COEL: A Web-based Chemistry Simulation Framework

The chemical reaction network (CRN) is a widely used formalism to describe macroscopic behavior of chemical systems. Available tools for CRN modelling and simulation require local access, installation, and often involve local file storage, which is susceptible to loss, lacks searchable structure, and does not support concurrency. Furthermore, simulations are often single-threaded, and user interfaces are non-trivial to use. Therefore there are significant hurdles to conducting efficient and collaborative chemical research. In this paper, we introduce a new enterprise chemistry simulation framework, COEL, which addresses these issues. COEL is the first web-based framework of its kind. A visually pleasing and intuitive user interface, simulations that run on a large computational grid, reliable database storage, and transactional services make COEL ideal for collaborative research and education. COEL's most prominent features include ODE-based simulations of chemical reaction networks and multicompartment reaction networks, with rich options for user interactions with those networks. COEL provides DNA-strand displacement transformations and visualization (and is to our knowledge the first CRN framework to do so), GA optimization of rate constants, expression validation, an application-wide plotting engine, and SBML/Octave/Matlab export. We also present an overview of the underlying software and technologies employed and describe the main architectural decisions driving our development. COEL is available at http://coel-sim.org for selected research teams only. We plan to provide a part of COEL's functionality to the general public in the near future.Comment: 23 pages, 12 figures, 1 tabl

Survey and Analysis of Production Distributed Computing Infrastructures

This report has two objectives. First, we describe a set of the production distributed infrastructures currently available, so that the reader has a basic understanding of them. This includes explaining why each infrastructure was created and made available and how it has succeeded and failed. The set is not complete, but we believe it is representative. Second, we describe the infrastructures in terms of their use, which is a combination of how they were designed to be used and how users have found ways to use them. Applications are often designed and created with specific infrastructures in mind, with both an appreciation of the existing capabilities provided by those infrastructures and an anticipation of their future capabilities. Here, the infrastructures we discuss were often designed and created with specific applications in mind, or at least specific types of applications. The reader should understand how the interplay between the infrastructure providers and the users leads to such usages, which we call usage modalities. These usage modalities are really abstractions that exist between the infrastructures and the applications; they influence the infrastructures by representing the applications, and they influence the ap- plications by representing the infrastructures

Knowledge Requirements, Gaps and Learning Responses in Smart Grid Adoption: An Exploratory Study in U.S. Electric Utility Industry

The U.S. electric utility industry is facing a number of challenges today, including aging infrastructure, growing customer demand, CO2 emissions, and increased vulnerability to overloads and outages. Utilities are under greater regulatory, societal and consumer pressure to provide a more reliable and efficient power supply and reduce its carbon footprint. In response, utilities are investing in smart grid technologies. Despite various definitions of smart grid, it is characterized by employing a set of sophisticated sensing, processing and communicating digital technologies to enable a more observable, controllable, and automated power supply. Yet, the adoption of smart grid technologies presents significant knowledge challenges to electric utilities. This study aims to advance the understanding of IT knowledge challenges in smart grid adoption by focusing on three research questions: 1) What knowledge requirements are critical for smart grid adoption? 2) What knowledge gaps are utilities facing with smart grid adoption? How do utilities vary in the level of knowledge gaps? 3) How do utilities overcome knowledge gaps through learning? How do utilities vary in the learning choices? This study adopts a qualitative approach using data from 20 utility interviews and secondary information to address the above questions. The analysis indicates four broad areas of knowledge requirements, which are smart grid technology and vendor selection, smart grid deployment and integration, big data, and customer management. The data also reveals several knowledge gaps faced by utilities in these four areas, and confirms that utilities vary in the level of knowledge gaps, which depends on a mix of factors including prior experience, IT sophistication, service territory characteristics, size, ownership form, regulatory support and support from external organizations. The data further indicates several learning practices that are commonly adopted by utilities to overcome the knowledge gaps in smart grid adoption. It is also determined that utilities vary in the configuration of these practices, and the scale and format of many practices. The variance in learning responses is jointly determined by level of knowledge gaps, knowledge relatedness, size, risk-averse culture and top management support. This study has both research and practical implications. Theoretically, it enriches IT adoption, broader IS research and organizational learning literature in several ways. From the practical perspective, it also has valuable implications for utilities, regulators and other regulated industries and economies

Analyzing public discourse on photovoltaic (PV) adoption in Indonesia: A topic-based sentiment analysis of news articles and social media

The importance of integrating renewable energy, such as solar PV, in the global energy mix for mitigating carbon emissions is increasing. Despite the global drive towards renewable energy, the limited uptake of solar PV particularly in developing nations, such as Indonesia, poses significant challenges for transition to sustainable energy. This study analyses public discourse to comprehend the obstacles for widespread adoption of solar PV technologies. This study employs topic modelling and sentiment analysis of mainstream and social media data to comprehensively capture public discourse and perceptions concerning PV and residential PV adoption in Indonesia. The findings reveal shared thematic areas in both mainstream and social media. Nonetheless, the two media types diverge significantly in their focal points. Our findings support previous survey-based research while introducing three new topics found in both media channels. These topics are: (1) knowledge, misconceptions, and skepticism, (2) economically viable alternative PV technologies; and (3) government regulations and policies. Social and visual impressions such as aesthetics, hedonic motivation, and social influence are notably absent. Public perception varies, with mainstream media portraying PV technology more positively than social media. From both media, the public generally holds favorable views of PV, particularly in terms of its practicality, installation, safety, and information accessibility. Nevertheless, negative perceptions arise regarding investment costs, regulations, governmental policies, and the adequacy of government support

Decentralised electricity generation through rooftop solar photovoltaics (PVs) in Zambia : a case study of the engineering institute of Zambia (EIZ) office building project, Lusaka

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture (Sustainable and Energy Efficient Cities) Johannesburg, May 2018.Whereas there has been significant study and development of national strategic plans on electricity generation from renewable energy in general in Zambia, specific studies and research on decentralised electricity generation via rooftop solar PVs from buildings and their potential to enhance Zambia’s electricity generation goals have not systematically been done. The study applies a case study of the Engineering Institute of Zambia office building that is at construction stage but is determined to incorporate a rooftop solar PV system. Using DesignBuilder and Energyplus simulation software, the building was modelled and analysed for this potential. In addition, based on interview data from various experts and secondary data from national plans, the study evaluated policy, regulatory and market frameworks which could catalyse the increased deployment of such systems in Zambia. Using financial analysis tools of payback period, return on investment and net present value the study undertook a number of business case scenarios in order to conceptualize a responsive business model. The study finds that from the initial estimate, the available roof space had the capacity to net out the baseline annual electricity consumption of 287,707kWh and generate a surplus of 63,519kWh/year before optimisation. Optimisation of the baseline consumption through a combination of two viable energy efficiency interventions reduced the baseline annual consumption by 35% to 186,904kWh with related payback period of nine years, ROI of 518% over a 25 year analysis period and a NPV of 623,344.00 ZMK. Based on these findings, three business case scenarios for the solar PV system were analysed and two out of the three were adopted. One scenario assumed a net-zero building and another one assumed that the surplus electricity generated on non-business days is exported to the grid were adopted. Following this finding, a business model centred on an integrated energy service company (IESCo) was identified as the most appropriate model to respond to the uptake barriers of this technology and thus leverage on the emerging progressive support mechanisms. The overall findings of the study thus support the working hypothesis of the study which deemed that through the framework of a responsive business model, decentralised electricity generation through rooftop solar PV can greatly enhance energy security and mitigate GHG-emission for Zambia.MT 201

D3.1. Architecture and design of the platform

This document aims to establish the requirements and the technological basis and design of the PANACEA platform. These are the main goals of the document: - Survey the different technological approaches that can be used in PANACEA. - Specify some guidelines for the metadata. - Establish the requirements for the platform. - Make a Common Interface proposal for the tools. - Propose a format for the data to be exchanged by the tools (Travelling Object). - Choose the technologies that will be used to develop the platform. - Propose a workplan

Assessment of the environmental aspects of the DOE phosphoric acid fuel cell program

The likely facets of a nationwide phosphoric acid fuel cell (PAFC) power plant commercial system are described. The beneficial and adverse environmental impacts produced by the system are assessed. Eleven specific system activities are characterized and evaluated. Also included is a review of fuel cell technology and a description of DOE's National Fuel Cell Program. Based on current and reasonably foreseeable PAFC characteristics, no environmental or energy impact factor was identified that would significantly inhibit the commercialization of PAFC power plant technology

A Computational Architecture Based on RFID Sensors for Traceability in Smart Cities

Information Technology and Communications (ICT) is presented as the main element in order to achieve more efficient and sustainable city resource management, while making sure that the needs of the citizens to improve their quality of life are satisfied. A key element will be the creation of new systems that allow the acquisition of context information, automatically and transparently, in order to provide it to decision support systems. In this paper, we present a novel distributed system for obtaining, representing and providing the flow and movement of people in densely populated geographical areas. In order to accomplish these tasks, we propose the design of a smart sensor network based on RFID communication technologies, reliability patterns and integration techniques. Contrary to other proposals, this system represents a comprehensive solution that permits the acquisition of user information in a transparent and reliable way in a non-controlled and heterogeneous environment. This knowledge will be useful in moving towards the design of smart cities in which decision support on transport strategies, business evaluation or initiatives in the tourism sector will be supported by real relevant information. As a final result, a case study will be presented which will allow the validation of the proposal