Artificial intelligence and robotics in smart city strategies and planned smart development

Smart city strategies developed by cities around the world provide a useful resource for insights into the future of smart development. This study examines such strategies to identify plans for the explicit deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. A total of 12 case studies emerged from an online keyword search representing cities of various sizes globally. The search was based on the keywords of “artificial intelligence” (or “AI”), and “robot,” representing robotics and associated terminology. Based on the findings, it is evident that the more concentrated deployment of AI and robotics in smart city development is currently in the Global North, although countries in the Global South are also increasingly represented. Multiple cities in Australia and Canada actively seek to develop AI and robotics, and Moscow has one of the most in-depth elaborations for this deployment. The ramifications of these plans are discussed as part of cyber–physical systems alongside consideration given to the social and ethical implications

Development of scenarios for carbon capture and storage ECCO - European value chain for CO2

AbstractThis paper describes the process of scenario development under ECCO and presents six scenarios resulting from that process. The main objective of ECCO is to facilitate robust strategic decision making regarding early and future deployment of CO2 value chains. The ECCO project strategy is based on critical evaluation of several case studies that will enlighten various aspects of CCS and point out the most promising CO2 chain alternatives. Scenarios in ECCO help to define the background for the case studies. They describe the alternative future(s) in terms of political environment, public opinion, regulatory framework, technology and infrastructure development, and global economical situation

Framework for Explaining the Formation of Knowledge Intensive Entrepreneurial Born Global Firm: Entrepreneurial, Strategic and Network Based Constituents

The nature of the knowledge based entrepreneurship relates to its essential reliance on research and development, deployment and maximization of research and development returns via technology development, and its commercialization via venturing. The paper aims to provide the empirically grounded framework for the analysis of the key determinants leading to the formation of R&D intensive entrepreneurial born global firm with a special focus on entrepreneurial firm and network theories. The unit of analysis chosen is the firm, while the focus is set on the firm behavior and strategic choices rather the business conditions per se. The paper aims to propose the definition of a born global firm as a specific form of entrepreneurial firm that forms while combining entrepreneurial, strategy and network constituents in a specific globally oriented constitution. Method of analysis applied is a multiple case study that was applied in order to build evidence on the interplay of strategy, networks and entrepreneurial constituents in the formation of knowledge intensive entrepreneurial born global firm. The small catching up country perspective adds on dynamics of the constituents as the framework and competitive conditions rapidly change in an uncertain direction

Lessons in vaccine process development

The biopharmaceutical industry mounted an impressive response to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic by reprioritizing pipelines and establishing novel collaborations. While most biopharmaceutical companies attempted to develop a vaccine or treatment, it was the companies that previously invested in more platform-based technologies, such as mRNA and viral vectors, that tended to respond more quickly to the evolving situation. As a result, multiple safe and efficacious vaccines were authorized for emergency use, resulting in significant declines in severe disease and mortality. However, durable immunity to COVID-19 has not yet been demonstrated. While the rapid development and deployment of efficacious vaccines is admirable, the latest Global Health Security Index finds that no country is well positioned to respond to future epidemics or pandemics. While health system strengthening and supply chains improvements are needed, continued investment in multiple vaccines platforms is essential to combat the next pandemic. Vaccine platforms offer speed of development and flexibility in manufacturing, however, not all antigens are amenable to a specific platform, and there are strategic trade-offs in developing a vaccine for rapid emergency use deployment vs. a long-term product for endemic prophylaxis. Here we will present learnings from several case studies with live viral, sub-unit, and mRNA vaccine programs which are actively informing development of a three-pillar vaccine platform strategy

Evaluating the economic return to public wind energy research and development in the United States

The U.S. government has invested in wind energy research since 1976. Building on a literature that has sought to develop and apply methods for retrospective benefit-to-cost evaluation for federal research programs, this study provides a quantitative analysis of the economic social return on these historical wind energy research investments. Importantly, the study applies multiple innovative methods and varies important input parameters to test the sensitivity of the results. The analysis considers public wind research expenditures and U.S. wind power deployment over the period 1976–2017, while also accounting for the full useful lifetime of wind projects built over this period. Assessed benefits include energy cost savings and health benefits due to reductions in air pollution. Overall, this analysis demonstrates sizable, positive economic returns on past wind energy research. Under the core analysis and with a 3% real discount rate, the net benefits from historical federal wind energy research investments are found to equal $31.4 billion, leading to an 18 to 1 benefit-to-cost ratio and an internal rate of return of 15.4%. Avoided carbon dioxide emissions are not valued in monetary terms, but are estimated at 1510 million metric tons. Alternative methods and input assumptions yield benefit-to-cost ratios that fall within a relatively narrow range from 7-to-1 to 21-to-1, reinforcing in broad terms the general finding of a sizable positive return on investment. Unsurprisingly, results are sensitive to the chosen discount rate, with higher discount rates leading to lower benefit-to-cost ratios, and lower discount rates yielding higher benefit-to-cost ratios

Large Scale Deployment of Renewables for Electricity Generation

Comparisons of resource assessments suggest resource constraints are not an obstacle to the large-scale deployment of renewable energy technologies. Economic analysis identifies barriers to the adoption of renewable energy sources resulting from market structure, competition in an uneven playing field and various non-market place barriers. However, even if these barriers are removed, the problem of ‘technology lock-out’ remains. The key policy response is strategic deployment coupled with increased R&D support to accelerate the pace of improvement through market experience. The paper suggests significant contributions from various technologies, but does not assess their optimal or maximal market share

Low-Carbon Technologies in the Post-Bali Period: Accelerating their Development and Deployment. CEPS ECP Report No. 4, 4 December 2007

This report analyses the very broad issue of technology development, demonstration and diffusion with a view to identifying the key elements of a complementary global technology track in the post-2012 framework. It identifies a number of immediate and concrete steps that can be taken to provide content and a structure for such a track. The report features three sections dealing with innovation and technology, investment in developing countries and investment and finance, followed by an analysis of the various initiatives being taken on technology both within and outside the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). A final section presents ideas for the way forward followed by brief concluding remarks

Investing in the Clean Trillion: Closing the Clean Energy Investment Gap

In 2010 world governments agreed to limit the increase in global temperature to two degrees Celsius (2 °C) above pre-industrial levels to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. To have an 80 percent chance of maintaining this 2 °C limit, the IEA estimates an additional $36 trillion in clean energy investment is needed through 2050 -- or an average of$1 trillion more per year compared to a "business as usual" scenario over the next 36 years.This report provides 10 recommendations for investors, companies and policymakers to increase annual global investment in clean energy to at least $1 trillion by 2030 -- roughly a four-fold jump from current investment levels