Life cycle assessment of Jatropha biodiesel: preliminary results of an Indian case

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Life cycle assessments of biodiesels: Jatropha versus Oil palm

info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Life cycle assessment of Jatropha biodiesel as transportation fuel in rural India

Since 2003 India has been actively promoting the cultivation of Jatropha on unproductive and degraded lands (wastelands) for the production of biodiesel suitable as transportation fuel. In this paper the life cycle energy balance, global warming potential, acidification potential, eutrophication potential and land use impact on ecosystem quality is evaluated for a small scale, low-input Jatropha biodiesel system established on wasteland in rural India. In addition to the life cycle assessment of the case at hand, the environmental performance of the same system expanded with a biogas installation digesting seed cake was quantified. The environmental impacts were compared to the life cycle impacts of a fossil fuel reference system delivering the same amount of products and functions as the Jatropha biodiesel system under research. The results show that the production and use of Jatropha biodiesel triggers an 82% decrease in non-renewable energy requirement (Net Energy Ratio, NERinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Composição mineral e sintomas visuais de deficiências de nutrientes em plantas de pimenta-longa (Piper hispidinervum C. DC.) Mineral composition and visual symptoms of nutrients deficiencies in long pepper plants (Piper hispidinervum C. DC.)

A pimenta-longa (Piper hispidinervum C. DC.) é uma das principais fontes alternativas para a produção de safrol empregado como matéria prima na fabricação de inseticidas naturais e aromatizantes. O objetivo da pesquisa foi avaliar o efeito da omissão dos macronutrientes e micronutrientes, sobre a composição mineral de plantas de pimenta-longa, e caracterizar os sintomas de deficiências decorrentes dessa limitação, utilizando-se da técnica do elemento faltante. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação, com quatro repetições e doze tratamentos, completo e omissão individual de N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn e Zn em delineamento inteiramente ao acaso. Os valores dos teores foliares nos tratamentos com omissão dos nutrientes foram inferiores àqueles obtidos no tratamento completo. As omissões individuais dos nutrientes promoveram alterações na composição mineral de macro e micronutrientes. Os teores de macronutrientes (g kg-1) e micronutrientes (mg kg-1) obtidos nas folhas sem (completo) e com sintomas de deficiências (omissões) foram, respectivamente: N = 18,32; P = 7,02; K = 22,17; Ca = 15,75; Mg = 8,25; S = 5,12; B = 42,25; Fe = 325,00; Mn = 100; Zn = 61,50, com deficiência: N = 8,98; P = 2,52; K = 8,57; Ca = 10,20; Mg = 1,85; S = 0,90; B = 15,50; Fe = 234,00; Mn = 55; Zn = 53.<br>The long pepper (Piper hispidinervum C. DC.) is one of the main alternative sources for the production of safrol used as raw material in the manufacture of insecticides and natural flavoring. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of omission macronutrients and micronutrients, on the mineral composition of long pepper plants, and featuring the symptoms of deficiencies resulting from this limitation, using the missing element technique. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, with four replicates and twelve treatments, complete and individual omission of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn in a completely randomized design. Foliar levels in treatments with the omission of nutrients were lower than those obtained in the complete treatment. The omission of individual nutrients promotes changes in the mineral composition of macro and micronutrients. The levels of macronutrients (g kg-1) and micronutrients (mg kg-1) achieved in the leaves without (complete) and with symptoms of deficiencies (omissions) were, respectively: N = 18,32; P = 7,02; K = 22,17; Ca = 15,75; Mg = 8,25; S = 5,12; B = 42,25; Fe = 325,00; Mn = 100; Zn = 61,50, with deficiencies: N = 8,98; P = 2,52; K = 8,57; Ca = 10,20; Mg = 1,85; S = 0,90; B = 15,50; Fe = 234,00; Mn = 55; Zn = 53

The Dynamic Evolution of Preferences

Evolution of preferences, Evolutionary stability, Overconfidence, Interdependent preferences, C72, D01,

Homo Oeconomicus versus Homo Reciprocans: Ansätze für ein neues Wirtschaftspolitisches Leitbild?

Public opinion and politics are strongly influenced by economic theory and economic policy advice. Most of the underlying economic reasoning is based on the assumptions of a universal homo oeconomicus. Whether people act according to these assumptions is an empirical question, however. In this paper we report evidence of controlled laboratory experiments, which clearly indicates that contrary to the standard assumptions, reciprocity and fairness are central motives of human behavior. This has important implications for policy advice. We discuss several examples, e.g., tax moral, the design of the welfare state, hidden costs of incentives, wage rigidities and the economics of crime. Copyright Verein für Socialpolitik und Blackwell Publishers Ltd, 2003