Using Similarity Criteria to Make Negotiation Trade-Offs

This paper addresses the issues involved in software agents making trade-offs during automated negotiations in which they have information uncertainty and resource limitations. In particular, the importance of being able to make trade-offs in real-world applications is highlighted and a novel algorithm for performing trade-offs for multi-dimensional goods is developed. The algorithm uses the notion of fuzzy similarity in order to find negotiation solutions that are beneficial to both parties. Empirical results indicate the benefits and effectiveness of the trade-off algorithm in a range of negotiation situations

Automated Negotiation for Provisioning Virtual Private Networks Using FIPA-Compliant Agents

This paper describes the design and implementation of negotiating agents for the task of provisioning virtual private networks. The agents and their interactions comply with the FIPA specification and they are implemented using the FIPA-OS agent framework. Particular attention is focused on the design and implementation of the negotiation algorithms

Using the Internet to enhance post secondary renewable energy education

There is a pressing global need for more trained scientists, engineers, policy makers, technicians and tradespeople with the knowledge and skills to develop, implement and maintain renewable and energy efficient systems and policies. This training requires the development of high quality, flexible renewable energy training courses that can be delivered by both face-to-face and self-paced distance education. The Internet’s unique features, including its ability to display not just static, but dynamic, information to anywhere in the world almost simultaneously means it can be used to significantly enhance the learning experience of students. In the light of this the Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Renewable Energy (ACRE) in conjunction with Murdoch University and the Brisbane Institute of Technical and Further Education (BIT) are developing a number of internationally focussed distance education and Internet based post secondary, and tertiary level renewable energy courses. The individual modules, or units, that make up these courses have been developed for maximum flexibility with the option of delivery face-to-face or through distance education. There are a number of challenges in delivering renewable energy training by conventional correspondence based distance education. These challenges can be reduced, and the quality of learning significantly enhanced by the use of the Internet. Some of the advantages of using the Internet to enhance post secondary renewable energy education will be discussed. A number of examples of how the Internet has been used to enhance ACRE's post secondary and tertiary level online modules and units will be shown. A number of Internet based resources useful for renewable energy training will also be given

Effects of canyon topography on strong ground motion

The two-dimensional scattering and diffraction of SH waves of arbitrary angle of incidence from irregular, canyon-shaped topography is formulated in terms of an integral equation. Taking advantage of the simple boundary conditions of SH-wave problems, the method of images is applied to reduce the integral equation to one with a finite integral, which can readily be solved numerically by available methods. The method is first applied to the analytically solved case of a cylindrical canyon to verify its accuracy, and then to two idealized cross sections based upon Pacoima Canyon to investigate the effects of topography in a more realistic case. The results of the harmonic analysis include wave amplification patterns and transfer functions for different wavelengths and for different angles of incidence. The study also includes analysis of transient motions. With the N76°W component of the Pacoima Dam accelerogram specified to occur at one point in the cross section, the effects of different angles of incidence upon the required input motion and upon the motion at several other points in the cross section were examined by calculating accelerograms and response spectra. The effects of canyon-shaped topography are seen most prominently in the amplification patterns and transfer functions for harmonic response, wherein shielding and focusing can cause variations up to a factor of six for wavelengths comparable to, or shorter than, the canyon width. In the case of transient motions, the accelerograms at different points show significant differences, but not as large as seen in the harmonic analysis. The response spectra show the smallest differences; significant effects are confined to the higher frequencies

New approaches to renewable energy education

The rapid expansion of the renewable energy industry is producing a huge demand for welltrained professional people to design, install and maintain new systems. There is also a substantial need for policy analysts, researchers and teachers with experience in renewables. Many professional people are now seeking to move their career paths into the renewable energy field and they require advanced, on-the-job training. It is no longer sufficient to add a few topics or units on renewables to a conventional science or engineering course. Renewable energy education is emerging as a new discipline in its own right, with its own interdisciplinary curriculum that meets the criteria for sustainable development. Educating the community is also vital for creating a greater awareness of, and confidence in, renewable energy systems, and for training people to use them properly. This paper describes some new approaches to renewable energy education that seek to meet the needs of industry and society for high-quality, environmentally friendly and socially responsible energy supply systems

A simple hourly wind power simulation for the South-West region of Western Australia using MERRA data

A simple simulator capable of generating synthetic hourly values of wind power was developed for the South West region of Western Australia. The global Modern Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) atmospheric database was used to calibrate the simulation with wind speeds 50m above ground level. Analysis of the MERRA data indicated that the normalised residual of hourly wind speed had a double exponential distribution. A translated square-root transformation function yn=(√(1.96+ ye )−1.4)/0.302 was used to convert this to a normal-like distribution so that autoregressive (AR) time series analysis could be used. There was a significant dependency in this time series on the last three hours, so a third order AR model was used to generate hourly 50m wind speed residuals. The MERRA daily average 50m wind speed was found to have a Weibull-like distribution, so a square root conversion was used on the data to obtain a normal distribution. The time series for this distribution was found to have a significant dependency on the values for the last two days, so a second order AR model was also used in the simulation to generate synthetic time series values for the square root of the daily average wind speed. Seasonal, daily, diurnal, and hourly components were added to generate synthetic time series values of total 50m wind speed. To scale this wind speed to turbine hub height, a time varying wind shear factor model was created and calibrated using measured data at a coastal and an inland site. Standard wind turbine power curves were modified to produce an estimate of wind farm power output from the hub-height wind speed. Comparison with measured grid supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) data indicated that the simulation generated conservative power output values. The simulation was compared to two other models: a Weibull distribution model, and an AR model with normally distributed residuals. The statistical fit with the SCADA data was found to be closer than these two models. Spatial correlation using only the MERRA data was found to be higher than the SCADA data, indicating that there is still a further source of variability to be accounted for. Hence the simulation spatial correlation was calibrated to previously reported findings, which were similar to the SCADA data

New methods for producing low cost silicon for solar cells

Growth in the solar cell industry will soon exceed the available supply of electronic grade Si from semiconductor offcuts. This is expected to lead to a significant increase in the cost of the source material, and a subsequent rise in the price of solar cells. As a result of this a number of different ways are being investigated to manufacture an alternative low-cost silicon material for solar cells. This paper discusses an investigation of several potential new processes for producing lower-cost solar cells based on the production and purification of the "volatile" chloro-silane compounds SiCl4 and Si2Cl6 from naturally occurring SiO2. These purified compounds may then be decomposed to produce thin film Si solar cells directly, or converted to solar grade silicon for the subsequent production of conventional wafer based c-Si solar cells. The use of waste product grain husks as a new source of high grade SiO2 feedstock for this process is also discussed. These methods offer the possibility of both new, low cost methods of producing solar-grade Si for wafer based c-Si solar cell production, as well as the direct production of inexpensive thin film Si solar cells, such as a-Si:H

A large-scale renewable electricity supply system by 2030: Solar, wind, energy efficiency, storage and inertia for the South West Interconnected System (SWIS) in Western Australia

An interactive web tool was created to simulate 100% renewable electricity supply scenarios for the South-West Interconnected System (SWIS) in the south-west of Western Australia. The SWIS is isolated from other grids and currently has no available hydropower. Hence it makes a good case study of how supply and demand might be balanced on an hour-by-hour basis and grid stability maintained without the benefit of energy import/export or pumped hydroelectric storage. The tool included regional models for wind and solar power, so that hypothetical power stations were not confined to sites with existing wind farms or solar power stations, or sites with measurements of wind speed and solar radiation. A generic model for solar thermal storage and simple models for energy efficiency, distributed battery storage and power to gas storage were also developed. Due to the urgency of climate change mitigation a rapid construction schedule of completion by 2030, rather than the more common target of 2050, was set. A scenario with high wind generation, and scenarios with varying levels of solar power, wind power, distributed battery storage, energy efficiency improvements and power to gas systems were considered. The battery storage system and PV arrays were configured to provide synthetic inertia to maintain grid stability (with a small loss in capacity for each), and existing synchronous generators were kept spinning with no fuel input, adding a small increase to the electrical load demand. The level of synthetic inertia provided by battery storage was estimated for each scenario. The results indicated that a balanced mix of solar PV, solar thermal, efficiency, and storage were the most feasible to be built on a rapid time scale. The required capacity and build rate of the generation and storage systems would be reduced if energy efficiency improvements were implemented on a more rapid schedule compared to the current global improvement rate. The scenario with very high levels of wind power (∼80% generation) were found to be capable of meeting SWIS reliability criteria if very large amounts of distributed storage or some high capacity seasonal reserve generation system such as power to gas were present. High levels of battery storage capacity and efficiency improvement could be as effective as a power to gas system. It was confirmed that all scenarios provided the same or greater levels of inertia than presently provided by conventional generators. This tool showed that it is possible to examine renewable energy scenarios for regional electricity networks without high computing power

The identification and psychological treatment of panic disorder in adolescents: a survey of CAMHS clinicians

Background Panic disorder is experienced by around 1% of adolescents, and has a significant impact on social and academic functioning. Preliminary evidence supports the effectiveness of panic disorder specific treatment in adolescents with panic disorder, however panic disorder may be overlooked in adolescents due to overlapping symptoms with other anxiety disorders and other difficulties being more noticeable to others. The aim of this study was to establish what training National Health Service (NHS) Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) clinicians have received in psychological therapies and panic disorder and how they identify and treat panic disorder in adolescents. Method CAMHS clinicians from a range of professions (n = 427), who were delivering psychological treatments to children and adolescents with anxiety disorders, participated. They completed a cross-sectional, online survey, including a vignette describing an adolescent with panic disorder, and were asked to identify the main diagnosis or presenting problem. Results Less than half the clinicians (48.6%) identified panic disorder or panic symptoms as the main presenting problem from the vignette. The majority of clinicians suggested CBT would be their treatment approach. However, few identified an evidence-based treatment protocol for working with young people with panic disorder. Almost half the sample had received no training in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and around a fifth had received no training in delivering psychological treatments. Conclusions Only half of CAMHS clinicians identified panic disorder from a vignette and although CBT treatments are widely offered, only a minority of adolescents with panic disorder are receiving treatments developed for, and evaluated with young people with panic disorder. There is a vital need for clinician training, the use of tools that aid identification and the implementation of evidence-based treatments within CAMHS