Predicting the Future

Due to the increased capabilities of microprocessors and the advent of graphics processing units (GPUs) in recent decades, the use of machine learning methodologies has become popular in many fields of science and technology. This fact, together with the availability of large amounts of information, has meant that machine learning and Big Data have an important presence in the field of Energy. This Special Issue entitled “Predicting the Future—Big Data and Machine Learning” is focused on applications of machine learning methodologies in the field of energy. Topics include but are not limited to the following: big data architectures of power supply systems, energy-saving and efficiency models, environmental effects of energy consumption, prediction of occupational health and safety outcomes in the energy industry, price forecast prediction of raw materials, and energy management of smart buildings

EMD-GM-ARMA Model for Mining Safety Production Situation Prediction

In order to improve the prediction accuracy of mining safety production situation and remove the difficulty of model selection for nonstationary time series, a grey (GM) autoregressive moving average (ARMA) model based on the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is proposed. First of all, according to the nonstationary characteristics of the mining safety accident time series, nonstationary original time series were decomposed into high- and low-frequency signals using the EMD algorithm, which represents the overall trend and random disturbances, respectively. Subsequently, the GM model was used to predict high-frequency signal sequence, while the ARMA model was used to predict low-frequency signal sequence. Finally, aiming to predict the mining safety production situation, the EMD-GM-ARMA model was constructed via superimposing the prediction results of each subsequence, thereby compared to the ARIMA model, wavelet neural network model, and PSO-SVM model. The results demonstrated that the EMD-GM-ARMA model and the PSO-SVM model hold the highest prediction accuracy in the short-term prediction, and the wavelet neural network has the lowest prediction accuracy. The PSO-SVM model’s prediction accuracy decreases in medium- and long-term predictions while the EMD-GM-ARMA model still can maintain high prediction accuracy. Moreover, the relative error fluctuations of the EMD-GM-ARMA model are relatively stable in both short-term and medium-term predictions. This shows that the EMD-GM-ARMA model can provide high-precision predictions with high stability, proving the model to be feasible and effective in predicting the mining safety production situation

Hybrid Advanced Optimization Methods with Evolutionary Computation Techniques in Energy Forecasting

More accurate and precise energy demand forecasts are required when energy decisions are made in a competitive environment. Particularly in the Big Data era, forecasting models are always based on a complex function combination, and energy data are always complicated. Examples include seasonality, cyclicity, fluctuation, dynamic nonlinearity, and so on. These forecasting models have resulted in an over-reliance on the use of informal judgment and higher expenses when lacking the ability to determine data characteristics and patterns. The hybridization of optimization methods and superior evolutionary algorithms can provide important improvements via good parameter determinations in the optimization process, which is of great assistance to actions taken by energy decision-makers. This book aimed to attract researchers with an interest in the research areas described above. Specifically, it sought contributions to the development of any hybrid optimization methods (e.g., quadratic programming techniques, chaotic mapping, fuzzy inference theory, quantum computing, etc.) with advanced algorithms (e.g., genetic algorithms, ant colony optimization, particle swarm optimization algorithm, etc.) that have superior capabilities over the traditional optimization approaches to overcome some embedded drawbacks, and the application of these advanced hybrid approaches to significantly improve forecasting accuracy

Wind Power Integration into Power Systems: Stability and Control Aspects

Power network operators are rapidly incorporating wind power generation into their power grids to meet the widely accepted carbon neutrality targets and facilitate the transition from conventional fossil-fuel energy sources to clean and low-carbon renewable energy sources. Complex stability issues, such as frequency, voltage, and oscillatory instability, are frequently reported in the power grids of many countries and regions (e.g., Germany, Denmark, Ireland, and South Australia) due to the substantially increased wind power generation. Control techniques, such as virtual/emulated inertia and damping controls, could be developed to address these stability issues, and additional devices, such as energy storage systems, can also be deployed to mitigate the adverse impact of high wind power generation on various system stability problems. Moreover, other wind power integration aspects, such as capacity planning and the short- and long-term forecasting of wind power generation, also require careful attention to ensure grid security and reliability. This book includes fourteen novel research articles published in this Energies Special Issue on Wind Power Integration into Power Systems: Stability and Control Aspects, with topics ranging from stability and control to system capacity planning and forecasting

Algorithms for Fault Detection and Diagnosis

Due to the increasing demand for security and reliability in manufacturing and mechatronic systems, early detection and diagnosis of faults are key points to reduce economic losses caused by unscheduled maintenance and downtimes, to increase safety, to prevent the endangerment of human beings involved in the process operations and to improve reliability and availability of autonomous systems. The development of algorithms for health monitoring and fault and anomaly detection, capable of the early detection, isolation, or even prediction of technical component malfunctioning, is becoming more and more crucial in this context. This Special Issue is devoted to new research efforts and results concerning recent advances and challenges in the application of “Algorithms for Fault Detection and Diagnosis”, articulated over a wide range of sectors. The aim is to provide a collection of some of the current state-of-the-art algorithms within this context, together with new advanced theoretical solutions

Forecasting: theory and practice

Forecasting has always been in the forefront of decision making and planning. The uncertainty that surrounds the future is both exciting and challenging, with individuals and organisations seeking to minimise risks and maximise utilities. The lack of a free-lunch theorem implies the need for a diverse set of forecasting methods to tackle an array of applications. This unique article provides a non-systematic review of the theory and the practice of forecasting. We offer a wide range of theoretical, state-of-the-art models, methods, principles, and approaches to prepare, produce, organise, and evaluate forecasts. We then demonstrate how such theoretical concepts are applied in a variety of real-life contexts, including operations, economics, finance, energy, environment, and social good. We do not claim that this review is an exhaustive list of methods and applications. The list was compiled based on the expertise and interests of the authors. However, we wish that our encyclopedic presentation will offer a point of reference for the rich work that has been undertaken over the last decades, with some key insights for the future of the forecasting theory and practice

VII Workshop on Computational Data Analysis and Numerical Methods

Dear participants, colleagues and friends, it is a great honour and a privilege to give you all a warmest welcome to the VII Workshop on Computational Data Analysis and Numerical Methods (VII WCDANM), which is organized by the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar (located in the center of Portugal in the beautiful city of Tomar), with the support of some Portuguese research centers, hoping that the final result may exceed the expectations of the participants, sponsors and organizers. Due to the worldwide pandemic caused by the COVID-19 virus, for the first time, this meeting will be transmitted through videoconference (webminar). Nevertheless, the important contributions of Adélia Sequeira (University of Lisbon, Portugal), Sílvia Barbeiro (University of Coimbra, Portugal), Malay Banerjee (Indian Instituto of Techonology Kampur, India) and Indranhil Ghosh (University of North Carolina at Wilmington, USA) as Plenary Speakers, the high scientific level of oral and poster presentations and an active audience will certainly contribute to the success of the meeting. Part of the accepted papers (theoretical and applied) by the VII WCDANM involve big data, data mining, data science and machine learning, in different areas of research, some giving emphasis to coronavirus. A very special thanks to this small, yet important, scientific community, since this event could not be possible without any of these essential and complementary parts. This year, there is also the possibility to attend a course on ŞModeling Partial Least Squares Structural Equations (PLS-SEM) using SmartPLSŤ given by Christian M. Ringle ((TUHH) Hamburg University of Technology, Germany), who kindly and readily accepted our invitation and to whom we are very grateful. A special acknowledgment is also due to the Members of the Executive, Scientific and Organizing Committees. In particular, Anuj Mubayi (Arizona StateUniversity,USA),MilanStehlík(Johannes KeplerUniversity,Austria), AnaNata,IsabelPitacasandManuelaFernandes(hostsfromthePolytechnic Institute of Tomar, Portugal), A. Manuela Gonçalves (University of Minho, Portugal), Teresa Oliveira (Aberta University) and Fernando Carapau (University of Évora, Portugal) have been relentless in search for a balanced, broad and interesting program, having achieved an excellent result. For the third consecutive year, the Journal of Applied Statistics (Taylor & Francis) and Neural Computing and Applications (Springer) are also associated to the event, being extremely important in the dissemination of the scientific results achieved at the meeting. Given the above, it is a pleasure to be ”together” with all of you in this web conference, hoping it may provide an intellectual stimulus and an opportunity for the scientific community to jointly work and disseminate scientific research, namely presenting approaches that may contribute to the solution of the pandemic we are experiencing in the expectation that the present might be past in the near future

Appropriate Wisdom, Technology, and Management toward Environmental Sustainability for Development

The protection and maintenance of environmental resources for future generations require responsible interaction between humans and the environment in order to avoid wasting natural resources. According to an ancient Native American proverb, “We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.” This indigenous wisdom has the potential to play a significant role in defining environmental sustainability. Recent technological advances could sustain humankind and allow for comfortable living. However, not all of these advancements have the potential to protect the environment for future generations. Developing societies and maintaining the sustainability of the ecosystem require appropriate wisdom, technology, and management collaboration. This book is a collection of 19 important articles (15 research articles, 3 review papers, and 1 editorial) that were published in the Special Issue of the journal Sustainability entitled “Appropriate Wisdom, Technology, and Management toward Environmental Sustainability for Development” during 2021-2022.addresses the policymakers and decision-makers who are willing to develop societies that practice environmental sustainability, by collecting the most recent contributions on the appropriate wisdom, technology, and management regarding the different aspects of a community that can retain environmental sustainability

The Public Service Media and Public Service Internet Manifesto

This book presents the collectively authored Public Service Media and Public Service Internet Manifesto and accompanying materials.The Internet and the media landscape are broken. The dominant commercial Internet platforms endanger democracy. They have created a communications landscape overwhelmed by surveillance, advertising, fake news, hate speech, conspiracy theories, and algorithmic politics. Commercial Internet platforms have harmed citizens, users, everyday life, and society. Democracy and digital democracy require Public Service Media. A democracy-enhancing Internet requires Public Service Media becoming Public Service Internet platforms – an Internet of the public, by the public, and for the public; an Internet that advances instead of threatens democracy and the public sphere. The Public Service Internet is based on Internet platforms operated by a variety of Public Service Media, taking the public service remit into the digital age. The Public Service Internet provides opportunities for public debate, participation, and the advancement of social cohesion. Accompanying the Manifesto are materials that informed its creation: Christian Fuchs’ report of the results of the Public Service Media/Internet Survey, the written version of Graham Murdock’s online talk on public service media today, and a summary of an ecomitee.com discussion of the Manifesto’s foundations

Structural Health Monitoring Damage Detection Systems for Aerospace

This open access book presents established methods of structural health monitoring (SHM) and discusses their technological merit in the current aerospace environment. While the aerospace industry aims for weight reduction to improve fuel efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and to decrease maintenance time and operating costs, aircraft structures are often designed and built heavier than required in order to accommodate unpredictable failure. A way to overcome this approach is the use of SHM systems to detect the presence of defects. This book covers all major contemporary aerospace-relevant SHM methods, from the basics of each method to the various defect types that SHM is required to detect to discussion of signal processing developments alongside considerations of aerospace safety requirements. It will be of interest to professionals in industry and academic researchers alike, as well as engineering students. This article/publication is based upon work from COST Action CA18203 (ODIN - http://odin-cost.com/), supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) is a funding agency for research and innovation networks. Our Actions help connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to grow their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts their research, career and innovation