Challenges for a transition towards the smart grids

The recent evolution of the power and energy systems has been driven by a number of factors concerning network modernisation, energy efficiency improvements, growing attention to the environmental and social impact, higher diffusion of renewable energy generation, as well as guaranteeing system security and enabling new services and consumer participation. This paper presents an overview on the key challenges for the future energy systems, that will have to face with the energy trilemma including environmental and social sustainability, energy security and energy equity. The impact of the use of electricity in the energy systems is growing, calling for the assessment of future scenarios to understand the possibility of occurrence of critical conditions. The technical analyses can be supported by the definition of appropriate indicators, some of which are recalled in this paper. Emergent issues like transportation system electrification and system resilience have to be addressed in a holistic way. The various aspects of energy transition and energy integration require more interdisciplinary analyses merging competences from the technical, economic, and sociological fields

The Future of Mobile Information and Communication Technology in Austere Environments: A Command and Control Technology Integration Perspective

The information and communications technology (ICT) field is undergoing a period of tremendous and rapid change. As ICT develops more rapidly, the United States Air Force needs to remain responsive and adaptive to maintain military advantages. The need to integrate ICT developments sooner than our adversaries prompted an assessment of guidelines evaluating how well the AF is doctrinally positioned from a Command and Control perspective to support integration of emerging ICT. A Delphi Study was commissioned by the 689th CCW to forecast the future of mobile Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in austere environments. Using the ICT forecast data as a basis, the panel provided inputs on the integration concerns the forecasted trends invoked and the effects of the forecast on the Measures of Effectiveness outlined in AF doctrine

Needed Actions within Defense Acquisitions Based on a Forecast of Future Mobile Information and Communications Technologies Deployed in Austere Environments

The purpose of this research was twofold. First, it developed a forecast of future mobile information and communications technologies (ICT) suitable for use by military forces in austere environments in 5-10, 10-20, and beyond 20 years. Secondly, it explored whether or not current acquisitions practices will be adequate to meet the needs of warfighters who depend on mobile ICT. These questions were explored by conducting utilization of the Delphi technique. Eight panelists from within the private sector conducted three rounds of iterative feedback. This research resulted in a technology forecast for the three timeframes aforementioned, and the potential impacts to the defense acquisitions community. First, current acquisitions practices are unlikely to meet the needs of warfighters dependent upon mobile ICT and streamlining efforts are not likely to result in sufficient lessening of development timelines to maintain technological currency. Secondly, it is foreseeable that military forces will become increasingly dependent upon technologies developed by the private sector. An acquisitions model which exploits technological advances in the form of smart phones and tablets and a secure repository for approved applications and data services is feasible and may help defense acquisitions to maintain technological currency as they replace dedicated, single-purpose equipment. Finally, it suggested that developing the organizational flexibility to adapt to emerging technological trends will become more important than detailed planning and budgeting beyond 10 years

Assessing the potential impact of industry 4.0 in South Africa’s small and medium enterprises

Abstract: Small enterprises fulfil a major economic gap in the world and in South Africa, contributing 56% to private employment. The significance of small enterprises is vital as they provide over 60% of employment. Small, medium enterprises (SMEs) are common in developing countries as a result of the crucial role they play within the South African economy. Manufacturing SMEs have started to embrace the technological advances that are applicable to their processes. To intensify the contribution that SMEs are making, it is important that challenges and opportunities that SMEs have be explored. Small businesses, regardless of their relevance, still face multiple challenges that hinder their growth and endanger their existence. These challenges include the lack of finance, low market accessibility and more. The leading challenge was lack of finances as the greatest contributing challenge as it has a ripple effect. There are however, opportunities that Industry 4.0 provides to the manufacturing sector to improve their processes. These opportunities can mitigate some of the challenges, whilst improving their manufacturing and customer service processes. One of the possibilities that this technology can afford small manufacturing businesses, is greater efficiency, which may result in increased financial savings. Another opportunity that comes with Industry 4.0 is a smart economy, which can allow these businesses to participate in more markets...M.Phil. (Engineering Management

Resource Provision of the Sustainable Development under Global Shocks

This reprint focuses on interdisciplinary research that reveals the problems of resource provision of the economy, both from the perspective of local projects and from the point of view of the creation of global infrastructure that contributes to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals. Considerable attention is paid to the development of the Arctic territories as one of the most promising sources of mineral and fuel resources as of 2021. This reprint also includes selected papers from European Raw Materials Conferences 2020–2021, held despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, and will be published with the financial support of the International competence Centre for mining-engineering education under the auspices of UNESCO: - Russian–UK Raw Materials Dialogue (21–23 October 2020); - Russian–German Raw Materials Conference (30 November–1 December 2020)

Mass Production Processes

It is always hard to set manufacturing systems to produce large quantities of standardized parts. Controlling these mass production lines needs deep knowledge, hard experience, and the required related tools as well. The use of modern methods and techniques to produce a large quantity of products within productive manufacturing processes provides improvements in manufacturing costs and product quality. In order to serve these purposes, this book aims to reflect on the advanced manufacturing systems of different alloys in production with related components and automation technologies. Additionally, it focuses on mass production processes designed according to Industry 4.0 considering different kinds of quality and improvement works in mass production systems for high productive and sustainable manufacturing. This book may be interesting to researchers, industrial employees, or any other partners who work for better quality manufacturing at any stage of the mass production processes

Demand Response in Smart Grids

The Special Issue “Demand Response in Smart Grids” includes 11 papers on a variety of topics. The success of this Special Issue demonstrates the relevance of demand response programs and events in the operation of power and energy systems at both the distribution level and at the wide power system level. This reprint addresses the design, implementation, and operation of demand response programs, with focus on methods and techniques to achieve an optimized operation as well as on the electricity consumer

Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is finally a common sense term. Nowadays almost everyone knows that using energy more efficiently saves money, reduces the emissions of greenhouse gasses and lowers dependence on imported fossil fuels. We are living in a fossil age at the peak of its strength. Competition for securing resources for fuelling economic development is increasing, price of fuels will increase while availability of would gradually decline. Small nations will be first to suffer if caught unprepared in the midst of the struggle for resources among the large players. Here it is where energy efficiency has a potential to lead toward the natural next step - transition away from imported fossil fuels! Someone said that the only thing more harmful then fossil fuel is fossilized thinking. It is our sincere hope that some of chapters in this book will influence you to take a fresh look at the transition to low carbon economy and the role that energy efficiency can play in that process

Moving Military Energy “Behind the Fence:” Renewable Energy Generation on U.S. Defense Lands

The United States Department of Defense stands as the world’s single largest consumer of energy—domestic consumption alone by the Department amounts to nearly one percent of the United States’ total energy consumption and nearly eighty percent of the energy consumed by the Federal Government. Although a cadre of statutes, Executive Orders, and agency priorities set high goals for the introduction of renewable energy into the Department’s portfolio, it has historically failed to meet both its target for reducing facility energy use and its target for renewables integration. This Note suggests moving the Department’s energy production “behind the fence,” fixing technology to place to increase security and reduce environmental and economic impacts. To do so, however, a mountain of challenges will have to be overcome, including federal permitting restrictions on new energy projects, high capital costs for increased generation, a number of technological challenges with emerging renewable energy sources, and the existing contracts with traditional energy producers. Ultimately, a comprehensive and expansive initiative that couples site-specific technologies with agency-wide coordination will help the Department both meet its statutorily mandated targets for energy efficiency and production and also effect positive change in the environmental impact of our nation’s single largest energy consumer