Optimizing the Generation and Transmission Capacity of Offshore Wind Parks under Weather Uncertainty

Offshore wind power in the North Sea is considered a main pillar in Europe's future energy system. A key challenge lies in determining the optimal spatial capacity allocation of offshore wind parks in combination with the dimensioning and layout of the connecting high-voltage direct current grid infrastructure. To determine economically cost optimal configurations, we apply an integrated capacity and transmission expansion problem within a pan-European electricity market and transmission grid model with a high spatial and temporal granularity. By conducting scenario analysis for the year 2030 with a gradually increasing CO2 price, possible offshore expansion paths are derived and presented. Special emphasis is laid on the effects of weather uncertainty by incorporating data from 21 historical weather years in the analysis. Two key findings are (i) an expansion in addition to the existing offshore wind capacity of 0 GW (136 EUR/tCO2), 12 GW (159 EUR/tCO2) and 30 GW (186 EUR/tCO2) dependent on the underlying CO2 price. (ii) A strong sensitivity of the results towards the underlying weather data highlighting the importance of incorporating multiple weather years

Das Beteiligungsmodell von forschungsdaten.info

Die Informationsplattform forschungsdaten.info bietet Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlern grundlegende Informationen zum Forschungsdatenmanagement (FDM). Um die vorliegenden Materialien aktuell halten zu können, bedarf es der langfristigen Mitarbeit verschiedener fachkundiger Akteure. Diese wird durch ein mehrstufiges Beteiligungsmodell geregelt, im Rahmen dessen FDM-Expertinnen und -Experten als Partner redaktionelle Verantwortung für Teilbereiche übernehmen können. Dieses Modell sichert die langfristige Bereitstellung von frei zugänglichen deutschsprachigen FDM-Ressourcen. Zentrale Aspekte für die nachhaltige Entwicklung und Betreuung eines solchen Projektes werden im Folgenden erläutert. Zusammenfassend scheinen folgende Punkte essentiell: Geteilte Verantwortung (z. B. über ein definiertes Beteiligungsmodell), solide Finanzierung, hohe Motivation der Beteiligten, deren intensive Kooperation, gesicherte Qualität, effektive Kommunikation und Offenheit

Das Beteiligungsmodell von forschungsdaten.info: Ein kleines ABC der Nachhaltigkeit

Die Informationsplattform forschungsdaten.info bietet Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlern grundlegende Informationen zum Forschungsdatenmanagement (FDM). Um die vorliegenden Materialien aktuell halten zu können, bedarf es der langfristigen Mitarbeit verschiedener fachkundiger Akteure. Diese wird durch ein mehrstufiges Beteiligungsmodell geregelt, im Rahmen dessen FDM-Expertinnen und -Experten als Partner redaktionelle Verantwortung für Teilbereiche übernehmen können. Dieses Modell sichert die langfristige Bereitstellung von frei zugänglichen deutschsprachigen FDM-Ressourcen. Zentrale Aspekte für die nachhaltige Entwicklung und Betreuung eines solchen Projektes werden im Folgenden erläutert. Zusammenfassend scheinen folgende Punkte essentiell: Geteilte Verantwortung (z. B. über ein definiertes Beteiligungsmodell), solide Finanzierung, hohe Motivation der Beteiligten, deren intensive Kooperation, gesicherte Qualität, effektive Kommunikation und Offenheit

Cleavage in the understanding of sustainability : sustainable pulp industry versus sustained local livelihood

“Sustainability” is used as a catchword, with different meanings depending on the actor. This paper examines how the term “sustainability” is used by the Brazilian pulp maker Veracel Cellulose, and other major cellulose pulp producers in South America, and the cleavage between the companies and the local communities in their understanding of the term sustainability. The analysis was based on annual or sustainability reports from companies in Brazil (Aracruz, Fibria, Suzano and Veracel) and Chile (Arauco and CPMC), and Nordic Stora Enso and UPM. The main emphasis is on Veracel for 2008 and 2009, which is contrasted with a letter to the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) from the local Bahian NGO, CEPEDES. Although the companies use “sustainability” as a catchword, in the actual reporting the wording “environmental and social responsibility” is preferred. A new reporting standard, GRI, encourages a narrower focus on selected business-related indicators, rather than a broader view in accordance with the Brundtland and Rio definitions. The cleavage between business- and a livelihood-oriented understanding of “sustainability” reflects a difference in understanding of the underlying concept of “development”. To ensure long-term sustainability of company operations, sustainable business development of the pulp and paper industry should include local livelihood perspectives to a greater extent than at present.Peer reviewe

The conflict over Veracel pulpwood plantations in Brazil : Application of Ethical Analysis

The large-scale pulp investment model, with its pressure on land, has created conflict and caused major disagreements and open hostility amongst the social movement and NGO networks, state actors, and the pulp and paper companies in Brazil. In this article, Ethical Analysis was applied in the assessment of the dynamics and possibilities of conflict resolution related to the expansion of pulpwood plantations in Brazil's Bahia State, particularly near Veracel Celulose. Ethical Analysis as a tool identifies the complex dynamics of contention through identifying bridges and rifts in the social, ecological and economic viewpoints of the main actors. The analysis was based on field research, interviews, and a review of existing literature. The results indicated that the conflict is marked by politics of power, and as long as this stage continues, the politics of cooperation and conflict resolution would be hard to achieve. The key actors have diverging interests, values and principles, and different ways of presenting their viewpoints. The current investment context is economically and institutionally peripheral and socially weak. Without a radical rethinking and emphasis on ethical and structural reworking of the investment model, the conflict will likely continue to deepen, aggravating investment risk for large-scale business and industrial forestry.Peer reviewe

Late Ordovician molluscs of the central and eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco

More than 30 species of tergomyan, gastropod, bivalve and cephalopod molluscs are described from the Late Ordovician of central and eastern Anti-Atlas, Morocco. For the cephalopods this represents the first systematically known taxa of the region. Tergomyans and gastropods are most common in the more shaly part of the Lower Ktaoua Formation, while bivalves are more frequent in the sandy part of the Lower Second Bani Formation. A southern Gondwana aspect is evident for the tergomyan, gastropod and bivalve assemblages, sharing many taxa with Bohemia, while no clear signal is present for the cephalopods. The latter reflects insufficient knowledge of the fauna of large parts of these areas. The widely recognized Holopea? antiquata is transferred to the genus Radvanospira gen. nov.; other new gastropod taxa include Allossospira gen. nov., Tritonophon grandis sp. nov., Radvanospira baniensis sp. nov. and Lophospira latilabra sp. nov. Most of the diverse bivalve fauna and the few cephalopods are left in open nomenclature but new taxa include the bivalve Praenucula pojetai sp. nov. and the cephalopods Wadema tattai sp. nov. and Tafadnatoceras tiouririnense gen. et. sp. nov. The Late Ordovician bivalves from Morocco are dominated by pteriomorphs and protobranchs, inhabiting infaunal, semi-infaunal and epifaunal niches.Peer reviewe

Combining rules and dialogue:exploring stakeholder perspectives on preventing sexual boundary violations in mental health and disability care organizations

BACKGROUND: Sexual boundary violations (SBV) in healthcare are harmful and exploitative sexual transgressions in the professional–client relationship. Persons with mental health issues or intellectual disabilities, especially those living in residential settings, are especially vulnerable to SBV because they often receive long-term intimate care. Promoting good sexual health and preventing SBV in these care contexts is a moral and practical challenge for healthcare organizations. METHODS: We carried out a qualitative interview study with 16 Dutch policy advisors, regulators, healthcare professionals and other relevant experts to explore their perspectives on preventing SBV in mental health and disability care organizations. We used inductive thematic analysis to interpret our data. RESULTS: We found three main themes on how healthcare organizations can prevent SBV in mental health and disability care: (1) setting rules and regulations, (2) engaging in dialogue about sexuality, and (3) addressing systemic and organizational dimensions. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that preventing SBV in mental health and disability care organizations necessitates setting suitable rules and regulations and facilitating dialogue about positive aspects of sexuality and intimacy, as well as about boundaries, and inappropriate behaviors or feelings. Combining both further requires organizational policies and practices that promote transparency and reflection, and focus on creating a safe environment. Our findings will help prevent SBV and promote sexual health in mental health and disability care organizations

Integriertes Performance-Monitoring von SOA-Anwendungen

Der Beitrag stellt einen Ansatz zur Integration von Performance-Monitoring-Aspekten in serviceorientierte Architekturen (SOAs) vor. Der Fokus liegt hierbei auf der konsistenten Instrumentierung bereits existierender SOA-Dienste. Hierfür wird ein im Rahmen des Projekts Performance Management of Enterprise Applications (PerManEntA) entwickeltesWerkzeug vorgestellt, das eine modellbasierte Instrumentierungsunterstützung mit Hilfe grafischer Marker vorsieht. Der Ansatz ermöglicht die Verwendung einheitlicher Monitoringschnittstellen und -funktionalität für alle in einer SOA kooperierenden Dienste und die konsistente Instrumentierung mit Hilfe teilautomatisierter, werkzeuggestützter Instrumentierung und Quellcodegenerierung. Im Ausblick werden Möglichkeiten zur Integration mit unterschiedlichen Ansätzen für das Service Level Management im SOA-Kontext aufgezeigt