Up-scaling, formative phases, and learning in the historical diffusion of energy technologies

The 20th century has witnessed wholesale transformation in the energy system marked by the pervasive diffusion of both energy supply and end-use technologies. Just as whole industries have grown, so too have unit sizes or capacities. Analysed in combination, these unit level and industry level growth patterns reveal some consistencies across very different energy technologies. First, the up-scaling or increase in unit size of an energy technology comes after an often prolonged period of experimentation with many smaller-scale units. Second, the peak growth phase of an industry can lag these increases in unit size by up to 20 years. Third, the rate and timing of up-scaling at the unit level is subject to countervailing influences of scale economies and heterogeneous market demand. These observed patterns have important implications for experience curve analyses based on time series data covering the up-scaling phases of energy technologies, as these are likely to conflate industry level learning effects with unit level scale effects. The historical diffusion of energy technologies also suggests that low carbon technology policies pushing for significant jumps in unit size before a ‘formative phase’ of experimentation with smaller-scale units are risky

An international comparison of the outcomes of environmental regulation

Whilst there is much discussion about the stringency of environmental regulations and the variability of industrial environmental performance in different countries, there are very few robust evaluations that allow meaningful comparisons to be made. This is partly because data scarcity restricts the ability to make 'like for like' comparisons across countries and over time. This paper combines data on benzene emissions from Pollution Release and Transfer Registers with data on industrial production from oil refineries to generate normalized measures of industrial environmental performance across eight Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries and the EU-15. We find that normalized emissions levels are improving in nearly all countries, and that there is some convergence in emissions performance between countries, but that there are still very significant variations across countries. We find that average emissions levels are lower in Japan and Germany than in the USA and Australia, which in turn are lower than in Canada and the EU-15, but we note that average emissions in the EU-15 are significantly affected by particularly high emissions in the UK. These findings have significant implications for wider debates on the stringency of environmental regulations and the variability of industrial environmental performance in different countries

The role of bioenergy and biochemicals in CO2 mitigation through the energy system - a scenario analysis for the Netherlands

Bioenergy as well as bioenergy with carbon capture and storage are key options to embark on cost-efficient trajectories that realize climate targets. Most studies have not yet assessed the influence on these trajectories of emerging bioeconomy sectors such as biochemicals and renewable jet fuels (RJFs). To support a systems transition, there is also need to demonstrate the impact on the energy system of technology development, biomass and fossil fuel prices. We aim to close this gap by assessing least-cost pathways to 2030 for a number of scenarios applied to the energy system of the Netherlands, using a cost-minimization model. The type and magnitude of biomass deployment are highly influenced by technology development, fossil fuel prices and ambitions to mitigate climate change. Across all scenarios, biomass consumption ranges between 180 and 760 PJ and national emissions between 82 and 178 Mt CO2. High technology development leads to additional 100-270 PJ of biomass consumption and 8-20 Mt CO2 emission reduction compared to low technology development counterparts. In high technology development scenarios, additional emission reduction is primarily achieved by bioenergy and carbon capture and storage. Traditional sectors, namely industrial biomass heat and biofuels, supply 61-87% of bioenergy, while wind turbines are the main supplier of renewable electricity. Low technology pathways show lower biochemical output by 50-75%, do not supply RJFs and do not utilize additional biomass compared to high technology development. In most scenarios the emission reduction targets for the Netherlands are not met, as additional reduction of 10-45 Mt CO2 is needed. Stronger climate policy is required, especially in view of fluctuating fossil fuel prices, which are shown to be a key determinant of bioeconomy development. Nonetheless, high technology development is a no-regrets option to realize deep emission reduction as it also ensures stable growth for the bioeconomy even under unfavourable conditions.</p

Long vowels in Proto-Japanese

The goal of this article is to provide internal and partial external evidence that Proto-Japanese had both vowel length and pitch accent. The author examines the evidence from Ryukyuan dialects of Japanese and from prehistoric Japanese loanwords in the Ainu language. This combined evidence demonstrates that the majority of Pre-Proto-Japanese words with initial vowel length may be associated with an initial low pitch. However, there are also certain words which combine initial high pitch and initial vowel length. Comparative data from Tungusic and Korean are also used.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/42999/1/10831_2005_Article_BF01732501.pd

Individualized recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone dosing using the CONSORT calculator in assisted reproductive technology: a large, multicenter, observational study of routine clinical practice

Olaf GJ Naether,1 Andreas Tandler-Schneider,2 Wilma Bilger3 1Reproductive Endocrinology, MVZ Fertility Center Hamburg, Hamburg, 2Center for Reproductive Medicine, Fertility Center Berlin, Berlin, 3Medical Affairs, Fertility, Endocrinology and General Medicine, Merck Serono GmbH, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany Purpose: This postmarketing surveillance survey was conducted to investigate the utility of the CONsistency in r-FSH Starting dOses for individualized tReatmenT (CONSORT) calculator for individualizing recombinant human follicle-stimulating hormone (r-hFSH) starting doses for controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) in routine clinical practice. Methods: This was a 3-year, open-label, observational study evaluating data from women undergoing COS for assisted reproductive technology at 31 German fertility centers. Physicians stated their recommended r-hFSH starting dose, then generated a CONSORT-recommended r-hFSH starting dose. Physicians could prescribe any r-hFSH starting dose. The primary objective was to compare the r-hFSH starting dose recommended by the physician with the CONSORT-calculated dose and that prescribed. Statistical analyses were conducted post hoc. Results: Data were collected from 2,579 patients; the mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 30.5 (2.93) years (range: 19&ndash;40 years). The mean (SD) CONSORT-calculated r-hFSH starting dose was significantly lower than the physician-recommended dose (134.5 [38.0] IU versus 164.6 [47.1] IU; P&lt;0.0001); the mean (SD) starting dose prescribed was 162.2 (48.4) IU. CONSORT-calculated doses were prescribed for 27.3% (number [n] =677) of patients, and non-CONSORT-calculated doses prescribed for 72.7% (n=1,800). The mean (SD) number of oocytes retrieved per patient was 10.6 (6.15) and 11.4 (6.66) in the CONSORT and non-CONSORT groups, respectively; the mean (SD) number of embryos transferred per patient was 1.98 (0.41) and 2.03 (0.45), respectively. Clinical pregnancy rates per COS cycle were 38.8% (CONSORT) and 34.8% (non-CONSORT) (P=0.142); clinical pregnancy rates per embryos transferred were 45.0% and 39.5%, respectively (P=0.049). Miscarriage occurred in 14.8% of all clinical pregnancies (CONSORT: 12.5%; non-CONSORT: 15.3%). The rate of grade 3 ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) was 0.3% (n=2) in the CONSORT group and 0.6% (n=11) in the non-CONSORT group. OHSS led to hospitalization in 0.81% (n=21) of cases (CONSORT group: 0.74% [n=5]; non-CONSORT group: 0.83% [n=15]). Conclusion: Physician-recommended r-hFSH starting doses were generally higher than those calculated by CONSORT; most patients were prescribed a higher starting dose than that recommended by CONSORT. Keywords: controlled ovarian stimulation, dose algorithm, follitropin alfa, postmarketing product surveillanc

Legalization by Commodification: The (Ir)relevance of Fashion Styles and Brands in Street Gangster Performance

Throughout the history of gang ethnography, particular dress codes and fashion styles have always been perceived as representations of gang culture. However, since its beginning, many young men enjoyed gang fashion without ‘being’ a gang member. Today, an ever-growing global fashion industry transforms street styles into commodities which are sold to and consumed by a much wider audience than ‘the streets’ inhabitants. This endows street styles, and in this chapter gang fashion, with a semantic ambiguity. While keeping its criminal connotations, gang aesthetics are normalized in the commodification process. This process enables, for instance, consumers of gangsta rap to enjoy gang fashion, but the semantic ambiguity also renders ‘true’ gangster performance more difficult