An aesthetic for sustainable interactions in product-service systems?

Copyright @ 2012 Greenleaf PublishingEco-efficient Product-Service System (PSS) innovations represent a promising approach to sustainability. However the application of this concept is still very limited because its implementation and diffusion is hindered by several barriers (cultural, corporate and regulative ones). The paper investigates the barriers that affect the attractiveness and acceptation of eco-efficient PSS alternatives, and opens the debate on the aesthetic of eco-efficient PSS, and the way in which aesthetic could enhance some specific inner qualities of this kinds of innovations. Integrating insights from semiotics, the paper outlines some first research hypothesis on how the aesthetic elements of an eco-efficient PSS could facilitate user attraction, acceptation and satisfaction

Contribution to the design and control of a hybrid renewable energy generation system based on reuse of electrical and electronics components for rural electrification in developing countries

While the Cambodia’s government is making effort to increase electricity production for its energy demand, it still remains dependent on the existing or the expansion of the centralized grid lines which have high initial investment cost. The temporally solution is to employ a distributed energy generation system which has lower life cycle cost and provides a diversity of technologies to meet the desired applications. Minimizing environmental impacts represents a major objective of sustainable development considering resources depletion and the limited capabilities of the environment to adapt. The potential of renewable energy resources has been well understood as the solutions to power rural development and to reduce the environmental impacts of energy generation. Due to advance in technologies and increasing consumer demands, there has been a vast amount of electrical and electronic waste which introduces severe impacts on the environment. The current strategies mainly rely on conventional waste collection and processing techniques for material recovery. This thesis proposed a solution of reusing discarded components in an isolated hybrid renewable energy system as the solution for electrification of rural Cambodia. This is frugal innovation, local solution with local materials for and with local people. A suitable configuration for the proposed system is a solar-hydro hybrid generation system since solar and water resources are plentiful in rural Cambodia. The components that are reused in the solution after being discarded include computer power supply units (PSUs) for the solar part, uninterruptable power supply units (UPSs) and three phase induction machines for the electrohydro part. Used auto-mobile batteries will be used for the system storage. The thesis presents in the first part the evaluation of the environmental impacts of the proposed reuse solution for rural electrification. The study of the environmental impacts is based on Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology which compares the life cycle impacts of the proposed solution to that of a conventional solution. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis is achieved in order to evaluate the impacts of uncertainties of the environmental impacts. The second part of this work deals with the technological aspects of the reuse solution in both theory and experimentation. The first part of this aspect is focused on the repurposing of used computer power supply units (PSUs), through limited modifications of the circuits in order to increase its range of operation. The PSU which usually contains one of a few types of isolated DC-DC converters is repurposed as charge controller with MPPT control in a cheap micro-controller with very good results. The last part of this thesis studies a new configuration of generators based on re-used three-phase induction motors. The proposed single-phase generator is based on a three-phase machine in a modified version of the coupling and with a rather uncommon supply. Modelling is highly investigated. An inverterassisted topology where two windings will be supplied separately by two inverters for excitation and the remaining winding is connected to load. A new modeling of the generator has been studied. The results of simulation were compared to experimental test results in open loop study. These results have demonstrated the advantages of the new configuration in comparison to the previously proposed inverter-assisted topology in term of efficiency and minimization of torquerippl

Farmers, seeds and varieties : supporting informal seed supply in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is characterized by an enormous diversity in agro-ecosystems, crops and varieties, with the informal seed systems dominant in seed supply for almost all crops. The book addresses strategies and approaches through which professionals can support informal seed supply, and links these with the conservation and use of the huge genetic resource base of crops and local varieties. The book looks at informal seed supply from a number of different angles, introduces key concepts and strategies, and presents case studies from Ethiopia and other countries. It deals with the technical aspects of, quality and availability of, and access to seed, and of supporting informal supply. It also deals with the role of farmers in the conservation and management of local crops and varieties, and the participation of farmers and communities in plant breeding and research. It takes a particular interest in the role of farmer organizations in seed supply, and how this role can be strengthened by developing community and small-scale seed enterprises. The aim of all the strategies, case studies and reflections on experiences presented in this book is to improve the availability of and access to quality seeds and varieties, thereby improving the livelihoods of small-scale farmers in Ethiopia and beyond

The Journal of ERW and Mine Action Issue 18.1 (2014)

Focus on land release issues Feature: Best Practices of Residual Clearance Special Report: Declining Donor Funding and Strategies to Attract New Donor

The Journal of ERW and Mine Action Issue 18.1 (2014)

Focus on land release issues Feature: Best Practices of Residual Clearance Special Report: Declining Donor Funding and Strategies to Attract New Donor

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction Issue 23.2 (2019)

The Middle East: An Editorial by Jordan\u27s HRH Prince Mired R.Z. Al-Hussein | IEDs: \u27Complex\u27 vs. Simple Clearance in Fallujah and Mosul | Iraq: A Photo Essay by Sean Sutton | Lebanon: Impact of Landmines and ERW on food Securit

The Journal of Conventional Weapons Destruction Issue 21.3 (2017)

Editorial: IEDs and IMAS Feature: Physical Security and Stockpile Management in the SPOTLIGHT: Colombia Field Notes Research and Developmen