Regulation impact statement for early assessment

Overview: Since the early 2000s and the rapid rise of the Internet and broadband as platforms for the digital economy and online society, successive Australian Governments have grappled with the issue of how to achieve investment in next generation broadband networks capable of supporting future user needs. In parallel with this question, they have had to grapple with how this can be done in a manner that maximises competition recognising that much of the telecommunications customer access network, the last mile connection to individual customers which needed to be upgraded, has strong monopoly characteristics. This means that the firm controlling that network has significant market power, in terms of denying access to would-be competitors and potentially favouring its downstream operations over those of would-be competitors who gained access but had to compete with it. In Australia this meant Telstra, which owns the majority of access infrastructure. These issues would be compounded in the rollout of next generation broadband because if the logical upgrade path was followed, to fibre-to-the-node (FTTN), Telstra’s market power would be further enhanced. This is because if FTTN is to operate at optimal levels it eliminates the ability of competitors to operate their own DSLAM equipment from Telstra’s exchanges and it would generally not be cost-effective to install competing equipment in suburban nodes. This issue has been further compounded by the introduction of vectored VDSL2 for use with FTTN networks as optimal performance from vectoring can only be achieved if the lines servicing customers are operated by a single provider, who can manage interference problems. This regulatory impact statement addresses the Minister for Communications\u27 proposal to consider a new telecommunications licence condition

PASSING THE TORCH: NEXT-GENERATION PHILANTHROPISTS | 2017 BNP PARIBAS INDIVIDUAL PHILANTHROPY REPORT

The millennial generation is defined by the emergence of technologies that have transformed the way in which they communicate, act and, perhaps most importantly, view the world. Affluent millennials engaged in philanthropy are relying on a host of new tools available today, including social media and data analytics, to advance environmental and social goals. But for those engaged in family foundations which were established generations before them, there are considerations of family legacy. This report takes a closer look at the motivations and actions of millennials involved in their family foundations, which were created with some of the wealth amassed by high-net-worth individuals and families over the years. The research explores how this generation is striking a balance between the seemingly opposing forces of family legacy and innovation in philanthropy in order to make a measurable impact through their family foundations

Accomplishments of the Partnership for Higher Education in Africa, 2000-2010

Details the investments and impact of a funder collaborative focused on higher education in nine African countries, and each foundation's contribution. Discusses enduring improvements, increased resources, value added, and additional foundation efforts

Lignocellulosic Ethanol: The Path to Market

The cost effective production of transport fuels from biomass is essential if the EU aspiration to substitute 10% of transport fuels with sustainable alternatives by 2020 is to be met. The hope, voiced by the Parliament’s Industry and Energy Committee, is that at least 40% of the 2020 target will come from second-generation biofuels, and therein lies the challenge: second-generation conversion technologies are not yet commercial. Multiple pathways are being investigated around the globe, but dominant pathways have yet to emerge and business models have yet to be proven. Nevertheless, expectations are running high and there has been significant investment in R&D in the US, Europe and Asia. The production of ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass is commercially and environmentally one of the most promising options, and in 2007 the US Department of Energy (DOE) provided more than US$1 billion toward lignocellulosic ethanol (LE) projects. Their goal was to make the fuel cost competitive at$1.33 per gallon, when deployed at scale, by 2012. The majority of studies also suggest that LE will result in superior greenhouse gas savings compared to ethanol produced from starch. Despite favourable predictions for cost and environmental performance, market deployment requires practical and plausible development paths that are able to support progress from existing small-scale demonstration plant to large industrial installations. Moreover, these development paths must be sufficiently attractive to persuade developers and investors that lignocellulosic ethanol remains an opportunity worth pursuing

Long-term Framework for Electricity Distribution Access Charges

In order to achieve overall economic efficiency, incentive regulation of electricity distribution utilities must address two important and inter-related issues. First, the utilities’ allowed revenues need to be set at correct levels. Second, the access charging mechanism by which the utilities recover the allowed revenues must give the correct economic signals to generation and load connected to the network. This paper is concerned with the latter aspect of regulation. The paper discusses the main economic principles that should form the basis on which a distribution access charging model is developed. The charging model should have a number of attributes: be calibrated to each existing network; contain an asset register; be able to determine assets needed to meet new demand; find least-cost system expansion; compute network losses and handle ancillary services; estimate incremental operating and maintenance costs; be available to users; and be simple enough for external users to understand

Center for Family Philanthropy: Helping Families Grow in New Directions

Outlines the center's multi-generational approach and the information, resources, and customized service it offers to help donors expand their philanthropic engagement and connect with effective nonprofits. Includes donor profiles

The 2006 reviews of the electricity and gas directives

This report reviews the investigations by DG TREN and DG Competition into the electricity and gas markets of Europe

Market design

Europe is liberalising electricity in accordance with the European Commission’s Electricity Directives. Different countries have responded differently, notably in the extent of restructuring, treatment of mergers, market power, and vertical unbundling. While Britain and Norway have achieved effective competition, others like Germany, Spain and France are still struggling to deal with dominant and sometimes vertically integrated companies. The Netherlands offers an interesting intermediate case, where good economic analysis has sometimes been thwarted by legalistic interpretations. Investment under the new Emissions Trading system could further transform the electricity industry but may be hampered by slow progress in liberalising European gas markets