The Broker Simulation Model in the Emission Allowances Trading Area

This paper is focused on possibilities of simulations of emission allowances trading within the EU emission trading system using new designed broker simulation model which integrates different original soft computing and decision making methods. Firstly, the paper presents the background of the EU emissions trading system and an overview of different methods used in current research connected with CO2 emission allowances trading. The key part of the paper focuses on the broker simulation model creation and application. The results are based on expert systems with fuzzy rule bases, nonlinear fuzzy rule based predictors and fuzzy rule based behavior modelling. The application part of the results has been performed in Matlab. The broker simulation model is able to make decisions connected with the traded amount, price of allowances and buy/sell actions within the time on the market. Keywords: EU ETS; Fuzzy modelling; Broker JEL Classifications: C44; Q48; Q5

Coal or Biomass? Case Study of Consumption Behaviour of Households in the Czech Republic

Renewable sources play a crucial role in the decarbonisation process of the current linear economy, aimed at reaching the 2030 climate objectives and fulfilling the EU’s long-term strategy of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. All economic subjects, including households, can contribute to the Green Deal goals. The main goal of this paper is to evaluate households’ consumption of energy sources for heating purposes in the Czech Republic in the period 2003–2020 and depict possible drivers of switching to biomass. For this, various data were collected, such as data published by the Czech Statistical Office, ministries, and other national authorities, as well as data from Eurostat. Concerning methods, data analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were used. Different models focus on the substitution effect, rebound effect, and behaviour of different kinds of households. The results show a substitution effect connected with the consumption of coal, electricity, and biomass for heating purposes. Many households substituted coal for biomass in the observed period. On the other hand, the environmental impact of such substitution is not significant, as carbon emissions and emissions of other pollutants are stable. The substitution of fuels should be accompanied by technological change, e.g., improvement of combustion boilers. Moreover, households of pensioners are the key economic subjects with the highest impact on biomass consumption for heating purposes. Against this background we recommend policies to support households in replacing their boilers for more environmentally friendly ones

Digitalisation in Hospitals in COVID-19 Times—A Case Study of the Czech Republic

In COVID-19 times, the healthcare system needs more financial and other resources for covering all necessary medical products and services. On the other hand, we have observed pressure on the effectiveness and optimisation of resources in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Digitalisation represents an important source of information for various levels of management in hospitals. The main aim of our research is the identification of the benefits of digitalisation of medical devices in hospitals in COVID-19 times, focusing on a case study of the Czech Republic. For our methodological approach, a literature review, data analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were used. The case study presents the changes to the equipment/facilities use in years 2019 and 2020 in a selected hospital in Prague and the impact of COVID-19 on such use of resources. Management and financial issues are discussed, together with recommendations for healthcare sector management. As a result, economic benefits are represented mainly by various kinds of savings and optimisation of both processes and employees. On the other hand, it is not easy to identify all possible savings, as some of them can be in non-financial expression

Državna podpora proizvodnji električne energije s sončnimi celicami in njen vpliv na gospodinjstva – proizvajalce/porabnike energije

Background and Purpose: Currently, the idea of households - prosumers is broadly discussed in public govern­ments, mainly in connection with both the energy security issues and the environmental issues. Therefore, the main goal of this paper is to present new agent model of household - prosumer and to compare two scenarios – “off grid household” and “on grid household”. The additional goal is to evaluate the impact of public support of solar electricity on the economic efficiency of household – prosumer projects (systems). Design/Methodology/Approach: The model is structured as a micro-level agent model, representing one house­hold – prosumer. The model has the following general characteristics: one household with own electricity generation (photovoltaic panels), battery and in case of “on grid household” also connection to the grid. The main goal of the agent is to cover electricity consumption in household with minimal costs. The agent model of prosumer is tested and validated, using the empirical data. Results: The highest level of subsidy has significant impact on the economic indicators of selected scenarios. It causes lower investment costs at the beginning of the project and consequently shorter payback period (3-4 years earlier), positive cumulative cash flow, net present value and IRR in earlier period (approximately 5-10 years earlier, depending on the scenario). Conclusion: We can recommend to the government to continue with current system of subsidies, since it contributes to better economic indicators of particular solar electricity projects. On the other hand, the level of subsidy should be at least the same as in current year 2017, for the purposes of representing the significant part of the investment costs. Low level of subsidy has negligible impact on the economic indicators of households – prosumers projects. The de­veloped agent model is suitable for the evaluation of economic impact of public support on households – prosumers.Ozadje in namen: Pri razpravah v različnih državnih službah se pogosto pojavi o ideja gospodinjstvih – proizvajalcih in obenem porabnikih energije, predvsem v povezavi z vprašanji energetske varnosti in okoljskimi vprašanji. Zato je glavni cilj tega prispevka predstaviti nov model (programskega) agenta gospodinjstva - proizvajalca/porabnika energije in primerjava dveh scenarijev - „gospodinjstva izklopljena iz omrežja“ in „gospodinjstva na omrežju“. Dodatni cilj je ovrednotiti vpliv javne podpore sončni elektriki na ekonomsko učinkovitost proizvajalcev/porabnikov energije). Zasnova / metodologija / pristop: model je strukturiran kot model na mikro ravni, ki predstavlja eno gospodinjstvo. Model ima naslednje splošne značilnosti: eno gospodinjstvo z lastno proizvodnjo električne energije (fotonapetost­ne plošče), akumulator in v primeru „gospodinjstva na omrežju“ tudi priključek na omrežje. Glavni cilj agenta je, da pokrije porabo električne energije v gospodinjstvu z minimalnimi stroški. Model agent je preizkušen in validiran na osnovi empiričnih podatkov. Rezultati: Najvišja raven subvencij pri izbranih scenarijih pomembno vpliva na ekonomske kazalnike. Na začetku projekta zahteva nižje investicijske stroške in posledično krajše obdobje vračila (3-4 let prej), rezultira pa tudi v po­zitivni kumulativni denarni tok, neto sedanjo vrednost in IRR pa sta dosežena v krajšem obdobju (približno 5-10 let prej, odvisno od scenarija). Zaključek: Državi priporočamo, da nadaljuje s sedanjim sistemom subvencij, saj prispeva k boljšim gospodarskim kazalnikom posameznih projektov sončne elektrike. Po drugi strani bi morala biti raven subvencije najmanj enaka kot v tekočem letu 2017, da bi predstavljala pomemben del naložbenih stroškov. Nizka stopnja subvencije ima za­nemarljiv vpliv na ekonomske kazalnike gospodinjstev - projekte prosilcev. Model razvitega agenta je primeren za ocenjevanje gospodarskega vpliva javne podpore na gospodinjstva – proizvajalce/porabnike energije

Digitalisation in Hospitals in COVID-19 Times—A Case Study of the Czech Republic

In COVID-19 times, the healthcare system needs more financial and other resources for covering all necessary medical products and services. On the other hand, we have observed pressure on the effectiveness and optimisation of resources in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Digitalisation represents an important source of information for various levels of management in hospitals. The main aim of our research is the identification of the benefits of digitalisation of medical devices in hospitals in COVID-19 times, focusing on a case study of the Czech Republic. For our methodological approach, a literature review, data analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were used. The case study presents the changes to the equipment/facilities use in years 2019 and 2020 in a selected hospital in Prague and the impact of COVID-19 on such use of resources. Management and financial issues are discussed, together with recommendations for healthcare sector management. As a result, economic benefits are represented mainly by various kinds of savings and optimisation of both processes and employees. On the other hand, it is not easy to identify all possible savings, as some of them can be in non-financial expression

Coal or Biomass? Case Study of Consumption Behaviour of Households in the Czech Republic

Renewable sources play a crucial role in the decarbonisation process of the current linear economy, aimed at reaching the 2030 climate objectives and fulfilling the EU’s long-term strategy of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. All economic subjects, including households, can contribute to the Green Deal goals. The main goal of this paper is to evaluate households’ consumption of energy sources for heating purposes in the Czech Republic in the period 2003–2020 and depict possible drivers of switching to biomass. For this, various data were collected, such as data published by the Czech Statistical Office, ministries, and other national authorities, as well as data from Eurostat. Concerning methods, data analysis, correlation analysis, and regression analysis were used. Different models focus on the substitution effect, rebound effect, and behaviour of different kinds of households. The results show a substitution effect connected with the consumption of coal, electricity, and biomass for heating purposes. Many households substituted coal for biomass in the observed period. On the other hand, the environmental impact of such substitution is not significant, as carbon emissions and emissions of other pollutants are stable. The substitution of fuels should be accompanied by technological change, e.g., improvement of combustion boilers. Moreover, households of pensioners are the key economic subjects with the highest impact on biomass consumption for heating purposes. Against this background we recommend policies to support households in replacing their boilers for more environmentally friendly ones

Geospatial Data Analysis and Economic Evaluation of Companies for Sustainable Business Development—An Interdisciplinary Teaching Approach

Sustainable business development is connected with environmental impact, natural resources and people. This makes the location a crucial factor for the operation of a business. Therefore, a combination of both geo-spatial data analysis and traditional economic evaluation of companies are advantageous. The consideration of geolocation is beneficial with calculations for process optimizations and cost efficiency as well as ecological and social compliance. Since integrating geospatial methods into economics is a rather new interdisciplinary approach, it seems necessary to establish innovative teaching concepts for the education of experts in this field. Creating and testing such new teaching concepts based on playful learning is the idea behind the ERASMUS+ project SPATIONOMY (“Spatial exploration of economic data—methods of interdisciplinary analytics”). An interdisciplinary team of teachers educates an interdisciplinary assembled group of international students. Hence, the fields of economics/business informatics and geography/geomatics are represented by participants and staff. Based on initial lessons about basic knowledge in the connected subjects, the central elements of the teaching concept are case studies and a simulation game, each with interdisciplinary challenges. The principal aim of the project—to educate students to become specialists in spatial economics—could be achieved. This paper aims to present, evaluate and discuss the methodological approach as well as the results from the application of the simulation game. The results show that the gamification of education is worthy. Simulation game-based learning appears to be more playful and experiential compared to traditional teaching approaches. Further research in this area should focus on the students’ engagement evaluation and attitude towards sustainable behaviour in their own business

Geospatial data analysis and economic evaluation of companies for sustainable business development

Sustainable business development is connected with environmental impact, natural resources and people. This makes the location a crucial factor for the operation of a business. Therefore, a combination of both geo-spatial data analysis and traditional economic evaluation of companies are advantageous. The consideration of geolocation is beneficial with calculations for process optimizations and cost efficiency as well as ecological and social compliance. Since integrating geospatial methods into economics is a rather new interdisciplinary approach, it seems necessary to establish innovative teaching concepts for the education of experts in this field. Creating and testing such new teaching concepts based on playful learning is the idea behind the ERASMUS+ project SPATIONOMY ("Spatial exploration of economic data — methods of interdisciplinary analytics"). An interdisciplinary team of teachers educates an interdisciplinary assembled group of international students. Hence, the fields of economics/business informatics and geography/geomatics are represented by participants and staff. Based on initial lessons about basic knowledge in the connected subjects, the central elements of the teaching concept are case studies and a simulation game, each with interdisciplinary challenges. The principal aim of the project — to educate students to become specialists in spatial economics — could be achieved. This paper aims to present, evaluate and discuss the methodological approach as well as the results from the application of the simulation game. The results show that the gamification of education is worthy. Simulation game-based learning appears to be more playful and experiential compared to traditional teaching approaches. Further research in this area should focus on the students' engagement evaluation and attitude towards sustainable behaviour in their own business