Production costs from energy intensive industries in the EU and third countries

This report compares estimated production costs from four energy-intensive industries (steel, cement, chemical and non-ferrous metals) in the European Union and some third countries. Production costs have been estimated following a bottom-up approach, i.e. using information at facility level from a representative number of facilities. Costs are broken down to key factors, such as material, labour and energy costs and exclude capital costs (depreciation and interest). Moreover, the energy costs are estimated considering the effect of the state of technologies and the fuel mix in each country. For the iron and steel industry the production costs of hot-rolled coil and wire rod are analysed as representative flat and long products, respectively. The production costs of these products have been estimated for both the integrated route (blast furnace-basic oxygen furnace) and the recycling route (electrical arc furnace). For the chemical industry, the products analysed are ammonia, methanol, ethylene and propylene; whereas for the non-ferrous metals the analysis is focused on primary aluminium production, copper cathodes and slabs of zinc. Most of the EU28 production costs are ranked (when compared with certain competitor countries) between the 75th percentile and the maximum production cost. These costs are highest in the EU relative to other countries or regions in the case of flat products from the recycling route, ammonia and methanol. For long products -from the recycling route-, flat products -from the integrated route-, ethylene, propylene -refinery grade- and copper anode the EU28 production costs are between the median (the median separates the higher half of the costs from the lower half) and the 75th percentile of all production costs estimated. In the case of cement, the EU28 production cost is quite similar to the value of the median cost. There are also cases in which the EU28 production costs were among the lowest costs, namely for copper cathode and zinc slabs. It is worth noting that the contribution of energy costs to production costs is the highest in the EU only for methanol and ammonia. For all other products and industries analysed (including methanol and ammonia), other components of the cost (raw materials, labour and others or feedstock) contribute more to final costs than energy (natural gas is considered as a feedstock for methanol and ammonia). It is also noteworthy that, in most industries and products, the behaviour of credits (by-products, home scrap, electricity production from waste gases or from combined heat and power) contributes to reduce production costs more in the EU than it does in other countries or regions.JRC.F.6-Energy Technology Policy Outloo

Energy efficiency and GHG emissions: Prospective scenarios for the Chemical and Petrochemical Industry

This study analyses the savings potential of energy consumption and GHG emissions from cost-effective technological improvements in the chemical and petrochemical industry up to 2050. The analysis follows a bottom-up approach; that is, it is based on information at facility level of existing plants with their production characteristics, best available and innovative technologies. The analysis includes 26 basic chemical compounds that cover 75 % of the total energy use (including energy used as feedstock) and more than 90 % of GHG emissions of the chemical sector in 2013. The bottom-up approach includes an annual cost-effectiveness analysis of the uptake of best available and innovative technologies in each facility up to 2050. The projections and assumptions used are in accordance with the reference scenario of the European Commission. In absolute terms, from 2013-2050 the total energy consumption increases by 39.2 % and the GHG emissions' decrease by 14.7 %; these values include the effect (and depend on) a demand increase by 45.6 %. In 2050, without any technological improvement, the GHG emissions and energy consumption would be 36 % and 4 % higher. The minor effect of technological improvements on energy savings can be partly explained by the fact that 73.5 % of the total energy consumed in the manufacturing of the products covered in this study is incorporated in the final products, and most of new technologies have an impact on the direct energy use, but not on the non-energy use.JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Unio

Prospective Scenarios on Energy Efficiency and CO2 Emissions in the EU Iron & Steel Industry

This document analyzes on the basis of a detailed bottom-up model the role of technology and its diffusion on energy consumption and CO2 emissions at plant level in the EU-27 Iron & Steel industry. Main current processes of all plants and the cost-effectiveness of their retrofit with Best Available Technologies and Innovative Technologies is analyzed up to 2030. The baseline scenario considers the demand for steel and prices of fuels and resources evolve according to the projection of Primes. Two alternative scenarios vary linearly several times by 2030 some of the main drives of technology change, such us the cost of CO2 allowances, fuels and price of the resources. The reduction ranges for the specific CO2 emissions varies between 14% and 21%. The range for the variation in specific energy consumption goes from 7 to 11%. The higher values rely on the successful market roll-out by 2020 of some key innovative technologies, underlining the importance of the successful conclusion of the research ongoing in those technologies. In the recycling route the results indicate potential improvements between 2010 and 2030 in the specific energy consumption and specific CO2 emissions of about 6% and 11%, respectively.JRC.F.6-Energy systems evaluatio

LA POSESIÓN DE TIERRAS EN CONCESIONES FORESTALES EN LA PROVINCIA DE PADRE ABAD, REGIÓN UCAYALI, 2016-2017

La presente tesis se enfoca básicamente en identificar, describir, analizar y determinar los efectos y consecuencias socio-jurídicas que genera este fenómeno social, para luego, a partir de los resultados de estudio obtenidos, proponer alternativas concretas de solución que puedan tener en consideración las autoridades e instituciones pertinentes al momento de abordar esta problemática; toda vez que, dicho fenómeno social -por ser de relevancia jurídica- involucra derechos materiales y relaciones intersubjetivas entre posesionarios, la empresa concesionaria y el Estado. Para tales efectos; utilizamos el método exegético jurídico del marco normativo conexos al tema y la metodología de investigación de campo a través de las técnicas específicas de encuesta aplicada a los posesionarios de tierras en áreas forestales concesionadas, y, el análisis documental que consistió en el estudio de carpetas fiscales archivadas sobre casos de usurpación entre particulares suscitados en dichas áreas. De los resultados de la encuesta se pudo determinar que ninguno cuenta con un título posesorio o de propiedad que le brinde seguridad jurídica posesoria, pese a que algunos son posesionarios, inclusive, desde antes de que las áreas forestales que ocupan fueran declarados bosques de producción permanente (BPP) sobre los cuales se efectuaron las concesiones forestales con fines maderables. Respecto del análisis documental, se logró evidenciar que todas las carpetas fiscales analizadas fueron archivadas de manera definitiva después de la Investigación Preliminar correspondiente; ya que los fiscales responsables de cada caso no pudieron determinar el carácter delictivo de los hechos denunciados, porque los supuestos agraviados ni los denunciados cuentan con un título posesorio o de propiedad para acreditar la titularidad del área materia de usurpación; de manera que ninguno pudo acceder al órgano jurisdiccional para la heterocomposición de dichos conflictos. Por consiguiente, queda determinado que: los efectos socio-jurídicos que genera la posesión de tierras en áreas forestales concesionadas es la inseguridad jurídica posesoria y, eventualmente, tal situación, genera como consecuencia socio-jurídica la privación de la tutela jurisdiccional en casos de usurpación entre particulares.Tesi

Distribución de la PEA ocupada y su relación con el nivel de ingreso promedio mensual según estructura del mercado de la región de San Martín, 2004-2019

El presente estudio titulado: “Distribución de la PEA ocupada y su relación con el nivel de ingreso promedio mensual según estructura del mercado de la región de San Martín, 2004-2019”, planteó como objetivo general: Determinar la relación entre la distribución de la PEA ocupada y el nivel de ingreso laboral promedio mensual según estructura del mercado de la región de San Martín, 2004-2019. Para el logro del objetivo se aplicaron dos guías de análisis documental considerando la información proporcionada por el Ministerio de Trabajo y Promoción del Empleo (MTPE), siendo un estudio básico, relacional, no experimental y longitudinal. El principal resultado fue: Existe una relación significativa entre la PEA ocupada y el ingreso laboral promedio mensual de los trabajadores de San Martín considerando el periodo 2004-2019 (r=0.891), dado que, la significancia bilateral resultó por debajo de 0.05 (0.000). La principal conclusión fue: El crecimiento del total de personas (de 14 años a más) que desempeñan alguna ocupación retribuida (monetariamente o en especie) en la región San Martín durante el periodo 2004-2019, estuvo acompañado de un aumento en la suma de la compensación por el trabajo (en términos de salarios y beneficios).The present study entitled: "Distribution of the employed EAP and its relationship with the average monthly income level according to the market structure of the San Martín region, 2004-2019", proposed as general objective: To determine the relationship between the distribution of the Employed EAP and average monthly labor income level according to market structure of the San Martín region, 2004-2019. To achieve the objective, two documentary analysis guides were applied considering the information provided by the Ministry of Labor and Employment Promotion (MTPE), being a basic, relational, non-experimental and longitudinal study. The main result was: There is a significant relationship between the employed EAP and the average monthly labor income of San Martín workers considering the period 2004-2019 (r = 0.891), since the bilateral significance was below 0.05 (0.000). The main conclusion was: The growth of the total number of people (aged 14 and over) who perform some paid occupation (monetarily or in kind) in the San Martín region during the period 2004-2019, was accompanied by an increase in the sum of compensation for work (in terms of wages and benefits)

Older adults and sport and physical activity professionals in Spain

Presence of monitors in physical activities and sports practiced by adults older than 64 years of age in Spain is analyzed in this research. The objective of this study is to determine the existence of monitors in relation to the sociodemographic features of older adults, the size of municipalities, the activities practiced, and the organizations where they are performed. The methodology used included a cross-sectional survey applied to a sample of older adults in Spain. The most relevant conclusions are that the presence of monitors in physical activities and sports practiced by older adults is dominant (63.8%), hence, their importance, and that the presence of monitors is higher for women (81.3%) than for men (37.5%). In addition, it is concluded that the bigger the municipality the higher the tendency to have more instructors. Regarding the type of activity, wide diversification is obtained; finally, there is a larger presence of monitors in sports entities (87.5%) and nursing homes (79.5%)

Fruit cell culture as a model system to study cell wall changes during strawberry fruit ripening

Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa, Duch.) fruit is characterized by its fast ripening and soft texture at the ripen stage, resulting in a short postharvest shelf life and high economic losses. It is generally believed that the disassembly of cell walls, the dissolution of the middle lamella and the reduction of cell turgor are the main factors determining the softening of fleshy fruits. In strawberry, several studies indicate that the solubilisation and depolymerisation of pectins, as well as the depolymerisation of xyloglucans, are the main processes occurring during ripening. Functional analyses of genes encoding pectinases such as polygalacturonase and pectate lyase also point out to the pectin fraction as a key factor involved in textural changes. All these studies have been performed with whole fruits, a complex organ containing different tissues that differ in their cell wall composition and undergo ripening at different rates. Cell cultures derived from fruits have been proposed as model systems for the study of several processes occurring during fruit ripening, such as the production of anthocyanin and its regulation by plant hormones. The main objective of this research was to obtain and characterize strawberry cell cultures to evaluate their potential use as a model for the study of the cell wall disassembly process associate with fruit ripening. Cell cultures were obtained from cortical tissue of strawberry fruits, cv. Chandler, at the stages of unripe-green, white and mature-red. Additionally, a cell culture line derived from strawberry leaves was obtained. All cultures were maintained in solid medium supplemented with 2.5 mg.l-1 2,4-D and incubated in the dark. Cell walls from the different callus lines were extracted and fractionated to obtain CDTA and sodium carbonate soluble pectin fractions, which represent polyuronides located in the middle lamella or the primary cell wall, respectively. The amounts of homogalacturonan in both fractions were estimated by ELISA using LM19 and LM20 antibodies, specific against demethylated and methyl-esterified homogalacturonan, respectively. In the CDTA fraction, the cell line from ripe fruit showed a significant lower amount of demethylated pectins than the rest of lines. By contrast, the content of methylated pectins was similar in green- and red-fruit lines, and lower than in white-fruit and leaf lines. In the sodium carbonate pectin fraction, the line from red fruit also showed the lowest amount of pectins. These preliminary results indicate that cell cultures obtained from fruits at different developmental stages differ in their cell wall composition and these differences resemble to some extent the changes that occur during strawberry softening. Experiments are in progress to further characterize cell wall extracts with monoclonal antibodies against other cell wall epitopes.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Does long-term length of stay on board affect the repatriation rates of seafarers?

Background: The length of seafarers’ contract has undergone scrutiny regarding the health, welfare, and fatigue of the crew. This study investigates whether a stay of more than 200 days can increase the risk of medical repatriation among Filipino seafarers. Materials and methods: We reviewed the number of medical repatriations from January 2014 to December 2016, specifically those who were repatriated after more than 200 days on board. We used WHO ICD-10 classification to categorise diseases and medical events that cause the repatriation, and classified them under “Injury” or “Illness” as defined by the Occupational Injury and Illness Classification Manual. We also separated those who worked on cargo vessels as well as those who worked on passenger ships. We requested for the total number of seafarers who worked longer than 200 days on board. After calculating a repatriation rate for this specific group of long-term workers, we then compared this with a previous study. Chi-square analysis and regression analysis were applied to analyse the data comparing the passenger versus cargo ships repatriation rates. Results: There were a total of 840 cases of long-term repatriations in this study for the 3 year period. The total number of crew who had stayed for more than 200 days was 51,830. The different causes of repatriation are presented. Repatriation rates are also shown and a study of the regular stay and long term contracts are also compared. Conclusions: There are various disease entities significantly higher in the long term work group. We offer some possible explanations for some of these differences in repatriation rates. This data could be useful in planning of schedules, work hours and contracts as well as the prevention of disease in seafarers

MMP-2 and sTNF-R1 variability in patients with essential hypertension: 1-year follow-up study

The aim of this study is to analyze MMP-2 and sTNF-R1 variability, potent predictors of cardiovascular events, in stable hypertensive patients during a 12-month followup. 234 asymptomatic patients (age 6 0 ± 1 3 , 136 male) out of 252 patients with essential hypertension were followed up. MMP-2 and sTNF-R1 were measured at baseline and after 12 months (stage I). To compare MMP-2 and sTNF-R1 levels over time interval, we used the statistical method of Bland-Altman. MMP-2 and sTNF-R1 reproducibility was good in our patients for the two intervals with a coefficient of reproducibility of 8.2% and 11.3%, respectively. The percentages of patients within 1.96 × standard deviation of the mean were 93.6% and 92.7%. An elevated coefficient of correlation was obtained for MMP-2, basal versus stage I