bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Desertification Control Practices in China
Authors: Lyu Yanli , Shi Peijun , Han Guoyi , Liu Lianyou , Guo Lanlan , Hu Xia , Zhang Guoming
Published: April 2020

Desertification is a form of land degradation principally in semi-arid and arid areas influenced by climatic and human factors. As a country plagued by extensive sandy desertification and frequent sandstorms and dust storms, China has been trying to find ways to achieve the sustainable management of desertified lands. This paper reviewed the impact of climate change and anthropogenic activities on desertified areas, and the effort, outcome, and lessons learned from desertification control in China. Although drying and warming trends and growing population pressures exist in those areas, the expanding trend of desertified land achieved an overall reversal. In the past six decades, many efforts, including government policies, forestry, and desertification control programs, combined with eco-industrialization development, have been integrated to control the desertification in northern China. Positive human intervention including afforestation, and the rehabilitation of mobile sandy land, and water conservation have facilitated the return of arid and semi-arid ecosystems to a more balanced state. China’s practices in desertification control could provide valuable knowledge for sustainable desertified land management on a global scale.
International Expansion of Social Enterprises as a Catalyst for Scaling up Social Impact across Borders
Authors: Bretos Ignacio , Díaz-Foncea Millán , Marcuello Carmen
Published: April 2020

Scaling social impact and solutions beyond the local context is argued to embody a key mechanism for social enterprises (SEs) to contribute to the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and to generate welfare-enhancing systemic change. In light of this, this article explores the potential of SE international expansion as a catalyst for scaling social impact across borders. From our reading of the literature, we discern three major typologies of cross-border scaling: Control-based, altruism-based, and hybrid. Drawing on a multiple-case study of nine international SEs, we examine why and how SEs deploy these scaling strategies on an international scale; the challenges to maximize social impact across borders associated with each of the scaling strategies, and the resources and actions that SEs can mobilize to manage such challenges associated with international expansion. Contrary to conventional wisdom and mainstream theory depicting SEs as small-sized organizations that suffer from different limitations to expand beyond their traditional national boundaries, our findings illustrate how these organizations can successfully operate on an international scale and simultaneously generate financial, social, and environmental value.
Foreign Tourists in World Heritage Sites: A Motivation-Based Segmentation
Authors: Menor-Campos Antonio , Pérez-Gálvez Jesús Claudio , Hidalgo-Fernández Amalia , López-Guzmán Tomás
Published: April 2020

The inclusion on the lists published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)—World Heritage Site (WHS), Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), and World Heritage Sites in Danger—suggests, first of all, the acknowledgement of something worth protecting and, secondly, an increase in the strength of tourist attraction to the affected destination, especially among specific visitors. The identification and classification of tourists that are seen to be more interested in heritage is the stated aim of this work, based on models already proposed in the scientific literature. For this purpose, a survey was conducted that interviewed a representative sample of international tourists visiting the city of Córdoba. A multi-variant technique of case-cluster was applied. In addition, a discriminant analysis was used to validate the clusters of the cases obtained. For analyzing the differences between the different groups obtained, some non-parametrical statistical procedures were applied. The results obtained allowed for the visualization of a model that shows the empirical evidence regarding the presence of four types of foreign tourists that are considered valid for segmentation in the city of Córdoba as a WHS tourist destination: the alternative tourist, emotional tourist, cultural tourist, and heritage tourist. These results allow public and private managers to design specific strategies to increase visitor satisfaction.
A Study on the Effects of Crowdfunding Values on the Intention to Visit Local Festivals: Focusing on Mediating Effects of Perceived Risk and e-WOM
Authors: Kim Hun , Chang Byenghee
Published: April 2020

Information technology is recognized as an important means of expanding the sustainability of local festivals, but most research and practices only focus on existing information technologies such as websites and social network services. This study examines the potential of crowdfunding platforms to ensure the success of local festivals and assesses how emerging information technologies impact the sustainability of the tourism industry. This study proposed four values based on the value theory that is frequently applied in consumer research. We also applied inner innovativeness as a personal characteristic and examined the effects of economic, emotional, social, altruistic, and inner innovativeness regarding film festival crowdfunding on the intention to visit the film festival. We applied perceived risk and the intention to use electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) as mediating variables. As a result, emotional, social, and altruistic values were found to significantly affect the intention to visit film festivals by mediating perceived risk. In addition, the social value was found to have positive effects on the dependent variable through the intention to use e-WOM. The results show that crowdfunding platforms are considered an important tool for promoting the festival. It is also important to develop value in favor of the festival by increasing value through marketing strategies.
Characterizing Regenerative Aspects of Living Root Bridges
Authors: Middleton Wilfrid , Habibi Amin , Shankar Sanjeev , Ludwig Ferdinand
Published: April 2020

Living root bridges (LRBs) are functional load-bearing structures grown from Ficus elastica by rural Khasi and Jaintia communities in Meghalaya (India). Formed without contemporary engineering design tools, they are a unique example of vernacular living architecture. The main objective of this study is to investigate to what extent LRBs can be seen as an example of regenerative design. The term "regenerative" describes processes that renew the resources necessary for their function. Whole systems thinking underpins regenerative design, in which the integration of human and non-human systems improves resilience. We adapted the living environments in natural, social, and economic systems (LENSES) framework (living environments in natural, social, and economic systems) to reflect the holistic, integrated systems present in LRBs. The regenerative / sustainable / degenerative scale provided by LENSES Rubrics is applied to 27 focal points in nine flow groups. Twenty-two of these points come from LENSES directly, while five were created by the authors, as advised by the LENSES framework. Our results show 10 focal points in which LRBs are unambiguously regenerative. One focal point is unambiguously sustainable, while 16 are ambiguous, showing regenerative, sustainable, and degenerative aspects. User perspective determines how some focal points are evaluated. The contrast between a local, indigenous perspective and a global, tourism-focused perspective is demonstrated by the results.
Flood Susceptibility and Sediment Transport Analysis of Stromboli Island after the 3 July 2019 Paroxysmal Explosion
Authors: Areu-Rangel Omar S. , Bonasia Rosanna , Di Traglia Federico , Del Soldato Matteo , Casagli Nicola
Published: April 2020

On 3 July 2019, Stromboli volcanic island experienced a paroxysmal explosion that triggered wildfires on vegetated areas in the south, southwestern, and eastern part of the island. This study analyzes the runoff and the transport of sediment originating from rainfall, to verify whether the vegetation loss due to wildfire changed the hydrogeological structure of the affected area and the flooding hazard. A preliminary hydrological study was conducted to analyze the superficial runoff due to rainfall. According to local planning, the hydrogeological study and flood risk assessment were carried out for the return periods corresponding to 50, 100, and 300 years. The flooding levels were calculated using the hydrodynamic module of the IBER software. The IBER sediment transport module was applied in a non-stationary regime for erosion and sedimentation analysis. The results showed that the fire caused an increase of the water discharge rates between 0.06 and 0.16 m2/s, for the 50 year return period, in the Ginostra inhabited area. The great differences of the flood levels between pre- and post-eruptive scenarios, for the highest return periods, were recognized. The analysis of sediment transport showed that rains could exert an erosion and re-sedimentation effect that would transport from 0.1 m to more than 1 m of re-mobilized material in the Ginostra area, which could cause inconvenience in the inhabited area of the island.
A Collaborative Transformation beyond Coal and Cars? Co-Creation and Corporatism in the German Energy and Mobility Transitions
Authors: Herberg Jeremias , Haas Tobias , Oppold Daniel , von Schneidemesser Dirk
Published: April 2020

In this article, we critically discuss the role of collaboration in Germany’s path towards a post-carbon economy. We consider civic movements and novel forms of collaboration as a potentially transformative challenger to the predominant approach of corporatist collaboration in the mobility and energy sectors. However, while trade unions and employer organizations provide a permanent and active arena for policy-oriented collaboration, civil society groups cannot rely on an equivalently institutionalized corridor to secure policy impact and public resonance. In that sense, conventional forms of collaboration tend to hinder the transformation towards a post-carbon economy. Collaboration in the German corporatist setting is thus, from a sustainability perspective, simultaneously a problem and a solution. We argue for more institutionalized corridors between civil society and state institutions. Co-creation, as we would like to call this methodical approach to collaborating, can be anchored within the environmental and industrial policy arenas.
The Influence of Negative Workplace Gossip on Knowledge Sharing: Insight from the Cognitive Dissonance Perspective
Authors: Zou Xiaolei , Chen Xiaoxi , Chen Fengling , Luo Chuxin , Liu Hongyan
Published: April 2020

Increasing attention is drawn to the effect of workplace gossip on the organization. Negative workplace gossip is a negative evaluation of others behind their back in the workplace. Based on the cognitive dissonance theory, the study explored the relationship between negative workplace gossip and knowledge sharing, through the mediation of organizational trust and the moderation of self-efficacy. The regression results of a two-stage questionnaire survey on 173 Chinese employees suggested that negative workplace gossip negatively influenced employees’ knowledge sharing through organizational trust. Additionally, findings also showed that self-efficacy moderated the mediation of organizational trust in the relationship between negative workplace gossip and knowledge sharing. This research provided a new theoretical perspective on the impact of workplace gossip, which has management implications for informal communication and team-building.
The Bike-Sharing System as an Element of Enhancing Sustainable Mobility—A Case Study based on a City in Poland
Authors: Macioszek Elżbieta , Świerk Paulina , Kurek Agata
Published: April 2020

The bike-sharing system allows urban residents to rent a bike at one of the rental stations located in the city, use them for their journey, and return them to any other or the same station. In recent years, in many cities around the world, such systems were established to encourage their residents to use bikes as an element of enhancing sustainable mobility and as a good complement to travel made using other modes of transport. The main purpose of this article is to present the results of an analysis of the functioning of the bike-sharing system in Warsaw (Poland). Moreover, the article presents an analysis of the accessibility to individual stations. An important aspect is that the bike-sharing system has been popular among users and that more people use it. Therefore, the city should be provided with a dense network of conveniently located bike-sharing stations. Also, the quality of the bike-sharing system should be an adjustment to the user’s expectations. In connection with the above, the article also presents the results of the analysis of factors affecting bike-sharing system usage as well as the level of satisfaction connected with bike-sharing system usage. The results of the analysis showed that there is a strong positive correlation between these variables. The obtained results can be helpful for carrying out activities whose purpose is to increase the bike-sharing system usage as well as to increase the level of satisfaction connected with bike-sharing system usage.
Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) in Education for Sustainable Development: A Bibliographic Review
Authors: Carrión-Martínez José Juan , Luque-de la Rosa Antonio , Fernández-Cerero José , Montenegro-Rueda Marta
Published: April 2020

In recent years, technological advances have played a very important role in our society, as well as in different educational contexts, including Education for Sustainable Development. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), which have made it possible to improve the quality of life of many people. The aim of this study is to review the scientific evidence on the use of ICTs for Sustainable Development. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) guidelines, a bibliographic search was carried out using the Web of Science and Scopus bibliographic repositories, with a total of 19 articles comprising the final sample for review. The results show that the most preeminent strategies used are mobile learning and distance education, which are related to the achievement of the sustainable development goals. Included among the conclusions of this study is the need to investigate the different strategies that are being carried out, with ICTs in school aimed at developing a more sustainable environment standing out.
Waste Reduction in Production Processes through Simulation and VSM
Authors: Bait Stefania , Di Pietro Alessandro , Schiraldi Massimiliano M.
Published: April 2020

Corporate managers often face the need to choose the optimal configurations of production processes to reduce waste. Research has shown that simulation is an effective tool among those conceived to support the manager’s decisions. Nevertheless, the use of simulation at the company level remains limited due to the complexity in the design phase. In this context, the Value Stream Map (VSM)—a tool of the Lean philosophy–is here exploited as a link between the strategic needs of the management and the operational aspect of the simulation process in order to approach sustainability issues. The presented approach is divided into two main parts: a set of criteria for expanding the VSM are identified in order to increase the level of details of the represented processes; then, data categories required for the inputs and outputs of each sub-process modeling are defined, including environmental indicators. Specifically, an extended version of the classical VSM (X-VSM), conceived to support process simulation, is here proposed: the X-VSM is used to guide the design of the simulation so that the management decisions, in terms of waste reduction, can be easily evaluated. The proposal was validated on a production process of a large multinational manufacturing company.
Exploring Collaboration and Consumer Behavior in Food Community Networks and Constraints Preventing Active Participation: The Case of Turkey
Authors: Kurtsal Yaprak , Viaggi Davide
Published: April 2020

The term food community networks (FCNs) has been introduced to define a governance structure where consumers and producers integrate their functions to promote socially just, environmentally conscious, and healthier ways of food provisioning for communities. We use the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to explore how consumers’ behavioral intentions are shaped to participate in FCNs in Turkey. We extend the theory by exploring if collaboration is a factor that influences consumer participation. We further identify the main challenges associated with active participation. The findings show that the extended construct in our study, that is collaboration, positively and significantly predicted consumers’ attitude, while attitude, along with subjective norm and perceived behavioral control (PBC) had significant and positive effects on consumers’ intention to participate (co-produce) in FCNs. Consumers regarded time constraints as the biggest issue preventing active participation, while lack of volunteers taking responsibility and lack of communication within the communities were suggested as governance challenges that need to be addressed. This research can contribute to the debate on the importance of collaboration in food communities, towards adopting collaborative governance structures on a local scale, and shed light on the relatively novel experience of FCNs in Turkey.
Implementation of Dynamic Virtual Inertia Control of Supercapacitors for Multi-Area PV-Based Microgrid Clusters
Authors: Yang Li , Hu Zhijian
Published: April 2020

In order to improve the dynamic stability of multi-area microgrid (MG) clusters in the autonomous mode, this study proposes a novel fuzzy-based dynamic inertia control strategy for supercapacitors in multi-area autonomous MG clusters. By virtue of the integral manifold theory, the interactive influence of inertia on dynamic stability for multi-area MG clusters is explored in detail. The energy function of multi-area MG clusters is constructed to further analyze the inertia constant. Based on the analysis of the mechanism, a control strategy for the fuzzy-based dynamic inertia control of supercapacitors for multi-area MG clusters is further proposed. For each sub-microgrid (sub-MG), the gain of the fuzzy-based dynamic inertia control is self-tuned dynamically, with system events being triggered, so as to flexibly and robustly enhance the dynamic performance of the multi-area MG clusters in the autonomous mode. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme, a three-area photovoltaic (PV)-based MG cluster is designed and simulated on the MATLAB/Simulink platform. Moreover, a comparison between the dynamic fuzzy-based inertial control method and an additional droop control method is finally presented to validate the advantages of the fuzzy-based dynamic inertial control approach.
Increasing Students’ Physical Activity in Function of Social Sustainability: Recommendations from a Social Marketing Perspective
Authors: Djokic Ines , Grubor Aleksandar , Milicevic Nikola , Djokic Nenad
Published: April 2020

The role of physical activity for social sustainability, as well as potential for social marketing to contribute to increasing the level of physical activity, are already documented in previous literature. Those considerations may gain additional importance in the context of student population, often confronted with the decrease of the level of physical activity, and in a country with scarce similar researches. The purpose of this study is to identify socio-demographic determinants of Serbian students’ physical activity. Physical activity was examined as an ordinal dependent variable (inactive, low-frequency activity, and recommended frequency activity) and an ordered logit model was implemented for examining its relations with students’ gender, age, household size, emotional status, accommodation, year of study, and living standard. The results show that 15.7% of students are inactive, 22.9% have low-frequency activity, while 61.3% met the recommended level of physical activity. The average probability of physical activity is larger for male students in comparison to female students. Students with better living standards are also more physically active. Finally, the average probability of physical activity decreases starting from students who live with their families, followed by those who live in a private accommodation, to students who live in a dormitory. Considering the obtained results, recommendations from a social marketing perspective are provided.
Vision-Based Decision-Making Methodology for Riparian Forest Restoration and Flood Protection Using Nature-Based Solutions
Authors: Lilli Maria A. , Nerantzaki Sofia D. , Riziotis Christos , Kotronakis Manolis , Efstathiou Dionissis , Kontakos Dimitris , Lymberakis Petros , Avramakis Manolis , Tsakirakis Antonis , Protopapadakis Konstantinos , Nikolaidis Nikolaos P.
Published: April 2020

Nature-based solutions (NBS) are actions that use natural processes in a resource efficient manner to solve societal challenges. The lack of supportive legislature, and financial, communication and social barriers complicate the process of NBS implementation. It is an urgent need to develop approaches to design and implement NBS that would act as drivers to overcome potential barriers and enhance the social acceptability of the project. The vision-based decision-making methodology and participatory process created in this study has been carried out in the Koiliaris Critical Zone Observatory in Crete to design erosion and flood protection NBS and restore the riparian forest. The methodology consists of four distinct steps as follows: i) develop a vision of the area, ii) conduct a baseline assessment study, iii) NBS design and co-design, and iv) procurement and implementation. The methodology overcame multiple barriers because of the effective stakeholder engagement and the vision “drove” the project and created the necessary consensus that is necessary to achieve the objective of converting privately owned prime agricultural land to riparian forest. It offers an exemplar of a functional ecosystem restoration project that protects the river in a sustainable way, improves its biodiversity and water quality and improves the quality of life and social cohesion.
Corporate Governance-Based Strategic Approach to Sustainability in Energy Industry of Emerging Economies with a Novel Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Hybrid Decision Making Model
Authors: Qi Wenhao , Huang Zhixiong , Dinçer Hasan , Korsakienė Renata , Yüksel Serhat
Published: April 2020

The sustainability in energy industry is one of the most prominent issues in emerging economies because of needs for the long-term growth of production and managerial capacity. Accordingly, corporate governance could lead to develop the sustainable production of energy industry. The purpose of this study is to define a set of criteria and dimensions for analyzing the corporate governance-based strategic approach to sustainability in the energy industry of emerging economies. For this purpose, this study provides several novelties by extending a hybrid decision making model with interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy sets (IVIF) and defining the related criteria and dimensions of corporate governance-based strategic approach with the supported literature. IVIF decision making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) is constructed for measuring the relative importance of criteria and dimensions. IVIF VlseKriterijumska Optimizacija I Kompromisno Resenje (VIKOR) is applied for ranking the corporate governance-based performance of sustainable energy industries in emerging economies. Sensitivity analysis is also used for understanding the coherence of ranking results. Analysis results illustrate that the energy industry could provide more sustainable results than the conventional managerial policies by considering the social capital of board members. Additionally, mass-economies are closely related to the sustainable production capacities of energy industry and have the best performance results for the corporate governance-based sustainable energy production strategies. The results are discussed to provide the policy recommendations by comparing analysis results of emerging economies for further studies.
Combined Discharge and Thermo-Salinity Measurements for the Characterization of a Karst Spring System in Southern Italy
Authors: Portoghese Ivan , Masciale Rita , Caputo Maria C. , De Carlo Lorenzo , Malcangio Daniela
Published: April 2020

The hydrological monitoring of springs is an auxiliary and indispensable tool that goes alongside investigations in wells to reconstruct a conceptual phenomenological model of an aquifer–groundwater system and its interactions with surface waters. There are manifold ways to carry out this monitoring, but the choice of which way is significant for a correct qualitative and quantitative knowledge of spring systems. The present work focuses on the characterization of the thermo-saline and flow regimes of the Tara spring system along the northern coast of Taranto (southern Italy), where a karst groundwater basin is the major source of the Tara River and the surrounding coastal wetland. A series of measurements was carried out on the spring system to support a technical feasibility study on the possible use of the brackish water of this river to feed a future desalination plant. To estimate the flow rate, a comparison was made between different flow measurement methods in a derivation channel. Through an analysis of the available dataset, the response of the aquifer to the autumn–winter recharge, for which updated hydrologic measurements were not available, is highlighted.
Does Environmental Inspection Led by the Central Government Improve the Air Quality in China? The Moderating Role of Public Engagement
Authors: Xu Fang , Tian Meng , Yang Jie , Xu Guohu
Published: April 2020

The severe air pollution in China has imperiled public health and resulted in substantial economic loss. To tackle the unprecedented pollution challenges, China has launched a campaign-based environmental inspection over all regions to impel local governments’ actual pollution abatement. At the same time, with the public’s awakening awareness about environmental protection, the public has also played a particularly vital role in this inspection. Under this circumstance, the study tries to reveal the impact of Environmental Inspection led by the Central Government (EICG) on air quality improvement, and to examine the role of public engagement in their relationship. Specifically, utilizing daily data covering 249 prefecture-level cities in China from 1 June 2015 to 31 May 2018, this study employed multiple regression models and then found that due to the implementation of EICG, the concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, SO2 and NO2 decline by 2.642 μg/m3, 6.088 μg/m3, 1.357 μg/m3 and 1.443 μg/m3, respectively, and the air quality index decreases by 2.4 in total, which implies that EICG can improve the air quality to a great extent. However, the coefficients for major variables change from negative to positive, suggesting that an attenuation effect of EICG on air quality improvement exists in Chinese institutional background. Meanwhile, public engagement is shown to enhance the positive association between EICG and air quality improvement. Additionally, further analysis demonstrates that EICG promotes the improvement in air quality up to three months after the inspection in cities during the heating period, while the positive effect has existed during one month before the inspection in cities during the non-heating period. Additionally, in contrast to the instant effect in cities not specially monitored, there is a lagged effect of EICG in controlling the air pollution in cities specially monitored.
Research on Regional System Planning Method of Rural Habitat in Gully Regions of the Loess Plateau, under the Background of Rural Vitalization Strategy in China
Authors: Zhang Tao , Ding Beiyang , Hu Qinian , Liu Yuyu , Zhou Dian , Gao Weijun , Fukuda Hiroatsu
Published: April 2020

Against the background of the Rural Vitalization Strategy in the gully regions of the Loess Plateau, large number of residents living in gullies move to tableland. On the one hand, this causes the disappearance of slope villages and gully villages; on the other hand, it increases ecological pressure on tableland, which was originally densely populated. The villages’ locations, the developing conditions, and the ecological carrying capacity of the surrounding villages have influence on the development direction of these villages and regional system planning. Through comparative analysis of different analysis methods for determining ecological carrying capacity, this paper takes the limiting factor analysis method as the main method and improves it according to the local conditions. Through the analysis of maximum ecological carrying capacity, current carrying capacity, and current population, we can determine which villages have the potential to support more immigrants and which ones should be integrated with others to improve the human settlement environment. At the same time, villages are graded so that the present and future human settlements’ environment can be further analyzed and predicted, which can be also adopted as an important guide for the local villages’ relocation and combination. Finally, we select a representative region to prove the general applicability of our planning method in the Loess Plateau.
Enhancing the Sustainable Goal of Access to Healthcare: Findings from a Literature Review on Telemedicine Employment in Rural Areas
Authors: Palozzi Gabriele , Schettini Irene , Chirico Antonio
Published: April 2020

Fighting health inequalities is a challenge addressed by the United Nations Strategic Development Goals (UN-SDGs). Particularly, people living in rural areas suffer from a lack of health infrastructure, which would jeopardize their inclusion in universal coverage for specialist care. Delivering valuable healthcare in underserved areas can be achieved through the employment of new technical innovations, such as telemedicine, which improves service delivery processes. Accordingly, this paper discusses how telemedicine strategies have enhanced the sustainability of right of “access to healthcare” in rural areas. Once we derived the sustainability pillars for healthcare from the UN-SDGs 3 and 10 according to the WHO innovation assessment metrics, a PRISMA-based literature review was conducted using the Scopus database. English, peer-reviewed articles/reviews from 1973 to 2019 were considered. The enquiry covers two analyses: (i) quantitative-bibliometric on 2267 papers; and (ii) qualitative-narrative on the 30 most significant papers. Interest about the topic has increased in the last decade following digitalization diffusion. The most productive and collaborative countries are those with huge dimensions and under financial restrictions. From a sustainability-oriented standpoint, telemedicine enhances both emergency and diagnostic healthcare in rural areas by decreasing the cost of services, expanding coverage of specialist cares, and increasing the quality of the outcomes. For health policies, telemedicine can be considered a suitable solution for providing cost-effective and sustainable healthcare.
Exploiting OLTC and BESS Operation Coordinated with Active Network Management in LV Networks
Authors: Kotsalos Konstantinos , Miranda Ismael , Dominguez-Garcia Jose Luis , Leite Helder , Silva Nuno , Hatziargyriou Nikos
Published: April 2020

The large number of small scale Distributed Energy Resources (DER) such as Electric Vehicles (EVs), rooftop photovoltaic installations and Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), installed along distribution networks, poses several challenges related to power quality, efficiency, and reliability. Concurrently, the connection of DER may provide substantial flexibility to the operation of distribution grids and market players such as aggregators. This paper proposes an optimization framework for the energy management and scheduling of operation for Low Voltage (LV) networks assuring both admissible voltage magnitudes and minimized line congestion and voltage unbalances. The proposed tool allows the utilization and coordination of On-Load Tap Changer (OLTC) distribution transformers, BESS, and flexibilities provided by DER. The methodology is framed with a multi-objective three phase unbalanced multi-period AC Optimal Power Flow (MACOPF) solved as a nonlinear optimization problem. The performance of the resulting control scheme is validated on a LV distribution network through multiple case scenarios with high microgeneration and EV integration. The usefulness of the proposed scheme is additionally demonstrated by deriving the most efficient placement and sizing BESS solution based on yearly synthetic load and generation data-set. A techno-economical analysis is also conducted to identify optimal coordination among assets and DER for several objectives.
Optimization of Land Reuse Structure in Coal Mining Subsided Areas Considering Regional Economic Development: A Case Study in Pei County, China
Authors: Li Zhen , Wu Songlin , Zhang Shiwen , Nie Chaojia , Li Yong , Huang Yuanfang
Published: April 2020

Land subsidence, which has caused large-scale settlement loss and farmland degradation, was regarded as the main constraint for land reclamation in the High Groundwater Coal Basins (HGCBs) in the eastern China plain. Both coal mining and agricultural production are important for regional development in this area. In general, the land reclamation direction in this area is greatly affected by the adequacy of filling materials and the land use demand of regional economic development. Taking seven coal mining subsided areas in Pei county, located in the eastern China plain, for example, this study proposed an integrated model (including the Limit Condition model, Logistic Regression model, Grey Linear Programming model and the conversion of land use and its effects at small regional extent (CLUE-S) model) to simulate and optimize the post-mining land use structure to meet the economic development needs of Pei county. Then, the post-mining land use structure under different scenarios, which were set based on the subsidence depth, were compared to explore the optimal collapse depth for separating the damaged land into the filling area and non-filling area. The landscape structure, ecological benefits, engineering quantity and reclaimed farmland area were used to compare the reclaimed land use structure of different scenarios. The results showed that the integrated model could efficiently simulate the reclaimed land use structure to meet the land demand for regional development. The optimal collapse depth for separating the damaged area into the filling area and non-filling area was 2.6 m. Currently, the reclaimed land use structure not only needs a low quantity of filling material, but also obtains a good landscape structure and elevated ecosystem services value. Furthermore, the reclaimed urban land was mainly distributed around Pei town, and the reclaimed farmland was mostly distributed in the area between Pei town and Weishan lake, which were consistent with the pattern of urbanization. The study provides valuable information for future land use plans for Pei county and will contribute to the methods of post-mining land reclamation in other HGCBs.
The Development and Promotion of Sweet Potato Yoghurt in Ghana: Implications for Sustainable Production and Consumption Policies
Authors: Donkor Eunice Adu , Donkor Emmanuel , Owusu-Sekyere Enoch , Owusu Victor
Published: April 2020

This paper analyzes how a newly developed food product (potagurt) with nutritional and health benefits can be promoted in Ghana. We employ the hedonic modeling and contingent valuation methods to estimate monetary values attached to the product’s attributes using 400 consumers in the Ashanti, Eastern, and Greater Accra regions of Ghana. The findings reveal that consumers have positive perceptions on the health and nutritional benefits of the product. Buyers place a higher value on potagurt relative to normal yogurt. The high value attached to potagurt is mainly linked to the health, nutritional, food safety, and quality attributes of the product, as well as perception. Consumers’ socioeconomic factors such as income, educational, and awareness levels also play a significant role in explaining their choice of the product. The practical implication is that the development and promotion of potagurt could stimulate sustainable economic development through better consumer health and improvement in the livelihoods of many players in the sweet potato value chain, especially the producers of potagurt and sweet potato farmers. We conclude that the promotion of the innovative food product could contribute to sustainable production and consumption of sweet potatoes.
Design and Sensitivity Analysis of Hybrid Photovoltaic-Fuel-Cell-Battery System to Supply a Small Community at Saudi NEOM City
Authors: Rezk Hegazy , Kanagaraj N. , Al-Dhaifallah Mujahed
Published: April 2020

This research paper aimed to design and present a sensitivity analysis of a hybrid photovoltaic-fuel-cell-battery (PV/FC/B) system to supply a small community for the recently planned grand city NEOM in Saudi Arabia. The location of the city of NEOM is characterized by a high average level of solar irradiance. The average daily horizontal solar radiation is around 5.85 kWh/m2. A detailed feasibility and techno-economic evaluation of a PV/FC/B hybrid energy system were done to supply a daily load demand of 500 kWh (peak-35 kW). The PV array was the main source to meet the load demand. During the surplus periods, the battery was charged using extra energy and powered the electrolyzer for hydrogen production. The produced hydrogen was stored for later use. During the deficit periods, the FC and/or battery supported the PV array to meet the load demand. Two benchmarks, the cost of energy (COE) and net present cost (NPC), were used to identify the best size of the PV/FC/B system. Variation of the tilt angle of the PV array and the derating factor were considered to determine the effect of the performance of the PV/FC/B system’s COE and NPC. The main findings confirmed that a 200 kW PV array, 40 kW FC, 96 batteries, 50 kW converter, 110 kW electrolyzer, and 50 kg hydrogen tank was the best option to supply the load demand. The values of total NPC and COE were $500,823 and $0.126/kWh. The annual excess energy was very sensitive to the declination angle of the PV array. The minimum annual excess energy was achieved at an angle of 30 degrees. It decreased by 75.7% and by 60.6% compared to a horizontal surface and 50 degrees of declination, respectively. To prove the viability of the proposed system, a comparison with grid extension along with a diesel generation system was carried out.
The Effect of Jet Fuel Tax Changes on Air Transport, Employment, and the Environment in the US
Authors: Sobieralski Joseph B. , Hubbard Sarah M.
Published: April 2020

This paper presents an analysis of the effects of jet fuel taxes on air traffic, employment and emissions using a difference-in-difference design. These findings are relevant, as US airports identify how to respond to revenue shortfalls and support local employment in the recovery after Covid-19. Jet fuel tax cuts are considered pro-growth by airlines and stakeholders, however, limited research documents the impacts on airline operations, employment, and emissions, which is an increasing issue given growing societal concerns about aviation sustainability. This study provides an analysis of the effects of changes in jet fuel taxes on air travel, employment, and the environment, using a difference-in-differences design based on data from major US airlines at several US hubs. Results suggest that a jet fuel tax cut increases air traffic by 0.2% on average but fades within a year. The direct effect on air transportation employment is insignificant, as is the effect on total employment. The estimated effect on pollution is an increase of over 1% in CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions. These findings illustrate the precarious balance between air transport growth, local employment, and environmental concerns, and may aid policymakers as they consider potential changes to jet fuel taxes.
Growth Characteristics and Anti-Wind Erosion Ability of Three Tropical Foredune Pioneer Species for Sand Dune Stabilization
Authors: Lee Jung-Tai , Yen Lin-Zhi , Chu Ming-Yang , Lin Yu-Syuan , Chang Chih-Chia , Lin Ru-Sen , Chao Kung-Hsing , Lee Ming-Jen
Published: April 2020

Rainstorms frequently cause runoff and then the runoff carries large amounts of sediments (sand, clay, and silt) from upstream and deposit them on different landforms (coast, plain, lowland, piedmont, etc.). Afterwards, monsoons and tropical cyclones often induce severe coastal erosion and dust storms in Taiwan. Ipomoea pes-caprae (a vine), Spinifex littoreus (a grass), and Vitex rotundifolia (a shrub) are indigenous foredune pioneer species. These species have the potential to restore coastal dune vegetation by controlling sand erosion and stabilizing sand dunes. However, their growth characteristics, root biomechanical traits, and anti-wind erosion abilities in sand dune environments have not been documented. In this study, the root growth characteristics of these species were examined by careful hand digging. Uprooting test and root tensile test were carried out to measure their mechanical strength, and wind tunnel (6 m × 1 m × 1.3 m, L × W × H) tests were executed to explore the anti-wind erosion ability using one-year-old seedlings. The results of root growth characteristics demonstrate that I. pes-caprae is superior to S. littoreus and V. rotundifolia. Moreover, uprooting resistance of V. rotundifolia seedlings (0.074 ± 0.032 kN) was significantly higher than that of I. pes-caprae (0.039 ± 0.015 kN) and S. littoreus (0.013 ± 0.005 kN). Root tensile strength of S. littoreus (16.68 ± 8.88 MPa) and V. rotundifolia (16.48 ± 4.37 MPa) were significantly higher than that of I. pes-caprae (6.65 ± 2.39 MPa). In addition, wind tunnel tests reveal that sand wind erosion rates for all three species decrease with increasing vegetation cover, but the anti-wind erosion ability of S. littoreus seedlings is significantly higher than I. pes-caprae and V. rotundifolia. Results of root tensile strength and anti-wind erosion ability clearly show that S. littoreus is superior to I. pes-caprae and V. rotundifolia. Taken together, our results suggest that I. pes-caprae and S. littoreus are beneficial for front line mixed planting, while V. rotundifolia is suitable for second line planting in foredune areas. These findings, along with the knowledge on adaption of foredune plants following sand accretion and erosion, provide us critical information for developing the planting strategy of foredune pioneer plants for the sustainable management of coastal foredune ecosystem.
Coordination Contracts for Hotels and Online Travel Agents
Authors: Guo Qiang , K. Anderson Chris , Dong Junfeng , Zhao Pengfei , Ji Qingkai
Published: April 2020

Herein, we address a common problem of hotels in the current world of online selling, namely the management of relationships with third party resellers (also known as online travel agents (OTAs)). We highlight the role of OTAs in the current travel landscape, and we discuss the popular contracting forms between OTAs and hotels, which are the so-called merchant and retail (commission) models. We illustrate how these contracts fail to coordinate the hotel–OTA relationship, and then, we develop a new type of contract that can efficiently coordinate a supply chain consisting of the OTA and the individual hotels. We provide theoretical results and numerical examples for a one-to-one model with one OTA and one supplier and a more realistic setting with an OTA selling to consumers on behalf of numerous hotel partners.
Spatial Heterogeneity of Farmland Abandonment in the Sichuan Province, China
Authors: Wang Youhan , Peng Peihao , Li Qian , Chen Zhongsheng , Tang Wenbin
Published: April 2020

Urbanization and regional geomorphological and agricultural conditions have caused rural hollowing out and a large number of farms to be abandoned, which is a big obstacle to food security and rural industrial development. Sichuan Province is representative of national major grain producing areas and high-quality cultivated protected land in China. This paper reveals the spatial heterogeneity of farmland abandonment in the Sichuan Province. In total, 455 random sample plots were investigated to explore spatial heterogeneity of abandoned farmland in Sichuan Province. In each sample plot, farmland and abandoned farmland patches were mapped. The rate of paddy field abandonment (RPFA), the rate of non-irrigated farmland abandonment (RNFA), and the rate of farmland abandonment (RFA) were calculated as indicators of farmland abandonment. Our results reveal the spatial heterogeneity of abandoned farmland in Sichuan Province, and the clustering characteristics of spatial cold- and hot spots of the RFA. The findings from this study may have importance in rural infrastructure construction and the implementation of a rural revitalization strategy, as well as in making policies to curb abandonment of farmland. The spatial heterogeneity of farmland abandonment revealed in this study may contribute to sustaining food security and farmland protection in China.
Mapping the Sustainable Development Goals Relationships
Authors: Fonseca Luis Miguel , Domingues José Pedro , Dima Alina Mihaela
Published: April 2020

Sustainable development addresses humanity’s aspiration for a better life while observing the limitations imposed by nature. In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly approved the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with the aim to foster the organizational operationalization and integration of sustainability and, therefore, to address the current and forthcoming stakeholder needs and ensure a better and sustainable future for all, balancing the economic, social, and environmental development. However, it is not entirely clear which are the mutual relationships among the 17 SDGs and this study aims to tackle this research gap. The results of the correlation confirm that Poverty elimination (SDG1) and Good health and well-being (SDG3) have synergetic relationships with most of the other goals. SDG7 (Affordable and clean energy) has significant relationships with other SDGs (e.g., SDG1 (No poverty), SDG2 (Zero hunger), SDG3 (Good health and well-being), SDG8 (Decent work and economic growth), SDG13 (Climate action)). However, there is a moderate negative correlation with SDG12 (Responsible consumption and production), which emphasizes the need to improve energy efficiency, increase the share of clean and renewable energies and improve sustainable consumption patterns worldwide. There is also confirmation that SDG12 (Responsible consumption and production) is the goal strongly associated with trade-offs. To sum up, this research suggests that change towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals offers many opportunities for reinforcing rather than inhibiting itself. However, some SDGs show no significant correlation with other SDGs (e.g., SDG13 (Climate action) and SDG17 (Partnerships for the goals), which highlights the need for future research.