An analysis of selected cases

Funding Information: This work was supported by Project CESME (Collaborative & Evolvable Smart Manufacturing Ecosystem) and the Portuguese FCT program UIDB/00066/2020. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)The rapid proliferation of renewable energy communities/ecosystems is an indication of their potential contribution to the ongoing energy transition. A common characteristic of these ecosystems is their complex composition, which often involves the interaction of multiple actors. Currently, the notions of "networking", "collaboration", "coordination", and "cooperation", although having different meanings, are often loosely used to describe these interactions, which creates a sense of ambiguity and confusion. To better characterize the nature of interactions in current and emerging ecosystems, this article uses the systematic literature review method to analyse 34 emerging cases. The objective is threefold (a) to study the interactions and engagements between the involved actors, aiming at identifying elements of collaboration. (b) Identify the adopted technological enablers, and (c) ascertain how the composition and functions of these ecosystems compare to virtual power plants. The outcome revealed that the interactions between the members of these ecosystems can be described as cooperation and not necessarily as collaboration, except in a few cases. Regarding technological enablers, a vast panoply of technologies, such as IoT devices, smart meters, intelligent software agents, peer-to-peer networks, distributed ledger systems/blockchain technology (including smart contracts, blockchain as a platform service, and cryptocurrencies) were found. In comparison with virtual power plants, these ecosystems have similar composition, thus, having multiple actors, comprised of decentralized and heterogeneous technologies, and are formed by aggregating various distributed energy resources. They are also supported by ICT and are characterized by the simultaneous flow of information and energy.publishersversionpublishe

Housing, the Capabilities Approach and Life Satisfaction

This thesis examines the relationships between housing, housing satisfaction and quality of life using the capabilities approach developed by Sen and others as a theoretical framework. This approach is used to engage with housing-related themes and as a way of thinking about how housing contributes to quality of life. It also analyses the scope for heterogeneity in these relationships by looking at the housing experiences of migrant communities in Western Europe and the Irish Traveller community. Despite, the growth of interest in the capabilities approach as a way of structuring social science and policy analysis, there is relatively little substantial research that applies the capabilities approach to housing. This is surprising in view of the fact that the neighbourhood in which a person lives and other characteristics of their housing are likely to be associated with their experienced quality of life as well as the opportunities a person has, objectively speaking. Consequently, this thesis is an attempt to address this gap by applying the capabilities approach to the field of housing research. The thesis is divided into four substantive chapters, each one dealing with a specific aspect of the relationship between housing, housing satisfaction and quality of life. Chapter 2 sets the scene for this study by presenting the results of a critical, broad-based review and summary of the literature with regard to housing, happiness and capabilities. The following chapters build on the foregoing in an empirical context; Chapters 3 and 4 do so primarily with quantitative analyses and Chapter 5 uses a mixed-methods approach including offering some original qualitative research. Chapter 6 summarises what has been achieved and the main contribution of the thesis whilst offering some remarks regarding what might be done in future research and the policy implications of these findings

Sustainable rural tourism: The ecological attitudes of visitors and farm-based tourism in Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland

This thesis reports the findings of empirical research investigating the ecological attitudes of visitors and farm-based tourism in the rural region of Dumfries & Galloway, south-west Scotland. As the concept of sustainable rural tourism gathers momentum as an appropriate philosophy for addressing rural restructuring and agricultural decline, stakeholders in Dumfries & Galloway aim to position the region as an ecotourism or environmentally friendly destination. A review of literature reveals that ecotourism is a concept or activity seldom discussed in a Scottish or UK context, and this thesis queries the appropriateness and potential of ecotourism as a model for development in Dumfries & Galloway. This research questions whether visitors to Dumfries & Galloway can be differentiated by ecological attitude using the New Ecological Paradigm scale, concluding that all visitors hold pro ecological attitudes to a greater or lesser degree. Although all visitors were found to be similar in terms of demographics, those visiting the region for nature-focused activities hold significantly higher pro-ecological attitudes. Since attitudes are theorized as a precursor to behaviour, a major conclusion is that visitors who are most likely to react to the region's sought after status as an ecotourism destination are unlikely to consciously jeopardize the region's 'natural' assets. Farm-based tourism is a relatively under-researched form of rural tourism in Scotland. This thesis critiques farm-based accommodation as a sustainable form of rural tourism revealing that just 4.4% of main agricultural holdings in Dumfries & Galloway have adopted this signifier of the post-productivist transition. As a structural diversification for farmers its economic contribution is typically small but fundamental for farm survival and continuance of agricultural identity. Farm accommodation delivers important consumer experiences that few other forms of rural accommodation can achieve however the product is under-developed in both its networking potential and brand identity. The research reveals that the adoption of tourism on farms can reduce provider isolation and empower spouses, and is compatible with the concept of ecotourism through its environmental attributes, social and economic benefits. It is concluded that before Dumfries & Galloway can claim to be an ecotourism and environmentally friendly destination, a number of issues such as high private transport use and lack of environmentally accredited supply services need to be addressed

Compatibility of a Western systemic approach for handling complex, pluralist and coercive problems in developing countries: A case study of micro satellite development in Indonesia

In this era of globalization, there has been much western investment in the eastern world, increasing the number of large projects financed by internal and foreign investments. It was thought a challenging proposition to investigate whether systemic approaches could be used in eastern developing countries that are in transition between Toffler’s first (agricultural focused) and second (industrial centered) waves of economic development

The global intelligent file system framework.

"Since its inception the Internet has grown rapidly in both size and importance in our everyday lives. The Internet today is the preliminary model of what is commonly called the global information infrastructure. However, at the moment this "infrastructure" is considered to be an addition to our computer, and is not an integrated part of a file system which is essentially a "local information infrastructure" of a computer. Advancements in the sizes of disks in computers, network bandwidth and the types of media available mean users now keep large amounts of files in their personal data storage spaces, with little or no additional support for the organisation, searching or sharing of this data. The hierarchical model of file system storage is no longer the most effective way of organising and categorising files and information. Relying largely on the user, rather than the computer, being efficient and organised its inflexible nature renders it unsuitable for the meaningful coordination of an increasing bulk of divergent file types that users deal with on a daily basis. The work presented in this thesis describes a new paradigm for file storage, management and retrieval. Providing globally integrated document emplacement and administration, the GIFS (Global Intelligent File System) framework offers the necessary architecture for transparently directing the storage, access, sharing, manipulation, and security of files across interconnected computers. To address the discrepancy between user actions and computer actions, GIFS provides each user with a "Virtual Secretary" to reduce the cognitive workload and remove the time-consuming task of information organisation from the user. The Secretary is supported by a knowledge base and a collection of intelligent agents, which are programs that manage and process the data collected, and work behind the scenes aiding gradual proliferation of knowledge. The Virtual Secretary is responsible for providing fast and accurate assistance to aid users who wish to create, store, retrieve, share, secure and collaborate on their files. Through both system prototyping and performance simulation it is demonstrated that it is desirable as well as feasible to deploy a knowledge base in supporting an intelligent user interface that acts like a human assistant who handles paperwork, looks after filing, security and so on. This work provides the contribution of a new framework and architecture to the field of files systems and document management as well as focusing on reducing the burden placed upon users through everyday usage of computer systems. Such a framework has the potential to be evolved into a highly intelligent assistant to a user over a period of service and the introduction of additional agents, and provides the basis for advancements in file system and organisational technologies.