Exploring the Emergence of Renewable Energy Grids in Developing Countries with Agent Based Models.

This work presents novel Agent-Based Models that permit flexible conceptualization of the electrification efforts in developing countries. It captures the interacting technological, environmental, and social layers that make up the system and value judgments, preferences and path dependence of decisions made while creating development plans. Reflecting these factors is key as it expands traditional tools used in electrification planning. The work starts through the presentation of a clean-slate scenario with no existing infrastructure or fossil fuel use. This is an appropriate representation of less industrialized countries with large unelectrified areas and concerns for climate change and fuels’ cost and security. In the case of the clean-slate scenario the electricity delivery infrastructure’s cost depends on the level of electricity demand, the available renewable energy potential, and development strategies chosen by stakeholders. In cases with high demand and low electricity potential, a centralized strategy based on renewable resources chosen with the Resource Centrality Index results in the most economic delivery system. On the other hand, high resources and low demand call for a decentralized strategy where communities can get involved in development decisions. Increasing the available resources dramatically lowers the cost of the delivery system and increases the options for inclusive strategies. The case study of Liberia, West Africa, is presented to further develop the tools. Liberia is shown to have enough renewable energy potential to fulfill its rural residential demand. Levelized costs of electricity from decentralized renewable energy projects based on biomass and mini or micro-hydro technologies are within the ability and willingness to pay of rural Liberians. Through the Liberian case study the work shows opportunities for use in multi-objective development where the value-judgments of stakeholders are captured. Objectives such as increasing jobs, creating economic flows within communities, providing equality of development within regions of the country, and minimizing economic costs are evaluated. The model is shown to be a creative and robust tool to plan electrification strategies when considering these goals. The results show how multiple objectives can be used in planning scenarios to ensure ability to pay of rural Liberians and other desired stakeholder benefits.PHDNatural Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/107139/1/jfalfaro_1.pd

Model based on agents of prospective simulation for the determination of family productive units framed in the post-conflict for the municipalities of la Dorada (Caldas), Aquitania (Boyacá) and Aguazul (Casanare)

Los modelos basados en agentes son una respuesta que se configura al entendimiento de los fenómenos y acciones que nacen de la complejidad y que simulan un sin número de procesos que son emergentes y que dan un carácter no lineal o paramétrico de la conducta de los agentes interactuantes en un determinado entorno estipulado que se rige bajo condiciones programables. Es intrínseco tener en cuenta que los modelos basados en agentes tienen un alto grado de aproximación y configuración de factores respecto a la realidad, ya que no se caracterizan por constituirse en modelos rígidos ni estructurados; y se basan en la interacción continua y definida de agentes-entorno para efectuar o generar procesos de modelización que permiten incorporar sistemas dinámicos para dar soporte a la comprensión y planificación en decisiones territoriales. Por esta razón la propuesta planteada es evaluar proyectos productivos y su viabilidad mediante el análisis económico de los cultivos y actividad económica propia del municipio mediante modelos basados en agentes con información base de los anuarios estadísticos agropecuarios e información propia del municipio para así aterrizar los diferentes proyectos productivosThe agent-based models are a response that is configured to the understanding of phenomena and actions that arise from complexity and that simulate a number of processes that are emerging and that give a non-linear or parametric character to the behavior of interacting agents in a certain stipulated environment that is governed under programmable conditions. It is intrinsic to take into account that the models based on agents have a high degree of approximation and configuration of factors with respect to reality, since they are not characterized by being constituted in rigid or structured models; and they are based on the continuous and defined interaction of agents-environment to carry out or generate modeling processes that allow the incorporation of dynamic systems to support understanding and planning in territorial decisions. For this reason the proposed proposal is to evaluate productive projects and their viability through economic analysis of the crops and economic activity of the municipality through models based on agents with basic information of the agricultural statistical yearbooks and information of the municipality to land the different projects productiv

Synchronising Wisdom and Implementation: A Formal ODD Approach to Expressing Insights on Bullying

Paper IV and V is excluded from the dissertation until it is published.The Social Simulation methodology, a mix of traditionally unassociated fields, utilises computer models to describe, understand, predict, and reflect on social phenomena. The model creation process typically requires the integration of knowledge insights from academic and non-academic knowledge holders. To ensure model quality, different processes are established in an effort to verify the alignment of knowledge insights and their implementation in the simulation model by the modelling team. However, due to a lack of technical skills, knowledge holders, who may not fully understand the model code, often perform these verification checks indirectly, for example by evaluating conceptual model descriptions. Initially motivated to create quality models of social conflict, this dissertation approaches the model quality challenge with a Domain Specific Modelling (DSM) approach. The objective was to develop a DSM tool using the Design Methodology, supplemented by a case study to provide first-hand experience with the quality challenge. Based on our project requirements, we selected University bullying as the case study subject. The Design Methodology included the problem exploration, the identification of a DSM solution, the selection of a domain and programming language for the DSM tool, the agile development of the domain language aspects with test models, and a final evaluation using the case study model.acceptedVersio

Metropolitan Research

Metropolitan research requires multidisciplinary perspectives in order to do justice to the complexities of metropolitan regions. This volume provides a scholarly and accessible overview of key methods and approaches in metropolitan research from a uniquely broad range of disciplines including architectural history, art history, heritage conservation, literary and cultural studies, spatial planning and planning theory, geoinformatics, urban sociology, economic geography, operations research, technology studies, transport planning, aquatic ecosystems research and urban epidemiology. It is this scope of disciplinary - and increasingly also interdisciplinary - approaches that allows metropolitan research to address recent societal challenges of urban life, such as mobility, health, diversity or sustainability

Metropolitan Research: Methods and Approaches

Metropolitan research requires multidisciplinary perspectives in order to do justice to the complexities of metropolitan regions. This volume provides a scholarly and accessible overview of key methods and approaches in metropolitan research from a uniquely broad range of disciplines including architectural history, art history, heritage conservation, literary and cultural studies, spatial planning and planning theory, geoinformatics, urban sociology, economic geography, operations research, technology studies, transport planning, aquatic ecosystems research and urban epidemiology. It is this scope of disciplinary - and increasingly also interdisciplinary - approaches that allows metropolitan research to address recent societal challenges of urban life, such as mobility, health, diversity or sustainability

Metropolitan Research

Metropolitan research requires multidisciplinary perspectives in order to do justice to the complexities of metropolitan regions. This volume provides a scholarly and accessible overview of key methods and approaches in metropolitan research from a uniquely broad range of disciplines including architectural history, art history, heritage conservation, literary and cultural studies, spatial planning and planning theory, geoinformatics, urban sociology, economic geography, operations research, technology studies, transport planning, aquatic ecosystems research and urban epidemiology. It is this scope of disciplinary - and increasingly also interdisciplinary - approaches that allows metropolitan research to address recent societal challenges of urban life, such as mobility, health, diversity or sustainability