Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Governance: The Case of MENA

Is there a relationship between Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and governance practiced in a given country? To answer this question we used the econometrics of panel data for the MENA region (11 countries) during the period 1996-2014. The results of the econometric estimation show seven variables that are statistically significant, namely the Gross Domestic Product (economic risk variable), the current account balance as% of GDP (economic risk variable), the domestic investment rate (economic risk variable), external debt (financial risk variable), the debt service as percentage of exports (financial risk variable), the functioning of the state (variable governance) and corruption (governance variable). While different parts of the world are competing to further attract FDI, countries in the MENA region need to conduct adequate policies oriented towards improving the business climate and good governance to benefit from these funding streams deemed less expensive

Experimental Validation of a Marine Current Turbine Simulator: Application to a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator-Based System Second-Order Sliding Mode Control

This paper deals with the experimental validation of a Matlab-Simulink simulation tool of marine current turbine (MCT) systems. The developed simulator is intended to be used as a sizing and site evaluation tool for MCT installations. For that purpose, the simulator is evaluated within the context of speed control of a permanent magnet synchronous generatorbased (PMSG) MCT. To increase the generated power, and therefore the efficiency of an MCT, a nonlinear controller has been proposed. PMSG has been already considered for similar applications, particularly wind turbine systems using mainly PI controllers. However, such kinds of controllers do not adequately handle some of tidal resource characteristics such as turbulence and swell effects. Moreover, PMSG parameter variations should be accounted for. Therefore, a robust nonlinear control strategy, namely second-order sliding mode control, is proposed. The proposed control strategy is inserted in the simulator that accounts for the resource and the marine turbine models. Simulations using tidal current data from Raz de Sein (Brittany, France) and experiments on a 7.5-kW real-time simulator are carried out for the validation of the simulator.Thèse financée par Brest Métropole Océan

Experimental Validation of a Marine Current Turbine Simulator: Application to a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator-Based System Second-Order Sliding Mode Control

This paper deals with the experimental validation of a Matlab-Simulink simulation tool of marine current turbine (MCT) systems. The developed simulator is intended to be used as a sizing and site evaluation tool for MCT installations. For that purpose, the simulator is evaluated within the context of speed control of a permanent magnet synchronous generatorbased (PMSG) MCT. To increase the generated power, and therefore the efficiency of an MCT, a nonlinear controller has been proposed. PMSG has been already considered for similar applications, particularly wind turbine systems using mainly PI controllers. However, such kinds of controllers do not adequately handle some of tidal resource characteristics such as turbulence and swell effects. Moreover, PMSG parameter variations should be accounted for. Therefore, a robust nonlinear control strategy, namely second-order sliding mode control, is proposed. The proposed control strategy is inserted in the simulator that accounts for the resource and the marine turbine models. Simulations using tidal current data from Raz de Sein (Brittany, France) and experiments on a 7.5-kW real-time simulator are carried out for the validation of the simulator.Thèse financée par Brest Métropole Océan

Global Exponential Sampled-Data Observers for Nonlinear Systems with Delayed Measurements

This paper presents new results concerning the observer design for wide classes of nonlinear systems with both sampled and delayed measurements. By using a small gain approach we provide sufficient conditions, which involve both the delay and the sampling period, ensuring exponential convergence of the observer system error. The proposed observer is robust with respect to measurement errors and perturbations of the sampling schedule. Moreover, new results on the robust global exponential state predictor design problem are provided, for wide classes of nonlinear systems.Comment: 17 pages, submitted for possible publication to Systems and Control Letter

Evaluation of Some Management Procedures for Controlling Broodiness in Turkey and Muscovy Duck

The objective of this study was to evaluate pens switching, closing nest boxes after egg laying and nest boxes switching inside the same pen as management procedures for controlling broodiness in turkey and Muscovy duck breeders and their role in circulating prolactin. Black bronze turkey (n.= 350) and Muscovy duck (n.= 700) were randomly selected and housed on deep litter. The results showed a significant (P ≤ 0.05) increase in egg production in turkey and Muscovy duck breeders in response to pens switching and closing nest boxes after end of egg laying. While, there was no significant (P > 0.05) difference in egg production in response to switching of nest boxes in turkey hens but a significant (P ≤ 0.05) result was found in Muscovy ducks. On the other hand, there were significant (P ≤ 0.05) decreases in circulating prolactin level and broodiness in both turkey and Muscovy duck breeders in response to pen switching, closing nest boxes after egg laying and nest boxes switching. In conclusion, application of these management procedures was associated with increased egg production while decreased expression of broodiness (incubation behaviour) and circulating prolactin in turkey hens and Muscovy ducks

DFIG-Based Wind Turbine Robust Control Using High-Order Sliding Modes and a High Gain Observer

International audienceThis paper deals with the power generation control in variable speed wind turbines. In this context, a control strategy is proposed to ensure power extraction optimization of a DFIG-based wind turbine. The proposed control strategy combines an MPPT using a high gain observer and second-order sliding mode for the DFIG control. This strategy presents attractive features such as chattering-free behavior, finite reaching time, robustness and unmodeled dynamics (generator and turbine). The overall strategy has been validated on a 1.5-MW three-blade wind turbine using the NREL wind turbine simulator FAST