The effect of electricity and gas losses on Nigeria`s Gross Domestic ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effect of electricity and gas losses on Nigeria`s Gross Domestic Product. ... PROMOTING ACCESS TO AFRICAN RESEARCH. AFRICAN JOURNALS ONLINE (AJOL) · Journals ... West African Journal of Industrial and Academic Research. Journal Home ... Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT

Study of some aspects of the long-run domestic demand for electricity in New Zealand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stent, A F

1982-01-01

This study investigates the long-run domestic demand for electricity in New Zealand over the period 1945 to 1972. The first part analyzes the ownership of electrical appliances using data from the five yearly censuses of population and dwellings. A dynamic appliance ownership model is developed for the analysis. This model explains the proportion of households, in small regional districts, with ownership status of a particular appliance type when observed at census time. It measures the effects of prices, income, and household taste characteristics on ownership. The main results include estimates of long-run electricity price effects. The second part of the thesis estimates dynamic demand equations for electricity. A flow-adjustment model is fitted to moving cross sections of data for individual Electrical Supply Authority districts in the North and South Islands separately. The final part of the thesis undertakes a synthesis of electricity price effects on appliance ownership (from the first part) and electricity demand (from the second part). This indicates substantial consistency in the estimates obtained. The main conclusions for electricity price are that this variable has been a significant factor in explaining the variation in domestic electricity consumption over the period; that the relationship has been inelastic in the later part, in both short and long-runs; and that long-run effects are mainly via the use of the electrical services.

Experience of Using Domestic High-Frequency Electric Welding Technology in Surgical Treatment of Patients with Abdominal Pathology

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A.M. Babiy

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The article presents the experience of using electric welding technology of biological tissues with domestic high-frequency electrical generator EC 300 M1 in 176 patients at open and laparoscopic surgery for abdominal pathology. The analysis of findings showed that electric welding of living tissue provides reliable hemostasis, promotes tissue repair after their separation.

Task 2 Report - A GIS-Based Technical Potential Assessment of Domestic Energy Resources for Electricity Generation.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Nathan [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Grue, Nicholas W [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Rosenlieb, Evan [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2018-03-14

The purpose of this report is to support the Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines in assessing the technical potential of domestic energy resources for utility scale electricity generation in the Lao PDR. Specifically, this work provides assessments of technical potential, and associated maps of developable areas, for energy technologies of interest. This report details the methodology, assumptions, and datasets employed in this analysis to provide a transparent, replicable process for future analyses. The methodology and results presented are intended to be a fundamental input to subsequent decision making and energy planning-related analyses. This work concentrates on domestic energy resources for utility-scale electricity generation and considers solar photovoltaic, wind, biomass, and coal resources. This work does not consider potentially imported energy resources (e.g., natural gas) or domestic energy resources that are not present in sufficient quantity for utility-scale generation (e.g., geothermal resources). A technical potential assessment of hydropower resources is currently not feasible due to the absence of required data including site-level assessments of multiple characteristics (e.g., geology environment and access) as well as spatial data on estimated non-exploited hydropower resources. This report is the second output of the Energy Alternatives Study for the Lao PDR, a collaboration led by the Lao Ministry of Energy and Mines and the United States Agency for International Development under the auspices of the Smart Infrastructure for the Mekong program. The Energy Alternatives Study is composed of five successive tasks that collectively support the project's goals. This work is focused on Task 2 - Assess technical potential of domestic energy resources for electricity generation. The work was carried out by a team from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in collaboration with the Lao Ministry of Energy

Evolution under domestication: contrasting functional morphology of seedlings in domesticated cassava and its closest wild relatives.

Science.gov (United States)

Pujol, Benoît; Mühlen, Gilda; Garwood, Nancy; Horoszowski, Yael; Douzery, Emmanuel J P; McKey, Doyle

2005-04-01

Although cassava (Manihot esculenta ssp. esculenta) is asexually propagated, farmers incorporate plants from seedlings into planting stocks. These products of sex are exposed to selection, which in agricultural environments should favour rapid growth. To examine whether seedling morphology has evolved under domestication, we compared domesticated cassava, its wild progenitor (M. esculenta ssp. flabellifolia) and their sister species (M. pruinosa) under controlled conditions. Field observations complemented laboratory study. In both wild taxa, the hypocotyl did not elongate (hypogeal germination) and cotyledons remained enclosed in the testa. In domesticated cassava, the hypocotyl elongated (epigeal germination), and cotyledons emerged and became foliaceous. The difference in hypocotyl elongation was fixed, whereas cotyledon morphology varied with environmental conditions in M. pruinosa. Comparative analysis suggests that epigeal germination is primitive in Manihot, that the lineage including wild ancestors of cassava evolved hypogeal germination--which confers greater tolerance to risks in their savanna environment--and that with domestication, there was a reversion to epigeal germination and photosynthetic cotyledons, traits conferring high initial growth rates in agricultural habitats. Copyright New Phytologist (2005).

Plant domestication and gene banks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perrino, P.

1989-01-01

At the time of the dawn of agriculture, plant domestication was very slow. As agriculture progressed, however, domestication began to evolve faster and reached its highest point with the advent of plant breeders who played a very important role in solving the world food problem. One of the fastest moving strategies was a better exploitation of genetic diversity, both natural and induced. However, intensive plant breeding activity caused a heavy fall in genetic variability. Gene banks then provided a further tool for modern agriculture, specifically to preserve genetic resources and to help breeders to further domesticate important crops and to introduce and domesticate new species. (author). 3 refs

The Impact of Socio-Economic Indicators on Sustainable Consumption of Domestic Electricity in Lithuania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sergej Vojtovic

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Lithuania is one of the EU Member States, where the rate of energy consumption is comparatively low but consumption of electricity has been gradually increasing over the last few years. Despite this trend, households in only three EU Member States consume less electricity than Lithuanian households. The purpose of this research is to analyse the impact of socio-economic factors on the domestic electricity consumption in Lithuania, i.e., to establish whether electricity consumption is determined by socio-economic conditions or population’s awareness to save energy. Cointegration analysis, causality test and error-correction model were used for the analysis. The results reveal that there is a long run equilibrium relationship between residential electricity consumption per capita and GDP at current prices as well as the ratio of the registered unemployed to the working-age population. In consequence, the results of the research propose that improvement of living standards for Lithuanian community calls for the necessity to pay particular attention to the promotion of sustainable electricity consumption by providing consumers with appropriate information and feedback in order to seek new energy-related consumption practices.

Homecell: design and development of a 2 kW fuel cell based electric energy generating system, for the domestic market

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bordallo, C.R.; Moreno, E.; Brey, J.J.; Garcia, C.; Castro, A.; Sarmiento, B. [Hynergreen Technologies, S.A., Seville (Spain)

2004-07-01

'Full text:' Even though fuel cell technology has been known in industry for decades now, it has come to the fore in recent years hand in hand with renewable energy sources and the hydrogen vector, as a clean, reliable and efficient electric energy source. Within the stationary applications of fuel cells, the production of high output electric energy has always stood out and this could range from several hundreds of watts to megawatts to supply large plants. The objective of this project is to develop, construct and experimentally validate an electric energy generating system for domestic applications of up to 2 kW. This is due to the fact that multiple domestic applications currently exist for which an electric output of 2 kW is sufficient. On the other hand, an electricity supply might not exist, or might be deficient; and this system will enable electricity supply even under these circumstances. Moreover, the existing system is very versatile and could be complemented with other hydrogen production ones (using photovoltaic energy for example), or else two systems could be used in parallel if outputs up to 4 kW were required, and other applications in other markets, such as telecommunications or tele-metering systems, could be undertaken. (author)

Environmental challenges and opportunities of the evolving North American electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaughan, S.; Patterson, Z.; Miller, P.; Block, G.

2002-06-01

The Secretariat of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) was responsible for the preparation of this working paper that identifies key issues related to the evolving electricity sector and the environment. It was decided to approach the topics from an anecdotal or case-by-case basis, as the issues are very complex and the scope wide. There are ongoing discussions concerning principles, design, rules, institutional structure and consequences pertaining to the introduction of free markets in the electricity sector. Efficiency gains will be realised over time, as was argued in the paper by advocates of the competitive electricity markets in both the United States and Canada. Marginal decreases in electricity prices resulting from greater choice are also expected, in addition to the price decreases resulting from the efficiency gains. The authors warned that these benefits belong to the theoretical field, as only a small fraction of customers have switched to alternate providers in those jurisdictions where customer choice is allowed. The case of California was discussed, with its greatly increased volatility in wholesale electricity markets to illustrate how price increases have overwhelmed the expected price reductions from increased efficiency. Eight different sections were created in this paper to properly address all the issues. An overview of the current electricity sector, from the perspective of installed capacity, generation and fuel mix in North America was provided in Section One. The environmental context of electricity generation, with the focus on criteria air pollutants and non-air environmental impacts was discussed in Section Two. The various scenarios concerning electricity supply and demand, with forecasts to 2010 and 2020 were included in Section Three, in addition to a discussion related to New Generating capacity data to 2007. Possible environmental impacts of this new generating capacity was examined in Section Four, while in Section

The role of domestic biomass in electricity, heat and grid balancing markets in Switzerland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Panos, Evangelos; Kannan, Ramachandran

2016-01-01

The Swiss Energy Strategy targets to reduce per capita energy consumption, to decrease the share of fossil energy and to replace nuclear electricity generation by gains in efficiency and renewable energy sources. In view of the above objectives, we evaluated the prospects of biomass in stationary applications and grid balancing from an energy system perspective. We quantify a number of “what-if” scenarios using a cost-optimisation bottom-up model, with detailed representation of biomass production and use pathways, electricity and heat sectors, and grid ancillary services markets. The scenario analysis shows that domestic biomass can contribute 5–7% in electricity and 14–21% in heat production by 2050, depending on natural gas prices and climate policy intensity. Pooling of biogenic driven cogeneration plants can provide about 22–44% of the total secondary control power in 2050. Generally, biogenic technologies complement other assets in heat, electricity and ancillary services markets such as heat pumps, new renewable sources and hydropower. - Highlights: • Development and application of the Swiss TIMES electricity and heat system model. • Bioenergy supplies 5–7% of electricity and 14–21% of heat by 2050. • Biogenic gas driven CHP can provide 22–44% of secondary control power in 2050.

Electrical production for domestic and industrial applications using hybrid PV-wind system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Essalaimeh, S.; Al-Salaymeh, A.; Abdullat, Y.

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Modeling and building hybrid system of PV and wind turbine. ► Investigation of the electrical generation under Amman–Jordan’s climate. ► Configuration of theoretical and actual characteristics of the hybrid system. ► Testing effects of dust, inclination and load on the electrical generation. ► Financial analysis for various applications. - Abstract: The present work shows an experimental investigation of using a combination of solar and wind energies as hybrid system for electrical generation under the Jordanian climate conditions. The generated electricity has been utilized for different types of applications and mainly for space heating and cooling. The system has also integration with grid connection to have more reliable system. Measurements included the solar radiation intensity, the ambient temperature, the wind speed and the output power from the solar PV panels and wind turbine. The performance characteristic of the PV panels has been obtained by varying the load value through a variable resistance. Some major factors have been studied and practically measured; one of them is the dust effect on electrical production efficiency for photovoltaic panels. Another factor is the inclination of the PV panels, where varying the angle of inclination has a seasonal importance for gathering the maximum solar intensity. Through mathematical calculation and the collected and measured data, a simple payback period has been calculated of the hybrid system in order to study the economical aspects of installing such a system under Jordanian climate conditions and for different usages and local tariffs including domestic, industrial and commercial applications. It was found through this work that the generated electricity of hybrid system and under Jordanian climate conditions can be utilized for electrical heating and cooling through split units and resistive heaters.

A high-resolution stochastic model of domestic activity patterns and electricity demand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Widen, Joakim; Waeckelgard, Ewa

2010-01-01

Realistic time-resolved data on occupant behaviour, presence and energy use are important inputs to various types of simulations, including performance of small-scale energy systems and buildings' indoor climate, use of lighting and energy demand. This paper presents a modelling framework for stochastic generation of high-resolution series of such data. The model generates both synthetic activity sequences of individual household members, including occupancy states, and domestic electricity demand based on these patterns. The activity-generating model, based on non-homogeneous Markov chains that are tuned to an extensive empirical time-use data set, creates a realistic spread of activities over time, down to a 1-min resolution. A detailed validation against measurements shows that modelled power demand data for individual households as well as aggregate demand for an arbitrary number of households are highly realistic in terms of end-use composition, annual and diurnal variations, diversity between households, short time-scale fluctuations and load coincidence. An important aim with the model development has been to maintain a sound balance between complexity and output quality. Although the model yields a high-quality output, the proposed model structure is uncomplicated in comparison to other available domestic load models.

ASPECTS ON THE EFFICIENCY OF MOBILE TEAM INTERVENTIONS ON ELECTRICAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTION EQUIPMENT TOWARDS DOMESTIC AND INDUSTRIAL CONSUMERS

OpenAIRE

Cristinel POPESCU

2017-01-01

The paper aims at presenting how to coordinate intervention teams in the event of failure regimes in electric power distribution installations to domestic and industrial low voltage consumers. The work was theoretically and practically supported by an application implemented within the Faculty of Engineering and coordinated by the author.

Design of a hybrid emissivity domestic electric oven

Science.gov (United States)

Isik, Ozgur; Onbasioglu, Seyhan Uygur

2017-10-01

In this study, the radiative properties of the surfaces of an electric oven were investigated. Using experimental data related to an oven-like enclosure, a novel combination of surface properties was developed. Three different surface emissivity combinations were analysed experimentally: low-emissivity, high emissivity (black-coated), and hybrid emissivity. The term "hybrid emissivity design" here corresponds to an enclosure with some high emissive and some low-emissive surfaces. The experiments were carried out according to the EN 50304 standard. When a brick (load) was placed in the enclosure, the view factors between its surfaces were calculated with the Monte Carlo method. These and the measured surface temperatures were then used to calculate the radiative heat fluxes on the surfaces of the load. The three different models were compared with respect to energy consumption and baking time. The hybrid model performed best, with the highest radiative heat transfer between the surfaces of the enclosure and the load and minimum heat loss from the cavity. Thus, it was the most efficient model with the lowest energy consumption and the shortest baking time. The recent European Union regulation regarding the energy labelling of domestic ovens was used.

Demand Response on domestic thermostatically controlled loads

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lakshmanan, Venkatachalam

. For a safe and reliable operation of electric power systems, the balance between electricity generation and consumption has to be maintained. The conventional fossil fuel based power generation achieves this balance by adjusting the generation to follow the consumption. In the electric power system......Electricity has become an inevitable part of human life in present day world. In the past two centuries, the electric power system has undergone a lot of changes. Due to the awareness about the adverse impact of the fossil fuels, the power industry is adopting green and sustainable energy sources....... In general, the electricity consumers are classified as industrial, commercial and domestic. In this dissertation, only the thermostatically controlled loads (TCLs) in the domestic segment are considered for the demand response study. The study is funded by Danish Council for Strategic Research (DCSR...

Leaking electricity in domestic appliances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meier, Alan; Rosen, Karen

1999-01-01

Many types of home electronic equipment draw electric power when switched off or not performing their principal functions. Standby power use (or ''leaking electricity'') for most appliances ranges from 1 - 20 watts. Even though standby use of each device is small, the combined standby power use of all appliances in a home can easily exceed 50 watts. Leaking electricity is already responsible for 5 to 10 percent of residential electricity use in the United States and over 10 percent in Japan. An increasing number of white goods also have standby power requirements. There is a growing international effort to limit standby power to around one watt per device. New and existing technologies are available to meet this target at little or no extra cost

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services: Historical Concerns and Contemporary Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Macy, Rebecca J.; Giattina, Mary C.; Parish, Susan L.; Crosby, Carmen

2010-01-01

More than 20 years ago, concerns were raised about whether domestic violence and sexual assault agencies need for stable funding would conflict with the values that initiated these respective movements. Since then, the movements have evolved considerably. Therefore, it is timely to investigate the challenges domestic violence and sexual assault…

Casebook on electric safety accidents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-09-01

This book gives concentration on electric safety accidents in domestic and abroad, which introduces general electrical safety with property of electricity, safe equipment and maintenance and protection of electric shock. It lists the cases of accident caused of electricity in domestic like accident in power substation, utilization equipment, load system and another accident by electricity like death in electric shock another by electricity like death in electric shock in new building construction, the cases caused of electricity in abroad like damage in electric shock by high voltage electric transformer, electric shock in summer and earth fault accident by fault cooling tower.

Electric power prices, price control and competition on the European domestic electric power market. Stromtarife, Preisaufsicht und Wettbewerb im Europaeischen Binnenmarkt fuer Strom

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weigt, N

1993-01-01

If one speaks of electric power prices and price control in the year 1992, this subject has a different dimension than it did two or three years ago, when the new federal rate scale for electric power (ETO Elt) was drawn up and put into practice. Since the beginning of this year, a draft for guidelines which was drawn up by the EC Commission exists which, going on the assumption that the European domestic electric power market will set an example, does away with territorial protection and in the name of third party access (TPA) allows for electric power-line transit, thus introducing at least partial competition to the electric power market. We no longer think in terms of closed systems with clear-cut responsibilities in regard to power supply, which form the basis for the laws on electric power prices, the cartel laws, the practices of the electric power control board and the cartel authorities. Thus, using the new federal rate scale for electric power and its principles as formulated in Article 1 as a point of departure, developments will go in the direction of a competitive system in accordance with the ideas of the EC Commission and German free-enterprise theoreticians, as laid down for example by the deregulation commission. Thus developments will lead us away from the status quo in the direction of possible reforms, if not to say revolutionary structural changes and the consequnces which they will bring for price and cartel laws. (orig.)

Survival of the Friendliest: Homo sapiens Evolved via Selection for Prosociality.

Science.gov (United States)

Hare, Brian

2017-01-03

The challenge of studying human cognitive evolution is identifying unique features of our intelligence while explaining the processes by which they arose. Comparisons with nonhuman apes point to our early-emerging cooperative-communicative abilities as crucial to the evolution of all forms of human cultural cognition, including language. The human self-domestication hypothesis proposes that these early-emerging social skills evolved when natural selection favored increased in-group prosociality over aggression in late human evolution. As a by-product of this selection, humans are predicted to show traits of the domestication syndrome observed in other domestic animals. In reviewing comparative, developmental, neurobiological, and paleoanthropological research, compelling evidence emerges for the predicted relationship between unique human mentalizing abilities, tolerance, and the domestication syndrome in humans. This synthesis includes a review of the first a priori test of the self-domestication hypothesis as well as predictions for future tests.

Deregulation of Electricity Market and Drivers of Demand for Electrical Energy in Industry

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bojnec Štefan

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This paper investigates deregulation of electricity market focusing on electricity prices and drivers of demand for electrical energy in industry in Slovenia. The patterns in evolution of real electricity price developments and the three main components of the electricity price are calculated: liberalized market share for purchased electricity price, regulated infrastructure share for use of electricity network grids and mandatory state charges in the sale of electricity (duty, excise duty and value-added tax. To calculate the real value of electricity prices, producer price index of industrial commodities for electricity prices in industry is used as deflator and implicit deflator of gross domestic product for the size of the economy. In the empirical econometric part is used regression analysis for the amount electricity consumption in the industry depending on the real gross domestic product, direct and cross-price elasticity for natural gas prices in the industry. The results confirmed volatility in real electricity price developments with their increasing tendency and the increasing share of different taxes and state charges in the electricity prices for industry. Demand for electrical energy in industry is positively associated with gross domestic product and price of natural gas as substitute for electrical energy in industry use, and negatively associated with prices of electrical energy for industry.

The emerging threat of domestic terrorism: a systematic review of evolving needs, threats, and opportunities

OpenAIRE

Wright, Lynn M.

2014-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited The domestic terrorist threat in the United States is active and complex, with ongoing threats from violent left- and right-wing extremist groups, and radicalization and recruitment efforts by international terrorist groups. In response, domestic intelligence agencies, at all levels of government, have instituted reforms and improvements since 9/11, but there are still gaps in information-sharing and community engagement. For example, ...

Export orientation and domestic electricity generation: Effects on energy efficiency innovation in select sectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Urpelainen, Johannes

2011-01-01

Why are some countries developing many energy efficiency innovations, while others are lagging behind? I argue that export orientation and electricity at low variable cost from nuclear and hydropower plants have an interactive effect on energy efficiency innovation. Export-oriented countries have strong incentives to invest in energy efficiency innovation, as they are in a position to export these technology innovations for global markets. But if inexpensive electricity is supplied in a country, the domestic demand for energy efficiency innovation is missing, and so the home market cannot serve as a springboard for international commercialization. I test this theory against international patent data on energy efficiency innovation in insulation, heating, and lighting for 22 OECD countries, 1991-2007. The statistical analysis indicates that export orientation has large positive effects on energy efficiency innovation in countries that do not rely on nuclear and hydroelectricity. - Highlights: → Export-oriented countries produce energy efficiency innovations. → Nuclear and hydropower reduce energy efficiency innovation. → Data on international patents from industrialized countries support the argument.

Comparative gross domestic production and electricity consumption per capita in the context of nuclear power prospect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ridzuan Abdul Mutalib; Maragatham Kumar; Nik Arlina Nik Ali; Abi Muttaqin Jalal Bayar; Aisya Raihan Abdul Kadir; Muhammed Zulfakar Zolkaffly; Azlinda Aziz; Jamal Khaer Ibrahim

2008-08-01

Malaysia, based on its economic and industrial growth level should be able to absorb nuclear technology and capacity in implementing a nuclear power programme. Malaysia Gross Domestic Production (GDP) and electricity consumption (kWh per capita is higher compared with other developing countries, which have already announced their plans to implement nuclear power programme. Furthermore, Asia reliance on nuclear power plants to meet growing energy needs in the near future is also significantly increasing. This paper presents the comparative GDP and kWh per capita in Asia and globally in the context of nuclear power prospect in Malaysia. (Author)

Electricity demand in Tunisia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gam, Imen; Ben Rejeb, Jaleleddine

2012-01-01

This paper examines the global electricity demand in Tunisia as a function of gross domestic product in constant price, the degree of urbanization, the average annual temperature, and the real electricity price per Kwh. This demand will be examined employing annual data over a period spanning almost thirty one years from 1976 to 2006. A long run relationship between the variables under consideration is determined using the Vector Autoregressive Regression. The empirical results suggest that the electricity demand in Tunisia is sensitive to its past value, any changes in gross domestic product and electricity price. The electricity price effects have a negative impact on long-run electricity consumption. However, the gross domestic product and the past value of electricity consumption have a positive effect. Moreover, the causality test reveals a unidirectional relationship between price and electricity consumption. Our empirical findings are effective to policy makers to maintain the electricity consumption in Tunisia by using the appropriate strategy. - Highlights: ► This paper examined the electricity demand in Tunisia in the long-run. ► The empirical analysis revealed that in the long-run the electricity demand is affected by changes in its past value, GDP in constant price and real electricity price. ► There is a unidirectional relationship between price and electricity consumption, that is to say, that the electricity price causes the consumption. ► Those results suggest that a pricing policy can be an effective instrument to rationalize the electricity consumption in Tunisia in the long-run.

Revamping and Expanding Domestic Electricity Supply. Law draft adopted by the National Assembly; Projet de Loi relatif a la Modernisation et au Developpement du Service Public de l'Electricite adopte par l'Assemblee Nationale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

National Assembly [ed.] [Assemblee Nationale, Paris (France)

1999-03-02

This document presents the draft of the law regarding the revamping and expanding the domestic electricity supply, adopted by the French National Assembly. The first Title devoted to the definition of the domestic electricity supply contains 5 articles. The second Title deals with the production of electricity in the articles 6 through 12. Title three concerns the transport and electricity distribution issue exposed in articles 13 through 21 and three chapters titled: - Chap. 1, Transport of electricity; - Chap. 2, Distribution of electricity; - Chap.3, Safety and security of the grids. The Title four concerns with the access to domestic electricity grids exposed in the articles 22 to 24. The fifth Title settles in articles 25 to 27 the issue of the dissociation and transparency of accounting. The articles 28 through 41 treat under Title six the problems of Regulation. The Object of Electricity Authority of France is stipulated in the Title seven containing only the article 42. Social issues are stipulated in Title eight containing two articles, the first one being a completion to Chapter III of the Title seven in the Labour Law, titled 'Electricity and Gas Industries'. Finally, the Title nine comprising articles 45 to 52 deals with Diverse and Transient Provisions. The law draft was debated in public session in Paris on 2 March and signed by the President Laurent Fabius.

Feasibility study of wind-generated electricity for rural applications in southwestern Ohio

Science.gov (United States)

Kohring, G. W.

The parameters associated with domestic production of wind generated electricity for direct use by small farms and rural homes in the southwestern Ohio region are discussed. The project involves direct utility interfaced electricity generation from a horizontal axis, down-wind, fixed pitch, wind powered induction generator system. Goals of the project are to determine: the ability to produce useful amounts of domestic wind generated electricity in the southwestern Ohio region; economic justification for domestic wind generated electrical production; and the potential of domestic wind generated electricity for reducing dependence on non-renewable energy resources in the southwestern Ohio region.

Design feasibility of an intermittent domestic energy store

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tahat, M.A. [Jordan Univ. of Sceince and Technology, Irbid (Jordan). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering; Babus`Haq, R.F.; O`Callaghan, P.W.; Probert, S.D. [Cranfield Univ., Bedford (United Kingdom). Dept. of Applied Energy

1995-09-01

In recent years, energy storage has been recognised as a potentially significant means by which primary energy consumption can be reduced in domestic, commercial and industrial processes. An intermittent domestic thermochemical heat pump, with a 5 kW{sub e} electric power output when employed as an energy store, is proposed. Different design options have been considered and their economic feasibilities evaluated. (author)

Development of the Optimum Operation Scheduling Model of Domestic Electric Appliances for the Supply-Demand Adjustment in a Power System

Science.gov (United States)

Ikegami, Takashi; Iwafune, Yumiko; Ogimoto, Kazuhiko

The high penetration of variable renewable generation such as Photovoltaic (PV) systems will cause the issue of supply-demand imbalance in a whole power system. The activation of the residential power usage, storage and generation by sophisticated scheduling and control using the Home Energy Management System (HEMS) will be needed to balance power supply and demand in the near future. In order to evaluate the applicability of the HEMS as a distributed controller for local and system-wide supply-demand balances, we developed an optimum operation scheduling model of domestic electric appliances using the mixed integer linear programming. Applying this model to several houses with dynamic electricity prices reflecting the power balance of the total power system, it was found that the adequate changes in electricity prices bring about the shift of residential power usages to control the amount of the reverse power flow due to excess PV generation.

Energy evaluation process of electric domestic refrigerators; Proceso de evaluacion energetica de refrigeradores electrodomesticos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malacara Toral, Manuel; Ruiz Neblina, Joaquin [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Cuernavaca (Mexico)

1993-12-31

A description is made of an energy evaluation study on electric domestic refrigerators carried out by the Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas (IIE), in its strategy for diminishing the energy consumption through the design enhancement, the manufacture, the operation and the standardization of the electric appliances. In order to initiate the evaluation-standardization process, the Mexican (NOM), the American (ANSI/AHAM) and the Canadian (CAN/CSA) standards were taken as a base to harmonize the procedures and the parameters of the tests. The energy assessment demonstrated that there are significant differences among the standards encompassed by the study, therefore, recommendations were made for the harmonization of the standards. [Espanol] Se describe un estudio de evaluacion energetica sobre refrigeradores electrodomesticos realizado en el Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas (IIE) dentro de la estrategia para disminuir los consumos de energia a traves de mejoras en el diseno, la manufactura, la operacion y la normalizacion de equipos electricos. Se tomo como base las normas mexicanas (NOM), americana (ANSI/AHAM) y canadiense (CAN/CSA) para iniciar el proceso de evaluacion-normalizacion a fin de armonizar los procedimientos y parametros de las pruebas. La evaluacion energetica demostro que existen diferencias significativas entre las normas que abarco el estudio por lo que se presentan recomendaciones para la armonizacion de las normas.

Energy evaluation process of electric domestic refrigerators; Proceso de evaluacion energetica de refrigeradores electrodomesticos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Malacara Toral, Manuel; Ruiz Neblina, Joaquin [Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas, Cuernavaca (Mexico)

1992-12-31

A description is made of an energy evaluation study on electric domestic refrigerators carried out by the Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas (IIE), in its strategy for diminishing the energy consumption through the design enhancement, the manufacture, the operation and the standardization of the electric appliances. In order to initiate the evaluation-standardization process, the Mexican (NOM), the American (ANSI/AHAM) and the Canadian (CAN/CSA) standards were taken as a base to harmonize the procedures and the parameters of the tests. The energy assessment demonstrated that there are significant differences among the standards encompassed by the study, therefore, recommendations were made for the harmonization of the standards. [Espanol] Se describe un estudio de evaluacion energetica sobre refrigeradores electrodomesticos realizado en el Instituto de Investigaciones Electricas (IIE) dentro de la estrategia para disminuir los consumos de energia a traves de mejoras en el diseno, la manufactura, la operacion y la normalizacion de equipos electricos. Se tomo como base las normas mexicanas (NOM), americana (ANSI/AHAM) y canadiense (CAN/CSA) para iniciar el proceso de evaluacion-normalizacion a fin de armonizar los procedimientos y parametros de las pruebas. La evaluacion energetica demostro que existen diferencias significativas entre las normas que abarco el estudio por lo que se presentan recomendaciones para la armonizacion de las normas.

[Continuous improvement of portable domestic pelvic floor neuromuscular electrical stimulation on the pelvic floor function of patients with urinary incontinence].

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Zhijing; Zhu, Lan; Lang, Jinghe; Wang, Wei; Shi, Honghui; Pang, Hongxia; Shi, Xinwen

2015-12-01

To evaluate continuous improvement of portable domestic pelvic floor neuromuscular electrical stimulation on the pelvic floor function of patients with stress urinary incontinence after short-term pelvic floor electrophysiological treatment in hospital. Totally 60 women with stress urinary incontinence were recruited for this randomized controlled trial. The control group including a total of 30 patients, only received 4 weeks pelvic floor electrophysiological treatment in the hospital. Family consolidation treatment group (experimental group) including 30 patients, after 4-week treatment in hospital, received 12-week of pelvic floor neuromuscular electrical stimulation using portable electrical stimulator at home under the guidance of doctors. In post-treatment 6 months and 9 months, 1-hour pad test was measured for urine leakage, pelvic floor electrical physiological parameters were assessed, and subjective improvement of symptoms of urinary incontinence were evaluated. All these data were analysed to compare the effect of the two groups. In 9 months after treatment, average change of urine leakage, the control group and experiment group were (75±24)% versus (99±3)%, the difference was statistically significant (Pcontinuous improvement of pelvic floor function.

Domestic Refrigeration, Freezer, and Window Air Conditioner Service. Teacher Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Clemons, Mark

This curriculum guide contains six units of instruction for a course in domestic refrigerator, freezer, and window air conditioner service. The units cover the following topics: (1) service fundamentals; (2) mechanical components and functions; (3) electrical components and control devices; (4) refrigerator and freezer service; (5) domestic ice…

Comparison of the Fecal Microbiota in Feral and Domestic Goats

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María G. Domínguez-Bello

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Animals have co-evolved with mutualistic microbial communities, known as the microbiota, which are essential for organ development and function. We hypothesize that modern animal husbandry practices exert an impact on the intestinal microbiota. In this study, we compared the structure of the fecal microbiota between feral and domestic goats using the G2 PhyloChip and assessed the presence of five tetracycline resistance genes [tet(M, tet(S, tet(O, tet(Q and tet(W] by PCR. Feces were collected from 10 goats: 5 domestic from a farm in the main island of Puerto Rico and 5 feral from the remote dry island of Mona. There were 42 bacterial phyla from 153 families detected in the goats’ feces. A total of 84 PhyloChip-OTUs were different in the fecal microbiota of feral and domestic goat. Both feral and domestic goats carried antibiotic resistance genes tet(O and tet(W, but domestic goats additionally carried tet(Q. Diet, host genetics and antibiotic exposure are likely determinant factors in shaping the intestinal microbiota and may explain the differences observed between feral and domestic goats fecal microbiota.

Evolutionary Genomics of Peach and Almond Domestication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dianne Velasco

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The domesticated almond [Prunus dulcis (L. Batsch] and peach [P. persica (Mill. D. A. Webb] originated on opposite sides of Asia and were independently domesticated ∼5000 yr ago. While interfertile, they possess alternate mating systems and differ in a number of morphological and physiological traits. Here, we evaluated patterns of genome-wide diversity in both almond and peach to better understand the impacts of mating system, adaptation, and domestication on the evolution of these taxa. Almond has around seven times the genetic diversity of peach, and high genome-wide FST values support their status as separate species. We estimated a divergence time of ∼8 MYA (million years ago, coinciding with an active period of uplift in the northeast Tibetan Plateau and subsequent Asian climate change. We see no evidence of a bottleneck during domestication of either species, but identify a number of regions showing signatures of selection during domestication and a significant overlap in candidate regions between peach and almond. While we expected gene expression in fruit to overlap with candidate selected regions, instead we find enrichment for loci highly differentiated between the species, consistent with recent fossil evidence suggesting fruit divergence long preceded domestication. Taken together, this study tells us how closely related tree species evolve and are domesticated, the impact of these events on their genomes, and the utility of genomic information for long-lived species. Further exploration of this data will contribute to the genetic knowledge of these species and provide information regarding targets of selection for breeding application, and further the understanding of evolution in these species.

Evolutionary Genomics of Peach and Almond Domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco, Dianne; Hough, Josh; Aradhya, Mallikarjuna; Ross-Ibarra, Jeffrey

2016-12-07

The domesticated almond [Prunus dulcis (L.) Batsch] and peach [P. persica (Mill.) D. A. Webb] originated on opposite sides of Asia and were independently domesticated ∼5000 yr ago. While interfertile, they possess alternate mating systems and differ in a number of morphological and physiological traits. Here, we evaluated patterns of genome-wide diversity in both almond and peach to better understand the impacts of mating system, adaptation, and domestication on the evolution of these taxa. Almond has around seven times the genetic diversity of peach, and high genome-wide [Formula: see text] values support their status as separate species. We estimated a divergence time of ∼8 MYA (million years ago), coinciding with an active period of uplift in the northeast Tibetan Plateau and subsequent Asian climate change. We see no evidence of a bottleneck during domestication of either species, but identify a number of regions showing signatures of selection during domestication and a significant overlap in candidate regions between peach and almond. While we expected gene expression in fruit to overlap with candidate selected regions, instead we find enrichment for loci highly differentiated between the species, consistent with recent fossil evidence suggesting fruit divergence long preceded domestication. Taken together, this study tells us how closely related tree species evolve and are domesticated, the impact of these events on their genomes, and the utility of genomic information for long-lived species. Further exploration of this data will contribute to the genetic knowledge of these species and provide information regarding targets of selection for breeding application, and further the understanding of evolution in these species. Copyright © 2016 Velasco et al.

Evolutionary Genomics of Peach and Almond Domestication

Science.gov (United States)

Velasco, Dianne; Hough, Josh; Aradhya, Mallikarjuna; Ross-Ibarra, Jeffrey

2016-01-01

The domesticated almond [Prunus dulcis (L.) Batsch] and peach [P. persica (Mill.) D. A. Webb] originated on opposite sides of Asia and were independently domesticated ∼5000 yr ago. While interfertile, they possess alternate mating systems and differ in a number of morphological and physiological traits. Here, we evaluated patterns of genome-wide diversity in both almond and peach to better understand the impacts of mating system, adaptation, and domestication on the evolution of these taxa. Almond has around seven times the genetic diversity of peach, and high genome-wide FST values support their status as separate species. We estimated a divergence time of ∼8 MYA (million years ago), coinciding with an active period of uplift in the northeast Tibetan Plateau and subsequent Asian climate change. We see no evidence of a bottleneck during domestication of either species, but identify a number of regions showing signatures of selection during domestication and a significant overlap in candidate regions between peach and almond. While we expected gene expression in fruit to overlap with candidate selected regions, instead we find enrichment for loci highly differentiated between the species, consistent with recent fossil evidence suggesting fruit divergence long preceded domestication. Taken together, this study tells us how closely related tree species evolve and are domesticated, the impact of these events on their genomes, and the utility of genomic information for long-lived species. Further exploration of this data will contribute to the genetic knowledge of these species and provide information regarding targets of selection for breeding application, and further the understanding of evolution in these species. PMID:27707802

The UK-DALE dataset, domestic appliance-level electricity demand and whole-house demand from five UK homes.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Jack; Knottenbelt, William

2015-01-01

Many countries are rolling out smart electricity meters. These measure a home's total power demand. However, research into consumer behaviour suggests that consumers are best able to improve their energy efficiency when provided with itemised, appliance-by-appliance consumption information. Energy disaggregation is a computational technique for estimating appliance-by-appliance energy consumption from a whole-house meter signal. To conduct research on disaggregation algorithms, researchers require data describing not just the aggregate demand per building but also the 'ground truth' demand of individual appliances. In this context, we present UK-DALE: an open-access dataset from the UK recording Domestic Appliance-Level Electricity at a sample rate of 16 kHz for the whole-house and at 1/6 Hz for individual appliances. This is the first open access UK dataset at this temporal resolution. We recorded from five houses, one of which was recorded for 655 days, the longest duration we are aware of for any energy dataset at this sample rate. We also describe the low-cost, open-source, wireless system we built for collecting our dataset.

Annotating long intergenic non-coding RNAs under artificial selection during chicken domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Yun-Mei; Xu, Hai-Bo; Wang, Ming-Shan; Otecko, Newton Otieno; Ye, Ling-Qun; Wu, Dong-Dong; Zhang, Ya-Ping

2017-08-15

Numerous biological functions of long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) have been identified. However, the contribution of lincRNAs to the domestication process has remained elusive. Following domestication from their wild ancestors, animals display substantial changes in many phenotypic traits. Therefore, it is possible that diverse molecular drivers play important roles in this process. We analyzed 821 transcriptomes in this study and annotated 4754 lincRNA genes in the chicken genome. Our population genomic analysis indicates that 419 lincRNAs potentially evolved during artificial selection related to the domestication of chicken, while a comparative transcriptomic analysis identified 68 lincRNAs that were differentially expressed under different conditions. We also found 47 lincRNAs linked to special phenotypes. Our study provides a comprehensive view of the genome-wide landscape of lincRNAs in chicken. This will promote a better understanding of the roles of lincRNAs in domestication, and the genetic mechanisms associated with the artificial selection of domestic animals.

Electricity energy outlook in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tan, C S; Leong, Y P; Maragatham, K

2013-01-01

Population and income growth are the key drivers behind the growing demand for energy. Demand for electricity in Malaysia is always growing in tandem with its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. The growth for electricity in Malaysia forecasted by Economic Planning Unit (EPU) has shown an increase of 3.52% in 2012 compared to 3.48% in 2011. This growth has been driven by strong demand growth from commercial and domestic sectors. The share of electricity consumption to total energy consumption has increased from 17.4% in 2007 to 21.7% in 2012. The total electricity production was reported at 122.12TWh in 2012, where gas is still the major fuel source contributing to 52.7% of the total generation fuel mix of electricity followed by Coal, 38.9%, hydro, 7.3%, oil, 1% and others, 0.2%. This paper aims to discuss the energy outlook particularly the electricity production and ways toward greener environment in electricity production in Malaysia

Electricity energy outlook in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, C. S.; Maragatham, K.; Leong, Y. P.

2013-06-01

Population and income growth are the key drivers behind the growing demand for energy. Demand for electricity in Malaysia is always growing in tandem with its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. The growth for electricity in Malaysia forecasted by Economic Planning Unit (EPU) has shown an increase of 3.52% in 2012 compared to 3.48% in 2011. This growth has been driven by strong demand growth from commercial and domestic sectors. The share of electricity consumption to total energy consumption has increased from 17.4% in 2007 to 21.7% in 2012. The total electricity production was reported at 122.12TWh in 2012, where gas is still the major fuel source contributing to 52.7% of the total generation fuel mix of electricity followed by Coal, 38.9%, hydro, 7.3%, oil, 1% and others, 0.2%. This paper aims to discuss the energy outlook particularly the electricity production and ways toward greener environment in electricity production in Malaysia

The role of oxytocin in the ability of domestic dogs (Canis familiaris) to use human social cues and bond with humans.

OpenAIRE

Oliva, Jessica Lee

2017-01-01

The domestic dog (Canis familiaris) demonstrates attachment/bonding behaviour towards humans, whilst wolves (Canis lupus) do not. Domestic dogs also use humans’ non-verbal social cues to solve problems better than wolves do, even wolves raised in the same manner as domestic dogs. The neuropeptide oxytocin has been implicated in mammalian bonding and non-verbal intelligence and therefore the oxytocinergic system may have evolved in the dog during domestication in such a manner as to enable the...

Competitiveness Level of Photovoltaic Solar Systems in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso: Study Based on the Domestic Electric Meters Calibration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konan Lambert Amani

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The mean cost price of electricity in Burkina Faso at the end of the last quarter of 2012 was 158 FCFA/kWh for a country where more than 46% of the population lives below the national poverty threshold. To look for solution to that problem, the resort to photovoltaic solar energy is justified for that country. The purpose of this study is to promote the integration of both technical and economical surveys in solar energy preliminary projects in Ouagadougou. To reach that, investigations were carried out in some households and attention was paid from the calibration of the domestic electric meters. Energy demands collected within each household allow us to design a corresponding solar kit through optimization rules. An estimate was edited and financial viability study for each household was also carried out thereafter. In this study, only households using the national electricity network calibration meter on their disadvantage favorably answered to all financial indicators and appear as the only one that could profit from such project. This work is helpful to note that photovoltaic solar energy still stays at a primitive level of competitiveness compared to conventional energy resources for small systems in Ouagadougou.

Legal Design of Domestic Workers Protection Based on Gorontalo Community Local Culture

Science.gov (United States)

Cherawaty Thalib, Mutia

2018-05-01

This study was conducted with an empirical juridical approach. The juridical approach was done by identifying community norms and legal policy related to the domestic workers existence, while the empirical approach was done by observing social phenomenon of housemaid and local culture that underlies the working relationship between employer and domestic workers (housemaid). In-depth interviews and group discussions were done to obtain the data. The result shows that the domestic workers existence in Gorontalo cannot be relied upon the domestic service market because it is increasingly eroded by socio-cultural changes that evolve in the rapid rise society awareness of human rights and technological development. Huyula’s culture values, timoa, ambu, bilohe, and tolianga remain as survival strategies for some domestic workers who last longer with their work. For new domestic workers, the bargaining position is increasingly high with the poor quality of work. Some of the rural workers who still hold the principle of “dila biasa” (uncustomary principle), moomu (unwilling), moolito / moqolito (shame), affect their resilience in working as domestic workers. On the other hand, domestic work relations as a social institution is not supported by strong instruments like the government. Consequently, it needs an integrated thinking and step by step designing of the form of protection for domestic workers based on the local culture values of Gorontalo people.

Growth strategies of electric utilities in context of deregulation and liberalization of electricity market

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Đogić

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper identifies the growth strategies adopted by the electric utilities sector in the context of changes resulting from the deregulation and liberalization of the electricity market. Strategies pursued by the electric utilities sector were rarely the subject of research in the field of strategic management despite the fact that electricity is an indispensable element of everyday life and the economy as a whole. Therefore, a case study of the largest incumbent electric utilities in the Republic of Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, and Macedonia has been conducted, and differences in the degree of market liberalization and core features of these companies have been noted. Research findings have shown that the degree of deregulation can affect the growth strategies of electric utilities. In those countries where the degree of deregulation is lower, electric utilities focus on the domestic market. On the other hand, a higher level of deregulation enables electric utilities to achieve their growth through diversification or innovation. Given the fact that the analyzed electric utilities are operating within relatively small economies, they cannot compete with electric utilities in developed countries, and, apart from international electricity trading, are mostly focused on their domestic markets.

Report on the draft of the law No. 1253 concerning the Revamping and Expanding Domestic Electricity Supply. Volume I. General discussion and Examination of the articles; Rapport sur le projet de loi (no. 1253) relatif a la modernisation et au developpement du service public de l'electricite. Tome I. Discussion generale et Examen des articles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bataille, Christian [Assemblee Nationale, Paris (France)

1999-02-11

This report on the draft of the law No. 1253 concerning the Revamping and Expanding Domestic Electricity Supply is composed of three parts. The first part contains the following three sections: I. The electricity, a commodity as others?; II. The stride towards liberalization; III. France and the opening of electricity market. In turn, the first section addresses the following two subjects: A. The 'classic' approach or recognizing the peculiarity of electricity; B. The European approach or the trend of trivializing the electricity. The second section addresses the subjects titled: A. A long and severe bargaining; B. Directive 96/92/CE of 19 December 1996, a new step in achieving a domestic market of electricity; C. The stage of implementation throughout the member states. The third section presents the current juridical framework and the main problems stipulated in the draft of the law concerning the Revamping and Expanding Domestic Electricity Supply. The second part of this report is devoted to the debates in the Commission of Production and Exchanges and contains the following three sections: I. Auditions; II. General discussion; III. The examination of the articles of the law concerning the Revamping and Expanding Domestic Electricity Supply.

Contribution of domestic industry to the spanish nuclear program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Palacios, L.

1987-01-01

The incorporation of nuclear energy to the spanish electricity supply system dates back to the 1960's, when the industrial infrastructure of the country was being modernized. The first round of Nuclear Power Plants was ordered on a turnkey basis from foreign established vendors and the participation of domestic suppliers of mechanical and electrical equipment was smaller than that of engineering, construction and erection companies. The 1960's and early 1970's witnessed a high rate of growth in electricity consumption. This fact plus the scarcity of domestic energy resources prompted an ambitious energy plan with a strong nuclear component. A second round of non-turnkey orders was placed by the Spanish utilities. Spanish industry, on the basis of a reliable market and the government guidelines to increase substantially the domestic participation, launched a determined effort to reorganize its activities to produce high quality, competitive components. The main thrust of this effort was directed to creating quality asurance systems, assimilating construction codes such as ASME Section III and realizing some investment in equipment and acquisition of manufacturing knowhow. Existing plants were largely used. A third round of plants was ordered during the 1970's for which full participation was targeted. During this phase this industrial infrastructure was completed with some new plants (for primary components and fuel fabrication) and a host of smaller, specialized firms for parts and services. The present situation is one of maturity in the design and manufacturing capacity for most components, with the exception of some raw materials and specialized items for which the economic threshold far exceeds the domestic needs... (author)

The UK-DALE dataset, domestic appliance-level electricity demand and whole-house demand from five UK homes

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Jack; Knottenbelt, William

2015-03-01

Many countries are rolling out smart electricity meters. These measure a home’s total power demand. However, research into consumer behaviour suggests that consumers are best able to improve their energy efficiency when provided with itemised, appliance-by-appliance consumption information. Energy disaggregation is a computational technique for estimating appliance-by-appliance energy consumption from a whole-house meter signal. To conduct research on disaggregation algorithms, researchers require data describing not just the aggregate demand per building but also the ‘ground truth’ demand of individual appliances. In this context, we present UK-DALE: an open-access dataset from the UK recording Domestic Appliance-Level Electricity at a sample rate of 16 kHz for the whole-house and at 1/6 Hz for individual appliances. This is the first open access UK dataset at this temporal resolution. We recorded from five houses, one of which was recorded for 655 days, the longest duration we are aware of for any energy dataset at this sample rate. We also describe the low-cost, open-source, wireless system we built for collecting our dataset.

Domestic wastes: assault course

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durand, C.; Bergey, J.L.

1997-01-01

In the management of domestic waste, some incoherencies persist. The tax on waste is always 20.6% instead of 5.5% for water or transport. The price of buying back electric power by Electricite de France is too low according to the appreciation of the cogeneration club. Regarding to the sell of stream to industrial, stream buyers are not always reliable, no enough guarantee are given by them to allow to cogeneration club to invest. (N.C.)

Identification of domestic needs of modular HTR for electric and heat process industry in Indonesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rusli, A.; Arbie, B.

2000-01-01

Identification of potential applications of the modular high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) in Indonesia has been carried out his was done by surveying and analysing the electric and industrial heat process which included captive power for household and industrial complexes in 13 regional operation areas covered by PT PLN National Electric Company. The area includes from the western Aceh to the eastern Irian Jaya, cities which are 6000 miles apart. Surveying was conducted for several parameters that electric and process heat demand in each region including captive power, geological characteristics of the region, distance of each region from conventional energy resources and the existence of petrochemical industries or other industries which use high temperatures (>500 deg C). In order to obtain a scale of priority in each region, credit points (1-3) and sensitivity factors (0-1) were applied to obtain the total significant value. The regions included are: the east cost of Sumatra, the north coast of Java, the west, south and east coat of Kalimantan as well as the south coast of Sulawesi, beyond which there are thousands of small islands that are safe from a geological and a tectonic point of view. In the preliminary survey, the analysation showed that Regions III, IV, XII and XIII have a high potential priority, followed by Regions I, II, VI, VIII and IX. The potential of domestic participation in the first and second unit was also investigated in relation to the possibility of implementing the HTGR project in Indonesia in the future, and it amounted to about 26% and 31% of the total cost for the first and second units, respectively. A summary of results is shown in Table 1. (authors)

Report on the draft of the law No. 1253 concerning the Revamping and Expanding Domestic Electricity Supply. Volume I. General discussion and Examination of the articles; Rapport sur le projet de loi (no. 1253) relatif a la modernisation et au developpement du service public de l'electricite. Tome I. Discussion generale et Examen des articles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bataille, Christian [Assemblee Nationale, Paris (France)

1999-02-11

This report on the draft of the law No. 1253 concerning the Revamping and Expanding Domestic Electricity Supply is composed of three parts. The first part contains the following three sections: I. The electricity, a commodity as others?; II. The stride towards liberalization; III. France and the opening of electricity market. In turn, the first section addresses the following two subjects: A. The 'classic' approach or recognizing the peculiarity of electricity; B. The European approach or the trend of trivializing the electricity. The second section addresses the subjects titled: A. A long and severe bargaining; B. Directive 96/92/CE of 19 December 1996, a new step in achieving a domestic market of electricity; C. The stage of implementation throughout the member states. The third section presents the current juridical framework and the main problems stipulated in the draft of the law concerning the Revamping and Expanding Domestic Electricity Supply. The second part of this report is devoted to the debates in the Commission of Production and Exchanges and contains the following three sections: I. Auditions; II. General discussion; III. The examination of the articles of the law concerning the Revamping and Expanding Domestic Electricity Supply.

Study on domestic material purchasing in MSR manufacture of conventional island

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Zhengmao

2010-01-01

Combining the real case of Dongfang Electric (Guangzhou) Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. trying to purchase the domestic sealing gasket as needed in the MSR of the conventional island, this paper describes the trends and relevant experience about nuclear power equipment manufacturers purchasing materials in the domestic market, and provides a reference to broadening the procurement channels of the purchasing departments of nuclear equipment manufacturers. (author)

Greenhouse gas emissions behaviour in electric sector during 1990-1999

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez Lopez, Ileana; Perez Martin, David

2000-01-01

The electricity contributes to development and enhances the life level of population. Nevertheless, it generation is one of the major contributors to Greenhouse Gas emissions over the world. In Cuba 94% of electricity is generated based on fossil fuel. During first part of last decade the economic crisis forced the reduction of electricity generation and increased the participation of domestic crude oil in electricity generation. Paper characterizes the electricity generation during 1990-1999 and the fuel mix used. The methodology for emissions calculations is presented and the environment implications of domestic crude oil utilization are shown. Conclusions and recommendations are offered. (author)

Environmental challenges and opportunities of the evolving North American electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-06-01

On April 22, 2001 a joint statement was issued by the Prime Minister of Canada, the Mexican President and the United States President concerning the opportunities for North American cooperation on environment and energy. Efforts are being made by representatives from the three countries to find innovative approaches for expanding the production, distribution and trade in energy, including electricity. Competition in the electricity sector has either been implemented or is under consideration in several jurisdictions within the three countries. The designs of electricity markets that would deliver affordable and reliable electricity in the region are being explored to protect the health and environment of citizens and their neighbours. Fuel choice, technology, pollution control strategies and subsidies are factors that are directly influenced by policy measures. Achieving the twin goals of clean and abundant electricity is dependent on the degree of coordinated interaction between the three countries. To prepare this report, members of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) of North America Electricity and Environment Advisory Board, governments and the general public reviewed and exchanged on key policy issues related to market integration in the electricity sector. Convergence in competitiveness and trade policy is underway in those countries. Secure health and environmental safety nets are called for in the face of uncertainties concerning several characteristics of the electricity sector, such as planned and future generation capacity and location, demand, fuel type and technology. Measures designed to reduce adverse environmental effects might result in efficient and effective regional initiatives generating resources to be used in protection and conservation of the environment. Access to information, environmental impact assessment and integrated resource planning could all be enhanced through cooperation by the three countries on the policy front

Solar heating and domestic hot water system installed at Kansas City, Fire Stations, Kansas City, Missouri

Science.gov (United States)

1980-01-01

The solar system was designed to provide 47 percent of the space heating, 8,800 square feet area and 75 percent of the domestic hot water (DHW) load. The solar system consists of 2,808 square feet of Solaron, model 2001, air, flat plate collector subsystem, a concrete box storage subsystem which contains 1,428 cubic feet of 0.5 inch diameter pebbles weighing 71.5 tons, a DHW preheat tank, blowers, pumps, heat exchangers, air ducting, controls and associated plumbing. Two 120 gallon electric DHW heaters supply domestic hot water which is preheated by the solar system. Auxiliary space heating is provided by three electric heat pumps with electric resistance heaters and four 30 kilowatt electric unit heaters. There are six modes of system operation.

Solar heating and domestic hot water system installed at Kansas City, Fire Stations, Kansas City, Missouri

Science.gov (United States)

1980-07-01

The solar system was designed to provide 47 percent of the space heating, 8,800 square feet area and 75 percent of the domestic hot water (DHW) load. The solar system consists of 2,808 square feet of Solaron, model 2001, air, flat plate collector subsystem, a concrete box storage subsystem which contains 1,428 cubic feet of 0.5 inch diameter pebbles weighing 71.5 tons, a DHW preheat tank, blowers, pumps, heat exchangers, air ducting, controls and associated plumbing. Two 120 gallon electric DHW heaters supply domestic hot water which is preheated by the solar system. Auxiliary space heating is provided by three electric heat pumps with electric resistance heaters and four 30 kilowatt electric unit heaters. There are six modes of system operation.

Electricity consumption forecasting in Italy using linear regression models

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bianco, Vincenzo; Manca, Oronzio; Nardini, Sergio [DIAM, Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Via Roma 29, 81031 Aversa (CE) (Italy)

2009-09-15

The influence of economic and demographic variables on the annual electricity consumption in Italy has been investigated with the intention to develop a long-term consumption forecasting model. The time period considered for the historical data is from 1970 to 2007. Different regression models were developed, using historical electricity consumption, gross domestic product (GDP), gross domestic product per capita (GDP per capita) and population. A first part of the paper considers the estimation of GDP, price and GDP per capita elasticities of domestic and non-domestic electricity consumption. The domestic and non-domestic short run price elasticities are found to be both approximately equal to -0.06, while long run elasticities are equal to -0.24 and -0.09, respectively. On the contrary, the elasticities of GDP and GDP per capita present higher values. In the second part of the paper, different regression models, based on co-integrated or stationary data, are presented. Different statistical tests are employed to check the validity of the proposed models. A comparison with national forecasts, based on complex econometric models, such as Markal-Time, was performed, showing that the developed regressions are congruent with the official projections, with deviations of {+-}1% for the best case and {+-}11% for the worst. These deviations are to be considered acceptable in relation to the time span taken into account. (author)

Electricity consumption forecasting in Italy using linear regression models

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bianco, Vincenzo; Manca, Oronzio; Nardini, Sergio

2009-01-01

The influence of economic and demographic variables on the annual electricity consumption in Italy has been investigated with the intention to develop a long-term consumption forecasting model. The time period considered for the historical data is from 1970 to 2007. Different regression models were developed, using historical electricity consumption, gross domestic product (GDP), gross domestic product per capita (GDP per capita) and population. A first part of the paper considers the estimation of GDP, price and GDP per capita elasticities of domestic and non-domestic electricity consumption. The domestic and non-domestic short run price elasticities are found to be both approximately equal to -0.06, while long run elasticities are equal to -0.24 and -0.09, respectively. On the contrary, the elasticities of GDP and GDP per capita present higher values. In the second part of the paper, different regression models, based on co-integrated or stationary data, are presented. Different statistical tests are employed to check the validity of the proposed models. A comparison with national forecasts, based on complex econometric models, such as Markal-Time, was performed, showing that the developed regressions are congruent with the official projections, with deviations of ±1% for the best case and ±11% for the worst. These deviations are to be considered acceptable in relation to the time span taken into account. (author)

Optimal scheduling for electric heat booster under day-ahead electricity and heat pricing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cai, Hanmin; You, Shi; Bindner, Henrik W.

2017-01-01

Multi-energy system (MES) operation calls for active management of flexible resources across energy sectors to improve efficiency and meet challenging environmental targets. Electric heat booster, a solution for Domestic Hot Water (DHW) preparation under Low-Temperature-District-Heating (LTDH......) context, is identified as one of aforementioned flexible resources for electricity and heat sectors. This paper extends the concept of optimal load scheduling under day-ahead pricing from electricity sector only to both electricity and heat sectors. A case study constructing day-ahead energy prices...

Non-parametric method for separating domestic hot water heating spikes and space heating

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bacher, Peder; de Saint-Aubain, Philip Anton; Christiansen, Lasse Engbo

2016-01-01

In this paper a method for separating spikes from a noisy data series, where the data change and evolve over time, is presented. The method is applied on measurements of the total heat load for a single family house. It relies on the fact that the domestic hot water heating is a process generating...

Beyond the single gene: How epistasis and gene-by-environment effects influence crop domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Doust, Andrew N; Lukens, Lewis; Olsen, Kenneth M; Mauro-Herrera, Margarita; Meyer, Ann; Rogers, Kimberly

2014-04-29

Domestication is a multifaceted evolutionary process, involving changes in individual genes, genetic interactions, and emergent phenotypes. There has been extensive discussion of the phenotypic characteristics of plant domestication, and recent research has started to identify the specific genes and mutational mechanisms that control domestication traits. However, there is an apparent disconnect between the simple genetic architecture described for many crop domestication traits, which should facilitate rapid phenotypic change under selection, and the slow rate of change reported from the archeobotanical record. A possible explanation involves the middle ground between individual genetic changes and their expression during development, where gene-by-gene (epistatic) and gene-by-environment interactions can modify the expression of phenotypes and opportunities for selection. These aspects of genetic architecture have the potential to significantly slow the speed of phenotypic evolution during crop domestication and improvement. Here we examine whether epistatic and gene-by-environment interactions have shaped how domestication traits have evolved. We review available evidence from the literature, and we analyze two domestication-related traits, shattering and flowering time, in a mapping population derived from a cross between domesticated foxtail millet and its wild progenitor. We find that compared with wild progenitor alleles, those favored during domestication often have large phenotypic effects and are relatively insensitive to genetic background and environmental effects. Consistent selection should thus be able to rapidly change traits during domestication. We conclude that if phenotypic evolution was slow during crop domestication, this is more likely due to cultural or historical factors than epistatic or environmental constraints.

Prereduction and melting of domestic titaniferous materials

Science.gov (United States)

Nafziger, R. H.; Jordan, R. R.

1983-03-01

Two domestic ilmenites and one titaniferous magnetite were prereduced by the United States Department of the Interior, Bureau of Mines, in a batch rotary kiln with coal char to assess the feasibility of this technique in improving melting operations and subsequent electric furnace processing. All three prereduced titaniferous materials were melted satisfactorily in an electric arc furnace to produce iron as a metal suitable for further refining to steel; metallizations ranging from 63 to 83 pct of the iron oxides were achieved. The ilmenites yielded titanium enriched slags that were amenable to further processing by conventional methods. Prereduction decreased electrode consumption during furnace operation and also conserved expensive electrical energy that otherwise must be used to reduce and melt totally the entire titaniferous materials charge.

Man's other best friend: domestic cats (F. silvestris catus) and their discrimination of human emotion cues.

Science.gov (United States)

Galvan, Moriah; Vonk, Jennifer

2016-01-01

The ability of domestic dogs (C. lupus famaliaris) to follow and attend to human emotion expressions is well documented. It is unknown whether domestic cats (F. silvestris catus) possess similar abilities. Because cats belong to the same order (Carnivora), but did not evolve to live in complex social groups, research with them enables us to tease apart the influence of social structure versus domestication processes on the capacity to recognize human communicative cues, such as emotions. Two experiments were conducted to determine the extent to which domestic cats discriminate between human emotion cues. The first experiment presented cats with facial and postural cues of happiness and anger from both an unfamiliar experimenter and their familiar owner in the absence of vocal cues. The second experiment presented cats with vocal cues of human emotion through a positively or negatively charged conversation between an experimenter and owner. Domestic cats were only modestly sensitive to emotion, particularly when displayed by their owner, suggesting that a history of human interaction alone may not be sufficient to shape such abilities in domestic cats.

Direct nanoscale imaging of evolving electric field domains in quantum structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Dhar, Rudra Sankar; Razavipour, Seyed Ghasem; Dupont, Emmanuel; Xu, Chao; Laframboise, Sylvain; Wasilewski, Zbig; Hu, Qing; Ban, Dayan

2014-11-28

The external performance of quantum optoelectronic devices is governed by the spatial profiles of electrons and potentials within the active regions of these devices. For example, in quantum cascade lasers (QCLs), the electric field domain (EFD) hypothesis posits that the potential distribution might be simultaneously spatially nonuniform and temporally unstable. Unfortunately, there exists no prior means of probing the inner potential profile directly. Here we report the nanoscale measured electric potential distribution inside operating QCLs by using scanning voltage microscopy at a cryogenic temperature. We prove that, per the EFD hypothesis, the multi-quantum-well active region is indeed divided into multiple sections having distinctly different electric fields. The electric field across these serially-stacked quantum cascade modules does not continuously increase in proportion to gradual increases in the applied device bias, but rather hops between discrete values that are related to tunneling resonances. We also report the evolution of EFDs, finding that an incremental change in device bias leads to a hopping-style shift in the EFD boundary--the higher electric field domain expands at least one module each step at the expense of the lower field domain within the active region.

Evolving Microbial Communities in Cellulose-Fed Microbial Fuel Cell

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Renata Toczyłowska-Mamińska

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The abundance of cellulosic wastes make them attractive source of energy for producing electricity in microbial fuel cells (MFCs. However, electricity production from cellulose requires obligate anaerobes that can degrade cellulose and transfer electrons to the electrode (exoelectrogens, and thus most previous MFC studies have been conducted using two-chamber systems to avoid oxygen contamination of the anode. Single-chamber, air-cathode MFCs typically produce higher power densities than aqueous catholyte MFCs and avoid energy input for the cathodic reaction. To better understand the bacterial communities that evolve in single-chamber air-cathode MFCs fed cellulose, we examined the changes in the bacterial consortium in an MFC fed cellulose over time. The most predominant bacteria shown to be capable electron generation was Firmicutes, with the fermenters decomposing cellulose Bacteroidetes. The main genera developed after extended operation of the cellulose-fed MFC were cellulolytic strains, fermenters and electrogens that included: Parabacteroides, Proteiniphilum, Catonella and Clostridium. These results demonstrate that different communities evolve in air-cathode MFCs fed cellulose than the previous two-chamber reactors.

Experimental evaluation of the consumption of electrical energy of domestic refrigerators in Mexico; Evaluacion experimental del consumo de energia electrica de refrigeradores domesticos en Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arroyo Cabanas, Fernando Gabriel [Programa de Energia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico); Ambriz Garcia, Juan Jose; Paredes Rubio, Hernando Romero [Area de Ingenieria en Recursos Energeticos, Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Mexico, D.F. (Mexico)

2004-06-15

In this work the experimental methodology developed to carry out tests of the electrical energy of refrigerators consumption as norm NOM-015-ENER-2002 is described. The tests were made in the Laboratory of Controlled Environment of the Iztapalapa Unit of the Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana to a sample of old domestic refrigerators in operation. The results found show that the consumption of electrical energy of refrigerators of more than 10 years of age can be higher than 60% of what a modern refrigerator of high efficiency would consume, or 30% higher if the refrigerator was made between 1997 and 2002. With these results it is sustained, in a more complete way, the evaluation of the saving potential of the national electrical energy by the substitution of old domestic refrigerators by modern, as reported in a previous work. [Spanish] En este trabajo se describe la metodologia experimental desarrollada para efectuar pruebas del consumo de energia electrica a refrigeradores conforme la norma NOM-015-ENER-2002. Las pruebas se realizaron en el Laboratorio de Ambiente Controlado de la Unidad Iztapalapa de la Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana a una muestra de refrigeradores domesticos antiguos en operacion. Los resultados encontrados muestran que el consumo de energia electrica de refrigeradores de mas de 10 anos de antig�edad puede superior al 60% de lo que consumiria un refrigerador moderno de alta eficiencia, o superior en un 30% si el refrigerador fue fabricado entre 1997 y 2002. Con estos resultados se sustenta de manera mas completa la evaluacion del potencial de ahorro de energia electrica nacional por substitucion de refrigeradores domesticos antiguos por modernos reportado en un trabajo anterior.

Sizing Combined Heat and Power Units and Domestic Building Energy Cost Optimisation

OpenAIRE

Dongmin Yu; Yuanzhu Meng; Gangui Yan; Gang Mu; Dezhi Li; Simon Le Blond

2017-01-01

Many combined heat and power (CHP) units have been installed in domestic buildings to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy costs. However, inappropriate sizing of a CHP may actually increase energy costs and reduce energy efficiency. Moreover, the high manufacturing cost of batteries makes batteries less affordable. Therefore, this paper will attempt to size the capacity of CHP and optimise daily energy costs for a domestic building with only CHP installed. In this paper, electricity ...

National potential of saving of electricity in domestic refrigeration; Potencial nacional de ahorro de electricidad en refrigeracion domestica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arroyo C, Fernando [Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (Mexico); Ambriz G, Juan Jose; Romero P, Hernando [Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, (Mexico)

2003-07-01

In the present paper the evaluation of the potential of saving of electrical energy in Mexico is presented, by means of the substitution of old refrigerators of low efficiency by modern high efficiency ones. This potential is very ample, since the replacement of the old models by new follows a very slow curve, if the economic difficulties of the Mexican families are considered and that, on the other hand, the technology of the domestic refrigerators is so reliable that they have a very long life and they are not easily rejected. In field work have been found refrigerators operating with ages of more than 30 years and still 40. In Mexico, it is estimated that the refrigeration is responsible for around 29% of the of electricity consumption in homes settled in tempered climate and of 14 % in those of warm climate in which air conditioning is used. The proposal of this work is the organization of a governmental program of accelerated substitution of refrigerators that helps to acquire an efficient refrigerator and to reject the old ones. The results indicate that if a total renovation of the park of domestic refrigerators is made, the saving of electrical energy would reach the 5.2 TWh/a which represents the 44.5% of the total consumption of 11.7 TWh in a year. [Spanish] En el presente trabajo se presenta la evaluacion del potencial de ahorro de energia electrica en Mexico, mediante la substitucion de refrigeradores antiguos de baja eficiencia por modernos de alta eficiencia. Este potencial es muy amplio, ya que el reemplazo de los modelos viejos por nuevos sigue una curva muy lenta, si se consideran las dificultades economicas de las familias mexicanas y que, por otro lado, la tecnologia de los refrigeradores domesticos es tan confiable que tienen una vida muy larga y no se desechan facilmente. En trabajos de campo se han encontrado refrigeradores operando con edades de mas de 30 anos y aun 40. En Mexico, se estima que la refrigeracion es responsable de alrededor del

Wild Origins: The Evolving Nature of Animal Behavior

Science.gov (United States)

Flores, Ifigenia

For billions of years, evolution has been the driving force behind the incredible range of biodiversity on our planet. Wild Origins is a concept plan for an exhibition at the National Zoo that uses case studies of animal behavior to explain the theory of evolution. Behaviors evolve, just as physical forms do. Understanding natural selection can help us interpret animal behavior and vice-versa. A living collection, digital media, interactives, fossils, and photographs will relay stories of social behavior, sex, navigation and migration, foraging, domestication, and relationships between different species. The informal learning opportunities visitors are offered at the zoo will create a connection with the exhibition's teaching points. Visitors will leave with an understanding and sense of wonder at the evolutionary view of life.

Electricity disclosure: The troubled birth of a new policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boardman, Brenda; Palmer, Jane

2007-01-01

As of October 2005, consumers in the EU15 have, in theory, become part of the decision-making process behind determining the national electricity generation mix in their countries. Under European liberalisation legislation, electricity suppliers within the EU are required to provide all customers, both domestic and non-domestic, with information about how their electricity has been generated and to make available details of the consequent environmental impacts. As part of a liberalised market, these 'electricity labels' will play an important role if consumers are to exert the power of choice. Analysis of a pan-European telephone survey involving 3000 participants across 10 countries identifies the potential impact of electricity disclosure. Evidence from the UK demonstrates the many pitfalls between theory and practice and the limited options consumers have at present to influence the generation mix

Maintaining a balanced electricity supply favours increased nuclear capacity in Finland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahti, Toivola

2001-01-01

Finland's electricity supply is based on a balanced mix of energy sources to maximize the security of supply and to keep the volatility of electricity price at a minimum. One third of electricity is obtained from domestic sources hydro, wood and peat. Nuclear power provides one quarter and fossil fuels slightly over one fifth. Electricity imports from neighbour countries cover the rest of the consumption. It is important to maintain this balanced structure also when electricity supply is being increased. Domestic renewable sources are not enough to cover the predicted future needs, and increasing imports would risk the security of supply. Increasing the proportion of fossil fuels is not a generally desired option. Therefore, balanced increase of nuclear capacity has to be included among the choices of future electricity generation. (author)

Domestic energy management methodology for optimizing efficiency in Smart Grids

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Molderink, Albert; Bakker, Vincent; Bosman, M.G.C.; Hurink, Johann L.; Smit, Gerardus Johannes Maria

2009-01-01

Increasing energy prices and the greenhouse effect lead to more awareness of energy efficiency of electricity supply. During the last years, a lot of domestic technologies have been developed to improve this efficiency. These technologies on their own already improve the efficiency, but more can be

How to reduce risk of climate change: Domestic hot water production methanization and programmed timing of heaters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Silvestrini, G.

1992-01-01

This paper first identifies a significant and deleterious trend, in terms of poor energy efficiency and high carbon dioxide emissions, towards the increased use of electric water heaters for sanitary hot water production in single family units. It then points out how the use of wall mounted methane fired boilers can result in overall energy savings (overall electric power consumption for domestic hot water production is estimated to represent one- quarter of Italy's total domestic power demand), as well as air pollution abatement. The feasibility of other methods of energy conservation and pollution abatement in domestic water heating are also examined. These include the use of solar hot water heaters, computerized timers which allow users to program the operation of their heating plants, and the adoption by residential communities of methane fuelled district heating plants

Environmental assessment of domestic wood heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labouze, E.; Le Guerin, Y.

2009-01-01

In France, more than 6 million families are concerned with the domestic use of wood energy. The wood energy plan of ADEME aims at encouraging the development of wood energy in three sectors: domestic, collective/tertiary, industrial. In that context, ADEME commissioned BIO Intelligence Service a life cycle assessment of collective and industrial heating in order to give objective environmental information and to analyse the strength and weakness of wood heating. Three scenarios were defined according to the origin of wood: firewood, granules and sawmill chips. The study also proposes a comparison to other heating systems: gas, fuel oil and electricity. The life cycle analysis applied to domestic heating consists in quantifying the environmental impacts of the whole linked steps: extraction of fuel, distribution, final use... Every system under study has been divided according to three main stages: - Extraction of raw materials; - Transport of fuels until the place of storage or distribution; - Use (combustion or upstream production of energy in the case of electricity). The environmental impacts are estimated with the following indicators: - Non renewable primary energy balance sheet; - Global warming potential; - Air acidification potential; - Eutrophication potential; - Emissions of toxic metals in air and in soils. The results show that wood heating have the best energy and global warming balance sheets. For air acidification, the combustion stage is pre-dominant regardless of the energy resource. This is mainly due to nitrogen and sulphur oxides airborne emissions. For wood heating, preparation requires fuel consumption which also contributes significantly to nitrogen oxides emissions. The comparison with conventional energy shows that the wood scenarios are well positioned in relation to fuel and electricity for this indicator. Gas appears to be the best heating option for this indicator. The contribution eutrophication is also due to nitrogen oxides airborne

A modeling and control framework for operating large-scale electric power systems under present and newly evolving competitive industry structures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marija D. Ilić

1995-01-01

Full Text Available This paper introduces a systematic, structure-based modeling framework for analysis and control of electric power systems for processes evolving over the mid-term and long-term time horizons. Much simpler models than the detailed dynamics specifically for control design at different hierarchical levels are obtained by applying both temporal and spatial separation. These simple models, or the aggregate models, represent the net effect of interactions among interconnected regions on specific hierarchical levels. They are exact, since no assumptions on weak interconnections among the subsystems are made. Moreover they are easily understood in terms of power flows among the regions. The approach is essential for improving present performance of the system. It is also potentially useful in a competitive utility environment in which it is critical to study the interplay between technical and economic processes.

Market Evolution: Wholesale Electricity Market Design for 21st Century Power Systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cochran, Jaquelin [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Miller, Mackay [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Milligan, Michael [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Ela, Erik [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Arent, Douglas [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Bloom, Aaron [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Futch, Matthew [IBM, Northcastle, NY (United States); Kiviluoma, Juha [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espo (Finland); Holtinnen, Hannele [VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, Espo (Finland); Orths, Antje [Energinet.dk (Denmark); Gomez-Lazaro, Emilio [University of Castilla-La Mancha, Real (Spain); Martin-Martinez, Sergio [University of Castilla-La Mancha, Real (Spain); Kukoda, S. [International Copper Association, New York, NY (United States); Garcia, Glycon [International Copper Association, New York, NY (United States); Mikkelsen, Kim M. [Global Green Growth Inst., Seoul (Korea); Yongqiang, Zhao [China National Renewable Energy Center, Beijing (China); Sandholt, Kaare [China National Renewable Energy Center, Beijing (China)

2013-10-01

Demand for affordable, reliable, domestically sourced, and low-carbon electricity is on the rise. This growing demand is driven in part by evolving public policy priorities, especially reducing the health and environmental impacts of electricity service and expanding energy access to under-served customers. Consequently, variable renewable energy resources comprise an increasing share ofelectricity generation globally. At the same time, new opportunities for addressing the variability of renewables are being strengthened through advances in smart grids, communications, and technologies that enable dispatchable demand response and distributed generation to extend to the mass market. A key challenge of merging these opportunities is market design -- determining how to createincentives and compensate providers justly for attributes and performance that ensure a reliable and secure grid -- in a context that fully realizes the potential of a broad array of sources of flexibility in both the wholesale power and retail markets. This report reviews the suite of wholesale power market designs in use and under consideration to ensure adequacy, security, and flexibilityin a landscape of significant variable renewable energy. It also examines considerations needed to ensure that wholesale market designs are inclusive of emerging technologies, such as demand response, distributed generation, and storage.

Domestic violence

Science.gov (United States)

... violence; Spousal abuse; Elder abuse; Child abuse; Sexual abuse - domestic violence ... 2016. National Domestic Violence Hotline website. What is domestic violence? www.thehotline.org/is-this-abuse/abuse-defined . Accessed July 10, 2016.

Pervasive Electricity Distribution System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhammad Usman Tahir

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Now a days a country cannot become economically strong until and unless it has enough electrical power to fulfil industrial and domestic needs. Electrical power being the pillar of any country’s economy, needs to be used in an efficient way. The same step is taken here by proposing a new system for energy distribution from substation to consumer houses, also it monitors the consumer consumption and record data. Unlike traditional manual Electrical systems, pervasive electricity distribution system (PEDS introduces a fresh perspective to monitor the feeder line status at distribution and consumer level. In this system an effort is taken to address the issues of electricity theft, manual billing, online monitoring of electrical distribution system and automatic control of electrical distribution points. The project is designed using microcontroller and different sensors, its GUI is designed in Labview software.

Home electrical system safety in Italy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Auditor,

1990-06-01

Italy, amongst the industrialized countries, has the highest mortality rate due to accidents associated with the improper use or maintenance of home electrical systems. The increasing use of domestic electrical appliances has raised the risk of accidents, especially in homes equipped with out-dated, low-capacity electrical plants and worn wiring. Within this context, this paper reports on the results of survey to establish the worthiness and type of electrical systems in use in a sample of 1,000 residential buildings. The paper then assesses the efficacy of recent normatives designed to increase the safety and efficiency of home electrical installations.

Optimal selection among different domestic energy consumption patterns based on energy and exergy analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, S.; Wu, J.Y.

2010-01-01

In China market, people have many choices for air conditioning of their apartments, including heat-pump systems or gas-fired boilers for heating and air conditioners for cooling. Domestic hot water is usually provided by domestic water heaters making use of electricity or natural gas, which are known for their great energy costs. These systems consume much energy and increase the total cost of required domestic energy. A novel system combining heat pump with water heater is proposed in this paper, and it is named domestic energy system. The system can realize the provision of space heating, cooling and domestic hot water throughout a year. Based on different types of air conditioners, space heating equipments and water heaters, domestic energy consumption patterns are concluded to be eight categories. This study describes and compares the eight domestic energy consumption patterns by economic analysis and prime energy analysis method. Results show that the domestic energy system can provide good economy and save energy significantly. Furthermore, exergy analysis method is employed to compare the exergy efficiencies of different energy consumption systems. The results show that the domestic energy system has the highest energy conversion efficiency and can make remarkable contribution to social energy saving.

A New System to Estimate and Reduce Electrical Energy Consumption of Domestic Hot Water in Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alberto Gutierrez-Escolar

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Energy consumption rose about 28% over the 2001 to 2011 period in the Spanish residential sector. In this environment, domestic hot water (DHW represents the second highest energy demand. There are several methodologies to estimate DHW consumption, but each methodology uses different inputs and some of them are based on obsolete data. DHW energy consumption estimation is a key tool to plan modifications that could enhance this consumption and we decided to update the methodologies. We studied DHW consumption with data from 10 apartments in the same building during 18 months. As a result of the study, we updated one chosen methodology, adapting it to the current situation. One of the challenges to improve efficiency of DHW use is that most of people are not aware of how it is consumed in their homes. To help this information to reach consumers, we developed a website to allow users to estimate the final electrical energy needed for DHW. The site uses three estimation methodologies and chooses the best fit based on information given by the users. Finally, the application provides users with recommendations and tips to reduce their DHW consumption while still maintaining the desired comfort level.

Imports as a major complication: liberalisation of the green electricity market in the Netherlands

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reijnders, L.

2002-01-01

Liberalisation of the green electricity market in the Netherlands has proceeded in a context of relatively generous fiscal incentives and in line with the position that demand is the limiting factor to Dutch green electricity production. The main result was a massive rise of imports partly covered by Renewable Energy Credits and partly virtual in nature, whereas the domestic expansion of green electricity production remained limited. This shows the importance of a supply side focus in designing policies aimed at the expansion of domestic green electricity production in the context of a common market with different incentives in place. (Author)

The development of electric power/energy trading in Norway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Engebretsen, J.D.

1992-01-01

One of the main aims of the Norwegian government is to make the electric power market more effective. A new energy law has been passed and other initiatives have been taken which have altered the framework of the conditions for electricity production and sales in Norway. The proposition for trading electric power and the development of new policies for calculating transmission tariffs has been dealt with in addition to plans for the extent of the development of hydroelectric power. Norway is the world's sixth largest producer of hydroelectricity. The domestic supply of electricity is described as well as the nature of the reorganization of the transmission of electricity and Norwegian foreign trade proposals within this area. The government is interested in taxing with regard to production instead of on the power itself in order to stimulate better energy economy. It is important that this will have a neutral effect between export and domestic consumption when contract sales to abroad are initiated. A more efficient electric power market will profit Norwegian society. Statistical data are included. (AB)

Domestic violence

OpenAIRE

Tačík, Michal

2015-01-01

Domestic violence The present thesis deals with the phenomenon of domestic violence, from the substantive, procedural and criminological aspects. The first part defines the specifics of domestic violence, its signs and forms. It shows a typology of victims and perpetrators. It analyzes in detail the basic facts of the crimes that are the most commonly perpetrated forms of domestic violence. It also describes the sanctions and some of the treatment programs that are available for perpetrators ...

What did domestication do to dogs? A new account of dogs' sensitivity to human actions.

Science.gov (United States)

Udell, Monique A R; Dorey, Nicole R; Wynne, Clive D L

2010-05-01

Over the last two decades increasing evidence for an acute sensitivity to human gestures and attentional states in domestic dogs has led to a burgeoning of research into the social cognition of this highly familiar yet previously under-studied animal. Dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) have been shown to be more successful than their closest relative (and wild progenitor) the wolf, and than man's closest relative, the chimpanzee, on tests of sensitivity to human social cues, such as following points to a container holding hidden food. The "Domestication Hypothesis" asserts that during domestication dogs evolved an inherent sensitivity to human gestures that their non-domesticated counterparts do not share. According to this view, sensitivity to human cues is present in dogs at an early age and shows little evidence of acquisition during ontogeny. A closer look at the findings of research on canine domestication, socialization, and conditioning, brings the assumptions of this hypothesis into question. We propose the Two Stage Hypothesis, according to which the sensitivity of an individual animal to human actions depends on acceptance of humans as social companions, and conditioning to follow human limbs. This offers a more parsimonious explanation for the domestic dog's sensitivity to human gestures, without requiring the use of additional mechanisms. We outline how tests of this new hypothesis open directions for future study that offer promise of a deeper understanding of mankind's oldest companion.

International and Domestic Market Opportunities for Biomass Power: Volumes I and II

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1998-09-01

This report examines the domestic and international markets for biopower. Domestic and foreign markets present fundamentally different challenges to private power developers. Volume I focuses on the domestic market for biopower. The domestic challenge lies in finding economically viable opportunities for biopower. Vol. I outlines the current state of the U.S. biomass industry, discusses policies affecting biomass development, describes some demonstration projects currently underway, and discusses the future direction of the industry. Volume II focuses on the international market for biopower. Recent literature states that the electricity investment and policy climate in foreign markets are the key elements in successful private project development. Vol. II discusses the financing issues, policy climate, and business incentives and barriers to biopower development. As India and China are the largest future markets for biopower, they are the focus of this volume. Three other top markets- -Brazil, Indonesia, and the Philippines--are also discussed. Potential financial resources wrap up the discussion.

Technique on rationalization of using electricity and cases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-04-01

This book deals with rationalization of using electric and cases. It is divided into four parts. The first part introduces necessity and of progression rationalization of using electric. The second part describes the technique on rationalization of using electric with management of electric energy. The third part depicts domestic cases of rationalization on using of electric such as substation and motor. The last part also introduces foreign cases of rationalization on using of electric with measure of generator circuit, design of motor, design of lighting and design of other equipment.

Evolvability Search: Directly Selecting for Evolvability in order to Study and Produce It

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mengistu, Henok; Lehman, Joel Anthony; Clune, Jeff

2016-01-01

of evolvable digital phenotypes. Although some types of selection in evolutionary computation indirectly encourage evolvability, one unexplored possibility is to directly select for evolvability. To do so, we estimate an individual's future potential for diversity by calculating the behavioral diversity of its...... immediate offspring, and select organisms with increased offspring variation. While the technique is computationally expensive, we hypothesized that direct selection would better encourage evolvability than indirect methods. Experiments in two evolutionary robotics domains confirm this hypothesis: in both...... domains, such Evolvability Search produces solutions with higher evolvability than those produced with Novelty Search or traditional objective-based search algorithms. Further experiments demonstrate that the higher evolvability produced by Evolvability Search in a training environment also generalizes...

Life cycle assessment of domestic heat pump hot water systems in Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Moore Andrew D.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Water heating accounts for 23% of residential energy consumption in Australia, and, as over half is provided by electric water heaters, is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Due to inclusion in rebate schemes heat pump water heating systems are becoming increasingly popular, but do they result in lower greenhouse gas emissions? This study follows on from a previous life cycle assessment study of domestic hot water systems to include heat pump systems. The streamlined life cycle assessment approach used focused on the use phase of the life cycle, which was found in the previous study to be where the majority of global warming potential (GWP impacts occurred. Data was collected from an Australian heat pump manufacturer and was modelled assuming installation within Australian climate zone 3 (AS/NZS 4234:2011. Several scenarios were investigated for the heat pumps including different sources of electricity (grid, photovoltaic solar modules, and batteries and the use of solar thermal panels. It was found that due to their higher efficiency heat pump hot water systems can result in significantly lower GWP than electric storage hot water systems. Further, solar thermal heat pump systems can have lower GWP than solar electric hot water systems that use conventional electric boosting. Additionally, the contributions of HFC refrigerants to GWP can be significant so the use of alternative refrigerants is recommended. Heat pumps combined with PV and battery technology can achieve the lowest GWP of all domestic hot water systems.

14 CFR 25.1365 - Electrical appliances, motors, and transformers.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... Equipment § 25.1365 Electrical appliances, motors, and transformers. (a) Domestic appliances must be... 14 Aeronautics and Space 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Electrical appliances, motors, and transformers. 25.1365 Section 25.1365 Aeronautics and Space FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF...

De-domestication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gamborg, Christian; Gemmen, Bart; Christiansen, Stine Billeschou

2010-01-01

as wild or non-wild and the effect this has on questions about how they should be treated. It also concerns the value of nature, and the kind and degree of nature management considered appropriate. The paper first describes actual de-domestication practices and considers the character of human duties...... to animals in process of de-domestication. Secondly, the paper explores the implications of de-domestication for nature management, focusing on notions of naturalness and wildness. Finally, because the current division of ethical topics, with its dependence upon whether animals and nature are domesticated...

A potential candidate for the sustainable and reliable domestic energy generation–Thermoelectric cogeneration system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng, X.F.; Yan, Y.Y.; Simpson, K.

2013-01-01

Due to being solid-state, noiseless and maintenance free, thermoelectric devices have found wide applications in different areas since they were discovered over 180 years ago. The applications are concerned with environment-friendly refrigeration and power generation in transportation tools, industrial utilities, military devices, medical services and space applications. It is utilisation of waste heat in varying applications that make the modules particularly attractive. Nevertheless, despite a few academic papers, there has not been extensive use in the domestic sector. A concept of thermoelectric cogeneration system (‘TCS’) is proposed to highlight the direction for enhancing the sustainability by improving the energy efficiency in domestic sector. Compared to the thermoelectric systems used in other areas which only uses the part of converted energy but wastes the unconverted part by dissipating it into the environment, the system presented here maximally recover the available heat by generating electrical power and producing hot water simultaneously. The viability of this system concept is evaluated on a bench-scale experimental prototype. The outputs of electrical power and hot water have been investigated at different temperature difference. The cost saving potential and cost recovery period have been estimated using the available heat sources in domestic sector. The results intend to provide reference for developing the real-scale domestic thermoelectric cogeneration system and show the potential benefits

Evolvable synthetic neural system

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, Steven A. (Inventor)

2009-01-01

An evolvable synthetic neural system includes an evolvable neural interface operably coupled to at least one neural basis function. Each neural basis function includes an evolvable neural interface operably coupled to a heuristic neural system to perform high-level functions and an autonomic neural system to perform low-level functions. In some embodiments, the evolvable synthetic neural system is operably coupled to one or more evolvable synthetic neural systems in a hierarchy.

Gas supply and Yorkshire Electricity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

1995-04-01

Yorkshire Electricity, among other independent suppliers of gas, now competes for a share of the United Kingdom gas market, previously monopolised by British Gas. The experience of this successful electric utility company, expanding into the industrial and domestic gas supply market is described in the article. The company`s involvement stems partly from the fact that significant volumes of gas are landed at three terminals within its franchise area. The company will also seek to use subsidaries to generate electric power from gas turbine power plants and explore the possibilities of developing combined heat and power (CHP) plants where appropriate. (UK)

Public Sensitization as a Tool for Preventing Domestic Violence against Women in Nsukka Education Zone, Enugu State, Nigeria

Science.gov (United States)

Oyeoku, E. K.; Meziobi, D.; Ezegbe, N. B.; Obikwelu, C. L.

2013-01-01

The main purpose of the study was to evolve modalities for preventing domestic violence against women in Nsukka education zone. Three research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study. The sample comprised 150 urban women and 450 rural women in Nsukka education zone. A 20-item questionnaire was developed, validated, and administered to…

Domestication and tameness: brain gene expression in red junglefowl selected for less fear of humans suggests effects on reproduction and immunology.

Science.gov (United States)

Bélteky, Johan; Agnvall, Beatrix; Johnsson, Martin; Wright, Dominic; Jensen, Per

2016-08-01

The domestication of animals has generated a set of phenotypic modifications, affecting behaviour, appearance, physiology and reproduction, which are consistent across a range of species. We hypothesized that some of these phenotypes could have evolved because of genetic correlation to tameness, an essential trait for successful domestication. Starting from an outbred population of red junglefowl, ancestor of all domestic chickens, we selected birds for either high or low fear of humans for five generations. Birds from the fifth selected generation (S 5 ) showed a divergent pattern of growth and reproduction, where low fear chickens grew larger and produced larger offspring. To examine underlying genetic mechanisms, we used microarrays to study gene expression in thalamus/hypothalamus, a brain region involved in fear and stress, in both the parental generation and the S 5 . While parents of the selection lines did not show any differentially expressed genes, there were a total of 33 genes with adjusted p -values below 0.1 in S 5 . These were mainly related to sperm-function, immunological functions, with only a few known to be relevant to behaviour. Hence, five generations of divergent selection for fear of humans produced changes in hypothalamic gene expression profiles related to pathways associated with male reproduction and to immunology. This may be linked to the effects seen on growth and size of offspring. These results support the hypothesis that domesticated phenotypes may evolve because of correlated effects related to reduced fear of humans.

Qualification of electric equipments for nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chauvin, G.; Raimondo, E.

1983-03-01

Description of the testing equipment, testing methods and standards of the resistance to seisms of electrical equipments (switches, pump motors, electrovalves, ...) for electronuclear power plants in France. Presentation of the French design and construction rules for electrical devices in the domestic and export nuclear market (resistance to thermodynamical and chemical stresses, to seisms, etc...) [fr

Electric Drive Study

Science.gov (United States)

1987-03-01

compound promises to reduce weight of future permanent magnet motors by 20 to 30 percent; a similar reduction is expected in size (approximately 20...drive systems. The AC permanent magnet (brushless DC motor) is rapidly evolving and will replace most electrically excited machines. Permanent magnet motors using

Correlation of COD and BOD of domestic wastewater with the power output of bioreactor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khan, A M; Ataullah,; Shaheen, A; Ahmad, I; Malik, F; Shahid, H A [Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Campus, University Road, Karachi-75300 (Pakistan). Research Laboratory of Bioenergy, Department of Chemistry

2011-04-15

This research article deals with the studies on the development of the correlation of COD, BOD, and BOD/sub 5/ of domestic wastewater (DWW), and fermented domestic wastewater (FDWW) with the power output of the microbial fuel cell (MFC). The fermentation of DWW was carried out with yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and yogurt bacteria (Streptococcus lactis) to produce biohydrogen which was converted to the electrical energy through the development of microbial fuel cell (MFC). The values of COD, BOD, and BOD/sub 5/ for yogurt fermented domestic wastewater (Yogurt-FDWW) were found to be greater than the values of yeast fermented domestic wastewater (Yeast-FDWW). The power output of DWW and FDWW was increased with the increase in COD, BOD and BOD/sub 5/ values. The main objective of this article is to develop the renewable alternative of fossil fuels which are the major cause of global warming and global pollution. (author)

Correlation of COD and BOD of domestic wastewater with the power output of bioreactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, A.M.; Ataullah; Shaheen, A.; Ahmad, I.; Malik, F.; Shahid, H.A.

2011-01-01

This research article deals with the studies on the development of the correlation of COD, BOD, and BOD/sub 5/ of domestic wastewater (DWW), and fermented domestic wastewater (FDWW) with the power output of the microbial fuel cell (MFC). The fermentation of DWW was carried out with yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), and yogurt bacteria (Streptococcus lactis) to produce biohydrogen which was converted to the electrical energy through the development of microbial fuel cell (MFC). The values of COD, BOD, and BOD/sub 5/ for yogurt fermented domestic wastewater (Yogurt-FDWW) were found to be greater than the values of yeast fermented domestic wastewater (Yeast-FDWW). The power output of DWW and FDWW was increased with the increase in COD, BOD and BOD/sub 5/ values. The main objective of this article is to develop the renewable alternative of fossil fuels which are the major cause of global warming and global pollution. (author)

Electric Vehicle Careers: On the Road to Change

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, James

2012-01-01

Many occupations related to electric vehicles are similar to those that help to make and maintain all types of automobiles. But the industry is also adding some nontraditional jobs, and workers' skill sets must evolve to keep up. This article describes careers related to electric vehicles. The first section is about the electric vehicle industry…

Electric vehicles integration within low voltage electricity networks & possibilities for distribution energy loss reduction

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lampropoulos, I.; Veldman, E.; Kling, W.L.; Gibescu, M.; Slootweg, J.G.

2010-01-01

With the prospect of an increasing number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the road, domestic charging will be the most obvious way to recharge the vehicles’ batteries. However, this can have adverse impacts to low voltage (LV) distribution grids such as high current demand, increased 3-phase load

Reforming European electricity industries: to each, his own ''single market''

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glachant, J.M.

2000-01-01

National transpositions of the European directive on domestic electricity markets have maintained a degree of diversity; and this also characterizes the other conditions for accessing national electricity markets (physical, commercial, industrial and capital access). As a look at the prices of electricity shows, these national markets do not operate in a single way Europe-wide. Furthermore, electricity companies - key actors in this competition - differ widely from each other in size, electrical potential, investment portfolios and strategies for growth. (authors)

Spatial Resilience of Outdoor Domestic Space in Mozambique

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Céline Felicio Veríssimo

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Historically, the people of Mozambique have faced oppression and social spatial segregation and responded in a way that has reinforced rather than dismantled their traditional values. Since pre-colonial times, the population’s strategy for escaping from environmental and foreign political disruption has been to reinvent tradition, based on the principles of resilience, resistance and self-reliance. The development of decentralised human settlements, involving the appropriation of land for domestic space and the self-organisation of neighbourhoods, were strategies to protect communities from adversity and secure collective self-reliance. Following Mozambique’s conversion to globalization, the post-colonial ‘cement city’ is now the core of neo-liberalism, as a node of the global economy, where foreign donors and international market economy control national political economy, exacerbating the premise of the negation of self-sufficiency that continues to evolve resiliently at its margins. The adoption of a neo-liberal model of development during the 1990s, completely bypasses the realities of Mozambican society. This paper argues that the strategy of self-production of space regarding the household/Outdoor Domestic Space unit, which existed previously as a resistance strategy, first of all against colonialism and secondly, against the statist definition of socialism, thirdly, has become a successful strategy for survival, as the building block of the decentralised Agrocity, in the face of a global economy which totally neglects both the people and the land. Outdoor Domestic Space is a multifaceted space that refers to the external space surrounding the built house and which, in the case of Mozambique, is where daily life takes place, involving strong social, ecological and productive functions. Under successive periods of political economy oppression and environmental adversity, the Outdoor Domestic Space has been adapted and refined to

The impact of high PV penetration levels on electrical distribution networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Collinson, A; Beddoes, A; Thornycroft, J [Halcrow (United Kingdom); Strbac, G; Jenkins, N [UMIST, Manchester (United Kingdom); Verhoeven, B [KEMA (Netherlands)

2002-07-01

This report describes the results of a collaborative study by EA Technology, UMIST and Halcrow into the effects of large-scale connection of dispersed photovoltaic (PV) power systems on the national electricity supply network. The report is intended to help manufacturers and installers of PV systems and electricity companies to understand the issues associated with grid connection of PV power systems. The increased use of PV systems is expected to have a significant impact on the design, operation and management of electricity supply networks. The study examined three main areas: probability and risk analysis of islanding; PV and network voltage control (including analysis of voltage control in a commercial, domestic retrofit and domestic new build scenarios); and future low voltage network design and operational policies.

Diversity of fuel sources for electricity generation in an evolving U.S. power sector

Science.gov (United States)

DiLuccia, Janelle G.

Policymakers increasingly have shown interest in options to boost the relative share of renewable or clean electricity generating sources in order to reduce negative environmental externalities from fossil fuels, guard against possible resource constraints, and capture economic advantages from developing new technologies and industries. Electric utilities and non-utility generators make decisions regarding their generation mix based on a number of different factors that may or may not align with societal goals. This paper examines the makeup of the electric power sector to determine how the type of generator and the presence (or lack) of competition in electricity markets at the state level may relate to the types of fuel sources used for generation. Using state-level electricity generation data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration from 1990 through 2010, this paper employs state and time fixed-effects regression modeling to attempt to isolate the impacts of state-level restructuring policies and the emergence of non-utility generators on states' generation from coal, from fossil fuel and from renewable sources. While the analysis has significant limitations, I do find that state-level electricity restructuring has a small but significant association with lowering electricity generation from coal specifically and fossil fuels more generally. Further research into the relationship between competition and fuel sources would aid policymakers considering legislative options to influence the generation mix.

The electrical power sector in Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gengyilmaz, Nese; Savruk, Nurettin

1998-01-01

In Turkey, highest priority is given to domestic resources, whenever economical. Imports are considered in case it is feasible. Diversification of resources is also taken into account. Efficient utilization of the resources and energy conservation are ensured ant supported. Measures for environmental and public health protection are taken into consideration during power generation and planing. In energy investments, foreign capital and domestic private sector are promoted along with the public sector. A rational structure in energy pricing is applied without any subsidies. Feasible interconnections and higher electric power exchanges with neighbouring countries are supported

Study Of Solar Charging Facility For Electric Vehicles In Edinburgh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Walid Nassar

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The solar power system decreases carbon dioxide CO2 emissions which are the lead cause of global warming. This paper presented a novel way to design a commercial solar photovoltaic PV farm to provide electricity for 10 of the Edinburgh domestic car fleet. The design is used for sizing of the solar system based on an excel spreadsheets. The results show that the proposed solar system reduces the CO2 emissions with around 95 less than the conventional energy system. Around 0.5TWh of electrical energy is required to meet Edinburgh domestic car fleet whenever converted to electrical vehicles. The PV solar panels at the investigated site has a capacity factor of around 12. The dynamic tilt angle is estimated for the investigated site while the fixed tilt angle is determined to be 49. Depending on dynamic solar panels leads to harvesting more solar energy than depending on fixed tilt angle around 14 higher energy. The meter square of land in Edinburgh receive some 950KWh per year based on the dynamic tilt angle. Around 218000 of solar panels are required to meet 10 of Edinburgh domestic car fleet.

Electromagnetic foundations of electrical engineering

CERN Document Server

Faria, J A Brandao

2008-01-01

The applications of electromagnetic phenomena within electrical engineering have been evolving and progressing at a fast pace. In contrast, the underlying principles have been stable for a long time and are not expected to undergo any changes. It is these electromagnetic field fundamentals that are the subject of discussion in this book with an emphasis on basic principles, concepts and governing laws that apply across the electrical engineering discipline. Electromagnetic Foundations of Electrical Engineering begins with an explanation of Maxwell's equations, from which the fundament

The State’s obligation to protect the individuals lives from the consequences of domestic violence: Kosovo case

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MSc. Vilard Bytyqi

2016-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to treat the important aspects, which deal with State’s obligations to protect individuals’ lives from the consequences of the domestic violence. Thus, domestic violence is a concerning issue, which derives many consequences that sometimes are irreparable. In many cases, the State is obliged to save individuals’ lives from the effects of the domestic violence. The State will not be held responsible in all the cases for the consequences of the domestic violence. Due to the scarcity of the regulation of all the situations in the normative terms, the judicial practice that considers the cases of the right to live has evolved greatly, such that it has set many standards in case of increased institutional responsibility towards the consequences caused by the domestic violence. Due to a practical elaboration, the paper as such will focus in the treatment of cases from the judicial practice in the context of the State’s obligation to save individual’s life, whose life is endangered. Furthermore, there will also be an emphasis in the protection of the right to life and the State’s responsibility in relation to the consequences caused by the actions of the third parties.

The load shift potential of plug-in electric vehicles with different amounts of charging infrastructure

Science.gov (United States)

Gnann, Till; Klingler, Anna-Lena; Kühnbach, Matthias

2018-06-01

Plug-in electric vehicles are the currently favoured option to decarbonize the passenger car sector. However, a decarbonisation is only possible with electricity from renewable energies and plug-in electric vehicles might cause peak loads if they started to charge at the same time. Both these issues could be solved with coordinated load shifting (demand response). Previous studies analyzed this research question by focusing on private vehicles with domestic and work charging infrastructure. This study additionally includes the important early adopter group of commercial fleet vehicles and reflects the impact of domestic, commercial, work and public charging. For this purpose, two models are combined. In a comparison of three scenarios, we find that charging of commercial vehicles does not inflict evening load peaks in the same magnitude as purely domestic charging of private cars does. Also for private cars, charging at work occurs during the day and may reduce the necessity of load shifting while public charging plays a less important role in total charging demand as well as load shifting potential. Nonetheless, demand response reduces the system load by about 2.2 GW or 2.8% when domestic and work charging are considered compared to a scenario with only domestic charging.

Evaluations of different domestic hot water preparing methods with ultra-low-temperature district heating

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Xiaochen; Li, Hongwei; Svendsen, Svend

2016-01-01

of Legionella in the DHW (domestic hot water) and assure the comfortable temperature, all substations were installed with supplementary heating devices. Detailed measurements were taken in the substations, including the electricity demand of the supplementary heating devices. To compare the energy and economic...

Freer markets and the abatement of carbon emissions. The electricity-generating sector in India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khanna, Madhu; Zilberman, David

1999-01-01

This paper develops a framework to explore the implications of trade and domestic policy distortions for the magnitude of carbon emissions and for the welfare costs of abating these emissions. An application to the electricity-generating sector in India shows that economic policy reforms can also be effective environmental policy instruments and reduce carbon emissions even in the absence of an emissions tax. This reduction in emissions is accompanied by an increase in domestic welfare, an increase in electricity output, and conservation of coal. Coordinating trade and domestic policy reform with an emissions tax policy reduces emissions further, while leading to gains in welfare that are greater than those under an emissions tax policy alone

A missing link? The case of Norway and Sweden: Does increased renewable energy production impact domestic greenhouse gas emissions?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blindheim, Bernt

2015-01-01

This article examines how the EU's RES directive will impact domestic greenhouse gas emissions in Norway and Sweden by 2020. The directive aims for a higher RES share in the energy consumption mix, and Norway and Sweden have established a common electricity certificate scheme to help achieve these RES goals. In terms of how these two national RES plans will impact domestic emissions by 2020, factors such as nuclear power, consumption changes and the energy balance must be considered. The most practical approach to evaluate the plans’ impact on emissions is to focus on changes in carbon-based consumption within the three directive sectors. The Norwegian RES action plan will not affect domestic emissions unless the electricity surplus generated by the certificate market is used to phase out fossil fuels in domestic sectors beyond the scope of the RES directive. The use of electricity to phase out fossil fuel consumption in the offshore sector would substantially reduce Norwegian emissions figures. The Swedish plan would positively impact Swedish greenhouse gas emissions; however, this impact is limited, primarily because a substantial increase in energy consumption is expected. - Highlights: • Implementation of the EU directive on use of energy from renewable sources (RES). • A comparison between Norway and Sweden. • The common green certificate market. • Does increased share of renewable energy impact on greenhouse gas emissions. • Calculations indicate that increased RES share has limited impact on emissions

Liberalization of electricity markets in Quebec and France: crossed prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Caron, Jocelyn

2011-01-01

This essay focuses on the liberalization of electricity markets in Quebec and France. As in most Western states, Quebec and France have undertaken reforms to liberalize their domestic electricity markets. Starting from a similar arrangement, namely occupied by a state monopoly, the French and Quebecois markets have evolved into a more or less liberalized model. What were the changes brought about by these reforms? What reasons have motivated them? What is the functioning of the model in place in both states? What are the prospects for these markets? To identify the issues of these reforms, this essay will be divided into four chapters. The first chapter will discuss the organization of markets in Quebec and French before the liberalizing reforms: in addition to the organization as such, this chapter will address the reasons why the two states have chosen a market controlled by the state. It emerges from this chapter that both states nationalized and regulated the electricity market to promote economic development and quality standards for a service considered public. The second chapter will examine the genesis of liberalization reforms, the different models of market organization and a summary of selected experiences of liberalization that took place both before those of Quebec and France ones. The diversity of market models and the pitfalls have lived through some states raised the fact that successful liberalization reforms is a complex process. The third chapter will analyse the reforms that changed markets in Quebec and France and more specifically, the organization of the market that has resulted. It is established that if the two markets have been forced to reform themselves by forces outside the two states, the paths that were taken differ greatly. Finally, the fourth chapter will conduct an initial assessment of the reforms and provide some forecast for the future. The reforms that have taken place in both states have produced satisfactory results taking

Toward a domestic electricity market in the EU

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Syrota, J.

2001-01-01

How to promote competition at the EU level so as to break loose from narrow national markets historically dominated by a single utility? This depends on the capacity for physically carrying the electricity of any provider toward any EU consumer... and on doing this under conditions that guarantee safety and quality at a satisfactory cost. It entails making necessary adjustments in the power grid, reinforcing interconnections and uniformizing standards for doing all this. (author)

Domestic Violence

Science.gov (United States)

Domestic violence is a type of abuse. It usually involves a spouse or partner, but it can also ... a child, elderly relative, or other family member. Domestic violence may include Physical violence that can lead to ...

Electric Power Research in 1988 No. 5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-06-01

This book deals with eight fields of electric power, which are study on the high level of confidence of electronic control system with micro computers in a field of generator, study on the emergency scenarios of radiation in nuclear power plant in a field of nuclear energy, research for improvement of record and calculation of SCADA system in a field of supply of electric power, study on the utilization and survey of domestic Bio-mass in a field of energy, and study on the digital communications net for electric power in a field of communication.

Choices for A Brighter Future: Perspectives on Renewable Energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NREL

1999-09-30

The report discusses the perspectives on the evolving U.S. electricity future, the renewable electric technology portfolio, the regional outlook, and the opportunities to move forward. Renewables are at a critical juncture as the domestic electricity marketplace moves toward an era of increased choice and greater diversity. The cost and performance of these technologies have improved dramatically over the past decade, yet their market penetration has stalled as the power industry grapples with the implications of the emerging competitive marketplace. Renewable energy technologies already contribute to the global energy mix and are ready to make an even greater contribution in the future. However, the renewables industry faces critical market uncertainties, both domestically and internationally, as policy commitments to renewables at both the federal and state levels are being reshaped to match the emerging competitive marketplace. The energy decisions that we make, or fail to make, today will have long-lasting implications. We can act now to ensure that renewable energy will play a major role in meeting the challenges of the evolving energy future. We have the power to choose.

Market potential of IGCC for domestic power production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gray, D.; Tomlinson, G.; Hawk, E.; Maskew, J.

1999-01-01

Mitretek Systems and CONSOL Inc. have completed the first phase of a market potential study for Integrated Coal Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) domestic power production. The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) funded this study. The objective of this study is to provide DOE with data to estimate the future domestic market potential of IGCC for electricity generation. Major drivers in this study are the state of technology development, feedstock costs, environmental control costs, demand growth, and dispatchability. This study examines IGCC potential for baseload power production in the Northeast U. S., an important market area by virtue of existing coal infrastructure and proximity to coal producing regions. IGCC market potential was examined for two levels of technology development as a function of natural gas price and carbon tax. This paper discusses the results of this study, including the levels of performance and cost necessary to insure competitiveness with natural gas combined cycle plants

Electricity reform abroad and US investment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-10-01

This report reviews and analyzes the recent electricity reforms in Argentina, Australia, and the United Kingdom (UK) to illustrate how different models of privatization and reform have worked in practice. This report also analyzes the motivations of the U.S. companies who have invested in the electricity industries in these countries, which have become the largest targets of U.S. foreign investment in electricity. Two calculations of foreign investment are used. One is the foreign direct investment series produced by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The other is based on transactions in electric utilities of the three countries. The electricity reform and privatization experiences reviewed may offer some insight as to how the U.S. electricity industry might develop as a result of recent domestic reform efforts and deregulation at the state and national levels. 126 refs., 23 figs., 27 tabs.

A Hydrogen-Evolving Hybrid-Electrolyte Battery with Electrochemical/Photoelectrochemical Charging from Water Oxidation.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Zhaoyu; Li, Panpan; Xiao, Dan

2017-02-08

Decoupled hydrogen and oxygen production were successfully embedded into an aqueous dual-electrolyte (acid-base) battery for simultaneous energy storage and conversion. A three-electrode configuration was adopted, involving an electrocatalytic hydrogen-evolving electrode as cathode, an alkaline battery-type or capacitor-type anode as shuttle, and a charging-assisting electrode for electro-/photoelectrochemically catalyzing water oxidation. The conceptual battery not only synergistically outputs electricity and chemical fuels with tremendous specific energy and power densities, but also supports various approaches to be charged by pure or solar-assisted electricity. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Wild genius - domestic fool? Spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sachser Norbert

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Domestic animals and their wild relatives differ in a wide variety of aspects. The process of domestication of the domestic guinea pig (Cavia aperea f. porcellus, starting at least 4500 years ago, led to changes in the anatomy, physiology, and behaviour compared with their wild relative, the wild cavy, Cavia aperea. Although domestic guinea pigs are widely used as a laboratory animal, learning and memory capabilities are often disregarded as being very scarce. Even less is known about learning and memory of wild cavies. In this regard, one striking domestic trait is a reduction in relative brain size, which in the domesticated form of the guinea pig amounts to 13%. However, the common belief, that such a reduction of brain size in the course of domestication of different species is accomplished by less learning capabilities is not at all very well established in the literature. Indeed, domestic animals might also even outperform their wild conspecifics taking advantage of their adaptation to a man-made environment. In our study we compared the spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs. We expected that the two forms are different regarding their learning performance possibly related to the process of domestication. Therefore wild cavies as well as domestic guinea pigs of both sexes, aged 35 to 45 days, were tested in the Morris water maze to investigate their ability of spatial learning. Results Both, wild cavies and domestic guinea pigs were able to learn the task, proving the water maze to be a suitable test also for wild cavies. Regarding the speed of learning, male as well as female domestic guinea pigs outperformed their wild conspecifics significantly. Interestingly, only domestic guinea pigs showed a significant spatial association of the platform position, while other effective search strategies were used by wild cavies. Conclusion The results demonstrate that domestic guinea pigs do not at all

Wild genius - domestic fool? Spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Lewejohann, Lars; Pickel, Thorsten; Sachser, Norbert; Kaiser, Sylvia

2010-03-25

Domestic animals and their wild relatives differ in a wide variety of aspects. The process of domestication of the domestic guinea pig (Cavia aperea f. porcellus), starting at least 4500 years ago, led to changes in the anatomy, physiology, and behaviour compared with their wild relative, the wild cavy, Cavia aperea. Although domestic guinea pigs are widely used as a laboratory animal, learning and memory capabilities are often disregarded as being very scarce. Even less is known about learning and memory of wild cavies. In this regard, one striking domestic trait is a reduction in relative brain size, which in the domesticated form of the guinea pig amounts to 13%. However, the common belief, that such a reduction of brain size in the course of domestication of different species is accomplished by less learning capabilities is not at all very well established in the literature. Indeed, domestic animals might also even outperform their wild conspecifics taking advantage of their adaptation to a man-made environment.In our study we compared the spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs. We expected that the two forms are different regarding their learning performance possibly related to the process of domestication. Therefore wild cavies as well as domestic guinea pigs of both sexes, aged 35 to 45 days, were tested in the Morris water maze to investigate their ability of spatial learning. Both, wild cavies and domestic guinea pigs were able to learn the task, proving the water maze to be a suitable test also for wild cavies. Regarding the speed of learning, male as well as female domestic guinea pigs outperformed their wild conspecifics significantly. Interestingly, only domestic guinea pigs showed a significant spatial association of the platform position, while other effective search strategies were used by wild cavies. The results demonstrate that domestic guinea pigs do not at all perform worse than their wild relatives in tests of spatial

2008 Annual Report of SGCC on Electricity Market Transactions

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Released by Electricity Transaction Center,State Grid Corporation of China; Zhang Sufang

2009-01-01

@@ Demand of electricity market Electricity market environment Domestic economy has maintained considerable rapid growth,but the growth rate slowed down continuously.In 2008,the global financial crisis increasingly affected the economy entities and the growth rate of domestic economy started to wane quarter by quarter.In the first quarter,the year-on-year growth of GDP was 10.6%,while in the first half of the year,it was 10.4%,and it was lessened to 9.9% if the first three quarters are taken into account.The economic growth throughout the whole year was 9.0%,dipping below double digits for the very first time in the past six years and dropped by 2.9% on year-on-year bases.

Electricity Market Optimization of Heat Pump Portfolio

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Biegel, Benjamin; Andersen, Palle; Pedersen, Tom S.

2013-01-01

We consider a portfolio of domestic heat pumps controlled by an aggregator. The aggregator is able to adjust the consumption of the heat pumps without affecting the comfort in the houses and uses this ability to shift the main consumption to hours with low electricity prices. Further......, the aggregator is able to place upward and downward regulating bids in the regulating power market based on the consumption flexibility. A simulation is carried out based on data from a Danish domestic heat pump project, historical spot prices, regulating power prices, and spot price predictions. The simulations...

Peak reduction in decentralised electricity systems : Markets and prices for flexible planning

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Höning, N.F.

2016-01-01

In contemporary societies, industrial processes as well as domestic activities rely to a large degree on a well-functioning electricity system. This reliance exists both structurally (the system should always be available) and economically (the prices for electricity affect the costs of operating a

FDI spillovers at different levels of industrial and spatial aggregation: Evidence from the electricity sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Del Bo, Chiara F.

2013-01-01

The European electricity sector has undergone significant reforms in recent years, in the direction of market opening, integration and privatization. National and regional markets are now characterized by the presence of domestic and foreign firms, both privately and publicly owned. Did foreign entry induce positive productivity spillovers to domestic firms in the electricity sector, both at the aggregate and disaggregated level, while also controlling for domestic firms' ownership? This paper examines this issue by focusing on regional foreign direct investment (FDI) spillovers in the aggregated electricity sector and in the disaggregated sub-sectors of generation and distribution. The results show the importance of industry aggregation in determining the existence and sign of regional FDI spillovers for domestic firms. FDI spillovers are then calculated based on a purely geographic scale, by considering the distance between each firm's city of location and firms in neighboring cities. The importance and sign of FDI spillovers is different with respect to the analysis based on regional administrative boundaries, suggesting that spatial aggregation, along with industrial aggregation, is relevant in accounting for productivity spillover effects of foreign presence in the EU electricity sector. - Highlights: • Has the post-reform entry of foreign firms in the EU electricity sector induced spillover effects? • Spatial and industrial disaggregation are important when evaluating foreign direct investment (FDI) spillovers. • Positive horizontal spillovers are found only in the distribution segment of the industry. • Vertical spillovers in generation are negative; positive in distribution. • Spillover intensity in distribution decreasing with distance; regional dimension relevant in generation

Solar Plus: A Holistic Approach to Distributed Solar PV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O' Shaughnessy, Eric [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Ardani, Kristen [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Cutler, Dylan [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Margolis, Robert [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-05-25

Solar 'plus' refers to an emerging approach to distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment that uses energy storage and controllable devices to optimize customer economics. The solar plus approach increases customer system value through technologies such as electric batteries, smart domestic water heaters, smart air-conditioner (AC) units, and electric vehicles We use an NREL optimization model to explore the customer-side economics of solar plus under various utility rate structures and net metering rates. We explore optimal solar plus applications in five case studies with different net metering rates and rate structures. The model deploys different configurations of PV, batteries, smart domestic water heaters, and smart AC units in response to different rate structures and customer load profiles. The results indicate that solar plus improves the customer economics of PV and may mitigate some of the negative impacts of evolving rate structures on PV economics. Solar plus may become an increasingly viable model for optimizing PV customer economics in an evolving rate environment.

Solar Plus: A Holistic Approach to Distributed Solar PV

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

OShaughnessy, Eric J. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Ardani, Kristen B. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Cutler, Dylan S. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Margolis, Robert M. [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-06-08

Solar 'plus' refers to an emerging approach to distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) deployment that uses energy storage and controllable devices to optimize customer economics. The solar plus approach increases customer system value through technologies such as electric batteries, smart domestic water heaters, smart air-conditioner (AC) units, and electric vehicles We use an NREL optimization model to explore the customer-side economics of solar plus under various utility rate structures and net metering rates. We explore optimal solar plus applications in five case studies with different net metering rates and rate structures. The model deploys different configurations of PV, batteries, smart domestic water heaters, and smart AC units in response to different rate structures and customer load profiles. The results indicate that solar plus improves the customer economics of PV and may mitigate some of the negative impacts of evolving rate structures on PV economics. Solar plus may become an increasingly viable model for optimizing PV customer economics in an evolving rate environment.

Electricity in France. Activities in 2012. Economic briefing note Nr 707 of the 31 July 2013

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leherpeur, Isabelle

2013-01-01

This publication proposes tables and graphs which illustrate: the evolution of the place of electricity in the French energy assessment since 2002 (in the national production and consumption of primary energy, in the final energy consumption per sector, in the energy bill); the assessment of the electric industry in France (production, trade, consumption); the evolution of production installations and of their production (energy types: nuclear, fossil, hydraulic, other renewable energies), globally and in the different French regions; the evolution of electricity consumption (domestic consumption, final consumption per region and per sector); the evolution of daily energy peaks; the evolution of high and very-high voltage grid (grid lengths); the evolution of energy prices (gas, domestic fuel, propane, electricity) for individual housing and for big industries

New purchase conditions by EDF, of the electrical power produced by the energy valorization installations of domestic wastes and assimilated; Nouvelles conditions d'achat par EDF de l'electricite produite par les installations de valorisation energetique des dechets managers et assimiles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-05-01

The State Secretary for the Industry, C. Pierret, approved the new purchase conditions by EDF, concerning the electric power, produced by the installations of domestic wastes energy valorization. This action is in agreement with the energy policy. The purchase conditions are presented and commented. (A.L.B.)

Generation of Domestic Hot Water, Space Heating and Driving Pattern Profiles for Integration Analysis of Active Loads in Low Voltage Grids

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Diaz de Cerio Mendaza, Iker; Pigazo, Alberto; Bak-Jensen, Birgitte

2013-01-01

at household level. Despite of the well-known flexible service that this kind of loads can provide, their flexibility is highly dependent of the domestic hot water and space heating demand and the driving habits of each user. This paper presents two methodologies employed to randomly generate thermal power......The changes in the Danish energy sector, consequence of political agreements, are expected to have direct impact in the actual power distribution systems. Large number of electric boiler, heat pumps and electric vehicles are planned and will cope large percentage of the future power consumption...... demand and electric vehicle driving profiles, to be used for power grid calculations. The generated thermal profiles relied on a statistical analysis made from real domestic hot water and space heating data from 25 households of a typical Danish residential area. The driving profiles instead were formed...

Strategic prospects of the electric power industry of Russia

Science.gov (United States)

Makarov, A. A.; Veselov, F. V.; Makarova, A. S.; Novikova, T. V.; Pankrushina, T. G.

2017-11-01

The prospects for the development of the electric power industry of Russia adopted at a regular stage of working out the Energy Strategy and the General Plan of Distribution of the Electric Power Facilities are discussed. The monitoring of the progress in the implementation of the Energy Strategies for the periods until 2020 and 2030 adopted in 2003 and 2009 has, in general, validated the correctness of the estimated volumes of the energy resource production under overestimation of the expected domestic demand owing to an excessively optimistic forecast of the real development of the economy. The priority lines of the national energy policy in electric power and allied industries proposed in the Energy Strategy for the period until 2035 are considered. The tools for implementation of most of the proposals and the effectiveness of their implementation have yet to be defined more concretely. The development of the energy sector and the electric power industry under the conservative and optimistic scenarios of the development of the country's economy has been predicted using the SCANER modeling and information system, viz., the dynamics of the domestic consumption, export, and production of the primary energy and the electric power has been determined and the commissioning and structure of the required generating capacities and the consumption of the basic types of the energy resources by the electric power industry and the centralized heat supply systems has been optimized. Changes in the economic efficiency of the nuclear and thermal power plants under the expected improvements on their cost and performance characteristics and an increase in the domestic fuel prices are presented. The competitiveness of the wind and solar power production under Russian conditions has been evaluated considering the necessity of reservation and partial duplication of their capacities when operated in the power supply systems. When optimizing the electric power industry as a subsystem

Evolving perspectives during 12 years of electrical turbulence.

Science.gov (United States)

Winfree, A. T.

1998-03-01

This Focus issue describes a problem in electrical dynamics which has fascinated generations of physiologists. There are today so many views of fibrillation that only the rarest generalization can embrace all of them. Fifty-two prominent investigators collaborate here to present aspects of the problem in these eighteen articles (including this introduction) tailored for readers whose principal expertise lies elsewhere. In "The High One's Lay" (Norse Runes, ca. 800) Odin remarks, "Much too early I came to many places: the beer was not yet ready, or was already drunk em leader " but to this one we come at very nearly the right time in 1998. This introduction attempts to guide newcomers by noting the changed or multiple meanings of novel technical terms while sorting the key facts and ideas into an order that facilitates comparison and contrast with those of a dozen years ago. This Focus issue is authored by some of the foremost innovators of both theory and experiment in this area. By assimilating their presentations the readers of Chaos can become well poised to appreciate and evaluate the definitive evidence expected in the next few years. (c) 1998 American Institute of Physics.

Study of non-domestic applications for active solar heating

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stammers, J.R.

1997-11-01

The UK Department of Trade and Industry (through ETSU) commissioned this study as part of its active solar programme. It was carried out from October 1996 to June 1997. The objective was to assess the potential for the use of active solar heating in non-domestic applications. The study was carried out by searching the literature, carrying out case studies and interviewing members of the solar industry and experts in other fields. There are currently about 45-50 active solar non-domestic schemes in operation in the UK, mostly for heating tap water in buildings of different types. The biggest potential for future non-domestic sales also lies in solar water heating for buildings. Most of the opportunities seem to be in the following building types: ablutions blocks in caravan and holiday camps, sheltered flats and hostels, nursing homes, office buildings, hotels and guest houses, and schools occupied during the summer. There are some other building types which might present niche markets for solar water heating. The market for active solar systems in space heating and cooling appears to be negligible. There is one other market for active solar heating in the non-domestic building sector. This is for warming water used to maintain stand-by generators at a temperature which allows them to kick in without delay in the event of a mains power failure. The main market is in buildings housing computers which control the provision of vital services, e.g. electricity, water and gas. (author)

Electricity generation by microbial fuel cells fuelled with wheat straw hydrolysate

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thygesen, Anders; Poulsen, Finn Willy; Angelidaki, Irini

2011-01-01

Electricity production from microbial fuel cells fueled with hydrolysate produced by hydrothermal treatment of wheat straw can achieve both energy production and domestic wastewater purification. The hydrolysate contained mainly xylan, carboxylic acids, and phenolic compounds. Power generation...... in 95% degradation of the xylan and glucan. The study demonstrates that lignocellulosic hydrolysate can be used for co-treatment with domestic wastewater for power generation in microbial fuel cells....... density with the hydrolysate was higher than the one with only xylan (120 mW m−2) and carboxylic acids as fuel. The higher power density can be caused by the presence of phenolic compounds in the hydrolysates, which could mediate electron transport. Electricity generation with the hydrolysate resulted...

Selection for Oil Content During Soybean Domestication Revealed by X-Ray Tomography of Ancient Beans

Science.gov (United States)

Zong, Yunbing; Yao, Shengkun; Crawford, Gary W.; Fang, Hui; Lang, Jianfeng; Fan, Jiadong; Sun, Zhibin; Liu, Yang; Zhang, Jianhua; Duan, Xiulan; Zhou, Guangzhao; Xiao, Tiqiao; Luan, Fengshi; Wang, Qing; Chen, Xuexiang; Jiang, Huaidong

2017-02-01

When and under what circumstances domestication related traits evolved in soybean (Glycine max) is not well understood. Seed size has been a focus of archaeological attention because increased soybean seed weight/size is a trait that distinguishes most modern soybeans from their ancestors; however, archaeological seed size analysis has had limited success. Modern domesticated soybean has a significantly higher oil content than its wild counterpart so oil content is potentially a source of new insight into soybean domestication. We investigated soybean oil content using X-ray computed tomography (CT; specifically, synchrotron radiation X-ray CT or SRX-CT) of charred, archaeological soybean seeds. CT identified holes in the specimens that are associated with oil content. A high oil content facilitates the development of small holes, whereas a high protein content results in larger holes. The volume of small holes increased slowly from 7,500 to 4,000 cal B.P. We infer that human selection for higher oil content began as early as 7,500 cal B.P. and that high oil content cultivars were well established by 4,000 cal B.P.

Robustness to Faults Promotes Evolvability: Insights from Evolving Digital Circuits.

Science.gov (United States)

Milano, Nicola; Nolfi, Stefano

2016-01-01

We demonstrate how the need to cope with operational faults enables evolving circuits to find more fit solutions. The analysis of the results obtained in different experimental conditions indicates that, in absence of faults, evolution tends to select circuits that are small and have low phenotypic variability and evolvability. The need to face operation faults, instead, drives evolution toward the selection of larger circuits that are truly robust with respect to genetic variations and that have a greater level of phenotypic variability and evolvability. Overall our results indicate that the need to cope with operation faults leads to the selection of circuits that have a greater probability to generate better circuits as a result of genetic variation with respect to a control condition in which circuits are not subjected to faults.

Towards an integrated understanding of the consequences of fungus domestication on the fungus-growing termite gut microbiota

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomas-Poulsen, Michael

2015-01-01

Approximately 30 million years ago (MYA), the subfamily of higher termites Macrotermitinae domesticated a fungus, Termitomyces, as the main plant decomposer and food source for the termite host. The origin of fungiculture shifted the composition of the termite gut microbiota, and some of the func......Approximately 30 million years ago (MYA), the subfamily of higher termites Macrotermitinae domesticated a fungus, Termitomyces, as the main plant decomposer and food source for the termite host. The origin of fungiculture shifted the composition of the termite gut microbiota, and some...... will be powerful, particularly if executed in comparative analyses across the well-established congruent termite-fungus phylogenies. This will allow for testing if gut communities have evolved in parallel with their hosts, with implications for our general understanding of the evolution of gut symbiont communities...

Know Your Rights: Domestic Violence

Science.gov (United States)

... 3224 TTD You CAN do something about domestic violence Domestic violence is a pattern of many behaviors directed ... violence. Look in the Yellow Pages under “domestic violence help,” “domestic violence shelters,” “human services organizations,” or “crisis intervention” ...

Preface: evolving rotifers, evolving science: Proceedings of the XIV International Rotifer Symposium

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Devetter, Miloslav; Fontaneto, D.; Jersabek, Ch.D.; Welch, D.B.M.; May, L.; Walsh, E.J.

2017-01-01

Roč. 796, č. 1 (2017), s. 1-6 ISSN 0018-8158 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : evolving rotifers * 14th International Rotifer Symposium * evolving science Subject RIV: EG - Zoology OBOR OECD: Zoology Impact factor: 2.056, year: 2016

Indonesia’s Electricity Demand Dynamic Modelling

Science.gov (United States)

Sulistio, J.; Wirabhuana, A.; Wiratama, M. G.

2017-06-01

Electricity Systems modelling is one of the emerging area in the Global Energy policy studies recently. System Dynamics approach and Computer Simulation has become one the common methods used in energy systems planning and evaluation in many conditions. On the other hand, Indonesia experiencing several major issues in Electricity system such as fossil fuel domination, demand - supply imbalances, distribution inefficiency, and bio-devastation. This paper aims to explain the development of System Dynamics modelling approaches and computer simulation techniques in representing and predicting electricity demand in Indonesia. In addition, this paper also described the typical characteristics and relationship of commercial business sector, industrial sector, and family / domestic sector as electricity subsystems in Indonesia. Moreover, it will be also present direct structure, behavioural, and statistical test as model validation approach and ended by conclusions.

Wild genius - domestic fool? Spatial learning abilities of wild and domestic guinea pigs

OpenAIRE

Sachser Norbert; Pickel Thorsten; Lewejohann Lars; Kaiser Sylvia

2010-01-01

Abstract Background Domestic animals and their wild relatives differ in a wide variety of aspects. The process of domestication of the domestic guinea pig (Cavia aperea f. porcellus), starting at least 4500 years ago, led to changes in the anatomy, physiology, and behaviour compared with their wild relative, the wild cavy, Cavia aperea. Although domestic guinea pigs are widely used as a laboratory animal, learning and memory capabilities are often disregarded as being very scarce. Even less i...

Multiple energy supply risks, optimal reserves, and optimal domestic production capacities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zweifel, P.; Ferrari, M.

1992-01-01

This study starts from the observation that today's Western trading nations are exposed to multiple risks of energy supplies, e.g. simultaneous shortage of oil and electricity supplies. To cope with these risks, oil can be stockpiled as well as domestic capacity for power production built up. Adopting the viewpoint of a policy maker who aims at minimizing the expected cost of security of supply, optimal simultaneous adjustments of oil stocks and electric production capacities to exogenous changes such as economic growth are derived. Against this benchmark, one-dimensional rules such as 'oil reserves for 90 days' turn out to be not only suboptimal but also to foster adjustments that exacerbate suboptimality. 9 refs., 1 tabs

Towards a demand-side smart domestic electrical energy management system

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Dlodlo, N

2013-01-01

Full Text Available systems that could assist the end-user in achieving this goal. This paper addresses the issue of electrical energy conservation in the home through the adoption of smart technologies (one instantiation of smart technologies). Smart objects are everyday...

High Concentration of Heat Pumps in Suburban Areas and Reduction of Their Impact on the Electricity Network

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pruissen, O.P. van; Kamphuis, I.G.

2011-01-01

One of the challenges of the near future for a more renewable Dutch electricity infrastructure is the embedding of high concentrations of heat pumps in currently built domestic residences. In the Dutch situation demand of electricity occurs simultaneously with demand of heat, high electricity peak

Environmental assessment of wood domestic heating. Synthetic report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-12-01

This report proposes a synthesis of the results of an environmental assessment of wood domestic heating. This study is based on a life cycle analysis which quantifies the impacts on the environment of all the related activities: fuel extraction, retailing, final use, and so on. Environmental impacts are assessed by means of different indicators: energetic assessment, greenhouse effect assessment, air pollution (acidification), water pollution (eutrophication), toxic material emissions in air and into the soils. Wood is compared to other heating sources (gas, fuel, electricity). Ways to improve this environmental assessment are discussed for the different types of wood (logs, pellets)

Perspective on electricity demand beyond 2010

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appert, O.

2000-01-01

Electricity demand has been the fastest growing form of energy use in the OECD for several decades. Historically there have been strong links between national income (gross domestic product), prices and electricity use. If the trends of the past continue, the annual growth rate of electricity demand to 2020 could reach 2% in the OECD and over 4% in developing countries. Although electricity demand is expected to continue the trend of strong growth in the OECD and also in other regions of the world over the coming decades, there is some question in developed countries of the extent to which electricity demand will be moderated by '' saturation ''. That is, will demand growth level off as electricity completes its penetration into most potential applications and equipment becomes more energy efficient? Will commitments to reduce emissions of conventional airborne pollutants and carbon dioxide increase the cost of electricity generation and slow electricity's demand growth? Or, working in the opposite direction, will new end-uses continue to drive electricity's increasing share of final energy consumption? Will lower prices due to electricity market reform have an impact? This paper explores these issues and provides insights in the likely trends in these areas. (author)

International and Domestic Sustainable Forest Management Policies: Distributive Effects on Power among State Agencies in Bangladesh

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lukas Giessen

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The last two decades of forest policy discussions have been dominated by calls for sustainable management of forest resources. Consequently, multiple international and domestic policies, supporting sustainable forest management (SFM, have evolved in numerous jurisdictions. Policies in developing countries often rely on foreign donors’ projects, which supplement domestic SFM policy. These policies assign various policy tasks to specific public bureaucracies, who then compete for these very tasks, as well as the related staff and budgets. Therefore, project and policy task assignment greatly influences bureaucratic power. This article analyzes the distributive effects of SFM policy on power (in terms of coercion, incentives and dominant information among relevant domestic and foreign donor bureaucracies in Bangladesh. Concepts from power theory, bureaucratic politics theory, and concepts of policy and policy process were combined to analyze 121 Bangladeshi SFM policies from 1992–2013, which assign a total of 1012 policy tasks to specific public bureaucracies. Using qualitative content analysis, inferences about power were assigned to specific competing bureaucracies by the totality of SFM policies made. Results identify domestic and foreign bureaucracies whose power distribution benefit most from the SFM policies viz. their competitors. It is concluded that bureaucracies gaining the most power set the limits and directions in designing, implementing and evaluating various elements of any national SFM policies.

Cultivating Microalgae in Domestic Wastewater for Biodiesel Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soha S.M. MOSTAFA

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth of nine species of microalgae (green and blue green microalgae on domestic waste water samples obtained from Zenein Waste Water Treatment Plant (ZWWTP, Giza governorate, Egypt. The species were cultivated in different kind of waste water; before treatment; after sterilization; with nutrients with sterilization and with nutrients without sterilization. The experiment was conducted in triplicate and cultures were incubated at 251C under continuous shaking (150 rpm and illumination (2000 Lux for 15 days. pH, electric conductivity (EC, optical density (OD , dry weight (DW, were done at the time of incubation and at the end of experiment, in addition to determine the percentage of lipid and biodiesel. The data revealed that, domestic waste water with nutrient media (T3 was promising for cultivation of five algal species when compared with conventional media, Moreover, domestic waste water after sterilization (T2 was selected media for cultivation of Oscillatoria sp and Phormedium sp. However, T1 media (waste water without treatment was the promising media for cultivation of Nostoc humifusum. The biodiesel produced from algal species cultivated in waste water media ranged from 3.8 to 11.80% when compared with the conventional method (3.90 to 12.52%. The results of this study suggest that growing algae in nutrient rich media offers a new option of applying algal process in ZWWTP to mange the nutrient load for growth and valuable biodiesel feedstock production.

Cross-subsidy in electricity tariffs: evidence from India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chattopadhyay, P.

2004-01-01

The recent reforms in India have been equated to the reduction of cross-subsidization in electricity tariffs. Examining the usefulness of cross subsidies in electricity tariffs in India, I have argued that they are prone to considerable inefficiencies and should be discontinued. I have also formally examined the viability of above-cost tariffs in the industrial sector to allow subsidized domestic and agricultural consumption. Finally, I have used data from a distribution company in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India to estimate industrial demand for electricity and have found that the policy of cross-subsidy may have indeed gone overboard in India. (author)

Gas-to-power market and investment incentive for enhancing generation capacity: An analysis of Ghana's electricity sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fritsch, Jorik; Poudineh, Rahmatallah

2016-01-01

Ghana's electricity generation capacity is currently insufficient to meet demand, making power outages and load shedding common. The resulting impact is potentially devastating for the country's growth prospects. Traditionally, lack of an affordable and reliable fuel supply for power generation, coupled with ineffective institutions and an unfavourable investment climate, have resulted in Ghana's electricity sector performing poorly. In light of the 2007 discovery of natural gas reserves in Ghanaian waters, this paper examines whether domestic gas could advance the performance of the electricity sector, and if so, how. The results of our analysis show that utilization of gas reserves in Ghana's gas-to-power market is an economically superior strategy compared to an export-oriented utilization scheme. The lack of an effective regulatory framework for investment, skill shortages, and an inefficient electricity pricing structure continue to be the main constraining factors. Our analysis also considers possible approaches to modification of the electricity tariff in order to send the right signal to potential investors in generation capacity, without compromising the affordability of power supply. - Highlights: •We examine if domestic gas can improve the Ghanaian electricity sector performance. •We compare domestic gas-to-power market utilisation versus gas export. •It shows that gas-to-power market is more economical compared to gas export. •Ineffective investment regime, skill shortage and inefficient tariffs are barriers.

Domestic and overseas development of advanced boiling water reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hatazawa, Mamoru; Fuchino, Satoshi; Nakada, Kotaro

2010-01-01

Since Toshiba delivered the world's first advanced boiling water reactor (ABWR) to The Tokyo Electric Power Company, Inc. in 1996, we have been devoting continuous efforts to the construction and operational support of ABWR systems as major products. We are now promoting the construction of domestic and overseas ABWR systems along with the standardization of ABWRs. We are also engaged in the research and development of core technologies to support further promotion of ABWRs as a concurrent solution to the issues of global warming and energy security for individual countries. (author)

The goat domestication process inferred from large-scale mitochondrial DNA analysis of wild and domestic individuals

Science.gov (United States)

Naderi, Saeid; Rezaei, Hamid-Reza; Pompanon, François; Blum, Michael G. B.; Negrini, Riccardo; Naghash, Hamid-Reza; Balkız, Özge; Mashkour, Marjan; Gaggiotti, Oscar E.; Ajmone-Marsan, Paolo; Kence, Aykut; Vigne, Jean-Denis; Taberlet, Pierre

2008-01-01

The emergence of farming during the Neolithic transition, including the domestication of livestock, was a critical point in the evolution of human kind. The goat (Capra hircus) was one of the first domesticated ungulates. In this study, we compared the genetic diversity of domestic goats to that of the modern representatives of their wild ancestor, the bezoar, by analyzing 473 samples collected over the whole distribution range of the latter species. This partly confirms and significantly clarifies the goat domestication scenario already proposed by archaeological evidence. All of the mitochondrial DNA haplogroups found in current domestic goats have also been found in the bezoar. The geographic distribution of these haplogroups in the wild ancestor allowed the localization of the main domestication centers. We found no haplotype that could have been domesticated in the eastern half of the Iranian Plateau, nor further to the east. A signature of population expansion in bezoars of the C haplogroup suggests an early domestication center on the Central Iranian Plateau (Yazd and Kerman Provinces) and in the Southern Zagros (Fars Province), possibly corresponding to the management of wild flocks. However, the contribution of this center to the current domestic goat population is rather low (1.4%). We also found a second domestication center covering a large area in Eastern Anatolia, and possibly in Northern and Central Zagros. This last domestication center is the likely origin of almost all domestic goats today. This finding is consistent with archaeological data identifying Eastern Anatolia as an important domestication center. PMID:19004765

Helminthiasis of the domestic-fowl ( Gallus gallus domestics ) and its ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Helminthiasis of the domestic-fowl ( Gallus gallus domestics ) and its adverse effects on sustainable poultry-meat production in Nigeria. ... This study is a reflection of the case across Nigeria and perhaps the tropical world, where the losses maybe higher because helminthiasis has been reported to be ubitiquous by earlier ...

Energetic, economic and environmental impacts of using nanorefrigerant in domestic refrigerators in Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Javadi, F.S.; Saidur, R.

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Energy saving of using nanorefrigerant except of normal refrigerant in domestic refrigerator is investigated in Malaysia. • Using nanorefrigerant cause to reduce energy consumption of domestic refrigerator. • The maximum energy saving would be happen in case of using 0.1% TiO 2 –mineral oil–R134a nanorefrigerant. • Emission reduction is an environmental effect of using nanorefrigerant. - Abstract: The electricity demand in the residential sector has increased rapidly in recent years in Malaysia. This is mainly due to lifestyle improvement; and is also associated with the increase in the number of domestic refrigerators in this tropical country. This paper investigates the effect of using nanorefrigerant on energy saving in domestic refrigerators and emission reduction of greenhouse gases as an environmental viewpoint. The combination of R-134a refrigerant with TiO 2 and Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles with different mass fractions was scrutinized as a new refrigerant. It has been found that the energy saving using nanorefrigerant (0.1% TiO 2 nanoparticle/Mineral Oil) would be greater than normal refrigerant, with 10,863 MW h reduction in energy consumption by the year 2030. In this regard, this technology will be environmentally friendly by decreasing greenhouse emission, especially in terms of carbon dioxide. Thus, nanorefrigerant can help to increase the performance of domestic refrigerators and reduce energy consumption. Favorable effect on emission reduction and economic justification were concluded

Domestic appliances energy optimization with model predictive control

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodrigues, E.M.G.; Godina, R.; Pouresmaeil, E.; Ferreira, J.R.; Catalão, J.P.S.

2017-01-01

Highlights: • An alternative power management control for home appliances that require thermal regulation is presented. • A Model Predictive Control scheme is assessed and its performance studied and compared to the thermostat. • Problem formulation is explored through tuning weights with the aim of reducing energetic consumption and cost. • A modulation scheme of a two-level Model Predictive Control signal as an interface block is presented. • The implementation costs in home appliances with thermal regulation requirements are reduced. - Abstract: A vital element in making a sustainable world is correctly managing the energy in the domestic sector. Thus, this sector evidently stands as a key one for to be addressed in terms of climate change goals. Increasingly, people are aware of electricity savings by turning off the equipment that is not been used, or connect electrical loads just outside the on-peak hours. However, these few efforts are not enough to reduce the global energy consumption, which is increasing. Much of the reduction was due to technological improvements, however with the advancing of the years new types of control arise. Domestic appliances with the purpose of heating and cooling rely on thermostatic regulation technique. The study in this paper is focused on the subject of an alternative power management control for home appliances that require thermal regulation. In this paper a Model Predictive Control scheme is assessed and its performance studied and compared to the thermostat with the aim of minimizing the cooling energy consumption through the minimization of the energy cost while satisfying the adequate temperature range for the human comfort. In addition, the Model Predictive Control problem formulation is explored through tuning weights with the aim of reducing energetic consumption and cost. For this purpose, the typical consumption of a 24 h period of a summer day was simulated a three-level tariff scheme was used. The new

Electricity Bill

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blair, A.; Beith, A.J.; Hardy, P.

1989-01-01

The first part of the debate, which lasted a total of about 7 hours, a verbatim report of the first five of which are included here, was about energy conservation. Several new clauses and amendments were discussed. One would place a duty on the new Director of the Energy Supply industry to promote the efficiency and conservation of energy, another would appoint a Deputy Director with responsibility for energy conservation, and the third would require targets of energy efficiency and pollution reduction to be achieved. This allowed discussion on energy saving by domestic thermal insulation, improved efficiency of heating and refrigeration units and on renewable energy sources especially world energy. The second part of the debate was about access to information regarding health and safety resulting from any activities of the electricity supply industry. The remainder of the debate concerned regional representation and the economics of the electricity supply industry. (UK)

Sizing Combined Heat and Power Units and Domestic Building Energy Cost Optimisation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dongmin Yu

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Many combined heat and power (CHP units have been installed in domestic buildings to increase energy efficiency and reduce energy costs. However, inappropriate sizing of a CHP may actually increase energy costs and reduce energy efficiency. Moreover, the high manufacturing cost of batteries makes batteries less affordable. Therefore, this paper will attempt to size the capacity of CHP and optimise daily energy costs for a domestic building with only CHP installed. In this paper, electricity and heat loads are firstly used as sizing criteria in finding the best capacities of different types of CHP with the help of the maximum rectangle (MR method. Subsequently, the genetic algorithm (GA will be used to optimise the daily energy costs of the different cases. Then, heat and electricity loads are jointly considered for sizing different types of CHP and for optimising the daily energy costs through the GA method. The optimisation results show that the GA sizing method gives a higher average daily energy cost saving, which is 13% reduction compared to a building without installing CHP. However, to achieve this, there will be about 3% energy efficiency reduction and 7% input power to rated power ratio reduction compared to using the MR method and heat demand in sizing CHP.

When domestic goes capital: Juror decision making in capital murder trials involving domestic homicide.

Science.gov (United States)

Richards, Tara N; Smith, M Dwayne; Fogel, Sondra J; Bjerregaard, Beth

2015-08-01

Prior research suggests that homicide cases involving familial offenders and victims are subject to a "domestic discount" that reduces sentencing severity. However, the operation of a domestic discount in regard to death penalty sentencing has been rarely examined. The current research uses a near-population of jury decisions in capital murder trials conducted in North Carolina from 1991 to 2009 (n = 800), and a series of logistic regression analyses to determine whether there is (a) a direct effect between offender-victim relationship (e.g., domestic, friend/acquaintance, and stranger) and jury decision making, and/or (b) whether domestic offender-victim relationship (as well as other offender-victim relationships) moderates the effect of legal and extralegal case characteristics on jury assessment of the death penalty. Our findings revealed no empirical support for a "domestic discount" whereby juries are less likely to impose death sentences in cases involving domestic homicides. However, substantial differences in predictors of death sentencing were found across offender-victim dyads; most notably, domestic homicide cases demonstrated the most legalistic model of jury decisions to impose death sentences. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Specification and Design of Electrical Flight System Architectures with SysML

Science.gov (United States)

McKelvin, Mark L., Jr.; Jimenez, Alejandro

2012-01-01

Modern space flight systems are required to perform more complex functions than previous generations to support space missions. This demand is driving the trend to deploy more electronics to realize system functionality. The traditional approach for the specification, design, and deployment of electrical system architectures in space flight systems includes the use of informal definitions and descriptions that are often embedded within loosely coupled but highly interdependent design documents. Traditional methods become inefficient to cope with increasing system complexity, evolving requirements, and the ability to meet project budget and time constraints. Thus, there is a need for more rigorous methods to capture the relevant information about the electrical system architecture as the design evolves. In this work, we propose a model-centric approach to support the specification and design of electrical flight system architectures using the System Modeling Language (SysML). In our approach, we develop a domain specific language for specifying electrical system architectures, and we propose a design flow for the specification and design of electrical interfaces. Our approach is applied to a practical flight system.

Canadian electricity and the economy : developing a North American energy perspective : a proposal for action on electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-05-01

This paper presented an overview of the Canadian electric power industry and provided a Canadian industry perspective on what could be done to improve the way in which electricity markets operate in a North American Energy Framework. The measures outlined by the Canadian Electricity Association are based on the solid policy framework already in place in Canada and the United States which have focused on making energy systems more market responsive and reducing environmental impacts. In the past decade, Canadian and U.S. energy markets have become more interdependent regarding oil and gas and electricity in particular. This paper argued the point that while this interdependence has benefited consumers and producers in both countries, it is important to take measures to ensure energy security. In particular, the paper focused on a domestic supply shortage in the U.S. and is aimed at decision-makers and policy advisors in Canada and the United States to strengthen the Canada-U.S electricity partnership

Domestic violence against children

OpenAIRE

Mihić Biljana D.

2002-01-01

In this paper the author is analysing definitions and basic notions related to domestic violence against children, as one of the most serious forms of violence. The special chapter deals with effects of violence against children and causes of domestic violence against them. Also, the author is analysing different forms of social reaction and considering the problem of legal regulation of mandatory reporting domestic violence against children.

Continuous Improvement and its Barriers in Electrical and Electronic Industry

OpenAIRE

Ahmad Md Fauzi; Yan Toh Li; Wei Chan Shiau; Aizat Ahmad Ahmad Nur; Raja Mohd Rasi Raja Zuraidah; Abdul Rahman Nor Aida; Muhd Nor Nik Hisyamudin; Hassan Mohd Fahrul; Hashim Fatan Adibah

2017-01-01

Continuous improvement is one of the core strategies for manufacturing excellent and it is considered vital in today’s business environment. Continuous improvement is an important factor in TQM implementation. However, manufacturers in Electrical and Electronic Industry is facing variety of challenges such as, time constraint, quality issue, headcount issue, human issue and competition in domestic as well as the global market. This paper presents total quality management practices in Electric...

Electrical heating tapes, their use, energy consumption and energy savings potential

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nipkow, J.; Lingenhel, S.

2002-01-01

Heating cables require about 0.6% of Swiss electricity consumption, approximately as much as all TV-sets. Most important applications are domestic hot water distribution tubing, frost protection (tubing, gutters) and industrial tubing, each requiring about 1/3. For over 10 years, self-regulating technology is standard for heating cables and offers pre-defined maintenance temperatures. To minimize electricity consumption, in most applications additional control devices (timer, temperature-/ power control) are necessary. The study could not give a general answer to whether domestic hot water distribution systems should be heated by heating cables or circulation systems. The best solution depends on the specific building circumstances. Conclusions of the technical and market analysis say that measures in different fields can transfer the saving potentials into practice: architects and designers of sanitary and electrical installations should be informed by articles in specialized magazines: the goal is either to avoid the use of heating cables or to minimize their electricity consumption, training of plumbers and electricians should treat the efficient use of heating cables. An instruction leaflet is to be created. Building owners and operators should be informed by their specialized magazines about problems with heating cables. (author)

Domestic work count! Characteristics and transformations of the domestic service in Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raquel Martínez Buján

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This paper explores the characteristics of and transformations that Spanish domestic service has undergone in the since 2000. The paper also analyzes the domestic service’s contribution to the Spanish economy since the beginning of the country’s economic crisis. Relying on quantitative analysis of the domestic work data from the Active Population Survey, the most relevant changes identified are the increase of its demand and the consolidation of migrants workers in it. The paper also looks at the tasks carried out in the households of employers. The recent conversion of the domestic services in a nonprofessional care sector seems to mitigate the burden of personal care work that Spanish families aim to provide to their older relatives. This transformation of domestic work into care work has changed some traditional features of this occupation: the outcomes of qualitative data show changes in the intensification of the tasks carried out, a tendency to higher male workers, a reappearance of live-in workers, and key modifications in the relationship between employer families and employees. Finally, this paper incorporates a short assessment of Real Royal Decree 1620/2011 (which regulates domestic service and Law 39/2006 (Law on the Promotion of Personal Autonomy and Care for Dependent Persons to analyze which is the legal space delegate to the labor category related with the non-professional caregivers in private homes.

Criminal aspects of domestic violence

OpenAIRE

Váňová, Radka

2013-01-01

Criminal aspects of domestic violence SUMMARY Domestic violence is a serious social concern with high level of latency. The domestic violence victims protection is ensured by legal standarts of Civil, Administrative and Criminal Law and other legal standarts. Criminal Law is one of the important instruments for tackling of serious forms of domestic violence. However Criminal Law is an instrument "ultima ratio" which needs claiming of subsidiarity principal of the crime repression. The purpose...

Online-based energy auditing and incentive mechanisms to reduce domestic energy consumption

OpenAIRE

Lossin, Felix; Staake, Thorsten; Fleisch, Elgar

2014-01-01

Domestic energy consumption accounts for about 20-30% of total energy use in western countries [1], [2]. On the level of single households, however, energy consumption tends to vary greatly. This is particularly due to differences regarding behavior and decisions made by individuals. For example, heating and ventilation behavior, the intensity of the use of electrical appliances and hot water, as well as home insulation and weatherization provisions affect total energy consumption. Therefore,...

Nuclear power as an option in electrical generation planning for Croatia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feretic, D.; Tomsic, Z.; Cavlina, N.; Kovacevic, T.

2000-01-01

The expected increase of electricity consumption in the next two decades, if covered mainly by domestic production, will require roughly 4500 MW of new installed capacity. The question is which resource mix would be optimal for the future power plants. Taking into account lack of domestic resources for electricity generation, current trends in the European energy markets, and environmental impact of various energy technologies, it seems reasonable for Croatia to keep the nuclear option open in the future energy planning. In line with that conclusion, this paper analyzes how the introduction of nuclear power plants would influence future power system expansion plans in Croatia, and the possibility to meet the Kyoto requirement. The effects of CO 2 emission tax and external costs on the optimal capacity mix and the emissions levels are also examined. (author)

Swiss electrical statistics for the year 1979

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1980-01-01

The comprehensive report shows the total consumption of electricity during the calendar year 1979 as 36,918 GWh compared with 35,595 GWh for 1978, an increase of 3.7% and is 5,309 kWh per head of population. The total was made up of domestic, agriculture and services 20,165 GWh, railways 2062 GWh, general industry 7,074 GWh, chemical and metallurgical industry 4,389, heating 76 GWh, losses 3,152 GWh. Consumption for domestic and agricultural purposes has increased from 36.2% of the total in the year 1950/51 to 54.6%. The generating sources were hydraulic 73%, nuclear 22.2%, and conventional thermal power stations 4.8% of the total. In 1979 there was an increase of 3,248 GWh or 40.6% over the previous year in the output from nuclear power stations. The future situation of demand and supply is considered in four combinations of the conditions determining generating capacity. A detailed survey is given of the financial position of electricity supply. (A.G.P.)

Life-Cycle Evaluation of Domestic Energy Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Bando, Shigeru; Hihara, Eiji

Among the growing number of environmental issues, the global warming due to the increasing emission of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide CO2, is the most serious one. In order to reduce CO2 emissions in energy use, it is necessary to reduce primary energy consumption, and to replace energy sources with alternatives that emit less CO2.One option of such ideas is to replace fossil gas for water heating with electricity generated by nuclear power, hydraulic power, and other methods with low CO2 emission. It is also important to use energy efficiently and to reduce waste heat. Co-generation system is one of the applications to be able to use waste heat from a generator as much as possible. The CO2 heat pump water heaters, the polymer electrolyte fuel cells, and the micro gas turbines have high potential for domestic energy systems. In the present study, the life-cycle cost, the life-cycle consumption of primary energy and the life-cycle emission of CO2 of these domestic energy systems are compare. The result shows that the CO2 heat pump water heaters have an ability to reduce CO2 emission by 10%, and the co-generation systems also have another ability to reduce primary energy consumption by 20%.

Cultivating Microalgae in Domestic Wastewater for Biodiesel Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Soha S.M. MOSTAFA

2012-02-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the growth of nine species of microalgae (green and blue green microalgae on domestic waste water samples obtained from Zenein Waste Water Treatment Plant (ZWWTP, Giza governorate, Egypt. The species were cultivated in different kind of waste water; before treatment; after sterilization; with nutrients with sterilization and with nutrients without sterilization. The experiment was conducted in triplicate and cultures were incubated at 25�1�C under continuous shaking (150 rpm and illumination (2000 Lux for 15 days. pH, electric conductivity (EC, optical density (OD , dry weight (DW, were done at the time of incubation and at the end of experiment, in addition to determine the percentage of lipid and biodiesel. The data revealed that, domestic waste water with nutrient media (T3 was promising for cultivation of five algal species when compared with conventional media, Moreover, domestic waste water after sterilization (T2 was selected media for cultivation of Oscillatoria sp and Phormedium sp. However, T1 media (waste water without treatment was the promising media for cultivation of Nostoc humifusum. The biodiesel produced from algal species cultivated in waste water media ranged from 3.8 to 11.80% when compared with the conventional method (3.90 to 12.52%. The results of this study suggest that growing algae in nutrient rich media offers a new option of applying algal process in ZWWTP to mange the nutrient load for growth and valuable biodiesel feedstock production.

Feasibility analysis of domestic hot water systems using TRNSYS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gill, G.S.; Fung, A.S.

2008-01-01

A study was conducted in which 17 conventional and solar-based domestic hot water (DHW) systems were simulated using the TRYNSYS simulation model, and their results were compared. According to Natural Resources Canada, DHW heating currently accounts for 25 per cent of Canadian residential energy consumption and 25 per cent of Canadian residential greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The objective of this simulation study was to investigate the fuel consumption of DHW systems, their GHG emissions and 30-year life cycle costs. Another aspect of the study was to model and analyze the effect of time of use (TOU) electricity pricing which was developed by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) to provide stable and predictable electricity pricing. TOU electricity pricing also promotes energy conservation. In addition, the TOU electricity price charged per kilowatt-hour changes throughout the day to reflect the changes in cost to produce electricity at different times of the day. The Ontario government plans to equip all homes and businesses with smart meters using TOU pricing by 2010. Therefore, this study also investigated the effects of the TOU feature by optimizing its use in the effort to reduce overall energy costs and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The results revealed that a DHW system with solar pre-heat and electrical back-up is the best system for energy conservation and GHG reduction. The best system in terms of 30-year life cycle cost is a high efficiency DHW system with an on demand modulating gas combo boiler with gray water heat recovery. 23 refs., 7 tabs., 8 figs

Selection signature in domesticated animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Pan, Zhang-yuan; He, Xiao-yun; Wang, Xiang-yu; Guo, Xiao-fei; Cao, Xiao-han; Hu, Wen-ping; Di, Ran; Liu, Qiu-yue; Chu, Ming-xing

2016-12-20

Domesticated animals play an important role in the life of humanity. All these domesticated animals undergo same process, first domesticated from wild animals, then after long time natural and artificial selection, formed various breeds that adapted to the local environment and human needs. In this process, domestication, natural and artificial selection will leave the selection signal in the genome. The research on these selection signals can find functional genes directly, is one of the most important strategies in screening functional genes. The current studies of selection signal have been performed in pigs, chickens, cattle, sheep, goats, dogs and other domestic animals, and found a great deal of functional genes. This paper provided an overview of the types and the detected methods of selection signal, and outlined researches of selection signal in domestic animals, and discussed the key issues in selection signal analysis and its prospects.

Distributed control in the electricity infrastructure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kok, J.K.; Warmer, C.; Kamphuis, I.G.; Mellstrand, P.; Gustavsson, R.

2006-01-01

Different driving forces push the electricity production towards decentralization. As a result, the current electricity infrastructure is expected to evolve into a network of networks, in which all system parts communicate with each other and influence each other. Multiagent systems and electronic markets form an appropriate technology needed for control and coordination tasks in the future electricity network. We present the PowerMatcher, a market-based control concept for supply demand matching (SDM) in electricity networks. In a simulation study we show the ability of this approach to raise the simultaneousness of electricity production and consumption within (local) control clusters. This control concept can be applied in different business cases like reduction of imbalance costs in commercial portfolios or virtual power plant operation of distributed generators. Two PowerMatcher-based field test configurations are described, one currently in operation, one currently under construction

Natural selection promotes antigenic evolvability.

Science.gov (United States)

Graves, Christopher J; Ros, Vera I D; Stevenson, Brian; Sniegowski, Paul D; Brisson, Dustin

2013-01-01

The hypothesis that evolvability - the capacity to evolve by natural selection - is itself the object of natural selection is highly intriguing but remains controversial due in large part to a paucity of direct experimental evidence. The antigenic variation mechanisms of microbial pathogens provide an experimentally tractable system to test whether natural selection has favored mechanisms that increase evolvability. Many antigenic variation systems consist of paralogous unexpressed 'cassettes' that recombine into an expression site to rapidly alter the expressed protein. Importantly, the magnitude of antigenic change is a function of the genetic diversity among the unexpressed cassettes. Thus, evidence that selection favors among-cassette diversity is direct evidence that natural selection promotes antigenic evolvability. We used the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, as a model to test the prediction that natural selection favors amino acid diversity among unexpressed vls cassettes and thereby promotes evolvability in a primary surface antigen, VlsE. The hypothesis that diversity among vls cassettes is favored by natural selection was supported in each B. burgdorferi strain analyzed using both classical (dN/dS ratios) and Bayesian population genetic analyses of genetic sequence data. This hypothesis was also supported by the conservation of highly mutable tandem-repeat structures across B. burgdorferi strains despite a near complete absence of sequence conservation. Diversification among vls cassettes due to natural selection and mutable repeat structures promotes long-term antigenic evolvability of VlsE. These findings provide a direct demonstration that molecular mechanisms that enhance evolvability of surface antigens are an evolutionary adaptation. The molecular evolutionary processes identified here can serve as a model for the evolution of antigenic evolvability in many pathogens which utilize similar strategies to establish chronic infections.

Natural selection promotes antigenic evolvability.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher J Graves

Full Text Available The hypothesis that evolvability - the capacity to evolve by natural selection - is itself the object of natural selection is highly intriguing but remains controversial due in large part to a paucity of direct experimental evidence. The antigenic variation mechanisms of microbial pathogens provide an experimentally tractable system to test whether natural selection has favored mechanisms that increase evolvability. Many antigenic variation systems consist of paralogous unexpressed 'cassettes' that recombine into an expression site to rapidly alter the expressed protein. Importantly, the magnitude of antigenic change is a function of the genetic diversity among the unexpressed cassettes. Thus, evidence that selection favors among-cassette diversity is direct evidence that natural selection promotes antigenic evolvability. We used the Lyme disease bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi, as a model to test the prediction that natural selection favors amino acid diversity among unexpressed vls cassettes and thereby promotes evolvability in a primary surface antigen, VlsE. The hypothesis that diversity among vls cassettes is favored by natural selection was supported in each B. burgdorferi strain analyzed using both classical (dN/dS ratios and Bayesian population genetic analyses of genetic sequence data. This hypothesis was also supported by the conservation of highly mutable tandem-repeat structures across B. burgdorferi strains despite a near complete absence of sequence conservation. Diversification among vls cassettes due to natural selection and mutable repeat structures promotes long-term antigenic evolvability of VlsE. These findings provide a direct demonstration that molecular mechanisms that enhance evolvability of surface antigens are an evolutionary adaptation. The molecular evolutionary processes identified here can serve as a model for the evolution of antigenic evolvability in many pathogens which utilize similar strategies to establish

First domestic primary loop recircuration pump for boiling water reactor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fukuda, Minoru; Taka, Shusei; Kato, Hiroyuki

1981-01-01

Two primary loop recirculation (PLR) pumps for the second unit of the Fukushima No. 2 Nuclear Power Station of the Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc., have been manufactured by Ebara Corporation. They are the first domestically produced pumps for commercial power plants and were manufactured under license from Byron Jackson Pump Division of Borg Warner Corporation. This article describes the special features of pump design and stress analysis, and the results of the 700 hours of factory loop tests, which are all essential for the PLR pump. (author)

Natural gas domestic market development for total elimination of routine flares in Nigeria's upstream petroleum operations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sonibare, J.A.; Akeredolu, F.A.

2006-01-01

Several research findings confirmed that gaseous emissions and thermal radiation emanate from flaring activities during separation of oil from gas in the petroleum upstream operations. This, coupled with identified degradation potential of flares, makes flaring of about 71 million m 3 /day of associated gas a great concern. In this paper, several efforts hitherto made by government and organized private sectors at monetizing associated natural gas being flared on daily basis in Nigeria were reviewed. Domestic market development, if adopted, could eliminate routine gas flaring by 2008, meeting a goal set by Nigerian Government. Various scenarios considered showed that relatively minor amounts of natural gas could be consumed domestically for cooking; the balance would be absorbed by thermal electricity generation. It could lead to total consumption of between 92 and 140 million m 3 /day of natural gas in the country, representing a fraction of the domestic energy market

Domestic violence screening in pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Bunn, Mikiko Yazawa; Higa, Nicole A; Parker, Willie J; Kaneshiro, Bliss

2009-11-01

Domestic violence is an important health concern that has been shown to have adverse effects on maternal and neonatal outcomes. The objectives of this study were to compare the prevalence of prenatal screening for domestic violence in a hospital-based resident clinic setting with screening practices in private obstetric offices in Honolulu, Hawai'i and to explore physician attitudes towards domestic violence screening during pregnancy. A retrospective chart review was conducted at Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawai'i in women who delivered between 2003 and 2004. A 6 item written survey was also given to all attending and resident physicians with obstetric privileges. Descriptive statistics including frequency measures were generated and chi square tests were used to compare categorical variables. A total of 270 charts were reviewed. There was a statistically significant difference (p obstetric practices (39.3 percent) that were screened for domestic violence. While the majority of respondents (77.6%) to the domestic violence survey were aware that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends domestic violence screening in pregnancy most respondents (69.0 percent) indicated that they "never or rarely" screened their patients for domestic violence. Despite professional recommendations and an awareness of these recommendations, between 2003 and 2004, routine prenatal screening for domestic violence was markedly lacking for patients in this study population.

Educational Electrical Appliance Power Meter and Logger

Science.gov (United States)

Nunn, John

2013-01-01

The principles behind two different designs of inductive power meter are presented. They both make use of the microphone input of a computer which, together with a custom-written program, can record the instantaneous power of a domestic electrical appliance. The device can be built quickly and can be calibrated with reference to a known power…

Measuring the energy intensity of domestic activities from smart meter data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stankovic, L.; Stankovic, V.; Liao, J.; Wilson, C.

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Innovative method linking appliance usage and energy use with domestic activities. • Inferring the energy and time use profile of activities based on smart meter data. • Standardised metrics quantifying energy intensity + temporal routines of activities. • Insights from analysing electricity consumption through the lens of activities. - Abstract: Household electricity consumption can be broken down to appliance end-use through a variety of methods such as modelling, sub-metering, load disaggregation or non-intrusive appliance load monitoring (NILM). We advance and complement this important field of energy research through an innovative methodology that characterises the energy consumption of domestic life by making the linkages between appliance end-use and activities through an ontology built from qualitative data about the household and NILM data. We use activities as a descriptive term for the common ways households spend their time at home. These activities, such as cooking or laundering, are meaningful to households’ own lived experience. Thus, besides strictly technical algorithmic approaches for processing quantitative smart meter data, we also draw on social science time use approaches and interview and ethnography data. Our method disaggregates a households total electricity load down to appliance level and provides the start time, duration, and total electricity consumption for each occurrence of appliance usage. We then make inferences about activities occurring in the home by combining these disaggregated data with an ontology that formally specifies the relationships between electricity-using appliances and activities. We also propose two novel standardised metrics to enable easy quantifiable comparison within and across households of the energy intensity and routine of activities of interest. Finally, we demonstrate our results over a sample of ten households with an in-depth analysis of which activities can be inferred with

Introduction – Political Governance and Strategic Relations: Domestic-Foreign Policy Nexus and China’s Rise in the Global System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emile Kok-Kheng Yeoh

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Recent years have witnessed several momentous developments in the political economy of the People’s Republic of China (PRC both on the domestic front and in her foreign relations. Deriving correct interpretation of such fast-paced developments and changes has preoccupied much of the circles of China-watchers these days, with political scientists, economists, sociologists and international relations experts focusing their respective attentions on either the domestic transformation occurring within the PRC or on her foreign relations. While the volatile series of incidents involving a year of crackdowns on domestic civil societal movements, civil rights lawyers, labour activists and Hong Kong’s book publishers and distributors were unfolding dramatically, the year also witnessed the continued rise of China’s economic might culminating in the realisation of her initiative for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB that started operation on 25th December 2015 and the continued progress of her “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR proposal after the creation of the State-owned Silk Road Fund on 29th December 2014. Such developments on China’s domestic and global fronts have to be properly placed in the overall context of China’s domestic-foreign policy nexus that has uniquely evolved during her recent decades of continuous, astounding economic tour de force amidst the stagnation of the modernisation and democratisation of her political structure and sociopolitical power configuration, and the rise of her influence in the global system.

Introduction – Political Governance and Strategic Relations: Domestic-Foreign Policy Nexus and China’s Rise in the Global System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emile Kok-Kheng Yeoh

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Recent years have witnessed several momentous developments in the political economy of the People’s Republic of China (PRC both on the domestic front and in her foreign relations. Deriving correct interpretation of such fast-paced developments and changes has preoccupied much of the circles of China-watchers these days, with political scientists, economists, sociologists and international relations experts focusing their respective attention on either the domestic transformation occurring within the PRC or on her foreign relations. While the volatile series of incidents involving a year of crackdowns on domestic civil societal movements, civil rights lawyers, labour activists and Hong Kong’s book publishers and distributors were unfolding dramatically, the year also witnessed the continued rise of China’s economic might culminating in the realisation of her initiative for the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB that started operation on 25th December 201 5 and the continued progress of her “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR proposal after the creation of the State-owned Silk Road Fund on 29th December 201 4. Such developments on China’s domestic and global fronts has to be properly placed in the overall context of China’s domestic-foreign policy nexus that has uniquely evolved during from her recent decades of continuous, astounding economic tour de force amidst the stagnation of the modernisation and democratisation of her political structure and sociopolitical power configuration, and the rise of her influence in the global system.

Domestic violence

OpenAIRE

Kiurski Jasmina

2003-01-01

Since the 1960s, there has been growing awareness regarding the issue of domestic violence as a form of violence against women, which has been largely influenced by the work of feminist activist and scholars in North America and Europe (Dobash and Dobash 1992). Other terms have been used to describe the same phenomenon, including domestic abuse, spousal abuse, wife battering, marital violence, intimate partner violence. Though there is no doubt that this problem has existed for much more than...

Physicians and domestic violence

OpenAIRE

Joslin, Jonathan

1994-01-01

Domestic violence, spouse abuse, and battering all refer to the victimization of a person with whom the abuser has or has had an intimate relationship. Domestic violence may take the form of physical, sexual and psychological abuse, is generally repeated, and often escalates within relationships. Most evidence indicates that domestic violence is predominantly perpetrated by men against women. Some evidence suggests that women are just as likely to use violence against male partners as men are...

Domestic violence : evidence review.

OpenAIRE

Westmarland, Nicole; Thorlby, Katie; Wistow, Jane; Gadd, David

2014-01-01

While domestic violence is high on the public policy agenda in the UK, successive reviews have highlighted policing problems. A recent HMIC report found domestic violence is not policed at the same level as other offences and identified a catalogue of policing failures that have a long history of recurrence. With domestic violence accounting for around a large proportion of violent crime incidents reported to the police, and the majority of all female homicides (Office for National Statistics...

Evaluations of different domestic hot water preparing methods with ultra-low-temperature district heating

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yang, Xiaochen; Li, Hongwei; Svendsen, Svend

2016-01-01

of Legionella in the DHW (domestic hot water) and assure the comfortable temperature, all substations were installed with supplementary heating devices. Detailed measurements were taken in the substations, including the electricity demand of the supplementary heating devices. To compare the energy and economic......This study investigated the performances of five different substation configurations in single-family houses supplied with ULTDH (ultra-low-temperature district heating). The temperature at the heat plant is 46 degrees C and around 40 degrees C at the substations. To avoid the proliferation...... performance of the substations, separate models were built based on standard assumptions. The relative heat and electricity delivered for preparing DHW were calculated. The results showed that substations with storage tanks and heat pumps have high relative electricity demand, which leads to higher integrated...

Nuclear Power for Electricity Generation in Ghana: Issues and Challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nyarko, B.J.B.; Akaho, E.H.K.; Ennison, I.

2011-01-01

Ghana's electricity demand has been estimated to be growing at a high rate of about 7% per annum over the last ten years. This is due to the relatively high population growth, economic aspiration of the country and the extension of electricity to rural areas. Electricity supply, on the contrary, has been unable to meet the demand due to high dependency on rain-fed hydropower plants, which started operating in 1965 and currently account for about 68% of the total installed capacity. Within the last 28 years, climatic changes and draughts have caused the nation to experience three major power crises. These climate changes resulted in low inflows and thus reduced power generation from hydropower systems. To complement the hydropower systems, the Government in 1997 installed thermal plants based on light crude oil. However, due to the high crude oil prices on the international market in recent times have made the operation of these plants very expensive. Ghana's crude oil find can boost its energy supply when the oil exploration begins somewhere in 2010. For rural cooking, domestic biomass is employed. Ghana has no domestic coal resources. The Government of Ghana is concerned with: limited further growth potential of domestic hydro; high cost of imported oil and gas and environmental issues associated with use of imported coal. Small Solar and wind generation exist in some sectors, but potential large-scale development is not envisioned for the near future. With these in mind, the President of Ghana set up a Committee involving Stakeholder Institutions to formulate the Nuclear Power Policy and develop the basic elements of Nuclear Infrastructure and to assess the viability of introducing the nuclear power option in Ghana's energy mix. Cabinet took a decision to include the nuclear power for electricity generation after the Committee submitted his report to the President in 2008. (author)

French dissatisfactions on the European electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glachant, J.M.

2007-01-01

The author first notices that the French electricity professional consumers are dissatisfied with the results of the creation of the European domestic electricity market in 1997: price increase either on bills or on the wholesale markets, and even more price increases are to come. The author proposes to examine several issues: what has been done during the 6 or 7 past years, that is since the California crisis in 2000-2001, to put the European electrical reforms on a virtuous track? Have the basic market economy principles been respected to protect competitiveness of all energy consumer professionals? How and why the French government or EDF will make us pay gas, coal or CO 2 emission permits like in England or Germany whereas the French electricity production has mainly (90 or 95 per cent) a nuclear or hydraulic origin?

Proceedings of the Canadian Institute's BC power conference : maximizing opportunities in the evolving electricity sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

This conference provided a forum for reviewing recent events and activities in British Columbia's electric power industry. Issues regarding energy supply, reliability, power generation, power distribution and power transmission were discussed along with the opportunities and challenges of developing renewable energy sources. Participants at the conference gained insight into strategies for determining the usefulness of an energy plan; assessing the prospects for new generation capacity; examining future whole sale markets; analyzing congestion problems; identifying import and export opportunities; planning for rate design and exploring the future supply on Vancouver Island. The possibilities for meeting the growing demand for electricity through an integrated electrical transmission system throughout the west coast, British Columbia, the Pacific Northwest and Alberta were examined along with financing structures and strategies of renewable energy projects. The role of regulators and their influence on electricity prices were also discussed. Resource planning guidelines were examined as well as other topics such as demand side management, energy conservation, the role of liquefied natural gas in power generation, and land use challenges for power generation. The conference featured 21 presentations, of which 7 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. tabs, figs

Investigation of practical use situation and performance for electric transient analysis programs in the U.S. nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimada, Yoshio

2010-01-01

The purposes of the present study are firstly to investigate the status of practical use of electric transient analysis programs used in U.S. nuclear power plants, which has been extracted as good examples from the information analysis of overseas troubles, and secondly to select a program to be recommended for use in implementing electric transient analysis in domestic nuclear power plants. In addition, to promote its practical use, a selected electric transient analysis program was tested by simulating the transient response during a load sequence test of an emergency diesel generator (EDG) in a domestic representative nuclear plant to evaluate its simulation accuracy by comparing its result with the measured plant data. The results obtained are as follows: (1) In U.S. nuclear power plants, simulations using electric transient analysis programs, such as ETAP, EMPT, etc., are widely performed, which contributed to improve the plant safety. (2) A selected transient analysis program EMTP was verified in its accuracy in terms of transient response of active power, current, voltage and frequency of the EDG during the load sequence test in a domestic representative nuclear power plant. (author)

Whole mitochondrial genome sequencing of domestic horses reveals incorporation of extensive wild horse diversity during domestication

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lippold Sebastian

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background DNA target enrichment by micro-array capture combined with high throughput sequencing technologies provides the possibility to obtain large amounts of sequence data (e.g. whole mitochondrial DNA genomes from multiple individuals at relatively low costs. Previously, whole mitochondrial genome data for domestic horses (Equus caballus were limited to only a few specimens and only short parts of the mtDNA genome (especially the hypervariable region were investigated for larger sample sets. Results In this study we investigated whole mitochondrial genomes of 59 domestic horses from 44 breeds and a single Przewalski horse (Equus przewalski using a recently described multiplex micro-array capture approach. We found 473 variable positions within the domestic horses, 292 of which are parsimony-informative, providing a well resolved phylogenetic tree. Our divergence time estimate suggests that the mitochondrial genomes of modern horse breeds shared a common ancestor around 93,000 years ago and no later than 38,000 years ago. A Bayesian skyline plot (BSP reveals a significant population expansion beginning 6,000-8,000 years ago with an ongoing exponential growth until the present, similar to other domestic animal species. Our data further suggest that a large sample of wild horse diversity was incorporated into the domestic population; specifically, at least 46 of the mtDNA lineages observed in domestic horses (73% already existed before the beginning of domestication about 5,000 years ago. Conclusions Our study provides a window into the maternal origins of extant domestic horses and confirms that modern domestic breeds present a wide sample of the mtDNA diversity found in ancestral, now extinct, wild horse populations. The data obtained allow us to detect a population expansion event coinciding with the beginning of domestication and to estimate both the minimum number of female horses incorporated into the domestic gene pool and the

Criminal aspects domestic violence

OpenAIRE

Smetanová, Kristina

2013-01-01

Smetanová, Kristina. Criminal aspects of domestic violence The topic of this thesis is the criminal aspects of domestic violence. The aim of the thesis is to describe this dangerous and complicated social problem and focus on outlining the possibilities of protection under Czech criminal law. The thesis consists of eight chapters. The first chapter explains what the domestic violence is and which sources, types and characters does it have.The second chapter shows who can be the violent person...

Electricity consumption in Morocco: Stochastic Gompertz diffusion analysis with exogenous factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gutierrez, R.; Gutierrez-Sanchez, R.; Nafidi, A.

2006-01-01

This paper proposes a means of using stochastic diffusion processes to model the total consumption of electrical power (including distribution and transport losses) in Morocco, as recorded by the official data for total sales published by Office Nationale de l'Electricite (ONE), the Moroccan electricity authority. Two models of univariate stochastic diffusion were used: the time-homogeneous Gompertz Diffusion Process (HGDP) and the time-non-homogeneous Gompertz Diffusion Process (NHGDP). The methodology proposed is based on the analysis of the trend function; this requires the analyst to obtain fits and forecasts for the consumption of electrical power by means of the estimated trend function (conditioned and non-conditioned). This latter function is obtained from the mean value of the process and the maximum likelihood estimators (MLE) of the parameters of the model. This estimation and the subsequent statistical inference are based on the discretised observation of the variable 'electricity consumption in Morocco', using annual data for the period 1980-2001. The fit and forecast are improved by using macroeconomic exogenous factors such as the gross domestic product per inhabitant (GDP/inhab), the final domestic consumption (FDC) and the gross fixed capital formation (GFCF). The results obtained show that NHGDP (with the above three exogenous factors) provides an adequate fit and medium-term forecast of electricity consumption in Morocco

Analyzing of economic growth based on electricity consumption from different sources

Science.gov (United States)

Maksimović, Goran; Milosavljević, Valentina; Ćirković, Bratislav; Milošević, Božidar; Jović, Srđan; Alizamir, Meysam

2017-10-01

Economic growth could be influenced by different factors. In this study was analyzed the economic growth based on the electricity consumption form different sources. As economic growth indicator gross domestic product (GDP) was used. ANFIS (adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system) methodology was applied to determine the most important factors from the given set for the GDP growth prediction. Six inputs were used: electricity production from coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, nuclear, oil and renewable sources. Results shown that the electricity consumption from renewable sources has the highest impact on the economic or GDP growth prediction.

Genome sequence of a 5,310-year-old maize cob provides insights into the early stages of maize domestication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ramos Madrigal, Jazmin; Smith, Bruce D.; Moreno Mayar, José Victor

2016-01-01

The complex evolutionary history of maize (Zea mays L. ssp. mays) has been clarified with genomic-level data from modern landraces and wild teosinte grasses [1, 2], augmenting archaeological findings that suggest domestication occurred between 10,000 and 6,250 years ago in southern Mexico [3, 4......]. Maize rapidly evolved under human selection, leading to conspicuous phenotypic transformations, as well as adaptations to varied environments [5]. Still, many questions about the domestication process remain unanswered because modern specimens do not represent the full range of past diversity due...... to abandonment of unproductive lineages, genetic drift, on-going natural selection, and recent breeding activity. To more fully understand the history and spread of maize, we characterized the draft genome of a 5,310-year-old archaeological cob excavated in the Tehuacan Valley of Mexico. We compare this ancient...

Unexpected guest: Atrial fibrillation due to electrical shock

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Zihni Bilik

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Cardiac arrhythmias due to electrical injuries are rare among emergency service admittances. A 35 year-old female patient was admitted to emergency service with palpitation after electrical injury as a result of contact with a domestic low-voltage source. Electrocardiography (ECG showed atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response. Transthoracic echocardiography findings were normal. Atrial fibrillation spontaneously converted to normal sinus rhythm after rate limiting treatment with beta-blocker. The patient was discharged without any complication on the third day of hospitalization. Although cardiac arrhythmias rarely occur after electrical injury, cardiac monitoring is recommended for all patients with documented rhythm disorder, loss of consciousness, or abnormal ECG at admission.

Narratives of Domestic Violence

OpenAIRE

Hunter, Rosemary

2006-01-01

Second wave feminists in Australia brought the social issue of domestic violence out of the suburban shadows and into the activist and policy spotlight in the 1970s. Subsequent feminist-inspired law reforms around domestic violence included the introduction of state domestic violence order regimes in the 1980s, and amendments to the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) in 1995 to specify family violence as one of the matters to be taken into account by the Family Court in\\ud determining the best interes...

Environmental challenges and opportunities of the evolving North American electricity market : Estimating future air pollution from new electric power generation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, P.; Patterson, Z.; Vaughan, S.

2002-06-01

A significant source of air pollutants and greenhouse gases in North America is a direct result of the generation of electricity from the combustion of fossil fuels. An attempt at estimating the future emissions of four key pollutants from the electricity generation sector in North America was made by the authors in this paper. They based their estimates on projections of future electricity generation capacity changes. They looked at new power plant projects in North America, as well as the expected changes in emissions as a result of these projects compared to the historical data originating from power plant emissions in the recent past. Both the local context and the national level were examined. Nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, mercury, and carbon dioxide, all arising from the combustion of fossil fuels, were considered in this paper. Ground level ozone, or smog results from nitrogen oxides. Acidic deposition, also called acid rain, is caused in part by both nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, as is fine particles in the atmosphere linked to lung damage and premature death. Fish consumption advisories were issued due to the levels of toxic mercury deposited in lakes and streams. Global climate change is caused in part to the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. Air quality and climate change will both be impacted by the future evolution of the electricity generation sector in an integrated North American energy market. The authors attempted to provide a baseline of air emissions from that sector in North America for a common reference year, enabling the tracking of changes in emissions patterns in the future. A reference case inventory for the four pollutants was estimated, followed by the development of two boundary cases estimating future emissions in 2007. refs., 22 tabs

Domestic hot water and solar energy in Ireland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hand, F; Asare, B; Haslett, J

1977-01-01

Two systems are discussed which involve the use of solar energy to supply domestic hot-water requirements and their usefulness in Ireland is examined. The systems are evaluated for thermal performance and cost-effectiveness by the use of a computer simulation model of a system involving a typical commercially available solar panel. It is shown that such systems may be economically justified when compared with electricity, but only if the water supply is directly heated by solar panels and only if the installed cost of such panels is low. Further, it appears that the system performance is relatively insensitive to the panel orientation and consequently that retro-fit installations on existing houses are unlikely to cause difficulties.

Optimization of Photovoltaic Self-consumption using Domestic Hot Water Systems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ângelo Casaleiro

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Electrified domestic hot water systems, being deferrable loads, are an important demand side management tool and thus have the potential to enhance photovoltaic self-consumption. This study addresses the energy and economic performance of photovoltaic self-consumption by using a typical Portuguese dwelling. Five system configurations were simulated: a gas boiler (with/without battery and an electric boiler (without demand management and with genetic and heuristic optimization. A sensitivity analysis on photovoltaic capacity shows the optimum photovoltaic sizing to be in the range 1.0 to 2.5 kWp. The gas boiler scenario and the heuristic scenario present the best levelized cost of energy, respectively, for the lower and higher photovoltaic capacities. The use of a battery shows the highest levelized cost of energy and the heuristic scenario shows the highest solar fraction (56.9%. Results also highlight the great potential on increasing photovoltaic size when coupled with electrified domestic hot water systems, to accommodate higher solar fractions and achieve lower costs, through energy management.

Electric traction motion power and energy supply : basics and practical experience

CERN Document Server

Steimel, Andreas

2011-01-01

This book has evolved from the lecture series ""Elektrische Bahnen" (""Electric railways") which has been held at Ruhr-Universität Bochum since 1996. Its primary audience are students of electrical energy technologies, control engineering and mechanical engineering as well as young engineers of electrical engineering, especially in the fields of power electronics, in railway industry and in railway-operating companies. The book intends to convey mechanical fundamentals of electric railway propulsion, which includes rail-bound guidance, transmission of traction effort from wheel to rail under t

Smart solar tanks for small solar domestic hot water systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Furbo, Simon; Andersen, Elsa; Knudsen, Søren

2005-01-01

Investigation of small SDHW systems based on smart solar tanks are presented. The domestic water in a smart solar tank can be heated both by solar collectors and by means of an auxiliary energy supply system. The auxiliary energy supply system – in this study electric heating elements – heats up...... systems, based on differently designed smart solar tanks and a traditional SDHW system were investigated by means of laboratory experiments and theoretical calculations. The investigations showed that the yearly thermal performance of SDHW systems with smart solar tanks is 5-35% higher than the thermal...... performance of traditional SDHW systems. Estimates indicate that the performance/cost ratio can be improved by up to 25% by using a smart solar tank instead of a traditional tank when the backup energy system is electric heating elements. Further, smart solar tanks are suitable for unknown, variable, large...

Non-electrical uses of geothermal energy

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barber E.; Fanelli, M.

1977-01-01

A comprehensive review covers the recognition of natural hot fluids in ancient times and their use for therapeutic baths; the first production of electricity from geothermal steam at Larderello, Italy, in 1904; the widespread geographical occurrence of geothermal fluids; exploration techniques; the extraction of geothermal fluids and their uses in spas, agriculture, aquaculture, domestic heating, and industrial applications; geothermal greenhouse heating world-wide; geothermal heating of animal and poultry houses, in culture of alligators and crocodiles (in Atagawa, Japan), and in fish culture; piping arrangements for district heating, and a tabulation of district heating installations world-wide; downhole exchanger systems used in Klamath Falls, Oregon, for domestic heating; industrial heating applications; and methods of disposal of geothermal fluids. Maps, diagrams, graphs, photographs, tables, and 48 references are included.

Domestic Violence - Multiple Languages

Science.gov (United States)

... Are Here: Home → Multiple Languages → All Health Topics → Domestic Violence URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/languages/ ... V W XYZ List of All Topics All Domestic Violence - Multiple Languages To use the sharing features on ...

Two-band tariff for domestic use: Italian Electricity Board rate structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barteselli, R.

1992-01-01

ENEL (the Italian National Electricity Board) has begun to introduce a new rate structure for households: the 'two-band tariff'. This article is an effort to examine in principle how the new tariff could optimize load management when applied to the whole household sector

Energy shift estimation of demand response activation on domestic refrigerators – A field test study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lakshmanan, Venkatachalam; Gudmand-Høyer, Kristian; Marinelli, Mattia

2014-01-01

This paper presents a method to estimate the amount of energy that can be shifted during demand response (DR) activation on domestic refrigerator. Though there are many methods for DR activation like load reduction, load shifting and onsite generation, the method under study is load shifting....... Electric heating and cooling equipment like refrigerators, water heaters and space heaters and coolers are preferred for such DR activation because of their energy storing capacity. Accurate estimation of available regulating power and energy shift is important to understand the value of DR activation...... at any time. In this paper a novel method to estimate the available energy shift from domestic refrigerators with only two measurements, namely fridge cool chamber temperature and compressor power consumption is proposed, discussed and evaluated....

Dynamic Relationship between Gross Domestic Product and Domestic Investment in Rwanda

Science.gov (United States)

Ocaya, Bruno; Ruranga, Charles; Kaberuka, William

2012-01-01

This study uses a VAR model to analyse the dynamic relationship between gross domestic product (GDP) and domestic investment (DI) in Rwanda for the period 1970 to 2011. Several selection lag criteria chose a maximum lag of one, and a bivariate VAR(1) model specification in levels was adopted. Unit root tests show that both GDP and DI series are…

Domestic Violence and Social Time

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Donald Black

2018-05-01

Full Text Available A violência doméstica é o uso da força entre parceiros que vivem juntos como um casal. A maioria é uma forma de gestão de conflitos conhecida como autoajuda: o tratamento de uma queixa com agressão. Em Violência doméstica e tempo social eu introduzo dois princípios de violência doméstica que explicam 1 quais casais têm mais violência e 2 o que causa sua violência. O primeiro princípio - a violência doméstica é uma função direta da distância doméstica – explica por que algumas estruturas domésticas (como “patriarquias frias” têm mais violência do que outras (como “democracias estreitas”. O segundo princípio – a violência doméstica é uma função direta do movimento do tempo doméstico – explica casos particulares de violência doméstica com mudanças (como diminuição da intimidade ou aumento da desigualdade nas relações domésticas onde elas ocorrem. Esses princípios explicam a violência doméstica nas sociedades tradicionais e modernas, entre homens e mulheres, e em casais heterossexuais e do mesmo sexo. Domestic violence is the use of force between partners who live together as a couple. Most is a form of conflict management known as self-help: the handling of a grievance with aggression. Here I introduce two principles of domestic violence that explain 1 which couples have more violence and 2 what causes their violence. The first principle – domestic violence is a direct function of domestic distance – explains why some domestic structures (such as “cold patriarchies” have more violence than others (such as “close democracies”. The second principle – domestic violence is a direct function of the movement of domestic time – explains particular cases of domestic violence with changes (such as decreases of intimacy or increases of inequality in the domestic relationships where they occur. These principles explain domestic violence in traditional and modern societies, by men and

Locus-specific view of flax domestication history

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Yong-Bi; Diederichsen, Axel; Allaby, Robin G

2012-01-01

Crop domestication has been inferred genetically from neutral markers and increasingly from specific domestication-associated loci. However, some crops are utilized for multiple purposes that may or may not be reflected in a single domestication-associated locus. One such example is cultivated flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), the earliest oil and fiber crop, for which domestication history remains poorly understood. Oil composition of cultivated flax and pale flax (L. bienne Mill.) indicates that the sad2 locus is a candidate domestication locus associated with increased unsaturated fatty acid production in cultivated flax. A phylogenetic analysis of the sad2 locus in 43 pale and 70 cultivated flax accessions established a complex domestication history for flax that has not been observed previously. The analysis supports an early, independent domestication of a primitive flax lineage, in which the loss of seed dispersal through capsular indehiscence was not established, but increased oil content was likely occurred. A subsequent flax domestication process occurred that probably involved multiple domestications and includes lineages that contain oil, fiber, and winter varieties. In agreement with previous studies, oil rather than fiber varieties occupy basal phylogenetic positions. The data support multiple paths of flax domestication for oil-associated traits before selection of the other domestication-associated traits of seed dispersal loss and fiber production. The sad2 locus is less revealing about the origin of winter tolerance. In this case, a single domestication-associated locus is informative about the history of domesticated forms with the associated trait while partially informative on forms less associated with the trait. PMID:22408732

Optimal design of compact organic Rankine cycle units for domestic solar applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Barbazza, Luca; Pierobon, Leonardo; Mirandola, Alberto

2014-01-01

criteria, i.e., compactness, high performance and safe operation, are targeted by adopting a multi-objective optimization approach modeled with the genetic algorithm. Design-point thermodynamic variables, e.g., evaporating pressure, the working fluid, minimum allowable temperature differences......Organic Rankine cycle turbogenerators are a promising technology to transform the solar radiation harvested by solar collectors into electric power. The present work aims at sizing a small-scale organic Rankine cycle unit by tailoring its design for domestic solar applications. Stringent design...

The impact of demand side management strategies in the penetration of renewable electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pina, André; Silva, Carlos; Ferrão, Paulo

2012-01-01

High fuel costs, increasing energy security and concerns with reducing emissions have pushed governments to invest in the use of renewable energies for electricity generation. However, the intermittence of most renewable resources when renewable energy provides a significant share of the energy mix can create problems to electricity grids, which can be minimized by energy storage systems that are usually not available or expensive. An alternative solution consists on the use of demand side management strategies, which can have the double effect of reducing electricity consumption and allowing greater efficiency and flexibility in the grid management, namely by enabling a better match between supply and demand. This work analyzes the impact of demand side management strategies in the evolution of the electricity mix of Flores Island in the Azores archipelago which is characterized by high shares of renewable energy and therefore the introduction of more renewable energy sources makes it an interesting case study for testing innovative solutions. The electricity generation system is modeled in TIMES, a software which optimizes the investment and operation of wind and hydro plants until 2020 based on scenarios for demand growth, deployment of demand response technologies in the domestic sector and promotion of behavioral changes to eliminate standby power. The results show that demand side management strategies can lead to a significant delay in the investment on new generation capacity from renewable resources and improve the operation of the existing installed capacity. -- Highlights: ► Energy efficiency can help reduce the need for investment in more renewable energy. ► Dynamic demand helps increase the use of renewable energy in low demand periods. ► Around 40% of total consumption by domestic appliances is used as dynamic demand. ► The load of domestic appliances is mainly shifted to the 5:00 to 9:00 period.

Energy efficiency of a solar domestic hot water system

Science.gov (United States)

Zukowski, Miroslaw

2017-11-01

The solar domestic hot water (SDHW) system located on the campus of Bialystok University of Technology is the object of the research described in the current paper. The solar thermal system is composed of 35 flat plate collectors, 21 evacuated tube collectors and eight hot water tanks with the capacity of 1 m3 of each. Solar facility is equipped with hardware for automatic data collection. Additionally, the weather station located on the roof of the building provides measurements of basic parameters of ambient air and solar radiation. The main objective of Regional Operational Program was the assessment of the effectiveness of this solar energy technology in the climatic conditions of the north-eastern Poland. Energy efficiency of SDHW system was defined in this research as the ratio between the useful heat energy supplied to the domestic hot water system and solar energy incident on the surface of solar panels. Heat loss from water storage tanks, and from the pipe network to the surrounding air, as well as the electrical energy consumed by the pumps have been included in the calculations. The paper presents the detailed results and conclusions obtained from this energy analysis.

Evaluating the electricity intensity of evolving water supply mixes: the case of California’s water network

Science.gov (United States)

Stokes-Draut, Jennifer; Taptich, Michael; Kavvada, Olga; Horvath, Arpad

2017-11-01

Climate change is making water supply less predictable, even unreliable, in parts of the world. Urban water providers, especially in already arid areas, will need to diversify their water resources by switching to alternative sources and negotiating trading agreements to create more resilient and interdependent networks. The increasing complexity of these networks will likely require more operational electricity. The ability to document, visualize, and analyze water-energy relationships will be critical to future water planning, especially as data needed to conduct the analyses become increasingly available. We have developed a network model and decision-support tool, WESTNet, to perform these tasks. Herein, WESTNet was used to analyze a model of California’s 2010 urban water network as well as the projected system for 2020 and 2030. Results for California’s ten hydrologic regions show that the average number of water sources per utility and total electricity consumption for supplying water will increase in spite of decreasing per-capita water consumption. Electricity intensity (kWh m-3) will increase in arid regions of the state due to shifts to alternative water sources such as indirect potable water reuse, desalination, and water transfers. In wetter, typically less populated, regions, reduced water demand for electricity-intensive supplies will decrease the electricity intensity of the water supply mix, though total electricity consumption will increase due to urban population growth. The results of this study provide a baseline for comparing current and potential innovations to California’s water system. The WESTNet tool can be applied to diverse water systems in any geographic region at a variety of scales to evaluate an array of network-dependent water-energy parameters.

Nuclear Power for Future Electricity Generation in Ghana: Issues and Challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nyarko, B.J.B.; Akaho, E.H.K.; Ennison, I.

2011-01-01

Ghana's electricity demand has been estimated to be growing at a high rate of about 7% per annum over the last ten years. This is due to the relatively high population growth, economic aspiration of the country and the extension of electricity to rural areas. Electricity supply, on the contrary, has been unable to meet the demand due to high dependency on rain-fed hydropower plants, which started operating in 1965 and currently account for about 68% of the total installed capacity. Within the last 28 years, climatic changes and draughts have caused the nation to experience three major power crises. These climate changes resulted in low inflows and thus reduced power generation from hydropower systems. To complement the hydropower systems, the Government in 1997 installed thermal plants based on light crude oil. However, due to the high crude oil prices on the international market in recent times have made the operation of these plants very expensive. Ghana's crude oil find can boost its energy supply when the oil exploration begins somewhere in 2010. For rural cooking, domestic biomass is employed. Ghana has no domestic coal resources. The Government of Ghana is concerned with: limited further growth potential of domestic hydro; high cost of imported oil and gas and environmental issues associated with use of imported coal. Small Solar and wind generation exist in some sectors, but potential large-scale development is not envisioned for the near future. With these in mind, the President of Ghana set up a Committee involving Stakeholder Institutions to formulate the Nuclear Power Policy and develop the basic elements of Nuclear Infrastructure and to assess the viability of introducing the nuclear power option in Ghana's energy mix. Cabinet took a decision to include the nuclear power for electricity generation after the Committee submitted his report to the President in 2008. (author)

Blueprint for domestic uranium enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

The AEC advisory committee on domestic production of uranium enrichment has studied for more than a year how to achieve the domestic enrichment of uranium by the construction and operation of a commercial enriching plant using centrifugal separation method, and the report was submitted to the Atomic Energy Commission on August 18, 1980. Japan has depended wholly on overseas services for her uranium enrichment needs, but the development of domestic enrichment has been carried on in parallel. The AEC decided to construct a uranium enrichment pilot plant using centrifuges, and it has been forwarded as a national project. The plant is operated by the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corp. since 1979. The capacity of the plant will be raised to approximately 75 ton SWU a year. The centrifuges already operated have provided the first delivery of fuel of about 1 ton for the ATR ''Fugen''. The demand-supply balance of uranium enrichment service, the significance of the domestic enrichment of uranium, the evaluation of uranium enrichment technology, the target for domestic enrichment plan, the measures to promote domestic uranium enrichment, and the promotion of the construction of a demonstration plant are reported. (Kako, I.)

Domestic connectivity: media, gender and the domestic sphere in Kenya

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gustafsson, Jessica

2017-01-01

This article explores how increased media access influences Kenyan women’s everyday life and alters the domestic space. The study, which is set in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, is based on 30 in-depth interviews with women. The article demonstrates that women have incorporated newly attained media i...... their traditional gender roles.......This article explores how increased media access influences Kenyan women’s everyday life and alters the domestic space. The study, which is set in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya, is based on 30 in-depth interviews with women. The article demonstrates that women have incorporated newly attained media...... into their daily lives and routines and that increased media access has opened up the home, turned the domestic space from a secluded place to a connected space, where women can get input from, connect and interact with the world beyond their immediate surrounding, while remaining at home concurrently fulfilling...

Radical Prosumer Innovations in the Electricity Sector and the Impact on Prosumer Regulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saskia Lavrijssen

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The electricity sector is in a transition towards a Smart Energy System where the roles of private and institutional actors are evolving. This work deals with the influence of some technological innovations, enabling social innovations such peer to peer trading and the participation in local energy collectives, on the regulation of the rights and obligations of consumers and prosumers in the electricity sector. It identifies the main radical innovations in the electricity market and analyses the legal and related non-legal obstacles that may impede the empowerment of energy consumers and prosumers. Some recommendations are provided to ensure that consumers and prosumers are empowered and can benefit from these new technological and social innovations in the electricity market. The recommendations relate to an accurate definition of prosumers and active consumers, the integration of demand response, the evolving role of distribution network operators and the birth of peer-to-peer trading.

Evolvability Is an Evolved Ability: The Coding Concept as the Arch-Unit of Natural Selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Janković, Srdja; Ćirković, Milan M

2016-03-01

Physical processes that characterize living matter are qualitatively distinct in that they involve encoding and transfer of specific types of information. Such information plays an active part in the control of events that are ultimately linked to the capacity of the system to persist and multiply. This algorithmicity of life is a key prerequisite for its Darwinian evolution, driven by natural selection acting upon stochastically arising variations of the encoded information. The concept of evolvability attempts to define the total capacity of a system to evolve new encoded traits under appropriate conditions, i.e., the accessible section of total morphological space. Since this is dependent on previously evolved regulatory networks that govern information flow in the system, evolvability itself may be regarded as an evolved ability. The way information is physically written, read and modified in living cells (the "coding concept") has not changed substantially during the whole history of the Earth's biosphere. This biosphere, be it alone or one of many, is, accordingly, itself a product of natural selection, since the overall evolvability conferred by its coding concept (nucleic acids as information carriers with the "rulebook of meanings" provided by codons, as well as all the subsystems that regulate various conditional information-reading modes) certainly played a key role in enabling this biosphere to survive up to the present, through alterations of planetary conditions, including at least five catastrophic events linked to major mass extinctions. We submit that, whatever the actual prebiotic physical and chemical processes may have been on our home planet, or may, in principle, occur at some time and place in the Universe, a particular coding concept, with its respective potential to give rise to a biosphere, or class of biospheres, of a certain evolvability, may itself be regarded as a unit (indeed the arch-unit) of natural selection.

Electricity market opening and electricity generation system's expansion in Slovenia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kosnjek, Z.; Vidmar, M.; Bregar, Z.

2000-01-01

Slovenia is rapidly adopting the European Union (EU) legislation to make itself ready to be admitted the fifteen EU member countries. In the area of energy or electricity supply industry, Slovenia has consequently enforced the Energy law, which in its essence follows the idea of the Directive 96/92/EC. Globally, the Directive defines common rules of the internal electricity market within EU. Any EU member country is responsible for assuring a competitive electricity market and implementing corresponding instruments as foreseen by the Directive. The share of the national market opening is calculated on the basis of eligible customers' consumption versus the overall consumption in a particular member country. Also, the Directive defines the rate of the electricity market opening. It is interesting to note that the EU member countries have been opening their national electricity markets at a greater speed than specified by the Directive. The overall Slovenian Electricity Supply Industry shall have to adapt itself to new imperatives, whereby the greatest changes will by all means take place in the area of electricity generation. As the reaction of eligible domestic market customers is quite unpredictable, the direct electricity import from foreign countries can only be estimated on a variant basis. EU countries that have deregulated their electricity market have been, step by step, gaining valuable experiences. The majority of them show a considerable pressure on having prices of the EPS generation sector reduced. A similar development can by all means be expected in Slovenia, too. it is expected that the major burden of the electricity market liberalisation and electric power interconnecting within EU will be carried by the EPS generation sector. The analyses of developed variants show that the burden, imposed by the transition onto the market economy, will be predominantly carried by the coal fired electricity supply industry. Further development of electricity

A minimally intrusive monitoring system that utilizes electricity consumption as a proxy for wellbeing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tim D. Hunt

Full Text Available The purpose of this work was to test the hypothesis: \\'Off-the-shelf domestic electricity meters can be utilised to assist in monitoring the wellbeing of elderly people\\'. Many studies have shown that it is, in theory, possible to use domestic electricity consumption to determine \\'activities of daily living\\' but the availability of systems for actual use is very limited. This work followed the Design Science Research Methodology to create a Java application running on the Google App Engine cloud service that interfaced with both electricity meters and voice and text services. The system was implemented and tested over a three month period with one older person and their carer. Results demonstrated that the technology readily succeeds in meeting the study\\'s initial objectives. The need for more sophisticated decision logic was apparent and a method to determine whether a home is currently occupied is likely to improve the ability to create more timely alerts.

Natural selection promotes antigenic evolvability

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Graves, C.J.; Ros, V.I.D.; Stevenson, B.; Sniegowski, P.D.; Brisson, D.

2013-01-01

The hypothesis that evolvability - the capacity to evolve by natural selection - is itself the object of natural selection is highly intriguing but remains controversial due in large part to a paucity of direct experimental evidence. The antigenic variation mechanisms of microbial pathogens provide

Economic theory and the failure of electricity deregulation in Sweden

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Banks, F.E.

2004-01-01

The deregulation of electricity has failed in Sweden. Since the beginning of the deregulation 'experiment', the trend price of electricity has increased much faster than the consumer price index, especially during recent years. More importantly, because of (1) the lack of investment in domestic generating (and perhaps transmission) facilities by Swedish power companies, (2) the questionable strategy employed by these firms to mange hydroelectric reserves, (3) increased and to some extent irrational energy taxes, and (4) the beginning of nuclear 'disengagement', households and businesses are vulnerable to a prolonged 'spike' in electricity prices. Everything considered, the recent history of the Swedish electricity sector - and particularly that of the overpraised Nordic Electric Exchange (i.e. Nord Pool) - should be considered a wake-up call instead of an example. (author)

Challenges for fuel cells as stationary power resource in the evolving energy enterprise

Science.gov (United States)

Rastler, Dan

The primary market challenges for fuel cells as stationary power resources in evolving energy markets are reviewed. Fuel cell power systems have significant barriers to overcome in their anticipated role as decentralized energy power systems. Market segments for fuel cells include combined heat and power; low-cost energy, premium power; peak shaving; and load management and grid support. Understanding the role and fit of fuel cell systems in evolving energy markets and the highest value applications are a major challenge for developers and government funding organizations. The most likely adopters of fuel cell systems and the challenges facing each adopter in the target market segment are reviewed. Adopters include generation companies, utility distribution companies, retail energy service providers and end-users. Key challenges include: overcoming technology risk; achieving retail competitiveness; understanding high value markets and end-user needs; distribution and service channels; regulatory policy issues; and the integration of these decentralized resources within the electrical distribution system.

Domestic Politics and Nuclear Proliferation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Chul Min; Yim, Man Sung [KAIST, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-05-15

The external security threat is known as the most important factor of nuclear weapons program, the domestic politics situation can also affect the nuclear proliferation decision of a country. For example, when a leader wants nuclear weapons as an ultimate weapon, the domestic politics situation can determine the effectiveness of the weapons program of a country. This study analyzes the current knowledge of the relationship between domestic politics and nuclear proliferation and suggests the main challenges of the quantitative models trying to calculate nuclear proliferation risk of countries. The domestic politics status is one of the most important indicators of nuclear program. However, some variables have never been used in quantitative analyses; for example, number of veto players and the public opinion on nuclear weapons; despite they are considered to be important in various qualitative studies. Future studies should focus on how should they be coded and how can they be linked with existing domestic politics variables.

Plant domestication slows pest evolution.

Science.gov (United States)

Turcotte, Martin M; Lochab, Amaneet K; Turley, Nash E; Johnson, Marc T J

2015-09-01

Agricultural practices such as breeding resistant varieties and pesticide use can cause rapid evolution of pest species, but it remains unknown how plant domestication itself impacts pest contemporary evolution. Using experimental evolution on a comparative phylogenetic scale, we compared the evolutionary dynamics of a globally important economic pest - the green peach aphid (Myzus persicae) - growing on 34 plant taxa, represented by 17 crop species and their wild relatives. Domestication slowed aphid evolution by 13.5%, maintained 10.4% greater aphid genotypic diversity and 5.6% higher genotypic richness. The direction of evolution (i.e. which genotypes increased in frequency) differed among independent domestication events but was correlated with specific plant traits. Individual-based simulation models suggested that domestication affects aphid evolution directly by reducing the strength of selection and indirectly by increasing aphid density and thus weakening genetic drift. Our results suggest that phenotypic changes during domestication can alter pest evolutionary dynamics. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd/CNRS.

Domestic Politics and Nuclear Proliferation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Chul Min; Yim, Man Sung

2016-01-01

The external security threat is known as the most important factor of nuclear weapons program, the domestic politics situation can also affect the nuclear proliferation decision of a country. For example, when a leader wants nuclear weapons as an ultimate weapon, the domestic politics situation can determine the effectiveness of the weapons program of a country. This study analyzes the current knowledge of the relationship between domestic politics and nuclear proliferation and suggests the main challenges of the quantitative models trying to calculate nuclear proliferation risk of countries. The domestic politics status is one of the most important indicators of nuclear program. However, some variables have never been used in quantitative analyses; for example, number of veto players and the public opinion on nuclear weapons; despite they are considered to be important in various qualitative studies. Future studies should focus on how should they be coded and how can they be linked with existing domestic politics variables

Electricity information 2006 - with 2005 data

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

This publication provides a comprehensive review of historical and current market trends in the OECD electricity sector, including 2005 preliminary data. This reference document brings together in one volume essential statistics on electricity and heat. It therefore provides a strong foundation for policy and market analysis, which in turn can better inform the policy decision process toward selecting policy instruments best suited to meet domestic and international objectives. Part I of the publication provides a statistical overview of developments in the electricity and heat market. It includes information on production, installed capacity, input energy mix to electricity and heat production, input fuel prices, consumption, end-user electricity prices and electricity trades. Part I also includes some 2004 non-OECD country statistics on electricity and heat production, input fuel mix, supply and consumption, and electricity imports and exports. Part II provides, in tabular form, detailed and comprehensive statistical coverage of the power and heat industry developments for each of the 30 OECD member countries and for OECD and IEA regional aggregates. It provides comprehensive statistical details on overall energy consumption, economic indicators, electricity and heat production by energy form and plant type, electricity imports and exports, sectoral energy and electricity consumption as well as prices for electricity and electricity input fuels for each country and regional aggregate. This publication is one of a series of annual IEA statistical publications on major energy sources. The CD-ROM and on-line service contain detailed time series from 1960 to 2005 (end-use data only up to 2004)

Evidence of long-term gene flow and selection during domestication from analyses of Eurasian wild and domestic pig genomes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Frantz, L.A.F.; Schraiber, J.G.; Madsen, O.; Megens, H.J.W.C.; Cagan, A.; Bosse, M.; Paudel, Y.; Crooijmans, R.P.M.A.; Larson, G.; Groenen, M.A.M.

2015-01-01

Traditionally, the process of domestication is assumed to be initiated by humans, involve few individuals and rely on reproductive isolation between wild and domestic forms. We analyzed pig domestication using over 100 genome sequences and tested whether pig domestication followed a traditional

Liberalization of the Swiss electricity and gas market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cattin, J.

1999-01-01

The Swiss government intends to liberalize the electricity and gas market. Competition is to be introduced in the electricity sector first because the European Union is also giving priority to this industry. Moreover, electricity prices in Switzerland are too high. The principle of market liberalization is not contested, but the route to be taken to achieve this goal is a matter of heated controversy. Opinions on the power line network, non-amortizable investments, hydropower plants or the pace of market liberalization still differ too widely. Liberalization of the gas market is also in preparation, but the problems here are less complex. This is because competition already exists on the heating market. In addition, domestic gas prices are not much higher than those charged in other countries. (author)

Electricity consumption-growth nexus. The case of Malaysia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chandran, V.G.R.; Sharma, Susan; Madhavan, Karunagaran

2010-01-01

The goal of this paper is to model the relationship between electricity consumption and real gross domestic product (GDP) for Malaysia in a bivariate and multivariate framework. We use time series data for the period 1971-2003 and apply the bounds testing approach to search for a long-run relationship. Our results reveal that electricity consumption, real GDP and price share a long-run relationship. The results of the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) estimates of long-run elasticity of electricity consumption on GDP are found to be around 0.7 and statistically significant. Finally, in the short-run, the results of the causality test show that there is a unidirectional causal flow from electricity consumption to economic growth in Malaysia. From these findings we conclude that Malaysia is an energy-dependent country, leading us to draw some policy implications. This paper adds support and validity, thus reducing the policy makers concern on the ambiguity of the electricity and growth nexus in Malaysia. (author)

Electricity consumption-growth nexus. The case of Malaysia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chandran, V.G.R. [Department of Economics, Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Department of Economics, Faculty of Business Management, University Technology MARA, 40540 Shah Alam (Malaysia); Sharma, Susan [School of Accounting, Economics and Finance, Deakin University, Melbourne (Australia); Madhavan, Karunagaran [Department of Economics, Faculty of Business Management, University Technology MARA, 40540 Shah Alam (Malaysia)

2010-01-15

The goal of this paper is to model the relationship between electricity consumption and real gross domestic product (GDP) for Malaysia in a bivariate and multivariate framework. We use time series data for the period 1971-2003 and apply the bounds testing approach to search for a long-run relationship. Our results reveal that electricity consumption, real GDP and price share a long-run relationship. The results of the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) estimates of long-run elasticity of electricity consumption on GDP are found to be around 0.7 and statistically significant. Finally, in the short-run, the results of the causality test show that there is a unidirectional causal flow from electricity consumption to economic growth in Malaysia. From these findings we conclude that Malaysia is an energy-dependent country, leading us to draw some policy implications. This paper adds support and validity, thus reducing the policy makers concern on the ambiguity of the electricity and growth nexus in Malaysia. (author)

Disgust: Evolved function and structure

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tybur, J.M.; Lieberman, D.; Kurzban, R.; DeScioli, P.

2013-01-01

Interest in and research on disgust has surged over the past few decades. The field, however, still lacks a coherent theoretical framework for understanding the evolved function or functions of disgust. Here we present such a framework, emphasizing 2 levels of analysis: that of evolved function and

Oceans of Opportunity. Harnessing Europe's largest domestic energy resource

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fichaux, N.; Wilkes, J.

2009-09-01

Europe's offshore wind potential is enormous and able to power Europe seven times over. Over 100 GW of offshore wind projects are already in various stages of planning. If realised, these projects would produce 10% of the EU's electricity whilst avoiding 200 million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. EWEA has a target of 40 GW of offshore wind in the EU by 2020, implying an average annual market growth of 28% over the coming 12 years. The EU market for onshore wind grew by an average 32% per year in the 12-year period from 1992-2004 - what the wind energy industry has achieved on land can be repeated at sea. EWEA's proposed offshore grid builds on the 11 offshore grids currently operating and 21 offshore grids currently being considered by the grid operators in the Baltic and North Seas to give Europe a truly pan-European electricity super highway. Strong political support and action from Europe's policy-makers will allow a new, multi-billion euro industry to be built. This new industry will deliver thousands of green collar jobs and a new renewable energy economy and establish Europe as world leader in offshore wind power technology. A single European electricity market with large amounts of wind power will bring affordable electricity to consumers, reduce import dependence, cut CO2 emissions and allow Europe to access its largest domestic energy source.

Efficiency-improving fossil fuel technologies for electricity generation: Data selection and trends

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lanzi, Elisa [Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (Italy); Verdolini, Elena, E-mail: elena.verdolini@feem.it [Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (Italy); Universita Cattolica, del Sacro Cuore di Milano (Italy); Hascic, Ivan [OECD Environment Directorate (France)

2011-11-15

This paper studies patenting dynamics in efficiency improving electricity generation technologies as an important indicator of innovation activity. We build a novel database of worldwide patent applications in efficiency-improving fossil fuel technologies for electricity generation and then analyse patenting trends over time and across countries. We find that patenting has mostly been stable over time, with a recent decreasing trend. OECD countries represent the top innovators and the top markets for technology. Some non-OECD countries, and particularly China, are also very active in terms of patenting activity in this sector. The majority of patents are first filed in OECD countries and only then in BRIC and other non-OECD countries. BRIC and other non-OECD countries apply for patents that are mostly marketed domestically, but BRIC countries represent important markets for patent duplication of OECD inventions. These results are indicative of significant technology transfer in the field of efficiency-improving technologies for electricity production. - Highlights: > We study innovation in efficiency-improving electricity generation technologies. > Relevant patents are identified and used as an indicator of innovation. > We show that there is significant technology transfer in this field. > Most patents are first filed in OECD countries and then in non-OECD countries. > Patents in non-OECD countries are mostly marketed domestically.

Organisation and reforms of the electricity sector in Slovenia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hrovatin, Nevenka; Zoric, Jelena; Pittman, Russell

2009-01-01

As a new member state of the EU, Slovenia has been required to adopt EU legislation in full. The Slovenian electricity market has been partially opened since 2001. From 1 July 2007, when households became eligible customers, the electricity market opened fully. The electricity reforms carried out so far comprise of market liberalization, unbundling of activities, allowing regulated TPA, formation of an organized power market, adoption of incentive-based price cap regulation and the establishment of an independent regulatory body. The challenge that remains to be addressed is how to enhance competition in an electricity market that has a net importer position with limited cross-border capacity. Envisaged investments in generating and cross-border capacities will partially close the gap between domestic generation and consumption. Furthermore, since Slovenia has one of the largest levels of state ownership in the electricity sector among EU member states, privatization of electricity companies is envisaged in the near future. (author)

Evolving natural gas markets: LNG possibilities for a hydrothermal power system

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Correia, Tiago B.; Resende, Joao P.; Costa, Agnes M. [Brazilian Ministry of Mines and Energy, Brasilia, DF (Brazil)

2008-07-01

The latest advancements in the natural gas - NG industry have brought new opportunities for the resource's application, especially in the power industry. On the one hand, rapid growth in demand and falling costs of transportation over long distances, particularly as liquefied natural gas - LNG, should lead to a more integrated NG world market. On the other, the deregulation of electricity markets and the growth of independent power producers - IPPs using NG as a fuel for generating peak load power have increased the demand for more flexible NG supply contracts. These factors have allowed a shift in the timing of investment and contract negotiation in NG market. Traditionally, firms searched for trading partners and signed long-term contracts before investing in infrastructure. In the evolving LNG market, producers invest in infrastructure before they have buyers for all their expected outputs, while buyers undertake investment before having firm contracts for all their expected NG needs. These technological and market changes may foster greater participation of a fully flexible NG power plants in the Brazilian electricity market. Nowadays, thermal power long-term capacity contracts customized and negotiated in the local electricity pool (ACR) require power producer to award guarantees of NG firm supply, substantially increasing their cost. A combination of flexible LNG supply contracts and electricity pool contracts may present a solution to the lack of competitiveness of NG power plants in the Brazilian power industry. (author)

Four-dimensional imaging of the initial stage of fast evolving plasmas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhu Pengfei; Wang Weimin; Zhang Zhongchao; Chen Long; Zheng Jun; Li Runze; Qian Dong; Li Junjie; Wang Xuan; Cao Jianming; Sheng Zhengming; Zhang Jie

2010-01-01

Using an ultrafast electron probe capable of four-dimensional diagnosis, the initial stage of fast evolving plasmas produced by a 10 14 W/cm 2 laser irradiation of a metal target was investigated in real time with picosecond time resolution. The associated strong transient electric field was identified to have two components, which either focus or defocus the probe electron beam. The effects of this field on the probe electron beam can be reproduced by a self-expanding charge cloud containing about 5x10 7 suprathermal electrons with the outermost layer expanding at an average speed of 1.2x10 7 m/s.

Medicolegal characteristics of domestic violence

OpenAIRE

Antović Aleksandra R.; Stojanović Jovan

2017-01-01

Introduction/Objective. Domestic violence is a phenomenon as old as the history of human civilization, present in all cultures, epochs and social systems. Despite the fact that domestic violence represents a dangerous and unacceptable social phenomenon, as well as a significant medical problem, there are still no precise data on the prevalence of this phenomenon in our country. This study aims to determine the elementary forensic characteristics of domestic violence that would represented the...

Transnational Journeys and Domestic Histories

OpenAIRE

Webster, Wendy

2006-01-01

This essay considers the potential of histories of transnational movements of people, and the erosion of boundaries between British domestic and imperial history, to expand and revise the history of nineteenth- and twentieth-century British domestic life and work. Literatures on migration demonstrate how far the history of home involves transnational themes, including the recruitment of migrants and refugees who crossed national borders to do domestic work—in Britain and empire—and their deve...

Design, construction and experimental study of Electric Cum Solar Oven-II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nandwani, S.S.

1987-11-01

As in many developing countries, 35-40% of the population of Costa Rica still use firewood for domestic cooking. Considering the fact that Costa Rica is blessed with good sunshine, good hydroelectric potential, and a good electric network, a hybrid solar oven was thought to be useful. In the present paper the construction and working of a new type of Electric Cum Solar Oven (ECSO) has been described. This oven can be used for cooking and baking any type of meal at any time during the year employing solar and/or electric energy but consuming the minimum quantity of electric energy in case it is required. (author). 9 refs, 6 figs, 1 tab

VAT on domestic energy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crawford, Ian; Smith, Stephen; Webb, Steven.

1993-01-01

This publication traces the background to the imposition of VAT on domestic energy, and considers the current patterns of spending. Results of a simulation of the effects of imposition of 17.5% VAT on domestic fuels are presented, and policy measures to offset the impact on poorer households are considered. (UK)

Characterization of particulate-bound PAHs in rural households using different types of domestic energy in Henan Province, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Fuyong; Liu, Xueping; Wang, Wei; Man, Yu Bon; Chan, Chuen Yu; Liu, Wenxin; Tao, Shu; Wong, Ming Hung

2015-12-01

The concentrations and composition of sixteen PAHs adsorbed to respirable particulate matter (PM10≤10 μm) and inhalable particulate matter (PM2.5≤2.5 μm) were determined during autumn and winter in rural households of Henan Province, China, which used four types of domestic energy [crop residues, coal, liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and electricity] for cooking and heating. The present results show that there were significantly (pkitchens, sitting rooms and outdoors were apparently higher in winter than those in autumn, except those in the kitchens using coal. The present study also shows that there were obvious variations of particulate-bound PAHs among the four types of domestic energy used in the rural households. The households using LPG for cooking can, at least in some circumstances, have higher concentrations of PAHs in the kitchens than using crop residues or electricity. In addition, using coal in the sitting rooms seemed to result in apparently higher concentrations of particulate-bound PAHs than using the other three types of domestic energy during winter. The most severe contamination occurred in the kitchens using LPG in winter, where the daily mean concentrations of PM2.5-bound PAHs were up to 762.5±931.2 ng m(-3), indicating that there was serious health risk of inhalation exposure to PAHs in the rural households of Henan Province. Rural residents' exposure to PM2.5-bound PAHs in kitchens would be roughly reduced by 69.8% and 85.5% via replacing coal or crop residues with electricity in autumn. The pilot research would provide important supplementary information to the indoor air pollution studies in rural area. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Modelling and predicting electricity consumption in Spain using the stochastic Gamma diffusion process with exogenous factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nafidi, A.; Gutiérrez, R.; Gutiérrez-Sánchez, R.; Ramos-Ábalos, E.; El Hachimi, S.

2016-01-01

The aim of this study is to model electric power consumption during a period of economic crisis, characterised by declining gross domestic product. A novel aspect of this study is its use of a Gamma-type diffusion process for short and medium-term forecasting – other techniques that have been used to describe such consumption patterns are not valid in this situation. In this study, we consider a new extension of the stochastic Gamma diffusion process by introducing time functions (exogenous factors) that affect its trend. This extension is defined in terms of Kolmogorov backward and forward equations. After obtaining the transition probability density function and the moments (specifically, the trend function), the inference on the process parameters is obtained by discrete sampling of the sample paths. Finally, this stochastic process is applied to model total net electricity consumption in Spain, when affected by the following set of exogenous factors: Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Gross Fixed Capital Formation (GFCF) and Final Domestic Consumption (FDC). - Highlights: • The aim is modelling and predicting electricity consumption in Spain. • We propose a Gamma-type diffusion process for short and medium-term forecasting. • We compared the fit using diffusion processes with different exogenous factors.

Multi-perpetrator domestic violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Salter, Michael

2014-04-01

A significant proportion of reports of domestic violence against women involve multiple perpetrators. Although the number of perpetrators has been consistently identified as a measure of abuse severity, only a minority of studies of domestic violence examine the role of multiple offenders. Data on multi-perpetrator domestic violence (MDV) is frequently removed from analysis in domestic violence studies, or multi-perpetrator incidents are treated as single-perpetrator incidents. However, the available research links MDV to negative mental and physical health outcomes, intimate partner homicide, homelessness among women, and severe mental illness and suicidality. This article reviews the available prevalence data on MDV and draws together research on the contexts in which MDV takes place. It highlights two groups that are particularly vulnerable to MDV: (1) girls and women partnered to members of gangs and organized crime groups and (2) girls and women in some ethnic minority communities. While discussions of honor in relation to domestic violence are often racialized in Western media, this article highlights the cross-cultural role of masculine honor in collective violence against women in the working class and impoverished communities of majority cultures as well as in migrant and ethnic minority communities. It is clear that such complex forms of violence present a range of challenges for intervention and treatment and the article emphasizes the need for specialized and coordinated modes of investigation, support, and care.

The Nuclear option for U.S. electrical generating capacity additions utilizing boiling water reactor technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garrity, T.F.; Wilkins, D.R.

1993-01-01

The technology status of the Advanced Boiling Water (ABWR) and Simplified Boiling Water (SBWR) reactors are presented along with an analysis of the economic potential of advanced nuclear power generation systems based on BWR technology to meet the projected domestic electrical generating capacity need through 2005. The forecasted capacity needs are determined for each domestic North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) region. Extensive data sets detailing each NERC region's specific generation and load characteristics, and capital and fuel cost parameters are utilized in the economic analysis of the optimal generation additions to meet this need by use of an expansion planning model. In addition to a reference case, several sensitivity cases are performed with regard to capital costs and fuel price escalation

Integrating wind power using intelligent electric water heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitzgerald, Niall; Foley, Aoife M.; McKeogh, Eamon

2012-01-01

Dwindling fossil fuel resources and pressures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will result in a more diverse range of generation portfolios for future electricity systems. Irrespective of the portfolio mix the overarching requirement for all electricity suppliers and system operators is to instantaneously meet demand, to operate to standards and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore all electricity market participants will ultimately need to use a variety of tools to balance the power system. Thus the role of demand side management with energy storage will be paramount to integrate future diverse generation portfolios. Electric water heating has been studied previously, particularly at the domestic level to provide load control, peak shave and to benefit end-users financially with lower bills, particularly in vertically integrated monopolies. In this paper a number of continuous direct load control demand response based electric water heating algorithms are modelled to test the effectiveness of wholesale electricity market signals to study the system benefits. The results are compared and contrasted to determine which control algorithm showed the best potential for energy savings, system marginal price savings and wind integration.

Description of 2005-10 domestic water use for selected U.S. cities and guidance for estimating domestic water use

Science.gov (United States)

Kenny, Joan F.; Juracek, Kyle E.

2012-01-01

Domestic water-use and related socioeconomic and climatic data for 2005-10 were used in an analysis of 21 selected U.S. cities to describe recent domestic per capita water use, investigate variables that potentially affect domestic water use, and provide guidance for estimating domestic water use. Domestic water use may be affected by a combination of several factors. Domestic per capita water use for the selected cities ranged from a median annual average of 43 to 177 gallons per capita per day (gpcd). In terms of year-to-year variability in domestic per capita water use for the selected cities, the difference from the median ranged from ± 7 to ± 26 percent with an overall median variability of ± 14 percent. As a percentage of total annual water use, median annual domestic water use for the selected cities ranged from 33 to 71 percent with an overall median of 57 percent. Monthly production and water sales data were used to calculate daily per capita water use rates for the lowest 3 consecutive months (low-3) and the highest 3 consecutive months (high-3) of usage. Median low-3 domestic per capita water use for 16 selected cities ranged from 40 to 100 gpcd. Median high-3 domestic per capita water use for 16 selected cities ranged from 53 to 316 gpcd. In general, the median domestic water use as a percentage of the median total water use for 16 selected cities was similar for the low-3 and high-3 periods. Statistical analyses of combined data for the selected cities indicated that none of the socioeconomic variables, including cost of water, were potentially useful as determinants of domestic water use at the national level. However, specific socioeconomic variables may be useful for the estimation of domestic water use at the State or local level. Different socioeconomic variables may be useful in different States. Statistical analyses indicated that specific climatic variables may be useful for the estimation of domestic water use for some, but not all, of the

Domestic Waste: Sources, Effects, and Management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saad, A.; Hegazi, N.

1999-01-01

Waste is any discarded material. Domestic wastes are those produced by individual activities. In common with other living organisms, humans discharge waste substances to the environment that in turn re-energize the endless cycle of nature. Human activities are closely associated with ambient environment (soil , water, or air) through accumulation of domestic waste. Such household hazardous waste deposit arise from the discharge of domestic activities in the form of municipal solid waste (household, commercial and public street wastes), night soil (human and animal body wastes, excreta, or excrement). In rural areas, night soil is one of several components of the refuse that pollute the land. The surface water may be also directly polluted by domestic wastes or agricultural wastes. But in urbanized areas, household wastes, bathroom and laundry are conveniently flushed away by water as domestic wastewater through sewerage system, and disposed onto land or into receiving water, or in some countries it is treated and re-discharged for domestic usage. Solid waste in the form of kitchen garbage and other household refuse is collected for landfill disposal or for re-industrialization. Many domestic waste influence indoor air quality in urban and rural areas as for example the fuel used for cooking, smoke from cooking and from smoking habits, modern building materials, insulation, fabrics and furniture, cleaning materials, solvents, pesticides, personal care products, organic material or vegetable origin and dander from domestic life

Potential for increased wind-generated electricity utilization using heat pumps in urban areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waite, Michael; Modi, Vijay

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Large-scale wind power and increased electric heat pumps were evaluated. • A deterministic model of wind power and electricity demand was developed. • Sub-models for space heating and domestic hot water demand were developed. • Increased use of heat pumps can improve the viability of large-scale wind power. • Larger wind power capacity can meet a target utilization rate with more heat pumps. - Abstract: The U.S. has substantial wind power potential, but given wind’s intermittent availability and misalignment with electricity demand profiles, large-scale deployment of wind turbines could result in high electricity costs due to energy storage requirements or low utilization rates. While fuel switching and heat pumps have been proposed as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy reduction strategies at the building scale, this paper shows that heat pump adoption could have additional system-wide benefits by increasing the utilization of wind-generated electricity. A model was developed to evaluate the effects of coupling large-scale wind power installations in New York State with increased use of electric heat pumps to meet a portion of space heating and domestic hot water (DHW) demands in New York City. The analysis showed significant increases in wind-generated electricity utilization with increased use of heat pumps, allowing for higher installed capacity of wind power. One scenario indicates that 78.5% annual wind-generated electricity utilization can be achieved with 3 GW of installed wind power capacity generated electricity equal to 20% of existing NYC annual electricity demand; if 20% of space heating and DHW demands are provided by heat pumps, the 78.5% utilization rate can be achieved with an increase of total wind power capacity to 5 GW. Therefore, this integrated supply–demand approach could provide additional system-wide emissions reductions

A dwelling-level investigation into the physical and socio-economic drivers of domestic energy consumption in England

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wyatt, Peter

2013-01-01

The UK Government's Department for Energy and Climate Change has been investigating the feasibility of developing a national energy efficiency data framework covering both domestic and non-domestic buildings. Working closely with the Energy Saving Trust and energy suppliers, the aim is to develop a data framework to monitor changes in energy efficiency, develop and evaluate programmes and improve information available to consumers. Key applications of the framework are to understand trends in built stock energy use, identify drivers and evaluate the success of different policies. For energy suppliers, it could identify what energy uses are growing, in which sectors and why. This would help with market segmentation and the design of products. For building professionals, it could supplement energy audits and modelling of end-use consumption with real data and support the generation of accurate and comprehensive benchmarks. This paper critically examines the results of the first phase of work to construct a national energy efficiency data-framework for the domestic sector focusing on two specific issues: (a) drivers of domestic energy consumption in terms of the physical nature of the dwellings and socio-economic characteristics of occupants and (b) the impact of energy efficiency measures on energy consumption. - Highlights: • We examine the drivers of domestic energy consumption. • We examine the impact of domestic energy efficiency measures on energy use. • Dwelling type and size affect electricity and gas consumption. • Income level, tenure and number of resident adults influence energy use. • Energy efficiency measures lead to significant energy savings for households

Economic Rebalancing and Electricity Demand in China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

He, Gang [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Advanced Light Source (ALS); Stony Brook Univ., NY (United States); Lin, Jiang [Energy Foundation, Beijing (China); Yuan, Alexandria [Energy Foundation, Beijing (China)

2015-11-01

Understanding the relationship between economic growth and electricity use is essential for power systems planning. This need is particularly acute now in China, as the Chinese economy is going through a transition to a more consumption and service oriented economy. This study uses 20 years of provincial data on gross domestic product (GDP) and electricity consumption to examine the relationship between these two factors. We observe a plateauing effect of electricity consumption in the richest provinces, as the electricity demand saturates and the economy develops and moves to a more service-based economy. There is a wide range of forecasts for electricity use in 2030, ranging from 5,308 to 8,292 kWh per capita, using different estimating functions, as well as in existing studies. It is therefore critical to examine more carefully the relationship between electricity use and economic development, as China transitions to a new growth phase that is likely to be less energy and resource intensive. The results of this study suggest that policymakers and power system planners in China should seriously re-evaluate power demand projections and the need for new generation capacity to avoid over-investment that could lead to stranded generation assets.

Of Domestic and Wild Guinea Pigs: Studies in Sociophysiology, Domestication, and Social Evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Sachser, Norbert

Among mammals a majority of each individual's daily expectations, motivations, and behaviors are directed to encounters with conspecifics. Therefore the knowledge of the genesis, control, and consequences of social interactions is crucial for understanding their social life. We present here our research on the sociophysiology, domestication, and social evolution of wild (Cavia aperea and Galea musteloides) and domestic (Cavia aperea f. porcellus) guinea pigs, which summarizes general rules for many group-living mammals. It is shown that social interactions have consequences not only for the individuals' reproductive success but also for their degrees of stress and welfare. The way in which individuals interact is controlled not only by the present environment but also by the previous social experiences which they have gathered during their behavioral development. Furthermore, the study of ontogeny does not begin at birth, because prenatal social factors acting on pregnant females can also affect the way in which the offspring will interact when adult. In addition, to understand the genesis of interactions between domesticated animals implies knowledge of the behavioral and physiological changes which occurred during the process of domestication. Finally, understanding the social interactions among individuals of the wild ancestor of the domesticated form requires knowledge of how their behavior patterns were brought about by natural selection during the process of social evolution.

Measuring the degree of economic opening in the German electricity market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mueller, C.; Wienken, W.

2004-01-01

Barriers to entry can cause differences between ''legal'' and ''economic'' degrees of market openness. The German electricity market is legally 100% open. The industrial segment is also close to being economically 100% open. The general pattern indicates a mature market. However, the domestic segment is economically only 61% open. Possible explanations of this difference from its legal openness are mismatch of regulation and market strategies of incumbents. For the total market, the economic degree of market openness is 89% based on volumes. It is 61% based on customer numbers, reflecting the fact that the vast majority of customers are domestic. (author)

Prospects for and barriers to domestic micro-generation: A United Kingdom perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, S.R.; Hammond, G.P.; McManus, M.C.

2008-01-01

Approximately 38% of current UK greenhouse gas emissions can be attributed to the energy supply sector. Losses in the current electricity supply system amount to around 65% of the primary energy input, mainly due to heat wasted during centralised production. Micro-generation and other decentralised technologies have the potential to dramatically reduce these losses because, when fossil fuels are used, the heat generated by localised electricity production can be captured and utilised for space and water heating. Heat and electricity can also be produced locally by renewable sources. Prospects and barriers to domestic micro-generation in the UK are outlined, with reference to the process of technological innovation, energy policy options, and the current status of the micro-generation industry. Requirements for the main technology options, typical energy outputs, costs to consumers, and numbers of installed systems are given where data is available. It is concluded that while micro-generation has the potential to contribute favourably to energy supply, there remain substantial barriers to a significant rise in the use of micro-generation in the UK

DoD use of Domestically-Produced Alternative Fuels and Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Science.gov (United States)

2014-04-10

85 $21,927 Electric $171 Hydrogen $3 Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) $4 Liquefied Petroleum Gas ( LPG ) $14 Total $25,053 Data source: GSA’s FAST Data...919 407 5,802 GAS PH 13 77 94 10 10 204 HYD DE 5 5 LNG BI 1 1 LPG BI 47 47 LPG DE 1 1 Conventional DSL DE 867 16,174 16,028 5,698 2,508 41,275...includes information on the status of: (1) use and potential use of domestically-produced alternative fuels including but not limited to, natural gas

Electrical Safety and Arc Flash Protections

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

R. Camp

2008-03-04

Over the past four years, the Electrical Safety Program at PPPL has evolved in addressing changing regulatory requirements and lessons learned from accident events, particularly in regards to arc flash hazards and implementing NFPA 70E requirements. This presentation will discuss PPPL's approaches to the areas of electrical hazards evaluation, both shock and arc flash; engineered solutions for hazards mitigation such as remote racking of medium voltage breakers, operational changes for hazards avoidance, targeted personnel training and hazard appropriate personal protective equipment. Practical solutions for nominal voltage identification and zero voltage checks for lockout/tagout will also be covered. Finally, we will review the value of a comprehensive electrical drawing program, employee attitudes expressed as a personal safety work ethic, integrated safety management, and sustained management support for continuous safety improvement.

Electrical Safety and Arc Flash Protections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Camp, R.

2008-01-01

Over the past four years, the Electrical Safety Program at PPPL has evolved in addressing changing regulatory requirements and lessons learned from accident events, particularly in regards to arc flash hazards and implementing NFPA 70E requirements. This presentation will discuss PPPL's approaches to the areas of electrical hazards evaluation, both shock and arc flash; engineered solutions for hazards mitigation such as remote racking of medium voltage breakers, operational changes for hazards avoidance, targeted personnel training and hazard appropriate personal protective equipment. Practical solutions for nominal voltage identification and zero voltage checks for lockout/tagout will also be covered. Finally, we will review the value of a comprehensive electrical drawing program, employee attitudes expressed as a personal safety work ethic, integrated safety management, and sustained management support for continuous safety improvement.

Exploring domestic micro-cogeneration in the Netherlands: An agent-based demand model for technology diffusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faber, Albert; Valente, Marco; Janssen, Peter

2010-01-01

Micro-cogeneration (micro-CHP) is a new technology at the household level, producing electricity in cogeneration with domestic heating, thereby increasing the overall efficiency of domestic energy production. We have developed a prototypical agent-based simulation model for energy technologies competing for demand at the consumer level. The model is specifically geared towards the competition between micro-CHP and incumbent condensing boilers. In the model, both technologies compete on purchase price and costs of usage, to which various (types of) consumers decide on the installation of either technology. Simulations with various gas and electricity prices show that micro-CHP diffusion could be seriously inhibited if demand for natural gas decreases, e.g. due to insulation measures. Further simulations explore various subsidy schemes. A subsidy for purchase is only found to be effective within a limited range of Euro 1400-3250. A subsidy based on decreasing price difference between the competing technologies is much more cost effective than fixed purchase subsidies. Simulations of a subsidy scheme for usage show that a fast market penetration can be reached, but this does not yet take full advantage of technological progress in terms of decreasing CO 2 emissions. Selection of the most effective scheme thus depends on the policy criteria assumed.

The Role of Attitudes to, and the Frequency of, Domestic Violence Encounters in the Healthcare Professionals' Handling of Domestic Violence Cases.

Science.gov (United States)

Zorjan, Saša; Smrke, Urška; Šprah, Lilijana

2017-09-01

Domestic violence is recognized as a public health problem with a high prevalence in the general population. Healthcare professionals play an important role in the recognition and treatment of domestic violence. Hence, conducting research on factors that facilitate or inhibit appropriate actions by healthcare professionals is of the upmost importance. The objective of the study was to examine the relationship between healthcare professionals' attitudes toward the acceptability of domestic violence and their responses when dealing with victims of domestic violence. The sample consisted of 322 healthcare professionals (physicians, dentists, nursing staff and other healthcare workers; 85.2% female), who completed a questionnaire, assessing their attitudes towards domestic violence, experience, behaviour and perceived barriers in recognizing and treating domestic violence in the health care sector. The study was cross-sectional and used availability sampling. The results showed no significant differences in domestic violence acceptability attitudes when comparing groups of healthcare professionals who reported low or high frequency of domestic violence cases encounters. Furthermore, we found that domestic violence acceptability attitudes were negatively associated with action taking when the frequency of encounters with domestic violence cases was high and medium. However, the attitudes were not associated with action taking when the frequency of encounters with domestic violence cases was low. The results highlight the important role of attitudes in action taking of healthcare professionals when it comes to domestic violence. This indicates the need for educational interventions that specifically target healthcare professionals' attitudes towards domestic violence.

Electric power, emissions and economic development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pearson, P.

1996-01-01

Energy use in the developing world has been growing rapidly over recent decades, both absolutely and relative to the growth in industrialized countries albeit from a very low base. In the next century, developing country commercial energy consumption in general and electricity consumption in particular, is expected to continue to rise with striking rapidity because of population growth, income growth and substitution of modern commercial fuels for traditional biomass fuels. Because the power sector is one of the fastest-growing energy sectors, it raises significant domestic environmental issues, while the sector's role in global warming scenarios has made it a key feature of international environmental policy. This paper focuses on the relationships between economic development, electric power and polluting emissions. 10 refs

Spatial analysis of the electrical energy demand in Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tyralis, Hristos; Mamassis, Nikos; Photis, Yorgos N.

2017-01-01

The Electrical Energy Demand (EED) of the agricultural, commercial and industrial sector in Greece, as well as its use for domestic activities, public and municipal authorities and street lighting are analysed spatially using Geographical Information System and spatial statistical methods. The analysis is performed on data which span from 2008 to 2012 and have annual temporal resolution and spatial resolution down to the NUTS (Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics) level 3. The aim is to identify spatial patterns of the EED and its transformations such as the ratios of the EED to socioeconomic variables, i.e. the population, the total area, the population density and the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Based on the analysis, Greece is divided in five regions, each one with a different development model, i.e. Attica and Thessaloniki which are two heavily populated major poles, Thessaly and Central Greece which form a connected geographical region with important agricultural and industrial sector, the islands and some coastal areas which are characterized by an important commercial sector and the rest Greek areas. The spatial patterns can provide additional information for policy decision about the electrical energy management and better representation of the regional socioeconomic conditions. - Highlights: • We visualize spatially the Electrical Energy Demand (EED) in Greece. • We apply spatial analysis methods to the EED data. • Spatial patterns of the EED are identified. • Greece is classified in five distinct groups, based on the analysis. • The results can be used for optimal planning of the electric system.

The big chill puts the electric system under tension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huet, Sylvestre

2012-01-01

Written at the occasion of a cold wave in France in February 2012 with a new peak in electricity consumption, the article first analyses the specific meteorological conditions associated with this event, and then outlines that the massive use of electric heating makes the French system particularly sensitive to temperatures, but also that the peak is also due to the massive use of electric domestic appliances at about 7 p.m. He describes how this peak is faced in terms of energy sources and outlines that there was no risk for grid security. He comments the availability of nuclear and hydroelectric energy, and of other energies (oil, coal, gas), and the margin levels. He finally states that costs of a cold wave are predictable and could be mitigated by supporting the installation of energy-saving or non-electric heating systems

Domestic competitiveness in secondary wood industries

Science.gov (United States)

Matthew Bumgardner; Urs Buehlmann; Albert Schuler; Rich Christianson

2004-01-01

As imports capture a substantial portion of the domestic wood furniture market, there is much speculation and concern as to the future of this and related industries. This study sought to obtain an industry perspective of trends in domestic manufacturing and importing, and to identify factors that might enhance domestic competitiveness. A mail survey was conducted...

31 CFR 535.320 - Domestic bank.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Domestic bank. 535.320 Section 535... § 535.320 Domestic bank. (a) The term domestic bank shall mean any branch or office within the United States of any of the following which is not Iran or an Iranian entity: any bank or trust company...

31 CFR 515.320 - Domestic bank.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Domestic bank. 515.320 Section 515... § 515.320 Domestic bank. The term domestic bank shall mean any branch or office within the United States of any of the following which is not a national of a designated foreign country; any bank or trust...

31 CFR 500.320 - Domestic bank.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Domestic bank. 500.320 Section 500... § 500.320 Domestic bank. The term domestic bank shall mean any branch or office within the United States of any of the following which is not a national of any designated foreign country: Any bank or trust...

Proposal for a directive for the promotion of electricity based on renewable energy sources

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-04-01

The amended ''Directives concerning common rules for the internal markets in electricity and natural gas'', adopted in June 2003, organizes the future framework of electricity and gas, making all European consumers eligible, from 2004 onwards and at the latest by 2007 for the domestic sector, as well as integrating some components related to general interest services. Energie-Cites gives in this document its opinion and its expectations concerning this proposal for a directive for the promotion of electricity based on renewable energy sources. (A.L.B.)

Domestication and Genetics of Papaya: A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Chávez-Pesqueira

2017-12-01

Full Text Available A wealth of plant species used by humans for different purposes, but mainly as food, originated and domesticated in the Mesoamerican region. Papaya (Carica papaya is the third most cultivated tropical crop worldwide, and it has been hypothesized that Mesoamerica is the most likely center of its origin and domestication. In support of it, many wild populations of papaya occur throughout Mesoamerica and hence represent the gene pool of genetic variability for further evolution and future crop management. Despite its importance, a dearth of information exists regarding the status of wild populations of papaya, as compared to the extent of knowledge, and interest, on domesticated varieties. We review the evidence on the extant wild populations of papaya, as well as its origin and distribution. Also, we synthetize what is known on the domestication history of the species, including the domestication syndrome that distinguishes wild and domesticated papayas. Moreover, we make an account of the use of genetic markers to assess genetic diversity of wild and domesticated papaya, and discuss the importance of papaya as the first species with a transgenic cultivar to be released for human consumption, and one that has its complete genome sequenced. Evidence from different disciplines strongly suggest that papaya originated and was domesticated in Mesoamerica, and that wild populations in the region possess, still, high genetic diversity compared to the domesticated papaya. Finally, we outline papaya as an excellent model species for genomic studies that will help gain insight into the domestication process and improvement of papaya and other tropical crops.

Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions resulting from decreased losses in the conductors of an electrical installation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lobão, J.A.; Devezas, T.; Catalão, J.P.S.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • A new software application is provided in this paper. • The efficient investment in street lighting and industrial and domestic electrical equipment is analyzed. • The reduction of losses in the conductors of electrical installations is properly accounted for. • The reduction of CO 2 emitted into the atmosphere is also determined. - Abstract: The activities of the electricity sector in production and consumption have implications in almost all environmental problems of today. The main environmental impacts occur during the production of electricity, mainly due to the emission of air pollutants, which is directly linked to climate change that has been observed over time. Ambitious climate change mitigation requires significant changes in many economic sectors, in particular in the production and consumption of energy. Considering that the primary energy consumption has increased, doubling since the 1970s, and in particular the consumption of electricity has had a sharper increase, nearly quadrupling in the same period, all measures that can mitigate environmental impacts on both the supply and demand sides of electricity are of interest. This paper introduces a new software application that analyses efficient investment in street lighting and industrial and domestic electrical equipment, accounting for the reduction of losses in the conductors of electrical installations, which is usually neglected. It also determines the reduction of CO 2 emitted into the atmosphere, which contributes to the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases from a country or particular product

Foreign acquisitions, domestic multinationals, and R&D

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bandick, Roger; Görg, Holger; Karpaty, Patrik

endogeneity of the acquisition dummy.  Overall, our results give no support to the fears that foreign acquisition of domestic firms lead to a brain drain of R&D activity in Swedish MNEs. Rather, this paper finds robust evidence that foreign acquisitions lead to increasing R&D intensity in acquired domestic......The aim of this paper is to evaluate the causal effect of foreign acquisition on R&D intensity in targeted domestic firms. We are able to distinguish domestic multinationals and non-multinationals, which allows us to investigate the fear that the change in ownership of domestic to foreign...

Emotional Profile of Women Victims of Domestic Violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Avdibegovic, Esmina; Brkic, Maja; Sinanovic, Osman

2017-06-01

Research indicates that women victims of domestic violence show significant cognitive changes, emotional numbing, and avoidance of interpersonal relationships. The aim of this research was to analyze emotional profile of women victims of domestic violence, and to determine the relationship between dimensions of emotions and frequency of women exposure to domestic violence. The research was conducted on the sample of 169 women, 111 were victims of domestic violence and 58 were women who did not experience domestic violence. Plutchik's Emotions Profile Index (EPI) was used for measuring of the emotion profile, and the Modified Inventory of Domestic Violence for measuring experiences of different types of violence. Basic socio-demographic data were also collected. Significant differences between women victims of domestic violence and women who did not experience domestic violence were found in a few dimensions of emotional profile. Women victims of domestic violence had higher results in the dimensions of deprivation/depression and aggression/destruction, while women who did not experience domestic violence had higher results in dimensions of reproduction and incorporation. Aggression was in significant negative correlation with reproduction, incorporation and self protection, whereas it was significant positive correlation with deprivation and opposition. There were significant and positive correlation between the dimensions of aggression and deprivation and frequency of all three forms of domestic violence and age of women. According to results obtained in this research, it can be concluded that women victims of domestic violence have significantly more intensive negative emotional dimensions in comparison to women who were not abused. Women victims of domestic violence with higher frequency of abuse describe themselves as more sad, apathetic, lonely, angry, quarrelsome and less sociable. Prominence of negative emotions, deprivation and aggression, can be factor of

Influence of developmental stage and genotype on liver mRNA levels among wild, domesticated, and hybrid rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Science.gov (United States)

White, Samantha L; Sakhrani, Dionne; Danzmann, Roy G; Devlin, Robert H

2013-10-02

Release of domesticated strains of fish into nature may pose a threat to wild populations with respect to their evolved genetic structure and fitness. Understanding alterations that have occurred in both physiology and genetics as a consequence of domestication can assist in evaluating the risks posed by introgression of domesticated genomes into wild genetic backgrounds, however the molecular causes of these consequences are currently poorly defined. The present study has examined levels of mRNA in fast-growing pure domesticated (D), slow-growing age-matched pure wild (Wa), slow-growing size-matched pure wild (Ws), and first generation hybrid cross (W/D) rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to investigate the influence of genotype (domesticated vs. wild, and their interactions in hybrids) and developmental stage (age- or size-matched animals) on genetic responses (i.e. dominant vs. recessive) and specific physiological pathways. Highly significant differences in mRNA levels were found between domesticated and wild-type rainbow trout genotypes (321 mRNAs), with many mRNAs in the wild-domesticated hybrid progeny showing intermediate levels. Differences were also found between age-matched and size-matched wild-type trout groups (64 mRNAs), with unique mRNA differences for each of the wild-type groups when compared to domesticated trout (Wa: 114 mRNAs, Ws: 88 mRNAs), illustrating an influence of fish developmental stage affecting findings when used as comparator groups to other genotypes. Analysis of differentially expressed mRNAs (found for both wild-type trout to domesticated comparisons) among the genotypes indicates that 34.8% are regulated consistent with an additive genetic model, whereas 39.1% and 26.1% show a recessive or dominant mode of regulation, respectively. These molecular data are largely consistent with phenotypic data (growth and behavioural assessments) assessed in domesticated and wild trout strains. The present molecular data are concordant with

R+D management in the electrical sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Azuara, J.A.

1997-01-01

Research and development activities have a lot to say in the energy technology debate. In view of the strategic dimension of energy in development societies, the author defends the need to strengthen research in the electrical sector to make it possible for current technologies to evolve and generation processes to be studied as from innovating materials and systems. (Author)

Private electricity consumption on the rise -- the impact of networking

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aebischer, B.; Huser, A.

2001-01-01

This article discusses the effect of the networking of the various devices to be found in the average home and the trend towards increased electricity consumption that will be brought about by 'intelligent' houses. Different scenarios for the increase in electricity consumption due to the increased use of multimedia systems - from the personal computer and mobile phones to hi-fi systems and the Internet are discussed. The contrasting tendencies noted in this area - such as, for example, the use of electricity to operate systems that are used to optimise and thus reduce electricity consumption in general are also discussed. Also, indirect energy-reduction effects in other areas - such as traffic reduction as a result of tele-working - are examined. Results of simulations and prognoses made concerning future trends for the electricity consumption of the various devices in homes are presented and recommendations are made on how to keep electricity consumption low when networking domestic apparatus

A neighbourhood evolving network model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cao, Y.J.; Wang, G.Z.; Jiang, Q.Y.; Han, Z.X.

2006-01-01

Many social, technological, biological and economical systems are best described by evolved network models. In this short Letter, we propose and study a new evolving network model. The model is based on the new concept of neighbourhood connectivity, which exists in many physical complex networks. The statistical properties and dynamics of the proposed model is analytically studied and compared with those of Barabasi-Albert scale-free model. Numerical simulations indicate that this network model yields a transition between power-law and exponential scaling, while the Barabasi-Albert scale-free model is only one of its special (limiting) cases. Particularly, this model can be used to enhance the evolving mechanism of complex networks in the real world, such as some social networks development

25 CFR 11.454 - Domestic violence.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Domestic violence. 11.454 Section 11.454 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAW AND ORDER COURTS OF INDIAN OFFENSES AND LAW AND ORDER CODE Criminal Offenses § 11.454 Domestic violence. (a) A person who commits domestic violence by inflicting physical harm, bodily injury, or sexua...

Problems and perspectives of domestic violence prevention

OpenAIRE

Kasperskis, Darius

2009-01-01

This paper will analyze the domestic violence prevention problems and perspectives. The goal of this work is to discuss the main domestic violence characteristics, analyze Lithuanian and international prevention means and offer suggestions to improve Lithuanian domestic violence prevention. This work consentrates on mens violence over women. The conseption of violence is analyzed – the general violence features in criminology and law literature are discussed, the main domestic violence forms ...

Electrical storm: case series and review of management.

Science.gov (United States)

Srivatsa, Uma N; Ebrahimi, Ramin; El-Bialy, Adel; Wachsner, Robin Y

2003-09-01

Electrical storm is defined as a recurrent episode of hemodynamically destabilizing ventricular tachyarrhythmia that usually requires electrical cardioversion or defibrillation. We describe three cases presenting with electrical storm under differing circumstances: (1) a 57-year-old man with ST-elevation myocardial infarction within 1 week of a posterior circulation stroke who developed refractory sustained ventricular tachycardia 10 days after an acute myocardial infarction; (2) a 65-year-old man who developed polymorphic ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation following dobutamine echocardiography; and (3) a 20-year-old woman who developed intractable ventricular fibrillation following an overdose of a weight-reduction pill. The management of electrical storm is discussed, and evolving literature supporting the routine use of intravenous amiodarone and beta-blockers in place of intravenous lidocaine is critically examined.

From regulation through integration to? Three scenarios for the future of electricity in Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Larsen, E.R. [Department of Management, University of Bologna, Bologna (Italy)

1998-04-01

A major change is underway in the European Union electricity sector, where the electricity market will be partly opened for competition. There is a required minimum opening of the generation market, although countries may exceed it. However, given the very different structures, technological mixes and national cultures, will a single market be possible? This paper outlines three different scenarios of how the European electricity market might evolve. (au)

The genomics of wild yeast populations sheds light on the domestication of man's best (micro) friend.

Science.gov (United States)

Eberlein, Chris; Leducq, Jean-Baptiste; Landry, Christian R

2015-11-01

The domestication of plants, animals and microbes by humans are the longest artificial evolution experiments ever performed. The study of these long-term experiments can teach us about the genomics of adaptation through the identification of the genetic bases underlying the traits favoured by humans. In laboratory evolution, the characterization of the molecular changes that evolved specifically in some lineages is straightforward because the ancestors are readily available, for instance in the freezer. However, in the case of domesticated species, the ancestor is often missing, which leads to the necessity of going back to nature in order to infer the most likely ancestral state. Significant and relatively recent examples of this approach include wolves as the closest wild relative to domestic dogs (Axelsson et al. 2013) and teosinte as the closest relative to maize (reviewed in Hake & Ross-Ibarra 2015). In both cases, the joint analysis of domesticated lineages and their wild cousins has been key in reconstructing the molecular history of their domestication. While the identification of closest wild relatives has been done for many plants and animals, these comparisons represent challenges for micro-organisms. This has been the case for the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, whose natural ecological niche is particularly challenging to define. For centuries, this unicellular fungus has been the cellular factory for wine, beer and bread crafting, and currently for bioethanol and drug production. While the recent development of genomics has lead to the identification of many genetic elements associated with important wine characteristics, the historical origin of some of the domesticated wine strains has remained elusive due to the lack of knowledge of their close wild relatives. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Almeida et al. (2015) identified what is to date the closest known wild population of the wine yeast. This population is found associated with

Electricity distribution. Price control, reliability and customer services: response to OFFER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-02-01

This document presents the views of the National Consumer Council to a recent consultation paper from OFFER, the body responsible for regulation of the United Kingdom electric power industry. The financial performance of the Regional Electricity Companies (RECs) is reviewed by examining how it relates to the prices paid by domestic consumers. A critical analysis is presented of OFFER's notion of the revision of the existing price control mechanism for the distribution businesses within the RECs. Standards of performance, debt and consumer disconnection are also examined. (UK)

On the Critical Role of Divergent Selection in Evolvability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joel Lehman

2016-08-01

Full Text Available An ambitious goal in evolutionary robotics is to evolve increasingly complex robotic behaviors with minimal human design effort. Reaching this goal requires evolutionary algorithms that can unlock from genetic encodings their latent potential for evolvability. One issue clouding this goal is conceptual confusion about evolvability, which often obscures the aspects of evolvability that are important or desirable. The danger from such confusion is that it may establish unrealistic goals for evolvability that prove unproductive in practice. An important issue separate from conceptual confusion is the common misalignment between selection and evolvability in evolutionary robotics. While more expressive encodings can represent higher-level adaptations (e.g. sexual reproduction or developmental systems that increase long-term evolutionary potential (i.e. evolvability, realizing such potential requires gradients of fitness and evolvability to align. In other words, selection is often a critical factor limiting increasing evolvability. Thus, drawing from a series of recent papers, this article seeks to both (1 clarify and focus the ways in which the term evolvability is used within artificial evolution, and (2 argue for the importance of one type of selection, i.e. divergent selection, for enabling evolvability. The main argument is that there is a fundamental connection between divergent selection and evolvability (on both the individual and population level that does not hold for typical goal-oriented selection. The conclusion is that selection pressure plays a critical role in realizing the potential for evolvability, and that divergent selection in particular provides a principled mechanism for encouraging evolvability in artificial evolution.

THE MAIN DIRECTIONS OF IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF PRODUCTION, TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. V. Zhezhelenko

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The main directions of increase of efficiency of production, transmission and distribution of electric energy have been formulated. The relation between the values of electricity losses during transmission via power grids of different countries and the level of the economies of these countries characterized by the value of gross domestic product at purchasing power parity per capita has been established. In the countries with a gross domestic product at purchasing power parity per capita less than 20 thousand US dollars electricity losses during its transmission via power grids are 1.5–2.5 times more than the ones transmitted via power grids of the industrialized countries where the specified purchasing power parity is in the range of 30.4–54.5 thousand US dollars. In the countries with more developed economies the technical culture of production, transmission and distribution of electricity is higher; the modern control systems of operation modes of electrical networks are used as well as of monitoring and accounting of electricity; also there are solvent and disciplined consumers in such countries as well as clear regulatory framework and tariff regulation system. However, the process of transmission and distribution of electricity is effective if not only low relative losses take place, but the normal (contractual requirements for carrying capacity, quality and reliability of electricity supply are provided. The possibility of analytical determination of the optimum value of reserve capacity of power plants providing the required level of reliability of the power system has been considered.

Efficiency-improving fossil fuel technologies for electricity generation: Data selection and trends

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanzi, Elisa; Verdolini, Elena; Hascic, Ivan

2011-01-01

This paper studies patenting dynamics in efficiency improving electricity generation technologies as an important indicator of innovation activity. We build a novel database of worldwide patent applications in efficiency-improving fossil fuel technologies for electricity generation and then analyse patenting trends over time and across countries. We find that patenting has mostly been stable over time, with a recent decreasing trend. OECD countries represent the top innovators and the top markets for technology. Some non-OECD countries, and particularly China, are also very active in terms of patenting activity in this sector. The majority of patents are first filed in OECD countries and only then in BRIC and other non-OECD countries. BRIC and other non-OECD countries apply for patents that are mostly marketed domestically, but BRIC countries represent important markets for patent duplication of OECD inventions. These results are indicative of significant technology transfer in the field of efficiency-improving technologies for electricity production. - Highlights: → We study innovation in efficiency-improving electricity generation technologies. → Relevant patents are identified and used as an indicator of innovation. → We show that there is significant technology transfer in this field. → Most patents are first filed in OECD countries and then in non-OECD countries. → Patents in non-OECD countries are mostly marketed domestically.

Evolved H II regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Churchwell, E.

1975-01-01

A probable evolutionary sequence of H II regions based on six distinct types of observed objects is suggested. Two examples which may deviate from this idealized sequence, are discussed. Even though a size-mean density relation of H II regions can be used as a rough indication of whether a nebula is very young or evolved, it is argued that such a relation is not likely to be useful for the quantitative assignment of ages to H II regions. Evolved H II regions appear to fit into one of four structural types: rings, core-halos, smooth structures, and irregular or filamentary structures. Examples of each type are given with their derived physical parameters. The energy balance in these nebulae is considered. The mass of ionized gas in evolved H II regions is in general too large to trace the nebula back to single compact H II regions. Finally, the morphological type of the Galaxy is considered from its H II region content. 2 tables, 2 figs., 29 refs

Behavioural responses to photovoltaic systems in the UK domestic sector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keirstead, James

2007-01-01

Microgeneration - the generation of electricity and/or heat within the home - has recently become a notable addition to UK energy policy debates. Specifically research has suggested that, as well as providing renewable energy, these technologies might encourage changes in household energy consumption. The research presented here investigates this 'double-dividend' effect using PV households in the UK. It is shown that the installation of PV encouraged households to reduce their overall electricity consumption by approximately 6% and shift demand to times of peak generation. From a household perspective, system performance monitors had the most notable influence on these behavioural responses; however evolving industry arrangements for metering and microgeneration tariffs will be central in determining the future role of consumers. The paper therefore concludes that the full benefits of microgeneration can only be realised if informed households are integrated within supportive industry and government frameworks. (author)

Designating Domestic Terrorist Individuals or Groups

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-01

These individuals and groups include the Black Panther Party, Weather Underground, Covenant Sword and the Arm of the Lord, Ku Klux Klan, Earth...based and left wing and right wing groups such as the Covenant Sword and the Arm of the Lord, Ku Klux Klan, Black Panther Party, and the Weather...TERMS Watch list, domestic terrorism, validation, designation, domestic terrorism organization, material support, domestic surveillance, SHAC, animal

Fuel for domestic and metallurgical uses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Basu, D.; Chakrabarti, R.K.

1981-02-01

To meet the energy requirements in the domestic and metallurgical sectors CMPDI have taken in hand some developmental projects using coal as a feedback. 4 projects are described - mechanized conversion of coal to domestic coke, formed coke making by Didier-Keihan-Sumitomo process, domestic briquette making based on non-copking coal resources, and smokeless coal blocks utilising inferior grade raw coal and washery by-products.

Potentiality Prediction of Electric Power Replacement Based on Power Market Development Strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, Bo; Yang, Shuo; Liu, Qiang; Lin, Jingyi; Zhao, Le; Liu, Chang; Li, Bin

2017-05-01

The application of electric power replacement plays an important role in promoting the development of energy conservation and emission reduction in our country. To exploit the potentiality of regional electric power replacement, the regional GDP (gross domestic product) and energy consumption are taken as potentiality evaluation indicators. The principal component factors are extracted with PCA (principal component analysis), and the integral potentiality analysis is made to the potentiality of electric power replacement in the national various regions; a region is taken as a research object, and the potentiality of electric power replacement is defined and quantified. The analytical model for the potentiality of multi-scenario electric power replacement is developed, and prediction is made to the energy consumption with the grey prediction model. The relevant theoretical research is utilized to realize prediction analysis on the potentiality amount of multi-scenario electric power replacement.

The electricity industry and 'Energy 2000'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Niederberger, A.

1991-01-01

The action programme 'Energy 2000', presented by Federal Councillor Ogi as a result of the agreements of last September, aims, on the one hand, for a stabilization of power consumption until the turn of the century, and, on the other hand, for an extension of domestic production, to which a contribution should also be made by renewable energy sources, particularly photovoltaic power. The Swiss electricity producers are prepared to make their contribution to the realization of these ambitious objectives. (orig.) [de

Review of the Dynamics of Coalescence and Demulsification by High-Voltage Pulsed Electric Fields

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ye Peng

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The coalescence of droplets in oil can be implemented rapidly by high-voltage pulse electric field, which is an effective demulsification dehydration technological method. At present, it is widely believed that the main reason of pulse electric field promoting droplets coalescence is the dipole coalescence and oscillation coalescence in pulse electric field, and the optimal coalescence pulse electric field parameters exist. Around the above content, the dynamics of high-voltage pulse electric field promoting the coalescence of emulsified droplets is studied by researchers domestically and abroad. By review, the progress of high-voltage pulse electric field demulsification technology can get a better understanding, which has an effect of throwing a sprat to catch a whale on promoting the industrial application.

[Healthcare aspects of domestic abuse].

Science.gov (United States)

Kórász, Krisztián

2015-03-08

The paper reviews the forms of domestic abuse, its causes, prevalence and possible consequences. British and Hungarian Law, guidelines and the roles and responsibilities of healthcare professionals in relation to dealing with domestic abuse in their practice is also addressed within the paper.

A bargaining model of regulated markets' integration with an application to electricity supply market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Jingyuan; Smeers, Y.; Canon, E.

1995-01-01

An integrated market organized by regulated electric utilities is modelled. It is assumed that, given a price vector for the exchange of electricity between each pair of neighboring utilities, utilities independently maximize their own domestic social welfare subject to the zero profit constraint. An equilibrium price vector for exchanges among utilities is defined as the one which clears the exchanges for all pair of business partners. A single piecewise linear model is formulated for computing market equilibria. The model is used to simulate the electricity supply market organized by 11 western European countries

Water Use in the US Electric Power Sector: Energy Systems ...

Science.gov (United States)

This presentation reviews the water demands of long-range electricity scenarios. It addresses questions such as: What are the aggregate water requirements of the U.S. electric power sector? How could water requirements evolve under different long-range regional generation mixes? It also looks at research addressing the electricity generation water demand from a life cycle perspective, such as water use for the fuel cycle (natural gas, coal, uranium, etc.) and water use for the materials/equipment/manufacturing of new power plants. The presentation is part of panel session on the Water-Energy Nexus at the World Energy Engineering Congress

Evaluations of different domestic hot water preparing methods with ultra-low-temperature district heating

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Xiaochen; Li, Hongwei; Svendsen, Svend

2016-01-01

This study investigated the performances of five different substation configurations in single-family houses supplied with ULTDH (ultra-low-temperature district heating). The temperature at the heat plant is 46 °C and around 40 °C at the substations. To avoid the proliferation of Legionella in the DHW (domestic hot water) and assure the comfortable temperature, all substations were installed with supplementary heating devices. Detailed measurements were taken in the substations, including the electricity demand of the supplementary heating devices. To compare the energy and economic performance of the substations, separate models were built based on standard assumptions. The relative heat and electricity delivered for preparing DHW were calculated. The results showed that substations with storage tanks and heat pumps have high relative electricity demand, which leads to higher integrated costs considering both heat and electricity for DHW preparation. The substations with in-line electric heaters have low relative electricity usage because very little heat is lost due to the instantaneous DHW preparation. Accordingly, the substations with in-line electric heaters would have the lowest energy cost for DHW preparation. To achieve optimal design and operation for the ULTDH substation, the electricity peak loads of the in-line electric heaters were analysed according to different DHW-heating strategies. - Highlights: • Five different substations supplied with ultra-low-temperature district heating were measured. • The relative heat and electricity delivered for DHW preparation were modelled for different substations. • The levelized cost of the five substations in respect of DHW preparation was calculated. • The feasibility of applying instantaneous electric heater with normal power supply was tested.

Environmental challenges and opportunities of the evolving North American electricity market : European electricity generating facilities: an overview of European regulatory requirements and standardization efforts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nichols, L.

2002-06-01

Several factors are affecting power generating facilities, such as the opening of both electricity and gas markets, and the pressure applied on generators and governments to ensure a steady energy supply for consumers. An additional factor is the pressure for the closing of nuclear power facilities. European siting and emissions requirements for coal-fired and natural gas generating facilities were presented in this background paper. In addition, the author provided an overview of the standardization process in place in Europe. The European Union and its functioning were briefly described, as well as a listing of relevant organizations. The current trends were examined. The document first introduced the European Union, and the next section dealt with Regulatory regime: the internal energy market. The third section examined the issue of Regulatory regime: generation and environmental regulations. Section four presented environmental management systems, followed by a section on standardization. Section six discussed European organizations involved in electricity issues, while the following section dealt with European commission programs. The last section briefly looked at the trends in the electricity sector, broaching topics such as compliance, electricity generation, and emissions trading. 52 refs., 2 tabs

Hopeful Thinking: Conceptualizing a Future beyond Domestic Abuse

Science.gov (United States)

Zombil, Henri

2017-01-01

Domestic violence is a continuing public health problem. Immigrant women facing domestic violence have additional challenges in dealing with domestic violence and accessing services. Hopeful thinking has been identified as a strategy for intervening and surviving beyond domestic violence. The purpose of this multiple descriptive case study was to…

Comparative shotgun proteomic analysis of wild and domesticated Opuntia spp. species shows a metabolic adaptation through domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Pichereaux, Carole; Hernández-Domínguez, Eric E; Santos-Diaz, Maria Del Socorro; Reyes-Agüero, Antonio; Astello-García, Marizel; Guéraud, Françoise; Negre-Salvayre, Anne; Schiltz, Odile; Rossignol, Michel; Barba de la Rosa, Ana Paulina

2016-06-30

The Opuntia genus is widely distributed in America, but the highest richness of wild species are found in Mexico, as well as the most domesticated Opuntia ficus-indica, which is the most domesticated species and an important crop in agricultural economies of arid and semiarid areas worldwide. During domestication process, the Opuntia morphological characteristics were favored, such as less and smaller spines in cladodes and less seeds in fruits, but changes at molecular level are almost unknown. To obtain more insights about the Opuntia molecular changes through domestication, a shotgun proteomic analysis and database-dependent searches by homology was carried out. >1000 protein species were identified and by using a label-free quantitation method, the Opuntia proteomes were compared in order to identify differentially accumulated proteins among wild and domesticated species. Most of the changes were observed in glucose, secondary, and 1C metabolism, which correlate with the observed protein, fiber and phenolic compounds accumulation in Opuntia cladodes. Regulatory proteins, ribosomal proteins, and proteins related with response to stress were also observed in differential accumulation. These results provide new valuable data that will help to the understanding of the molecular changes of Opuntia species through domestication. Opuntia species are well adapted to dry and warm conditions in arid and semiarid regions worldwide, and they are highly productive plants showing considerable promises as an alternative food source. However, there is a gap regarding Opuntia molecular mechanisms that enable them to grow in extreme environmental conditions and how the domestication processes has changed them. In the present study, a shotgun analysis was carried out to characterize the proteomes of five Opuntia species selected by its domestication degree. Our results will help to a better understanding of proteomic features underlying the selection and specialization under

Domestic Violence Among Pregnant Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Habib, Sadia; Abbasi, Nasreen; Khan, Bushra; Danish, Nargis; Nazir, Quratulain

2018-01-01

Domestic violence during pregnancy is an important social & health issue in all societies. In Muslim world and particularly underdeveloped countries, domestic violence is often under reported. It is the need of hour to encourage reporting of such events & implementation of research-based policies for prevention of women abuse & support of the victims of domestic violence (DV). The objective of this study was to highlight this neglected social problem of our society & to identify at risk population. This is a cross sectional study conducted at Ayub Teaching Hospital & Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Teaching Hospital, Abbottabad (January 2014 to December. 2016). Pregnant women were inquired regarding history of abuse by husband and sociodemographic characteristics were noted in a Performa to analyse the risk factors for domestic violence. The overall prevalence was found to be 35%. Out of 1000 pregnant women, 270 (27%) suffered from simple violence and 60 (6%) were victims of grievous assault. Violence among pregnant women is found to be more prevalent among residents of urban areas, women of older age being uneducated & belonging to poor socioeconomic status. Domestic violence during pregnancy is a common & often neglected psychosocial health problem. High risk population needs to be identified so that preventive strategies can be planned & implemented.

Towards future organization of French electricity sector; Vers la future organisation electrique francaise

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strauss-Kahn, Dominique; Pierret, Christian [Ministere de l' Economie, des Finances et de l' Industrie, Paris (France)

2000-02-07

This document displays information and questions concerning the future organization of the French electric sector. The directive on the domestic electricity market was adopted in 1996 by the Council of the Ministers of European Union and Parliament. The member states were due to transpose the directive within their national legislation up to 19 February 1999. The directive establishes principles but provides large reaches of maneuver to the member states which can choose the organizational means according to their own expectations. These task is considered as feasible by the authors. It must reinforce the public service by giving added strength to the security of supply and ensuring everybody's access to a well marketed and high quality electric supply. By introduction of certain well controlled elements of competition this evolution should also contribute to cost lowering, boost of the national competitiveness and support of employment. The document contains seven chapters which expose the following items: 1. The objectives of reorganization; 2. The directive and its reach; 3. Strengthening the public service; 4. Revamping the electric service to promote the growth; 5. Preserving the grids for the general benefit; 6. Defining the place of EDF within the new organizational scheme; 7. Developing an efficient regulation. Finally, an appendix is given containing the Directive 96/92/CE of the European Parliament and Council of 19 October 1996, concerning the common rules for domestic electricity market.

Domestic Violence against Men: Know the Signs

Science.gov (United States)

Healthy Lifestyle Adult health Domestic violence against men isn't always easy to identify, but it can be a serious threat. Know how to recognize if ... Staff Women aren't the only victims of domestic violence. Understand the signs of domestic violence against men, ...

Network governance in electricity distribution: Public utility or commodity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuenneke, Rolf; Fens, Theo

2005-01-01

This paper addresses the question whether the operation and management of electricity distribution networks in a liberalized market environment evolves into a market driven commodity business or might be perceived as a genuine public utility task. A framework is developed to classify and compare different institutional arrangements according to the public utility model and the commodity model. These models are exemplified for the case of the Dutch electricity sector. It appears that the institutional organization of electricity distribution networks is at the crossroads of two very different institutional development paths. They develop towards commercial business if the system characteristics of the electricity sector remain basically unchanged to the traditional situation. If however innovative technological developments allow for a decentralization and decomposition of the electricity system, distribution networks might be operated as public utilities while other energy services are exploited commercially. (Author)

Annual technical report. PV domestic field trial

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2002-07-01

This report describes progress at the first five sites of the UK photovoltaic (PV) domestic field trial. All five sites are generating electricity, but one has not yet been commissioned and two sites are not yet monitoring performance. The BedZED development has roof-mounted PV modules and PV cells installed in sealed double-glazing. Solar slates/tiles have been installed at the Laing Homes development in Montagu Road, where the designer has sought to minimise the visual impact of the PV system on the roofs. At Hunters Moon, PV modules have been retrofitted and some unforeseen difficulties have arisen. PV is an integral part of the roof design at the state-of-the-art low energy development by Integer Houses at Greenfields. Corn Croft uses a British mounting system to facilitate integration of the modules flush with the roof. Installation issues and the progress of the trial are discussed.

The relationship between domestic space and gender identity: Some signs of emergence of alternative domestic femininity and masculinity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cătălina-Ionela Rezeanu

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The premise of this article is that, by introducing domestic space in the analysis of gender identity, one might gain a more nuanced understanding of how gender and power are co-constitutive. The research question is what one could learn from the conclusions of recent studies about the relationship between gender identity and domestic space, by analyzing it as a way of “doing and undoing gender” through spatial practices. We conducted an interpretive synthesis, focusing on 20 articles published in the last ten years on the topics of domestic space, masculinity, and femininity. We show the traditional normative model of gender identity is still strong, but there are some signs, of the emergence of alternative domestic masculinity and femininity, based on the tendency to reconsider the value of domesticity, and to transgress traditional gender oppositions (mind and body, rational and emotional, public and private, work and domesticity. We discuss the implications of the findings for understanding and refining the concepts of doing and doing gender, and gendered space.

Emotional Intelligence of Women Who Experience Domestic Violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsirigotis, Konstantinos; Łuczak, Joanna

2016-03-01

Violence in family constitutes serious social and psychological problem with harmful consequences leading, among others, to changes in emotional functioning of victim and, secondarily, also perpetrator. The aim of this study was to examine emotional intelligence of women experiencing domestic violence. INTE, i.e. Polish version of "Assessing Emotional Scale" by Schutte, was used to study two groups of women. Study (criterion) group included 40 women aged 23-47 years (mean age 35.28) using assistance of Crisis Intervention Centre due to experienced domestic violence. Reference (control) group was well-matched in terms of socio-demographic characteristics and consisted of 140 women not experiencing domestic violence. Study women experiencing domestic violence have significantly lower scores on all INTE indicators (general score, Factor I and Factor II). Women not experiencing domestic violence achieved significantly higher scores on Factor I than on Factor II. In this group all INTE components (general score, Factor I, Factor II) are positively correlated, whereas in group of women experiencing domestic violence there is no significant correlation between Factor I and Factor II and coefficients are lower. Emotional intelligence of study women experiencing domestic violence is lower than emotional intelligence of women not experiencing domestic violence. Their abilities and skills making up emotional intelligence are also less developed. The internal structure of emotional intelligence of study women experiencing domestic violence differs from emotional intelligence of women not experiencing domestic violence. It seems advisable to consider emotional intelligence in the process of providing women experiencing domestic violence with psychosocial help.

The Spanish reforms on domestic work regulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Desdentado Daroca

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This paper analyses the latest Spanish reforms regarding domestic work. The Spanish legislator, doubtlessly influenced by the ILO Domestic Work Convention nº 189 – which, however, was not later ratified in Spain- made a deep reform on domestic work in 2011. This legal reform implied a striking change that affected both working conditions and social security of employees in the family home. The aim of this reform has been to bring the regulation in domestic work closer to the general regulation for other workers, although maintaining certain specialties. Regarding working conditions, their setting as “particular employment relationship” has been held. However, the differences between this relationship and the common ones have been reduced. As for social security, domestic employees have been incorporated into the General Social Security System, but with important specialties, thus erasing the Special Domestic Employees System. The paper also examines the legal changes that have taken place in this field after the new Government arose.

Effect of domestic violence training

Science.gov (United States)

Zaher, Eman; Keogh, Kelly; Ratnapalan, Savithiri

2014-01-01

Abstract Objective To describe and evaluate the effectiveness of domestic violence education in improving physicians’ knowledge, recognition, and management of abused women. Data sources The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, MEDLINE, PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC, and EMBASE were searched for articles published between January 1, 2000, and November 1, 2012. This search was supplemented by manual searches for relevant articles using a combined text-word and MeSH-heading search strategy. Study selection Randomized controlled trials were selected that used educational interventions among physicians and provided data on the effects of the interventions. Synthesis Nine randomized controlled trials were included that described different educational approaches with various outcome measures. Three studies examined the effects of educational interventions among postgraduate trainee physicians and found an increase in knowledge but no change in behaviour with regard to identifying victims of domestic violence. Six studies examined educational interventions for practising physicians. Three of these studies used multifaceted physician training that combined education with system support interventions to change physician behaviour, such as increasing general awareness of domestic violence with brochures and posters, providing aids to remind physicians how to identify victims, facilitating physician access to victim support services, and providing audits and feedback. Multifaceted educational interventions included interactive workshops, Web-based learning, and experiential training. Another study used focus-group discussions and training, and showed improved domestic violence reporting among physicians. The remaining 2 studies showed improved perceptions of practising physicians’ self-efficacy using problem-based online learning. Conclusion It was difficult to determine the most effective educational strategy, as the educational interventions and the outcome measures varied

Emission and economic performance assessment of a solid oxide fuel cell micro-combined heat and power system in a domestic building

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elmer, Theo; Worall, Mark; Wu, Shenyi; Riffat, Saffa B.

2015-01-01

Combined heat and power (CHP) is a promising technological configuration for reducing energy consumption and increasing energy security in the domestic built environment. Fuel cells, on account of their: high electrical efficiency, low emissions and useful heat output have been identified as a key technological option for improving both building energy efficiency and reducing emissions in domestic CHP applications. The work presented in this paper builds upon results currently reported in the literature of fuel cells operating in domestic building applications, with an emission and economic performance assessment of a real, commercially available SOFC mCHP system operating in a real building; under a UK context. This paper aims to assess the emission and economic performance of a commercially available solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) mCHP system, operating at The University of Nottingham's Creative Energy Homes. The performance assessment evaluates, over a one year period, the associated carbon (emission assessment) and operational costs (economic assessment) of the SOFC mCHP case compared to a ‘base case’ of grid electricity and a highly efficient gas boiler. Results from the annual assessment show that the SOFC mCHP system can generate annual emission reductions of up to 56% and cost reductions of 177% compared to the base case scenario. However support mechanisms such as; electrical export, feed in tariff and export tariff, are required in order to achieve this, the results are significantly less without. A net present value (NPV) analysis shows that the base case is still more profitable over a 15 year period, even though the SOFC mCHP system generates annual revenue; this is on account of the SOFC's high capital cost. In summary, grid interaction and incubator support is essential for significant annual emission and cost reductions compared to a grid electricity and gas boiler scenario. Currently capital cost is the greatest barrier to the economic

Chaos in power: Pakistan's electricity crisis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kessides, Ioannis N.

2013-01-01

Pakistan is facing a severe electricity crisis due to a persistent and widening gap between demand and available system generating capacity. The worsening of power shortages has become a major political issue, reflecting the hardships for individuals and businesses. It threatens to undermine the credibility and legitimacy of government and to further stress the social fabric of the country. The power crisis did not emerge suddenly. It is the direct result of imprudent and reckless energy policies over the last three decades. These policies have impeded the development of cheap and abundant domestic energy sources. They have also resulted in very inefficient fuel-mix choices, compromising energy and economic security. Pakistan's energy bankruptcy is ultimately due to massive institutional and governance failure. This paper analyzes the problems confronting Pakistan's electricity sector and identifies the key elements of a potential policy response to address the country's severe power crisis. - Highlights: ► We analyze the structure, conduct, and performance of Pakistan's electricity sector. ► The causes and economic impacts of Pakistan's electricity shortages are analyzed. ► We identify the potential policy response to the power crisis

Child-Visiting and Domestic Abuse.

Science.gov (United States)

Shepard, Melanie

1992-01-01

Explains problems with child visiting in cases of domestic abuse. Data on domestic abuse, child care concerns, and child adjustment problems were collected from 25 mothers and 22 fathers at a child visiting program serving separated and abusive families. Psychological abuse of mothers correlated with child adjustment problems. (BB)

International positioning of South African electricity prices and commodity differentiated pricing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George A. Thopila

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The South African electricity industry has seen a dramatic increase in prices over the past 3 years. This increase has been blanketed across all sectors and is based on a number of factors such as sector, usage and, in the case of domestic pricing, suburb. The cost of electricity in South Africa, particularly to the industrial sector, has been among the lowest in the world. In this paper, we analyse the recent price increases in the South African electricity sector and discuss the price determination mechanism employed by Eskom, South Africa's electricity provider. We also analyse the revenue and sales of Eskom and review the electricity price from an international perspective. The concept of differential pricing and international benchmarking is analysed as a possibility for the South African industrial electricity industry, so that all sectors are not adversely affected by across-the-board increases. Our aim is to raise the question of whether South Africa's electricity prices are in line with international increases and to suggest the possibility of differentiated prices in the local electricity sector.

Environmental challenges and opportunities of the evolving North American electricity market : Modeling techniques and estimating environmental outcomes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patterson, Z.

2002-06-01

Background information and results of the different models publicly available used for the evaluation of environmental effects of electricity market restructuring in the various jurisdictions in North America were included in this working paper. It comprised the description of eleven models and twelve modeling exercises. The information on each model varied greatly, as it is proprietary. The models described were: (1) the Energy Information Administration's (EIA) National Energy Modeling System (NEMS), (2) the Department of Energy's Policy Office Electricity Modeling System (POEMS), (3) the Integrated Planning Model (IPM) utilized by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), (4) Resources for the Future's (RFF) Haiku model, (5) the Canadian Energy Research Institute's Energy 2020 Model, (6) the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) use of ICF's Coal and Electric Utilities Model, (7) the Center for Clean Air Policy's use of General Electric's Market Assessment and Portfolio Strategies (GE MAPS) model, (8) the Center for Clean Air Policy's use of GE MAPS in combination with New Energy Associates' Proscreen II, (9) the Commission for Environmental Cooperation use of the Front of Envelope Model, (10) Ontario Power Generation's use of the Utility Fuel Economics Model and National Power Model, and (11) New York State Department of Public Service's (NYDPS) Final Generic Environmental Impact Statement using New Energy Associates' PROMOD. Also included in this working paper was a comparison of the results of models and modeling exercises on which the estimation of the environmental effects of electricity market restructuring in the United States was based. 18 refs., 5 tabs

Domestic violence and mental health in older adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Knight, Lucy; Hester, Marianne

2016-10-01

Domestic violence affects every age group and is present throughout the life span, but, while the mental health impact of domestic violence is clearly established in working age adults, less is known about the nature and impact of domestic violence among older adults. This review, therefore, aimed to synthesize findings on the prevalence, nature, and impact of domestic violence among older adults, and its identification and management. Electronic searches were conducted of Medline, PsycINFO, Cinahl, and Embase to identify studies reporting on the mental health and domestic violence in older adults. Findings suggested that, although prevalence figures are variable, the likely lifetime prevalence for women over the age of 65 is between 20-30%. Physical abuse is suggested to decrease with age, but rates of emotional abuse appear to be stable over the lifespan. Among older adults, domestic violence is strongly associated with physical and mental health problems, and the scarce research comparing the impact of domestic violence across the age cohorts suggests that the physical health of older victims may be more severely affected than younger victims. In contrast, there is evidence that older victims may experience less psychological distress in response to domestic violence than younger victims. Internationally, evidence on the management of domestic violence in older adults is sparse. Findings suggest, however, that identification of domestic violence is poor among older adults, and there are very limited options for onwards referral and support.

Evaluating Domestic Violence Initiatives

OpenAIRE

Parmar, Alpa; Sampson, Alice

2006-01-01

This paper critiques the approach of identifying ‘best practice’ projects and discusses the problem with simply transferring projects into different contexts. The argument is illustrated by explaining the evaluation process of three domestic violence projects which all had the same aim, which was to reduce domestic violence. The evaluated projects all delivered advocacy programmes and were located in disadvantaged areas in the United Kingdom. A more suitable evaluation approach is proposed wh...

Risk factors for domestic violence in Curacao

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Wijk, N.Ph.L.; de Bruijn, J.G.M.

2012-01-01

One out of three people (25% of men, 38% of women) in Curacao have experienced some form of domestic violence at some point in their adult lives. The most significant risk factors for domestic violence in Curacao are the female gender, a young age, low education, and experiencing domestic violence

Domestic violence on pregnant women in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Ergönen, Akça Toprak; Ozdemir, M Hakan; Can, Ismail Ozgür; Sönmez, Ersel; Salaçin, Serpil; Berberoğlu, Evrim; Demir, Namik

2009-04-01

Domestic violence is accepted worldwide as an important health problem. Besides diagnosis and treatment process, there are difficulties when considering of medico-legal evaluation of pregnant women subjected to domestic violence. As a signatory of the ''Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)'' Turkey has certain commitments regarding domestic violence and made regulations on national law. The purpose of the present study is to demonstrate the prevalence of domestic violence during pregnancy among the women who applied to obstetrics clinics and evaluating of the participants' knowledge level about the legal legislation concerning domestic violence. Pregnant women attending for antenatal care to department of Gynecology and Obstetrics were interviewed using an anonymous and confidential questionnaire. The questionnaire used was a version of Abuse Assessment Screen with guidance of references. 28 (13.4%) women stated that they had been subjected to violence before pregnancy. Only 10 (4.67%) women had stated experience of violence during pregnancy. 148 (69.2%) of them had stated that they had no knowledge about any legislation concerning domestic violence in our country. We believe that society awareness should be increased and the health workers should be informed about their ethical and legal responsibilities concerning domestic violence during pregnancy. The knowledge and sensitivity of health care personnel in Prenatal Clinics and Family Planning Services should be increased and examination protocols should be provided about domestic violence against pregnant women.

Groundwater quality assessment for domestic and agriculture purposes in Puducherry region

Science.gov (United States)

Sridharan, M.; Senthil Nathan, D.

2017-11-01

Totally about 174 groundwater samples have been collected during pre-monsoon and post-monsoon season to study the suitability for domestic and agriculture purposes along the coastal aquifers of Puducherry region. Parameters such as pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), sodium (Na), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), bicarbonate (HCO3), chloride (Cl) and sulfate (SO4) were analyzed to assess the suitability of groundwater for domestic purposes. Sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), magnesium adsorption ratio (MAR), residual sodium bicarbonate (RSC), soluble sodium percentage (Na%), permeability index (PI) and chlorinity index were assessed for irrigation purposes. The higher concentration of ions such as Na, Ca, Cl and So4 indicates seawater intrusion, mineral dissolution, intense agricultural practices and improper sewage disposal. The level of EC, TDS and hardness in the water samples indicates that maximum of them are suitable for drinking and domestic purposes. The parameters such as SAR, Na%, PI, MAR and Chlorinity index indicates that majority of water sample are very good to moderately suitable for agriculture. In pre-monsoon, RSC of about 5.7% of samples was higher which when used for a longer time alter the soil properties and reduce crop production. Wilcox diagram suggests that water samples are of medium saline to low sodium type indicating that groundwater is suitable for irrigation. Temporal variation of groundwater quality shows significant increasing trend in EC, TDS and ions like Mg, K and Cl in the last decade, mainly due to anthropogenic activities with little geogenic impact in the quality of groundwater.

Evolving Technologies: A View to Tomorrow

Science.gov (United States)

Tamarkin, Molly; Rodrigo, Shelley

2011-01-01

Technology leaders must participate in strategy creation as well as operational delivery within higher education institutions. The future of higher education--the view to tomorrow--is irrevocably integrated and intertwined with evolving technologies. This article focuses on two specific evolving technologies: (1) alternative IT sourcing; and (2)…

Design of very high speed electric generators

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Labollita, Santiago

2008-01-01

This work approaches the design process of an electric generator suitable for running efficiently at high speed, driven by a turbo shaft.The axial flux concept was used.For the mechanical design of the prototype, cooling capacity and mounting method were considered, looking for simplicity of the parts evolved. Neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets were used as magnetic source.For the electrical design, a calculation tool was developed in order to predict the prototype electrical parameters and optimize its geometry.The goal was to obtain 1 kW of electric power at a speed of 100,000 rpm.The efficiency and electrical behaviour of the prototype were characterized at speeds between 2,000 rpm and 30,000 rpm and then the behaviour at the design condition was predicted by obtaining an equivalent electric circuit.The estimated load voltage was 237 V as well as an electrical efficiency of 95%.Eddy current effects were not recognized. Increase of the internal resistance and decree of inductance were observed while raising the electric frequency.Finally, an electronic system was developed in order to use the prototype as a c.c. motor. Global performance was measured according to different supply characteristic. An optimum supply voltage was found.A maximum efficiency of 63% was reached. [es

Determinants of domestic violence against women in Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Owusu Adjah, Ebenezer S; Agbemafle, Isaac

2016-05-02

The prevalence of domestic violence remains unacceptably high with numerous consequences ranging from psychological to maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity outcomes in pregnant women. The aim of this study was to identify factors that increased the likelihood of an event of domestic violence as reported by ever married Ghanaian women. Data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS) was analysed using a multivariate logistic model and risk factors were obtained using the forward selection procedure. Of the 1524 ever married women in this study, 33.6 % had ever experienced domestic violence. The risk of ever experiencing domestic violence was 35 % for women who reside in urban areas. Risk of domestic violence was 41 % higher for women whose husbands ever experienced their father beating their mother. Women whose mother ever beat their father were three times more likely to experience domestic violence as compared to women whose mother did not beat their father. The risk of ever experiencing domestic violence was 48 % less likely for women whose husbands had higher than secondary education as compared to women whose husbands never had any formal education. Women whose husbands drink alcohol were 2.5 times more likely to experience domestic violence as compared to women whose husbands do not drink alcohol. Place of residence, alcohol use by husband and family history of violence do increase a woman's risk of ever experiencing domestic violence. Higher than secondary education acted as a protective buffer against domestic violence. Domestic violence against women is still persistent and greater efforts should be channelled into curtailing it by using a multi-stakeholder approach and enforcing stricter punishments to perpetrators.

Domestic Violence as Everyday Terrorism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cooper-Cunningham, Dean

2016-01-01

Seeing bride kidnapping and domestic violence as everyday terrorism unpacks the political nature of so-called “private” phenomena and how they reify patriarchal society.......Seeing bride kidnapping and domestic violence as everyday terrorism unpacks the political nature of so-called “private” phenomena and how they reify patriarchal society....

Origin and Dispersal of Domesticated Peach Palm

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Charles R. Clement

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Peach palm (Bactris gasipaes Kunth is a Neotropical palm domesticated by Native Americans. Its domestication resulted in a set of landraces (var. gasipaes, some with very starchy fruit used for fermentation, others with an equilibrium of starch and oil used as snacks. Which of the three wild types (var. chichagui was involved and where the domestication process began are unclear, with three hypotheses under discussion: an origin in southwestern Amazonia; or in northwestern South America; or multiple origins. We reevaluate one of the wild types, defining it as the incipient domesticate, and then evaluate these hypotheses using the Brazilian peach palm Core Collection and selected herbaria samples to: (1 model the potential distributions of wild and domesticated populations; (2 identify the probable origin of domestication with a phylogeographic analysis of chloroplast DNA sequences; and (3 determine the dispersal routes after domestication using spatial analysis of genetic diversity based on 17 nuclear microsatellite loci. The two very small-fruited wild types have distinct distributions in the northern Andes region and across southern Amazonia, both under moderately humid climates, while the incipient domesticate, partly sympatric with the southern wild type, is also found along the Equatorial Andes, in a more humid climatic envelope, more similar to that of the domesticated landraces. Two distribution models for Last Glacial Maximum conditions (CCSM4, MIROC also suggest distinct distributions for the two wild populations. The chloroplast DNA phylogeographic network confirms the area of sympatry of the incipient domesticate and the southern wild type in southwestern Amazonia as the origin of domestication. The spatial patterns of genetic diversity confirm the proposal of two dispersals, one along the Ucayali River, into western Amazonia, northwestern South America and finally Central America; the other along the Madeira River into central and

Role of nuclear and other energy sources in the Cuban electricity grid

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez, I.; Perez, D.

2000-01-01

Energy options to cover electricity demand in Cuba for next years are limited. Expected increase in the oil companion gas, domestic crude oil production and biomass co-generation can not cover the 3-4% growth of the electricity demand. An important option could be the conclusion of Juragua Nuclear Power Plant. The paper presents the country energy supply situation for electricity generation and how can be covered the electricity demand forecast until 2015. A short description of the methodology, to evaluate the expansion of the electricity system using DECADES tools is presented. Results of the optimal expansion plan considering the introduction of NPP in combination with increase in the use of renewable sources is analyzed in the framework of small country electricity grid from economical and environmental point of view. Finally, in the conclusions the paper shows the role of NPP to cover electricity demand and in the reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions. The contribution of renewable energy sources to these objectives is also presented. (author)

Domestic demand for petroleum in OPEC countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chakravorty, U.; Fesharaki, F.; Zhou, S.

2000-01-01

The literature on OPEC energy policy has focused primarily on its production and export potential. The rapidly increasing domestic demand for petroleum products in OPEC countries has often been ignored. This study estimates domestic demand for petroleum products by the major OPEC economies and forecasts consumption trends under alternative assumptions regarding economic growth and price deregulation. It concludes that product demand is generally price and income inelastic and thus domestic consumption in OPEC will continue to grow rapidly, even if domestic prices are raised closer to world levels in the near future

Resilience in Women who Experience Domestic Violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsirigotis, Konstantinos; Łuczak, Joanna

2018-03-01

Violence in the family constitutes a serious social and psychological problem with harmful consequences leading, among others, to changes in the psychological functioning of the victim and, secondarily, also the perpetrator. The aim of this study was to examine resilience in women experiencing domestic violence. The "Ego Resiliency Scale" (ERS) was used to study the group of women suffering domestic violence. The study group included 52 women aged 30-65 years (mean age: 40.15) using assistance of the Crisis Intervention Centre due to experienced domestic violence. They most often reported suffering psychological and physical violence, with the husband or intimate partner being the most common perpetrator. Study women experiencing domestic violence obtained significantly lower scores on the ERS. The lowest scores on the ERS were achieved by women suffering paternal violence, while the highest - by women experiencing violence on the part of the intimate partner. Resilience of study women suffering domestic violence was lower than resilience of the general population, i.e. individuals not experiencing domestic violence. Suffered violence inflicted by the father exerted the greatest adverse impact on resilience. It seems advisable to consider resilience in the process of providing women experiencing domestic violence with psychosocial help.

Major gene mutations and domestication of plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ashri, A.

1989-01-01

From the approximately 200,000 species of flowering plants known, only about 200 have been domesticated. The process has taken place in many regions over long periods. At present there is great interest in domesticating new species and developing new uses for existing ones in order to supply needed food, industrial raw materials, etc. It is proposed that major gene mutations were important in domestication; many key characters distinguishing cultivated from related wild species are controlled by one or very few major genes. The deliberate effort to domesticate new species requires at least the following: identification of needs and potential sources, establishment of suitable niches, choice of taxa to be domesticated, specification of the desired traits and key characters to be modified, as well as the potential role of induced mutations. (author). 14 refs

Spacetimes containing slowly evolving horizons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kavanagh, William; Booth, Ivan

2006-01-01

Slowly evolving horizons are trapping horizons that are ''almost'' isolated horizons. This paper reviews their definition and discusses several spacetimes containing such structures. These include certain Vaidya and Tolman-Bondi solutions as well as (perturbatively) tidally distorted black holes. Taking into account the mass scales and orders of magnitude that arise in these calculations, we conjecture that slowly evolving horizons are the norm rather than the exception in astrophysical processes that involve stellar-scale black holes

Utility Sector Impacts of Reduced Electricity Demand

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Coughlin, Katie

2014-12-01

This report presents a new approach to estimating the marginal utility sector impacts associated with electricity demand reductions. The method uses publicly available data and provides results in the form of time series of impact factors. The input data are taken from the Energy Information Agency's Annual Energy Outlook (AEO) projections of how the electric system might evolve in the reference case, and in a number of side cases that incorporate different effciency and other policy assumptions. The data published with the AEO are used to define quantitative relationships between demand-side electricity reductions by end use and supply-side changes to capacity by plant type, generation by fuel type and emissions of CO2, Hg, NOx and SO2. The impact factors define the change in each of these quantities per unit reduction in site electricity demand. We find that the relative variation in these impacts by end use is small, but the time variation can be significant.

Major gene mutations in fruit tree domestication

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spiegel-Roy, P.

1989-01-01

Though fruit gathering from the wild began long before domestication, fruit tree domestication started only after the establishment of grain agriculture. Banana, fig, date, grape and olive were among the first fruit trees domesticated. Most fruit trees are outbreeders, highly heterozygous and vegetatively propagated. Knowledge of genetics and economic traits controlled by major genes is limited. Ease of vegetative propagation has played a prominent part in domestication; advances in propagation technology will play a role in domestication of new crops. Changes toward domestication affected by major genes include self-fertility in peach, apricot and sour cherry, while the emergence of self-fertile almond populations is more recent and due probably to introgression from Amygdalus webbii. Self-compatibility in the sweet cherry has been attained only by pollen irradiation. A single gene controls sex in Vitis. Wild grapes are dioecious, with most domesticated cultivars hermaphrodite, and only a few females. In the papaya changes from dioecism to hermaphroditism have also occurred. Self-compatible systems have also been selected during domestication in Rubus. Changes towards parthenocarpy and seedlessness during domestication occurred in the banana, citrus, grape, fig and pineapple. In the banana, parthenocarpy is due to three complementary dominant genes; stenospermocarpy in the grape depends on two complementary recessive genes; parthenocarpy and sterility in citrus seems more complicated; however, it can be induced in genetic material of suitable background with ease by irradiation. Presence of persistent syconia in the fig is controlled by a mutant allele P dominant to wild +. Thornlessness in blackberry is recessive, while in the pineapple spineless forms are dominant. Changes affecting fruit composition owing to major genes include the disappearance of amygdalin present in bitter almonds (bitter kernel recessive to sweet), shell hardness in almond, and a recessive

Risk Factors for Domestic Violence in Curacao

Science.gov (United States)

van Wijk, N. Ph. L.; de Bruijn, J. G. M.

2012-01-01

One out of three people (25% of men, 38% of women) in Curacao have experienced some form of domestic violence at some point in their adult lives. The most significant risk factors for domestic violence in Curacao are the female gender, a young age, low education, and experiencing domestic violence victimization in childhood. Divorce, single…

Dynamic linear modeling of monthly electricity demand in Japan: Time variation of electricity conservation effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Honjo, Keita; Shiraki, Hiroto; Ashina, Shuichi

2018-01-01

After the severe nuclear disaster in Fukushima, which was triggered by the Great East Japan earthquake in March 2011, nuclear power plants in Japan were temporarily shut down for mandatory inspections. To prevent large-scale blackouts, the Japanese government requested companies and households to reduce electricity consumption in summer and winter. It is reported that the domestic electricity demand had a structural decrease because of the electricity conservation effect (ECE). However, quantitative analysis of the ECE is not sufficient, and especially time variation of the ECE remains unclear. Understanding the ECE is important because Japan's NDC (nationally determined contribution) assumes the reduction of CO2 emissions through aggressive energy conservation. In this study, we develop a time series model of monthly electricity demand in Japan and estimate time variation of the ECE. Moreover, we evaluate the impact of electricity conservation on CO2 emissions from power plants. The dynamic linear model is used to separate the ECE from the effects of other irrelevant factors (e.g. air temperature, economic production, and electricity price). Our result clearly shows that consumers' electricity conservation behavior after the earthquake was not temporary but became established as a habit. Between March 2011 and March 2016, the ECE on industrial electricity demand ranged from 3.9% to 5.4%, and the ECE on residential electricity demand ranged from 1.6% to 7.6%. The ECE on the total electricity demand was estimated at 3.2%-6.0%. We found a seasonal pattern that the residential ECE in summer is higher than that in winter. The emissions increase from the shutdown of nuclear power plants was mitigated by electricity conservation. The emissions reduction effect was estimated at 0.82 MtCO2-2.26 MtCO2 (-4.5% on average compared to the zero-ECE case). The time-varying ECE is necessary for predicting Japan's electricity demand and CO2 emissions after the earthquake.

Dynamic linear modeling of monthly electricity demand in Japan: Time variation of electricity conservation effect.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keita Honjo

Full Text Available After the severe nuclear disaster in Fukushima, which was triggered by the Great East Japan earthquake in March 2011, nuclear power plants in Japan were temporarily shut down for mandatory inspections. To prevent large-scale blackouts, the Japanese government requested companies and households to reduce electricity consumption in summer and winter. It is reported that the domestic electricity demand had a structural decrease because of the electricity conservation effect (ECE. However, quantitative analysis of the ECE is not sufficient, and especially time variation of the ECE remains unclear. Understanding the ECE is important because Japan's NDC (nationally determined contribution assumes the reduction of CO2 emissions through aggressive energy conservation. In this study, we develop a time series model of monthly electricity demand in Japan and estimate time variation of the ECE. Moreover, we evaluate the impact of electricity conservation on CO2 emissions from power plants. The dynamic linear model is used to separate the ECE from the effects of other irrelevant factors (e.g. air temperature, economic production, and electricity price. Our result clearly shows that consumers' electricity conservation behavior after the earthquake was not temporary but became established as a habit. Between March 2011 and March 2016, the ECE on industrial electricity demand ranged from 3.9% to 5.4%, and the ECE on residential electricity demand ranged from 1.6% to 7.6%. The ECE on the total electricity demand was estimated at 3.2%-6.0%. We found a seasonal pattern that the residential ECE in summer is higher than that in winter. The emissions increase from the shutdown of nuclear power plants was mitigated by electricity conservation. The emissions reduction effect was estimated at 0.82 MtCO2-2.26 MtCO2 (-4.5% on average compared to the zero-ECE case. The time-varying ECE is necessary for predicting Japan's electricity demand and CO2 emissions after the

Dynamic linear modeling of monthly electricity demand in Japan: Time variation of electricity conservation effect

Science.gov (United States)

Shiraki, Hiroto; Ashina, Shuichi

2018-01-01

After the severe nuclear disaster in Fukushima, which was triggered by the Great East Japan earthquake in March 2011, nuclear power plants in Japan were temporarily shut down for mandatory inspections. To prevent large-scale blackouts, the Japanese government requested companies and households to reduce electricity consumption in summer and winter. It is reported that the domestic electricity demand had a structural decrease because of the electricity conservation effect (ECE). However, quantitative analysis of the ECE is not sufficient, and especially time variation of the ECE remains unclear. Understanding the ECE is important because Japan’s NDC (nationally determined contribution) assumes the reduction of CO2 emissions through aggressive energy conservation. In this study, we develop a time series model of monthly electricity demand in Japan and estimate time variation of the ECE. Moreover, we evaluate the impact of electricity conservation on CO2 emissions from power plants. The dynamic linear model is used to separate the ECE from the effects of other irrelevant factors (e.g. air temperature, economic production, and electricity price). Our result clearly shows that consumers’ electricity conservation behavior after the earthquake was not temporary but became established as a habit. Between March 2011 and March 2016, the ECE on industrial electricity demand ranged from 3.9% to 5.4%, and the ECE on residential electricity demand ranged from 1.6% to 7.6%. The ECE on the total electricity demand was estimated at 3.2%–6.0%. We found a seasonal pattern that the residential ECE in summer is higher than that in winter. The emissions increase from the shutdown of nuclear power plants was mitigated by electricity conservation. The emissions reduction effect was estimated at 0.82 MtCO2–2.26 MtCO2 (−4.5% on average compared to the zero-ECE case). The time-varying ECE is necessary for predicting Japan’s electricity demand and CO2 emissions after the

For smart electric grids

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tran Thiet, Jean-Paul; Leger, Sebastien; Bressand, Florian; Perez, Yannick; Bacha, Seddik; Laurent, Daniel; Perrin, Marion

2012-01-01

The authors identify and discuss the main challenges faced by the French electric grid: the management of electricity demand and the needed improvement of energy efficiency, the evolution of consumer's state of mind, and the integration of new production capacities. They notably outline that France have been living until recently with an electricity abundance, but now faces the highest consumption peaks in Europe, and is therefore facing higher risks of power cuts. They also notice that the French energy mix is slowly evolving, and outline the problems raised by the fact that renewable energies which are to be developed, are decentralised and intermittent. They propose an overview of present developments of smart grids, and outline their innovative characteristics, challenges raised by their development and compare international examples. They show that smart grids enable a better adapted supply and decentralisation. A set of proposals is formulated about how to finance and to organise the reconfiguration of electric grids, how to increase consumer's responsibility for peak management and demand management, how to create the conditions of emergence of a European market of smart grids, and how to support self-consumption and the building-up of an energy storage sector

Determinants of domestic violence against women in Ghana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ebenezer S. Owusu Adjah

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background The prevalence of domestic violence remains unacceptably high with numerous consequences ranging from psychological to maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity outcomes in pregnant women. The aim of this study was to identify factors that increased the likelihood of an event of domestic violence as reported by ever married Ghanaian women. Methods Data from the 2008 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS was analysed using a multivariate logistic model and risk factors were obtained using the forward selection procedure. Results Of the 1524 ever married women in this study, 33.6 % had ever experienced domestic violence. The risk of ever experiencing domestic violence was 35 % for women who reside in urban areas. Risk of domestic violence was 41 % higher for women whose husbands ever experienced their father beating their mother. Women whose mother ever beat their father were three times more likely to experience domestic violence as compared to women whose mother did not beat their father. The risk of ever experiencing domestic violence was 48 % less likely for women whose husbands had higher than secondary education as compared to women whose husbands never had any formal education. Women whose husbands drink alcohol were 2.5 times more likely to experience domestic violence as compared to women whose husbands do not drink alcohol. Conclusion Place of residence, alcohol use by husband and family history of violence do increase a woman’s risk of ever experiencing domestic violence. Higher than secondary education acted as a protective buffer against domestic violence. Domestic violence against women is still persistent and greater efforts should be channelled into curtailing it by using a multi-stakeholder approach and enforcing stricter punishments to perpetrators.

Comparative analysis of the domestic cat genome reveals genetic signatures underlying feline biology and domestication

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Gang; Gandolfi, Barbara; Khan, Razib; Aken, Bronwen L.; Searle, Steven M. J.; Minx, Patrick; Hillier, LaDeana W.; Koboldt, Daniel C.; Davis, Brian W.; Driscoll, Carlos A.; Barr, Christina S.; Blackistone, Kevin; Quilez, Javier; Lorente-Galdos, Belen; Marques-Bonet, Tomas; Alkan, Can; Thomas, Gregg W. C.; Hahn, Matthew W.; Menotti-Raymond, Marilyn; O’Brien, Stephen J.; Wilson, Richard K.; Lyons, Leslie A.; Murphy, William J.; Warren, Wesley C.

2014-01-01

Little is known about the genetic changes that distinguish domestic cat populations from their wild progenitors. Here we describe a high-quality domestic cat reference genome assembly and comparative inferences made with other cat breeds, wildcats, and other mammals. Based upon these comparisons, we identified positively selected genes enriched for genes involved in lipid metabolism that underpin adaptations to a hypercarnivorous diet. We also found positive selection signals within genes underlying sensory processes, especially those affecting vision and hearing in the carnivore lineage. We observed an evolutionary tradeoff between functional olfactory and vomeronasal receptor gene repertoires in the cat and dog genomes, with an expansion of the feline chemosensory system for detecting pheromones at the expense of odorant detection. Genomic regions harboring signatures of natural selection that distinguish domestic cats from their wild congeners are enriched in neural crest-related genes associated with behavior and reward in mouse models, as predicted by the domestication syndrome hypothesis. Our description of a previously unidentified allele for the gloving pigmentation pattern found in the Birman breed supports the hypothesis that cat breeds experienced strong selection on specific mutations drawn from random bred populations. Collectively, these findings provide insight into how the process of domestication altered the ancestral wildcat genome and build a resource for future disease mapping and phylogenomic studies across all members of the Felidae. PMID:25385592

Comparative analysis of the domestic cat genome reveals genetic signatures underlying feline biology and domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Montague, Michael J; Li, Gang; Gandolfi, Barbara; Khan, Razib; Aken, Bronwen L; Searle, Steven M J; Minx, Patrick; Hillier, LaDeana W; Koboldt, Daniel C; Davis, Brian W; Driscoll, Carlos A; Barr, Christina S; Blackistone, Kevin; Quilez, Javier; Lorente-Galdos, Belen; Marques-Bonet, Tomas; Alkan, Can; Thomas, Gregg W C; Hahn, Matthew W; Menotti-Raymond, Marilyn; O'Brien, Stephen J; Wilson, Richard K; Lyons, Leslie A; Murphy, William J; Warren, Wesley C

2014-12-02

Little is known about the genetic changes that distinguish domestic cat populations from their wild progenitors. Here we describe a high-quality domestic cat reference genome assembly and comparative inferences made with other cat breeds, wildcats, and other mammals. Based upon these comparisons, we identified positively selected genes enriched for genes involved in lipid metabolism that underpin adaptations to a hypercarnivorous diet. We also found positive selection signals within genes underlying sensory processes, especially those affecting vision and hearing in the carnivore lineage. We observed an evolutionary tradeoff between functional olfactory and vomeronasal receptor gene repertoires in the cat and dog genomes, with an expansion of the feline chemosensory system for detecting pheromones at the expense of odorant detection. Genomic regions harboring signatures of natural selection that distinguish domestic cats from their wild congeners are enriched in neural crest-related genes associated with behavior and reward in mouse models, as predicted by the domestication syndrome hypothesis. Our description of a previously unidentified allele for the gloving pigmentation pattern found in the Birman breed supports the hypothesis that cat breeds experienced strong selection on specific mutations drawn from random bred populations. Collectively, these findings provide insight into how the process of domestication altered the ancestral wildcat genome and build a resource for future disease mapping and phylogenomic studies across all members of the Felidae.

The water implications of generating electricity: water use across the United States based on different electricity pathways through 2050

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macknick, J; Sattler, S; Clemmer, S; Rogers, J; Averyt, K

2012-01-01

The power sector withdraws more freshwater annually than any other sector in the US. The current portfolio of electricity generating technologies in the US has highly regionalized and technology-specific requirements for water. Water availability differs widely throughout the nation. As a result, assessments of water impacts from the power sector must have a high geographic resolution and consider regional, basin-level differences. The US electricity portfolio is expected to evolve in coming years, shaped by various policy and economic drivers on the international, national and regional level; that evolution will impact power sector water demands. Analysis of future electricity scenarios that incorporate technology options and constraints can provide useful insights about water impacts related to changes to the technology mix. Utilizing outputs from the regional energy deployment system (ReEDS) model, a national electricity sector capacity expansion model with high geographical resolution, we explore potential changes in water use by the US electric sector over the next four decades under various low carbon energy scenarios, nationally and regionally. (letter)

Mild weather slows increase in Finnish electricity consumption

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tiusanen, P.

2001-01-01

Electricity usage in Finland increased by 1.7%, equivalent to 2.8% when adjusted for temperature and calendar factors, and totalled 79.1 billion kWh, an increase of 1.3 billion kWh on 1999. If temperatures had followed the normal pattern last year, the 80 billion kilowatt hour-barrier would have been broken. Some 60% of the increase in consumption was covered by imports and 40% through domestic generation, which grew by less than 1%. Consumption is expected to grow by approximately 2% this year. More than 31% of the total electricity requirement was covered by combined heat and power (CHP), some 27% by nuclear power, approximately 18% by hydropower, and 8% by coal and other conventional condensing power. Net imports of electricity rose to 15%, an alltime high of 11.9 billion kWh, equivalent to 15% of the electricity used m Finland. This compares to 11.1 billion kWh in 1999 and 10.7 billion kWh in 1990. Net imports of electricity rose by 6.8% last year. Imports from Sweden increased by 25%, while imports from Russia fell by 13%. Exports of electricity from Finland were low, because of inexpensive electricity available in the Nordic countries. Due to the good hydropower situation and competition, electricity prices dropped again, by approximately 1%. Electricity trading grew rapidly, with almost one-fifth of all electricity used in Finland being traded through Nord Pool

Industrial and residential electricity demand dynamics in Japan: How did price and income elasticities evolve from 1989 to 2014?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Nan; Mogi, Gento

2017-01-01

This study estimates the price and income elasticities of industrial and residential electricity demand in Japan with the annual data from 1989 to 2014. A time varying parameter (TVP) model with the Kalman filter is applied to monitor the evolution of consumer behaviors in the “post-bubble” period given the exogenous shock (financial crisis in 2008) and the structural breaks (electricity deregulation and Fukushima Daiichi crisis). The TVP model can provide a robust estimation of elasticities and can detect the outliers and the structural breaks. The results suggest that both industrial and residential consumers become less sensitive to price after the electricity deregulation and the financial crisis, and more sensitive to price after the Fukushima Daiichi crisis. Especially the industrial sector is less sensitive to price after the retail deregulation. By contrast, the income elasticities of industrial and residential sector consumers are stable during the examined period. Results also indicate that a negative relationship exists between the price elasticity of electricity demand and the price level of electricity after the electric sector deregulation. Some insights on the further electric sector reform and the environmental taxation in Japan are also provided. - Highlights: • A time varying parameter model is calculated with the Kalman filter. • Income elasticities are stable while price elasticities are time-varying. • Industrial sector is less sensitive to price change than residential sector. • Negative relationship between price elasticity and price level is found.

Fuel mix electricity 2020, inventory, problems and solutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seebregts, A.J.; Snoep, H.J.M.; Van Deurzen, J.; Lensink, S.M.; Van der Welle, A.J.; Wetzels, W.

2010-04-01

ECN made an inventory of the fuel mix of the electricity generation in the Netherlands for the year 2020. The inventory is derived from the updated Reference Projections that are based on the Global Economy scenario. This scenario has a relatively high growth of the domestic electricity demand (156 TWh in 2020 compared to about 118 TWh in 2008). Besides the factual inventory, ECN made a quickscan of potential problems associated with high penetration of electricity from wind energy, up to 12,000 MW in 2020. The conclusion is that the so-called 'offpeak hours issue' (in Dutch: 'het daluren issue') is a real potential problem under such scenario assumptions. In case of full wind availability, the total generating capacity consisting of must-run capacity and typical base load power plants with low variable cost of production (nuclear and coal) may exceed the electricity demand (domestic plus net export) in part of these off-peak situations, e.g. during nighttime. The must-run capacity consists, among others, of part of the decentralised CHP installations and waste incinerators. Potential solutions to this 'off-peak hours issue' are: (1) Flexibility in electricity demand ('demand response'); (2) Additional interconnection with neighbouring countries and appropriate market design rules; (3) Storage of electricity; (4) Flexibility of conventional (fossil) supply; (5) Flexibility of the intermittent renewable generation itself; (6) Intelligent grids ('Smart Grids'). Additional detailed analyses and research are needed to address the magnitude of the problem and to analyse the contribution of the various solutions. Such an analysis can provide an indication of an optimal and feasible combination of the solutions identified. Relevant issues are: (a) How often, with which magnitude and under which circumstances will the problem occur?; (b) What will be the effect on the curtailing of wind energy, and is curtailing plausible given current market rules and renewable energy

Hofstadter spectrum in electric and magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunold, Alejandro; Torres, Manuel

2005-01-01

The problem of Bloch electrons in two dimensions subjected to magnetic and intense electric fields is investigated. Magnetic translations, electric evolution, and energy translation operators are used to specify the solutions of the Schroedinger equation. For rational values of the magnetic flux quanta per unit cell and commensurate orientations of the electric field relative to the original lattice, an extended superlattice can be defined and a complete set of mutually commuting space-time symmetry operators is obtained. Dynamics of the system is governed by a finite difference equation that exactly includes the effects of: an arbitrary periodic potential, an electric field orientated in a commensurable direction of the lattice, and coupling between Landau levels. A weak periodic potential broadens each Landau level in a series of minibands, separated by the corresponding minigaps. The addition of the electric field induces a series of avoided and exact crossing of the quasienergies, for sufficiently strong electric field the spectrum evolves into equally spaced discreet levels, in this 'magnetic Stark ladder' the energy separation is an integer multiple of hE/aB, with a the lattice parameter

Comparison of electricity sources in the envrionmental management aspect

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Young Eal

2001-01-01

National energy plan is addressing environmental issues and energy conservation has come to be regarded as an important element of environmental policy. Nuclear and coal have been selected as the major electricity sources due to the insufficient domestic energy resources, and will provide 62% of total electricity generation in Korea by 2015. According to current situation, it is necessary to compare two major electricity sources in the view of environmental management issues. Up to now, environmental impact assessment between two electricity sources has been focused on the CO 2 emission or economics. But future generation would require the environment friendliness energy policy established objectively with the comparative assessment tool of energy systems. Therefore, the environmental impacts of coal and nuclear fuel cycles are identified and quantified with the dimensionless unit concerning various environmental categories including global warming, acidification and so on. This result will be much helpful to make a decision for the long-term electricity planning and the energy mix optimization with respect to the environmental preservation in Korea

Evolvable Neural Software System

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, Steven A.

2009-01-01

The Evolvable Neural Software System (ENSS) is composed of sets of Neural Basis Functions (NBFs), which can be totally autonomously created and removed according to the changing needs and requirements of the software system. The resulting structure is both hierarchical and self-similar in that a given set of NBFs may have a ruler NBF, which in turn communicates with other sets of NBFs. These sets of NBFs may function as nodes to a ruler node, which are also NBF constructs. In this manner, the synthetic neural system can exhibit the complexity, three-dimensional connectivity, and adaptability of biological neural systems. An added advantage of ENSS over a natural neural system is its ability to modify its core genetic code in response to environmental changes as reflected in needs and requirements. The neural system is fully adaptive and evolvable and is trainable before release. It continues to rewire itself while on the job. The NBF is a unique, bilevel intelligence neural system composed of a higher-level heuristic neural system (HNS) and a lower-level, autonomic neural system (ANS). Taken together, the HNS and the ANS give each NBF the complete capabilities of a biological neural system to match sensory inputs to actions. Another feature of the NBF is the Evolvable Neural Interface (ENI), which links the HNS and ANS. The ENI solves the interface problem between these two systems by actively adapting and evolving from a primitive initial state (a Neural Thread) to a complicated, operational ENI and successfully adapting to a training sequence of sensory input. This simulates the adaptation of a biological neural system in a developmental phase. Within the greater multi-NBF and multi-node ENSS, self-similar ENI s provide the basis for inter-NBF and inter-node connectivity.

Solar water heating systems feasibility for domestic requests in Tunisia: Thermal potential and economic analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hazami, Majdi; Naili, Nabiha; Attar, Issam; Farhat, Abdelhamid

2013-01-01

Highlights: • The present work studies the potential of using Domestic Solar Water Heating systems. • The payback period is between 8 and 7.5 years. • The annual savings in electrical energy is between 1316 and 1459 kW h/year. • The savings by using the solar systems is about 3969–4400.34 $. • The annual GHG emission per house is reduced by 27,800 tCO 2 . - Abstract: The main goal of the present work is to study the energetic and the economic potential of the deployment of Domestic Solar Water Heating systems (DSWHs) instead of using electric/gas/town gas water heaters. A case study related to Tunisian scenario was performed according to a typical Tunisian households composed of 4–5 persons. In this scenario we evaluated the performance and the life cycle perspective of the two most popular DSWHs over the recent years (i.e. DSWH with flat-plate solar collector, FPC, and DSWHs with evacuated-tube solar collector, ETC). The dynamic behavior of DSWHs according to Tunisian data weather was achieved by means of TRNSYS simulation. The Results showed that the FPC and ETC provide about 8118 and 12032 kW h/year of thermal energy. The economic potential of DSWHs in saving electricity and reducing carbon dioxide emissions was also investigated. Results showed that the annual savings in electrical energy relatively to the FPC and ETC are about 1316 and 1459 kW h/year, with a payback period of around 8 and 10 years, respectively. Based on gas/town gas water heater, the FPC and ETC save about 306 m 3 and 410 m 3 of gas/town gas with a payback period about 6 and 7.5 years, respectively. We found that the life cycle savings by installing the solar system instead of buying electricity to satisfy hot water needs are about $3969 (FPC) and $4400 (ETC). We establish also that the use of the DSWHs instead of installing gas/town gas water heaters save about $1518 (FPC) and $2035 (ETC). From an environmental point of view the annual GHG emission per house is reduced by 27800

Enabling demand response by extending the European electricity markets with a real-time market

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nyeng, P.; Kok, K.; Pineda, S.; Grande, O.; Sprooten, J.; Hebb, B.; Nieuwenhout, F.

2013-01-01

The EcoGrid concept proposes to extend the current wholesale electricity market to allow participation of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) and domestic end-consumers in system balancing. Taking advantage of the smart grid technology, the EcoGrid market publishes the real-time prices that entail

Foreign acquisitions, domestic multinationals, and R&D

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bandick, Roger; Görg, Holger; Karpaty, Patrik

2014-01-01

The aim of this paper is to evaluate the causal effect of foreign acquisition on R&D intensity in targeted domestic firms. We are able to distinguish domestic multinationals and non-multinationals, which allows us to investigate the fear that the change in ownership of domestic to foreign...... multinationals leads to a reduction in R&D activity in the country. We use unique and rich firm level data for the Swedish manufacturing sector and micro-econometric estimation strategies in order to control for the potential endogeneity of the acquisition decision. Overall, our results give no support...... to the fears that foreign acquisition of domestic firms lead to a relocation of R&D activity in Swedish MNEs. Rather, this paper finds robust evidence that foreign acquisitions lead to increasing R&D intensity in acquired domestic MNEs and non-MNEs....

Diffusion into new markets: evolving customer segments in the solar photovoltaics market

Science.gov (United States)

Sigrin, Ben; Pless, Jacquelyn; Drury, Easan

2015-08-01

The US residential solar market is growing quickly, and as solar adoption diffuses into new populations, later adopters may differ significantly from earlier ones. Using a unique household-level survey dataset including 1234 adopters and 790 non-adopters from San Diego County, California, we explore differences in attitudinal and socio-economic factors for three groups: (i) adopters and non-adopters; (ii) early and more recent adopters; (iii) consumers adopting via buying or leasing. Our results suggest that adopters overall have higher incomes, are more educated, live in larger homes, and expect to stay in their homes for longer than their non-adopting peers. They also differ in their expectations of electricity retail rate changes and the impact solar could have on their home resale value. When examining differences between early and more recent adopters, we find that recent adopters are more representative of general homeowners and more politically moderate. They are also increasingly installing solar to protect against future electricity price increases and to lower electricity costs as opposed to adopting strictly for environmental reasons. Furthermore, more recent adopters differ significantly from earlier adopters in the situations that prompted them to adopt. The findings demonstrate how solar markets are evolving, reflecting changes in the underlying drivers of consumer adoption as well as innovative solar marketing strategies.

Helping Children Exposed to Domestic Violence

Science.gov (United States)

... for Families - Vietnamese Spanish Facts for Families Guide Domestic Violence and Children No. 109; Updated April 2013 As ... each year. This kind of violence is called domestic violence or intimate partner violence. The US Department of ...

The strategic role of AIJ and domestic offsets in the evolving international response to climate change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Macdonald, D.; Dobson, S.; Boucher, A.

1997-01-01

Prior to the 1988 Toronto conference on global warming, the issue was largely one of scientific debate. After 1988, there was a call on policy makers to respond to this issue with coordinated international action. From this the Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC) was established, which provides the international infrastructure to discuss climate change and develop response policies. At the First Conference of the Parties (COP-1) to the FCCC, member countries agreed that: the FCCC goal would be stabilization of concentrations below dangerous levels, signatories would develop emission inventories, nations to pursue technology exchange, and Annex 1 nations agreed to aim to stabilize their emissions at 1990 level by 2000. There was also agreement on pilot phase of Activities Implemented Jointly, but without credit. This history indicates that there is an ongoing evolution in the scientific understanding and economic implications of responding to climate change, the development of international mechanisms to respond (via the FCCC), ongoing commitments to address the issue, and policy tools to implement these commitments. Policy tools such as national voluntary programs will remain a central policy response for many countries. However, there is an increasing awareness that in the longer term, a global response strategy to climate change will need to emerge that involves all countries, implements policy tools that are as economically as cost-effective as possible, allow developing countries to grow and prosper, and ultimately leads towards the FCCC goal of stabilization of concentrations below dangerous levels. Domestic greenhouse gas offsets and international AIJ projects are relatively new, but vitally important strategies in the ongoing evolutionary response to climate change

Integration of Thermoelectric Generators and Wood Stove to Produce Heat, Hot Water, and Electrical Power

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Goudarzi, A.M.; Mazandarani, P.; Panahi, R.

2013-01-01

Traditional fire stoves are characterized by low efficiency. In this experimental study, the combustion chamber of the stove is developed by two devices. An electric fan can increase the air to fuel ratio in order to increase the system’s efficiency and to decrease the air pollution by providing....... The presented prototype is designed to fulfill the basic needs of domestic electricity, hot water and the essential heat for warming the room and cooking....

Evolving phenotypic networks in silico.

Science.gov (United States)

François, Paul

2014-11-01

Evolved gene networks are constrained by natural selection. Their structures and functions are consequently far from being random, as exemplified by the multiple instances of parallel/convergent evolution. One can thus ask if features of actual gene networks can be recovered from evolutionary first principles. I review a method for in silico evolution of small models of gene networks aiming at performing predefined biological functions. I summarize the current implementation of the algorithm, insisting on the construction of a proper "fitness" function. I illustrate the approach on three examples: biochemical adaptation, ligand discrimination and vertebrate segmentation (somitogenesis). While the structure of the evolved networks is variable, dynamics of our evolved networks are usually constrained and present many similar features to actual gene networks, including properties that were not explicitly selected for. In silico evolution can thus be used to predict biological behaviours without a detailed knowledge of the mapping between genotype and phenotype. Copyright © 2014 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Electric Sensors for Express-Method Checking of Liquid Quality Level Monitoring

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petro STOLYARCHUK

2010-02-01

Full Text Available The research covered in the suggested article is meant for ecological monitoring in the broad sense. The express-method of water solution quality level estimation and the technique of fast response to the quality level of industrial, agricultural and domestic wastewaters along with food products are proposed. The novelty of the proposed technique roots in the implementation of suggested methods and means of electric parameter measurement aimed at the quality index controlling of nonelectric qualimetry objects. Relevant research includes the exploration of water-solutions as well as different-level purification of industrial and domestic spillage waters, colloid solutions (cream, milk with the known contaminants, mixtures of superficially active substances and chlorine-containing substances.

canEvolve: a web portal for integrative oncogenomics.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Kemal Samur

Full Text Available BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: Genome-wide profiles of tumors obtained using functional genomics platforms are being deposited to the public repositories at an astronomical scale, as a result of focused efforts by individual laboratories and large projects such as the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA and the International Cancer Genome Consortium. Consequently, there is an urgent need for reliable tools that integrate and interpret these data in light of current knowledge and disseminate results to biomedical researchers in a user-friendly manner. We have built the canEvolve web portal to meet this need. RESULTS: canEvolve query functionalities are designed to fulfill most frequent analysis needs of cancer researchers with a view to generate novel hypotheses. canEvolve stores gene, microRNA (miRNA and protein expression profiles, copy number alterations for multiple cancer types, and protein-protein interaction information. canEvolve allows querying of results of primary analysis, integrative analysis and network analysis of oncogenomics data. The querying for primary analysis includes differential gene and miRNA expression as well as changes in gene copy number measured with SNP microarrays. canEvolve provides results of integrative analysis of gene expression profiles with copy number alterations and with miRNA profiles as well as generalized integrative analysis using gene set enrichment analysis. The network analysis capability includes storage and visualization of gene co-expression, inferred gene regulatory networks and protein-protein interaction information. Finally, canEvolve provides correlations between gene expression and clinical outcomes in terms of univariate survival analysis. CONCLUSION: At present canEvolve provides different types of information extracted from 90 cancer genomics studies comprising of more than 10,000 patients. The presence of multiple data types, novel integrative analysis for identifying regulators of oncogenesis, network

Hydro-electric power - potential and limitations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amundsen, T.

1995-12-31

This paper focuses on efficiency improvement in electric power production by matching the different characteristics for thermal power and hydropower. The paper introduces secondary hydropower defined as available power stored as hydro-energy in water reservoirs as a key element to achieve this goal. The iron-locked connection between GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and power consumption is discussed. As it also is a general understanding that GDP has to increase to accommodate the world`s growing population, the unavoidable conclusion is that more power is to be produced. 3 figs.

Hydro-electric power - potential and limitations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amundsen, T.

1995-01-01

This paper focuses on efficiency improvement in electric power production by matching the different characteristics for thermal power and hydropower. The paper introduces secondary hydropower defined as available power stored as hydro-energy in water reservoirs as a key element to achieve this goal. The iron-locked connection between GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and power consumption is discussed. As it also is a general understanding that GDP has to increase to accommodate the world's growing population, the unavoidable conclusion is that more power is to be produced. 3 figs

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

Brackish Water Desalination Coupled With Wastewater Treatment and Electricity Generation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zainab Ziad Ismail

2015-05-01

Full Text Available A new bio-electrochemical system was proposed for simultaneous removal of organic matters and salinity from actual domestic wastewater and synthetically prepared saline water, respectively. The performance of a three-chambered microbial osmotic fuel cell (MOFC provided with forward osmosis (FO membrane and cation exchange membrane (CEM was evaluated with respect to the chemical oxygen demand (COD removal from wastewater, electricity generation, and desalination of saline water. The MOFC wasinoculated with activated sludge and fueled with actual domestic wastewater. Results revealed that maximum removal efficiency of COD from wastewater, TDS removal efficiency from saline water, power density, and current density were 96%, 90%, 30.02 mW/m2, and 107.20 mA/m2, respectively.

Electric heating of a unit for uranium trioxide production

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Faron, R.; Striff, A.

1985-01-01

Ammonium diuranate U 2 O 7 (NH 4 ) 2 containing about 50% of water is dried and transformed by calcination in uranium trioxide UO 3 . Drying and calcination was obtained by air heated by two burners using domestic fuel. In 1984 the plant was transformed for utilization of electric heating improving maintenance cost, decreasing heat losses and by energy saving the payback period on investment is of 2.6 years [fr

Storytelling and story testing in domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Gerbault, Pascale; Allaby, Robin G; Boivin, Nicole; Rudzinski, Anna; Grimaldi, Ilaria M; Pires, J Chris; Climer Vigueira, Cynthia; Dobney, Keith; Gremillion, Kristen J; Barton, Loukas; Arroyo-Kalin, Manuel; Purugganan, Michael D; Rubio de Casas, Rafael; Bollongino, Ruth; Burger, Joachim; Fuller, Dorian Q; Bradley, Daniel G; Balding, David J; Richerson, Peter J; Gilbert, M Thomas P; Larson, Greger; Thomas, Mark G

2014-04-29

The domestication of plants and animals marks one of the most significant transitions in human, and indeed global, history. Traditionally, study of the domestication process was the exclusive domain of archaeologists and agricultural scientists; today it is an increasingly multidisciplinary enterprise that has come to involve the skills of evolutionary biologists and geneticists. Although the application of new information sources and methodologies has dramatically transformed our ability to study and understand domestication, it has also generated increasingly large and complex datasets, the interpretation of which is not straightforward. In particular, challenges of equifinality, evolutionary variance, and emergence of unexpected or counter-intuitive patterns all face researchers attempting to infer past processes directly from patterns in data. We argue that explicit modeling approaches, drawing upon emerging methodologies in statistics and population genetics, provide a powerful means of addressing these limitations. Modeling also offers an approach to analyzing datasets that avoids conclusions steered by implicit biases, and makes possible the formal integration of different data types. Here we outline some of the modeling approaches most relevant to current problems in domestication research, and demonstrate the ways in which simulation modeling is beginning to reshape our understanding of the domestication process.

A multi-objective genetic approach to domestic load scheduling in an energy management system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soares, Ana; Antunes, Carlos Henggeler; Oliveira, Carlos; Gomes, Álvaro

2014-01-01

In this paper a multi-objective genetic algorithm is used to solve a multi-objective model to optimize the time allocation of domestic loads within a planning period of 36 h, in a smart grid context. The management of controllable domestic loads is aimed at minimizing the electricity bill and the end-user’s dissatisfaction concerning two different aspects: the preferred time slots for load operation and the risk of interruption of the energy supply. The genetic algorithm is similar to the Elitist NSGA-II (Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II), in which some changes have been introduced to adapt it to the physical characteristics of the load scheduling problem and improve usability of results. The mathematical model explicitly considers economical, technical, quality of service and comfort aspects. Illustrative results are presented and the characteristics of different solutions are analyzed. - Highlights: • A genetic algorithm similar to the NSGA-II is used to solve a multi-objective model. • The optimized time allocation of domestic loads in a smart grid context is achieved. • A variable preference profile for the operation of the managed loads is included. • A safety margin is used to account for the quality of the energy services provided. • A non-dominated front with the solutions in the two-objective space is obtained

Storytelling and story testing in domestication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gerbault, Pascale; Allaby, Robin G; Boivin, Nicole

2014-01-01

The domestication of plants and animals marks one of the most significant transitions in human, and indeed global, history. Traditionally, study of the domestication process was the exclusive domain of archaeologists and agricultural scientists; today it is an increasingly multidisciplinary...

WILDLIFE-BASED DOMESTIC TOURISM IN TANZANIA ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Dr Osondu

WILDLIFE-BASED DOMESTIC TOURISM IN TANZANIA: EXPERIENCES FROM. NORTHERN ... affecting domestic tourism was carried out in northern Tanzania tourist circuit. .... Serengeti Plains are shared by NCA and the SNP. Normally, in .... communication network) and social services .... motivation to conserve nature.

Mothers' knowledge of domestic accident prevention involving children in Baghdad City.

Science.gov (United States)

Lafta, Riyadh K; Al-Shatari, Sahar A; Abass, Seba

2013-01-01

Accidental injuries are the most common cause of death in children over the age of one. Every year, millions of children are permanently disabled or disfigured because of accidents. To assess the level of knowledge of women with respect to children's domestic accidents, and to determine its association with some demographic factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted in both sides of Baghdad City during the period from April through to August 2013. The targeted population were women attending the primary health care centers (PHCCs). A random sample of 20 PHCCs was taken through a stratified random sampling technique by dividing Baghdad City into its two main parts Karkh and Russafa. Ten centers were then chosen from each sector by a simple random sampling technique. A well-structured questionnaire was developed that constituted of questions on four main types of accidents involving children (poisoning by chemicals and detergents, electric shock, injuries from sharp instruments in the kitchen, and burns). The total number of women enrolled in this study was 1032 aged from 15-50 years. The results revealed that only 9.2% of the mothers acquired a good level of knowledge in prevention of injuries from chemicals and detergents, and more than 90% were found to have poor knowledge. The same was found regarding knowledge about preventing electrical accidents caused by power sockets and electrical appliances where only 10.2% of the mothers were found to have a good level of knowledge. The results were not much better regarding accidents caused by fire, only 11.6% of the mothers scored well. With respect to dealing with accidents caused by sharp instruments in the kitchen, only 6.3% of the mothers obtained a score that indicated a good level of knowledge. Older mothers were statistically found to have a better level of knowledge than younger mothers. Higher educated mothers' were statistically associated with a lower level of knowledge in accident prevention. Mothers

Changes to Ontario's electricity market could be harmful to your health

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-09-01

Mounting concerns that electricity deregulation will increase the use of coal-fired power generation to produce low-cost electricity are discussed. The Ontario Medical Association has issued warnings that pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, mercury and carbon dioxide cause asthma, bronchitis and cancer in humans. In the environment, they cause smog, acid rain and climate change. In a deregulated electricity market, industries and municipal utilities will have the choice to purchase power from any domestic or foreign supplier. It is considered likely that many will choose to purchase electricity from the cheapest suppliers. These happen to be coal-fired generating stations, which are also the highest polluters. It was argued that the health and environmental costs of making this choice would be very high. A way to mitigate these harmful effects is for the government of Ontario to establish pollution limits for all the electricity sold in the province - limits that will actually reduce air pollution. figs

Electricity, development and cooperation in mediterranean basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabra, J.

1992-01-01

Energy consumption along the southern rim of the Mediterranean basin is increasing much more quickly than on the northern side, in accordance with the different industrialization and urbanization rates. Over the last two decades, electric power consumption has been increasing throughout the basin at a rate exceeding not only that of total energy consumption but even that of the economy itself. The various electric power development strategies the countries of the Mediterranean have developed differ widely depending on the available energy resources they have. Power distribution systems are a strategic element of co-operation in the Mediterranean basin. Though all of these strategies involve cost trade-offs between diversification of energy sources, domestic supply and environmental protection, difficulties exist that may curtail the development of these programs. 2 figs., 4 tabs

Report of the Subcommittee on Domestic Uranium Enrichment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

A report by the Subcommittee on Domestic Uranium Enrichment to the Atomic Energy Commission is described; which covers the procedure of the domestic uranium enrichment by centrifugal process up to the commercial production, reviewing the current situation in this field. Domestic uranium enrichment is important in the aspects of securing stable enrichment service, establishing sound fuel cycle, and others. As the future target, the production around the year 2000 is set at 3,000 tons SWU per year at least. The business of uranium enrichment, which is now developed in the Power Reactor and Nuclear Fuel Development Corporation, is to be carried out by private enterprise. The contents are as follows: demand and supply balance of uranium enrichment service, significance of domestic uranium enrichment, evaluation of centrifugal uranium enrichment technology, the target of domestic uranium enrichment, the policy of domestic uranium enrichment promotion. (J.P.N.)

Origin and Domestication of Native Amazonian Crops

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doriane Picanço-Rodrigues

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Molecular analyses are providing new elements to decipher the origin, domestication and dispersal of native Amazonian crops in an expanding archaeological context. Solid molecular data are available for manioc (Manihot esculenta, cacao (Theobroma cacao, pineapple (Ananas comosus, peach palm (Bactris gasipaes and guaraná (Paullinia cupana, while hot peppers (Capsicum spp., inga (Inga edulis, Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa and cupuassu (Theobroma grandiflorum are being studied. Emergent patterns include the relationships among domestication, antiquity (terminal Pleistocene to early Holocene, origin in the periphery, ample pre-Columbian dispersal and clear phylogeographic population structure for manioc, pineapple, peach palm and, perhaps, Capsicum peppers. Cacao represents the special case of an Amazonian species possibly brought into domestication in Mesoamerica, but close scrutiny of molecular data suggests that it may also have some incipiently domesticated populations in Amazonia. Another pattern includes the relationships among species with incipiently domesticated populations or very recently domesticated populations, rapid pre- or post-conquest dispersal and lack of phylogeographic population structure, e.g., Brazil nut, cupuassu and guaraná. These patterns contrast the peripheral origin of most species with domesticated populations with the subsequent concentration of their genetic resources in the center of the basin, along the major white water rivers where high pre-conquest population densities developed. Additional molecular genetic analyses on these and other species will allow better examination of these processes and will enable us to relate them to other historical ecological patterns in Amazonia.

Platforms for energy and nutrient recovery from domestic wastewater: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

Batstone, D J; Hülsen, T; Mehta, C M; Keller, J

2015-12-01

Alternative domestic wastewater treatment processes that recover energy and nutrients while achieving acceptable nutrient limits (650mgCODL(-1). PRR offers the possibility for recovery of nitrogen and other nutrients (including potassium) through assimilative recovery. However, the energetic overhead of this is substantial, requiring 5kWhkgN(-1) as electricity, which compares to ammonia fixation costs. The lower energy costs, and near to market status of LEM treatment make it likely as a recovery platform in the shorter term, while ability to recover other elements such as nitrogen and potassium, as well as enhance favourability on concentrated wastewaters may enhance the desirability of partitioning in the longer term. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Studies of Electrically Stimulated Rat Limb and Peripheral Nerve Regeneration.

Science.gov (United States)

1983-08-25

Simple Neurorraphy 0 Lt. Two main theories have evolved as to the mechanism of the effect of electricity on re- The area under the curve representing...Pt bimetallic electrode is placed distal to the The right leg was imp!i.nted with an electrode neurorraphy site, and a comparable reduction in

European domestic horses originated in two holocene refugia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vera Warmuth

2011-03-01

Full Text Available The role of European wild horses in horse domestication is poorly understood. While the fossil record for wild horses in Europe prior to horse domestication is scarce, there have been suggestions that wild populations from various European regions might have contributed to the gene pool of domestic horses. To distinguish between regions where domestic populations are mainly descended from local wild stock and those where horses were largely imported, we investigated patterns of genetic diversity in 24 European horse breeds typed at 12 microsatellite loci. The distribution of high levels of genetic diversity in Europe coincides with the distribution of predominantly open landscapes prior to domestication, as suggested by simulation-based vegetation reconstructions, with breeds from Iberia and the Caspian Sea region having significantly higher genetic diversity than breeds from central Europe and the UK, which were largely forested at the time the first domestic horses appear there. Our results suggest that not only the Eastern steppes, but also the Iberian Peninsula provided refugia for wild horses in the Holocene, and that the genetic contribution of these wild populations to local domestic stock may have been considerable. In contrast, the consistently low levels of diversity in central Europe and the UK suggest that domestic horses in these regions largely derive from horses that were imported from the Eastern refugium, the Iberian refugium, or both.

One watt initiative: A global effort to reduce leaking electricity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meier, Alan K.; LeBot, Benoit

1999-01-01

Many domestic appliances and commercial equipment consume some electric power when they are switched off or not performing their primary purpose. The typical loss per appliance is low (from 1 to 25 W) but, when multiplied by the billions of appliances in houses and in commercial buildings, standby losses represent a significant fraction of total electricity use. Several initiatives to reduce standby losses have appeared in different parts of the world. One proposal, the 1-watt plan, seeks to harmonize these initiatives by establishing a single target for all appliances. This paper explains the background to the 1-watt plan, identifies some unresolved aspects, and gives some estimates of energy savings

Solar wind power electric plant on Vis (Croatia)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-01-01

A project of a solar photovoltaic electric power plant presented by the Republic of Croatia at the meeting of the E.P.I.A. Mission for photovoltaic technology of the Mediterranean countries, aroused a great interest of the representatives of the invited countries. However, the interest within Croatia in the project has disappeared although E.P.I.A. offered a financing of two thirds of costs. There are attempts to construct 1800 kw wind-driven generators at the same location not taking into consideration a possibility of building a hybrid solar-wind-power electric plant. The chance that the solar part is completely of domestic origin is not accepted but the preference is given to the building of imported wind-driven generators. (orig.)

Self-similarly evolving and minimally dissipated stable states of plasmas realized after relaxation and self-organization processes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondoh, Yoshiomi; Hakoiwa, Toru; Okada, Akihito; Kobayashi, Naohiro; Takahashi, Toshiki

2006-01-01

A novel set of simultaneous eigenvalue equations having dissipative terms are derived to find self-similarly evolving and minimally dissipated stable states of plasmas realized after relaxation and self-organization processes. By numerically solving the set of eigenvalue equations in a cylindrical model, typical spatial profiles of plasma parameters, electric and magnetic fields and diffusion factors are presented, all of which determine self-consistently with each other by physical laws and mutual relations among them, just as in experimental plasmas. (author)

On the Benefits of Divergent Search for Evolved Representations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lehman, Joel; Risi, Sebastian; Stanley, Kenneth O

2012-01-01

Evolved representations in evolutionary computation are often fragile, which can impede representation-dependent mechanisms such as self-adaptation. In contrast, evolved representations in nature are robust, evolvable, and creatively exploit available representational features. This paper provide...

The burden of domestication

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandøe, Peter; Nørspang, Annika Patursson; Forkman, Björn

2017-01-01

The way in which domestic cats are kept and bred has changed dramatically over the last two centuries. Notably, a significant number of cats are kept indoors, most of them are neutered and many are selectively bred. This likely has consequences for their welfare. A few studies link housing, neuter......; that a smaller proportion of the free-roaming cats suffered from the behavioural problems investigated; and that entire cats had significantly more behavioural problems than neutered cats. Finally, significantly more purebred cats than domestic shorthair cats were found to have diseases. Being confined, being...

Domestic Violence against Women: Recognize Patterns, Seek Help

Science.gov (United States)

Healthy Lifestyle Adult health Domestic violence is a serious threat for many women. Know the signs of an abusive relationship and how to leave a dangerous ... If this sounds familiar, you might be experiencing domestic violence. Domestic violence — also called intimate partner violence — occurs ...

Islamic Banking Existence and Domestic Credit: Study at Seven Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hamdan Yuafi

2017-05-01

Full Text Available This paper empirically investigates the determinants of domestic credit across a wide range of 7 countries; these are United Kingdom, Malaysia, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Indonesia. We use dynamic panel estimation to examine effects of exchange rate, inflation, lending interest rate, banking crisis and existence of wholesale Islamic banking on domestic credit. We obtain several notable empirical results. First, the lending interest rate, banking crisis negatively and insignificantly contribute to domestic credit. The existence of Islamic bank has positive and insignificant contribution to domestic credit, while exchange rate positively and significantly contributes to domestic credit.  Inflation negatively and significantly contributes to domestic credit. Second, banking crisis and existence of wholesale Islamic banking show insignificant effect on domestic credit. Third, we find that today’s domestic credit is depended on domestic credit in the previous year.DOI: 10.15408/aiq9i2.4906

Reframing domestic violence as torture or terrorism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marcus Isabel

2014-01-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on the analysis of the phenomenon of domestic violence and the distinctive features for which is it may be recognized as a specific form of torture and/or terrorism at home. The author provides an overview of the scientific debate among feminist authors on this conception which has given rise to an innovative approach to understanding the concept of domestic violence. Underscoring the substantive similarity of domestic violence with the acts of torture and/or terrorism, the author urges for state action arguing that domestic violence as a form of gender-based violence should be approached by applying the same logic and strategies which are employed in response to traditional torture and terrorism.

Training for Internationalization through Domestic Geographical Dispersion

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Santangelo, Grazia D.; Stucchi, Tamara

Traditionally created to deal with the unfriendly domestic environment, business groups (BGs) are increasingly internationalizing. However, how BGs can reconcile their strictly domestic orientation with an international dimension still remains an open question. Drawing on arguments from...... organizational learning, we seek to solve this puzzle in relation to the internationalization of Indian BGs. In particular, we argue that in heterogeneous domestic emerging markets BG’s geographical dispersion across sub-national states provides training for internationalization. To internationalize successfully......, BGs need to develop the capability of managing geographically dispersed units in institutional heterogeneous contexts. Domestic geographical dispersion would indeed help the BG dealing with different regulations, customers and infrastructures. However, there is less scope for such training as BGs...

Toxoplasmosis in wild and domestic animals

Science.gov (United States)

Toxoplasma gondii is widely distributed in wild and domestic animals. The present chapter reviews toxoplasmosis in wild and domestic animals. Coverage in wild animal species is limited to confirmed cases of toxoplasmosis, cases with parasite isolation, cases with parasite detection by PCR, and exper...

Domestic Violence during Pregnancy in India

Science.gov (United States)

Mahapatro, Meerambika; Gupta, R. N.; Gupta, Vinay; Kundu, A. S.

2011-01-01

Domestic violence can result in many negative health consequences for women's health and well-being. Studies on domestic violence illustrate that abused women in various settings had increased health problems such as injury, chronic pain, gastrointestinal, and gynecological signs including sexually transmitted diseases, depression, and…

EU agricultural domestic support in GTAP

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boulanger, Pierre; Philippidis, George; Jensen, Hans Grinsted

The engagement of JRC IPTS in the GTAP contributing team to the EU domestic support has opened up the opportunity to use the CATS database when compiling EU domestic support payments by member state, which are subsequently calibrated into the GTAP database. To maintain consistency, the GTAP version...... 9 includes EU domestic support which follows the approach adopted in the previous releases (Jensen, 2009, 2010). The difference is for pillar 1 support for which the CATS data are used (in previous GTAP database releases, pillar 1 support was based on EAGF financial reports). All together EU...

High performance in low-flow solar domestic hot water systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dayan, M.

1997-12-31

Low-flow solar hot water heating systems employ flow rates on the order of 1/5 to 1/10 of the conventional flow. Low-flow systems are of interest because the reduced flow rate allows smaller diameter tubing, which is less costly to install. Further, low-flow systems result in increased tank stratification. Lower collector inlet temperatures are achieved through stratification and the useful energy produced by the collector is increased. The disadvantage of low-flow systems is the collector heat removal factor decreases with decreasing flow rate. Many solar domestic hot water systems require an auxiliary electric source to operate a pump in order to circulate fluid through the solar collector. A photovoltaic driven pump can be used to replace the standard electrical pump. PV driven pumps provide an ideal means of controlling the flow rate, as pumps will only circulate fluid when there is sufficient radiation. Peak performance was always found to occur when the heat exchanger tank-side flow rate was approximately equal to the average load flow rate. For low collector-side flow rates, a small deviation from the optimum flow rate will dramatically effect system performance.

The domestication of Amazonia before European conquest.

Science.gov (United States)

Clement, Charles R; Denevan, William M; Heckenberger, Michael J; Junqueira, André Braga; Neves, Eduardo G; Teixeira, Wenceslau G; Woods, William I

2015-08-07

During the twentieth century, Amazonia was widely regarded as relatively pristine nature, little impacted by human history. This view remains popular despite mounting evidence of substantial human influence over millennial scales across the region. Here, we review the evidence of an anthropogenic Amazonia in response to claims of sparse populations across broad portions of the region. Amazonia was a major centre of crop domestication, with at least 83 native species containing populations domesticated to some degree. Plant domestication occurs in domesticated landscapes, including highly modified Amazonian dark earths (ADEs) associated with large settled populations and that may cover greater than 0.1% of the region. Populations and food production expanded rapidly within land management systems in the mid-Holocene, and complex societies expanded in resource-rich areas creating domesticated landscapes with profound impacts on local and regional ecology. ADE food production projections support estimates of at least eight million people in 1492. By this time, highly diverse regional systems had developed across Amazonia where subsistence resources were created with plant and landscape domestication, including earthworks. This review argues that the Amazonian anthrome was no less socio-culturally diverse or populous than other tropical forested areas of the world prior to European conquest. © 2015 The Author(s).

The genotype-phenotype map of an evolving digital organism

OpenAIRE

Fortuna, Miguel A.; Zaman, Luis; Ofria, Charles; Wagner, Andreas

2017-01-01

To understand how evolving systems bring forth novel and useful phenotypes, it is essential to understand the relationship between genotypic and phenotypic change. Artificial evolving systems can help us understand whether the genotype-phenotype maps of natural evolving systems are highly unusual, and it may help create evolvable artificial systems. Here we characterize the genotype-phenotype map of digital organisms in Avida, a platform for digital evolution. We consider digital organisms fr...

Estimation of electricity demand of Iran using two heuristic algorithms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amjadi, M.H.; Nezamabadi-pour, H.; Farsangi, M.M.

2010-01-01

This paper deals with estimation of electricity demand of Iran based on economic indicators using Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) Algorithm. The estimation is based on Gross Domestic Product (GDP), population, number of customers and average price electricity by developing two different estimation models: a linear model and a non-linear model. The proposed models are obtained based upon available actual data of 21 years; since 1980-2000. Then the models obtained are used to estimate the electricity demand of the target years; for a period of time e.g. 2001-2006 and the results obtained are compared with the actual demand during this period. Furthermore, to validate the results obtained by PSO, genetic algorithm (GA) is applied to solve the problem. The results show that the PSO is a useful optimization tool for solving the problem using two developed models and can be used as an alternative solution to estimate the future electricity demand.

A two-stage microbial fuel cell and anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (MFC-AFMBR) system for effective domestic wastewater treatment.

KAUST Repository

Ren, Lijiao; Ahn, Yongtae; Logan, Bruce E

2014-01-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising technology for energy-efficient domestic wastewater treatment, but the effluent quality has typically not been sufficient for discharge without further treatment. A two-stage laboratory-scale combined treatment process, consisting of microbial fuel cells and an anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (MFC-AFMBR), was examined here to produce high quality effluent with minimal energy demands. The combined system was operated continuously for 50 days at room temperature (∼25 °C) with domestic wastewater having a total chemical oxygen demand (tCOD) of 210 ± 11 mg/L. At a combined hydraulic retention time (HRT) for both processes of 9 h, the effluent tCOD was reduced to 16 ± 3 mg/L (92.5% removal), and there was nearly complete removal of total suspended solids (TSS; from 45 ± 10 mg/L to <1 mg/L). The AFMBR was operated at a constant high permeate flux of 16 L/m(2)/h over 50 days, without the need or use of any membrane cleaning or backwashing. Total electrical energy required for the operation of the MFC-AFMBR system was 0.0186 kWh/m(3), which was slightly less than the electrical energy produced by the MFCs (0.0197 kWh/m(3)). The energy in the methane produced in the AFMBR was comparatively negligible (0.005 kWh/m(3)). These results show that a combined MFC-AFMBR system could be used to effectively treat domestic primary effluent at ambient temperatures, producing high effluent quality with low energy requirements.

A two-stage microbial fuel cell and anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (MFC-AFMBR) system for effective domestic wastewater treatment.

KAUST Repository

Ren, Lijiao

2014-03-10

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a promising technology for energy-efficient domestic wastewater treatment, but the effluent quality has typically not been sufficient for discharge without further treatment. A two-stage laboratory-scale combined treatment process, consisting of microbial fuel cells and an anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactor (MFC-AFMBR), was examined here to produce high quality effluent with minimal energy demands. The combined system was operated continuously for 50 days at room temperature (∼25 °C) with domestic wastewater having a total chemical oxygen demand (tCOD) of 210 ± 11 mg/L. At a combined hydraulic retention time (HRT) for both processes of 9 h, the effluent tCOD was reduced to 16 ± 3 mg/L (92.5% removal), and there was nearly complete removal of total suspended solids (TSS; from 45 ± 10 mg/L to <1 mg/L). The AFMBR was operated at a constant high permeate flux of 16 L/m(2)/h over 50 days, without the need or use of any membrane cleaning or backwashing. Total electrical energy required for the operation of the MFC-AFMBR system was 0.0186 kWh/m(3), which was slightly less than the electrical energy produced by the MFCs (0.0197 kWh/m(3)). The energy in the methane produced in the AFMBR was comparatively negligible (0.005 kWh/m(3)). These results show that a combined MFC-AFMBR system could be used to effectively treat domestic primary effluent at ambient temperatures, producing high effluent quality with low energy requirements.

The Future of Centrally-Organized Wholesale Electricity Markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glazer, Craig [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Morrison, Jay [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Breakman, Paul [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Clements, Allison [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States); Schwartz, Lisa [Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States)

2017-06-21

The electricity grid in the United States is organized around a network of large, centralized power plants and high voltage transmission lines that transport electricity, sometimes over large distances, before it is delivered to the customer through a local distribution grid. This network of centralized generation and high voltage transmission lines is called the “bulk power system.” Costs relating to bulk power generation typically account for more than half of a customer’s electric bill.1 For this reason, the structure and functioning of wholesale electricity markets have major impacts on costs and economic value for consumers, as well as energy security and national security. Diverse arrangements for bulk power wholesale markets have evolved over the last several decades. The Southeast and Western United States outside of California have a “bilateral-based” bulk power system where market participants enter into long-term bilateral agreements — using competitive procurements through power marketers, direct arrangements among utilities or with other generation owners, and auctions and exchanges.

Processing Food for the Domestic Market

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Lotte; McCormick, Dorothy; Kamau, Paul

This paper addresses the domestically owned food-processing industry in Kenya and explores thesale of processed food products to the domestic ‘modern’ retail sector. Food processing represents astep up in the value chain compared to fresh food production and may thus, at least potentially, leadto...

EVOLVE

CERN Document Server

Deutz, André; Schütze, Oliver; Legrand, Pierrick; Tantar, Emilia; Tantar, Alexandru-Adrian

2017-01-01

This book comprises nine selected works on numerical and computational methods for solving multiobjective optimization, game theory, and machine learning problems. It provides extended versions of selected papers from various fields of science such as computer science, mathematics and engineering that were presented at EVOLVE 2013 held in July 2013 at Leiden University in the Netherlands. The internationally peer-reviewed papers include original work on important topics in both theory and applications, such as the role of diversity in optimization, statistical approaches to combinatorial optimization, computational game theory, and cell mapping techniques for numerical landscape exploration. Applications focus on aspects including robustness, handling multiple objectives, and complex search spaces in engineering design and computational biology.

Optimization of Domestic-Size Renewable Energy System Designs Suitable for Cold Climate Regions

Science.gov (United States)

Akpan, Itoro Etim; Sasaki, Masafumi; Endoh, Noboru

Five different kinds of domestic-size renewable energy system configurations for very cold climate regions were investigated. From detailed numerical modeling and system simulations, it was found that the consumption of fuel oil for the auxiliary boiler in residential-type households can almost be eliminated with a renewable energy system that incorporates photovoltaic panel arrays for electricity generation and two storage tanks: a well-insulated electric water storage tank that services the hot water loads, and a compact boiler/geothermal heat pump tank for room heating during very cold seasons. A reduction of Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) of about 28% was achieved for this system compared to an equivalent conventional system. The near elimination of the use of fuel oil in this system makes it very promising for very cold climate regions in terms of energy savings because the running cost is not so dependent on the unstable nature of global oil prices.

28 CFR 80.4 - Issuer or domestic concern.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 28 Judicial Administration 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Issuer or domestic concern. 80.4 Section 80.4 Judicial Administration DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE (CONTINUED) FOREIGN CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT OPINION PROCEDURE § 80.4 Issuer or domestic concern. The request must be submitted by an issuer or domestic concern...

Genetics of alternative splicing evolution during sunflower domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Chris C R; Tittes, Silas; Mendieta, J Paul; Collier-Zans, Erin; Rowe, Heather C; Rieseberg, Loren H; Kane, Nolan C

2018-06-11

Alternative splicing enables organisms to produce the diversity of proteins necessary for multicellular life by using relatively few protein-coding genes. Although differences in splicing have been identified among divergent taxa, the shorter-term evolution of splicing is understudied. The origins of novel splice forms, and the contributions of alternative splicing to major evolutionary transitions, are largely unknown. This study used transcriptomes of wild and domesticated sunflowers to examine splice differentiation and regulation during domestication. We identified substantial splicing divergence between wild and domesticated sunflowers, mainly in the form of intron retention. Transcripts with divergent splicing were enriched for seed-development functions, suggesting that artificial selection impacted splicing patterns. Mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with 144 differential splicing cases revealed primarily trans -acting variation affecting splicing patterns. A large proportion of identified QTLs contain known spliceosome proteins and are associated with splicing variation in multiple genes. Examining a broader set of wild and domesticated sunflower genotypes revealed that most differential splicing patterns in domesticated sunflowers likely arose from standing variation in wild Helianthus annuus and gained frequency during the domestication process. However, several domesticate-associated splicing patterns appear to be introgressed from other Helianthus species. These results suggest that sunflower domestication involved selection on pleiotropic regulatory alleles. More generally, our findings indicate that substantial differences in isoform abundances arose rapidly during a recent evolutionary transition and appear to contribute to adaptation and population divergence.

Domestic violence in Iranian infertile women

Science.gov (United States)

Sheikhan, Zohre; Ozgoli, Giti; Azar, Mahyar; Alavimajd, Hamid

2014-01-01

Background: Millions of men and women suffer from infertility worldwide. In many cultures, infertile women are at risk of social and emotional problems. Infertility may affect the public health in many countries. Domestic violence is the intentional use of physical force, power or threat against oneself, another person or another group or community which leads to injury, death, mental harm, lack of development or deprivation. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of domestic violence against infertile women who referred to the infertility centres of Tehran, Iran in 2011. Methods: This was cross- sectional descriptive study conducted on 400 infertile women who were selected through convenient sampling method. The questionnaire used in this study included two sections: a demographic section with questions about demographic characteristics of the infertile women and their husbands; and the domestic violence questionnaire with questions about physical, emotional and sexual violence. Data were analysed by SPSS16; descriptive statistics, Spearman’s test, t- test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and logistic regression were used for data analysis. Results: Four hundred women with the average age of 30.50 ± 6.16 years participated in the study; of whom, 34.7% experienced domestic violence physical violence (5.3%), emotional violence (74.3%) and sexual violence (47.3%). Domestic violence was significantly associated with unwanted marriage, number of IVFs, drug abuse, emotional status of the women, smoking and addiction or drug abuse of the spouse, mental and physical diseases of the husband (p< 0.05). Conclusion: Many of the current problems in this society, particularly in families are due to the transition of the society from a traditional model to a modern one. The majority of the infertile women experience violence in Iran. Domestic violence against infertile women is a problem that should not be ignored. Clinicians should identify abused women. Providing

Prevalence of Domestic Violence Among Trauma Patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph, Bellal; Khalil, Mazhar; Zangbar, Bardiya; Kulvatunyou, Narong; Orouji, Tahereh; Pandit, Viraj; O'Keeffe, Terence; Tang, Andrew; Gries, Lynn; Friese, Randall S; Rhee, Peter; Davis, James W

2015-12-01

Domestic violence is an extremely underreported crime and a growing social problem in the United States. However, the true burden of the problem remains unknown. To assess the reported prevalence of domestic violence among trauma patients. A 6-year (2007-2012) retrospective analysis of the prospectively maintained National Trauma Data Bank. Trauma patients who experienced domestic violence and who presented to trauma centers participating in the National Trauma Data Bank were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision diagnosis codes (995.80-995.85, 995.50, 995.52-995.55, and 995.59) and E codes (E967.0-E967.9). Patients were stratified by age into 3 groups: children (≤18 years), adults (19-54 years), and elderly patients (≥55 years). Trend analysis was performed on April 10, 2014, to assess the reported prevalence of domestic violence over the years. Trauma patients presenting to trauma centers participating in the National Trauma Data Bank. To assess the reported prevalence of domestic violence among trauma patients. A total of 16 575 trauma patients who experienced domestic violence were included. Of these trauma patients, 10 224 (61.7%) were children, 5503 (33.2%) were adults, and 848 (5.1%) were elderly patients. The mean (SD) age was 15.9 (20.6), the mean (SD) Injury Severity Score was 10.9 (9.6), and 8397 (50.7%) were male patients. Head injuries (46.8% of patients) and extremity fractures (31.2% of patients) were the most common injuries. A total of 12 515 patients (75.1%) were discharged home, and the overall mortality rate was 5.9% (n = 980). The overall reported prevalence of domestic violence among trauma patients was 5.7 cases per 1000 trauma center discharges. The prevalence of domestic violence increased among children (14.0 cases per 1000 trauma center discharges in 2007 to 18.5 case per 1000 trauma center discharges in 2012; P = .001) and adults (3.2 cases per 1000 discharges in 2007 to 4.5 cases per

Highway vehicle electric drive in the United States : 2009 status and issues.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Santini, D. J.; Energy Systems

2011-02-16

The status of electric drive technology in the United States as of early 2010 is documented. Rapidly evolving electric drive technologies discussed include hybrid electric vehicles, multiple types of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and battery electric vehicles. Recent trends for hybrids are quantified. Various plug-in vehicles entering the market in the near term are examined. The technical and economic requirements for electric drive to more broadly succeed in a wider range of highway vehicle applications are described, and implications for the most promising new markets are provided. Federal and selected state government policy measures promoting and preparing for electric drive are discussed. Taking these into account, judgment on areas where increased Clean Cities funds might be most productively focused over the next five years are provided. In closing, the request by Clean Cities for opinion on the broad range of research needs providing near-term support to electric drive is fulfilled.

Electricity Sector Council : human resources challenges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Goldie, T. [Electricity Sector Council, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

2007-07-01

The electricity sector is currently undergoing significant human resource challenges. Several charts illustrated the aging Canadian workforce; workforce by key occupation; statistics on a 2004 sector study requirements of retirement estimations; and average annual growth rate of the domestic labour force. Several slides also depicted the dependence on immigrants for labour growth; trades intake through immigration; and a 2007 environmental scan. The presentation also provided information on the Electricity Sector Council (ESC) and its projects and occupational standards currently under development. The ESC in partnership with Human Resources and Social Development Canada has begun the process of developing a National Occupational Standard for geoexchange professionals. It is intended to enable colleges and Ministries of Education to standardize national training and evaluate new hires. Last, several slides containing background information on the ESC board of directors were included along with slides of labour market information; connectivity; and projects under development. tabs., figs.

Electricity Sector Council : human resources challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goldie, T.

2007-01-01

The electricity sector is currently undergoing significant human resource challenges. Several charts illustrated the aging Canadian workforce; workforce by key occupation; statistics on a 2004 sector study requirements of retirement estimations; and average annual growth rate of the domestic labour force. Several slides also depicted the dependence on immigrants for labour growth; trades intake through immigration; and a 2007 environmental scan. The presentation also provided information on the Electricity Sector Council (ESC) and its projects and occupational standards currently under development. The ESC in partnership with Human Resources and Social Development Canada has begun the process of developing a National Occupational Standard for geoexchange professionals. It is intended to enable colleges and Ministries of Education to standardize national training and evaluate new hires. Last, several slides containing background information on the ESC board of directors were included along with slides of labour market information; connectivity; and projects under development. tabs., figs.

Revisiting Robustness and Evolvability: Evolution in Weighted Genotype Spaces

Science.gov (United States)

Partha, Raghavendran; Raman, Karthik

2014-01-01

Robustness and evolvability are highly intertwined properties of biological systems. The relationship between these properties determines how biological systems are able to withstand mutations and show variation in response to them. Computational studies have explored the relationship between these two properties using neutral networks of RNA sequences (genotype) and their secondary structures (phenotype) as a model system. However, these studies have assumed every mutation to a sequence to be equally likely; the differences in the likelihood of the occurrence of various mutations, and the consequence of probabilistic nature of the mutations in such a system have previously been ignored. Associating probabilities to mutations essentially results in the weighting of genotype space. We here perform a comparative analysis of weighted and unweighted neutral networks of RNA sequences, and subsequently explore the relationship between robustness and evolvability. We show that assuming an equal likelihood for all mutations (as in an unweighted network), underestimates robustness and overestimates evolvability of a system. In spite of discarding this assumption, we observe that a negative correlation between sequence (genotype) robustness and sequence evolvability persists, and also that structure (phenotype) robustness promotes structure evolvability, as observed in earlier studies using unweighted networks. We also study the effects of base composition bias on robustness and evolvability. Particularly, we explore the association between robustness and evolvability in a sequence space that is AU-rich – sequences with an AU content of 80% or higher, compared to a normal (unbiased) sequence space. We find that evolvability of both sequences and structures in an AU-rich space is lesser compared to the normal space, and robustness higher. We also observe that AU-rich populations evolving on neutral networks of phenotypes, can access less phenotypic variation compared to

Domestic violence: recognition, intervention, and prevention.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, M; Martin, F

1995-02-01

Domestic violence is a significant social and health problem that has received intensive recent publicity in the lay media. Nurses should play a major role in primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention interventions. Intensified health promotion and public policy initiatives can reduce the incidence of domestic violence in the future.

Mozambican Aggregate Consumption and Domestic Saving ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

It was an unprecedented decade for its break with the previous trend; but so far, the new trend does not correspond to a substantial change in growth strategy to ensure that foreign savings become complementary rather than a substitute for domestic savings. Keywords: consumption, economic growth strategy, domestic ...

Evolving morphotropic phase boundary in lead-free (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3-BaTiO3 piezoceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Jo, Wook; Daniels, John E.; Jones, Jacob L.; Tan, Xiaoli; Thomas, Pamela A.; Damjanovic, Dragan; Rödel, Jürgen

2011-01-01

The correlation between structure and electrical properties of lead-free (1-x)(Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3-xBaTiO3 (BNT-100xBT) polycrystalline piezoceramics was investigated systematically by in situ synchrotron diffraction technique, combined with electrical property characterization. It was found that the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) between a rhombohedral and a tetragonal phase evolved into a morphotropic phase region with electric field. In the unpoled material, the MPB was positioned at the transition from space group R3m to P4mm (BNT-11BT) with optimized permittivity throughout a broad single-phase R3m composition regime. Upon poling, a range of compositions from BNT-6BT to BNT-11BT became two-phase mixture, and maximum piezoelectric coefficient was observed in BNT-7BT. It was shown that optimized electrical properties are related primarily to the capacity for domain texturing and not to phase coexistence.

Evolving morphotropic phase boundary in lead-free (Bi1/2Na1/2)TiO3-BaTiO3 piezoceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jo, Wook; Roedel, Juergen; Daniels, John E.; Jones, Jacob L.; Tan Xiaoli; Thomas, Pamela A.; Damjanovic, Dragan

2011-01-01

The correlation between structure and electrical properties of lead-free (1-x)(Bi 1/2 Na 1/2 )TiO 3 -xBaTiO 3 (BNT-100xBT) polycrystalline piezoceramics was investigated systematically by in situ synchrotron diffraction technique, combined with electrical property characterization. It was found that the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) between a rhombohedral and a tetragonal phase evolved into a morphotropic phase region with electric field. In the unpoled material, the MPB was positioned at the transition from space group R3m to P4mm (BNT-11BT) with optimized permittivity throughout a broad single-phase R3m composition regime. Upon poling, a range of compositions from BNT-6BT to BNT-11BT became two-phase mixture, and maximum piezoelectric coefficient was observed in BNT-7BT. It was shown that optimized electrical properties are related primarily to the capacity for domain texturing and not to phase coexistence.

Power and process: The politics of electricity sector reform in Uganda

Science.gov (United States)

Gore, Christopher David

In 2007, Uganda had one of the lowest levels of access to electricity in the world. Given the influence of multilateral and bilateral agencies in Uganda; the strong international reputation and domestic influence of its President; the country's historic achievements in public sector and economic reform; and the intimate connection between economic performance, social well-being and access to electricity, the problems with Uganda's electricity sector have proven deeply frustrating and, indeed, puzzling. Following increased scholarly attention to the relationship between political change, policymaking, and public sector reform in sub-Saharan Africa and the developing world generally, this thesis examines the multilevel politics of Uganda's electricity sector reform process. This study contends that explanations for Uganda's electricity sector reform problems generally, and hydroelectric dam construction efforts specifically, must move beyond technical and financial factors. Problems in this sector have also been the result of a model of reform (promoted by the World Bank) that failed adequately to account for the character of political change. Indeed, the model of reform that was promoted and implemented was risky and it was deeply antagonistic to domestic and international civil society organizations. In addition, it was presented as a linear, technical, apolitical exercise. Finally the model was inconsistent with key principles the Bank itself, and public policy literature generally, suggest are needed for success. Based on this analysis, the thesis contends that policymaking and reform must be understood as deeply political processes, which not only define access to services, but also participation in, and exclusion from, national debates. Future approaches to reform and policymaking must anticipate the complex, multilevel, non-linear character of 'second-generation' policy issues like electricity, and the political and institutional capacity needed to increase

Domestic biogas development in developing countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rakotojaona, Loic

2013-07-01

Communities that rely mostly on agriculture and livestock farming in developing countries can face strong pressure related to: - Energy access: for instance, in Africa, it is estimated that 68% of the population live without clean cooking facilities [1]. Energy access plays a key role in poverty alleviation. - Resources depletion: if a household uses firewood for cooking purposes, forests depletion in some areas makes firewood collection tougher. - Climate change mitigation: agriculture (i.e. the production of crop and livestock products) accounts for 13.5%2 of the global GHG emissions, and extensive systems are sometimes blamed for being less efficient than intensive ones when it comes to climate change mitigation (given that the later involve lower direct emissions per kg of product). In this context, access to clean and sustainable energy through domestic biogas production can help rural communities alleviate current pressures on the environment. In an urban context, domestic biogas in developing countries is also considered as a means for improving hygiene conditions (especially when it comes to public washrooms issues). This report only focuses on domestic biogas development within the frame of small scale agriculture and livestock production (i.e. in rural areas). The main objective of this document is to provide domestic biogas project developers with relevant information on the key issues to have in mind regarding national integration of such projects. This document gives a general presentation of domestic biogas and its main environmental, social and economic benefits. It also browses the main aspects one should have in mind (checklist) in order to assess local risks and opportunities for domestic biogas development

Domestic Communication Satellites

Science.gov (United States)

Horowitz, Andrew

1974-01-01

A discussion of the Federal Communications Commission's new policy on domestic satellites in light of our 1) military and economic history; 2) corporate interests; 3) citizen surveillance; and 4) media control. (HB)

Domestication and cereal feeding developed domestic pig-type intestinal microbiota in animals of suidae.

Science.gov (United States)

Ushida, Kazunari; Tsuchida, Sayaka; Ogura, Yoshitoshi; Toyoda, Atsushi; Maruyama, Fumito

2016-06-01

Intestinal microbiota are characterized by host-specific microorganisms, which have been selected through host-microbe interactions under phylogenetic evolution and transition of feeding behavior by the host. Although many studies have focused on disease-related intestinal microbiota, the origin and evolution of host-specific intestinal microbiota have not been well elucidated. Pig is the ideal mammal model to reveal the origin and evolution of host-specific intestinal microbiota because their direct wild ancestor and close phylogenetic neighbors are available for comparison. The pig has been recognized as a Lactobacillus-type animal. We analyzed the intestinal microbiota of various animals in Suidae: domestic pigs, wild boars and Red river hogs to survey the origin and evolution of Lactobacillus-dominated intestinal microbiota by metagenomic approach and following quantitative PCR confirmation. The metagenomic datasets were separated in two clusters; the wild animal cluster being characterized by a high abundance of Bifidobacterium, whereas the domesticated (or captured) animal cluster by Lactobacillus. In addition, Enterobacteriaceae were harbored as the major family only in domestic Sus scrofa. We conclude that domestication may have induced a larger Enterobacteriaceae population in pigs, and the introduction of modern feeding system further caused the development of Lactobacillus-dominated intestinal microbiota, with genetic and geographical factors possibly having a minor impact. © 2015 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Comparison of regional gene expression differences in the brains of the domestic dog and human

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kennerly Erin

2004-11-01

Full Text Available Abstract Comparison of the expression profiles of 2,721 genes in the cerebellum, cortex and pituitary gland of three American Staffordshire terriers, one beagle and one fox hound revealed regional expression differences in the brain but failed to reveal marked differences among breeds, or even individual dogs. Approximately 85 per cent (42 of 49 orthologue comparisons of the regional differences in the dog are similar to those that differentiate the analogous human brain regions. A smaller percentage of human differences were replicated in the dog, particularly in the cortex, which may generally be evolving more rapidly than other brain regions in mammals. This study lays the foundation for detailed analysis of the population structure of transcriptional variation as it relates to cognitive and neurological phenotypes in the domestic dog.

Orbital fractures due to domestic violence: an epidemiologic study.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldberg, Stuart H.; McRill, Connie M.; Bruno, Christopher R.; Ten Have, Tom; Lehman, Erik

2000-09-01

Domestic violence is an important cause of orbital fractures in women. Physicians who treat patients with orbital fractures may not suspect this mechanism of injury. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between domestic violence and orbital fractures. A medical center-based case-control study with matching on age and site of admission was done. Medical center databases were searched using ICD-9 codes to identify all cases of orbital fractures encountered during a three-year period. Medical records of female patients age 13 and older were reviewed along with those of age, gender and site of admission matched controls. A stratified exact test was employed to test the association between domestic violence and orbital fracture. Among 41 adult female cases with orbital fractures treated at our medical center, three (7.3%) reported domestic violence compared to zero among the matched controls (p = 0.037). We believe that domestic violence may be under-reported in both orbital fracture cases and controls. This may result in an underestimate of the orbital fracture versus domestic violence association. Domestic violence is a serious women's health and societal problem. Domestic violence may have a variety of presentations, including illnesses and injuries. Orbital fracture is an identifiable manifestation of domestic violence. Domestic violence is more likely to be detected in adult female hospital patients with orbital fracture than in matched controls with any other diagnosis. Physicians who treat patients with orbital fractures should be familiar with this mechanism of injury.

Domestication of a Mesoamerican cultivated fruit tree, Spondias purpurea

OpenAIRE

Miller, Allison; Schaal, Barbara

2005-01-01

Contemporary patterns of genetic variation in crops reflect historical processes associated with domestication, such as the geographic origin(s) of cultivated populations. Although significant progress has been made in identifying several global centers of domestication, few studies have addressed the issue of multiple origins of cultivated plant populations from different geographic regions within a domestication center. This study investigates the domestication history of jocote (Spondias p...

Control challenges in domestic heating systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thybo, Honglian; Larsen, Lars F. S.; Weitzmann, Peter

2007-01-01

The objective of this paper is to analyze domestic heating applications and identify unfavorable building constructions and control challenges to be addressed by high performance heating control systems. Heating of domestic houses use a large amount of the total energy consumption in Scandinavia....... Hence the potential of reducing energy consumption by applying high performance control is vast. Indoor climate issues are becoming more in focus, which also leads to a demand for high performance heating systems. The paper presents an analysis of how the building elements of today's domestic houses...... with water based floor heating affect the control challenge. The analysis is documented with simulation results....

Human tuberculosis predates domestication in ancient Syria.

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Oussama; Lee, Oona Y-C; Wu, Houdini H T; Besra, Gurdyal S; Minnikin, David E; Llewellyn, Gareth; Williams, Christopher M; Maixner, Frank; O'Sullivan, Niall; Zink, Albert; Chamel, Bérénice; Khawam, Rima; Coqueugniot, Eric; Helmer, Daniel; Le Mort, Françoise; Perrin, Pascale; Gourichon, Lionel; Dutailly, Bruno; Pálfi, György; Coqueugniot, Hélène; Dutour, Olivier

2015-06-01

The question of pre-neolithic tuberculosis is still open in paleopathological perspective. One of the major interests is to explore what type of infection could have existed around the early stage of animal domestication. Paleopathological lesions evoking skeletal TB were observed on five human skeletons coming from two PPNB sites in Syria, which belongs to the geographical cradle of agriculture. These sites represent respectively pre-domestication phase (Dja'de el Mughara, Northern Syria, 8800-8300 BCE cal.) and early domestication phase (Tell Aswad, Southern Syria, 8200-7600 BCE cal.). MicroCT scan analyses were performed on two specimens (one per site) and revealed microscopic changes in favor of TB infection. Detection of lipid biomarkers is positive for two specimens (one per site). Initial molecular analysis further indicates the presence of TB in one individual from Dja'de. Interestingly, no morphological evidence of TB was observed on animal remains of wild and newly domesticated species, discovered in these sites. These observations strongly suggest the presence of human tuberculosis before domestication and at its early stages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The impact of the Nome law on the French market of electricity. How competition intensity will evolve?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-07-01

This article presents the content of a market study which aimed at understanding the Nome law and at assessing its impact on the market, at gathering and analysing key figures of the French market of electricity (energy mix, consumption, gross prices, etc.), at assessing market shares of operators and their evolution, at comparing the commercial position of electricity providers, and at assessing the capacity of alternate operators to challenge EDF's positions. Ten providers have been analysed: Alpiq, Direct Energie, EDF, Electricite de Strasbourg, Enel France, E.ON France, GDF Suez, Gaz Electricite de Grenoble, Poweo, and Soregies

Children's Witnessing of Adult Domestic Violence.

Science.gov (United States)

Edleson, Jeffrey L.

1999-01-01

Expands common definitions of how children witness adult domestic violence through a review of 31 research articles. A variety of behavioral, emotional, and cognitive-functioning problems among children were found to be associated with exposure to domestic violence. Factors that appear to moderate the impact of witnessing violence (child abuse,…

The evolutionary origin and genetic makeup of domestic horses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sanz, Pablo Librado; Fages, Antoine Alphonse; Gaunitz, Charleen

2016-01-01

The horse was domesticated only 5.5 KYA, thousands of years after dogs, cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. The horse nonetheless represents the domestic animal that most impacted human history; providing us with rapid transportation, which has considerably changed the speed and magnitude of the circ......The horse was domesticated only 5.5 KYA, thousands of years after dogs, cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. The horse nonetheless represents the domestic animal that most impacted human history; providing us with rapid transportation, which has considerably changed the speed and magnitude...... of domestic breeds through selective programs, while leading all wild populations to near extinction. Despite being tightly associated with humans, several aspects in the evolution of the domestic horse remain controversial. Here, we review recent advances in comparative genomics and paleogenomics that helped...

Domestic Violence – a Current Problem of Romanian Society

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandu Mihaela Luminița

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The effects of domestic violence phenomenon and its severity were recently acknowledged worldwide, most European Union countries faced with significant increase in cases of domestic violence. Due to the inefficient public social services in combating and preventing domestic violence, services like this are taken mostly by civil society. However, help victims of domestic violence, there are several protection services, and a range of social services targeting the aggressors.

Empowering Women with Domestic Violence Experience

Science.gov (United States)

Anczewska, Marta; Roszczynska-Michta, Joanna; Waszkiewicz, Justyna; Charzynska, Katarzyna; Czabala, Czeslaw

2012-01-01

It is generally held that it has been only recently that domestic violence gained appropriate attention as a major social problem. However several approaches, drawn from different theories are applicable in explaining the origin of this negative phenomenon. It is well recognized that trauma of domestic violence has destructive impact on somatic…

Molecular mechanisms involved in convergent crop domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenser, Teresa; Theißen, Günter

2013-12-01

Domestication has helped to understand evolution. We argue that, vice versa, novel insights into evolutionary principles could provide deeper insights into domestication. Molecular analyses have demonstrated that convergent phenotypic evolution is often based on molecular changes in orthologous genes or pathways. Recent studies have revealed that during plant domestication the causal mutations for convergent changes in key traits are likely to be located in particular genes. These insights may contribute to defining candidate genes for genetic improvement during the domestication of new plant species. Such efforts may help to increase the range of arable crops available, thus increasing crop biodiversity and food security to help meet the predicted demands of the continually growing global population under rapidly changing environmental conditions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maintaining evolvability.

Science.gov (United States)

Crow, James F

2008-12-01

Although molecular methods, such as QTL mapping, have revealed a number of loci with large effects, it is still likely that the bulk of quantitative variability is due to multiple factors, each with small effect. Typically, these have a large additive component. Conventional wisdom argues that selection, natural or artificial, uses up additive variance and thus depletes its supply. Over time, the variance should be reduced, and at equilibrium be near zero. This is especially expected for fitness and traits highly correlated with it. Yet, populations typically have a great deal of additive variance, and do not seem to run out of genetic variability even after many generations of directional selection. Long-term selection experiments show that populations continue to retain seemingly undiminished additive variance despite large changes in the mean value. I propose that there are several reasons for this. (i) The environment is continually changing so that what was formerly most fit no longer is. (ii) There is an input of genetic variance from mutation, and sometimes from migration. (iii) As intermediate-frequency alleles increase in frequency towards one, producing less variance (as p --> 1, p(1 - p) --> 0), others that were originally near zero become more common and increase the variance. Thus, a roughly constant variance is maintained. (iv) There is always selection for fitness and for characters closely related to it. To the extent that the trait is heritable, later generations inherit a disproportionate number of genes acting additively on the trait, thus increasing genetic variance. For these reasons a selected population retains its ability to evolve. Of course, genes with large effect are also important. Conspicuous examples are the small number of loci that changed teosinte to maize, and major phylogenetic changes in the animal kingdom. The relative importance of these along with duplications, chromosome rearrangements, horizontal transmission and polyploidy

Effect of proton-conduction in electrolyte on electric efficiency of multi-stage solid oxide fuel cells

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuzaki, Yoshio; Tachikawa, Yuya; Somekawa, Takaaki; Hatae, Toru; Matsumoto, Hiroshige; Taniguchi, Shunsuke; Sasaki, Kazunari

2015-07-01

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are promising electrochemical devices that enable the highest fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiencies under high operating temperatures. The concept of multi-stage electrochemical oxidation using SOFCs has been proposed and studied over the past several decades for further improving the electrical efficiency. However, the improvement is limited by fuel dilution downstream of the fuel flow. Therefore, evolved technologies are required to achieve considerably higher electrical efficiencies. Here we present an innovative concept for a critically-high fuel-to-electricity conversion efficiency of up to 85% based on the lower heating value (LHV), in which a high-temperature multi-stage electrochemical oxidation is combined with a proton-conducting solid electrolyte. Switching a solid electrolyte material from a conventional oxide-ion conducting material to a proton-conducting material under the high-temperature multi-stage electrochemical oxidation mechanism has proven to be highly advantageous for the electrical efficiency. The DC efficiency of 85% (LHV) corresponds to a net AC efficiency of approximately 76% (LHV), where the net AC efficiency refers to the transmission-end AC efficiency. This evolved concept will yield a considerably higher efficiency with a much smaller generation capacity than the state-of-the-art several tens-of-MW-class most advanced combined cycle (MACC).

The genotype-phenotype map of an evolving digital organism.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miguel A Fortuna

2017-02-01

Full Text Available To understand how evolving systems bring forth novel and useful phenotypes, it is essential to understand the relationship between genotypic and phenotypic change. Artificial evolving systems can help us understand whether the genotype-phenotype maps of natural evolving systems are highly unusual, and it may help create evolvable artificial systems. Here we characterize the genotype-phenotype map of digital organisms in Avida, a platform for digital evolution. We consider digital organisms from a vast space of 10141 genotypes (instruction sequences, which can form 512 different phenotypes. These phenotypes are distinguished by different Boolean logic functions they can compute, as well as by the complexity of these functions. We observe several properties with parallels in natural systems, such as connected genotype networks and asymmetric phenotypic transitions. The likely common cause is robustness to genotypic change. We describe an intriguing tension between phenotypic complexity and evolvability that may have implications for biological evolution. On the one hand, genotypic change is more likely to yield novel phenotypes in more complex organisms. On the other hand, the total number of novel phenotypes reachable through genotypic change is highest for organisms with simple phenotypes. Artificial evolving systems can help us study aspects of biological evolvability that are not accessible in vastly more complex natural systems. They can also help identify properties, such as robustness, that are required for both human-designed artificial systems and synthetic biological systems to be evolvable.

The genotype-phenotype map of an evolving digital organism.

Science.gov (United States)

Fortuna, Miguel A; Zaman, Luis; Ofria, Charles; Wagner, Andreas

2017-02-01

To understand how evolving systems bring forth novel and useful phenotypes, it is essential to understand the relationship between genotypic and phenotypic change. Artificial evolving systems can help us understand whether the genotype-phenotype maps of natural evolving systems are highly unusual, and it may help create evolvable artificial systems. Here we characterize the genotype-phenotype map of digital organisms in Avida, a platform for digital evolution. We consider digital organisms from a vast space of 10141 genotypes (instruction sequences), which can form 512 different phenotypes. These phenotypes are distinguished by different Boolean logic functions they can compute, as well as by the complexity of these functions. We observe several properties with parallels in natural systems, such as connected genotype networks and asymmetric phenotypic transitions. The likely common cause is robustness to genotypic change. We describe an intriguing tension between phenotypic complexity and evolvability that may have implications for biological evolution. On the one hand, genotypic change is more likely to yield novel phenotypes in more complex organisms. On the other hand, the total number of novel phenotypes reachable through genotypic change is highest for organisms with simple phenotypes. Artificial evolving systems can help us study aspects of biological evolvability that are not accessible in vastly more complex natural systems. They can also help identify properties, such as robustness, that are required for both human-designed artificial systems and synthetic biological systems to be evolvable.

Domestic violence and the criminal justice system: an overview.

Science.gov (United States)

Erez, Edna

2002-01-01

It is only recently that domestic violence has been considered a violation of the law. Although men have battered, abused and mistreated their wives or intimate partners for a long time, historically, wife or partner abuse has been viewed as a "normal" part of marriage or intimate relationships. Only towards the end of the twentieth century, in the 1970 s, has domestic violence been defined a crime, justifying intervention by the criminal justice system. This article surveys the history of domestic violence as a criminal offense, and the justice system response to woman battering incidents. It first discusses the definition of the offense including debates around the offense definition, and the prevalence and reported frequency of the behavior termed woman battering. It then reviews the legal and social changes over time that have altered the criminal justice system s approach to domestic violence. Next it outlines the responses of the police, and the prosecution of domestic violence. The article also discusses research findings related to domestic violence and the criminal justice system, along with current controversies concerning the justice approach to domestic violence, its law enforcement, and related unfolding trends in the movement to address domestic violence through the criminal justice system.

Attitudes of University Students Towards Domestic Violence Against Women.

Science.gov (United States)

Aktaş, Demet

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the attitudes of university students towards domestic violence against women. This cross-sectional study was conducted on students attending the School of Nursing and School of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation at a university in Turkey. The study was conducted between February 2015 and May 2015. The study was conducted on 415 volunteer students without resorting to the sampling selection method. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form and The Scale of Attitude Toward Domestic Violence. The data were analysed using frequencies, means, standard deviations, independent t-tests and ANOVA. The mean of attitude scores of university students toward domestic violence were 23.13 ± 6.66 and were affected by variables such as gender, and whether the questions should be asked to women who experienced domestic violence such as: "Does your partner have justified reasons for applying domestic violence against women?" and "Should domestic violence against women be shared by others?" and "Does domestic violence against women bother you?" (p.

Reduction of Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions in Domestic Water Heating by Means of Direct Expansion Solar Assisted Heat Pump

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baleta, J.; Curko, T.; Cutic, T.; Pasanec, J.; Soldo, V.

2012-01-01

Domestic water heating in households sector is usually performed by either fossil fuel fired or electric boilers. Both the combustion process of the former and large electricity consumption of the latter strongly influence overall greenhouse gas emissions. Moreover, very high specific heat of water requires large quantity of energy for water heating making a significant impact on the overall energy consumption in the households sector whose total consumption of 80,81 PJ equals to 19,6% of total primary energy supply in Croatia in 2010. Considering the mentioned impact on energy consumption and CO 2 emissions as well as goals set by European Commission (so called 20-20-20), new technologies based on renewable energy sources are more than welcome in the field of domestic water heating. Direct expansion solar assisted heat pump is presented in this paper. Its working principle is based on single-stage vapour-compression cycle. Representing a gradual step to commercial application with a water tank of 300 l, the developed mobile unit is designed as a test rig enabling all necessary measurements to evaluate potential of solar irradiation for domestic water heating on various locations. Besides the unit description, trial testing results are presented and analyzed as well as a basic comparison of CO 2 emissions between solar assisted heat pump and conventionally used water heating systems. Taking into account both the decentralized water heating and favourable climatic conditions (especially along the Croatian Adriatic coast) as well as rising fossil fuel prices, it is expected that solar assisted heat pumps will be commercialized in the near future.(author)

Strong signatures of selection in the domestic pig genome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rubin, Carl-Johan; Megens, Hendrik-Jan; Barrio, Alvaro Martinez

2012-01-01

Domestication of wild boar (Sus scrofa) and subsequent selection have resulted in dramatic phenotypic changes in domestic pigs for a number of traits, including behavior, body composition, reproduction, and coat color. Here we have used whole-genome resequencing to reveal some of the loci that un...... to strong directional selection.......Domestication of wild boar (Sus scrofa) and subsequent selection have resulted in dramatic phenotypic changes in domestic pigs for a number of traits, including behavior, body composition, reproduction, and coat color. Here we have used whole-genome resequencing to reveal some of the loci...... that underlie phenotypic evolution in European domestic pigs. Selective sweep analyses revealed strong signatures of selection at three loci harboring quantitative trait loci that explain a considerable part of one of the most characteristic morphological changes in the domestic pig—the elongation of the back...

Techno-economic assessment of an off-grid PV system for developing regions to provide electricity for basic domestic needs: A 2020–2040 scenario

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zubi, Ghassan; Dufo-López, Rodolfo; Pasaoglu, Guzay; Pardo, Nicolás

2016-01-01

Highlights: • Off-grid PV has a huge potential to provide effective solutions for energy poverty. • Its implementation barrier is economic, but paths to effectively tackle this exist. • The implementation barriers will be reduced by a favourable technological evolution. • Cost reductions to the level of grid-connected power will be eventually achieved. - Abstract: While in the developed countries electrification is paving the way for progress and prosperity, nowadays electricity is still not accessible for about 18% of the world’s population. Lack of power grids is the main reason that prevents millions in remote areas in developing countries from using electricity for the daily basic needs. PV systems provide an effective solution for these regions, but affordability remains an issue. This barrier can be widely overcome on the short term by limiting PV power supply to very high added value applications and by properly exploiting innovations, especially in energy efficiency and cost reductions. Additional to that, the long-term perspectives of off-grid PV are very favourable based on its ongoing technological improvements and cost reductions. This paper studies four off-grid PV cases of which each could cover a combination of basic energy needs regarding light, cooking, food conservation and electronic appliances. Case I considers a system that supplies power for LED lamps and electronic devices. Accordingly, Case II adds a fridge and Case III an electric rice cooker to Case I, while Case IV adds both. The paper elaborates on available technologies and future developments regarding all components in order to assess the long term evolution and potential of these applications, most specifically how their affordability would evolve over time. The modelling and optimization of the four cases are performed using the software iHOGA, which is an efficient tool to provide the lowest cost solution for off-grid PV systems. The use of iHOGA for the four cases and

International and Domestic Development Trends of Electromagnetic Transient Analysis Programs for Power Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Noda, Taku

Nowadays, there is quite high demand for electromagnetic transient (EMT) analysis programs and real-time simulators for power systems. In addition to the conventional demand such as overvoltage, over-current and oscillation simulations, the new demand that includes simulations of power-electronics circuits and power quality is increasing. With this background, development groups of EMT programs and real-time simulators have made progress in terms of computational performance and user experience. In Japan, Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry has newly developed an EMT analysis program called XTAP (eXpandable Transient Analysis Program). This article overviews these international and domestic development trends of EMT analysis programs and real-time simulators.

Evolvability as a Quality Attribute of Software Architectures

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ciraci, S.; van den Broek, P.M.; Duchien, Laurence; D'Hondt, Maja; Mens, Tom

We review the definition of evolvability as it appears on the literature. In particular, the concept of software evolvability is compared with other system quality attributes, such as adaptability, maintainability and modifiability.

Electric utilities and clean air

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Evans, J.E.

1991-01-01

This paper reports that electricity has become essential to American life. Approximately 70 percent of the nation's electricity is produced by burning fossil fuels, with coal, the most abundant, domestically-available, extracted natural resource, providing over 55 percent of the total electricity consumed. Emissions resulting from the burning of fossil fuels are regulated by both the federal and state governments. In 1970, Congress passed the comprehensive Clean Air Act which established a national program to protect the nation's air quality. In 1977, additional strict regulations were passed, which mandated even more stringent emission controls for factories, power plants and auto emissions. Prior to passage of the Clean Air Act of 1990, utilities were required to adhere to three major types of clean air regulations: National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), and Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) review. NAAQS established limits for the maximum concentration levels of specific air pollutants in the ambient atmosphere. For example, for an area to be in compliance with the NAAQS for sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), its annual average SO 2 concentration must not exceed 0.03 ppm of SO 2 and a peak 24 hour level of 0.14 ppm of SO 2 must not be exceeded more than once per year

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: WHO’S PROBLEM?

OpenAIRE

Krizsan, Andrea; Paantjens, Marjolein

2016-01-01

This article juxtaposes shifts in prevailing frames on domestic violence in the Netherlands, Hungary and the EU. Domestic violence, first brought on the political agenda by women’s rights proponents as a problem related to gender inequalities, has been framed and re-framed under the influence of mainstream policy makers. The analysis of these frames shows how shifts in the gender of governance, particularly the marginalization of feminist NGO voices, have led to shifts in the governance of ge...

Predicting summer residential electricity demand across the U.S.A using climate information

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, X.; Wang, S.; Lall, U.

2017-12-01

We developed a Bayesian Hierarchical model to predict monthly residential per capita electricity consumption at the state level across the USA using climate information. The summer period was selected since cooling requirements may be directly associated with electricity use, while for winter a mix of energy sources may be used to meet heating needs. Historical monthly electricity consumption data from 1990 to 2013 were used to build a predictive model with a set of corresponding climate and non-climate covariates. A clustering analysis was performed first to identify groups of states that had similar temporal patterns for the cooling degree days of each state. Then, a partial pooling model was applied to each cluster to assess the sensitivity of monthly per capita residential electricity demand to each predictor (including cooling-degree-days, gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, per capita electricity demand of previous month and previous year, and the residential electricity price). The sensitivity of residential electricity to cooling-degree-days has an identifiable geographic distribution with higher values in northeastern United States.

What value to attribute to electricity quality? The opinion of consumers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mignon, H.

2012-01-01

At a time when the media's centre stage is often taken up by questions relating to the cost of electricity and its trend, it may seem paradoxical to focus on power cuts. Yet, our economies have never before been as sensitive to security and quality of supply, because of the way demand is evolving: the growth of information technology and communication, the move to a tertiary economy, changes in consumer habits and life styles, whether personal or professional. It is this sensitivity that RTE (France's public electricity distributor) has decided to survey. (author)