is driven by a number of different factors; The need to integrate environmental concerns in decision making over the choice between different fuels and energy technologies. The need to evaluate the costs and benefits of stricter environmental standards. Increased attention to the use of economic instruments for environmental policy. The need to develop overall indicators of environmental performance of different technologies. Major changes in the energy sector, including privatisation, liberalisation of markets, reduction of subsidies, etc. An agreed methodology for calculation and integration of external costs has not been established. Earlier work is typically of a preliminary nature and tends to be deficient with respect to both the methods employed and the quality of models and data used. In consequence of this a collaborative project, the EC/US Fuel Cycles Study, was established between Directorate General XII (Science, Research and Technology) of the European Commission and the United States Department of Energy. This ran for the period 1991 to 1993, and good

Internalizing environmental costs: A survey of progress in estimating the external environmental costs of electricity production and a review of market-based policies to incorporate them

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eto, J.H.; Helcke, G.

1991-01-01

The production of electricity creates environmental insults whose costs are not fully reflected in the prices paid by consumers for electricity services. Failure to incorporate these external costs leads to economically inefficient production and consumption decisions. The present work reviews two related efforts to address this market distortion. The first concerns progress in estimating the uninternalized environmental costs of electricity production. The second concerns market-based approaches to internalizing these costs in electricity production and consumption decisions. 10 tabs.; 41 refs

Applied Physics Division 1998 Progress Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cecchini, M.; Crescentini, L; Ghezzi, L.; Kent, C.; Bottomei, M.

2001-01-01

This report outlines the 1998 research activities carried out by the Applied Physics Division of the Innovation Department of ENEA (Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Environment). The fields addressed and discussed include: optical and electro-optical technologies (chaps. 1 and 2); accelerator technologies (chap. 3); diagnostic systems for science and engineering (chaps. 4 and 5); theory, modelling and computational methods (chaps. 6 and 7). The aim of the Applied Physics Division is to develop technologies and systems that can be directly applied by internal (ENEA) and external users in research (high-resolution spectroscopy, laser-generated soft-x-ray sources), production processes (laser material photoproduction, structural analysis), social, cultural and environmental sciences (laser remote sensing, modelling of ecosystems and population dynamics) and medicine (particle accelerator for radiotherapy). Most of the work in 1998 was performed by the division's laboratories at the Frascati, Casaccia and Bologna Research Centres of ENEA; some was done elsewhere in collaboration with other ENEA units, external laboratories and industries. A good share of the activities was carried out for international projects; in particular, the IV European Union Framework Program

Applied Physics Division 1998 Progress Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cecchini, M.; Crescentini, L; Ghezzi, L.; Kent, C.; Bottomei, M. [ENEA, Centro Ricerche Frascati, Frascati, RM (Italy). Applied physics Division

1999-07-01

This report outlines the 1998 research activities carried out by the Applied Physics Division of the Innovation Department of ENEA (Italian Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Environment). The fields addressed and discussed include: optical and electro-optical technologies (chaps. 1 and 2); accelerator technologies (chap. 3); diagnostic systems for science and engineering (chaps. 4 and 5); theory, modelling and computational methods (chaps. 6 and 7). The aim of the Applied Physics Division is to develop technologies and systems that can be directly applied by internal (ENEA) and external users in research (high-resolution spectroscopy, laser-generated soft-x-ray sources), production processes (laser material photoproduction, structural analysis), social, cultural and environmental sciences (laser remote sensing, modelling of ecosystems and population dynamics) and medicine (particle accelerator for radiotherapy). Most of the work in 1998 was performed by the division's laboratories at the Frascati, Casaccia and Bologna Research Centres of ENEA; some was done elsewhere in collaboration with other ENEA units, external laboratories and industries. A good share of the activities was carried out for international projects; in particular, the IV European Union Framework Program.

Women's Environmental Literacy As Social Capital In Environmental Management For Environmental Security of Urban Area

Science.gov (United States)

Asteria, Donna; Herdiansyah, Herdis; Wayan Agus Apriana, I.

2016-02-01

This study is about experience of women's role in environmental management to raise environmental security and form of women's emancipation movement. Environmental concerns conducted by residents of urban women who become environmental activists based on environmental literacy. Because of that, women's experience in interacting with both physic and social environment have differences in managing the environment including managing household waste by applying the principles of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and their persuasive efforts on their communities. This is the key to achieving sustainable development by anticipating environmental problem and preserving the environment. This study is conducted qualitative research method and its type is descriptive-explanative. The result of this study is environmental literacy of women activist on pro-environment action in their community that has achieved spiritual environmental literacy. Environmental literacy may differ due to internal and external condition of each individual. Pro-environment activities conducted as a form of responsibility of environmental concern such as eco-management, educational, and economic action, by persuading residents to proactively and consistently continue to do environmental management and develop a sense of community in shaping the networks of environmental concern in local context for global effect.

Internalising externalities of energy use through price mechanism: a developing country perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bhattacharyya, S.C.

1995-01-01

As concern grows about the environmental aspect of energy use, it is increasingly suggested in recent years that energy pricing should take negative externalities of energy use into account. A large body of literature, both theoretical and applied, has grown up over the years proposing a variety of options and methods for internalising environmental costs. However, most of these theories and methods, developed in the industrialised countries, have hitherto neglected two aspects of developing economies: the existence of informal sector in the economy and widespread use of traditional energies. This paper discusses the issues related to internalising environmental costs through price mechanism when these two aspects are included. It also calls for a more careful analysis of energy and environmental policies. (author)

External Knowledge Sourcing and Green Innovation Growth with Environmental and Energy Regulations: Evidence from Manufacturing in China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jian Hou

2017-02-01

Full Text Available This paper adopts the slacks-based measure-directional distance function (SBM-DDF, 2009 method for deriving the “Green Innovation Growth” rates of 28 manufacturing industries in China. The results indicate that the overall level of green innovation growth in China’s manufacturing is relatively low, with a declining trend. The tradeoffs among energy, environment and economy are rather sharp, and the “Porter Effect (1995” (environmental regulation will promote green technology innovation is not currently realized quickly in manufacturing. These evaluations imply an unsustainable development model in China, with significant differences among industries. By using a dynamic panel threshold model and employing an industry-level panel dataset for 2008–2014, we show that external knowledge sourcing has a significant negative impact on green innovation growth but with different constraints on R&D levels among industries. With the strengthening of R&D levels, gradually surpassing “critical mass”, the negative role of external knowledge sourcing in driving this mechanism becomes smaller and smaller; it has a non-linear relationship with the “threshold effect”. Consequently, we provide insights into the relationship among energy consumption, environmental pollution and technology innovation, and show how the heterogeneity of the R&D threshold affects differences in external knowledge sourcing and green innovation growth. These insights lead to a better understanding of the driving force, realizing path and policy design for green innovation growth.

The role of natural gas in assessing environmental cost of fossil fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Riva, A.; Trebeschi, C.

1999-01-01

The actual price of a resource is the results of its internal and external costs. Internal costs means the price paid by the users in order to utilise the resource. On the other hand, externals costs, which are associated with the resource, are not paid directly by the users, but they shall be paid for by the society of the future generations. The article presents methodologies and issues relevant to energy policy decisions, when it comes to evaluating and using environmental external costs of fossil fuel life, with particular consideration to the end-use phase. The results of published studies on environmental costs of energy sources and an analysis applied to the Italia case show that natural gas as a significantly higher environmental value than other fossil fuels. The range of values depends upon the technologies considered and on the assumptions adopted when assessment environmental damages [it

Health, environmental risks and externalities of nuclear and other energy systems of Russia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vasiliev, A.P.; Demin, V.F.

2000-01-01

Due to different reasons the structure of electricity production systems of Russia should be reconsidered and changed. In this reconsideration the results of comparative risk assessment (CRA) and external cost assessment (ECA) are needed. CRA and ECA study has been carried out in the frame of the research program of International Center of Environmental Safety of Ministry of Atomic Energy of Russia. Main directions of this study are: 1) developing CRA and ECA methodology and data base ; 2) performing CRA and ECA for nuclear and other energy systems. Some tendencies in development of electricity production systems in Russia and preliminary results of CRA and ECA are described. (author)

Preliminary comparative estimate of the environmental externalities of the electrical generation in Cuba

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Turtos Carbonell, L.

1998-01-01

Determination of the externalises associated with the electrical generation and fundamentally its atmospherically environmental impact, win greater importance nowadays, with the objective that to medium term these could be incorporated into the economy of electricity production as the surest way to reduce this impact. In the work is accomplished a comparative preliminary estimate of the externalises of the electrical generation in Cuba based in the results obtained in the External Project (Externalises of Energy) and the emissions of the domestic Power Plant. Different processes to reduce these emissions are proposed. The economic feasibility of installing Abatement Emissions Technologies based on the calculated externalises is analyzed

ExternE: Externalities of energy Vol. 5. Nuclear

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dreicer, M.; Tort, V.; Manen, P.

1995-01-01

Since the early 1970s, there has been increased interest in the environmental impacts that are caused by the generation of electricity. The comparative risk assessment studies at that time used mainly deaths and injuries as impact indicators. By the end of the 1980s studies changed to the assessment of the costs imposed on society and the environment that were not included in the market price of the energy produced, the so-called external costs. The preliminary studies that were published set the conceptual basis, grounded in neo-classical economics, for the valuation of the health and environmental impacts that could be assessed. As a consequence of the many questions raised by the methodologies employed by these early studies, Directorate General XII (DG XII) of the Commission of the European Communities established a collaborative research programme with the United States Department of Energy to identify an appropriate methodology for this type of work. Following the completion of this collaboration, the DG XII programme has continued as the ExternE project. The main objective of the work carried out at CEPN was to develop an impact pathway methodology for the nuclear fuel cycle that would be consistent with the methodologies developed for other fuel cycles, without loosing the nuclear-specific techniques required for a proper evaluation. In this way, comparisons between the different fuel cycles would be possible. This report presents the methodology and demonstration of the results in the context of the French nuclear fuel cycle. The United States team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has previously issued a draft report on the results of their assessment. The French fuel cycle was broken down into 8 separate stages. Reference sites and 1990s technology were chosen to represent the total nuclear fuel cycle, as it exists today. In addition, the transportation of material between the sites was considered. The facilities are assessed for routine operation, except

External costs of electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rabl, A.; Spadaro, J.V.

2005-01-01

This article presents a synthesis of the ExternE project (External costs of Energy) of the European community about the external costs of power generation. Pollution impacts are calculated using an 'impact pathways' analysis, i.e. an analysis of the emission - dispersion - dose-response function - cost evaluation chain. Results are presented for different fuel cycles (with several technological variants) with their confidence intervals. The environmental impact costs are particularly high for coal: for instance, in France, for coal-fired power plants it is of the same order as the electricity retail price. For natural gas, this cost is about a third of the one for coal. On the contrary, the environmental impact costs for nuclear and renewable energies are low, typically of few per cent of the electricity price. The main part of these costs corresponds to the sanitary impacts, in particular the untimely mortality. In order to avoid any controversy about the cost evaluation of mortality, the reduction of the expectation of life due to the different fuel cycles is also indicated and the risks linked with nuclear energy are presented using several comparisons. (J.S.)

Noise-spectroscopy of multiqubit systems: Determining all their parameters by applying an external classical noise

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Savel' ev, S., E-mail: S.Saveliev@lboro.ac.uk [Department of Physics, Loughborough University, Leicestershire LE11 3TU (United Kingdom); Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Zagoskin, A.M. [Department of Physics, Loughborough University, Leicestershire LE11 3TU (United Kingdom); Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Omelyanchouk, A.N. [Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); B. Verkin Institute for Low Temperature Physics and Engineering, 61103 Kharkov (Ukraine); Nori, Franco [Advanced Science Institute, RIKEN, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198 (Japan); Physics Department, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1040 (United States)

2010-10-05

Imagine that you have several sets of two coupled qubits, but you do not know the parameters of their Hamitonians. How to determine these without resorting to the usual spectroscopy approach to the problem? Based on numerical modeling, we show that all the parameters of a system of two coupled qubits can be determined by applying to it an external classical noise and analyzing the Fourier spectrum of the elements of the system's density matrix. In particular, the interlevel spacings as well as the strength and sign of the qubit-qubit coupling can be determined this way.

The valuation of external costs: An overview of issues and state actions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caverhill, E.J.

1992-01-01

The valuation of externalities helps determine the cost effectiveness of environmentally superior resources that would not be cost effective on a direct cost comparison to utility avoided costs. Explicitly monetizing externalities appears to be the best way to meet the criteria of consistency across resource options and pollutants and allowing selection of societally least-cost resources among a variety of resource types. Environmental costs should be defined so as not to exclude any potential external effects, including all environmental, social, and economic effects. For practical purposes, the definition could probably include only environmental externalities without materially affecting resource decisions in the foreseeable future for most North American utilities. More specifically, a comprehensive list of external costs should at least include emissions of pollutants such as SO 2 , CO, NO x , volatile organics, and greenhouse gases; thermal effluents; solid wastes; risk of catastrophic accidents; and for hydro projects, destruction of habitat and recreational areas, and mercury accumulation in reservoirs. Environmental effects should then be counted and valued, most commonly by damage costing or regulatory cost of control. Some utilities and other parties have proposed a market-based approach to valuing externalities, determining the marginal cost of controlling emissions by the market price of emissions allowances. Quantification of environmental costs, ensuring consistency among externality sources, and estimation of avoided externality costs are also discussed. Examples are presented of externality values selected in a number of areas of the USA. 11 refs., 5 figs

Theoretical analysis of multiple quantum-well, slow-light devices under applied external fields using a fully analytical model in fractional dimension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kohandani, R; Kaatuzian, H [Photonics Research Laboratory, Electrical Engineering Department, AmirKabir University of Technology, Hafez Ave., Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2015-01-31

We report a theoretical study of optical properties of AlGaAs/GaAs multiple quantum-well (MQW), slow-light devices based on excitonic population oscillations under applied external magnetic and electric fields using an analytical model for complex dielectric constant of Wannier excitons in fractional dimension. The results are shown for quantum wells (QWs) of different width. The significant characteristics of the exciton in QWs such as exciton energy and exciton oscillator strength (EOS) can be varied by application of external magnetic and electric fields. It is found that a higher bandwidth and an appropriate slow-down factor (SDF) can be achieved by changing the QW width during the fabrication process and by applying magnetic and electric fields during device functioning, respectively. It is shown that a SDF of 10{sup 5} is obtained at best. (slowing of light)

On the implementation of a ‘global’ environmental strategy: The role of absorptive capacity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pinkse, J.; Kuss, M.J.; Hoffmann, V.H.

2010-01-01

This paper sheds light on factors influencing to what extent MNCs are able to implement a global environmental strategy. We apply the concept of absorptive capacity to analyze what role the uptake and integration of external knowledge plays in implementing an environmental strategy and propose to

Study on the measurements and evaluation of environmental external exposure after a nuclear accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakamoto, R.; Saito, K.; Tsutsumi, M.

2001-01-01

Several important issues which affect external exposure in contaminated Chernobyl areas have been investigated using field measurements and computational simulations since 1992. The objectives of the study were: 1) the development of a mobile survey method to collect radiation data over the contaminated wide areas in a shot time; 2) the verification of a method to infer external dose to the population; 3) the provision of basic data used for evaluation of external dose due to gamma ray using a Monte Carlo simulation method. To develop a method to rapidly measure radiation over wide areas and map the extend of fallout, a mobile survey system was constructed and tested; the conversion factors to convert the measured data to required quantities were examined; and finally a detailed contamination map was created. The field surveys were implemented by using a land rover and a helicopter. To infer external dose to inhabitants, radiation measurements were carried out in the living environments using accurate dose meters in addition to individual dose measurements using glass dosimeters. Individual doses were inferred from occupancy factors and dose rate data measured with portable dose rate meters in and around houses. The evaluated doses were compared to directly measured individual doses with glass dosimeters in the seven settlements. A good agreement was observed with an error margin of approximate 20%. Basic data used for the evaluation of environmental gamma-ray dose rate were calculated using a Monte Carlo method. The following two kinds of data have been provided from the calculation: a) conversion factors from the nuclide concentration in the ground to the air kerma rate at 1 m height; and b) shielding factors of a typical Chernobyl house for gamma radiation. (M. Suetake)

Luminous flux improvement of xenon fluorescent lamps by applying synchronized high-voltage pulse to the auxiliary external electrode

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Motomura, Hideki; Oka, Kojiro; Sogabe, Toru; Jinno, Masafumi, E-mail: hmoto@mayu.ee.ehime-u.ac.jp [Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Ehime University 3 Bunkyo-cho, Matsuyama, Ehime 790-8577 (Japan)

2011-06-08

As the environmental awareness of people becomes stronger, the demand for mercury-free light sources also becomes stronger. The authors have been developing cold cathode fluorescent lamps in which xenon gas is filled as an ultraviolet radiator instead of mercury. Previously the authors reported the luminous flux enhancement method using a grounded auxiliary external electrode (AEE). In this paper, in order to improve the luminous flux much more, a positive voltage pulse which was synchronized to the main driving negative voltage pulse was applied to the AEE. As a result, the maximum input power increased under which the positive column did not constrict and the luminous flux improved by 70% at the xenon filling pressure of 6.7 kPa. It is proved that the positive voltage pulse application to the AEE with the amplitude of more than 2 kV expands the positive column in the radial direction. It is attributed to the phenomenon that the residual ions and electrons, which are generated by dielectric barrier discharge between the AEE and the anode during the falling edge of the negative pulse to the cathode, spread the discharge path from the anode towards the AEE during the cold cathode discharge mode. By increasing the xenon filling pressure, luminous efficacy was improved to 25 lm W{sup -1}.

Tracking Dissipation Reduction, Externalities, Stability and Sustainability for Environmental Management of New Orleans

Science.gov (United States)

McNamara, D.; Werner, B. T.

2014-12-01

Sustainability requires stability, but in promoting economic development, modern economies and political systems reduce stabilizing dissipation by facilitating use and management of the environment through engineered mitigation of disturbances, which externalizes dissipation over the short to medium term. To quantitatively investigate the relationship between a range of environmental management approaches and sustainability, and the implications for Earth's future, we track the impact of management strategies on dissipation within the system and its externalities in a numerical model for the coupled economic, political/management and flooding dynamics of New Orleans. The model simulates river floods, hurricane storm-surge-induced floods, subsidence, and agent-based market interactions leading to development of port services, hotels, homes and labor relations. Flood protection decisions for levee construction based on the baseline case of cost-benefit analyses designed to prevent short-term economic loss from future floods qualitatively reproduce historical expansion of New Orleans and increases in levee height. Alternative management strategies explored include majority voting, consensus-based decision-making, and variations in discounting of costs and benefits. Enhanced dissipation is measured relative to optimal economic development without floods. The focus of modern economies on commodification is exploited to track dissipation as a scalar representing value or power, but this approach might not be applicable to more complicated traditional/indigenous cultures or cultures of resistance. For the baseline case, short-to-medium-term reductions in dissipation destabilize the coupled system, resulting in episodic bursts of externalized dissipation during flooding. Comparisons of results for a range of management options and generalizations of this approach for alternative cultural systems will be discussed.

Investigating Elementary School Students' Technology Acceptance by Applying Digital Game-Based Learning to Environmental Education

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yuh-Ming; Lou, Shi-Jer; Kuo, Sheng-Huang; Shih, Ru-Chu

2013-01-01

In order to improve and promote students' environmental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviour, integrating environmental education into the primary education curriculum has become a key issue for environmental education. For this reason, this study aimed to investigate elementary school students' acceptance of technology applying digital game-based…

Incorporating externalities in the assessment of different energy options for electricity production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacomino, Vanusa Maria Feliciano; Souza, Jair Albo Marques de; Grynberg, Suely Epsztein; Aronne, Ivan Dionysio

2002-01-01

The production of electricity considering its full chain cycle arises major local, regional and global environmental impacts. This fact and the need of several countries to establish energy plans for the next decades and also the recognition that environmental issues are playing important role in the decision-making process justify the interest in appropriate and comprehensive methodologies and tools to deal with this matter, to be applied mainly in the power sector. The main aim of the present investigation was the implementation and application of a simplified methodology based on the impact pathway (or damage function) approach which is being proposed by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) for the estimation of externalities arising from the full chain cycle of different energy sources for electricity production in its Member States. The externalities arising from different options, including coal, oil, gas and nuclear, were estimated. A computer model based on the optimization of non-linear functions was used as a support tool for decision-making in the power sector. Taking into consideration the externalities from the air emissions of different options, nuclear power is the best solution even taking into consideration the effects of high consequence/low probability accidents. It should be noted that this investigation is not only being used to implement an environmental database, but also in enhancing the Brazilian capability in evaluating the different energy options for electricity production in the framework of sustainable development. (author)

The Association between Positive Parenting and Externalizing Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Boeldt, Debra L; Rhee, Soo Hyun; Dilalla, Lisabeth F; Mullineaux, Paula Y; Schulz-Heik, R Jay; Corley, Robin P; Young, Susan E; Hewitt, John K

2012-01-01

The present study examined the role of positive parenting on externalizing behaviors in a longitudinal, genetically informative sample. It often is assumed that positive parenting prevents behavior problems in children via an environmentally mediated process. Alternatively, the association may be due to either an evocative gene-environment correlation, in which parents react to children's genetically-influenced behavior in a positive way, or a passive gene-environment correlation, where parents passively transmit a risk environment and the genetic risk factor for the behavioral outcome to their children. The present study estimated the contribution of these processes in the association between positive parenting and children's externalizing behavior. Positive parenting was assessed via observations at ages 7, 9, 14, 24, and 36 months and externalizing behaviors were assessed through parent report at ages 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 12 years. The significant association between positive parenting and externalizing behavior was negative, with children of mothers who showed significantly more positive parenting during toddlerhood having lower levels of externalizing behavior in childhood; however, there was not adequate power to distinguish whether this covariation was due to genetic, shared environmental, or nonshared environmental influences.

Internal and External Readings of Same

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hardt, Daniel

2016-01-01

Same is an anaphoric element that performs a comparison, which can either be external or internal to a sentence. Hardt and Mikkelsen (2015) show that same, unlike other anaphoric expressions, imposes a parallelism constraint, and they present three types of examples showing that same...... is infelicitous in the absence of parallelism. Hardt and Mikkelsen propose an account that applies uniformly to internal and external readings; however, the evidence they present largely targets external readings – they don’t offer empirical evidence that clearly supports the uniform approach. Furthermore, Barker...... (2007) argues that internal readings must be treated differently than external readings. In this paper, I show that the parallelism effects observed by Hardt and Mikkelsen in fact apply to internal readings as well. This provides support for a uniform treatment of internal and external readings of same...

Trunk muscle activation and associated lumbar spine joint shear forces under different levels of external forward force applied to the trunk

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kingma, I.; Staudenmann, D.; van Dieen, J.H.

2007-01-01

High anterior intervertebral shear loads could cause low back injuries and therefore the neuromuscular system may actively counteract these forces. This study investigated whether, under constant moment loading relative to L3L4, an increased externally applied forward force on the trunk results in a

ExternE - valuation of hydro power in Klippen. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nilsson, Maans

1998-08-01

ExternE is a pan E uropean project aimed at identifying and quantifying external effects from different energy production technologies around Europe. The Swedish implementation carried out case studies on a biomass plant, a coal plant and a hydro power plant. The conventional approach within the ExternE project is to estimate impacts for each priority pathway associated with the fuel cycle, and then economic methods to obtain estimates for the economic damage of each particular impact pathway. However, in the case of hydro power, it is generally not possible to estimate the most important impacts quantitatively. Therefore, a contingent valuation (CV) study was initiated. In a typical CV-study, a selection of individuals are asked to state their willingness to pay for a certain environmental improvement or to avoid an environmental damage. Welfare economic theory suggests that the well-being effects on people from a change from one situation to another can be measured as their willingness to pay or to accept an economic transaction for this change. Environmental services, such as those provided by a river system, are public services and have generally no market price, but the analyst can use people's stated preferences to determine the correct prices of environmental goods and services. The CV study was initiated to obtain an externality value for Klippens Kraftstation. The performed study was of Ex Ante type, which means estimating the values before the exploitation. For this purpose, a site similar to Klippen but without exploitation, was selected: Vojmaan. Three groups of respondents; the local population, the tourists, and the average Swede, were asked to state their perspective on hydro power development their WTP for preserving Vojmaan in its current condition. The results indicate that Locals and Tourists differ significantly from Swedes. The average willingness to pay is calculated from the respondents who absolutely will pay, and those who maybe pay. The

Externalities of fuel cycles 'ExternE' project. Economic valuation. Economical valuation: An impact pathway approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markandya, A.

1994-01-01

The EC/US study of the external costs of fuel cycles is designed to trace through all the environmental impacts arising from the use of a particular fuel, from the 'cradle' to the 'grave'; to quantify these impacts as far as possible (giving priority to those that are the considered the most important) and to value the damages arising from them in money terms as far as possible (again keeping to the priority listing established by the physical quantification). The fuel cycle has been identified as consisting of the following elements: activities -> emissions/burdens; emissions/burdens -> physical environmental impacts; physical impacts -> external environmental impacts; external impacts -> costs of these impacts. The activities consist of all the operations that are carried out in connection with the extraction transportation, use in electricity generation and finally disposal of the fuel. The emissions or burdens arising from the cycle result in physical impacts, which in turn imply certain environmental impacts. An illustration of a typical fuel cycle (coal) audits environmental impacts is given in Figures. The work of the fuels cycle study teams is to complete the valuation of the shaded areas but giving priority to those impacts that are likely to be quantitatively important. .Each fuel cycle is evaluated in a location-specific context, so that it refers to the impacts arising from the use of coal, or gas or whatever fuel is being considered at an actual plant that is operating. The purpose of this report on economic valuation is to: (a) examine the literature or economic valuation of environmental externalities in Europe; (b) assess its relevance to the fuel cycle study and (c) make recommendations on how the detailed analysis of the individual fuel cycles should use the economic valuation. It is important to recognize that the report is not a complete survey of all the research ever done on environmental valuation. Although as complete a survey of all the

Possibilities and conditions of applying PIXE analysis with external proton beam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potocek, V.

1989-01-01

The technical and methodological prerequisites are summed up for the use of the PIXE method with an external proton beam. The method is suitable for the preliminary analysis of unknown samples prior to the choice of the best suited analytical method, for the nondestructive analysis of rare samples such as unique works of art, of small amounts of materials which are difficult to access, etc., as well as for calibration and comparing analyses. As for the operators the application of the PIXE method with external proton beam assumes the availability of accelerator operating time, minimization of the length of exposure of the targets, optimization of parameters of the exciting beam and automation of the whole process. Attention is also devoted to technical provisions and organization of laboratory work. The design is described of an analytical unit using the PIXE method with external proton beam, and it is stated that the Van de Graaff accelerator at the Institute of Nuclear Physics in Rez near Prague could be used for the purpose. (Z.M.). 6 refs

Parental criticism and externalizing behavior problems in adolescents: the role of environment and genotype-environment correlation.

Science.gov (United States)

Narusyte, Jurgita; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Andershed, Anna-Karin; D'Onofrio, Brian M; Reiss, David; Spotts, Erica; Ganiban, Jody; Lichtenstein, Paul

2011-05-01

Genetic factors are important for the association between parental negativity and child problem behavior, but it is not clear whether this is due to passive or evocative genotype-environment correlation (rGE). In this study, we applied the extended children-of-twins model to directly examine the presence of passive and evocative rGE as well as direct environmental effects in the association between parental criticism and adolescent externalizing problem behavior. The cross-sectional data come from the Twin and Offspring Study in Sweden (N = 909 pairs of adult twins) and from the Twin Study of Child and Adolescent Development (N = 915 pairs of twin children). The results revealed that maternal criticism was primarily due to evocative rGE emanating from their adolescent's externalizing behavior. On the other hand, fathers' critical remarks tended to affect adolescent problem behavior in a direct environmental way. This suggests that previously reported differences in caretaking between mothers and fathers also are reflected in differences in why parenting is associated with externalizing behavior in offspring.

Parental criticism and externalizing behavior problems in adolescents– the role of environment and genotype-environment correlation

Science.gov (United States)

Narusyte, Jurgita; Neiderhiser, Jenae M.; Andershed, Anna-Karin; D’Onofrio, Brian M.; Reiss, David; Spotts, Erica; Ganiban, Jody; Lichtenstein, Paul

2011-01-01

Genetic factors are important for the association between parental negativity and child problem behavior, but it is not clear whether this is dueto passive or evocative genotype-environment correlation (rGE). In this study we applied the extended children-of-twins model to directly examine the presence of passive and evocative rGE as well as direct environmental effects in the association between parental criticism and adolescent externalizing problem behavior. The cross-sectional data come from the Twin and Offspring Study in Sweden (TOSS) (N=909 pairs of adult twins) and from the Twin study of CHild and Adolescent Development (TCHAD) (N=915 pairs of twin children). The results revealed that maternal criticism was primarily due to evocative rGE emanating from their adolescent’s externalizing behavior. On the other hand, fathers’ critical remarks tended to affect adolescent problem behavior in a direct environmental way. This suggests that previously reported differences in caretaking between mothers and fathers also are reflected in differences in why parenting is associated with externalizing behavior in offspring. PMID:21280930

External costs and taxes in heat supply systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karlsson, Aasa; Gustavsson, Leif

2003-01-01

A systems approach was used to compare different heating systems from a consumer perspective. The whole energy system was considered from natural resources to the required energy services. District heating, electric heat pumps, electric boilers, natural-gas-, oil- or pellet-fired local boilers were considered when supplying heat to a detached house. The district heat production included wood-chip-fired and natural-gas-fired cogeneration plants. Electricity other than cogenerated electricity was produced in wood-chip- and natural-gas-fired stand-alone power plants. The analysis includes four tax scenarios, as well as the external cost of environmental and health damage arising from energy conversion emission based on the ExternE study of the European Commission. The most cost-efficient systems were the natural-gas and oil boiler systems, followed by the heat pump and district heating systems, when the external cost and taxes were excluded. When including the external costs of CO 2 emission, the wood-fuel-based systems were much more cost efficient than the fossil-fuel-based systems, also when CO 2 capture and storage were applied. The external costs are, however, highly uncertain. Taxes steer towards lowering energy use and lowering CO 2 emission if they are levied solely on all the fossil-fuel-related emission and fuel use in the systems. If consumer electricity and heat taxes are used, the taxes have an impact on the total cost, regardless of the fuel used, thereby benefiting fuel-based local heating systems. The heat pump systems were the least affected by taxes, due to their high energy efficiency. The electric boiler systems were the least cost-efficient systems, also when the external cost and taxes were included

Environmental Audit: 'A tool used to evaluate and improve the institutional environmental performance'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goulart, Helga

2009-01-01

The Environmental Audits emerged in the late 70 's in order to verify compliance with industrial activities with environmental standards. The same was done internally by the organizations to avoid late fines and penalties imposed by enforcement authorities. At present, environmental audits are used not only to identify environmental problems that must be corrected, but which now forms part of a procedure for identifying opportunities for continual improvement of the activities of a particular organization. Environmental audits undertaken by Management in the CNEA Environmental Activities meet this proactive role detailed above, whose main objective is also to verify compliance with environmental regulatory framework applicable to each site, to identify environmental improvements that must be applied activities to achieve better performance from them. This paper aims to present the results in the recognition phase of the CNEA 's environmental situation through conducting preliminary environmental analysis and comparison with results at the current stage of implementation of the Institutional Environmental Management System through environmental audits, showing the procedures, issues and standards considered and the evolution of each site's environmental performance in implementing the proposed corrections. The central idea of Management Environmental Activities is to show the different sectors and areas of the institution that the environmental audit, applied in the context of environmental management is an essential tool that enables to encourage staff in environmental issues, making that they are directly participating in management activities and is the most concrete to demonstrate both internally and externally achievements in a certain period of time and activities to achieve the policy of continuous improvement in environmental performance of the CNEA. (author)

Externalities assessment of a coal power plant in the forest ecosystems in Valdecaballeros Area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laforga, P.; Planas, B.

1995-01-01

The book is divided in two parts. The first one analyzes the critical load and level concepts, and the methodological framework for Environmental Impact Statement (E.L.S.). In line with this, critical loads and levels represent the system vulnerability and excedances of critical values identify zones where impacts could occur. These are evaluated according to a set of criteria, talking into account present and future land use, their socio cultural interest, economic value of their natural resources and ecological quality of the whole system. In addition to Environment Impact Statement of air pollutants, the proposed formalism allows assessing the external cost of gaseous emission. The second part applies the developed ideas to a practical case: a hypothetical coal power plant on Valdecaballeros (Badajoz, Spain). Environmental impact on forestry ecosystems is studied on a 70 km radius area around the plant. The assessment of the external costs rely on yield losses associated with gaseous emission of the hypothetical plant. (Author) 100 refs

ExternE: Externalities of energy Vol. 2. Methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, J.; Holland, M.; Watkiss, P.

1995-01-01

This report describes the methodology used by the ExternE Project of the European Commission (DGXII) JOULE Programme for assessment of the external costs of energy. It is one of a series of reports describing analysis of nuclear, fossil and renewable fuel cycles for assessment of the externalities associated with electricity generation. Part I of the report deals with analysis of impacts, and Part II with the economic valuation of those impacts. Analysis is conducted on a marginal basis, to allow the effect of an incremental investment in a given technology to be quantified. Attention has been paid to the specificity of results with respect to the location of fuel cycle activities, the precise technologies used, and the type and source of fuel. The main advantages of this detailed approach are as follows: It takes full and proper account of the variability of impacts that might result from different power projects; It is more transparent than analysis based on hypothetically 'representative' cases for each of the different fuel cycles; It provides a framework for consistent comparison between fuel cycles. A wide variety of impacts have been considered. These include the effects of air pollution on the natural and human environment, consequences of accidents in the workplace, impacts of noise and visual intrusion on amenity, and the effects of climate change arising from the release of greenhouse gases. Wherever possible we have used the 'impact pathway' or 'damage function' approach to follow the analysis from identification of burdens (e.g. emissions) through to impact assessment and then valuation in monetary terms. This has required a detailed knowledge of the technologies involved, pollutant dispersion, analysis of effects on human and environmental health, and economics. In view of this the project brought together a multi-disciplinary team with experts from many European countries and the USA. The spatial and temporal ranges considered in the analysis are

Applying the polluter-pays principle to rail: Environmental differentiation of rail access charges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pons-Rigat, A.; Turro Calvet, M.; Ubalde Claver, Ll.

2016-07-01

Environmental charges to rail service operators are still at an early stage of implementation in Europe. Current schemes are dissimilar and most of them have a very limited scope or do not provide effective incentives to abate environmental impacts. This is due to several practical difficulties in implementing internalisation pricing schemes in the railway sector. The first difficulty arises from the lack of internalisation in other transport modes and the small competitive margin of railways. Increasing the overall level of rail charges could affect their survival. A second difficulty is due to the uncertainties in the valuation of external costs and in the establishment of the optimal level of charges. On top of that, the imperfect competition in the rail market and its operational and financial rigidities imply that pricing decisions could be unfair and produce undesired demand effects. These difficulties should not prevent, however, advancing towards the application to rail of adequate charging methods for its environmental costs. This paper addresses the problem of setting environmentally differentiated rail charges through an analytical approach. A generalised formulation is developed that sets the level of charges as a function of the degree of internalisation in other modes. Then, the optimal trade-off in the level of differentiation is assessed to extract general guidelines. Based on this, both the derived overall costs and benefits and the impacts on each agent are quantified. (Author)

External effects and social costs of road transport

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoef, E.T.

1994-01-01

The article contains a welfare economic analysis of road transport's external effects. First, we discuss the definition of external effects. Applying this definition, it is concluded that road transport activities give rise to a wide range of external costs. However, there are no external benefits

The Association between Positive Parenting and Externalizing Behavior1

Science.gov (United States)

Boeldt, Debra L.; Rhee, Soo Hyun; DiLalla, Lisabeth F.; Mullineaux, Paula Y.; Schulz-Heik, R. Jay; Corley, Robin P.; Young, Susan E.; Hewitt, John. K.

2011-01-01

The present study examined the role of positive parenting on externalizing behaviors in a longitudinal, genetically informative sample. It often is assumed that positive parenting prevents behavior problems in children via an environmentally mediated process. Alternatively, the association may be due to either an evocative gene-environment correlation, in which parents react to children’s genetically-influenced behavior in a positive way, or a passive gene-environment correlation, where parents passively transmit a risk environment and the genetic risk factor for the behavioral outcome to their children. The present study estimated the contribution of these processes in the association between positive parenting and children’s externalizing behavior. Positive parenting was assessed via observations at ages 7, 9, 14, 24, and 36 months and externalizing behaviors were assessed through parent report at ages 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, and 12 years. The significant association between positive parenting and externalizing behavior was negative, with children of mothers who showed significantly more positive parenting during toddlerhood having lower levels of externalizing behavior in childhood; however, there was not adequate power to distinguish whether this covariation was due to genetic, shared environmental, or nonshared environmental influences. PMID:22577341

Applied physics of external radiation exposure dosimetry and radiation protection

CERN Document Server

Antoni, Rodolphe

2017-01-01

This book describes the interaction of living matter with photons, neutrons, charged particles, electrons and ions. The authors are specialists in the field of radiation protection. The book synthesizes many years of experiments with external radiation exposure in the fields of dosimetry and radiation shielding in medical, industrial and research fields. It presents the basic physical concepts including dosimetry and offers a number of tools to be used by students, engineers and technicians to assess the radiological risk and the means to avoid them by calculating the appropriate shields. The theory of radiation interaction in matter is presented together with empirical formulas and abacus. Numerous numerical applications are treated to illustrate the different topics. The state of the art in radiation protection and dosimetry is presented in detail, especially in the field of simulation codes for external exposure to radiation, medical projects and advanced research. Moreover, important data spread in differ...

The influence of applied internal and external rotation on the pivot shift phenomenon.

Science.gov (United States)

Kopf, Sebastian; Musahl, Volker; Perka, Carsten; Kauert, Ralf; Hoburg, Arnd; Becker, Roland

2017-04-01

The pivot shift test is performed in different techniques and the rotation of the tibia seems to have a significant impact on the amount of the pivot shift phenomenon. It has been hypothesised that external rotation will increase the phenomenon due to less tension at the iliotibial band in knee extension. Twenty-four patients with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament insufficiency were included prospectively. The pivot shift test was performed bilaterally in internal and external tibial rotation under general anaesthesia. Knee motion was captured using a femoral and a tibial inertial sensor. The difference between positive and negative peak values in Euclidean norm of acceleration was calculated to evaluate the amount of the pivot shift phenomenon. The pivot shift phenomenon was significantly increased in patients with ACL insufficiency when the test was performed in external [mean 5.2 ms - 2 (95% CI 4.3-6.0)] compared to internal tibial rotation [mean 4.4 ms - 2 (95% CI 3.5-5.4)] (p = 0.002). In healthy, contralateral knees did not show any difference between external [mean 4.0 ms - 2 (95% CI 3.3-4.7)] and internal tibial rotation [mean 4.0 ms - 2 (95% CI 3.4-4.6)] (ns). The pivot shift phenomenon was increased with external rotation in ACL-insufficient knees, and therefore, one should perform the pivot shift test, rather, in external rotation to easily evoke the, sometimes difficult to detect, pivot shift phenomenon. I (diagnostic study).

Effect of a food waste disposer policy on solid waste and wastewater management with economic implications of environmental externalities.

Science.gov (United States)

Maalouf, Amani; El-Fadel, Mutasem

2017-11-01

In this study, the carbon footprint of introducing a food waste disposer (FWD) policy was examined in the context of its implications on solid waste and wastewater management with economic assessment of environmental externalities emphasizing potential carbon credit and increased sludge generation. For this purpose, a model adopting a life cycle inventory approach was developed to integrate solid waste and wastewater management processes under a single framework and test scenarios for a waste with high organic food content typical of developing economies. For such a waste composition, the results show that a FWD policy can reduce emissions by nearly ∼42% depending on market penetration, fraction of food waste ground, as well as solid waste and wastewater management schemes, including potential energy recovery. In comparison to baseline, equivalent economic gains can reach ∼28% when environmental externalities including sludge management and emissions variations are considered. The sensitivity analyses on processes with a wide range in costs showed an equivalent economic impact thus emphasizing the viability of a FWD policy although the variation in the cost of sludge management exhibited a significant impact on savings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Raising environmental awareness through applied biochemistry laboratory experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Salman Ashraf, S

2013-01-01

Our environment is under constant pressure and threat from various sources of pollution. Science students, in particular chemistry students, must not only be made aware of these issues, but also be taught that chemistry (and science) can provide solutions to such real-life issues. To this end, a newly developed biochemistry laboratory experiment is described that guides students to learn about the applicability of peroxidase enzymes to degrade organic dyes (as model pollutants) in simulated waste water. In addition to showing how enzymes can potentially be used for waste water remediation, various factors than can affect enzyme-based reactions such as pH, temperature, concentration of substrates/enzymes, and denaturants can also be tested. This "applied biotechnology" experiment was successfully implemented in an undergraduate biochemistry laboratory course to enhance students' learning of environmental issues as well important biochemistry concepts. Student survey confirmed that this laboratory experiment was successful in achieving the objectives of raising environmental awareness in students and illustrating the usefulness of chemistry in solving real-life problems. This experiment can be easily adopted in an introductory biochemistry laboratory course and taught as an inquiry-guided exercise. © 2013 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Estimation of the externalities associated with atmospheric emissions of the electric power production cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacomino, Vanusa Maria Feliciano; Barreto, Alberto Avelar; Pereira, Maria Cristina; Branco, Otavio Eurico de Aquino; Aronne, Ivan Dionysio; Pinheiro, Ricardo Brant

2000-01-01

Nowadays the activities connected to energy generation and distribution are those that most contribute to local, regional and global degradation of the environment. One of the most important contribution for externalities estimation is the ExternE Project, which has established a methodological framework called damage function approach to quantify both health and environmental impacts from electricity generation as well as to quantify in monetary terms the damage resulting from these physical impacts. In order to incorporate economic, social and environmental aspects in the decision process of energy planning in Brazil, a joint research project sponsored by the International Atomic Energy Agency is being carried out. The primary objective of this Project is to perform a comparative assessment of external costs of alternative fuel cycles for electricity production. It includes not only the quantification of the physical impacts and damage costs associated with airborne emissions from the traditional fossil fuels (coal, gas and oil) and nuclear energy, but also those from renewable resources, most specifically from hydroelectric. The main objective of this paper is to present preliminary results of the external costs associated to atmospheric emissions of an oil fired plant. Applying the Damage Function Approach methodology the quantification of healthy impacts and damage cost was performed. These results will later be compared with those from nuclear energy option. Atmospheric dispersion studies were carried out using the Industrial Complex Source Model. The healthy impacts were estimated using the exposure-response curves recommended by the ExternE Project. The monetary unit cost for different public health endpoints considered in this study were obtained indirectly by using unit cost values taken from Contingent Valuation studies sponsored by the World Bank, which are specific for developing countries. (author)

Settlement behavior of municipal solid waste due to internal and external environmental factors in a lysimeter.

Science.gov (United States)

Melo, Márcio C; Caribé, Rômulo M; Ribeiro, Libânia S; Sousa, Raul B A; Monteiro, Veruschka E D; de Paiva, William

2016-12-05

Long-term settlement magnitude is influenced by changes in external and internal factors that control the microbiological activity in the landfill waste body. To improve the understanding of settlement phenomena, it is instructive to study lysimeters filled with MSW. This paper aims to understand the settlement behavior of MSW by correlating internal and external factors that influence waste biodegradation in a lysimeter. Thus, a lysimeter was built, instrumented and filled with MSW from the city of Campina Grande, the state of Paraíba, Brazil. Physicochemical analysis of the waste (from three levels of depth of the lysimeter) was carried out along with MSW settlement measurements. Statistical tools such as descriptive analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) were also performed. The settlement/compression, coefficient of variation and PCA results indicated the most intense rate of biodegradation in the top layer. The PCA results of intermediate and bottom levels presented fewer physicochemical and meteorological variables correlated with compression data in contrast with the top layer. It is possible to conclude that environmental conditions may influence internal indicators of MSW biodegradation, such as the settlement.

Effect of external magnetic effect of external magnetic field annealing on magnetic texture of Mo containing NANOPERM-type alloys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kanuch, T.; Miglierini, M.; Greneche, J.-M.; Skorvanek, I.; Schaaf, P.

2006-01-01

External magnetic fields are known to modify microstructure of materials during their solidification and/or crystallisation. In an external magnetic field strong particle to particle interactions lead to a highly anisotropic microstructure. If the alloy is in ferromagnetic state, stronger particle magnetization - external field interactions and also particle-to-particle couplings are expected. To reveal the magnetic texture, originally amorphous precursors of Fe 76 Mo 8 Cu 1 B 15 were annealed at 510 grad C and 550 grad C in an external longitudinal and transverse magnetic field of 0.025 T and 0.8 T, respectively. Magnetic measurements were applied to follow the changes of saturation magnetization and coercive force. Moessbauer experiments were performed at room and liquid nitrogen temperature to provide an information about orientation of with respect to an external magnetic field. The obtained results were compared with those achieved on zero field annealed samples. We can conclude that such a low external magnetic fields applied during crystallisation cause no significant changes in the magnetic microstructural anisotropy. Afterwards, magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) was applied to investigate possible changes at the surface of the ribbon as a function of annealing temperature and applied magnetic field. We observed combination of uniaxial anisotropy, which originates from the shape anisotropy, and four-fold anisotropy, which is a contribution from crystallites of nanometre size embedded in the residual amorphous matrix. We expect more pronounced effects on cobalt substituted (Fe1 -x Co x ) 76 Mo 8 Cu 1 B 15 alloy. (authors)

External Benefit Evaluation of Renewable Energy Power in China for Sustainability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Huiru Zhao

2015-04-01

Full Text Available China’s renewable energy power has developed rapidly in recent years. Evaluating the external benefits of renewable energy power can provide a reference for the Chinese government to set diverse development goals and to implement differentiated supporting policies for different renewable energy power types, which can promote their sustainable development. In this paper, a hybrid MCDM method was applied to evaluate the external benefits of China’s renewable energy power. Firstly, the impacts of renewable energy power accessing the power grid for multiple stakeholders in the electric power system were analyzed. Secondly, the external benefit evaluation index system for renewable energy power was built from the economic, social and environmental factors, based on the concept of sustainability. Then, the basic theory of the hybrid MCDM method employed in this paper was introduced in two parts: the superiority linguistic ratings and entropy weighting method for index weight determination and the fuzzy grey relation analysis for ranking alternatives. Finally, the external benefits of wind power, solar PV power and biomass power were evaluated. Taking a regional electric power system as an example, the results show that PV power has the greatest external benefit, followed by wind power and biomass power. Therefore, more policies supporting PV power should be put in place to promote the harmonious and sustainable development of the whole renewable energy power industry.

49 CFR 192.461 - External corrosion control: Protective coating.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 49 Transportation 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false External corrosion control: Protective coating... for Corrosion Control § 192.461 External corrosion control: Protective coating. (a) Each external protective coating, whether conductive or insulating, applied for the purpose of external corrosion control...

A cost benefit review of applying quality assurance principles to project management of environmental cleanup programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oakes, T.W.

1989-01-01

This paper shows the cost/benefit mechanism used for applying the theory and practical aspects of QA principles as a management tool to project management of environmental cleanup projects. This includes reviewing and guidelines and requirements to determine the practical aspects of applying these requirements to environmental project management. Thus, there is a feedback loop for comparison of the cost/benefits of application of each stage of the project. The project's major stages include planning, environmental sampling, analysis of data samples, data/information management to include reporting, and follow- up, post-cleanup sampling with continued data management. A comparison is also made of the theory with the practical aspects of each of these stages

Energy consumption of workstations and external devices in school of business and information technology

OpenAIRE

Koret, Jere

2012-01-01

The purpose of this thesis was to measure energy consumption of workstations and external devices in School of Business and Information Technology and search for possible solutions to reduce electricity consumption. The commissionaire for the thesis was Oulu University of Applied Sciences School of Business and Information Management unit. The reason for the study is that School of Business and Information Management has a environmental plan which is based on ISO standard 14001 and this t...

External costs of material recycling strategies for fusion power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hallberg, B.; Aquilonius, K.; Lechon, Y.; Cabal, H.; Saez, R.M.; Schneider, T.; Lepicard, S.; Ward, D.; Hamacher, T.; Korhonen, R.

2003-01-01

This paper is based on studies performed within the framework of the project Socio-Economic Research on Fusion (SERF3). Several fusion power plant designs (SEAFP Models 1-6) were compared focusing on part of the plant's life cycle: environmental impact of recycling the materials. Recycling was considered for materials replaced during normal operation, as well as materials from decommissioning of the plant. Environmental impact was assessed and expressed as external cost normalised with the total electrical energy output during plant operation. The methodology used for this study has been developed by the Commission of the European Union within the frame of the ExternE project. External costs for recycling, normalised with the energy production during plant operation, are very low compared with those for other energy sources. Results indicate that a high degree of recycling is preferable, at least when considering external costs, because external costs of manufacturing of new materials and disposal costs are higher

Environmental impacts of precision feeding programs applied in pig production.

Science.gov (United States)

Andretta, I; Hauschild, L; Kipper, M; Pires, P G S; Pomar, C

2017-12-04

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect that switching from conventional to precision feeding systems during the growing-finishing phase would have on the potential environmental impact of Brazilian pig production. Standard life-cycle assessment procedures were used, with a cradle-to-farm gate boundary. The inputs and outputs of each interface of the life cycle (production of feed ingredients, processing in the feed industry, transportation and animal rearing) were organized in a model. Grain production was independently characterized in the Central-West and South regions of Brazil, whereas the pigs were raised in the South region. Three feeding programs were applied for growing-finishing pigs: conventional phase feeding by group (CON); precision daily feeding by group (PFG) (whole herd fed the same daily adjusted diet); and precision daily feeding by individual (PFI) (diets adjusted daily to match individual nutrient requirements). Raising pigs (1 t pig BW at farm gate) in South Brazil under the CON feeding program using grain cultivated in the same region led to emissions of 1840 kg of CO2-eq, 13.1 kg of PO4-eq and 32.2 kg of SO2-eq. Simulations using grain from the Central-West region showed a greater climate change impact. Compared with the previous scenario, a 17% increase in climate change impact was found when simulating with soybeans produced in Central-West Brazil, whereas a 28% increase was observed when simulating with corn and soybeans from Central-West Brazil. Compared with the CON feeding program, the PFG and PFI programs reduced the potential environmental impact. Applying the PFG program mitigated the potential climate change impact and eutrophication by up to 4%, and acidification impact by up to 3% compared with the CON program. Making a further adjustment by feeding pigs according to their individual nutrient requirements mitigated the potential climate change impact by up to 6% and the potential eutrophication and acidification impact

Computing and Systems Applied in Support of Coordinated Energy, Environmental, and Climate Planning

Science.gov (United States)

This talk focuses on how Dr. Loughlin is applying Computing and Systems models, tools and methods to more fully understand the linkages among energy systems, environmental quality, and climate change. Dr. Loughlin will highlight recent and ongoing research activities, including: ...

External costs from electricity generation of China up to 2030 in energy and abatement scenarios

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Qingyu; Weili, Tian; Yumei, Wei; Yingxu, Chen

2007-01-01

This paper presents estimated external costs of electricity generation in China under different scenarios of long-term energy and environmental policies. Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning (LEAP) software is used to develop a simple model of electricity demand and to estimate gross electricity generation in China up to 2030 under these scenarios. Because external costs for unit of electricity from fossil fuel will vary in different government regulation periods, airborne pollutant external costs of SO 2 , NO x , PM 10 , and CO 2 from fired power plants are then estimated based on emission inventories and environmental cost for unit of pollutants, while external costs of non-fossil power generation are evaluated with external cost for unit of electricity. The developed model is run to study the impact of different energy efficiency and environmental abatement policy initiatives that would reduce total energy requirement and also reduce external costs of electricity generation. It is shown that external costs of electricity generation may reduce 24-55% with three energy policies scenarios and may further reduce by 20.9-26.7% with two environmental policies scenarios. The total reduction of external costs may reach 58.2%. (author)

Modeling external constraints: Applying expert systems to nuclear plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beck, C.E.; Behera, A.K.

1993-01-01

Artificial Intelligence (AI) applications in nuclear plants have received much attention over the past decade. Specific applications that have been addressed include development of models and knowledge-bases, plant maintenance, operations, procedural guidance, risk assessment, and design tools. This paper examines the issue of external constraints, with a focus on the use of Al and expert systems as design tools. It also provides several suggested methods for addressing these constraints within the Al framework. These methods include a State Matrix scheme, a layered structure for the knowledge base, and application of the dynamic parameter concept

The Chemical Technology Division at Argonne National Laboratory: Applying chemical innovation to environmental problems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-01-01

The Chemical Technology Division is one of the largest technical divisions at Argonne National Laboratory, a leading center for research and development related to energy and environmental issues. Since its inception in 1948, the Division has pioneered in developing separations processes for the nuclear industry. The current scope of activities includes R ampersand D on methods for disposing of radioactive and hazardous wastes and on energy conversion processes with improved efficiencies, lower costs, and reduced environmental impact. Many of the technologies developed by CMT can be applied to solve manufacturing as well as environmental problems of industry

Externalities of fuel cycles 'ExternE' project. Wind fuel cycle. Estimation of physical impacts and monetary valuation for priority impact pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eyre, N.

1994-01-01

Fuel cycle externalities are the costs imposed on society and the environment that are not accounted for by the producers and consumers of energy. They include physical damage to natural and built environment as well as impacts on recreation, amenity, aesthetics and other contributors to individual utility. Traditional economic assessment of fuel cycles has ignored these effects and the energy sector is consequently distorted in favour of technologies with significant environmental impacts. Concern over widespread degradation of the environment resulting from the major electricity generating fuel cycle emissions has mounted since the early 1970s. The impacts of acidifying pollutants and ozone precursors have been studied extensively. More recently, the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the consequential changes to the Earth's climate have caused even more concern. At the same time, the environmental problems of nuclear power - ionising radiation, catastrophic consequences of accidents and unresolved problems of storing highly active waste - have increasingly been recognised. Electricity generation based on renewable energy sources is generally considered to be more environmentally benign, because the major pollution effects of the fossil fuel and nuclear fuel cycles are avoided. However, even the renewables are not impact free, although the impacts tend to be more local in character. This report evaluates in detail the environmental impacts, and their costs, of one of those sources - wind energy. It is the first attempt at a comprehensive assessment of the monetary values of the environmental impacts of wind energy. Although the theoretical basis for including external costs in decision making processes is well understood, an acceptable methodology for their calculation and integration has not been established. The studies of Hohmeyer (1988) and Ottinger et al (1990) are examples of attempts to calculate the environmental externalities of

External costs of nuclear-generated electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rotaru, I.; Glodeanu, F.; Popescu, D.; Andrei, V.

2004-01-01

External costs of nuclear power include: future financial liabilities arising from decommissioning and dismantling of nuclear facilities, health and environmental impacts of radioactivity releases in routine operation, radioactive waste disposal and effects of severe accidents. The nuclear energy industry operates under regulations that impose stringent limits to atmospheric emissions and liquid effluents from nuclear facilities as well as requiring the containment and confinement of solid radioactive waste to ensure its isolation from the biosphere as long as it may be harmful for human health and the environment. The capital and operating costs of nuclear power plants and fuel cycle facilities already internalize a major portion of the above-mentioned potential external costs, and these are reflected in the prices paid by consumers of nuclear-generated electricity. The externality related to potential health and environmental impacts of radioactive releases during routine operations have been assessed in a large number of comprehensive studies, in particular the ExternE project that was created in the framework of the European Commission. With regard to effects of severe nuclear accidents, a special legal regime, the third-party liability system, has been implemented to provide limited third party liability coverage in the event of a nuclear accident. The nuclear plant owners are held liable for some specified first substantial part of damages to third parties, and must secure insurance coverage adequate to cover this part. The Government provides coverage for some specified substantial second part of the damages, with any remaining damages to be considered by the national legislation. Thus, the costs of an incident or accident are fully internalized in the costs borne by the nuclear plant owners. Externalities of energy are not limited to environmental and health related impacts, but may result also from macro-economic, policy or strategic factors not reflected

Externality costs by resource. E. Renewable generation resources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

This chapter describes the environmental impacts associated with operation of renewable energy technologies. Renewable energy technologies currently supply 8% of US total energy usage and that figure is certain to grow. The rate of growth will depend heavily on the availability of research and development funds, and could reach 28% of US energy demands by 2030. Renewable generation resources include hydroelectric development, solar energy technologies, wind conversion facilities, and biomass fueled generation. A task force of personnel from five national laboratories recently concluded that renewable energy technologies generally have lower environmental impacts than do fossil fuel energy systems. The task force also stated that a comprehensive and comparative analysis of environmental impacts is needed and would strengthen the National Energy Strategy. This chapter summarizes some of the available literature on costing the environmental externalities associated with hydro, solar, wind, and biomass facilities. The less prevalent renewable energy technologies, including geothermal and ocean energy technologies, were not researched. The cost ranges identified are summarized in Table 1. The Table does not include a value for hydroelectric energy. The one study which attempted to value hydroelectric externalities was highly site-specific and has been criticized for having vastly overstated the value of the externalities

Assessment of Environmental External Effects in Power Generation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meyer, Henrik Jacob; Morthorst, Poul Erik; Ibsen, Liselotte Schleisner

1996-01-01

to the production of electricity based on a coal fired conventional plant. In the second case heat/power generation by means of a combined heat and power plant based on biomass-generated gas is compared to that of a combined heat and power plant fuelled by natural gas.In the report the individual externalities from...

Graphical Methodology of Global Pollution Index for the Environmental Impact Assessment Using Two Environmental Components

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corneliu Cojocaru

2017-04-01

Full Text Available One of the applied methods for environmental impact assessment is the index of global pollution (IGP proposed by Rojanschi in 1991. This methodology enables the global estimation for the ecosystem state affected more or less by human activities. Unfortunately, Rojanschi’s method has a limitation; it can be applied only if at least three environmental components are considered. Frequently, many environmental impact assessment applications rely on analysis of only two environmental components. Therefore, this work aimed to develop a new graphical method to extend Rojanschi’s approach for the case of two environmental components. The proposed method avoids the average value of evaluation grades and uses only the graphical correspondence for calculation of the index of global pollution. A right-angle triangle graph methodology was proposed, where bases represented the values of evaluation grades. Thus, for the case of two environmental components, the index of global pollution was calculated as the relation between the ideal and real ecosystem states represented by the ratio between areas of external and enclosed right triangles. The developed graphical method was tested and validated for real case studies: the environmental impact assessment from a refinery located on the Romanian Black Sea Coast considering Air and Water environmental components and from a coal-fired thermoelectric power plant from Eastern Romania regarding Air and Soil environmental components. In this way, it was provided a reliable and faster tool to be used for the pollution characterization of human-derived chemicals for better decisions in risk management.

Renewable energy: Externality costs as market barriers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Owen, Anthony D.

2006-01-01

This paper addresses the impact of environmentally based market failure constraints on the adoption of renewable energy technologies through the quantification in financial terms of the externalities of electric power generation, for a range of alternative commercial and almost-commercial technologies. It is shown that estimates of damage costs resulting from combustion of fossil fuels, if internalised into the price of the resulting output of electricity, could lead to a number of renewable technologies being financially competitive with generation from coal plants. However, combined cycle natural gas technology would have a significant financial advantage over both coal and renewables under current technology options and market conditions. On the basis of cost projections made under the assumption of mature technologies and the existence of economies of scale, renewable technologies would possess a significant social cost advantage if the externalities of power production were to be 'internalised'. Incorporating environmental externalities explicitly into the electricity tariff today would serve to hasten this transition process. (author)

Are there SO2 externality costs beyond the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanghi, A.; Joseph, A.L.

1992-01-01

Inclusion of environmental externality costs in the selection of utility resources has become a reality in New York, Massachusetts, Nevada and California. Soon several other jurisdictions are likely to join these states in using environmental externality costs in decision-making. The consideration of environmental externalities are bound to profoundly affect utility decision-making in the future. So far attention has focused largely on air emission externalities of SO 2 , NO x and CO 2 . However, the recent Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA) will reduce SO 2 emissions from utilities by about 50 percent. With such a large reduction in SO 2 loading, the question has been raised as to the need to further consider SO 2 externality costs in decision-making. This paper comments on this issue. By using generation and emission data from New York utilities, the paper shows that SO 2 emission externalities exist even after complying with requirements of the CAAA

Estimate on external effective doses received by the Iranian population from environmental gamma radiation sources

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roozitalab, J.; Reza deevband, M.; Rastkhah, N. [National Radiation Protection Dept. Atomic Energy Organization (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sohrabi, M. [Intenatinal atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

2006-07-01

Concentration of natural radioactive materials, especially available U 238, Ra 226, Th 232, and K 40 in construction materials and soil, as well as absorb dose from cosmic rays, is the most important source of the people for effective doses from the environment radiation. In order to evaluate external effective dose, it has been carried out more than 1000 measurements in 36 cities by sensitive dosimeters to environmental gamma radiation for indoor and outdoor conditions in residential areas; which its results show that range of gamma exposure for inside of buildings in Iran is 8.7-20.5 {mu}R/h, and outdoor environments of different cities is 7.9-20.6 {mu}R/h, which their mean value are 14.33 and 12.62 {mu}R/h respectively. Meanwhile, it has been estimated that beam-absorbing ratio between indoor and outdoor in measured environments is 1.55, except contribution of cosmic rays. This studies show that average effective dose for each Iranian person from environmental gamma is 96.9 n Sv/h, and annually effective dose for every person is 0.848 mSv. (authors)

Estimate on external effective doses received by the Iranian population from environmental gamma radiation sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roozitalab, J.; Reza deevband, M.; Rastkhah, N.; Sohrabi, M.

2006-01-01

Concentration of natural radioactive materials, especially available U 238, Ra 226, Th 232, and K 40 in construction materials and soil, as well as absorb dose from cosmic rays, is the most important source of the people for effective doses from the environment radiation. In order to evaluate external effective dose, it has been carried out more than 1000 measurements in 36 cities by sensitive dosimeters to environmental gamma radiation for indoor and outdoor conditions in residential areas; which its results show that range of gamma exposure for inside of buildings in Iran is 8.7-20.5 μR/h, and outdoor environments of different cities is 7.9-20.6 μR/h, which their mean value are 14.33 and 12.62 μR/h respectively. Meanwhile, it has been estimated that beam-absorbing ratio between indoor and outdoor in measured environments is 1.55, except contribution of cosmic rays. This studies show that average effective dose for each Iranian person from environmental gamma is 96.9 n Sv/h, and annually effective dose for every person is 0.848 mSv. (authors)

Hydropower externalities: A meta-analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mattmann, Matteo; Logar, Ivana; Brouwer, Roy

2016-01-01

This paper presents a meta-analysis of existing research related to the economic valuation of the external effects of hydropower. A database consisting of 81 observations derived from 29 studies valuing the non-market impacts of hydropower electricity generation is constructed with the main aim to quantify and explain the economic values for positive and negative hydropower externalities. Different meta-regression model specifications are used to test the robustness of significant determinants of non-market values, including different types of hydropower impacts. The explanatory and predictive power of the estimated models is relatively high. Whilst controlling for sample and study characteristics, we find significant evidence for public aversion towards deteriorations of landscape, vegetation and wildlife caused by hydropower projects. There is however only weak evidence of willingness to pay for mitigating these effects. The main positive externality of hydropower generation, the avoidance of greenhouse gas emission, positively influences welfare estimates when combined with the share of hydropower in national energy production. Sensitivity to scope is detected, but not linked to specific externalities or non-market valuation methods. - Highlights: • A global meta-analysis of valuation studies of hydropower externalities is presented. • Positive and negative externalities are distinguished. • Welfare losses due to environmental deteriorations outweigh gains of GHG reductions. • There is only weak evidence of public WTP for mitigating negative externalities. • The non-market values of hydropower externalities are sensitive to scope.

Externalizing problems in childhood and adolescence predict subsequent educational achievement but for different genetic and environmental reasons.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, Gary J; Asbury, Kathryn; Plomin, Robert

2017-03-01

Childhood behavior problems predict subsequent educational achievement; however, little research has examined the etiology of these links using a longitudinal twin design. Moreover, it is unknown whether genetic and environmental innovations provide incremental prediction for educational achievement from childhood to adolescence. We examined genetic and environmental influences on parental ratings of behavior problems across childhood (age 4) and adolescence (ages 12 and 16) as predictors of educational achievement at age 16 using a longitudinal classical twin design. Shared-environmental influences on anxiety, conduct problems, and peer problems at age 4 predicted educational achievement at age 16. Genetic influences on the externalizing behaviors of conduct problems and hyperactivity at age 4 predicted educational achievement at age 16. Moreover, novel genetic and (to a lesser extent) nonshared-environmental influences acting on conduct problems and hyperactivity emerged at ages 12 and 16, adding to the genetic prediction from age 4. These findings demonstrate that genetic and shared-environmental factors underpinning behavior problems in early childhood predict educational achievement in midadolescence. These findings are consistent with the notion that early-childhood behavior problems reflect the initiation of a life-course persistent trajectory with concomitant implications for social attainment. However, we also find evidence that genetic and nonshared-environment innovations acting on behavior problems have implications for subsequent educational achievement, consistent with recent work arguing that adolescence represents a sensitive period for socioaffective development. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

External costs of electricity production: case study Croatia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bozicevic Vrhovcak, Maja; Tomsic, Zeljko; Debrecin, Nenad

2005-01-01

Because electricity production is one of the major sources of pollution, and at the same time is the most centralised one, environmental issues in power system operation and planning are gaining ever-increasing attention. It is very difficult to compare environmental impacts of various electricity generation technologies and fuel types because they are extremely divergent. The most widely accepted common denominator today is the so-called external cost by which a monetary value is associated with environmental damage. In this paper, damages to human health resulting from Croatian thermal power plants annual operation are presented. Stack emissions have been translated into ambient concentrations by atmospheric dispersion modelling. Existing data on relations between human health degradation and ground concentrations of the analysed pollutants have been used. Geographic information software has been used in order to account for spatially dependent data. Monetary values have been assigned to the estimated human health damage. External costs resulting from impact of Croatian thermal power plants airborne emissions on human health have been calculated. The total Croatian thermal power system external costs, resulting from impacts on human health, are presented and discussed

Corporate environmental strategy and responsiveness to external stakeholders

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schrama, Geerten

1997-01-01

Paper to be presented at the 13th EGOS Colloquium "Organisational Responses to Radical Environmental Changes", Budapest University of Economic Sciences, Budapest, July 3-5, 1997. Sub-theme 6: Responses to the Environmental Challenge in Organisation Studies.

Applying environmental externalities to US Clean Coal Technologies for Taiwan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Szpunar, C.B.; Gillette, J.L.

1992-01-01

During the period 1971 to 1980, electricity consumption in Taiwan increased remarkably at an average rate of 12.2% per year. Despite experiencing a record low in 1982 and 1983, electricity demand returned to double digit growth, reaching 11.6% and 10.2% in 1987 and 1988, respectively, due to a strong economic recovery. In 1988, 71.6 TWh of electricity was produced, 21.1 TWh of which was from coal-fired units (29%). The electricity demand for Taiwan is expected to continue to grow at a very rapid rate during the 1990--2006 time frame. The average load is expected to grow at an annual rate of 5.6% while the peak load is projected to increase at an annual rate of 6.0%. All new coal-fired power plants are expected to comply with government regulations on S0 2 , NO x , and particulate emissions. Taper reports that all of its proposed coal-fired units will be equipped with modern flue gas emission reduction devices, such as electrostatic precipitators or baghouse filters, flue gas desulfurization and deco x devices, to reduce the pollutants to their minimum practical levels. New coal-based generation requirements in the sizes needed in Taiwan create an opportunity for several of the Cats currently under demonstration in the United States. Options to be considered are described

Assessment of the Environmental Tax System in Latvia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jurušs Māris

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Environmental taxes should play an important part in environmental policy as they help to internalize externalities, reduce damage, and increase the quality of life; besides they allow raising revenue for national and local governments. The aim of this paper is to evaluate environmental effectiveness, economic efficiency, equity impact, administrative feasibility and cost, and political acceptability of environmental (energy, transport, and natural-resource taxes in Latvia. The study is based on desk research. The results demonstrate little evidence that existing environmental taxes lead to a significant reduction in environmental pollution and waste flows, but they have a significant fiscal effect. Most of the environmental taxes in Latvia apply direct and indirect subsidies, but most of the revenue comes from taxes on energy and transport. Environmental tax rates in Latvia are the result of political compromise and are not backed by the research on environmental costs of the particular activity. This paper fills the gap in environmental policy evaluation by looking at the performance and effectiveness of environmental taxes in Latvia.

Overview of externality study in EU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Berry, Jacqueline

1998-01-01

Thi presentation describes the main features of the 'Externe-Core Project (JOS3-CT95-0002) from 1. January 1996 to 31. October 1997. The methodology applied in EU takes is based on a marginal cost basis, for a specific site, technology, fuel input using impact pathway approach. The economic evaluation is based on willingness to pay. 'All fuel cycle' takes into account fossil fuels - coal, oil, gas, lignite; Nuclear power; Renewables - wind, hydro, biomass, waste, PV, solar; Energy saving - industry and domestic; Transport - road vehicles. The following impacts are included: Environmental and health impacts both in physical and monetary terms. The priority impacts on a full fuel cycle basis are discussed during routine operation and accidents; as well as emissions from material use (wind, energy conservation). The non-environmental impacts are related to energy security and employment. Pollutants taken into account are SO 2 ; NO x ; N 2 O; CO 2 ; CH 4 ; particulates (PM 10 and acid aerosols); ozone; VOCs; radionuclides. Damages include: Public health; Materials; Crops, Forests, Freshwater fisheries; Unmanaged ecosystems; Occupational accidents; public accidents; global warming potential; Noise; Land use; Visual impact. Differences between Nuclear, Fossil fuels and renewables are shown in terms of major impact categories

Nuclear and nuclear related analytical methods applied in environmental research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popescu, Ion V.; Gheboianu, Anca; Bancuta, Iulian; Cimpoca, G. V; Stihi, Claudia; Radulescu, Cristiana; Oros Calin; Frontasyeva, Marina; Petre, Marian; Dulama, Ioana; Vlaicu, G.

2010-01-01

Nuclear Analytical Methods can be used for research activities on environmental studies like water quality assessment, pesticide residues, global climatic change (transboundary), pollution and remediation. Heavy metal pollution is a problem associated with areas of intensive industrial activity. In this work the moss bio monitoring technique was employed to study the atmospheric deposition in Dambovita County Romania. Also, there were used complementary nuclear and atomic analytical methods: Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA), Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS) and Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry (ICP-AES). These high sensitivity analysis methods were used to determine the chemical composition of some samples of mosses placed in different areas with different pollution industrial sources. The concentrations of Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni and Zn were determined. The concentration of Fe from the same samples was determined using all these methods and we obtained a very good agreement, in statistical limits, which demonstrate the capability of these analytical methods to be applied on a large spectrum of environmental samples with the same results. (authors)

Hydropower - internalized costs and externalized benefits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koch, F.H.

2002-01-01

The benefits of hydropower consist of the minimal level of noxious and greenhouse gas emissions, it's energy security from political instability, and its renewable, non-depletable nature. The costs of hydropower consist of negative effects on the river ecosystem and of social changes in communities in the vicinity of large projects. Public awareness of these costs has increased dramatically during the past two decades, and new hydro projects will not get approval unless adequate mitigation measures are taken to avoid, offset, or compensate for adverse environmental and social effects. To a very large extent, the hydropower industry has internalized what were previously social and environmental externalities. However, hydropower operators do not receive any compensation for the benefits, and to date their competitors (coal, natural gas, oil) have not been required to internalize their adverse environmental externalities. (emissions, depletion of supplies, and sometimes dependence on imported primary energy sources). This creates an uneven playing field, and the hydropower industry enthusiastically welcomes a discussion of this issue, and eventually measures to rectify the situation. The IEA Hydropower Agreement has completed a major international study on the environmental and social impacts of hydropower, and one major component of this study was a Life Cycle Assessment and comparison of all the most important electricity generation technologies. (author)

Investigating genetic and environmental contributions to adolescent externalizing behavior in a collectivistic culture: a multi-informant twin study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, J; Yu, J; Zhang, J; Li, X; McGue, M

2015-07-01

Little is known about the etiology of adolescents' externalizing behavior (Ext) in collectivistic cultures. We aimed to fill this gap by investigating the genetic and environmental influences on Ext in Chinese adolescents. The etiological heterogeneity of aggression (AGG) and rule breaking (RB) was also examined. The study sample included 908 pairs of same-sex twins aged from 10 to 18 years (mean = 13.53 years, s.d. = 2.26). Adolescents' Ext were assessed with the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment including Child Behavior Checklist, Teacher Report Form, and Youth Self-Report. Univariate genetic analyses showed that genetic influences on all measures were moderate ranging from 34% to 50%, non-shared environmental effects ranged from 23% to 52%, and shared environmental effects were significant in parent- and teacher-reported measures ranging from 29% to 43%. Bivariate genetic analyses indicated that AGG and RB shared large genetic influences (r g = 0.64-0.79) but moderate non-shared environmental factors (r e = 0.34-0.52). Chinese adolescents' Ext was moderately influenced by genetic factors. AGG and RB had moderate independent genetic and non-shared environmental influences, and thus constitute etiologically distinct dimensions within Ext in Chinese adolescents. The heritability of AGG, in particular, was smaller in Chinese adolescents than suggested by previous data obtained on Western peers. This study suggests that the collectivistic cultural values and Confucianism philosophy may attenuate genetic potential in Ext, especially AGG.

Internal and external dose conversion coefficient for domestic reference animals and plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Keum, Dong Kwon; Jun, In; Lim, Kwang Muk; Park, Du Won; Choi, Young Ho

2009-07-15

This report presents the internal and external dose conversion coefficients for domestic reference animals and plant, which are essential to assess the radiological impact of an environmental radiation on non-human species. To calculate the dose conversion coefficients, a uniform isotropic model and a Monte Carlo method for a photon transport simulation in environmental media with different densities have been applied for aquatic and terrestrial animals, respectively. In the modeling all the target animals are defined as a simple 3D elliptical shape. To specify the external radiation source it is assumed that aquatic animals are fully immersed in infinite and uniformly contaminated water, and the on-soil animals are living on the surface of a horizontally infinite soil source, and the in-soil organisms are living at the center of a horizontally infinite and uniformly contaminated soil to a depth of 50cm. A set of internal and external dose conversion coefficients for 8 Korean reference animals and plant (rat, roe-deer, frog, snake, Chinese minnow, bee, earthworm, and pine tree) are presented for 25 radionuclides ({sup 3}H, {sup 7}Be, {sup 14}C, {sup 40}K, {sup 51}Cr, {sup 54}Mn, {sup 59}Fe, {sup 58}Co, {sup 60}Co, {sup 65}Zn, {sup 90}Sr, {sup 95}Zr, {sup 95}Nb, {sup 99}Tc, {sup 106}Ru, {sup 129}I, {sup 131}I, {sup 136}Cs, {sup 137}Cs, {sup 140}Ba, {sup 140}La, {sup 144}Ce, {sup 238}U, {sup 239}Pu, and {sup 240}Pu)

Externalizing problems, attention regulation, and household chaos: a longitudinal behavioral genetic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhe; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Petrill, Stephen A; Thompson, Lee A

2012-08-01

Previous research documented a robust link between difficulties in self-regulation and development of externalizing problems (i.e., aggression and delinquency). In this study, we examined the longitudinal additive and interactive genetic and environmental covariation underlying this well-established link using a twin design. The sample included 131 pairs of monozygotic twins and 173 pairs of same-sex dizygotic twins who participated in three waves of annual assessment. Mothers and fathers provided reports of externalizing problems. Teacher report and observer rating were used to assess twin's attention regulation. The etiology underlying the link between externalizing problems and attention regulation shifted from a common genetic mechanism to a common environmental mechanism in the transition across middle childhood. Household chaos moderated the genetic variance of and covariance between externalizing problems and attention regulation. The genetic influence on individual differences in both externalizing problems and attention regulation was stronger in more chaotic households. However, higher levels of household chaos attenuated the genetic link between externalizing problems and attention regulation.

Application of voxel phantoms and Monte Carlo methods to internal and external dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hunt, J.G.; Santos, D. de S.; Silva, F.C. da; Dantas, B.M.; Azeredo, A.; Malatova, I.; Foltanova, S.

2000-01-01

Voxel phantoms and the Monte Carlo technique are applied to the areas of calibration of in vivo measurement systems, Specific Effective Energy calculations, and dose calculations due to external sources of radiation. The main advantages of the use of voxel phantoms is their high level of detail of body structures, and the ease with which their physical dimensions can be changed. For the simulation of in vivo measurement systems for calibration purposes, a voxel phantom with a format of 871 'slices' each of 277 x 148 picture elements was used. The Monte Carlo technique is used to simulate the tissue contamination, to transport the photons through the tissues and to simulate the detection of the radiation. For benchmarking, the program was applied to obtain calibration factors for the in vivo measurement of 241 Am, U nat and 137 Cs deposited in various tissues or in the whole body, as measured with a NaI or Gernlanium detector. The calculated and real activities in all cases were found to be in good agreement. For the calculation of Specific Effective Energies (SEEs) and the calculation of dose received from external sources, the Yale voxel phantom with a format of 493 slices' each of 87 x 147 picture elements was used. The Monte Carlo program was developed to calculate external doses due to environmental, occupational or accidental exposures. The program calculates tissue and effective dose for the following geometries: cloud immersion, ground contamination, X-ray irradiation, point source irradiation or others. The benchmarking results for the external source are in good agreement with the measured values. The results obtained for the SEEs are compatible with the ICRP values. (author)

Environmental costs and resource planning consequences: New England electric's rating and weighting approach

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Destribats, A.F.; Hutchinson, M.A.; Stout, T.M.; White, D.S.

1990-01-01

In mid 1989, the New England Electric System (NEES or Company) began an effort to reflect the potential environmental externalities of new resources in its long range planning process. Having examined several methods for incorporating externalities, including cost of control, the Company adopted a rating and weighting approach. Not strictly quantitative nor qualitative, the rating and weighting approach provided a means to apply an environmental score to all new resources considered for the Company's long range resource plan, NEESPLAN 1990. A maximum environmental cost penalty of fifteen percent was applied to the resource considered for inclusion in the plan that posed the highest amount of potential environmental degradation. All other resources received a smaller penalty that was based on the ratio of their environmental score to the highest score. Application of this penalty tended to improve the cost-effectiveness of demand-side programs and worsen some supply-side options' cost-effectiveness. Both the rating and weighting approach employed by NEES and its application in the long range planning process have been the subject of several critical reviews. Having stated that the advantages of the rating and weighting approach include its easy reviewability and flexibility to be modified as better information becomes available, the Company has subsequently revised the approach to address the comments made by reviewers. The purpose of this paper is to describe the rating and weighting approach, its recent revisions, and the effect of the revised methodology on the Company's long range resource plan

Environmental external gamma radiation isodose map of Kinta and Batang Padang Districts, Perak

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ismail, B.; Monawarah, N.M.Y.; Hng, P.W.; Sharifah Mastura, S.A

2005-01-01

The background radiation levels of any area, including those related to having deposit of NORM is important to be mapped out before being developed in order to assess their for potential radiological risk. A study was carried out map the environmental external gammas radiation dose rates in Kinta and Batang Padang Districts, Perak. The interpolation method in GIS was used to produce an isodose map based on prediction made from 13 different geological structure soil type combinations. Actual field measurements were carried using Sodium Iodine detectors. A predicted isodose map was plotted based on 5 dose rate classes, ranging from 0.16-0.57 Sv hr -1 . The area dose rates was increased to 5.00 Sv hr -1 once the dose rates contributed artificially by among plants to the study area was considered. Results also showed that the geosoil combination of steep land and acid intrusive rock areas radiates the highest dose rate levels (90.31 %) and most of these areas are in areas covered by hilly mountain. (Author)

External Environment and Upper Echelons Theory

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Escribá-Esteve, Alejandro; Nielsen, Sabina; Yamak, Sibel

This work reviews empirical research on TMTs with a specific emphasis on the role of the external environment. We extend the existing research on upper echelons theory, which has largely focused on the team and firm level of analyses of top management teams (TMT). Considering institutional...... and industrial organization theories, we elaborate a cross-level conceptual model outlining the direct, mediating and moderating effects of the external environment on TMTs and their impact. Our review distinguishes between industry and institutional level of analyses and three types of environmental...

External technology sourcing : The effect of uncertainty on governance mode choice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Vrande, V.; Vanhaverbeke, W.P.M.; Duijsters, G.M.

2009-01-01

External knowledge sourcing is increasingly important for corporate entrepreneurship. In this study, we examine the effect of external and relational uncertainty on the governance choice for inter-organizational technology sourcing. We develop a number of hypotheses about the impact of environmental

Annual Site Environmental Report: 2015 (ASER) for the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sabba, Dellilah [SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)

2016-09-01

This report, prepared by the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (SLAC) for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), SLAC Site Office (SSO), provides a comprehensive summary of the environmental program activities at SLAC for calendar year 2015. Annual Site Environmental Reports (ASERs) are prepared for all DOE sites with significant environmental activities, and distributed to relevant external regulatory agencies and other interested organizations or individuals. To the best of my knowledge, this report accurately summarizes the results of the 2015 environmental monitoring, compliance, and restoration programs at SLAC. This assurance can be made based on SSO and SLAC review of the ASER, and quality assurance protocols applied to monitoring and data analyses at SLAC.

Externalizing problems, attention regulation, and household chaos: A longitudinal behavioral genetic study

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Zhe; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Petrill, Stephen A.; Thompson, Lee A.

2015-01-01

Previous research has documented a robust link between difficulties in self-regulation and development of externalizing problems (i.e., aggression and delinquency). In the current study, we examined the longitudinal additive and interactive genetic and environmental covariation underlying this well-established link using a twin design. The sample included 131 pairs of monozygotic twins and 173 pairs of same-sex dizygotic twins who participated in three waves of annual assessment. Mothers and fathers provided reports of externalizing problems. Teacher report and observer rating were used to assess twin’s attention regulation. The etiology underlying the link between externalizing problems and attention regulation shifted from a common genetic mechanism to a common environmental mechanism in the transition across middle childhood. Household chaos moderated the genetic variance of and covariance between externalizing problems and attention regulation. The genetic influence on individual differences in both externalizing problems and attention regulation was stronger in more chaotic household. However, higher levels of household chaos attenuated the genetic link between externalizing problems and attention regulation. PMID:22781853

External events analysis of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liaukonis, Mindaugas; Augutis, Juozas

1999-01-01

This paper presents analysis of external events impact on the safe operation of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant (INPP) safety systems. Analysis was based on the probabilistic estimation and modelling of the external hazards. The screening criteria were applied to the number of external hazards. The following external events such as aircraft failure on the INPP, external flooding, fire, extreme winds requiring further bounding study were analysed. Mathematical models were developed and event probabilities were calculated. External events analysis showed rather limited external events danger to Ignalina NPP. Results of the analysis were compared to analogous analysis in western NPPs and no great differences were specified. Calculations performed show that external events can not significantly influence the safety level of the Ignalina NPP operation. (author)

EVALUATION OF WASTE PACKAGE EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITION STUDY

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

E. N. Lindner and E. F. Dembowski

1998-01-01

The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) is studying Yucca Mountain as the possible site for a permanent underground repository for disposal of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) and other high-level waste (HLW). The emplacement of high-level radioactive waste in Yucca Mountain will release a large amount of heat into the rock above and below the repository. Due to this heat, the rock temperature will rise, and then decrease when the production of decay heat falls below the rate at which heat escapes from the hot zone. In addition to raising the rock temperature, the heat will vaporize water, which will condense in cooler regions. The condensate water may drain back toward the emplacement drifts or it may ''shed'' through the pillars between emplacement drifts. Other effects, such as coupled chemical and mechanical processes, may influence the movement of water above, within, and below the emplacement drifts. This study examined near field environmental parameters that could have an effect on the waste package, including temperature, humidity, seepage rate, pH of seepage, chemistry (dissolved salts/minerals) of seepage, composition of drift atmosphere, colloids, and biota. This report is a Type I analysis performed in support of the development of System Description Documents (SDDs). A Type I analysis is a quantitative or qualitative analysis that may fulfill any of a variety of purposes associated with the Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR), other than providing direct analytical support for design output documents. A Type I analysis may establish design input, as defined in the ''Quality Assurance Requirements and Description'' (QARD) (DOE 1998). This study establishes a technical basis for emplacement drift (i.e. at the waste package surface) environment criteria to be considered in the development of the waste package design. The information will support development of several SDDs and resolve emplacement drift external environment questions in the criteria of those

Long-dated evaluation of the external costs of the nuclear

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Le Dars, A.; Schneider, T.

2002-09-01

Since the middle of the years 1990, the European Commission developed an ''ExternE'' methodology to propose an homogenous evaluation of the sanitary and environmental external costs of the various energy sectors in Europe. This document discusses the taking into account of the long-dated and analyzes the interests and the limits of the monetary evaluation, in terms of external costs, of the nuclear choice. It is organized in three chapters: 1. a presentation and a discussion on the various evaluation of the ''ExternE'' methodology; 2. a description of the available methods for the monetary evaluation of the long-dated impacts and more particularly the analysis of the monetary values actualization principle; 3. highlighted of the impacts for which the monetary evaluations exist. (A.L.B.)

Determining the Environmental Effects of Indirect Subsidies. A Methodological Approach with an Application to the Netherlands

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Van Beers, C. [Department of Economics, Delft University of Technology, Delft (Netherlands); Van den Bergh, J.C.J.M. [Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam (Netherlands); De Moor, A. [National Institute for Public Health and the Environment RIVM, Bilthoven (Netherlands); Oosterhuis, F. [Institute for Environmental Studies IVM, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam (Netherlands)

2004-04-01

Up to now a clear theoretical and methodological framework for economic-environmental analysis of environmentally damaging subsidies is lacking. Environmentally damaging subsidies are all kinds of direct and indirect subsidies aimed at achieving a certain (often non-environmental) goal that produce negative external effects to the natural environment. This article develops a transparent method to determine the environmental impact of indirect government subsidies and derive policy lessons. This method has been applied to several major subsidies in the Netherlands, namely in agriculture, energy, and transport. The results reveal large environmental effects, which need to be taken seriously by policy makers. The method enables policy makers to evaluate the environmental impacts of indirect government subsidies.

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence with synchrotron radiation applied to biological and environmental samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simabuco, S.M.; Matsumoto, E.; Jesus, E.F.O.; Lopes, R.T.; Perez, C.; Nascimento Filho, V.F.; Costa, R.S.S.; Tavares do Carmo, M.G.; Saunders, C.

2001-01-01

Full text: The Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence has been applied for trace elements in water and aqueous solutions, environmental samples and biological materials after sample preparation and to surface analysis of silicon wafers. The present paper shows some results of applications for rainwater, atmospheric particulate material, colostrum and nuclear samples. (author)

Environmentally damaging electricity trade

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Billette de Villemeur, Etienne; Pineau, Pierre-Olivier

2010-01-01

Electricity trade across regions is often considered welfare enhancing. We show in this paper that this should be reconsidered if environmental externalities are taken into account. We consider two cases where trade is beneficial, before accounting for environmental damages: first, when two regions with the same technology display some demand heterogeneity; second when one region endowed with hydropower arbitrages with its 'thermal' neighbor. Our results show that under reasonable demand and supply elasticities, trade comes with an additional environmental cost. This calls for integrating environmental externalities into market reforms when redesigning the electricity sector. Two North American applications illustrate our results: trade between Pennsylvania and New York, and trade between hydro-rich Quebec and New York.

External PIXE analysis of old inks and papers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassanzadeh, A.; Lamehi-Rachti, M.; Oliaiy, P.; Rahighi, J.; Shokouhi, F.

1999-01-01

Proton Induced X-ray Emission, PIXE is a very well established analytical method. This technique of analysis can equally be applied both in vacuum, internal PIXE, and in atmosphere, external PIXE. External PIXE has been applied to material analysis in Van de Graaff laboratory at AEOI using filters and funny filters. Advantages of using these filters have been studied when analysing ancient written documents such as envelopes, inks, and newspapers. This technique clearly demonstrated the differences between new and old inks and papers. More data is needed to show other features of this technique. (author)

The status of applying stable isotope in the studies of environmental science

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai Zhipeng; Zhang Liwen; Zhu Tan; Feng Yinchang

2007-01-01

The stable isotope composition is characteristic in the pollution source, and it is relatively fixed in the process of transferring and reaction. At present the precise analysis result of stable isotope ratio can be obtained easily. So the stable isotopes can be applied to the pollution affair arbitration and source study. The concept and analytical method of stable isotopes are introduced. The research status of the stable isotopes in the field of environmental science and the isotope fractionation is reviewed. (authors)

Assessment and mitigation of the environmental burdens to air from land applied food-based digestate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiwary, A.; Williams, I.D.; Pant, D.C.; Kishore, V.V.N.

2015-01-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) of putrescible urban waste for energy recovery has seen rapid growth over recent years. In order to ascertain its systems scale sustainability, however, determination of the environmental fate of the large volume of digestate generated during the process is indispensable. This paper evaluates the environmental burdens to air associated with land applied food-based digestate in terms of primary pollutants (ammonia, nitrogen dioxide) and greenhouse gases (methane and nitrous oxide). The assessments have been made in two stages – first, the emissions from surface application of food-based digestate are quantified for the business as usual (BAU). In the next step, environmental burden minimisation potentials for the following three mitigation measures are estimated – mixed waste digestate (MWD), soil-incorporated digestate (SID), and post-methanated digestate (PMD). Overall, the mitigation scenarios demonstrated considerable NH 3 , CH 4 and N 2 O burden minimisation potentials, with positive implications for both climate change and urban pollution. - Highlights: • In situ air pollution assessment of land applied digestate is performed. • Environmental burden minimisation scenarios for digestate bio fertiliser presented. • Food-based digestate show high ammonia volatilisation potential. • Soil incorporated digestate effectively reduces NH 3 but elevates N 2 O emissions. • Managing digestate emissions mitigate both climate change and air pollution. - In situ monitoring and analyses demonstrate the role of post-processing in greenhouse gases and air pollution mitigation from food-based digestate use as bio fertiliser

Combined effect of external and internal irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kiradzhiev, G.

1987-01-01

Some of the general regularities of the combined effect of external irradiation and iodine 131 are discussed. Data are adduced showing that modification of the effects of these two radiation factors, when jointly applied, is also determined by the quantitative relations of the applied doses of external and internal irradiation, referred to a particular moment of the effects. It was shown that the effects of the radionuclides in these combined radiation injuries are basically realized by two mechanisms: 1. changes are found in the radionuclide kinetic parameters (nonspecific effects); 2. changes in their kinetic parameters are absent (specific effect). These two mechanisms underlie different approaches to therapy

High gradient magnetic separation applied to environmental remediation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Prenger, F.C.; Stewart, W.F.; Hill, D.D.; Avens, L.R.; Worl, L.A.; Schake, A.; de Aguero, K.J.; Padilla, D.D.; Tolt, T.L.

1993-01-01

High Gradient Magnetic Separation (HGMS) is an application of superconducting magnet technology to the separation of magnetic solids from other solids, liquids, or gases. The production of both high magnetic fields (>4 T) and large field gradients using superconducting magnet technology has made it possible to separate a previously unreachable but large family of paramagnetic materials. This is a powerful technique that can be used to separate widely dispersed contaminants from a host material and may be the only technique available for separating material in the colloidal state. Because it is a physical separation process, no additional waste is generated. We are applying this technology to the treatment of radioactive wastes for environmental remediation. We have conducted tests examining slurries containing nonradioactive, magnetic surrogates. Results from these studies were used to verify our analytical model of the separation process. The model describes the rate process for magnetic separation and is based on a force balance on the paramagnetic species. This model was used to support bench scale experiments and prototype separator design

Geo-environmental mapping tool applied to pipeline design

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Andrade, Karina de S.; Calle, Jose A.; Gil, Euzebio J. [Geomecanica S/A Tecnologia de Solo Rochas e Materiais, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil); Sare, Alexandre R. [Geomechanics International Inc., Houston, TX (United States); Soares, Ana Cecilia [PETROBRAS S.A., Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2009-07-01

The Geo-Environmental Mapping is an improvement of the Geological-Geotechnical Mapping used for basic pipeline designs. The main purpose is to assembly the environmental, geotechnical and geological concepts in a methodological tool capable to predict constrains and reduce the pipeline impact to the environment. The Geo-Environmental mapping was built to stress the influence of soil/structure interaction, related to the physical effect that comes from the contact between structures and soil or rock. A Geological-Geotechnical-Environmental strip (chart) was presented to emphasize the pipeline operational constrains and its influence to the environment. The mapping was developed to clearly show the occurrence and properties of geological materials divided into geotechnical domain units (zones). The strips present construction natural properties, such as: excavability, stability of the excavation and soil re-use capability. Also, the environmental constrains were added to the geological-geotechnical mapping. The Geo-Environmental Mapping model helps the planning of the geotechnical and environmental inquiries to be carried out during executive design, the discussion on the types of equipment to be employed during construction and the analysis of the geological risks and environmental impacts to be faced during the built of the pipeline. (author)

Externalities in utility resource selection: A means to formally recognize the envionmental benefits of wind farms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Birner, S.

1992-01-01

Wind can only make its full contribution to the minimization of the total cost of energy services if it is valued for all the costs that it avoids, including avoided environmental costs. Means of incorporating environmental costs, or externalities, into utility planning decisions are described. Externalities are defined as uncompensated costs or benefits of an action borne by a party other than the one causing the costs. A simple example of the use of externalities in utility resource selection is presented, comparing costs of a coal-fired power plant and a wind farm. Externalities of wind farms are analyzed and found to be very low. An examination of some aspects of legislation in the USA and Canada shows a trend for utility commissions and other regulatory bodies to determine that including externalitites lies within their mandate. By formally recognizing and accounting for the environmental benefits of wind farms, it is seen that externalities can have a significant effect on utility demand for wind energy. A review of USA state actions regarding externalities is appended. 10 refs

Environmental Management Competitive Pressure Effect on SME Environmental Innovation Activities: A Green Supply Chain Perspective

Science.gov (United States)

Rashid, A. A.; Sidek, A. A.; Suffian, S. A.; Daud, M. R. C.

2018-01-01

The idea of assimilating green supply chain is to integrate and establish environmental management into the supply chain practices. The study aims to explore how environmental management competitive pressure influences a SME company in Malaysia to incorporate green supply chain integration, which is an efficient platform to develop environmental innovation. This study further advances green supply chain management research in Malaysia by using the method of quantitative analysis to analyze the model developed which data will be collected based on a sample of SMEs in Malaysia in manufacturing sector. The model developed in this study illustrates how environmental management competitive pressure from main competitors affects three fundamental dimensions of green supply chain integration. The research findings suggest that environmental management competitive pressure is a vital driving force for a SME company to incorporate internal and external collaboration in developing green product innovation. From the analysis conducted, the study strongly demonstrated that the best way for a company to counteract competitor’s environmental management success is to first implement strong internal green product development process then move to incorporate external environmental management innovation between their suppliers and customers. The findings also show that internal integration of green product innovation fully mediates the relationship of environmental management competitive pressure and the external integration of green product innovation.

Applying environmental product design to biomedical products research.

Science.gov (United States)

Messelbeck, J; Sutherland, L

2000-12-01

The principal themes for the Biomedical Research and the Environment Conference Committee on Environmental Economics in Biomedical Research include the following: healthcare delivery companies and biomedical research organizations, both nonprofit and for-profit, need to improve their environmental performance; suppliers of healthcare products will be called upon to support this need; and improving the environmental profile of healthcare products begins in research and development (R&D). The committee report begins with requirements from regulatory authorities (e.g., U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [EPA], the U.S. Food and Drug Administration), and the healthcare delivery sector). The 1998 American Hospital Association and EPA Memorandum of Understanding to reduce solid waste and mercury from healthcare facilities is emblematic of these requirements. The dominant message from the requirements discussion is to ensure that R&D organizations do not ignore customer, environmental, and regulatory requirements in the early stages of product development. Several representatives from healthcare products manufacturers presented their companies' approaches to meeting these requirements. They reported on efforts to ensure that their R&D processes are sensitive to the environmental consequences from manufacturing, distributing, using, and disposing of healthcare products. These reports describe representatives' awareness of requirements and the unique approaches their R&D organizations have taken to meet these requirements. All representatives reported that their R&D organizations have embraced environmental product design because it avoids the potential of returning products to R&D to improve the environmental profile. Additionally, several reports detailed cost savings, sustainability benefits, and improvements in environmental manufacturing or redesign, and increased customer satisfaction. Many companies in healthcare delivery are working to improve environmental

A contribution to thermoluminescence dosemeter system optimisation applied to environmental monitoring around nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dies, X.; Ortega, X.; Rosell, J.

1990-01-01

The factors that constitute a thermoluminescence dosimetric system have been studied and optimised, with the intention of defining strategies for improving precision and accuracy of TL dosimetry systems for environmental monitoring. An optimisation technique based on fractional factorial designs permitted a reduction in the number of necessary experiments and clarified interactions between various factors. The model for fading over time showed that TL response in LiF:Mg,Ti dosemeters was independent of time between irradiation and readout, and this was applied to fading corrections in nuclear power plant environmental monitoring. (author)

Genetic and environmental influences on externalizing behavior and alcohol problems in adolescence: A female twin study

Science.gov (United States)

Knopik, Valerie S.; Heath, Andrew C.; Bucholz, Kathleen K.; Madden, Pamela A.F.; Waldron, Mary

2009-01-01

Genetic and environmental contributions to the observed correlations among DSM-IV ADHD problems [inattentive (INATT) and hyperactive/impulsive (HYP/IMP) behaviors], conduct problems (CDP) and alcohol problems (AlcProb) were examined by fitting multivariate structural equation models to data from the Missouri Adolescent Female Twin Study [N=2892 twins (831 monozygotic pairs, 615 dizygotic pairs)]. Based on results of preliminary regression models, we modified the structural model to jointly estimate (i) the regression of each phenotype on significant familial/prenatal predictors, and (ii) genetic and environmental contributions to the residual variance and covariance. Results suggested that (i) parental risk factors, such as parental alcohol dependence and regular smoking, increase risk for externalizing behavior; (ii) prenatal exposures predicted increased symptomatology for HYP/IMP (smoking during pregnancy), INATT and CDP (prenatal alcohol exposure); (iii) after adjusting for measured familial/prenatal risk factors, genetic influences were significant for HYP/IMP, INATT, and CDP; however, similar to earlier reports, genetic effects on alcohol dependence symptoms were negligible; and (iv) in adolescence, correlated liabilities for conduct and alcohol problems are found in environmental factors common to both phenotypes, while covariation among impulsivity, inattention, and conduct problems is primarily due to genetic influences common to these three behaviors. Thus, while a variety of adolescent problem behaviors are significantly correlated, the structure of that association may differ as a function of phenotype (e.g., comorbid HYP/IMP and CDP vs. comorbid CDP and AlcProb), a finding that could inform different approaches to treatment and prevention. PMID:19341765

Assessing District-Heating Sustainability. Case Studies of CO{sub 2} Mitigation Strategies and Environmental Cost Accounting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fahlen, Elsa

2012-11-01

District heating (DH) may play an important role in achieving the EU goal of a secure, competitive and sustainable energy supply. Integrated energy solutions based on technologies, such as biomass gasification for transport fuel, electricity and heat production and heat-driven absorption cooling, create new optimisation possibilities through the linkage between heat, power, cooling and transport fuel markets which may reduce the global warming contribution of the energy sector. With increasing focus on climate change impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, the environmental effects of other air pollutants should not be neglected. To achieve both a competitive and a sustainable energy supply, it is necessary to integrate environmental considerations into economic policies. Through accounting for external costs of air pollution in energy system modelling and analysis, sustainability aspects may be integrated into DH assessments. The aim of this thesis is to develop, apply and evaluate methodologies for assessing conventional and new technology solutions in a DH system; the assessments are made from a DH perspective with respect to two factors - cost-effectiveness and environmental impacts - which are either assessed separately or integrated through external cost accounting. Various CO{sub 2} mitigation strategies are evaluated with regard to the robustness of the DH system in meeting future developments of energy market prices and policies. The studies are performed using a systems approach by using the simulating DH supply model MARTES as applied to the DH system Sweden. This thesis concludes that the integration of biomass gasification technology and absorption cooling technology in DH systems has the potential for cost-effective CO{sub 2} emission reduction, in line with other EU goals to increase the share of renewable sources in energy use and to increase energy efficiency. Accounting for external costs of not only climate change but also other environmental

Analysis of the relationship between social and environmental investment and inclusion of companies in corporate sustainability index of BM&FBOVESPA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Márcio André Veras Machado

2012-04-01

Full Text Available DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-8077.2012v14n32p141 This paper aims to investigate the relationship between social and environmental investments and the inclusion of companies in the Corporate Sustainability Index of BM&FBOVESPA, by applying logistic regression. For this, we analyzed information relating to internal and external social and environmental investments, from the social balance of companies.The sample consisted of companies eligible for inclusion in the portfolio ISE in the period of December 2009 to December 2010. According to the results, we can conclude that there is a relationship between environmental investments and entry of firms in the portfolio ISE of BM&FBOVESPA, showing that investment made and evidenced in social and environmental issues is a sign of real commitment to social responsibility and sustainability and not simply a form of accountability of the funds invested. As the variables used, internal social investment (II, External (IE and environmental (IA, we found that IE is the best proxy to explain this relationship. In other words, the results suggest that companies that invest resources in favor of community, either voluntarily or through taxes, which is or should be a resource applied in society, has more chances of entering the ISE portfolio composition.

Assessment of the external costs of the coal fuel cycle and the wind energy cycle in Spain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Linares, P.; Montes, J.; Saez, R.M.

1995-09-01

This study is part of the ExternE Project, a joint effort of the European Commission and the US Dept. of Energy to assess the externalities of different fuel cycles, and quantify them in monetary terms, as kWh price adders. For Spain, this assessment has been carried out for a coal plant hypothetically sited in Valdecaballeros, in Southwestern Spain, and for an existing farm in Cabo Villano, in the Northwestern corner. In this first stage, only environmental externalities have been assessed. The first section contains a description of the methodology used in the European project, based mostly on a damage function approach, and its adaptation to Spanish conditions. In the last section, this methodology has been applied to the fuel cycles mentioned. The impacts assessed have been, for the coal fuel cycle, health effects, agricultural and forest production losses, and global warming. For wind energy, the main impacts considered have been noise, loss of visual amenity, accidents and global warning. The results obtained can only be considered as underestimates, as there are still impacts that have not been assessed or quantified, specially for the coal fuel cycle. Thus, further research is needed for a complete assessment

Three dimensional numerical study of different parameters effect on the external magnetic field applied to center the arc of the horizontal mercury discharge lamp

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohamed Bechir Ben Hamida

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to evaluate the magnitude of the external magnetic field to be applied to a horizontal mercury discharge lamp such that the Lorentz forces counterbalance buoyancy forces and the hot region of the arc remains centered inside the lamp with the variation of six parameters of the lamp such as the external temperature of the lamp, envelope thickness, convective loss, Interelectrodeslength, pressure and current supply pointing to the influence of the parameters to the compensating magnetic field value. To achieve this objective, a commercial numerical software “Comsol Multiphysics” is used to implement the model that solves the equations of mass, energy and momentum for laminar compressible flow combined with the Laplace equation for the plasma in a three dimensional.

Evaluation of single- and dual-porosity models for reproducing the release of external and internal tracers from heterogeneous waste-rock piles.

Science.gov (United States)

Blackmore, S; Pedretti, D; Mayer, K U; Smith, L; Beckie, R D

2018-05-30

Accurate predictions of solute release from waste-rock piles (WRPs) are paramount for decision making in mining-related environmental processes. Tracers provide information that can be used to estimate effective transport parameters and understand mechanisms controlling the hydraulic and geochemical behavior of WRPs. It is shown that internal tracers (i.e. initially present) together with external (i.e. applied) tracers provide complementary and quantitative information to identify transport mechanisms. The analysis focuses on two experimental WRPs, Piles 4 and Pile 5 at the Antamina Mine site (Peru), where both an internal chloride tracer and externally applied bromide tracer were monitored in discharge over three years. The results suggest that external tracers provide insight into transport associated with relatively fast flow regions that are activated during higher-rate recharge events. In contrast, internal tracers provide insight into mechanisms controlling solutes release from lower-permeability zones within the piles. Rate-limited diffusive processes, which can be mimicked by nonlocal mass-transfer models, affect both internal and external tracers. The sensitivity of the mass-transfer parameters to heterogeneity is higher for external tracers than for internal tracers, as indicated by the different mean residence times characterizing the flow paths associated with each tracer. The joint use of internal and external tracers provides a more comprehensive understanding of the transport mechanisms in WRPs. In particular, the tracer tests support the notion that a multi-porosity conceptualization of WRPs is more adequate for capturing key mechanisms than a dual-porosity conceptualization. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Monetary valorization of the sanitary and environmental impacts of a nuclear accident: synthesis of ''ExternE'' studies, interests and limits of complementary developments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schieber, C.; Schneider, Th.

2002-09-01

This document constitutes a synthesis of the various available methods for the monetary evaluation of the nuclear accidents impacts in order to reveal the already evaluated impacts, those which need complementary developments and those for which the monetary approach currently seems to come up against limits. It is based primarily on the approach realized by the ''ExternE'' project of the European Commission, consisting in the evaluation of the external costs of the nuclear energy industry. (A.L.B.)

Environmentally damaging electricity trade

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Billette de Villemeur, Etienne [Toulouse School of Economics (IDEI and GREMAQ) (France); Pineau, Pierre-Olivier [HEC Montreal (Canada)

2010-03-15

Electricity trade across regions is often considered welfare enhancing. We show in this paper that this should be reconsidered if environmental externalities are taken into account. We consider two cases where trade is beneficial, before accounting for environmental damages: first, when two regions with the same technology display some demand heterogeneity; second when one region endowed with hydropower arbitrages with its ''thermal'' neighbor. Our results show that under reasonable demand and supply elasticities, trade comes with an additional environmental cost. This calls for integrating environmental externalities into market reforms when redesigning the electricity sector. Two North American applications illustrate our results: trade between Pennsylvania and New York, and trade between hydro-rich Quebec and New York. (author)

Currency crisis and external fragility: a Minskyan interpretation applied to the Brazilian economy between 1999 and 2013

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Victor Hugo Rocha Sarto

2016-12-01

Full Text Available This work has two goals. The first one is to develop an interpretation for open economies founded on Minsky’s financial fragility hypothesis about the process of a currency crisis and its determinants. The deterioration of an economy’s external financial structure is identified as the reason for the increase of its crisis susceptibility. With this approach, we create external fragility indexes intending to measure an economy’s crisis susceptibility. Our second objective is to evaluate the Brazilian external fragility between 1999 and 2013 using the index and the interpretation previously developed. The results suggest that Brazilian’s external fragility suffered a gradual and significant decrease and tends to follow stable trend in the coming years.

Band gap opening of bilayer graphene by F4-TCNQ molecular doping and externally applied electric field.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Xiaoqing; Xu, Jianbin; Wang, Xiaomu

2010-09-09

The band gap opening of bilayer graphene with one side surface adsorption of F4-TCNQ is reported. F4-TCNQ doped bilayer graphene shows p-type semiconductor characteristics. With a F4-TCNQ concentration of 1.3 x 10(-10) mol/cm(2), the charge transfer between each F4-TCNQ molecule and graphene is 0.45e, and the built-in electric field, E(bi), between the graphene layers could reach 0.070 V/A. The charge transfer and band gap opening of the F4-TCNQ-doped graphene can be further modulated by an externally applied electric field (E(ext)). At 0.077 V/A, the gap opening at the Dirac point (K), DeltaE(K) = 306 meV, and the band gap, E(g) = 253 meV, are around 71% and 49% larger than those of the pristine bilayer under the same E(ext).

Externalizing behaviors in preadolescents: familial risk to externalizing behaviors and perceived parenting styles.

Science.gov (United States)

Buschgens, Cathelijne J M; van Aken, Marcel A G; Swinkels, Sophie H N; Ormel, Johan; Verhulst, Frank C; Buitelaar, Jan K

2010-07-01

The aim was to investigate the contribution of familial risk to externalizing behaviors (FR-EXT), perceived parenting styles, and their interactions to the prediction of externalizing behaviors in preadolescents. Participants were preadolescents aged 10-12 years who participated in TRAILS, a large prospective population-based cohort study in the Netherlands (N = 2,230). Regression analyses were used to determine the relative contribution of FR-EXT and perceived parenting styles to parent and teacher ratings of externalizing behaviors. FR-EXT was based on lifetime parental externalizing psychopathology and the different parenting styles (emotional warmth, rejection, and overprotection) were based on the child's perspective. We also investigated whether different dimensions of perceived parenting styles had different effects on subdomains of externalizing behavior. We found main effects for FR-EXT (vs. no FR-EXT), emotional warmth, rejection, and overprotection that were fairly consistent across rater and outcome measures. More specific, emotional warmth was the most consistent predictor of all outcome measures, and rejection was a stronger predictor of aggression and delinquency than of inattention. Interaction effects were found for FR-EXT and perceived parental rejection and overprotection; other interactions between FR-EXT and parenting styles were not significant. Correlations between FR-EXT and perceived parenting styles were absent or very low and were without clinical significance. Predominantly main effects of FR-EXT and perceived parenting styles independently contribute to externalizing behaviors in preadolescents, suggesting FR-EXT and parenting styles to be two separate areas of causality. The relative lack of gene-environment interactions may be due to the epidemiological nature of the study, the preadolescent age of the subjects, the measurement level of parenting and the measurement level of FR-EXT, which might be a consequence of both genetic and

Warm Parenting and Effortful Control in Toddlerhood: Independent and Interactive Predictors of School-Age Externalizing Behavior.

Science.gov (United States)

Reuben, Julia D; Shaw, Daniel S; Neiderhiser, Jenae M; Natsuaki, Misaki N; Reiss, David; Leve, Leslie D

2016-08-01

Externalizing symptoms, such as aggression, impulsivity, and inattention, represent the most common forms of childhood maladjustment (Campbell et al. Development and Psychopathology, 12, 467-488, 2000). Several dimensions of parenting behavior, including overreactive and warm parenting, have been linked to children's conduct problems. However, the majority of these studies involve biologically-related family members, thereby limiting understanding of the role of genetic and/or environmental underpinnings of parenting on child psychopathology. This study extends previous research by exploring associations between overreactive and warm parenting during toddlerhood and school-age externalizing problems, as well as the potential moderating effects of child effortful control (EC) on such associations using a longitudinal adoption design. The sample consisted of 225 adoption-linked families (adoptive parents, adopted child [124 male and 101 female] and birth parent[s]), thereby allowing for a more precise estimate of environmental influences on the association between parenting and child externalizing problems. Adoptive mothers' warm parenting at 27 months predicted lower levels of child externalizing problems at ages 6 and 7. Child EC moderated this association in relation to teacher reports of school-age externalizing problems. Findings corroborate prior research with biological families that was not designed to unpack genetic and environmental influences on associations between parenting and child externalizing problems during childhood, highlighting the important role of parental warmth as an environmental influence.

Selecting Environmental Performance Indicators : The Case of Numico

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scherpereel, C.; Koppen, van C.S.A.; Heering, G.B.F.

2001-01-01

In order to achieve both efficient and reliable external communication adapted to the company's specific conditions, it is desirable to establish a clear relation between the environmental performance indicators (EPIs) used internally for environmental management and the EPIs used externally for

External audit and the relation between internal auditors,supervisory body and external auditors of the banking sextor in the Republic of Macedonia

OpenAIRE

Josheski, Dushko; Jovanova, Blagica

2012-01-01

There are different types of audit, such as financial audit, regulatory audit, operational audit of performances, audit of information systems, environmental audit and others. But basically, we distinguish two types of audit which will be the main focus of attention in this work. External audit, an Internal audit. In most countries, the external auditor from the public sector reports to parliament and, where relevant, the private sector auditor reports to government (e.g. minis...

External cues challenging the internal appetite control system—Overview and practical implications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bilman, Els; Kleef, van Ellen; Trijp, van Hans

2017-01-01

Inadequate regulation of food intake plays an important role in the development of overweight and obesity, and is under the influence of both the internal appetite control system and external environmental cues. Especially in environments where food is overly available, external cues seem to

Applying comprehensive environmental assessment to research planning for multiwalled carbon nanotubes: Refinements to inform future stakeholder engagement.

Science.gov (United States)

Powers, Christina M; Grieger, Khara; Meacham, Connie A; Gooding, Meredith Lassiter; Gift, Jeffrey S; Lehmann, Geniece M; Hendren, Christine O; Davis, J Michael; Burgoon, Lyle

2016-01-01

Risk assessments and risk management efforts to protect human health and the environment can benefit from early, coordinated research planning by researchers, risk assessors, and risk managers. However, approaches for engaging these and other stakeholders in research planning have not received much attention in the environmental scientific literature. The Comprehensive Environmental Assessment (CEA) approach under development by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) is a means to manage complex information and input from diverse stakeholder perspectives on research planning that will ultimately support environmental and human health decision making. The objectives of this article are to 1) describe the outcomes of applying lessons learned from previous CEA applications to planning research on engineered nanomaterial, multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and 2) discuss new insights and refinements for future efforts to engage stakeholders in research planning for risk assessment and risk management of environmental issues. Although framed in terms of MWCNTs, this discussion is intended to enhance research planning to support assessments for other environmental issues as well. Key insights for research planning include the potential benefits of 1) ensuring that participants have research, risk assessment, and risk management expertise in addition to diverse disciplinary backgrounds; 2) including an early scoping step before rounds of formal ratings; 3) using a familiar numeric scale (e.g., US dollars) versus ordinal rating scales of "importance"; 4) applying virtual communication tools to supplement face-to-face interaction between participants; and 5) refining criteria to guide development of specific, actionable research questions. © 2015 SETAC.

Issues and major steps in a conceptual framework for environmental costing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DePape, D.; Kristjanson, E.R.; Onyebuchi, E.I.; Wojczynski, E.

1992-01-01

The concept of applying monetary values to environmental consequences as a means of integrating environmental considerations into utility resource planning is explored. The need for estimation and integration of environmental costs and benefits is becoming more important due to public concern over environmental degradation, rapidly increasing costs of mitigating environmental damage, increased liability for compensation for such damage, pressures to consider environmental externalities, and a corporate desire to operate responsibly. Manitoba Hydro established a task force to develop general approaches and specific techniques for evaluation and integration of environmental costs and benefits into utility planning. The utility's conceptual framework for monetizing and integrating environmental costs and benefits is described, including identification of potential environmental impacts, evaluation of environmental impacts, estimation of monetary and non-monetary costs and benefits, and integration of these costs and benefits into the resource planning process. Key issues that must be addressed to implement this conceptual framework include the need for earlier environmental impact assessments and the need for mitigation and compensation prediction methodologies. 1 fig., 1 tab

Estimation of Externalities for Juragua Nuclear Project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mora, H. R.; Carbonell, L. T.

2002-01-01

Estimation of externalities allows taking into account environmental impacts due to any activity in total costs calculation. In the present work, the external costs of electricity generation from nuclear energy were calculated considering three scenarios: normal operation (routine releases), accident situation and solid waste disposal. A comparison between these results and those obtained for electricity generation from fossil fuels was made. IAEA proposals of Simplified methodologies were used for externality calculations. The Juragua project was selected as a study case; it is based in two energetic blocks both PWR, VVER 440/318 type with a plant capacity of 417 MWe each. Four impact ways were considered for all scenarios: (1) Inhalation of radionuclides in the air, (2) External irradiation from radionuclides immersed in clouds, (3) External irradiation from deposited radionuclides and (4) Ingestion of radionuclides in agricultural products. Besides, two impact categories (local and regional) for all scenarios were considered. The total cost of externalities was 0.01425 c/kWh, value smaller than the one obtained for electricity generation from fossil fuel (0.256 c/kWh). For the normal operation scenario, the external cost calculated was 0.00112 c/kWh, for accident situation 0.01103 c/kWh, and for the solid wastes management scenario 0.0021 c/kWh. The high value obtained for solid waste disposal scenario is due to repository placement features. (author)

Advancing environmental toxicology through chemical dosimetry: External exposures versus tissue residues

Science.gov (United States)

McCarty, L.S.; Landrum, P.F.; Luoma, S.N.; Meador, J.P.; Merten, A.A.; Shephard, B.K.; van Wezelzz, A.P.

2011-01-01

The tissue residue dose concept has been used, although in a limited manner, in environmental toxicology for more than 100 y. This review outlines the history of this approach and the technical background for organic chemicals and metals. Although the toxicity of both can be explained in tissue residue terms, the relationship between external exposure concentration, body and/or tissues dose surrogates, and the effective internal dose at the sites of toxic action tends to be more complex for metals. Various issues and current limitations related to research and regulatory applications are also examined. It is clear that the tissue residue approach (TRA) should be an integral component in future efforts to enhance the generation, understanding, and utility of toxicity testing data, both in the laboratory and in the field. To accomplish these goals, several key areas need to be addressed: 1) development of a risk-based interpretive framework linking toxicology and ecology at multiple levels of biological organization and incorporating organism-based dose metrics; 2) a broadly applicable, generally accepted classification scheme for modes/mechanisms of toxic action with explicit consideration of residue information to improve both single chemical and mixture toxicity data interpretation and regulatory risk assessment; 3) toxicity testing protocols updated to ensure collection of adequate residue information, along with toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics information, based on explicitly defined toxicological models accompanied by toxicological model validation; 4) continued development of residueeffect databases is needed ensure their ongoing utility; and 5) regulatory guidance incorporating residue-based testing and interpretation approaches, essential in various jurisdictions. ??:2010 SETAC.

ExternE transport methodology for external cost evaluation of air pollution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, S. S.; Berkowicz, R.; Brandt, J.

The report describes how the human exposure estimates based on NERI's human exposure modelling system (AirGIS) can improve the Danish data used for exposure factors in the ExternE Transport methodology. Initially, a brief description of the ExternE Tranport methodology is given and it is summarised...

MGR External Events Hazards Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Booth, L.

1999-01-01

The purpose and objective of this analysis is to apply an external events Hazards Analysis (HA) to the License Application Design Selection Enhanced Design Alternative 11 [(LADS EDA II design (Reference 8.32))]. The output of the HA is called a Hazards List (HL). This analysis supersedes the external hazards portion of Rev. 00 of the PHA (Reference 8.1). The PHA for internal events will also be updated to the LADS EDA II design but under a separate analysis. Like the PHA methodology, the HA methodology provides a systematic method to identify potential hazards during the 100-year Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR) operating period updated to reflect the EDA II design. The resulting events on the HL are candidates that may have potential radiological consequences as determined during Design Basis Events (DBEs) analyses. Therefore, the HL that results from this analysis will undergo further screening and analysis based on the criteria that apply during the performance of DBE analyses

The middle manager role in energy company environmental efforts

Science.gov (United States)

Fischhoff, Maya E.

2005-12-01

This research examines the internal organizational processes determining corporate environmental action. Corporations have a tremendous environmental impact, yet relatively little is known about how employees within them view and work on these issues. The research focused on middle managers, a level of the company whose value is often questioned. Interviews were conducted with 70 middle managers at two energy companies (comprising utilities and unregulated businesses). Interviews examined the shape and significance of middle manager involvement in environmental issues, looking specifically at what issues middle managers deal with, what goals they pursue, and what approaches they use. The research finds middle managers' roles with respect to environmental issues to be far-reaching and complex. Much of their effort is focused on meeting regulatory requirements ("complying"). They are committed to compliance, in part for ethical reasons, but often find regulations frustrating and costly. Compliance is more challenging than commonly thought; it demands time, knowledge, and substantial creativity. In pursuing it, interviewees work with employees throughout the organization. This research shows middle managers interacting with those hierarchically above and below them in ways that greatly modify earlier portrayals of middle managers. Earlier portrayals often emphasized struggles for power within the organization. Here, middle managers work in ways best characterized as collaborative and supportive. Middle managers also have extensive involvement laterally within the company and with groups outside the company. These links have received modest attention in literature, yet are found to be terribly important. Middle managers' lateral efforts inside the company, often on teams, allow diverse expertise (e.g., from people in different functions) to be applied to environmental issues. Documenting middle managers' involvement externally, with governmental officials and sectors

Implementing and operating the Hanford Environmental Information System and applying it to the carbon tetrachloride expedited response action

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cowley, P.J.; Last, G.V.; Schwab, M.R.; Rohay, V.J.

1993-02-01

To manage waste and perform environmental monitoring and restoration at the 1450-square kilometer (560-square mile) Hanford Site in southeastern Washington State, vast amounts of scientific and technical data are being generated from sampling. This paper provides an overview of the Hanford Environmental Information System (HEIS), a computerized system designed and implemented to manage the Site's environmental sampling data, lessons learned from putting HEIS into operation, and how HEIS is being applied to the carbon tetrachloride expedited response action being performed at the Site

Siting a municipal solid waste disposal facility, part II: the effects of external criteria on the final decision.

Science.gov (United States)

Korucu, M Kemal; Karademir, Aykan

2014-02-01

The procedure of a multi-criteria decision analysis supported by the geographic information systems was applied to the site selection process of a planning municipal solid waste management practice based on twelve different scenarios. The scenarios included two different decision tree modes and two different weighting models for three different area requirements. The suitability rankings of the suitable sites obtained from the application of the decision procedure for the scenarios were assessed by a factorial experimental design concerning the effect of some external criteria on the final decision of the site selection process. The external criteria used in the factorial experimental design were defined as "Risk perception and approval of stakeholders" and "Visibility". The effects of the presence of these criteria in the decision trees were evaluated in detail. For a quantitative expression of the differentiations observed in the suitability rankings, the ranking data were subjected to ANOVA test after a normalization process. Then the results of these tests were evaluated by Tukey test to measure the effects of external criteria on the final decision. The results of Tukey tests indicated that the involvement of the external criteria into the decision trees produced statistically meaningful differentiations in the suitability rankings. Since the external criteria could cause considerable external costs during the operation of the disposal facilities, the presence of these criteria in the decision tree in addition to the other criteria related to environmental and legislative requisites could prevent subsequent external costs in the first place.

Externalities: Their role and value in near-term solar power implementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swindler, G.

1992-01-01

The total cost of electricity includes social and environmental costs, or externalities, that have traditionally been discluded from the cost of energy. Under current regulatory and public pressure to account for these costs as they vary between generating resources, externalities are being reviewed and are gradually being added to the construction and operation costs of all generating resources. Accounting for externalities is described as being obligatory for the electric utility industry. This paper analyzes a variety of quantifiable externalities in comparing solar and wind power to coal, nuclear, natural gas and oil. The inclusion of externalities in full-cost resource accounting is shown to make renewable resources such as solar and wind more competitive in a levelized market

External costs of atmospheric Pb emissions: valuation of neurotoxic impacts due to inhalation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frohn Lise

2010-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The Impact Pathway Approach (IPA is an innovative methodology to establish links between emissions, related impacts and monetary estimates. Only few attempts have so far been presented regarding emissions of metals; in this study the external costs of airborne lead (Pb emissions are assessed using the IPA. Exposure to Pb is known to provoke impacts especially on children's cognition. As cognitive abilities (measured as IQ, intelligence quotient are known to have implications for lifetime income, a pathway can be established leading from figures for Pb emissions to the implied loss in earnings, and on this basis damage costs per unit of Pb emission can be assessed. Methods Different types of models are here linked. It is relatively straightforward to establish the relationship between Pb emissions and consequent increase in air-Pb concentration, by means of a Gaussian plume dispersion model (OML. The exposed population can then be modelled by linking the OML-output to population data nested in geo-referenced grid cells. Less straightforward is to establish the relationship between exposure to air-Pb concentrations and the resulting blood-Pb concentration. Here an Age-Dependent Biokinetic Model (ADBM for Pb is applied. On basis of previous research which established links between increases in blood-Pb concentrations during childhood and resulting IQ-loss we arrive at our results. Results External costs of Pb airborne emissions, even at low doses, in our site are in the range of 41-83 €/kg emitted Pb, depending on the considered meteorological year. This estimate applies only to the initial effects of air-Pb, as our study does not address the effects due to the Pb environmental-accumulation and to the subsequent Pb re-exposure. These are likely to be between one and two orders of magnitude higher. Conclusions Biokinetic modelling is a novel tool not previously included when applying the IPA to explore impacts of Pb emissions

Inactivation of Burkholderia pseudomallei on environmental surfaces using spray-applied, common liquid disinfectants.

Science.gov (United States)

Calfee, M W; Wendling, M

2015-11-01

Five commercially available liquid antimicrobials were evaluated for their ability to decontaminate common environmental surface materials, contaminated with Burkholderia pseudomallei, using a spray-based disinfectant delivery procedure. Tests were conducted at both an ambient temperature (c. 20°C) and a lower temperature (c. 12°C) condition. Nonporous materials (glass and aluminium) were more easily decontaminated than porous materials (wood, concrete and carpet). Citric acid (1%) demonstrated poor efficacy in all test conditions. Bleach (pH-adjusted), ethanol (70%), quaternary ammonium and PineSol®, demonstrated high (>6 log10 reduction) efficacies on glass and aluminium at both temperatures, but achieved varying results for wood, carpet and concrete. Temperature had minimal effect on decontamination efficacy during these tests. Much of the antimicrobial efficacy data for pathogenic micro-organisms are generated with testing that utilizes hard nonporous surface materials. These data are not directly translatable for decontaminant selection following an incident whereby complex and porous environmental surfaces are contaminated. This study presents efficacy data for spray-applied antimicrobial liquids, when used to decontaminate common environmental surfaces contaminated with Burkholderia pseudomallei. These data can help responders develop effective remediation strategies following an environmental contamination incident involving B. pseudomallei. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Applying behavior-analytic methodology to the science and practice of environmental enrichment in zoos and aquariums.

Science.gov (United States)

Alligood, Christina A; Dorey, Nicole R; Mehrkam, Lindsay R; Leighty, Katherine A

2017-05-01

Environmental enrichment in zoos and aquariums is often evaluated at two overlapping levels: published research and day-to-day institutional record keeping. Several authors have discussed ongoing challenges with small sample sizes in between-groups zoological research and have cautioned against the inappropriate use of inferential statistics (Shepherdson, , International Zoo Yearbook, 38, 118-124; Shepherdson, Lewis, Carlstead, Bauman, & Perrin, Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 147, 298-277; Swaisgood, , Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 102, 139-162; Swaisgood & Shepherdson, , Zoo Biology, 24, 499-518). Multi-institutional studies are the typically-prescribed solution, but these are expensive and difficult to carry out. Kuhar ( Zoo Biology, 25, 339-352) provided a reminder that inferential statistics are only necessary when one wishes to draw general conclusions at the population level. Because welfare is assessed at the level of the individual animal, we argue that evaluations of enrichment efficacy are often instances in which inferential statistics may be neither necessary nor appropriate. In recent years, there have been calls for the application of behavior-analytic techniques to zoo animal behavior management, including environmental enrichment (e.g., Bloomsmith, Marr, & Maple, , Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 102, 205-222; Tarou & Bashaw, , Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 102, 189-204). Single-subject (also called single-case, or small-n) designs provide a means of designing evaluations of enrichment efficacy based on an individual's behavior. We discuss how these designs might apply to research and practice goals at zoos and aquariums, contrast them with standard practices in the field, and give examples of how each could be successfully applied in a zoo or aquarium setting. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Is climate change an unforeseen, irresistible and external factor - A force majeure in marine environmental law?

Science.gov (United States)

Saul, Roxanne; Barnes, Richard; Elliott, Michael

2016-12-15

Several environmental laws include provisions on natural causes or force majeure, which except States from their commitments if it can be proven that the failure to meet the commitment is due to factors outside their control. The European Union Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) has a pivotal role in managing EU marine waters. This paper analyses natural causes and force majeure provisions of the MFSD and other marine legislation, and addresses their interaction with climate change and its consequences, especially the effect on the obligation of ensuring seas are in Good Environmental Status. Climate change is an exogenic unmanaged pressure in that it emanates from outside the area being managed but in which the management authority has to respond to the consequences of climate change, such as sea level rise and temperature elevation, rather than its causes. It is suggested that a defence by a Member State of force majeure may be accepted if an event was proven to be due to an externality of control, irresistible and unforeseeable. The analysis contends that countering such a legal defence would centre on the fact that climate change is a well-accepted phenomenon, is foreseen with an accepted level of confidence and probability and is due to human actions. However, as yet, this has not been legally tested. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The improvement of environmental performances by applying ISO 14001 standard: A case study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Živković Snežana

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the analysis of the advantages of applying ISO 14001 system in an environmental protection management system. The environmental protection management system which is not licensed, i.e., compatible with the principles and standard pre-conditions considerably increases the plausibility for ecological risk. There are some issues that remain to be solved in the areas which are not expressed by financial values only but also have a non-financial character with the aim of expanding markets, company image improvement and improvement of the environmental performance indicators. By improving a company’s environmental management system efficiency we expect to achieve the minimization and elimination of damaging influences on the environment which are the consequence of company’s activities. A case study in the Oil Refinery Belgrade (RNB analyses the implementation of the standard ISO 14001:2004 into its environment protection management system, particularly emphasizing the company’s own way of evaluating the environment aspects with the aim of establishing results of ecological performances indicators improvement. The average values of the first ecological indicator of the plant, the total amount of the waste waters in m3 per a ton of product, clearly show the downturn trend, which is confirmed by the proportional reduction of the second ecological plant indicator, that is by the flocculants consumption (Al2(SO43, Na2CO3 in kg per m3 of the waste water of the Oil Refinery of Belgrade for the given period 2008-2010. Case study RNB confirms the improvement of environmental performances using the ISO 14001 standard.

Scanning the business external environment for information: evidence from Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Kourteli

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Introduction. This paper examines the business external environment scanning theory for information in the context of Greece. Method. A questionnaire was developed to explore the relationships between general and task business environment, perceived uncertainty, scanning strategy, and sources of information with respect to type of environment, size and industry.The research was based on a sample of 144 private organizations operating in North Greece. Analysis. Data collected were analysed using SPSS. The statistical procedures of chi-squared homogeneity test, ANOVA, Duncan's test of homogeneity of means, and related samples t-test were followed for testing the hypotheses developed. Results. The results show that perceived uncertainty of the general and task business external environment factors depend on the type of the environment, size of organization, and industry where the organizations operate; organizations adapt their scanning strategy to the complexity of the environment; personal sources of information seem to be more important than impersonal sources; external sources of information are equally important with internal sources; and higher levels of environmental uncertainty are associated with higher levels of scanning the various sources. Conclusion. Business external environment scanning of information is influenced by the characteristics of the organizations themselves and by the characteristics of the external environment within which the organizations operate. The study contributes to both environmental scanning theory and has important messages for practitioners.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology Gordon Research Conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wall, Judy D.

2003-11-19

The main objective of the Gordon Research Conference on Applied and Environmental Microbiology was to present and discuss new, fundamental research findings on microorganisms, their activities in the environment, their ecosystem-level effects, and their environmental or commercial applications. To accomplish this goal, knowledge of microbial diversity, interactions and population dynamics was required. The genomic basis of microbial processes, the cycling of naturally occurring and hazardous substances, and methodologies to assess the functional relationships of microorganisms in their habitats were essential for understanding the ecological consequences of microbial activities and the formulation of generalizing principles. In the last decade, molecular technology has revealed that microbial diversity is far more extensive than the limited view obtained from culturing procedures. Great advances in environmental microbiology have resulted from the development and application of molecular approaches to ecology and molecular evolution. A further surprise resulting from the application of these new tools is the blurring of the distinction between pathogenic traits versus those considered non-pathogenic. This year's conference addressed the issues of biodiversity, its development, and the impact of stress on gene selection and expression. In addition microbial metabolic versatility with toxins such as heavy metals, antibiotics, and organic pollutants were discussed. The nine session topics were (1) biodiversity and the bacterial species, (2) mechanisms of biodiversification, (3) biofilms in health and environment, (4) a genomic view of microbial response to stress, (5) microbial use of toxic metals, (6) microbial mineral formation and dissolution, (7) power and limitations of antimicrobials, (8) biodegradation of organic pollutants, and (9) astrobiology. The Conference had an international profile: the Conference Vice-Chair, Dr. Gerard Muyzer, was from The Nether

Impacts Of External Price Shocks On Malaysian Macro Economy-An Applied General Equilibrium Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abul Quasem Al-Amin

2008-10-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the impacts of external price shocks in the Malaysian economy. There are three simulations are carried out with different degrees of external shocks using Malaysian Social Accounting Matrix (SAM and Computable General Equilibrium (CGE analysis. The model results indicate that the import price shocks, better known as external price shocks by 15% decreases the domestic production of building and construction sector by 25.87%, hotels, restaurants and entertainment sector by 12.04%, industry sector by 12.02%, agriculture sector by 11.01%, and electricity and gas sector by 9.55% from the baseline. On the import side, our simulation results illustrate that as a result of the import price shocks by 15%, imports decreases significantly in all sectors from base level. Among the scenarios, the largest negative impacts goes on industry sectors by 29.67% followed by building and construction sector by 22.42%, hotels, restaurants and entertainment sector by 19.45%, electricity and gas sector by 13.%, agriculture sector by 12.63% and other service sectors by 11.17%. However significant negative impact goes to the investment and fixed capital investment. It also causes the household income, household consumption and household savings down and increases the cost of livings in the economy results in downward social welfare.

Edge-Localized mode control and transport generated by externally applied magnetic perturbations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Joseph, I.

2012-01-01

This article reviews the subject of edge localized mode (ELM) control using externally applied magnetic perturbations and proposes theoretical mechanisms that may be responsible for the induced transport changes. The first question that must be addressed is: what is the structure of magnetic field within the plasma? Although initial hypotheses focused on the possibility of the creation of a region of stochastic field lines at the tokamak edge, drift magnetohydrodynamics theory predicts that magnetic reconnection is strongly suppressed over the region of the pedestal with steep gradients and fast perpendicular rotation. Reconnection can only occur near the location where the perpendicular electron velocity vanishes, and hence the electron impedance nearly vanishes, or near the foot of the pedestal, where the plasma is sufficiently cold and resistive. The next question that must be addressed is: which processes are responsible for the observed transport changes, nonlinearity, turbulence, or stochasticity? Over the pedestal region where ions and electrons rotate in opposite directions relative to the perturbation, the quasilinear Lorentz force decelerates the electron fluid and accelerates the ion fluid. The quasilinear magnetic flutter flux is proportional to the force and produces an outward convective transport that can be significant. Over the pedestal region where the E x B flow and the electrons rotate in opposite directions relative to the perturbation, magnetic islands with a width on the order of the ion gyroradius can directly radiate drift waves. In addition, the combination of quasilinear electron transport and ion viscous transport can lead to a large net particle flux. Since there are many transport mechanisms that may be active simultaneously, it is important to determine which physical mechanisms are responsible for ELM control and to predict the scaling to future devices (copyright 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Crystal growth under external electric fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uda, Satoshi; Koizumi, Haruhiko; Nozawa, Jun; Fujiwara, Kozo

2014-01-01

This is a review article concerning the crystal growth under external electric fields that has been studied in our lab for the past 10 years. An external field is applied electrostatically either through an electrically insulating phase or a direct injection of an electric current to the solid-interface-liquid. The former changes the chemical potential of both solid and liquid and controls the phase relationship while the latter modifies the transport and partitioning of ionic solutes in the oxide melt during crystallization and changes the solute distribution in the crystal

Crystal growth under external electric fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uda, Satoshi; Koizumi, Haruhiko; Nozawa, Jun; Fujiwara, Kozo [Institute for Materials Research, Tohoku University, 2-1-1 Katahira, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8577 (Japan)

2014-10-06

This is a review article concerning the crystal growth under external electric fields that has been studied in our lab for the past 10 years. An external field is applied electrostatically either through an electrically insulating phase or a direct injection of an electric current to the solid-interface-liquid. The former changes the chemical potential of both solid and liquid and controls the phase relationship while the latter modifies the transport and partitioning of ionic solutes in the oxide melt during crystallization and changes the solute distribution in the crystal.

External Costs Related to Power Production Technologies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ibsen, Liselotte Schleisner; Nielsen, Per Sieverts

1997-01-01

of the Danish part of the project is to implement the framework for externality evaluation, for three different power plants located in Denmark. The paper will focus on the assessment of the impacts of the whole fuel cycles for wind, natural gas and biogas. Priority areas for environmental impact assessment...

Incorporation of additional radionuclides and the external exposure pathway into the BECAMP [Basic Environmental Compliance and Monitoring Program] radiological assessment model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ng, Yook C.; Rodean, H.C.; Anspaugh, L.R.

1988-11-01

The Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG) Model of transport and dose for transuranic radionuclides was modified and expanded for the analysis of radionuclides other than pure alpha-emitters. Doses from internal and external exposures were estimated for the inventories and soil distributions of the individual radionuclides quantified in Areas 2 and 4 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS). We found that the dose equivalents via inhalation to liver, lungs, bone marrow, and bone surface from the plutonium isotopes and 241 Am, those via ingestion to bone marrow and bone surfaces from 90 Sr, and those via ingestion to all the target organs from 137 Cs were the highest from internal exposures. The effective dose equivalents from 137 Cs, 152 Eu, and 154 Eu were the highest from the external exposures. The 60 Co, 152 Eu, 154 Eu, and 155 Eu dose estimates for external exposures greatly exceeded those for internal exposures. The 60 Co, 90 Sr, and 137 Cs dose equivalents from internal exposures were underestimated due to the adoption of some of the foodchain parameter values originally selected for 239 Pu. Nonetheless, the ingestion pathway contributed significantly to the dose estimates for 90 Sr and 137 Cs, but contributed very much less than external exposures to the dose estimates for 60 Co. Therefore, the use of more appropriate values would not alter the identification of important radionuclides, pathways, target organs, and exposure modes in this analysis. 19 refs., 13 figs., 12 tabs

Estimation of the external cost of energy production based on fossil fuels in Finland and a comparison with estimates of external costs of wind power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Otterstroem, T.

1995-01-01

Ekono Energy Ltd. and Soil and Water Ltd. participated in 1993 - 1994 in the SIHTI 2 research programme of the Ministry of Trade and Industry by carrying out the project 'Estimation of the extremal cost of energy production in Finland'. The aim of the survey was to assess the external costs of Finnish energy production which are incurred by the environmental impacts of emissions during the life cycles of fossil fuels. To this end, the survey studied the environmental impacts of emissions on a local level (population centres), on a national level (Finland) and on a global level. The main target was to develop a method for calculating the economic value of these impacts. The method was applied to the emissions in 1990. During the survey, the main emphasis was put on developing and applying indirect valuation methods. An indirect method proceeds through dose-response functions. The dose-response function links a certain emission quantity, concentration or deposition to the extent or intensity of the effect. When quantitative data on hazards is available, it is possible to carry out monetary valuation by means of market prices or people's otherwise expressed willingness to pay (WTP). Monetary valuation includes many uncertainty factors, of which the most significant with regard to this study are the transferability of dose-response functions and willingness-to-pay values from different kinds of conditions, additivity of damage values, uncertainty factors and problems related to discounting

Estimation of the external cost of energy production based on fossil fuels in Finland and a comparison with estimates of external costs of wind power

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Otterstroem, T [Ekono Energy Ltd, Helsinki (Finland)

1996-12-31

Ekono Energy Ltd. and Soil and Water Ltd. participated in 1993 - 1994 in the SIHTI 2 research programme of the Ministry of Trade and Industry by carrying out the project `Estimation of the extremal cost of energy production in Finland`. The aim of the survey was to assess the external costs of Finnish energy production which are incurred by the environmental impacts of emissions during the life cycles of fossil fuels. To this end, the survey studied the environmental impacts of emissions on a local level (population centres), on a national level (Finland) and on a global level. The main target was to develop a method for calculating the economic value of these impacts. The method was applied to the emissions in 1990. During the survey, the main emphasis was put on developing and applying indirect valuation methods. An indirect method proceeds through dose-response functions. The dose-response function links a certain emission quantity, concentration or deposition to the extent or intensity of the effect. When quantitative data on hazards is available, it is possible to carry out monetary valuation by means of market prices or people`s otherwise expressed willingness to pay (WTP). Monetary valuation includes many uncertainty factors, of which the most significant with regard to this study are the transferability of dose-response functions and willingness-to-pay values from different kinds of conditions, additivity of damage values, uncertainty factors and problems related to discounting

Estimation of the external cost of energy production based on fossil fuels in Finland and a comparison with estimates of external costs of wind power

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Otterstroem, T. [Ekono Energy Ltd, Helsinki (Finland)

1995-12-31

Ekono Energy Ltd. and Soil and Water Ltd. participated in 1993 - 1994 in the SIHTI 2 research programme of the Ministry of Trade and Industry by carrying out the project `Estimation of the extremal cost of energy production in Finland`. The aim of the survey was to assess the external costs of Finnish energy production which are incurred by the environmental impacts of emissions during the life cycles of fossil fuels. To this end, the survey studied the environmental impacts of emissions on a local level (population centres), on a national level (Finland) and on a global level. The main target was to develop a method for calculating the economic value of these impacts. The method was applied to the emissions in 1990. During the survey, the main emphasis was put on developing and applying indirect valuation methods. An indirect method proceeds through dose-response functions. The dose-response function links a certain emission quantity, concentration or deposition to the extent or intensity of the effect. When quantitative data on hazards is available, it is possible to carry out monetary valuation by means of market prices or people`s otherwise expressed willingness to pay (WTP). Monetary valuation includes many uncertainty factors, of which the most significant with regard to this study are the transferability of dose-response functions and willingness-to-pay values from different kinds of conditions, additivity of damage values, uncertainty factors and problems related to discounting

A Unified Framework for Measuring Stewardship Practices Applied to Digital Environmental Datasets

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ge Peng

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a stewardship maturity assessment model in the form of a matrix for digital environmental datasets. Nine key components are identified based on requirements imposed on digital environmental data and information that are cared for and disseminated by U.S. Federal agencies by U.S. law, i.e., Information Quality Act of 2001, agencies’ guidance, expert bodies’ recommendations, and users. These components include: preservability, accessibility, usability, production sustainability, data quality assurance, data quality control/monitoring, data quality assessment, transparency/traceability, and data integrity. A five-level progressive maturity scale is then defined for each component associated with measurable practices applied to individual datasets, representing Ad Hoc, Minimal, Intermediate, Advanced, and Optimal stages. The rationale for each key component and its maturity levels is described. This maturity model, leveraging community best practices and standards, provides a unified framework for assessing scientific data stewardship. It can be used to create a stewardship maturity scoreboard of dataset(s and a roadmap for scientific data stewardship improvement or to provide data quality and usability information to users, stakeholders, and decision makers.

Biofuel production system with operation flexibility: Evaluation of economic and environmental performance under external disturbance

Science.gov (United States)

Kou, Nannan

Biomass derived liquid hydrocarbon fuel (biofuel) has been accepted as an effective way to mitigate the reliance on petroleum and reduce the greenhouse gas emissions. An increasing demand for second generation biofuels, produced from ligno-cellulosic feedstock and compatible with current infrastructure and vehicle technologies, addresses two major challenges faced by the current US transportation sector: energy security and global warming. However, biofuel production is subject to internal disturbances (feedstock supply and commodity market) and external factors (energy market). The biofuel industry has also heavily relied on government subsidy during the early development stages. In this dissertation, I investigate how to improve the economic and environmental performance of biorefineries (and biofuel plant), as well as enhance its survivability under the external disturbances. Three types of disturbance are considered: (1) energy market fluctuation, (2) subsidy policy uncertainty, and (3) extreme weather conditions. All three factors are basically volatile, dynamic, and even unpredictable, which makes them difficult to model and have been largely ignored to date. Instead, biofuel industry and biofuel research are intensively focused on improving feedstock conversion efficiency and capital cost efficiency while assuming these advancements alone will successfully generate higher profit and thus foster the biofuel industry. The collapse of the largest corn ethanol biofuel company, Verasun Energy, in 2008 calls into question this efficiency-driven approach. A detailed analysis has revealed that although the corn ethanol plants operated by Verasun adopted the more efficient (i.e. higher ethanol yield per bushel of corn and lower capital cost) dry-mill technology, they could not maintain a fair profit margin under fluctuating market condition which made ethanol production unprofitable. This is because dry-mill plant converts a single type of biomass feedstock (corn

40 CFR 65.45 - External floating roof converted into an internal floating roof.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... External floating roof converted into an internal floating roof. The owner or operator who elects to... 40 Protection of Environment 15 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false External floating roof converted into an internal floating roof. 65.45 Section 65.45 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION...

External costs of electricity production: recent developments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beutier, D.

1995-01-01

The external costs of energy use, or the environmental effects not included in the market pricing system, must at some point be borne by society. This paper argues that the true cost of energy, including the remedying or prevention of its environmetnal consequences, should be included in the price paid by the consumer as this is the only effective method of minimizing the burden of environmental damage. The difficulties of quantifying the value of such damage and internalising it within power prices is described with reference to work in a number of countries. (UK)

Environmental analysis applied to schools. Methodologies for data acquisition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andriola, L.; Ceccacci, R.

2001-01-01

The environment analysis is the basis of environmental management for organizations and it is considered as the first step in EMAS. It allows to identify, deal with the issues and have a clear knowledge on environmental performances of organizations. Schools can be included in the organizations. Nevertheless, the complexity of environmental issues and applicable regulations makes very difficult for a school, that wants to implement an environmental management system (EMAS, ISO 14001, etc.), to face this first step. So, it has been defined an instrument, that is easy but complete and coherent with reference standard, to let schools choose their process for elaborating the initial environmental revue. This instrument consists, essentially, in cards that, if completed, facilitate the drafting of the environmental analysis report [it

Applying Comprehensive Environmental Assessment to Research Planning for Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes: Refinements to Inform Future Stakeholder Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

We previously described our collective judgment methods to engage expert stakeholders in the Comprehensive Environmental Assessment (CEA) workshop process applied to nano-TiO2 and nano-Ag research planning. We identified several lessons learned in engaging stakeholders to identif...

The Estimation of Externalities Resulting from the Electricity Generation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jeong, Jong Tae; Ha, Jae Joo

2003-03-15

The methodology, program, and the representative results for the estimation of externalities was reviewed. The review of them are based on the ExternE Project which is a representative research project for the estimation of externalities resulting from the various energy generating systems. The results for the study will be used as basic data for the comparative study on the integrated risk estimation for various energy generating systems including nuclear power plants. Also, these results will be used as comparative data in the establishment of a integrated comparative risk assessment tool and in the comparative study of the impacts resulting from the various electricity generating systems. These studies make it possible to compare the environmental impacts of nuclear power generation and other electricity generation systems. Therefore, this will of use in the enhancement of public acceptance of nuclear power generation.

The Estimation of Externalities Resulting from the Electricity Generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Jong Tae; Ha, Jae Joo

2003-03-01

The methodology, program, and the representative results for the estimation of externalities was reviewed. The review of them are based on the ExternE Project which is a representative research project for the estimation of externalities resulting from the various energy generating systems. The results for the study will be used as basic data for the comparative study on the integrated risk estimation for various energy generating systems including nuclear power plants. Also, these results will be used as comparative data in the establishment of a integrated comparative risk assessment tool and in the comparative study of the impacts resulting from the various electricity generating systems. These studies make it possible to compare the environmental impacts of nuclear power generation and other electricity generation systems. Therefore, this will of use in the enhancement of public acceptance of nuclear power generation

Externalities of the energy. The nuclear case

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Notari, Carla; Perl, Hugo

2005-01-01

When referring to private energy cost, which reflects the market value of energy, important elements are left aside in the evaluation process. These elements or externalities have an impact on third parties. The impact can be positive or negative and nowadays it is increasingly relevant to take them into account and include them in the project evaluation, specially when we are looking for sustainable development. The environmental impact and health effects are the most visible items but not the unique which generate externalities. The supply security, prices stability, employment impact and trade balance, are also important factors, although not much improvement has been achieved in their quantitative evaluation. (author) [es

Environmental conditions using thermal-hydraulics computer code GOTHIC for beyond design basis external events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pleskunas, R.J.

2015-01-01

In response to the Fukushima Dai-ichi beyond design basis accident in March 2011, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued Order EA-12-049, 'Issuance of Order to Modify Licenses with Regard to Requirements for Mitigation Strategies Beyond-Design-Basis-External-Events'. To outline the process to be used by individual licensees to define and implement site-specific diverse and flexible mitigation strategies (FLEX) that reduce the risks associated with beyond design basis conditions, Nuclear Energy Institute document NEI 12-06, 'Diverse and Flexible Coping Strategies (FLEX) Implementation Guide', was issued. A beyond design basis external event (BDBEE) is postulated to cause an Extended Loss of AC Power (ELAP), which will result in a loss of ventilation which has the potential to impact room habitability and equipment operability. During the ELAP, portable FLEX equipment will be used to achieve and maintain safe shutdown, and only a minimal set of instruments and controls will be available. Given these circumstances, analysis is required to determine the environmental conditions in several vital areas of the Nuclear Power Plant. The BDBEE mitigating strategies require certain room environments to be maintained such that they can support the occupancy of personnel and the functionality of equipment located therein, which is required to support the strategies associated with compliance to NRC Order EA-12-049. Three thermal-hydraulic analyses of vital areas during an extended loss of AC power using the GOTHIC computer code will be presented: 1) Safety-related pump and instrument room transient analysis; 2) Control Room transient analysis; and 3) Auxiliary/Control Building transient analysis. GOTHIC (Generation of Thermal-Hydraulic Information for Containment) is a general purpose thermal-hydraulics software package for the analysis of nuclear power plant containments, confinement buildings, and system components. It is a volume/path/heat sink

Energy, Externalities and Environmental Quality: Will Development Cure the Ills It Creates?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pearson, P.J.G. [Imperial College of Science, Technology, and Medicine, London (United Kingdom)

1994-12-31

Environmental quality in the context of economic development was discussed. Factors that influence environmental quality were emphasized. Main empirical studies performed in this area, including studies that have produced the inverted U-shaped environmental ``Kuznet Curve``were reviewed. The `Kuznet curve` represents the hypothesized relationship between inequality of income distribution and economic development. This author attempted to incorporate environmental quality into this relationship, and to look for the policy implications of these estimates. Determinants of environmental quality such as the supply of environmental quality, waste receptors and energy resources, the demand for environmental quality, environmental quality outcomes, environmental and quality/development models were discussed, and an attempt was made to answer the question of whether or not these Kuznet curves really imply that development will automatically cure environmental ills. One of the main conclusions was that as income rises, the demand for environmental quality rises proportionately faster, while the supply of environmentally destructive activities decreases. Other conclusions called for the improvement of the data base on environmental quality, especially by developing countries. There was also a call for more studies to be done to understand the factors that affect environmental quality and policy in different developmental situations.

Energy, Externalities and Environmental Quality: Will Development Cure the Ills It Creates?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pearson, P.J.G.

1994-01-01

Environmental quality in the context of economic development was discussed. Factors that influence environmental quality were emphasized. Main empirical studies performed in this area, including studies that have produced the inverted U-shaped environmental ''Kuznet Curve''were reviewed. The 'Kuznet curve' represents the hypothesized relationship between inequality of income distribution and economic development. This author attempted to incorporate environmental quality into this relationship, and to look for the policy implications of these estimates. Determinants of environmental quality such as the supply of environmental quality, waste receptors and energy resources, the demand for environmental quality, environmental quality outcomes, environmental and quality/development models were discussed, and an attempt was made to answer the question of whether or not these Kuznet curves really imply that development will automatically cure environmental ills. One of the main conclusions was that as income rises, the demand for environmental quality rises proportionately faster, while the supply of environmentally destructive activities decreases. Other conclusions called for the improvement of the data base on environmental quality, especially by developing countries. There was also a call for more studies to be done to understand the factors that affect environmental quality and policy in different developmental situations

Developing and Applying a Participative web-Based GIS for Integration of Public Perceptions in Strategic Environmental Assessment

OpenAIRE

Gonzalez, Ainhoa; Gilmer, Alan; Foley, Ronan; Sweeney, John; Fry, John

2009-01-01

The intrinsic spatial nature of development plans poses specific requirements on the analytical tools applied to support Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) processes. Geographic information systems (GIS), with their mapping and analytical potential, can assist and enhance the various stages of SEA. A method has been developed to apply GIS as a support tool to assist SEA of land use plans in the Republic of Ireland. This chapter describes one phase in the development and testing of th...

Pipeline external corrosion direct assessment methodology: lessons learned - part 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kowalski, Angel R. [DNV Columbus, Inc., OH (United States)

2009-07-01

DNV Columbus (Former CC Technologies) played a key role in the development of Direct Assessment (DA) methodologies, providing leadership in the NACE technical committees charged with development of DA standards. Since the first publication of NACE Standard RP-0502-2002, External Corrosion Direct Assessment (ECDA) has been successfully applied over a great number of pipelines to evaluate the impact of external corrosion on the pipeline integrity. This paper summarizes the results of applying ECDA over a selected number of underground pipelines and presents interesting facts about the methodology. (author)

Theoretical Aspects of Analysis of International Environmental Security

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juliya A. Rusakova

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract: International environmental security is a very hot contemporary issue of world politics, which in a large part defines the future of our environment. Dealing with this issue is of outmost importance since its failure will render all other issues and challenges as negligible. The article examines the theoretical aspects of solving the problem of environmental security. In particular, it analyzes the problem of negative social externalities, and the related concept of "tragedy of the commons." These problems create a fundamental obstacle to the implementation of environmental security at the global level. Traditionally, the problem of externalities in the environmental field have been approached economically, states and their manufacturers were to pay for the externalities in the form of additional taxes. However, experience shows that the economic tools of dealing with environmental security are not effective. The author suggests alternative non-economic approaches: strengthening and developing the system of permanent institutions of international negotiations on environmental security and promotion of environmental awareness. Solving the acute environmental problems is impossible without a change of the political philosophy of the ruling elites in most states.

ExternE National Implementation Finland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pingoud, K; Maelkki, H; Wihersaari, M; Pirilae, P [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland); Hongisto, M [Imatran Voima Oy, Vantaa (Finland); Siitonen, S [Ekono Energy Ltd, Espoo (Finland); Johansson, M [Finnish Environment Institute, Helsinki (Finland)

1999-07-01

ExternE National Implementation is a continuation of the ExternE Project, funded in part by the European Commission's Joule III Programme. This study is the result of the ExternE National Implementation Project for Finland. Three fuel cycles were selected for the Finnish study: coal, peat and wood-derived biomass, which together are responsible for about 40% of total electricity generation in Finland and about 75% of the non-nuclear fuel based generation. The estimated external costs or damages were dominated by the global warming (GW) impacts in the coal and peat fuel cycles, but knowledge of the true GW impacts is still uncertain. From among other impacts that were valued in monetary terms the human health damages due to airborne emissions dominated in all the three fuel cycles. Monetary valuation for ecosystem impacts is not possible using the ExternE methodology at present. The Meri-Pori power station representing the coal fuel cycle is one of the world's cleanest and most efficient coal-fired power plants with a condensing turbine. The coal is imported mainly from Poland. The estimated health damages were about 4 mECU/kWh, crop damages an order of magnitude lower and damages caused to building materials two orders of magnitude lower. The power stations of the peat and biomass fuel cycles are of CHP type, generating electricity and heat for the district heating systems of two cities. Their fuels are of domestic origin. The estimated health damages allocated to electricity generation were about 5 and 6 mECU/kWh, respectively. The estimates were case-specific and thus an generalisation of the results to the whole electricity generation in Finland is unrealistic. Despite the uncertainties and limitations of the methodology, it is a promising tool in the comparison of similar kinds of fuel cycles, new power plants and pollution abatement technologies and different plant locations with each other. (orig.)

ExternE National Implementation Finland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pingoud, K.; Maelkki, H.; Wihersaari, M.; Pirilae, P. [VTT Energy, Espoo (Finland); Hongisto, M. [Imatran Voima Oy, Vantaa (Finland); Siitonen, S. [Ekono Energy Ltd, Espoo (Finland); Johansson, M. [Finnish Environment Institute, Helsinki (Finland)

1999-07-01

ExternE National Implementation is a continuation of the ExternE Project, funded in part by the European Commission's Joule III Programme. This study is the result of the ExternE National Implementation Project for Finland. Three fuel cycles were selected for the Finnish study: coal, peat and wood-derived biomass, which together are responsible for about 40% of total electricity generation in Finland and about 75% of the non-nuclear fuel based generation. The estimated external costs or damages were dominated by the global warming (GW) impacts in the coal and peat fuel cycles, but knowledge of the true GW impacts is still uncertain. From among other impacts that were valued in monetary terms the human health damages due to airborne emissions dominated in all the three fuel cycles. Monetary valuation for ecosystem impacts is not possible using the ExternE methodology at present. The Meri-Pori power station representing the coal fuel cycle is one of the world's cleanest and most efficient coal-fired power plants with a condensing turbine. The coal is imported mainly from Poland. The estimated health damages were about 4 mECU/kWh, crop damages an order of magnitude lower and damages caused to building materials two orders of magnitude lower. The power stations of the peat and biomass fuel cycles are of CHP type, generating electricity and heat for the district heating systems of two cities. Their fuels are of domestic origin. The estimated health damages allocated to electricity generation were about 5 and 6 mECU/kWh, respectively. The estimates were case-specific and thus an generalisation of the results to the whole electricity generation in Finland is unrealistic. Despite the uncertainties and limitations of the methodology, it is a promising tool in the comparison of similar kinds of fuel cycles, new power plants and pollution abatement technologies and different plant locations with each other. (orig.)

ExternE National Implementation Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pingoud, K.; Maelkki, H.; Wihersaari, M.; Pirilae, P.; Hongisto, M.; Siitonen, S.; Johansson, M.

1999-01-01

ExternE National Implementation is a continuation of the ExternE Project, funded in part by the European Commission's Joule III Programme. This study is the result of the ExternE National Implementation Project for Finland. Three fuel cycles were selected for the Finnish study: coal, peat and wood-derived biomass, which together are responsible for about 40% of total electricity generation in Finland and about 75% of the non-nuclear fuel based generation. The estimated external costs or damages were dominated by the global warming (GW) impacts in the coal and peat fuel cycles, but knowledge of the true GW impacts is still uncertain. From among other impacts that were valued in monetary terms the human health damages due to airborne emissions dominated in all the three fuel cycles. Monetary valuation for ecosystem impacts is not possible using the ExternE methodology at present. The Meri-Pori power station representing the coal fuel cycle is one of the world's cleanest and most efficient coal-fired power plants with a condensing turbine. The coal is imported mainly from Poland. The estimated health damages were about 4 mECU/kWh, crop damages an order of magnitude lower and damages caused to building materials two orders of magnitude lower. The power stations of the peat and biomass fuel cycles are of CHP type, generating electricity and heat for the district heating systems of two cities. Their fuels are of domestic origin. The estimated health damages allocated to electricity generation were about 5 and 6 mECU/kWh, respectively. The estimates were case-specific and thus an generalisation of the results to the whole electricity generation in Finland is unrealistic. Despite the uncertainties and limitations of the methodology, it is a promising tool in the comparison of similar kinds of fuel cycles, new power plants and pollution abatement technologies and different plant locations with each other. (orig.)

Applying distance-to-target weighing methodology to evaluate the environmental performance of bio-based energy, fuels, and materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weiss, Martin; Patel, Martin; Heilmeier, Hermann; Bringezu, Stefan

2007-01-01

The enhanced use of biomass for the production of energy, fuels, and materials is one of the key strategies towards sustainable production and consumption. Various life cycle assessment (LCA) studies demonstrate the great potential of bio-based products to reduce both the consumption of non-renewable energy resources and greenhouse gas emissions. However, the production of biomass requires agricultural land and is often associated with adverse environmental effects such as eutrophication of surface and ground water. Decision making in favor of or against bio-based and conventional fossil product alternatives therefore often requires weighing of environmental impacts. In this article, we apply distance-to-target weighing methodology to aggregate LCA results obtained in four different environmental impact categories (i.e., non-renewable energy consumption, global warming potential, eutrophication potential, and acidification potential) to one environmental index. We include 45 bio- and fossil-based product pairs in our analysis, which we conduct for Germany. The resulting environmental indices for all product pairs analyzed range from -19.7 to +0.2 with negative values indicating overall environmental benefits of bio-based products. Except for three options of packaging materials made from wheat and cornstarch, all bio-based products (including energy, fuels, and materials) score better than their fossil counterparts. Comparing the median values for the three options of biomass utilization reveals that bio-energy (-1.2) and bio-materials (-1.0) offer significantly higher environmental benefits than bio-fuels (-0.3). The results of this study reflect, however, subjective value judgments due to the weighing methodology applied. Given the uncertainties and controversies associated not only with distance-to-target methodologies in particular but also with weighing approaches in general, the authors strongly recommend using weighing for decision finding only as a

Internalization of external costs for nuclear power in Romania

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andrei, Veronica; Ghita, Sorin; Ionita, Gheorghe; Gheorghe-Sorescu, Antonius; Glodeanu, Florin

2006-01-01

A technology that competes against alternatives on a full cost basis is not sustainable - no matter how environmentally friendly is. Competitive performance, however, means more than lower costs. Additional factors as the following have to be considered as criteria ensuring a sustainable energy development: - environmentally compatibility - intergenerational compatibility - power demand compatibility - socio-political compatibility - geopolitical compatibility. Some factors are less difficult to express in al.) Recent Cold Fterms (e.g. the economic value of degraded public health) than others (e.g. the economic value of reliable supplies or lack of public acceptance) but their quantifications are fraught with uncertainty, vary greatly from location to location and cannot be generalized. Still, these factors often tilt the balance in favor or disfavor of a particular technology. From a public perspective, a set of costs called 'external costs' are important. By definition these costs are external to standard private sector cost accounting schemes. They are necessarily paid for, not as a cost of doing business, but by society. The concept of externalities has been referred to in the economic literature since early in the 20th century. In 1974, the Council of OECD recommended the application by governments of the 'Polluter Pays Principle', defined in the early 1970s as a means to allocate costs of pollution prevention and control measures to pollutants, and thereby to consumers of their products, rather than to society as a whole. The externality may be defined as 'a cost or benefit that is not included in the market price of a commodity because it is not included in the supply price or demand price. An externality is produced when the economic activity of one actor (or group of actors) has a positive or negative impact on the welfare function of another actor (or group of actors) and when the former fails to be fully compensated, or to fully compensate the latter

Regional Externalities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heijman, W.J.M.

2007-01-01

The book offers practical and theoretical insights in regional externalities. Regional externalities are a specific subset of externalities that can be defined as externalities where space plays a dominant role. This class of externalities can be divided into three categories: (1) externalities

Reconceptualising the external validity of discrete choice experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Lancsar, Emily; Swait, Joffre

2014-10-01

External validity is a crucial but under-researched topic when considering using discrete choice experiment (DCE) results to inform decision making in clinical, commercial or policy contexts. We present the theory and tests traditionally used to explore external validity that focus on a comparison of final outcomes and review how this traditional definition has been empirically tested in health economics and other sectors (such as transport, environment and marketing) in which DCE methods are applied. While an important component, we argue that the investigation of external validity should be much broader than a comparison of final outcomes. In doing so, we introduce a new and more comprehensive conceptualisation of external validity, closely linked to process validity, that moves us from the simple characterisation of a model as being or not being externally valid on the basis of predictive performance, to the concept that external validity should be an objective pursued from the initial conceptualisation and design of any DCE. We discuss how such a broader definition of external validity can be fruitfully used and suggest innovative ways in which it can be explored in practice.

Applied Energy Program

Science.gov (United States)

Science Programs Applied Energy Programs Civilian Nuclear Energy Programs Laboratory Directed Research » Applied Energy Program Applied Energy Program Los Alamos is using its world-class scientific capabilities to enhance national energy security by developing energy sources with limited environmental impact

The external cost of the nuclear fuel cycle

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schieber, C.; Schneider, T.

2002-01-01

The external cost of the nuclear fuel cycle has been evaluated in the particular context of France as part of the European Commission's ExternE project. All the steps in the fuel cycle which involve the use of cutting edge technology were taken into consideration, from mining of uranium ores to waste disposal, via construction, dismantling of nuclear power plants and the transport of radioactive materials. The general methodology adopted in the study, known as the 'Impact Pathway Analysis', is based on a sequence of evaluations from source terms to the potential= effects on man and the environment, and then to their monetary evaluation, using a single framework devised for all the fuel cycles considered in the ExternE project. The resulting external cost is in the range of 2 to 3 mEuro/kWh when no discount rate is applied, and around 0.1 mEuro/kWh when a discount rate of 3% is considered. Further developments have been made on the external cost of a nuclear accident and on the integration of risk aversion in its evaluation. It appeared that the external cost of a nuclear accident would be about 0.04 mEuro/kWh, instead of 0.002 mEuro/kWh without taking risk aversion into account. (authors)

Comparison of environmental impacts of electricity from different sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eyre, N.

1993-01-01

For fossil fuel electricity generation the major environmental externalities result from acid deposition, tropospheric ozone and global warming. For nuclear power the main issues are major reactor accidents and long-term waste disposal. Some broad estimates of environmental externalities (in p/kWh) are given from each, based on available scientific evidence and valuation studies. The uncertainties and methodological problems associated with valuation prevent any reliable statement about the relative magnitudes of externalities resulting from fossil and nuclear generating options. In both cases, some of the impacts are incompatible with stricter interpretations of sustainability. The important environmental impacts of most renewable electricity generating options concern human amenity. (author)

Internalization of external cost for the production and distribution of electricity in Flanders, Belgium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torfs, R.; De Nocker, L.; Schrooten, L.; Aernouts, K.; Liekens, I.

2005-04-01

This report elaborates the external costs of electricity production and distribution in Flanders, Belgium, and tests them against prices and taxes for electricity use. The authors examined whether these external costs decrease in time and whether such a decrease leads to internalization in the price for the users through taxes, levies or other economic instruments. The external costs mainly include external environmental costs caused by air pollution and greenhouse gases, but also damage caused by accidents, hindrance and radioactive substances that may be released. [nl

Environmental surveillance at Los Alamos during 1994

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-07-01

This report describes environmental monitoring activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory for 1994. Data were collected to assess external penetrating radiation, airborne emissions, liquid effluents, radioactivity of environmental materials and food stuffs, and environmental compliance.

Environmental surveillance at Los Alamos during 1994

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-07-01

This report describes environmental monitoring activities at Los Alamos National Laboratory for 1994. Data were collected to assess external penetrating radiation, airborne emissions, liquid effluents, radioactivity of environmental materials and food stuffs, and environmental compliance

Plasma cluster acceleration by means of external magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kracik, J.; Maloch, J.; Sobra, K.

1975-01-01

The electromagnetic shock tubes are used not only for shock wave creation and study but also for pulse plasma acceleration. By applying the rail acceleration the external magnetic field perpendicular to the plasma cluster velocity can be increased. In the present work is theoretically and experimentally confirmed the external magnetic field influence on the plasma cluster acceleration when the 'snow plough' model is used. (Auth.)

Review on studies for external cost of nuclear power generation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Byung Heung [Korea National University of Transportation, Chungju (Korea, Republic of); Ko, Won Il [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

External cost is cost imposed on a third party when producing or consuming a good or service. Since the 1990s, the external costs of nuclear powered electricity production have been studied. Costs are a very important factor in policy decision and the external cost is considered for cost comparison on electricity production. As for nuclear fuel cycle, a chosen technology will determine the external cost. However, there has been little research on this issue. For this study, methods for external cost on nuclear power production have been surveyed and analyzed to develop an approach for evaluating external cost on nuclear fuel cycles. Before the Fukushima accident, external cost research had focused on damage costs during normal operation of a fuel cycle. However, accident cost becomes a major concern after the accident. Various considerations for external cost including accident cost have been used to different studies, and different methods have been applied corresponding to the considerations. In this study, the results of the evaluation were compared and analyzed to identify methodological applicability to the external cost estimation with nuclear fuel cycles.

Review on studies for external cost of nuclear power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Byung Heung; Ko, Won Il

2015-01-01

External cost is cost imposed on a third party when producing or consuming a good or service. Since the 1990s, the external costs of nuclear powered electricity production have been studied. Costs are a very important factor in policy decision and the external cost is considered for cost comparison on electricity production. As for nuclear fuel cycle, a chosen technology will determine the external cost. However, there has been little research on this issue. For this study, methods for external cost on nuclear power production have been surveyed and analyzed to develop an approach for evaluating external cost on nuclear fuel cycles. Before the Fukushima accident, external cost research had focused on damage costs during normal operation of a fuel cycle. However, accident cost becomes a major concern after the accident. Various considerations for external cost including accident cost have been used to different studies, and different methods have been applied corresponding to the considerations. In this study, the results of the evaluation were compared and analyzed to identify methodological applicability to the external cost estimation with nuclear fuel cycles

Recent developments in the external hazard risk assessment in Ukraine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-01-01

Ukrainian legislation prescribes safety analysis reports for all operating and future NPPs. Apart from main report they must include: safety analysis supplement; design basis accident analysis; beyond design basis accident analysis; probabilistic safety assessment (PSA); technical; substantiation of safety. Regulatory requirements to PSA contents cover the criteria for core damage frequency and large radioactive release frequency. Initiating events taken into account are internal events; internal hazards and external hazards. External hazards to be considered are seismic events, external fires, external floods, extreme ambient temperatures, aircraft crashes, etc. Current status of PSA development is related to operating WWER-440 and WWER-1000 NPPs and NPPs under construction. This presentation describes in detail the external hazard risk assessment for South Ukraine including methodology applied and expected future activities

External costs related to power production technologies. ExternE national implementation for Denmark

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schleisner, L; Sieverts Nielsen, P [eds.

1997-12-01

The objective of the ExternE National Implementation project has been to establish a comprehensive and comparable set of data on externalities of power generation for all EU member states and Norway. The tasks include the application of the ExternE methodology to the most important fuel cycles for each country as well as to update the already existing results, to aggregate these site- and technology-specific results to more general figures. The current report covers the detailed information concerning the ExternE methodology. Importance is attached to the computer system used in the project and the assessment of air pollution effects on health, materials and ecological effects. Also the assessment of global warming damages are described. Finally the report covers the detailed information concerning the national implementation for Denmark for an offshore wind farm and a wind farm on land, a decentralised CHP plant based on natural gas and a decentralised CHP plant base on biogas. (au) EU-JOULE 3. 79 tabs., 11 ills., 201 refs.

External costs related to power production technologies. ExternE national implementation for Denmark

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schleisner, L.; Sieverts Nielsen, P.

1997-12-01

The objective of the ExternE National Implementation project has been to establish a comprehensive and comparable set of data on externalities of power generation for all EU member states and Norway. The tasks include the application of the ExternE methodology to the most important fuel cycles for each country as well as to update the already existing results, to aggregate these site- and technology-specific results to more general figures. The current report covers the detailed information concerning the ExternE methodology. Importance is attached to the computer system used in the project and the assessment of air pollution effects on health, materials and ecological effects. Also the assessment of global warming damages are described. Finally the report covers the detailed information concerning the national implementation for Denmark for an offshore wind farm and a wind farm on land, a decentralised CHP plant based on natural gas and a decentralised CHP plant base on biogas. (au) EU-JOULE 3. 79 tabs., 11 ills., 201 refs

76 FR 67439 - External Peer Review Meeting for Draft Microbial Risk Assessment Guideline: Pathogenic...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-11-01

... ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [EPA-HQ-ORD-2011-053; FRL-9485-1] External Peer Review Meeting for... review draft does not represent EPA policy. The public may register to attend this peer review meeting as... to consider the comments from the external peer review meeting, along with public comments received...

Data requirements for valuing externalities: The role of existing permitting processes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, A.D.; Baechler, M.C.; Callaway, J.M.

1990-08-01

While the assessment of externalities, or residual impacts, will place new demands on regulators, utilities, and developers, existing processes already require certain data and information that may fulfill some of the data needs for externality valuation. This paper examines existing siting, permitting, and other processes and highlights similarities and differences between their data requirements and the data required to value environmental externalities. It specifically considers existing requirements for siting new electricity resources in Oregon and compares them with the information and data needed to value externalities for such resources. This paper also presents several observations about how states can take advantage of data acquired through processes already in place as they move into an era when externalities are considered in utility decision-making. It presents other observations on the similarities and differences between the data requirements under existing processes and those for valuing externalities. This paper also briefly discusses the special case of cumulative impacts. And it presents recommendations on what steps to take in future efforts to value externalities. 35 refs., 2 tabs.

Environmental biodosimetry: a biologically relevant tool for ecological risk assessment and biomonitoring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ulsh, B. E-mail: ulshb@mcmaster.ca; Hinton, T.G.; Congdon, J.D.; Dugan, L.C.; Whicker, F.W.; Bedford, J.S

2003-07-01

Biodosimetry, the estimation of received doses by determining the frequency of radiation-induced chromosome aberrations, is widely applied in humans acutely exposed as a result of accidents or for clinical purposes, but biodosimetric techniques have not been utilized in organisms chronically exposed to radionuclides in contaminated environments. The application of biodosimetry to environmental exposure scenarios could greatly improve the accuracy, and reduce the uncertainties, of ecological risk assessments and biomonitoring studies, because no assumptions are required regarding external exposure rates and the movement of organisms into and out of contaminated areas. Furthermore, unlike residue analyses of environmental media environmental biodosimetry provides a genetically relevant biomarker of cumulative lifetime exposure. Symmetrical chromosome translocations can impact reproductive success, and could therefore prove to be ecologically relevant as well. We describe our experience in studying aberrations in the yellow-bellied slider turtle as an example of environmental biodosimetry.

Pricing landfill externalities: Emissions and disamenity costs in Cape Town, South Africa

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nahman, Anton

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The paper estimates landfill externalities associated with emissions, disamenities and transport. → Transport externalities vary from 24.22 to 31.42 Rands per tonne. → Costs of emissions (estimated using benefits transfer) vary from 0.07 to 28.91 Rands per tonne. → Disamenities (estimated using hedonic pricing) vary from 0.00 to 57.46 Rands per tonne. → Overall, external costs for urban landfills exceed those of a regional landfill. - Abstract: The external (environmental and social) costs of landfilling (e.g. emissions to air, soil and water; and 'disamenities' such as odours and pests) are difficult to quantify in monetary terms, and are therefore not generally reflected in waste disposal charges or taken into account in decision making regarding waste management options. This results in a bias against alternatives such as recycling, which may be more expensive than landfilling from a purely financial perspective, but preferable from an environmental and social perspective. There is therefore a need to quantify external costs in monetary terms, so that different disposal options can be compared on the basis of their overall costs to society (financial plus external costs). This study attempts to estimate the external costs of landfilling in the City of Cape Town for different scenarios, using the benefits transfer method (for emissions) and the hedonic pricing method (for disamenities). Both methods (in particular the process of transferring and adjusting estimates from one study site to another) are described in detail, allowing the procedures to be replicated elsewhere. The results show that external costs are currently R111 (in South African Rands, or approximately US$16) per tonne of waste, although these could decline under a scenario in which energy is recovered, or in which the existing urban landfills are replaced with a new regional landfill.

EU environmental state aid policy: wide implications, narrow participation?

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Flaam, Karoline

2008-11-15

This article investigates the 2008 reform of the EU's environmental state aid guidelines, with an eye to determining the degree of external pressure and lobbyism towards environmental state aid policies. What is found is a strikingly low level of external pressure on the policy-field, not least on the part of the private sector. In fact, EU environmental state aid policy is largely the making of a few Commission officials, without much external 'interference'. The article discusses possible reasons for this, and asks whether state aid policy-making might be marked less by clear and established interests and utility maximising, and more by actors constrained by complexity and bounded rationality. (author). refs.,tab

Long-dated evaluation of the external costs of the nuclear; L'evaluation des couts externes a long terme de la filiere nucleaire: interets et limites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Le Dars, A.; Schneider, T

2002-09-01

Since the middle of the years 1990, the European Commission developed an ''ExternE'' methodology to propose an homogenous evaluation of the sanitary and environmental external costs of the various energy sectors in Europe. This document discusses the taking into account of the long-dated and analyzes the interests and the limits of the monetary evaluation, in terms of external costs, of the nuclear choice. It is organized in three chapters: 1. a presentation and a discussion on the various evaluation of the ''ExternE'' methodology; 2. a description of the available methods for the monetary evaluation of the long-dated impacts and more particularly the analysis of the monetary values actualization principle; 3. highlighted of the impacts for which the monetary evaluations exist. (A.L.B.)

Pricing landfill externalities: emissions and disamenity costs in Cape Town, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Nahman, Anton

2011-01-01

The external (environmental and social) costs of landfilling (e.g. emissions to air, soil and water; and 'disamenities' such as odours and pests) are difficult to quantify in monetary terms, and are therefore not generally reflected in waste disposal charges or taken into account in decision making regarding waste management options. This results in a bias against alternatives such as recycling, which may be more expensive than landfilling from a purely financial perspective, but preferable from an environmental and social perspective. There is therefore a need to quantify external costs in monetary terms, so that different disposal options can be compared on the basis of their overall costs to society (financial plus external costs). This study attempts to estimate the external costs of landfilling in the City of Cape Town for different scenarios, using the benefits transfer method (for emissions) and the hedonic pricing method (for disamenities). Both methods (in particular the process of transferring and adjusting estimates from one study site to another) are described in detail, allowing the procedures to be replicated elsewhere. The results show that external costs are currently R111 (in South African Rands, or approximately US$16) per tonne of waste, although these could decline under a scenario in which energy is recovered, or in which the existing urban landfills are replaced with a new regional landfill. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermographic venous blood flow characterization with external cooling stimulation

Science.gov (United States)

Saxena, Ashish; Ng, E. Y. K.; Raman, Vignesh

2018-05-01

Experimental characterization of blood flow in a human forearm is done with the application of continuous external cooling based active thermography method. Qualitative and quantitative detection of the blood vessel in a thermal image is done, along with the evaluation of blood vessel diameter, blood flow direction, and velocity in the target blood vessel. Subtraction based image manipulation is performed to enhance the feature contrast of the thermal image acquired after the removal of external cooling. To demonstrate the effect of occlusion diseases (obstruction), an external cuff based occlusion is applied after the removal of cooling and its effect on the skin rewarming is studied. Using external cooling, a transit time method based blood flow velocity estimation is done. From the results obtained, it is evident that an external cooling based active thermography method can be used to develop a diagnosis tool for superficial blood vessel diseases.

External costs in the global energy optimization models. A tool in favour of sustain ability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cabal Cuesta, H.

2007-01-01

The aim of this work is the analysis of the effects of the GHG external costs internalization in the energy systems. This may provide a useful tool to support decision makers to help reaching the energy systems sustain ability. External costs internalization has been carried out using two methods. First, CO 2 externalities of different power generation technologies have been internalized to evaluate their effects on the economic competitiveness of these present and future technologies. The other method consisted of analysing and optimizing the global energy system, from an economic and environmental point of view, using the global energy optimization model generator, TIMES, with a time horizon of 50 years. Finally, some scenarios regarding environmental and economic strategic measures have been analysed. (Author)

Environmental quality, the macroeconomy, and intergenerational distribution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heijdra, B.J.; Kooiman, J.P.; Ligthart, J.E.

The paper studies the dynamic allocation effects and intergenerational welfare consequences of environmental taxes. To this end, environmental externalities are introduced in a Blanchard-Yaari overlapping generations model of a small open economy. A rise in environmental taxes - taking into account

A Conceptual Framework for Error Remediation with Multiple External Representations Applied to Learning Objects

Science.gov (United States)

Leite, Maici Duarte; Marczal, Diego; Pimentel, Andrey Ricardo; Direne, Alexandre Ibrahim

2014-01-01

This paper presents the application of some concepts of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) to elaborate a conceptual framework that uses the remediation of errors with Multiple External Representations (MERs) in Learning Objects (LO). To this is demonstrated a development of LO for teaching the Pythagorean Theorem through this framework. This…

Genetic variation in GABRA2 moderates peer influence on externalizing behavior in adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Villafuerte, Sandra; Trucco, Elisa M; Heitzeg, Mary M; Burmeister, Margit; Zucker, Robert A

2014-01-01

Genetic predisposition and environmental influences are both important factors in the development of problematic behavior leading to substance use in adolescence. Involvement with delinquent peers also strongly predicts adolescent externalizing behavior. Several lines of evidence support a role of GABRA2 on externalizing behavior related to disinhibition. However, whether this genetic association is influenced by the environment such as peer behavior remains unknown. We examined the moderating role of GABRA2 genetic variation on the socialization model of delinquent peer affiliation (at ages 12-14 years) on externalizing behavior (at ages 15-17 years) in the Michigan Longitudinal Study (MLS) adolescent sample. The sample consisted of 244 adolescents (75 females and 152 with at least one parent with a DSM-IV lifetime alcohol dependence/abuse diagnosis). Peer delinquent activity reported by the participant and teacher-reported adolescent externalizing behavior (Teacher Report Form (TRF) were assessed. No main effect of the GABRA2 SNP rs279826, which tags a large haplotype, on externalizing behavior was observed. However, there was a statistically reliable GABRA2 × peer delinquency interaction. The effect of peer delinquent involvement on externalizing scores and the rule breaking subscale is significantly stronger for those with the GG genotype compared to A-carriers, whereas there was no effect of genotype on externalizing in the absence of peer delinquent involvement. No interaction was observed for the aggression subscale. Our results suggest that the genetic effect of GABRA2 on externalizing behavior, more specifically on rule breaking is, at least in part, due to its effect on susceptibility to environmental exposure (i.e., peer delinquency).

Resonator modes and mode dynamics for an external cavity-coupled laser array

Science.gov (United States)

Nair, Niketh; Bochove, Erik J.; Aceves, Alejandro B.; Zunoubi, Mohammad R.; Braiman, Yehuda

2015-03-01

Employing a Fox-Li approach, we derived the cold-cavity mode structure and a coupled mode theory for a phased array of N single-transverse-mode active waveguides with feedback from an external cavity. We applied the analysis to a system with arbitrary laser lengths, external cavity design and coupling strengths to the external cavity. The entire system was treated as a single resonator. The effect of the external cavity was modeled by a set of boundary conditions expressed by an N-by-N frequency-dependent matrix relation between incident and reflected fields at the interface with the external cavity. The coupled mode theory can be adapted to various types of gain media and internal and external cavity designs.

Innovation types at smes and external influencing factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Walicka

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Stimulating innovation is one of the pressing policy challenges facing many countries in the world today. The paper analyses the external factors that Polish entrepreneurs find most detrimental to their innovative activity. A sample of 199 small and medium size enterprises (SMEs in Poland were subjected to a survey. The data collected revealed the innovation types of SMEs in Poland and external financial factors influencing innovation the most. The results show external factors such as legal regulations, access to external financing, bureaucracy of institutions, financial government support, the tax system, time necessary to comply with regulations, and crisis and instability are very important for SMEs. According to the results, process and marketing innovations are applied more frequently than product and organisational innovations. Finally, the results indicate that entrepreneurs indicate that lack of government support and weakness of tax incentives is an important barrier to the innovation process.

Landscape externalities from onshore wind power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meyerhoff, Juergen; Ohl, Cornelia; Hartje, Volkmar

2010-01-01

The expansion of renewable energy is a central element of the German Federal Government's climate and energy policy. The target for 2020 is to produce 30% of the electricity from renewable energies. Wind power has been selected to be a major contributor to this change. Replacing old wind turbines by modern ones and building new turbines on land will be crucial in meeting this target. However, the expansion of onshore wind power is not universally accepted. In several regions of Germany residents are protesting against setting up new wind turbines. To determine the negative effects two choice experiments were applied in Westsachsen and Nordhessen, Germany. In both regions the externalities of wind power generation until 2020 based on today's state of technology were measured. The results show that negative landscape externalities would result from expanding wind power generation. Using latent class models three different groups of respondents experiencing different degrees of externalities were identified.

Quantum theory of relativistic charged particles in external fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruijsenaars, S.N.M.

1976-01-01

A study was made on external field theories in which the quantized field corresponds to relativistic elementary particles with non-zero rest mass. These particles are assumed to be charged, thus they have distinct antiparticles. The thesis consists of two parts. The first tries to accommodate the general features of theories of relativistic charged particles in external fields. Spin and dynamics in particular are not specified. In the second part, the results are applied to charged spin-1/2 and spin-0 particles, the dynamics of which are given by the Dirac resp. Klein-Gordon equation. The greater emphasis is on external fields which are rapidly decreasing, infinitely differentiable functions of space-time, but also considers time-independent fields. External fields, other than electromagnetic fields are also considered, e.g. scalar fields

Bursting pressure of autofrettaged cylinders with inclined external cracks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seifi, Rahman; Babalhavaeji, Majid

2012-01-01

Autofrettaging a pressure vessel improves its pressure capacity. This is reliable if there isn’t any crack or other type of flaws. In this paper, the effects of external surface cracks on bursting pressure of autofrettaged cylinders are studied. It is observed that bursting pressure decreases considerably (up to 30%) due to external cracks in the cylinders without autofrettage. This reduction increases for high levels of the applied autofrettage. External axial cracks have more effects than inclined cracks. Comparing experimental and numerical results show that the numerical methods can acceptably predict the bursting pressure of the autofrettaged cracked cylinders. These predictions are valid when the fracture parameter (J-Integral) is calculated from the modified equation that takes into account the effects of residual stresses. - Highlights: ► Modified J-Integral can be used for study of autofrettaged cracked cylinders. ► External axial cracks reduce considerably the pressure capacity of cylinders. ► External circumferential cracks have not considerable effects on bursting pressure. ► Autofrettage has contrary effects on external crack in compared with internal crack.

Laser ablation of titanium in liquid in external electric field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Serkov, A.A. [Wave Research Center of A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38, Vavilov Street, 119991 Moscow (Russian Federation); The Federal State Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education, “Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (State University)”, 9 Institutskiy per., 141700, Dolgoprudny, Moscow Region (Russian Federation); Barmina, E.V., E-mail: barminaev@gmail.com [Wave Research Center of A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38, Vavilov Street, 119991 Moscow (Russian Federation); Shafeev, G.A. [Wave Research Center of A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38, Vavilov Street, 119991 Moscow (Russian Federation); National Research Nuclear University MEPhI (Moscow Engineering Physics Institute), 31, Kashirskoye Highway, 115409 Moscow (Russian Federation); Voronov, V.V. [A.M. Prokhorov General Physics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 38, Vavilov Street, 119991 Moscow (Russian Federation)

2015-09-01

Highlights: • Ablation of a bulk Ti target by 10 ps laser pulses in liquid is experimentally studied in external DC electric field. • Applied cathodic bias leads to increase in average size of self-organized nanostructures formed upon ablation of titanium target. • Laser ablation of Ti target in external electric field results in generation of elongated titanium oxide nanoparticles. - Abstract: Ablation of a bulk Ti target by 10 ps laser pulses in water is experimentally studied in external DC electric field. It is demonstrated that both lateral size of nanostructures (NS) on Ti surface and their density depend on the electric field applied to the target. Scanning Electron Microscopy of NS reveals the shift of their size distribution function toward larger sizes with applied field (cathodic bias, 25 V DC). Density of mushroom-like NS with applied electric field amounts to 10{sup 10} cm{sup −2}. X-ray diffraction of generated nanoparticles (NPs) shows difference in the crystallographic structure of NPs of non-stoichiometric Ti oxides generated with and without electric field. This conclusion is corroborated with the optical absorption spectroscopy of obtained colloids. Transmission Electron Microscopy of NPs also shows difference in morphology of particles produced with and without cathodic bias. The results are interpreted on the basis of instability of the melt on Ti surface in the electric field.

External exposure from radionuclides in soil: analytical vs. simulation procedures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Velasco, Hugo; Rizzotto, Marcos

2008-01-01

Full text: The external gamma irradiation resulting from radionuclides deposited on the ground surface can be an important source of radiation exposure. The assessment of this irradiation is extremely complex due to the large number of environmental factors which affect the gamma photon flux in air originating from the ground. The source energy affects the interaction between the radiation and the medium, and the characteristics and the properties of the soil are the most relevant factors to determine the energy and the angular distribution of gamma radiation in air 1 m above the ground surface. From an analytical point of view the calculations are based on the point-kernel integration method and assume that the source concentration at any depth in soil is uniform over an infinite surface parallel to the ground plane. The dose-rate factor is applied to environmental dose assessments by means of the general equation: H(t)= χ (t) x DRF where H is the external dose rate at time t, χ is the source concentration at the location of the exposed individual, and DRF is the dose-rate factor. Dose-rate factors in air at a height of 1 m above ground are tabulated for discrete photon energies between 0.01 and 10 MeV and for source depths in soil between 0 and 300 cm. These factors were determined for sources distributed in a slab of finite thickness and sources which are exponentially distributed with depth. A Monte Carlo algorithm was developed to simulate the gamma photons transport calculation for the soil/air configuration. In this case the soil constituents were assumed to be similar to those on the earth's crust. The model considers the gamma photons source distributed uniformly in the soil profile, from the ground surface to a depth beyond which the soil is considered uncontaminated. Source gamma photons were randomly selected from the contaminated soil zone and their subsequent interactions determined by the probability of occurrence via photoelectric effect, Compton

Risk and sensitivity analysis in relation to external events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alzbutas, R.; Urbonas, R.; Augutis, J.

2001-01-01

This paper presents risk and sensitivity analysis of external events impacts on the safe operation in general and in particular the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant safety systems. Analysis is based on the deterministic and probabilistic assumptions and assessment of the external hazards. The real statistic data are used as well as initial external event simulation. The preliminary screening criteria are applied. The analysis of external event impact on the NPP safe operation, assessment of the event occurrence, sensitivity analysis, and recommendations for safety improvements are performed for investigated external hazards. Such events as aircraft crash, extreme rains and winds, forest fire and flying parts of the turbine are analysed. The models are developed and probabilities are calculated. As an example for sensitivity analysis the model of aircraft impact is presented. The sensitivity analysis takes into account the uncertainty features raised by external event and its model. Even in case when the external events analysis show rather limited danger, the sensitivity analysis can determine the highest influence causes. These possible variations in future can be significant for safety level and risk based decisions. Calculations show that external events cannot significantly influence the safety level of the Ignalina NPP operation, however the events occurrence and propagation can be sufficiently uncertain.(author)

The Comparison of Externalities between Coal-Fired and Nuclear Power Plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeong, Jong Tae; Kim, Tae Woon; Ha, Jae Joo

2005-01-01

Fuel cycle externalities are the costs imposed on society and the environment that are not accounted for by the producers and consumers of energy. Traditional economic assessment of fuel cycles has tended to ignore these effects. However, there is a growing interest in adopting a more sophisticated approach involving the quantification of these environmental and health impacts of energy use and their related external costs. The fuel cycle externalities can be used for the internalization of them into the electricity price via eco-taxes and on undertaking cost-benefit analysis of available options by the policy analysts. The advantage of using externalities as criteria in the energy planning process instead of the common indicators such as pollutant emissions is that the criteria are expressed in the same monetary terms. The objective of this study is to estimate and compare the externalities for the coal-fired and nuclear power plants in Korea. The results are also compared with the European results

The external respiration and gas exchange in space missions

Science.gov (United States)

Baranov, V. M.; Tikhonov, M. A.; Kotov, A. N.

Literature data and results of our own studies into an effect of micro- and macro-gravity on an external respiration function of man are presented. It is found that in cosmonauts following the 7-366 day space missions there is an enhanced tendency associated with an increased flight duration toward a decrease in the lung volume and breathing mechanics parameters: forced vital capacity of the lungs (FVC) by 5-25 percent, peak inspiratory and expiratory (air) flows (PIF, PEF) by 5-40 percent. A decrease in FVC appears to be explained by a new balance of elastic forces of the lungs, chest and abdomen occuring in microgravity as well as by an increased blood filling and pulmonary hydration. A decline of PIF and PEF is probalbly resulted from antigravitational deconditioning of the respiratory muscles with which a postflight decreased physical performance can in part be associated. The ventilation/perfusion ratios during orthostasis and +G Z and +G X accelerations are estimated. The biophysical nature of developing the absorption atelectases on a combined exposure to accelerations and 100% oxygen breathing is confirmed. A hypothesis that hypervolemia and pulmonary congestion can increase the tendency toward the development of atelectases in space in particular during pure oxygen breathing is suggested. Respiratory physiology problem area which is of interest for space medicine is defined. It is well known that due to present-day technologic progress and accomplishments in applied physiology including applied respiration physiology there currently exist sophisticated technical facilities in operation maintaining the life and professional working capacity of a man in various natural environments: on Earth, under water and in space. By the way, the biomedical involvement in developing and constructing such facilities has enabled an accumulation of a great body of information from experimental studies and full-scale trails to examine the effects of the changed environments

Extended Producer Responsibility and corporate performance: Effects of environmental regulation and environmental strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Benhong; Tu, Yu; Elahi, Ehsan; Wei, Guo

2018-07-15

While contemporary manufacturing technologies stimulate the industrial revolution and promote the rapidly changing global economy, it has caused enormous environmental negative externalities and managing the industrial waste remains a primary challenge, especially for fast developing countries such as China. Though existing studies explored the influence of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) legislations on environmental externalities, only fewer researches aimed at policy issues. Particularly, the relationship among environmental regulations, environmental strategies and corporate performance in the EPR system has not been deeply investigated. To fill this gap, this research will focus to assess the economic aspect and environmental performance associated with the environmental regulations and strategies. For this purpose, 208 cross-sectional questionnaires were administered with three major high-pollution industries, electrical and electronic, automobile and lead-acid storage battery industries. To accomplish this study objective, we employ a two-step approach: firstly, validity tests for environmental regulation and environmental strategy along with the corporate performance are performed by the factor analysis method, and secondly, the structural equation model is utilized to test the study hypotheses. Results reveal that command and control (CAC) and market-based incentive (MBI) environmental regulations are significantly impacting on the reactive environmental strategy (RES); however, the proactive environmental strategy (PES) only has a significant relationship with MBI regulation. On the other hand, RES only has a significant relationship with the enterprises economics performance, while PES has a statistically significant relationship with both economic and environmental performance of enterprises. Therefore, the central government and its local offices are strongly urged to coordinate the industries by making, implementing and monitoring necessary and

Influence of a Non-Formal Environmental Education Programme on Junior High-School Students; Environmental Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, Daphne; Assaraf, Orit Ben Zvi; Shaharabani, Dina

2013-01-01

One of the solutions implemented by schools for conducting value-based environmental education (EE) is outsourcing: allocating external environmental organizations that develop and conduct EE programmes. This study addressed such a programme--the Green Council Programme (GCP)--developed and implemented in schools by the Israeli Society for…

Redesigning current instruments as a precondition for a more effective environmental protection

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adžemović Mesud R.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The problems of environment and evaluation of natural capital belong to the phenomenology of externalities, and the requirements of environmental economics are ever more oriented towards the elaboration of the ecological–economic category of the externalization of internal expenses, wherefrom reasons for the introduction of ecological–economic instruments, before all payments for pollutions, ensue. Demystification of the negative conviction relating ecological payments as taxes is very important, since it must be shown that ecological payments correct, mitigate or remove externalities. Environmental protection is a complex system and it consists in a set of rules, measures and instruments that are applied for the surveillance of pollution sources, and shaping of instruments for environmental protection is a complex process intended for the accomplishment of established ecological goals. Among all instruments available for bridging the gap of internalization and exerting a significant effect on polluters to diminish their emissions of pollution, the ecological and economic ones are most important. The results of our investigation have demonstrated that it is necessary to reshape the current set of instruments regarding protection of vital functions of nature and an efficient environmental protection, and one of the key cognitions is that the scientific and professional public must not be excluded from the appraisals of creating and redesigning the instruments of environmental protection. These assertions have their foundation in the premise that the significance of elements of the social dimension in sustainable development is to a great extent determined by the level of environmental degradation and reduction in capacity of renewable sources. The paper, approach and data processing of the conducted research offer a new model and new elements of methodology for establishing the state and quality of the environment, whereby social

Advances in applied mechanics

CERN Document Server

Wu, Theodore Y; Wu, Theodore Y

2000-01-01

This highly acclaimed series provides survey articles on the present state and future direction of research in important branches of applied solid and fluid mechanics. Mechanics is defined as a branch of physics that focuses on motion and on the reaction of physical systems to internal and external forces.

Exploring Environmental Disclosure in SelectedAustralian Multinationals under the GRI Guidelines

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omar Al Farooque

2014-09-01

Full Text Available This paper explores changes in environmental reporting among Australian MNEs between 2004 and 2007, using the GRI guidelines, and explains how GRI transformation (from G2 to G3 leads to changes in environmental disclosure aspects along with their association with company size, profitability, industry sector. Applying Wilcoxon matched pair signed ranked and Spearman rank correlation tests, twenty companies from the Australian SAM Sustainability Index (AuSSI are examined to identify the extent of changes on specific aspects of environmental disclosure. The findings of the paper document a significant increase in environmental reporting in Australian companies. In particular, reporting has increased for energy, emissions and environmental management followed by water, overall, materials, transport and product/services aspects. However, a shift in emphasis from compliance and biodiversity aspects associated with climate changes and resource preservation is also evident. Again, the majority of changes occurred in companies operating in environmentally sensitive industries with industry sector having significant relationship with a few environmental disclosure aspects, the study shows no significant effect of company size and profitability on different environmental disclosure aspects. These evidences indicate that external forces (such as, legislation, industry sensitiveness to environment, and stakeholder awareness and pressure rather than internal factors are more effective to influence and determine environmental disclosure in Australian companies.

Impact of environmental auditing on environmental pollution ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Impact of environmental auditing on environmental pollution, sustainable development and healthy environment of some organizations in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. ... Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management. Journal Home ...

Site Environmental Report for 1998

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holland, R.C.

1999-01-01

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is committed to conducting its operations in an environmentally safe and sound manner. It is mandatory that activities at SNL/California comply with all applicable environmental statutes, regulations, and standards. Moreover, SNL/California continuously strives to reduce risks to employees, the public, and the environment to the lowest levels reasonably possible. To help verify effective protection of public safety and preservation of the environment, SNL/California maintains an extensive, ongoing environmental monitoring program. This program monitors all significant effluents and the environment at the SNL/California site perimeter. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) performs off-site external radiation monitoring for both sites. These monitoring efforts ensure that emission controls are effective in preventing contamination of the environment. As part of SNL/California's Environmental Monitoring Program, an environmental surveillance system measures the possible presence of hazardous materials in groundwater, stormwater, and sewage. The program also includes an extensive environmental dosimetry program, which measures external radiation levels around the Livermore site and nearby vicinity. Each year, the results of the Environmental Monitoring Program are published in this report, the Site Environmental Report. This executive summary focuses on impacts to the environment. Chapter 3, ''Compliance Summary,'' reviews the site's various environmental protection activities and compliance status with applicable environmental regulations. The effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance results for 1998 show that SNL/California operations had no harmful effects on the environment or the public

Site Environmental Report for 1998

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holland, R.C.

1999-06-01

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) is committed to conducting its operations in an environmentally safe and sound manner. It is mandatory that activities at SNL/California comply with all applicable environmental statutes, regulations, and standards. Moreover, SNL/California continuously strives to reduce risks to employees, the public, and the environment to the lowest levels reasonably possible. To help verify effective protection of public safety and preservation of the environment, SNL/California maintains an extensive, ongoing environmental monitoring program. This program monitors all significant effluents and the environment at the SNL/California site perimeter. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) performs off-site external radiation monitoring for both sites. These monitoring efforts ensure that emission controls are effective in preventing contamination of the environment. As part of SNL/California's Environmental Monitoring Program, an environmental surveillance system measures the possible presence of hazardous materials in groundwater, stormwater, and sewage. The program also includes an extensive environmental dosimetry program, which measures external radiation levels around the Livermore site and nearby vicinity. Each year, the results of the Environmental Monitoring Program are published in this report, the Site Environmental Report. This executive summary focuses on impacts to the environment. Chapter 3, ''Compliance Summary,'' reviews the site's various environmental protection activities and compliance status with applicable environmental regulations. The effluent monitoring and environmental surveillance results for 1998 show that SNL/California operations had no harmful effects on the environment or the public.

Study of the environmental costs to nuclear power plants using the SIMPACTS program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Menzel, Francine; Sabundjian, Gaiane; Mutarelli, Rita de Cassia, E-mail: fmenzel@ipen.b, E-mail: gdjian@ipen.b [Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN/CNEN-SP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)

2011-07-01

The nuclear energy presents advantages in comparison with other kinds of energy sources, when their externalities are evaluated. Externality is a term that represents the side effects of production of goods or services on other people not directly involved in the activity. The externalities can be identified and related to the term environmental cost. The environmental cost is a externality that somehow affects the environment, converted into economic terms, to then be compared with other costs of an action or enterprise. The environmental cost can be calculated through programs for that purpose, however for the nuclear area is the most used SIMPACTS, developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The motivation for this work arose from the need to have a complete assessment of environmental costs from nuclear power reactors, although it is known that this kind of form of energy generation show an advantage over others with regard to externalities. This work is the first step in implementing the program SIMPACTS in plant Angra 2 in order to calculate the environmental cost of their operation. The objective is to develop a methodology for calculating environmental cost for nuclear power reactors. SIMPACTS program will be used to identify the advantages and disadvantages of a cost analysis of environmental and perform the calculation of environmental costs for Angra 2, with the aim of minimizing the environmental impacts of its operation. From an extensive literature search, is presented in this paper the methodology for calculating the environmental cost of the program SIMPACTS and some results of calculations with the environmental cost in international power reactors other power generation plants. (author)

Study of the environmental costs to nuclear power plants using the SIMPACTS program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Menzel, Francine; Sabundjian, Gaiane; Mutarelli, Rita de Cassia

2011-01-01

The nuclear energy presents advantages in comparison with other kinds of energy sources, when their externalities are evaluated. Externality is a term that represents the side effects of production of goods or services on other people not directly involved in the activity. The externalities can be identified and related to the term environmental cost. The environmental cost is a externality that somehow affects the environment, converted into economic terms, to then be compared with other costs of an action or enterprise. The environmental cost can be calculated through programs for that purpose, however for the nuclear area is the most used SIMPACTS, developed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The motivation for this work arose from the need to have a complete assessment of environmental costs from nuclear power reactors, although it is known that this kind of form of energy generation show an advantage over others with regard to externalities. This work is the first step in implementing the program SIMPACTS in plant Angra 2 in order to calculate the environmental cost of their operation. The objective is to develop a methodology for calculating environmental cost for nuclear power reactors. SIMPACTS program will be used to identify the advantages and disadvantages of a cost analysis of environmental and perform the calculation of environmental costs for Angra 2, with the aim of minimizing the environmental impacts of its operation. From an extensive literature search, is presented in this paper the methodology for calculating the environmental cost of the program SIMPACTS and some results of calculations with the environmental cost in international power reactors other power generation plants. (author)

Sustainability Policy and Environmental Policy

OpenAIRE

John C. V. Pezzey

2001-01-01

A theoretical, representative agent economy with a depletable resource stock, polluting emissions and productive capital is used to contrast environmental policy, which internalises externalised environmental values, with sustainability policy, which achieves some form of intergenerational equity. The obvious environmental policy comprises an emissions tax and a resource stock subsidy, each equal to the respective external cost or benefit. Sustainability policy comprises an incentive affectin...

Safety assessment of multi-unit NPP sites subject to external events

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samaddar, Sujit; Hibino, Kenta; Coman, Ovidiu

2014-01-01

This paper presents a framework for conducting a probabilistic safety assessment of multi-unit sites against external events. The treatment of multiple hazard on a unit, interaction between units, implementation of severe accident measures, human reliability, environmental conditions, metric of risk for both reactor and non-reactor sources, integration of risk and responses and many such important factors need to be addressed within the context of this framework. The framework facilitates the establishment of a comprehensive methodology that can be applied internationally to the peer review of safety assessment of multi-unit sites under the impact of multiple external hazards. In summary, it can be said that the site safety assessment for a multi-unit site will be quite complex and need to start with individual unit risk assessments, these need to be combined considering the interactions between units and their responses, and the fragilities of the installations established considering the combined demands from all interactions. Using newly established risk metric the risk can then be integrated for the overall site. Fig. 2 shows schematically such a proposal. Much work has to done and the IAEA has established a working group that is systematically establishing the structure and process to incorporate the many issues that are a part of a multi-unit site safety assessment. (authors)

An experimental investigation for external RC shear wall applications

Science.gov (United States)

Kaltakci, M. Y.; Ozturk, M.; Arslan, M. H.

2010-09-01

The strength and rigidity of most reinforced concrete (RC) buildings in Turkey, which are frequently hit by destructive earthquakes, is not at a sufficient level. Therefore, the result of earthquakes is a significant loss of life and property. The strengthening method most commonly preferred for these type of RC buildings is the application of RC infilled walls (shear walls) in the frame openings of the building. However, since the whole building has to be emptied and additional heavy costs arise during this type of strengthening, users prefer not to strengthen their buildings despite the heavy risk they are exposed to. Therefore, it is necessary to develop easier-to-apply and more effective methods for the rapid strengthening of housing and the heavily-used public buildings which cannot be emptied during the strengthening process (such as hospitals and schools). This study empirically analyses the different methods of a new system which can meet this need. In this new system, named "external shear wall application", RC shear walls are applied on the external surface of the building, along the frame plane rather than in the building. To this end, 7 test samples in 1/2 and 1/3 geometrical scale were designed to analyse the efficiency of the strengthening technique where the shear wall leans on the frame from outside of the building (external shear wall application) and of the strengthening technique where a specific space is left between the frame and the external shear wall by using a coupling beam to connect elements (application of external shear wall with coupling beam). Test results showed that the maximum lateral load capacity, initial rigidity and energy dissipation behaviours of the samples strengthened with external shear wall were much better than those of the bare frames.

An experimental investigation for external RC shear wall applications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Y. Kaltakci

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The strength and rigidity of most reinforced concrete (RC buildings in Turkey, which are frequently hit by destructive earthquakes, is not at a sufficient level. Therefore, the result of earthquakes is a significant loss of life and property. The strengthening method most commonly preferred for these type of RC buildings is the application of RC infilled walls (shear walls in the frame openings of the building. However, since the whole building has to be emptied and additional heavy costs arise during this type of strengthening, users prefer not to strengthen their buildings despite the heavy risk they are exposed to. Therefore, it is necessary to develop easier-to-apply and more effective methods for the rapid strengthening of housing and the heavily-used public buildings which cannot be emptied during the strengthening process (such as hospitals and schools. This study empirically analyses the different methods of a new system which can meet this need. In this new system, named "external shear wall application", RC shear walls are applied on the external surface of the building, along the frame plane rather than in the building. To this end, 7 test samples in 1/2 and 1/3 geometrical scale were designed to analyse the efficiency of the strengthening technique where the shear wall leans on the frame from outside of the building (external shear wall application and of the strengthening technique where a specific space is left between the frame and the external shear wall by using a coupling beam to connect elements (application of external shear wall with coupling beam. Test results showed that the maximum lateral load capacity, initial rigidity and energy dissipation behaviours of the samples strengthened with external shear wall were much better than those of the bare frames.

Applied environmetrics. Simulation applied to the physical environment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beer, T

1988-02-01

Environmetrics is the application of quantitative methods to all aspects of the social and natural environment. This includes forecasting, mathematical modelling, data analysis, and statistics. Applied Environmetrics as a discipline involves the analysis of environmental data through the use of packaged, or specially designed computer software. Two case studies of recent implementations of applied environmetrics within the Australian mining industry are dealt with. 3 figs., 5 refs.

External cues challenging the internal appetite control system-Overview and practical implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Bilman, Els; van Kleef, Ellen; van Trijp, Hans

2017-09-02

Inadequate regulation of food intake plays an important role in the development of overweight and obesity, and is under the influence of both the internal appetite control system and external environmental cues. Especially in environments where food is overly available, external cues seem to override and/or undermine internal signals, which put severe challenges on the accurate regulation of food intake. By structuring these external cues around five different phases in the food consumption process this paper aims to provide an overview of the wide range of external cues that potentially facilitate or hamper internal signals and with that influence food intake. For each of the five phases of the food consumption process, meal initiation, meal planning, consumption phase, end of eating episode and time till next meal, the most relevant internal signals are discussed and it is explained how specific external cues exert their influence.

On strategic ignorance of environmental harm and social norms

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thunström, Linda; van’t Veld, Klaas; Shogren, Jason. F.

2014-01-01

decreases (to 29 percent) when the information additionally reveals the share of air travelers who buy carbon offsets. We find evidence that some people use ignorance as an excuse to reduce pro-environmental behavior—ignorance significantly decreases the probability of buying carbon offsets.......Are people strategically ignorant of the negative externalities their activities cause the environment? Herein we examine if people avoid costless information on those externalities and use ignorance as an excuse to reduce pro-environmental behavior. We develop a theoretical framework in which...... people feel internal pressure (“guilt”) from causing harm to the environment (e.g., emitting carbon dioxide) as well as external pressure to conform to the social norm for pro-environmental behavior (e.g., offsetting carbon emissions). Our model predicts that people may benefit from avoiding information...

Fuel Cycle Externalities: Analytical Methods and Issues, Report 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barnthouse, L.W.; Cada, G.F.; Cheng, M.-D.; Easterly, C.E.; Kroodsma, R.L.; Lee, R.; Shriner, D.S.; Tolbert, V.R.; Turner, R.S.

1994-01-01

The activities that produce electric power typically range from extracting and transporting a fuel, to its conversion into electric power, and finally to the disposition of residual by-products. This chain of activities is called a fuel cycle. A fuel cycle has emissions and other effects that result in unintended consequences. When these consequences affect third parties (i.e., those other than the producers and consumers of the fuel-cycle activity) in a way that is not reflected in the price of electricity, they are termed ''hidden'' social costs or externalities. They are the economic value of environmental, health and any other impacts, that the price of electricity does not reflect. How do you estimate the externalities of fuel cycles? Our previous report describes a methodological framework for doing so--called the damage function approach. This approach consists of five steps: (1) characterize the most important fuel cycle activities and their discharges, where importance is based on the expected magnitude of their externalities, (2) estimate the changes in pollutant concentrations or other effects of those activities, by modeling the dispersion and transformation of each pollutant, (3) calculate the impacts on ecosystems, human health, and any other resources of value (such as man-made structures), (4) translate the estimates of impacts into economic terms to estimate damages and benefits, and (5) assess the extent to which these damages and benefits are externalities, not reflected in the price of electricity. Each step requires a different set of equations, models and analysis. Analysts generally believe this to be the best approach for estimating externalities, but it has hardly been used. The reason is that it requires considerable analysis and calculation, and to this point in time, the necessary equations and models have not been assembled. Equally important, the process of identifying and estimating externalities leads to a number of complex issues

Applying real options in investment decisions relating to environmental pollution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Tyrone T. [Department of International Business, National Dong Hwa University, 1, Sec. 2, Da Hsueh Road, Shou-Feng, Hualien 974, Taiwan (China)]. E-mail: tjlin@mail.ndhu.edu.tw; Ko, C.-C. [Department of International Trade, Jin Wen Institute of Technology, Taiwan (China); Yeh, H.-N. [Graduate School of Management, Ming Chuan University, Taiwan (China)

2007-04-15

This study focuses on how to assess the optimal environmental investment decisions under economic and ecological uncertainty, and establishes the continuous time model using the real option approach to optimize environmental pollution policy. Unlike traditional cost benefit analysis, this work extends the model of [Pindyck, R.S., 2002. Optimal timing problems in environmental economics. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 26(9-10), 1677-1697], and attempts to identify the storage threshold of pollution stocks and the optimal timing for implementing environmental pollution decisions.

Applying real options in investment decisions relating to environmental pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, Tyrone T.; Ko, C.-C.; Yeh, H.-N.

2007-01-01

This study focuses on how to assess the optimal environmental investment decisions under economic and ecological uncertainty, and establishes the continuous time model using the real option approach to optimize environmental pollution policy. Unlike traditional cost benefit analysis, this work extends the model of [Pindyck, R.S., 2002. Optimal timing problems in environmental economics. Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control 26(9-10), 1677-1697], and attempts to identify the storage threshold of pollution stocks and the optimal timing for implementing environmental pollution decisions

LCA and external costs in comparative assessment of electricity chains. Decision support for sustainable electricity provision?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Voss, A.

2002-01-01

The provision of energy and electricity plays an important role in a country's economic and environmental performance and the sustainability of its development. Sustainable development of the energy and electricity sector depends on finding ways of meeting energy service demands of the present generation that are economically viable, environmentally sound, and socially acceptable and do not jeopardize the ability of future generations to meet their own energy needs. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and external cost valuation are considered to offer opportunities to assist energy policy in a comprehensive comparative evaluation of electricity supply options with regard to the different dimensions of sustainable energy provision as well as in the implementation of appropriate internalization strategies. The paper addresses life cycle assessment and external cost analysis carried out for selected electricity systems of interest under German conditions. Results from a comprehensive comparative assessment of various electricity supply options with regard to their environmental impacts, health risks, raw materials requirements as well as their resulting external cost will be summarised. The use of LCA based indicators for assessing the relative sustainability of electricity systems and the use of total (internal plus external) cost assessment as measure of economic and environmental efficiency of energy systems will be discussed. Open problems related to life cycle analysis of energy chains and the assessment of environmental damage costs are critically reviewed, to illustrate how in spite of existing uncertainties the state of the art results may provide helpful energy policy decision support. The paper starts with some remarks on what the concept of sustainability in terms of energy systems means. (author)

Chronic Stressors and Adolescents' Externalizing Problems: Genetic Moderation by Dopamine Receptor D4. The TRAILS Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Zandstra, Anna Roos E; Ormel, Johan; Hoekstra, Pieter J; Hartman, Catharina A

2018-01-01

The existing literature does not provide consistent evidence that carriers of the Dopamine D4 Receptor 7-repeat allele are more sensitive to adverse environmental influences, resulting in enhanced externalizing problems, compared to noncarriers. One explanation is that the adverse influences examined in prior studies were not severe, chronic, or distressing enough to reveal individual differences in sensitivity reflected by DRD4-7R. This study examined whether the 7-repeat allele moderated the association between chronic stressors capturing multiple stressful aspects of individuals' lives and externalizing problems in adolescence. We expected that chronic stressor levels would be associated with externalizing levels only in 7-repeat carriers. Using Linear Mixed Models, we analyzed data from 1621 Dutch adolescents (52.2% boys), obtained in three measurement waves (mean age approximately 11, 13.5, and 16 years) from the TRacking Adolescents' Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS) population-based birth cohort and the parallel clinic-referred cohort. Across informants, we found that higher levels of chronic stressors were related to higher externalizing levels in 7-repeat carriers but not in noncarriers, as hypothesized. Although previous studies on the 7-repeat allele as a moderator of environmental influences on adolescents' externalizing problems have not convincingly demonstrated individual differences in sensitivity to adverse environmental influences, our findings suggest that adolescent carriers of the Dopamine D4 Receptor 7-repeat allele are more sensitive to chronic, multi-context stressors than noncarriers.

The environmental benefits of wind energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sips, H.W.

1990-01-01

Three more or less reliable methods to determine the financial acceptance of the external effects of the use of wind energy are discussed. Attention is paid to the appreciation of external effects based on the environmental pollution or damage, appreciation based on prevented costs (implied valuation), and appreciation based on surveys, by which the willingness of the civilians to pay for a clean environment can be determined. A first indication of the environmental benefits of wind energy based on the above-mentioned methods is 0.04 to 0.08 DFl per kWh. For the total service life of a wind turbine this amounts to 800-1600 DFl per kW. The environmental benefits can be re-calculated in the form of subsidies, increasing the sellback prices or by means of an environmental levy on electric power generated by conventional power plants. 2 figs., 1 tab., 12 refs

The potential impact of externalities considerations on the market for biomass power technologies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Swezey, B.G.; Porter, K.L.; Feher, J.S.

1995-01-01

Of all the renewable energy sources used for power generation, biomass energy has experienced the greatest growth over the last decade. Spurred by requirements established in the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA), as well as various tax incentives, biomass-based power generation now provides more than 50 billion kWh of electric energy from 10,000 MW of installed capacity. The overwhelming majority of this capacity, primarily wood-based, has been developed by the nonutility sector. However, the biomass industry is currently facing more difficult market conditions due to a reduction in federal incentives and changes in the generation market, such as lower utility avoided costs, slower demand growth, and greater competition among both generators and fuel sources. States are increasingly contemplating the inclusion of market externalities costs and benefits associated with different generation options in electricity resource planning and procurement decisions. Market externalities, as they relate to generation resources and technologies, represent impacts that are not wholly reflected in the market price of electricity derived from these sources. These impacts, which can be either positive or negative, can encompass environmental, economic and other social factors, but state considerations have focused predominantly on environmental externalities costs, especially air emissions. The explicit quantification of externalities could measurably affect the competitive standing of various energy resources and technologies in future generation resource acquisitions. This paper summarizes work undertaken to assess the status the externalities considerations in state and utility electricity resource planning processes and to determine how externalities considerations might help or hinder future development of biomass power plants. (author)

Bursting pressure of autofrettaged cylinders with inclined external cracks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Seifi, Rahman, E-mail: rseifi@basu.ac.ir [Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Babalhavaeji, Majid [Mechanical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

2012-01-15

Autofrettaging a pressure vessel improves its pressure capacity. This is reliable if there isn't any crack or other type of flaws. In this paper, the effects of external surface cracks on bursting pressure of autofrettaged cylinders are studied. It is observed that bursting pressure decreases considerably (up to 30%) due to external cracks in the cylinders without autofrettage. This reduction increases for high levels of the applied autofrettage. External axial cracks have more effects than inclined cracks. Comparing experimental and numerical results show that the numerical methods can acceptably predict the bursting pressure of the autofrettaged cracked cylinders. These predictions are valid when the fracture parameter (J-Integral) is calculated from the modified equation that takes into account the effects of residual stresses. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Modified J-Integral can be used for study of autofrettaged cracked cylinders. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer External axial cracks reduce considerably the pressure capacity of cylinders. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer External circumferential cracks have not considerable effects on bursting pressure. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Autofrettage has contrary effects on external crack in compared with internal crack.

A framework for considering externalities in urban water asset management.

Science.gov (United States)

Marlow, David; Pearson, Leonie; Macdonald, Darla Hatton; Whitten, Stuart; Burn, Stewart

2011-01-01

Urban communities rely on a complex network of infrastructure assets to connect them to water resources. There is considerable capital investment required to maintain, upgrade and extend this infrastructure. As the remit of a water utility is broader than just financial considerations, infrastructure investment decisions must be made in light of environmental and societal issues. One way of facilitating this is to integrate consideration of externalities into decision making processes. This paper considers the concept of externalities from an asset management perspective. A case study is provided to show the practical implications to a water utility and asset managers. A framework for the inclusion of externalities in asset management decision making is also presented. The potential for application of the framework is highlighted through a brief consideration of its key elements.

The ExternE project: methodology, objectives and limitations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rabl, A.; Spadaro, J.V.

2002-01-01

This paper presents a summary of recent studies on external costs of energy systems, in particular the ExternE (External Costs of Energy) Project of the European Commission. To evaluate the impact and damage cost of a pollutant, one needs to carry out an impact pathway analysis; this involves the calculation of increased pollutant concentrations in all affected regions due to an incremental emission (e.g. μg/m 3 of particles, using models of atmospheric dispersion and chemistry), followed by the calculation of physical impacts (e.g. number of cases of asthma due to these particles, using a dose-response function). The entire so-called fuel chain (or fuel cycle) is evaluated and compared on the basis of delivered end use energy. Even though the uncertainties are large, the results provide substantial evidence that the classical air pollutants (particles, NO x and SO x ) from the combustion of fossil fuels impose a heavy toll, in addition to the cost of global warming. The external costs are especially large for coal; even for 'good current technology' they may be comparable to the price of electricity. For natural gas the external costs are about a third to a half of coal. The external costs of nuclear are small compared to the price of electricity (at most a few %), and so are the external costs of most renewable energy systems. (authors)

Externalities of fuel cycles 'ExternE' project. Oil fuel cycle. Estimation of physical impacts and monetary valuation for priority impact pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friedrich, R.; Krewitt, W.; Mayerhofer, P.; Trukenmueller, A.; Gressmann, A.; Runte, K.-H.; Kortum, G.; Weltschev, M.

1994-01-01

Fuel cycle externalities are the costs imposed on society and the environment that are not accounted for by the producers and consumers of energy. They include damage to health, forests, crops, natural ecosystems and the built environment. Traditional assessment of fuel cycles has ignored these effects and the energy sector is consequently distorted in favor of technologies with significant environmental burdens. Concern over widespread degradation of the environment resulting from fuel cycle emissions has mounted since the late 1960s. In the early 1970s the potential for long range atmospheric transport of certain pollutants was recognized. The effects of acidifying pollutants, ozone precursors and greenhouse gases have caused particular concern. This is reflected in recent trends in economic thought, particularly the emphasis on sustainable development and the use of market mechanisms for environmental regulation. It has thus become increasingly clear that the external impacts of energy use are significant and should be considered by energy planners. Although the theoretical basis for including external costs in decision making processes has been generally agreed, an acceptable methodology for their calculation and integration has not been established. The studies of Hohmeyer (1988), Ottinger et al. (1990) and Friedrich and Voss (1993) provide the background for such work, though they are of a somewhat preliminary nature. We need to improve the methods employed and the quality of models and data used so that planning decisions can be based at least partly on the results. It is particularly important that the site and project specificity of many impacts is recognized. In consequence of this a collaborative project between Directorate General XII (Science, Research and Technology) of the European Commission and the United States Department of Energy has been established to identify the most appropriate methodology for this type of work. The current study has three

Externalities of fuel cycles 'ExternE' project. Lignite fuel cycle. Estimation of physical impacts and monetary valuation for priority impact pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Friedrich, R.; Krewitt, W.; Mayerhofer, P.; Trukenmueller, A.; Gressmann, A.

1994-01-01

Fuel cycle externalities are the costs imposed on society and the environment that are not accounted for by the producers and consumers of energy. They include damage to health, forests, crops, natural ecosystems and the built environment. Traditional assessment of fuel cycles has ignored these effects and the energy sector is consequently distorted in favor of technologies with significant environmental burdens. Concern over widespread degradation of the environment resulting from fuel cycle emissions has mounted since the late 1960s. In the early 1970s the potential for long range atmospheric transport of certain pollutants was recognized. The effects of acidifying pollutants, ozone precursors and greenhouse gases have caused particular concern. This is reflected in recent trends in economic thought, particularly the emphasis on sustainable development and the use of market mechanisms for environmental regulation. It has thus become increasingly clear that the external impacts of energy use are significant and should be considered by energy planners. Although the theoretical basis for including external costs in decision making processes has been generally agreed, an acceptable methodology for their calculation and integration has not been established. The studies of Hohmeyer (1988] and Ottinger et al. [1990] provide the background for such work, though they are of a somewhat preliminary nature [Friedrich, Voss, 1993]. We need to improve the methods employed and the quality of models and data used so that planning decisions can be based at least partly on the results. If is particularly important that the site and project specificity of many impacts is recognized. In consequence of this a collaborative project between Directorate General XII (Science, Research and Technology) of the European Commission and the United States Department of Energy has been established to identify the most appropriate methodology for this type of work. The current study has three

External and internal influences as driving forces and/or stumbling ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The development of national and institutional quality assurance and management systems is often forced (rightfully or wrongly) into a specific direction by external and internal environmental influences. In South Africa such influences play a major role in both the national higher education policy developments and the ...

Summarizing history of the Nevada Applied Ecology Groups' environmental studies of transuranics and other radionuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howard, W.

1984-02-01

This report presents historical summaries of the research programs at the Nevada Applied Ecology Group (NAEG). NAEG was formed in 1970 as an outgrowth of the formation of the Office of Effects Evaluation and an anticipation by NV management of what was to become the National Environmental Policy Act. The objectives of the NAEG programs were: (1) delineate locations of contamination; (2) determine concentrations in ecosystem components; (3) quantify rates of movement among ecosystem components; and (4) evaluate potential dose from plutonium and other radionuclides

Application of FEM flow analysis to environmental engineering. FEM ryutai kaiseki no kankyo gijutsu eno tekiyo

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Higuchi, M; Ando, K; Shimada, S; Umetani, H [Toyota Motor Corp., Aichi (Japan)

1990-04-25

In order to apply FEM (finite element method) flow analysis to environmental engineering, the two-dimensional analysis system was developed, and applied to the design of plant ventilation and improvement of an enviromental control equipment. Furthermore, the three-dimensional analysis system was developed to extend its application. Since in a large scale model, no enhancement of a processing capacity was expected even by a supercomputer because of longer I/O times between internal and external memories caused by a small internal memory space, the parallel processing system with multiple external memories was introduced to analyze such models. To achieve more efficient processing, multiple series of renumbering codes were also prepared to optimize the processing order of solvers, elements and nodes. As examples, the improvement of a thermal oxidizer and the ventilation design for a forging plant, and as an example of a three-dimensional large scale model, the flow analysis around a plant were presented. 8 refs., 17 figs., 1 tab.

A comparative study of external radiotherapy alone versus external radiotherapy + brachytherapy in carcinoma cervix stage III B

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bardia, M.R.; Bhargava, S.C.; Chaudhary, R.K.; Agrawal, V.K.; Singh, K.; Vyas, R.

1987-01-01

Carcinoma of the cervix is the commonest cancer seen in women at Sardar Patel Medical College, Bikaner (Rajasthan). In the present study external radio-therapy and brachytherapy are used in carcinoma cervix stage III B. After 4000 to 4500 rads to pelvis by external radio-therapy, patient was assessed for intra cavitary application. Total given dose to point A was 7500 rads, to point B was 5000 rads. If patient was not suitable a split course was given where patient was asked to come after 3 weeks for intracavitary application. A comparative study of both methods was done. There was significant improvement in the control of central disease by applying intracavitary source. Radiation reactions were comparable. (author). 4 tables, 10 refs

A taxing environment: evaluating the multiple objectives of environmental taxes.

Science.gov (United States)

Miranda, Marie Lynn; Hale, Brack W

2002-12-15

Environmental taxes have attracted attention in recent years as a tool to internalize environmental externalities. This paper evaluates Sweden's experience with environmental taxes in the energy sector by examining how environmental taxes compare with estimated environmental externalities associated with the use of oil, coal, natural gas, and forest residue fuels. We also analyze how environmental taxes influence fuel choices in the energy sector by comparing the production, environmental, and tax costs for the same fuels. We find that (i) the Swedish environmental taxes correspond imperfectly with environmental costs; (ii) the Swedish tax and subsidy system introduces changes in fuel choice decisions; (iii) the energy users are responding to the incentives created by the tax and subsidy systems in ways that are consistent with economic theory; and (iv) the Swedish experience with environmental taxes and subsidies bears directly on wider evaluations of energy policy approaches internationally.

Spatial Welfare Economics versus Ecological Footprint: Modeling Agglomeration, Externalities and Trade

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grazi, F.; van den Bergh, J.C.J.M.; Rietveld, P.

2007-01-01

A welfare framework for the analysis of the spatial dimensions of sustainability is developed. It covers agglomeration effects, interregional trade, negative environmental externalities, and various land use categories. The model is used to compare rankings of spatial configurations according to

Educational mediation applied with students about environmental health - doi: 10.4025/actascihealthsci.v35i1.10042

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel Maria Rigotto

2013-03-01

Full Text Available To describe an educational action applied by nurses about environmental health at a school. This is a research-action study carried out at a public school of Ceará State, in 2009. A group approach was accomplished with pictures triggering discussions. For this dialogue, concerning time and space, the pictures were culture tokens proposed by the students, completely within the context and relevant to the investigation. It was observed that the environmental health, in their conception, is a healthy nature, free of contaminations, and they also reported the connection between environmental health and people's mental well-being. They had brought pictures that showed natural elements from where they live, demonstrating the value of their productive land. The correlation between nurse and school is increasingly frequent in the health area, corresponding to a space that favors the use of interdisciplinary techniques to explore educational actions addressed to respond specific demands.  

Assessment of externalities related to global and local air pollutants with the NEEDS-TIMES Italy model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pietrapertosa, F.; Cosmi, C.; Loperte, S.; Salvia, M.; Cuomo, V. [National Research Council, Institute of Methodologies for Environmental Analysis, C.da S. Loja, I-85050 Tito Scalo (PZ) (Italy); Di Leo, S. [University of Basilicata, Dept. of Environmental Engineering and Physics, C.da Macchia Romana, I-85100 Potenza (Italy); Macchiato, M. [Federico II University, Dept. of Physical Sciences, Via Cintia, I-80126 Naples (Italy)

2010-01-15

This work is aimed to illustrate the potentiality of the multi-region NEEDS-TIMES modelling platform, in the economic evaluation of the environmental damages due to air pollution. In particular the effects of external costs on the least-cost optimised energy system configuration were analysed in a national case study with the NEEDS-TIMES Italy model, considering the externalities related to local and global air pollutants (NO{sub x}, SO{sub 2}, VOC, particulates and GHGs). Different scenarios were compared to emphasise the role of external costs in the achievement of strategic environmental targets. The main results obtained are discussed, focusing on the changes in energy fuel mix as well as in local air pollutants and GHG emissions, highlighting the main conclusions in terms of policy strategies. (author)

External costs related to power production technologies. ExternE national implementation for Denmark

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schleisner, L.; Sieverts Nielsen, P.

1997-12-01

The objective of the ExternE National Implementation project has been to establish a comprehensive and comparable set of data on externalities of power generation for all EU member states and Norway. The tasks include the application of the ExternE methodology to the most important fuel cycles for each country as well as to update the already existing results; to aggregate these site- and technology-specific results to more general figures. The current report covers the results of the national implementation for Denmark. Three different fuel cycles have been chosen as case studies. These are fuel cycles for an offshore wind farm and a wind farm on land, a decentralised CHP plant based on natural gas and a decentralised CHP plant based on biogas. The report covers all the details of the application of the methodology to these fuel cycles aggregation to a national level. (au) EU-JOULE 3. 59 tabs., 25 ills., 61 refs

External costs related to power production technologies. ExternE national implementation for Denmark

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schleisner, L; Sieverts Nielsen, P

1997-12-01

The objective of the ExternE National Implementation project has been to establish a comprehensive and comparable set of data on externalities of power generation for all EU member states and Norway. The tasks include the application of the ExternE methodology to the most important fuel cycles for each country as well as to update the already existing results; to aggregate these site- and technology-specific results to more general figures. The current report covers the results of the national implementation for Denmark. Three different fuel cycles have been chosen as case studies. These are fuel cycles for an offshore wind farm and a wind farm on land, a decentralised CHP plant based on natural gas and a decentralised CHP plant based on biogas. The report covers all the details of the application of the methodology to these fuel cycles aggregation to a national level. (au) EU-JOULE 3. 59 tabs., 25 ills., 61 refs.

Inequalities and externalities of power sector: A case of Broadlands hydropower project in Sri Lanka

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gunawardena, U.A.D. Prasanthi

2010-01-01

The objective of the paper is to estimate environmental externalities related to a run of river project in Sri Lanka and to investigate inequity in distribution of impacts among different social groups. Diversion of the river resulted in loss of water sports (for high-income groups both local and remote), loss of historical monuments (for remote high-income groups) and recreation losses (for local poor). Removal of forest cover leads to loss of non-timber products (for local poor) and carbon storage (for remote high- and low-income groups). Loss of home garden productivity was borne by local poor groups. Benefit of the project, generation of 145 GWh annually, was a gain for the grid connected groups. The impacts were valued using various valuation methods. The base case of the cost benefit analysis resulted in NPV of US$ 11,335,730. When distributional weights are applied for different income groups, both the sign and magnitude of net benefits change. In order to be viable, the project needs diversion of at least 9% of generated electricity to the poorest households in the country. Implications for energy policy towards reducing externality and inequality impacts are also discussed.

Inequalities and externalities of power sector. A case of Broadlands hydropower project in Sri Lanka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gunawardena, U.A.D. Prasanthi [Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda (Sri Lanka)

2010-02-15

The objective of the paper is to estimate environmental externalities related to a run of river project in Sri Lanka and to investigate inequity in distribution of impacts among different social groups. Diversion of the river resulted in loss of water sports (for high-income groups both local and remote), loss of historical monuments (for remote high-income groups) and recreation losses (for local poor). Removal of forest cover leads to loss of non-timber products (for local poor) and carbon storage (for remote high- and low-income groups). Loss of home garden productivity was borne by local poor groups. Benefit of the project, generation of 145 GWh annually, was a gain for the grid connected groups. The impacts were valued using various valuation methods. The base case of the cost benefit analysis resulted in NPV of US$ 11,335,730. When distributional weights are applied for different income groups, both the sign and magnitude of net benefits change. In order to be viable, the project needs diversion of at least 9% of generated electricity to the poorest households in the country. Implications for energy policy towards reducing externality and inequality impacts are also discussed. (author)

Inequalities and externalities of power sector: A case of Broadlands hydropower project in Sri Lanka

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gunawardena, U.A.D. Prasanthi, E-mail: prasanthigunawardena@yahoo.co [Department of Forestry and Environmental Science, University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Nugegoda (Sri Lanka)

2010-02-15

The objective of the paper is to estimate environmental externalities related to a run of river project in Sri Lanka and to investigate inequity in distribution of impacts among different social groups. Diversion of the river resulted in loss of water sports (for high-income groups both local and remote), loss of historical monuments (for remote high-income groups) and recreation losses (for local poor). Removal of forest cover leads to loss of non-timber products (for local poor) and carbon storage (for remote high- and low-income groups). Loss of home garden productivity was borne by local poor groups. Benefit of the project, generation of 145 GWh annually, was a gain for the grid connected groups. The impacts were valued using various valuation methods. The base case of the cost benefit analysis resulted in NPV of US$ 11,335,730. When distributional weights are applied for different income groups, both the sign and magnitude of net benefits change. In order to be viable, the project needs diversion of at least 9% of generated electricity to the poorest households in the country. Implications for energy policy towards reducing externality and inequality impacts are also discussed.

Potential external contamination with bisphenol A and other ubiquitous organic environmental chemicals during biomonitoring analysis: an elusive laboratory challenge.

Science.gov (United States)

Ye, Xiaoyun; Zhou, Xiaoliu; Hennings, Ryan; Kramer, Joshua; Calafat, Antonia M

2013-03-01

Biomonitoring studies are conducted to assess internal dose (i.e., body burden) to environmental chemicals. However, because of the ubiquitous presence in the environment of some of these chemicals, such as bisphenol A (BPA), external contamination during handling and analysis of the biospecimens collected for biomonitoring evaluations could compromise the reported concentrations of such chemicals. We examined the contamination with the target analytes during analysis of biological specimens in biomonitoring laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art analytical instrumentation. We present several case studies using the quantitative determination of BPA and other organic chemicals (i.e., benzophenone-3, triclosan, parabens) in human urine, milk, and serum to identify potential contamination sources when the biomarkers measured are ubiquitous environmental contaminants. Contamination with target analytes during biomonitoring analysis could result from solvents and reagents, the experimental apparatus used, the laboratory environment, and/or even the analyst. For biomonotoring data to be valid-even when obtained from high-quality analytical methods and good laboratory practices-the following practices must be followed to identify and track unintended contamination with the target analytes during analysis of the biological specimens: strict quality control measures including use of laboratory blanks; replicate analyses; engineering controls (e.g., clean rooms, biosafety cabinets) as needed; and homogeneous matrix-based quality control materials within the expected concentration ranges of the study samples.

Externalities of fuel cycles 'ExternE' project. Hydro fuel cycle. Estimation of physical impacts and monetary valuation for priority impact pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Navrud, S.; Riise, J.; Strand, J.

1994-01-01

The aim of the External Costs of Fuel Cycles (ExternE) study is to develop methods to measure and monetize all the externalities associated with incremental investments in electric power production, taking account of the different stages of the fuel cycles. Since fuel cycle externalities are characterised by being very site-specific, the impact pathway damage function approach, developed in ExternE, has been implemented in different European countries for each of the selected fuel cycles. This is done to demonstrate that this methodological framework can be used at different locations, to motivate further development of the methods, and to look at the sensitivity of the estimates to different locations. Electricite de France (EdF) in France and ENCO Environmental Consultants a.s. in Norway have taken on a joint responsibility for adapting the methodological framework for hydroelectric fuel cycle analyses in Europe. We report the first implementation of the hydroelectric fuel cycle within ExternE. Choice of reference site and technology Two stages of the hydroelectric fuel cycle have been identified: 1. Electricity generation 2. Transmission There are three phases of each of these stages: construction, operation and dismantling. We have assumed a construction period of 5 years (starting in 1990) and an operation period of 40 years. Dismantling after 40 years is not a realistic option. Therefore, we have focused on the construction and operation phases, of both electricity generation and transmission. The Sauda Hydroelectric Development Project (SHDP) was selected, because it illustrates upgrading and extention of an existing hydro power project. Such projects are likely to be the dominating strategy for future hydroelectric development in Norway, many other European countries and in the U.S., due to the lack of new sites available for development. SHDP consists of an extention of a previously developed area (Basis project) and six new diversion projects. The

Dose evaluation for external exposure in radiation accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maruyama, Takashi

1989-01-01

Abnormal exposures including emergency and accidental are categorized into external exposure and internal contamination, although both of these may be associated with external contamination. From a point of view of lifesaving in the abnormal exposures, it is primarily important to evaluate radiation dose of exposed persons as soon as possible. This report reviews the status of early dosimetry in the accidental exposures and discusses the optimum methodology of the early dose determination for external exposures in abnormal exposures. Personal monitors generally give an indication of dose to an exposed person only at a single part of the body. The data obtained from the personal monitors should be interpreted with care and in the light of information about the circumstances of exposure. In most cases, the records of environmental monitors or the survey with area monitors provide valuable information on the radiation fields. In the some cases, the reconstruction of the abnormal exposure is required for the dose evaluation by means of phantom experiments. In the case of neutron exposures, activation products in the body or its components or personnel possession can be useful for the early dosimetry. If the dose received by the whole body is evaluated as being very high, clinical observations and biological investigations may be more important guide to initial medical treatment than the early dosimetry. For the dose evaluation of general public, depending on the size of abnormal exposure, information that could be valuable in the assessment of abnormal exposures will come from the early dose estimates with environmental monitors and radiation survey meters. (author)

Mechanical evaluation of external skeletal fixator-intramedullary pin tie-in configurations applied to cadaveral humeri from red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis).

Science.gov (United States)

Van Wettere, Arnaud J; Redig, Patrick T; Wallace, Larry J; Bourgeault, Craig A; Bechtold, Joan E

2009-12-01

Use of external skeletal fixator-intramedullary pin (ESF-IM) tie-in fixators is an adjustable and effective method of fracture fixation in birds. The objective of this study was to determine the contribution of each of the following parameters to the compressive and torsional rigidity of an ESF-IM pin tie-in applied to avian bones with an osteotomy gap: (1) varying the fixation pin position in the proximal bone segment and (2) increasing the number of fixation pins in one or both bone segments. ESF-IM pin tie-in constructs were applied to humeri harvested from red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) (n=24) that had been euthanatized for clinical reasons. Constructs with a variation in the placement of the proximal fixation pin and with 2, 3, or 4 fixation pins applied to avian bone with an osteotomy gap were loaded to a defined displacement in torque and axial compression. Response variables were determined from resulting load-displacement curves (construct stiffness, load at 1-mm displacement). Increasing the number of fixation pins from 1 to 2 per bone segment significantly increased the stiffness in torque (110%) and compression (60%), and the safe load in torque (107%) and compression (50%). Adding a fixation pin to the distal bone segment to form a 3-pin fixator significantly increased the stiffness (27%) and safe load (20%) in torque but not in axial compression. In the configuration with 2 fixation pins, placing the proximal pin distally in the proximal bone segment significantly increased the stiffness in torque (28%), and the safe load in torque (23%) and in axial compression (32%). Results quantified the relative importance of specific parameters affecting the rigidity of ESF-IM pin tie-in constructs as applied to unstable bone fracture models in birds.

Environmental accounts. Environmentally related taxes, subsidies and emission permits; Miljoerelaterade skatter, subventioner och utslaeppsraetter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cederlund, Maja; Brolinson, Hanna; Palm, Viveka

2010-12-15

Environmental Economic instruments is seen as an important component towards a sustainable society. In Prop. (proposition) 2009/10:155 'Swedish environmental objectives - for a more effective environmental' the Ministry of the Environment says that 'We must therefore work to improve the price signals by internalising external environmental costs and increase the use of economic instruments in environmental policy.' Statistics Sweden have now for the first time quantified the environmental economic instruments, both individually and together. In addition, the results are broken down by industry and for most time series can be presented. The result of this work is presented in this report

Applying AI tools to operational space environmental analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Krajnak, Mike; Jesse, Lisa; Mucks, John

1995-01-01

The U.S. Air Force and National Oceanic Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) space environmental operations centers are facing increasingly complex challenges meeting the needs of their growing user community. These centers provide current space environmental information and short term forecasts of geomagnetic activity. Recent advances in modeling and data access have provided sophisticated tools for making accurate and timely forecasts, but have introduced new problems associated with handling and analyzing large quantities of complex data. AI (Artificial Intelligence) techniques have been considered as potential solutions to some of these problems. Fielding AI systems has proven more difficult than expected, in part because of operational constraints. Using systems which have been demonstrated successfully in the operational environment will provide a basis for a useful data fusion and analysis capability. Our approach uses a general purpose AI system already in operational use within the military intelligence community, called the Temporal Analysis System (TAS). TAS is an operational suite of tools supporting data processing, data visualization, historical analysis, situation assessment and predictive analysis. TAS includes expert system tools to analyze incoming events for indications of particular situations and predicts future activity. The expert system operates on a knowledge base of temporal patterns encoded using a knowledge representation called Temporal Transition Models (TTM's) and an event database maintained by the other TAS tools. The system also includes a robust knowledge acquisition and maintenance tool for creating TTM's using a graphical specification language. The ability to manipulate TTM's in a graphical format gives non-computer specialists an intuitive way of accessing and editing the knowledge base. To support space environmental analyses, we used TAS's ability to define domain specific event analysis abstractions. The prototype system defines

Site Environmental Report for 2013

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pauer, Ron [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Baskin, David [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Borglin, Ned [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Fox, Robert [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Harvey, Zachary [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Jelinski, John [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Thorson, Patrick [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Wahl, Linnea [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Wehle, Petra [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Xu, Suying [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2014-09-01

This report, prepared by LBNL for the U.S. Department of Energy, Berkeley Site Office provides a comprehensive summary of the environmental program activities at LBNL for calendar year 2013 SERS are prepared annually for all DOE sites with significant environmental activities, and distributed to relevant external regulatory agencies and other interested organizations or individual.

Langley's DEVELOP Team Applies NASA's Earth Observations to Address Environmental Issues Across the Country and Around the Globe

Science.gov (United States)

Childs, Lauren M.; Miller, Joseph E.

2011-01-01

The DEVELOP National Program was established over a decade ago to provide students with experience in the practical application of NASA Earth science research results. As part of NASA's Applied Sciences Program, DEVELOP focuses on bridging the gap between NASA technology and the public through projects that innovatively use NASA Earth science resources to address environmental issues. Cultivating a diverse and dynamic group of students and young professionals, the program conducts applied science research projects during three terms each year (spring, summer, and fall) that focus on topics ranging from water resource management to natural disasters.

Etiology of Stability and Growth of Internalizing and Externalizing Behavior Problems Across Childhood and Adolescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatoum, Alexander S; Rhee, Soo Hyun; Corley, Robin P; Hewitt, John K; Friedman, Naomi P

2018-04-20

Internalizing and externalizing behaviors are heritable, and show genetic stability during childhood and adolescence. Less work has explored how genes influence individual differences in developmental trajectories. We estimated ACE biometrical latent growth curve models for the Teacher Report Form (TRF) and parent Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) internalizing and externalizing scales from ages 7 to 16 years in 408 twin pairs from the Colorado Longitudinal Twin Study. We found that Intercept factors were highly heritable for both internalizing and externalizing behaviors (a2 = .61-.92), with small and nonsignificant environmental influences for teacher-rated data but significant nonshared environmental influences for parent-rated data. There was some evidence of heritability of decline in internalizing behavior (Slopes for teacher and parent ratings), but the Slope genetic variance was almost entirely shared with that for the Intercept when different than zero. These results suggest that genetic effects on these developmental trajectories operate primarily on initial levels and stability, with no significant unique genetic influences for change. Finally, cross-rater analyses of the growth factor scores revealed moderate to large genetic and environmental associations between growth factors derived from parents' and teachers' ratings, particularly the Intercepts.

International environmental agreements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Zeeuw, Aart

2015-01-01

The regulation of environmental externalities at the global level requires international agreements between sovereign states. Game theory provides an appropriate theoretical tool for analysis. However, game theory can result in a wide range of outcomes, and therefore it is important to discuss the

Environmentally Benign Tribo-systems for Metal Forming

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bay, Niels; Azushima, A.; Groche, P.

2010-01-01

The growing awareness of environmental issues and the requirements to establish solutions diminishing the impact on working environment as well as external environment has initiated ever increasing efforts to develop new, environmentally benign tribological systems for metal forming. The present ...

Proposal of a methodology to be applied for the characterization of external exposure risk of employees in nuclear medicine services

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simoes, Rafael Figueiredo Pohlmann

2010-01-01

Nuclear medicine procedure requires the administration of radioactive material by injection, ingestion or inhalation. After incorporation, the patient becomes a mobile source of radiation and, after their examination; they can irradiate everyone on their way out of the Nuclear Medicine Service (NMS). A group of workers in this path is considered a critical group, but there are no conviction on this classification, because there are not measurements available. Thus, workers claiming for occupationally exposed individual's (OEI) rights are common. Employers are always in a complex situation, because if they decided to undertake the individual external monitoring of the critical working groups, the Court considers all as OEI and employers are taxed. On the other hand, if they do not provide monitoring, it is impossible to prove that these workers were not exposed to effective doses higher than individual annual public's limit and they lose the actions, too. This work proposes a methodology to evaluate, using TLD environmental monitors, air kerma rate at critical staff points in a NMS. This method provides relevant information about critical groups' exposure. From these results, the clinic or hospital may prove technically, without individual monitoring of employees, the classification of areas and can estimate the maximum flow of patients in the free areas which guarantees exposures below the public individual dose limit. This methodology has been applied successfully to a private clinic in Rio de Janeiro, which operates a NMS. The only critical group that received exposure statistically different from clinic background radiation was that on the antechamber of the NMS. This is a site that should be characterized as a supervised area and the group of workers in this environment as OEI, as the estimated extrapolated annual effective dose in this position was 1.2 +- 0.7 mSv/year, above the public annual limit (1,0 mSv/year). Normalizing by the number of patients, it can

Rocky Flats Plant Site Environmental Report for 1992

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cirrincione, D.A.; Erdmann, N.L.

1992-01-01

The Rocky Rats Plant Site Environmental Report provides summary information on the plant's environmental monitoring programs and the results recorded during 1992. The report contains a compliance summary, results of environmental monitoring and other related programs, a review of environmental remediation activities, information on external gamma radiation dose monitoring, and radiation dose estimates for the surrounding population

Rocky Flats Plant Site Environmental Report for 1992

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cirrincione, D.A.; Erdmann, N.L. [eds.

1992-12-31

The Rocky Rats Plant Site Environmental Report provides summary information on the plant`s environmental monitoring programs and the results recorded during 1992. The report contains a compliance summary, results of environmental monitoring and other related programs, a review of environmental remediation activities, information on external gamma radiation dose monitoring, and radiation dose estimates for the surrounding population.

ANALYSIS OF EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS AT THE FOOD INDUSTRY ENTERPRISES OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergey G. Sargsyan

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The main components of the external environment, which have a key influence on the economic activities of organizations in the food industry, are discussed in the article. The influence of certain external environment factors is examined by the example of the Republic of Armenia with taking into account the characteristics of the industry. The rates of development, the leading market indicators are analysed, as well as the key components that form the socio-economic system of the industry are considered.

Externalities assessment of a coal power plant in the forest ecosystems in Valdecaballeros Area; Estimacion de las externalidades de una central termica de carbon en los ecosistemas forestales del Area de Valdecaballeros

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Laforga, P; Planas, B

1995-07-01

The book is divided in two parts. The first one analyzes the critical load and level concepts, and the methodological framework for Environmental Impact Statement (E.L.S.). In line with this, critical loads and levels represent the system vulnerability and excedances of critical values identify zones where impacts could occur. These are evaluated according to a set of criteria, talking into account present and future land use, their socio cultural interest, economic value of their natural resources and ecological quality of the whole system. In addition to Environment Impact Statement of air pollutants, the proposed formalism allows assessing the external cost of gaseous emission. The second part applies the developed ideas to a practical case: a hypothetical coal power plant on Valdecaballeros (Badajoz, Spain). Environmental impact on forestry ecosystems is studied on a 70 km radius area around the plant. The assessment of the external costs rely on yield losses associated with gaseous emission of the hypothetical plant. (Author) 100 refs.

Possible effects of external electrical fields on the corrosion of copper in bentonite

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Taxen, Claes (Swerea KIMAB (Sweden))

2011-12-15

External potentials that develop across a repository may interact with the copper canister. A study was undertaken to investigate the potential corrosion effects of voltage differences in a repository. A set of experiments was performed to study the tendency of copper in bentonite to corrode under influence of an externally applied electrical field. A model study was made to estimate possible corrosion effects of an external electrical field on a full-scale canister in the KBS-3 concept. The interaction between the repository represented by a copper canister in bentonite, and an external electrical field is illustrated with an example

Estimating parameters of chaotic systems synchronized by external driving signal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu Xiaogang; Wang Zuxi

2007-01-01

Noise-induced synchronization (NIS) has evoked great research interests recently. Two uncoupled identical chaotic systems can achieve complete synchronization (CS) by feeding a common noise with appropriate intensity. Actually, NIS belongs to the category of external feedback control (EFC). The significance of applying EFC in secure communication lies in fact that the trajectory of chaotic systems is disturbed so strongly by external driving signal that phase space reconstruction attack fails. In this paper, however, we propose an approach that can accurately estimate the parameters of the chaotic systems synchronized by external driving signal through chaotic transmitted signal, driving signal and their derivatives. Numerical simulation indicates that this approach can estimate system parameters and external coupling strength under two driving modes in a very rapid manner, which implies that EFC is not superior to other methods in secure communication

Polluting Production - Environmentally Sound Alternatives

OpenAIRE

Tamás Kocsis

2002-01-01

With the determination of principal parameters of producing and pollution abatement technologies, this paper quantifies abatement and external costs at the social optimum and analyses the dynamic relationship between technological development and the above-mentioned costs. With the partial analysis of parameters, the paper presents the impacts on the level of pollution and external costs of extensive and intensive environmental protection, market demand change and product fees, and not enviro...

Reconstruction of Traumatic External Iliac Artery Dissection Due to Vascular Clamping.

Science.gov (United States)

Kırnap, Mahir; Özçelik, Ümit; Akdur, Aydıncan; Ayvazoğlu Soy, Ebru H; Işıklar, İclal; Yarbuğ Karakayalı, Feza; Moray, Gökhan; Haberal, Mehmet

2017-10-31

Traumatic external iliac artery dissection after renal transplant is a rare complication, but it should be urgently managed due to its devastating effects on graft and lower limb circulation. External iliac artery dissection is seen more in recipients with diabetes mellitus and comorbid disease. Recipients with external iliac artery dissection should be treated immediately by percutaneus angioplasty or surgical reconstruction. In this study, we reported the management of 2 kidney transplant cases with external iliac artery dissection due to vascular clamping of the artery. External iliac artery dissection was diagnosed by ultrasonography in both cases. After failed percutaneous interventional angioplasty, we reconstructed the external iliac artery dissection surgically and replaced the external iliac artery with polytetra-fluoroethylene grafts in both patients. Both patients were discharged with normal functioning grafts showing 0.9 and 0.8 mg/dL serum creatinine levels at month 3 posttransplant. Close monitoring of recipients after transplant is mandatory for early diagnosis and early management of external iliac artery dissection to prevent graft loss and preserve lower limb circulation. Routine Doppler ultrasonography is an inexpensive and useful tool for early diagnosis in cases of sudden cessation or decrease in urine. In cases of failed percutaneous interventional angioplasty, reconstruction with synthetic vascular grafts can be safely applied in external iliac artery dissection.

Effects of internalising external production costs in a North European power market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Munksgaard, J.; Ramskov, J.

2002-01-01

The aim of integrating national power markets is to improve the overall efficiency thereby making a potential for reducing electricity prices. However, efficiency is not necessarily improved if external environmental protection costs are neglected. In this paper, we analyse the effects of regulating an integrated power market by using environmental producer taxes based on external production costs. The analysis is based on an empirical equilibrium model for the North European power market. The results show that internalising costs will increase electricity producer prices by 40-50% in the period from 1995 to 2020. Further, demand for electricity will be reduced by 10%. We conclude, however, that in order to achieve the national Kyoto targets of reducing CO 2 emissions, further regulation is needed, such as national CO 2 taxes or cost efficient mechanisms like tradeable permits and joint implementation. (author)

Misalignment with the external light environment drives metabolic and cardiac dysfunction.

Science.gov (United States)

West, Alexander C; Smith, Laura; Ray, David W; Loudon, Andrew S I; Brown, Timothy M; Bechtold, David A

2017-09-12

Most organisms use internal biological clocks to match behavioural and physiological processes to specific phases of the day-night cycle. Central to this is the synchronisation of internal processes across multiple organ systems. Environmental desynchrony (e.g. shift work) profoundly impacts human health, increasing cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk, yet the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we characterise the impact of desynchrony between the internal clock and the external light-dark (LD) cycle on mammalian physiology. We reveal that even under stable LD environments, phase misalignment has a profound effect, with decreased metabolic efficiency and disrupted cardiac function including prolonged QT interval duration. Importantly, physiological dysfunction is not driven by disrupted core clock function, nor by an internal desynchrony between organs, but rather the altered phase relationship between the internal clockwork and the external environment. We suggest phase misalignment as a major driver of pathologies associated with shift work, chronotype and social jetlag.The misalignment between internal circadian rhythm and the day-night cycle can be caused by genetic, behavioural and environmental factors, and may have a profound impact on human physiology. Here West et al. show that desynchrony between the internal clock and the external environment alter metabolic parameters and cardiac function in mice.

One-carrier free space charge motion under applied voltage

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camargo, P.C.; Ferreira, G.F.L.

1976-01-01

The system of partial differential equations describing the one-carrier free space-charge motion under a given applied voltage is transformed into a system of two ordinary differential equations. The method is applied to find the external current injection [pt

Environmental auditing and the role of the accountancy profession: a literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

de Moor, Philippe; de Beelde, Ignace

2005-08-01

This review of the literature on environmental auditing and the potential role of accountants distinguishes between compliance audits and audits of the environmental management system. After an extensive introduction to the concept, this review focuses on the similarities and differences between an environmental audit and a financial statement audit. The general approach to both types of audits is similar, except that environmental audits are largely unregulated. Both audits place an emphasis on the evaluation of control systems, which is an argument in favor of external auditors playing a role in environmental audits. Another argument for including external accountants is their code of ethics. However, these professionals seem to be reluctant to enter the field of environmental auditing. It is argued that this reluctance is because of a lack of generally accepted principles for conducting environmental audits. If external accountants are engaged in environmental auditing, they should be part of multidisciplinary teams that also include scientists and engineers to avoid a too strong focus on procedures. Rather than treating these audits as totally different, it is proposed that there be a move towards integrated, or even universal, audits.

Does External Funding Help Adaptation? Evidence from Community-Based Water Management in the Colombian Andes

Science.gov (United States)

Murtinho, Felipe; Eakin, Hallie; López-Carr, David; Hayes, Tanya M.

2013-11-01

Despite debate regarding whether, and in what form, communities need external support for adaptation to environmental change, few studies have examined how external funding impacts adaptation decisions in rural resource-dependent communities. In this article, we use quantitative and qualitative methods to assess how different funding sources influence the initiative to adapt to water scarcity in the Colombian Andes. We compare efforts to adapt to water scarcity in 111 rural Andean communities with varied dependence on external funding for water management activities. Findings suggest that despite efforts to use their own internal resources, communities often need external support to finance adaptation strategies. However, not all external financial support positively impacts a community’s abilities to adapt. Results show the importance of community-driven requests for external support. In cases where external support was unsolicited, the results show a decline, or “crowding-out,” in community efforts to adapt. In contrast, in cases where communities initiated the request for external support to fund their own projects, findings show that external intervention is more likely to enhance or “crowds-in” community-driven adaptation.

Estimating Fuel Cycle Externalities: Analytical Methods and Issues, Report 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barnthouse, L.W.; Cada, G.F.; Cheng, M.-D.; Easterly, C.E.; Kroodsma, R.L.; Lee, R.; Shriner, D.S.; Tolbert, V.R.; Turner, R.S.

1994-07-01

The activities that produce electric power typically range from extracting and transporting a fuel, to its conversion into electric power, and finally to the disposition of residual by-products. This chain of activities is called a fuel cycle. A fuel cycle has emissions and other effects that result in unintended consequences. When these consequences affect third parties (i.e., those other than the producers and consumers of the fuel-cycle activity) in a way that is not reflected in the price of electricity, they are termed ''hidden'' social costs or externalities. They are the economic value of environmental, health and any other impacts, that the price of electricity does not reflect. How do you estimate the externalities of fuel cycles? Our previous report describes a methodological framework for doing so--called the damage function approach. This approach consists of five steps: (1) characterize the most important fuel cycle activities and their discharges, where importance is based on the expected magnitude of their externalities, (2) estimate the changes in pollutant concentrations or other effects of those activities, by modeling the dispersion and transformation of each pollutant, (3) calculate the impacts on ecosystems, human health, and any other resources of value (such as man-made structures), (4) translate the estimates of impacts into economic terms to estimate damages and benefits, and (5) assess the extent to which these damages and benefits are externalities, not reflected in the price of electricity. Each step requires a different set of equations, models and analysis. Analysts generally believe this to be the best approach for estimating externalities, but it has hardly been used! The reason is that it requires considerable analysis and calculation, and to this point in time, the necessary equations and models have not been assembled. Equally important, the process of identifying and estimating externalities leads to a number

δ expansion applied to quantum electrodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bender, C.M.; Boettcher, S.; Milton, K.A.

1992-01-01

A recently proposed technique known as the δ expansion provides a nonperturbative treatment of a quantum field theory. The δ-expansion approach can be applied to electrodynamics in such a way that local gauge invariance is preserved. In this paper it is shown that for electrodynamic processes involving only external photon lines and no external electron lines the δ expansion is equivalent to a fermion loop expansion. That is, the coefficient of δ n in the δ expansion is precisely the sum of all n-electron-loop Feynman diagrams in a conventional weak-coupling approximation. This equivalence does not extend to processes having external electron lines. When external electron lines are present, the δ expansion is truly nonperturbative and does not have a simple interpretation as a resummation of conventional Feynman diagrams. To illustrate the nonperturbative character of the δ expansion we perform a speculative calculation of the fermion condensate in the massive Schwinger model in the limit of large coupling constant

1976 environmental monitoring report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naidu, J.R.

1977-04-01

The environmental levels of radioactivity and other environmental pollutants found in the vicinity of Brookhaven National Laboratory during 1976 are summarized. As an aid in the interpretation of the data, the amounts of radioactivity and other pollutants released in airborne and liquid effluents from Laboratory facilities to the environment are also indicated. The environmental data includes external radiation levels; radioactive air particulates; tritium and iodine concentrations; the amounts and concentrations of radioactivity in precipitation; the amounts and concentrations of radioactivity in and the quality of the stream into which liquid effluents are released; the concentrations of radioactivity in sediments and biota from the stream; the concentrations of radioactivity in and the quality of ground waters underlying the Laboratory; and concentrations of radioactivity in milk, grass, and soil samples obtained in the vicinity of the Laboratory. The external radiation level for 1976 at the north boundary of the Laboratory attributable to an ecology forest irradiation source was 74.4 mrem, or 14 percent of the applicable Radiation Protection Standard

A study of risk evaluation methodology selection for the external hazards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuramoto, Takahiro; Yamaguchi, Akira; Narumiya, Yosiyuki

2014-01-01

Since the accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, there has been growing demands for assessing the effects of external hazards, including natural events, such as earthquake and tsunami, and external human behaviors, and taking actions to address those external hazards. The newly established Japanese regulatory requirements claim design considerations associated with external hazards. The primary objective of the risk assessment for external hazards is to establish countermeasures against such hazards rather than grasping the risk figures. Therefore, applying detailed risk assessment methods, such as probabilistic risk assessment (PRA), to all the external hazards is not always the most appropriate. Risk assessment methods can vary in types including qualitative evaluation, hazard analysis (analyzing hazard frequencies or their influence), and margin assessment. To resolve these issues, a process has been established that enables us to identify the external hazards in a comprehensive and systematic manner, which have potential risks leading to core damage and to select an appropriate evaluation method according to the risks associated with each of the external hazards. This paper discusses the comprehensive and systematic identification process for the external hazards which have potential risks leading to core damage, and the approaches of selecting an appropriate evaluation method for each external hazard. This paper also describes some applications of specific risk evaluation methods. (author)

Environmental surveys

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costa-Ribeiro, C.

1977-01-01

An environmental survey conducted in high natural radioactivity areas and methods used to evaluated radiation doses received by the population are presented. It is shown doses absorved due to ingestion of radioactively contaminated food and water. Exposure to external gamma radiation fields or inhalation of abnormal quantities of natural airborne radioactivity are discussed [pt

Environmental auditing at Ranger

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Armstrong, A.; Reid, A.

1989-01-01

A preliminary external audit was carried out on three aspects of the Ranger Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), namely meteorological data, water release and water quality of releases. It assessed the accuracy of forecasts and predictive data statements against the actual environmental data obtained during operations, and concluded that impacts of the project were adequately described but inadequately quantified. The second state of the auditing is concerned with the assessment of the effectiveness of practices and procedures which are integrated into the ongoing environmental management program. 7 tabs. 2 figs

Regulating multiple externalities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Waldo, Staffan; Jensen, Frank; Nielsen, Max

2016-01-01

Open access is a well-known externality problem in fisheries causing excess capacity and overfishing. Due to global warming, externality problems from CO2 emissions have gained increased interest. With two externality problems, a first-best optimum can be achieved by using two regulatory instrume......Open access is a well-known externality problem in fisheries causing excess capacity and overfishing. Due to global warming, externality problems from CO2 emissions have gained increased interest. With two externality problems, a first-best optimum can be achieved by using two regulatory...

A method for external measurement of toroidal equilibrium parameters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brunsell, P.; Hellblom, G.; Brynolf, J.

1992-01-01

A method has been developed for determining from external magnetic field measurements the horizontal shift, the vertical shift and the poloidal field asymmetry parameter (Λ) of a toroidal plasma in force equilibrium. The magnetic measurements consist of two toroidal differential flux loops, giving the average vertical magnetic field and the average radial magnetic field respectively, together with cosine-coils for obtaining the m=1 cosine harmonic of the external poloidal magnetic field component. The method is used to analyse the evolution of the toroidal equilibrium during reversed-field pinch discharges in the Extrap T1-U device. We find that good equilibrium control is needed for long plasma pulses. For non-optimized externally applied vertical fields, the diagnostic clearly shows a horizontal drift motion of the pinch resulting in earlier discharge termination. (au)

External and Internal Sport Motivations of Young Adults

Science.gov (United States)

Bollok, Sandor; Takacs, Johanna; Kalmar, Zsuzsanna; Dobay, Beata

2011-01-01

Study aim: To determine and evaluate the spectrum of sport motivation of young adults. Material and methods: A group of 600 subjects, aged 17-19 years, participated in the study. An "ad hoc" questionnaire was applied to assess the 4 motivational factors: competition and success-oriented motivation, external accommodation, physical…

Power generation choices: an international perspective on costs, risks and externalities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carle, R.; Moynet, G.

1994-01-01

In France, as in other countries, it is no longer possible to discuss issues relating to the power or electricity generating sector without taking account of a wide range of sociological, political and environmental factors. Given the uncertainty regarding either the short-or long-term impact of such factors, analysts can no longer rely on forecasts and need to adopt an approach based on the use of extremely wide-ranging scenarios. Many researchers are currently examining ways in which these factors might be incorporated into economic calculations in the form of externalities. Such externalities cannot be properly taken into account, however, until we have reliable methods and databases with which to quantify them. At present they are taken into account implicitly. Thus the extensive nuclear power programme launched by the French Government in the 1970s was aimed at securing advantages in both economic and environmental terms. These advantages may be seen today in the structure of France's energy supply. (authors). 1 tab

Externalities and carbon taxes: Status and impacts on coal use

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davis, R.J.

1993-01-01

More than half of the Nation's public utility commissions have developed, are developing, or are seriously considering the use of environmental externalities in the selection of new electric power generation. Most externality-based resource planning approaches heavily penalize carbon dioxide emissions and therefore the externality issue is linked closely to the issue of carbon taxes. Several foreign countries have instituted carbon taxes and many state and federal legislators and policy makers favor carbon taxes as a means of reducing carbon dioxide emissions which are believed to play a major role in future global warming. Both externalities and carbon taxes will have a disproportionate and a significant impact on future coal use because of the relatively higher proportion of carbon in coal compared to other fossil fuels and the absence of carbon in other means of electricity generation. The purpose of this paper is twofold: (1) to report on the status of carbon taxes and externality-based electric utility resource allocation requirements around the world with an emphasis on the US, and (2) to present a review of the literature dealing with estimated impacts of these policies on coal use, in general, and the deployment of specific coal-using technologies in particular

Socio-Economic research on fusion SERF 3(2001-2003) External Costs of Fusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lechon, Y.; Saez, R.; Cabal, H.

2003-01-01

Based on SEAFP project (Raeder et al, 1995) findings a preliminary assessment of environmental external costs associated to fusion power was performed under the framework of the first phase of the SERF (Socioeconomic Research on Fusion) project (Saez et al, 1999). This study showed very low external costs of fusion power compared with other traditional and new energy generating technologies. In order to update the assessment of externalities of fusion power, SERF2 project a new plant was included and an analysis of the key variables influencing the external cost was carried out. In the new phase of the SERF project, SERF3, three new additional plant models have been introduced with the aim of assessing the possibilities of silicon carbide to be used as structural material for fusion power plants. Furthermore, comparison of fusion external costs with those of other generation technologies in the state of technology development expected for 2050 has been also performed. (Author)

Suppression of beam-excited electron waves by an externally applied RF signal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukumasa, Osamu; Itatani, Ryohei

1980-11-01

Suppression of the beam-excited electron wave in a bounded system is investigated in connection with the beam distribution function. Wave suppression has two different processes depending on whether injected beams are reflected at the other end or not. In the absence of reflected beam electrons, deformation of the beam distribution function is observed in relation to the suppression of the electron wave. However, when beam electrons are reflected, the external wave suppresses the electron wave but distribution function shows no appreciable change. These experimental results show that nonlinear behaviors of beam electrons, namely behaviors of reflected beams, are quite important for wave suppression. By using the method of partial simulation, interaction between two waves in the bounded system including nonlinear motions of beam electrons is studied numerically. Qualitative agreement between experimental and numerical results is obtained. (author)

Enhancement of adsorption and diffusion of lithium in single-walled carbon nanotubes by external electric field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shi, Wenwu; Wang, Zhiguo, E-mail: zgwang@uestc.edu.cn; Fu, Y.Q., E-mail: richard.fu@northumbria.ac.uk [University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, School of Physical Electronics, Center for Public Security Information and Equipment Integration Technology (China)

2016-11-15

Effects of an external transverse electric field on the adsorption and diffusion of Li atoms on the single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were investigated using density functional theory. Results showed that the adsorption energy was significantly enhanced by applying the electric field. As the external electric field was increased from 0.0 to 0.6 V/Å, the adsorption energies were decreased from −1.37 to −2.31, −1.32 to −2.46, and −1.33 to −2.63 eV for the Li atoms adsorbed on (6,6), (8,8), and (10,10) CNTs, respectively. Meanwhile, the diffusion barriers of the Li atoms on the CNTs were also decreased as the external electric field was applied. When the external electric field was increased from 0.0 to 0.6 V/Å, the energy barriers were decreased from 0.42, 0.40, and 0.39 eV to 0.20, 0.17, and 0.15 eV for Li diffusion in the (6,6), (8,8), and (10,10) CNTs, respectively. The results proved that an external electric field can be applied to enhance the adsorption and diffusion of Li atoms on the CNTs (used as the anode) for lithium ion batteries.

Enhancement of adsorption and diffusion of lithium in single-walled carbon nanotubes by external electric field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shi, Wenwu; Wang, Zhiguo; Fu, Y.Q.

2016-01-01

Effects of an external transverse electric field on the adsorption and diffusion of Li atoms on the single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were investigated using density functional theory. Results showed that the adsorption energy was significantly enhanced by applying the electric field. As the external electric field was increased from 0.0 to 0.6 V/Å, the adsorption energies were decreased from −1.37 to −2.31, −1.32 to −2.46, and −1.33 to −2.63 eV for the Li atoms adsorbed on (6,6), (8,8), and (10,10) CNTs, respectively. Meanwhile, the diffusion barriers of the Li atoms on the CNTs were also decreased as the external electric field was applied. When the external electric field was increased from 0.0 to 0.6 V/Å, the energy barriers were decreased from 0.42, 0.40, and 0.39 eV to 0.20, 0.17, and 0.15 eV for Li diffusion in the (6,6), (8,8), and (10,10) CNTs, respectively. The results proved that an external electric field can be applied to enhance the adsorption and diffusion of Li atoms on the CNTs (used as the anode) for lithium ion batteries.

It is a moral issue : The relationship between environmental self-identity, obligation-based intrinsic motivation and pro-environmental behaviour

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Werff, Ellen; Steg, Linda; Keizer, Kees

2013-01-01

In order to effectively mitigate climate change, people need to adopt environmentally-friendly actions. We argue that some people act in an environmentally-friendly manner without external incentives to do so, but rather because they are intrinsically motivated to do so. There is some initial

MANAGEMENT OF SOLID WASTE GENERATED BY THE INTEGRATED STEELWORKS ACTIVITY AND SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anişoara CIOCAN

2010-05-01

Full Text Available The development of steel industry is subject to solve major problems arising from industry-nature relationship, strictly targeted on pollution control and protection of natural resources and energy. In this paper we discussed about the management of solid waste generated by an integrated steelwork located near a major urban area and the adopted solutions for the reduction of environmental impact. There are summarized technical solutions that are currently applied and were proposed some solutions that can be applied in accordance with the environmental legislations. The new solutions are proposed for integrated management of solid wastes in accordance with: the exact quantification (quantitative, qualitative and the generation sources of emissions and solid wastes; controlled storage; minimization of the wastes and its harmfulness; transformation of the wastes into valuable by-products used directly by the company in a subsequent process, or by external down-stream user.

A Comparison of Emission Taxes and Permit Markets for Controlling Correlated Externalities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Caplan, A.J. [Department of Economics, Utah State University, 3530 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-3530 (United States)

2006-08-15

This paper provides an answer to the question: Are emission taxes an efficient and self-enforcing mechanism to control correlated externality problems? By 'correlated externalities' we mean multiple pollutants that are jointly produced by a single source but cause differentiated regional and global externalities. By 'self-enforcing' we mean a mechanism that accounts for the endogeneity that exists between competing jurisdictions in the setting of environmental policy within a federation of regions. This mechanism incorporates sequential decision making among the jurisdictions and therefore determines an equilibrium based on the concept of subgame perfection. We find that, unlike joint domestic and international tradable permit markets, joint emission taxes and a hybrid scheme of permits and taxes are neither efficient nor self-enforcing.

A Comparison of Emission Taxes and Permit Markets for Controlling Correlated Externalities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caplan, A.J.

2006-01-01

This paper provides an answer to the question: Are emission taxes an efficient and self-enforcing mechanism to control correlated externality problems? By 'correlated externalities' we mean multiple pollutants that are jointly produced by a single source but cause differentiated regional and global externalities. By 'self-enforcing' we mean a mechanism that accounts for the endogeneity that exists between competing jurisdictions in the setting of environmental policy within a federation of regions. This mechanism incorporates sequential decision making among the jurisdictions and therefore determines an equilibrium based on the concept of subgame perfection. We find that, unlike joint domestic and international tradable permit markets, joint emission taxes and a hybrid scheme of permits and taxes are neither efficient nor self-enforcing

A Direct Approach to Determine the External Disturbing Gravity Field by Applying Green Integral with the Ground Boundary Value

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

TIAN Jialei

2015-11-01

Full Text Available By using the ground as the boundary, Molodensky problem usually gets the solution in form of series. Higher order terms reflect the correction between a smooth surface and the ground boundary. Application difficulties arise from not only computational complexity and stability maintenance, but also data-intensiveness. Therefore, in this paper, starting from the application of external gravity disturbance, Green formula is used on digital terrain surface. In the case of ignoring the influence of horizontal component of the integral, the expression formula of external disturbance potential determined by boundary value consisted of ground gravity anomalies and height anomaly difference are obtained, whose kernel function is reciprocal of distance and Poisson core respectively. With this method, there is no need of continuation of ground data. And kernel function is concise, and suitable for the stochastic computation of external disturbing gravity field.

Handling magnetic anisotropy and magnetoimpedance effect in flexible multilayers under external stress

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Agra, K.; Bohn, F. [Departamento de Física Teórica e Experimental, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59078-900 Natal, RN (Brazil); Mori, T.J.A. [Laboratório Nacional de Luz Síncrotron, Rua Giuseppe Máximo Scolfaro, 1000, Guará, 13083-100 Campinas, SP (Brazil); Callegari, G.L.; Dorneles, L.S. [Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, 97105-900 Santa Maria, RS (Brazil); Correa, M.A., E-mail: marciocorrea@dfte.ufrn.br [Departamento de Física Teórica e Experimental, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59078-900 Natal, RN (Brazil)

2016-12-15

We investigate the dynamic magnetic response though magnetoimpedance effect of ferromagnetic flexible NiFe/Ta and FeCuNbSiB/Ta multilayers under external stress. We explore the possibility of handling magnetic anisotropy, and consequently the magnetoimpedance effect, of magnetostrictive multilayers deposited onto flexible substrates. We quantify the sensitivity of the multilayers under external stress by calculating the ratio between impedance variations and external stress changes, and show that considerable values can be reached by tuning the magnetic field, frequency, magnetostriction constant, and external stress. The results extend possibilities of application of magnetostrictive multilayers deposited onto flexible substrates when under external stress and place them as very attractive candidates as element sensor for the development of sensitive smart touch sensors. - Highlights: • We investigate the magnetoimpedance effect in magnetostrictive flexible multilayers grown on flexible substrates. • The external applied stress enables to tuning the samples anisotropies, and consequently the MI performance. • The flexible substrate becomes promising candidate for RF-frequency devices.

Influence of a Non-formal Environmental Education Programme on Junior High-School Students' Environmental Literacy

Science.gov (United States)

Goldman, Daphne; Ben Zvi Assaraf, Orit; Shaharabani, Dina

2013-02-01

One of the solutions implemented by schools for conducting value-based environmental education (EE) is outsourcing: allocating external environmental organizations that develop and conduct EE programmes. This study addressed such a programme-the Green Council Programme (GCP)-developed and implemented in schools by the Israeli Society for Protection of Nature. A pre-test/post-test design was used to investigate the influence of participation in the GCP on components of junior high-school students' environmental literacy. Conceptualizations of 'environment', environmental attitudes and sense of ability to act on environmental issues were studied employing quantitative and qualitative tools. Contribution of the programme to the cognitive domain, in developing a systemic understanding of the environment, was limited. On the other hand, participating in this programme heightened students' sensitivity to human-environment interrelationships and developed a more ecological worldview. After the programme, students demonstrated greater perception of humans as part of the environment, an increased sensitivity to human impact on the environment and their value for non-human nature moved from an anthropocentric to a more ecocentric orientation. While students' internal locus-of-control increased, when environmental protection entailed personal economic trade-offs, their support was limited and remained unchanged. The article concludes with recommendations, based on the findings, regarding supplementing the school (science) curriculum with external EE enrichment programmes.

Economic and environmental performance of future fusion plants in comparison

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamacher, T.; Saez, R.M.; Lako, P.

2001-01-01

If the good performance of fusion as technology with no CO 2 emission during normal operation and rather low external costs, reflecting the advantageous environmental and safety characteristics, are considered in future energy regulations, fusion can win considerable market shares in future electricity markets. The economic performance was elaborated for Western Europe for the time period till 2100. The software tool MARKAL widely used in energy research was used to simulate and optimise the development of the Western European energy system. Two different scenarios were considered, the main difference was the interest rate for investments. Stringent CO 2 -emission strategies lead to considerable market shares for fusion. As a comprehensive indicator of the environmental and safety performance of fusion plants the external costs following the ExternE method was used. External costs of fusion are rather low, much below the cost of electricity, and are in the same range as photovoltaics and wind energy. (author)

Environmental system applied to radioactive liquid effluent release

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nisti, Marcelo Bessa

2009-01-01

The current environmental administration considers the productive activity as an environmental system, defined as a group of processes, interactions, parameters and factors involved in the production. This mastering dissertation evaluated the release of the liquid radioactive effluents at Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares (IPEN), under a systemic environmental study. The study evaluated the source term at IPEN in the period from 2004 to 2008, making use of gamma-ray and alpha spectrometry, instrumental neutron activation analysis, liquid phase scintillation and atomic absorption spectrometry. The employed methodologies were verified using samples from the Intercomparison National Program - PNI/IRD and Reference Materials. The facilities that contributed the most in these releases were the Radiopharmaceutical Center (CR) and the Research Reactor Center (CRPq) with an average of 11,4% and 87,4%, respectively, relative to the present radioactive activity. The sewer system releases were within the radioactive protection regulations, showing the effectiveness of IPEN's Radioactive Effluents Monitoring Program. The concentration of the stable elements Ag, Cd, Cr, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn was determined in the liquid effluent in ali the samples from the storage tanks TR1 and CR in the period from 2004 to 2008 and in some of the samples of other IPEN's facilities in the period from 2004 to 2007. Among the analyzed effluents, two samples were higher than the stable elements discharge standards established in the state of Sao Paulo, one sample was higher than the required value of the element cadmium and the other higher than required value of the element zinco The storage tank TR1 discharge flow was estimated in 10,9 ± 0,9 m3 h -1 . The dilution factor at discharge point E1 was estimated using a radiotracers the isotopes 3 H, 137 CS, 60 Co, 54 Mn and 65 Zn, which are commonly released into IPEN's sewer system. The executed radiotracer study was carried out

Infant-Mother Attachment and the Growth of Externalizing Problems across the Primary-School Years

Science.gov (United States)

Pasco Fearon, R. M.; Belsky, Jay

2011-01-01

Background: Some contend that attachment insecurity increases risk for the development of externalizing behavior problems in children. Method: Latent-growth curve analyses were applied to data on 1,364 children from the NICHD Study of Early Child Care to evaluate the association between early attachment and teacher-rated externalizing problems…

Differential susceptibility to environmental influences: the role of early temperament and parenting in the development of externalizing problems.

Science.gov (United States)

Pitzer, Martina; Jennen-Steinmetz, Christine; Esser, Guenter; Schmidt, Martin H; Laucht, Manfred

2011-01-01

A difficult or undercontrolled temperament, as well as harsh parental discipline or a lack of warmth, has long been regarded as risk factors for the development of externalizing problems. In addition, it has been suggested that children with difficult temperament are especially susceptible to rearing influences. We investigated the impact of early temperament and parenting and their interactions on externalizing behavior at school age. Participants were 148 boys and 160 girls from a prospective longitudinal study on a high-risk sample. At ages 3 months and 2 years, temperament was assessed by a highly structured parent interview and standardized behavioral observations. Maternal parenting was assessed by videotaped behavioral observation and a parent questionnaire. Externalizing problems at age 8 years were measured by the Child Behavior Checklist. Using hierarchical linear regression analyses, we found that externalizing problems were predicted by psychosocial adversity and poor self-control, whereas no main effect for restrictive parenting or maternal empathy was found. Fearful-inhibited boys were positively affected by empathic and sensitive parenting, whereas girls who were low in self-control and/or fearful developed less externalizing problems with restrictive parenting. Our results partly support the differential susceptibility hypothesis. In addition, they point toward gender-specific pathways in the development of externalizing problems. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Analysis of External Treatment Methods and Technical Characteristics of External Treatment

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Rui; Miao, Mingsan; Bai, Ming

2018-01-01

Chinese medicine external therapy is a treatment method of Chinese medicine with Chinese characteristics. The effect of traditional Chinese medicine external treatment, convenient operation, external treatment and technology has great prospects for development. The traditional Chinese medicine external treatment method and technical characteristics were analyzed.

Environmental pricing of externalities from different sources of electricity generation in Chile

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aravena, Claudia; Hutchinson, W. George; Longo, Alberto

2012-01-01

The rapid increase in electricity demand in Chile means a choice must be made between major investments in renewable or non-renewable sources for additional production. Current projects to develop large dams for hydropower in Chilean Patagonia impose an environmental price by damaging the natural environment. On the other hand, the increased use of fossil fuels entails an environmental price in terms of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions contributing to climate change. This paper studies the debate on future electricity supply in Chile by investigating the preferences of households for a variety of different sources of electricity generation such as fossil fuels, large hydropower in Chilean Patagonia and other renewable energy sources. Using Double Bounded Dichotomous Choice Contingent Valuation, a novel advanced disclosure method and internal consistency test are used to elicit the willingness to pay for less environmentally damaging sources. Policy results suggest a strong preference for renewable energy sources with higher environmental prices imposed by consumers on electricity generated from fossil fuels than from large dams in Chilean Patagonia. Policy results further suggest the possibility of introducing incentives for renewable energy developments that would be supported by consumers through green tariffs or environmental premiums. Methodological findings suggest that advanced disclosure learning overcomes the problem of internal inconsistency in SB-DB estimates.

Incorporating Geographic Information Science in the BSc Environ-mental Science Program in Botswana

Science.gov (United States)

Akinyemi, Felicia O.

2018-05-01

Critical human capacity in Geographic Information Science (GISc) is developed at the Botswana International University of Science and Technology, a specialized, research university. Strategies employed include GISc courses offered each semester to students from various programs, the conduct of field-based projects, enrolment in online courses, geo-spatial initiatives with external partners, and final year research projects utilizing geospatial technologies. A review is made of available GISc courses embedded in the Bachelor of Science Environmental Science program. GISc courses are incorporated in three Bachelor degree programs as distinct courses. Geospatial technologies are employed in several other courses. Student researches apply GIS and Remote Sensing methods to environmental and geological themes. The overarching goals are to equip students in various disciplines to utilize geospatial technologies, and enhance their spatial thinking and reasoning skills.

Effects of External Loads on Human Head Movement Control Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Nam, M. H.; Choi, O. M.

1984-01-01

The central and reflexive control strategies underlying movements were elucidated by studying the effects of external loads on human head movement control systems. Some experimental results are presented on dynamic changes weigh the addition of aviation helmet (SPH4) and lead weights (6 kg). Intended time-optimal movements, their dynamics and electromyographic activity of neck muscles in normal movements, and also in movements made with external weights applied to the head were measured. It was observed that, when the external loads were added, the subject went through complex adapting processes and the head movement trajectory and its derivatives reached steady conditions only after transient adapting period. The steady adapted state was reached after 15 to 20 seconds (i.e., 5 to 6 movements).

Applied environmental fluid mechanics: what's the weather in your backyard?

Science.gov (United States)

Chow, F. K.

2011-12-01

The microclimates of the San Francisco Bay Area can lead to 30-40F differences in temperature from the coast to just 30 miles inland. The reasons for this include local topography which affects development of the atmospheric boundary layer. A Bay Area resident's experience of fog, air pollution, and weather events therefore differs greatly depending on exactly where they live. Such local weather phenomena provide a natural topic for introduction to boundary layer processes and are the basis of a new course developed at the University of California, Berkeley. This course complements the PI's research focus on numerical methods applied to atmospheric boundary layer flow over complex terrain. This new outreach and research-based course was created to teach students about the boundary layer and teach them how to use a community weather prediction model, WRF, to simulate conditions in the local area, while at the same time being actively involved in public outreach. The course was offered in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department with the collaboration and support of the Lawrence Hall of Science, Berkeley's public science museum. The students chose topics such as air quality, wind energy, climate change, and plume dispersion, all applied to the local San Francisco Bay Area. The students conducted independent research on their team projects, involving literature reviews, numerical model setup, and analysis of model results through comparison with field observations. The outreach component of the course included website design and culminated in demonstrations at the Lawrence Hall of Science. The seven student teams presented hands-on demos to 300-400 visitors, mostly kids 4-9 years old and their parents. Involving students directly in outreach efforts is hoped to encourage continued integration of research and education in their own careers. Early exposure to numerical modeling also improves student technical skills for future career experiences . Given

Valuing the Unmarketable: An Ecological Approach to the Externalities Estimate in Fishing Activities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Piero Franzoi

2013-02-01

Full Text Available In a rapidly changing world, sustainability, if it can be said to exist at all, is concept that has attained mythic status, often pursued and rarely reached. In order to improve our capability to cope with environmental problems, adopting an Ecosystem Approach has been suggested. One of the major challenges in the implementation of this new paradigm relates to control of externalities. The recognition and quantification of externalities is often cast as valuing the unmarketable, and there are several approaches that have been proposed. Here, we analyze the opportunity to “feed” the economic valuation with ecological concepts. From an ecological perspective, the energy required to sustain a biomass unit at a given trophic level (TL is the same, whatever the species. We build on this central tenet of ecology to assess the value of a TL unit for each trophic position using fish market data. The results obtained were then used to assign a value to each species living in a given habitat, together with consideration of their ecological role within the community. Estimates of both natural capital and functional value were applied to assess the ecological impacts of mechanical clam harvesting versus the multi-species artisanal fishery in the Venice lagoon. Results are discussed in relation to possible contribution to the implementation of a different management strategy.

Integration of external and internal dosimetry in Switzerland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frei, D.; Wernli, C.; Baechler, S.; Fischer, G.; Jossen, H.; Leupin, A.; Lortscher, Y.; Mini, R.; Otto, T.; Schuh, R.; Weidmann, U.

2007-01-01

Individual monitoring regulations in Switzerland are based on the ICRP60 recommendations. The annual limit of 20 mSv for the effective dose applies to the sum of external and internal radiation. External radiation is monitored monthly or quarterly with TLD, DIS or CR-39 dosemeters by 10 approved external dosimetry services and reported as H p (10) and H p (0.07). Internal monitoring is done in two steps. At the workplace, simple screening measurements are done frequently in order to recognise a possible incorporation. If a nuclide dependent activity threshold is exceeded then one of the seven approved dosimetry services for internal radiation does an incorporation measurement to assess the committed effective dose E 50 . The dosimetry services report all the measured or assessed dose values to the employer and to the National Dose Registry. The employer records the annually accumulated dose values into the individual dose certificate of the occupationally exposed person, both the external dose H p (10) and the internal dose E 50 as well as the total effective dose E = H p (10) + E 50 . Based on the national dose registry an annual report on the dosimetry in Switzerland is published which contains the statistics for the total effective dose, as well as separate statistics for external and internal exposure. (authors)

Superconducting Sphere in an External Magnetic Field Revisited

Science.gov (United States)

Sazonov, Sergey N.

2013-01-01

The purpose of this article is to give the intelligible procedure for undergraduate students to grasp proof of the fact that the magnetic field outside the hollow superconducting sphere (superconducting shell) coincides with the field of a point magnetic dipole both when an uniform external magnetic field is applied as when a ferromagnetic sphere…

Years of life lost due to external radiation exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raicevic, J.J.; Merkle, J.M.; Ehrhardt, J.; Ninkovic, M.M.

2002-01-01

A new approach for calculation of the years of life lost per excess death (YLL) due to stochastic health effects is applied to external exposure pathways. The short-term external exposures are due to the passage of radioactive cloud (CL) and due to the skin and clothes contamination (SK). The long-term external exposure is the one from the radioactive material deposited on ground (GR). Three nuclides, 131 I , 137 Cs and 239 Pu with extremely wide range of the half-life are considered to examine its possible influence on the calculated YLL values. For each of these nuclides, the YLL is found as a decreasing function of the age at exposure and presented graphically in this paper. Another negative correlation is established between the fully averaged YLL and the duration of the nuclide's half-life has been found for protracted exposure (GR). On the other hand, the YLL for the short-term external exposures (CL and SK) practically does not depend on the nuclide's half-life. In addition, a weak YLL dependence of the dose was commented. (author)

External costs of the nuclear fuel cycle. A scoping study to determine the external costs of the Dutch nuclear fuel cycle in accordance with the EC/US methodology