Impact of Reductions and Exemptions in Energy Taxes and Levies on German Industry

Between 2002 and 2007, Germany introduced its National Strategy for Sustainable Development and its Integrated Climate Protection Program, which both defined clear energy and climate-related objectives, setting an emissions reduction trajectory of 40% below the 1990 level by 2020. This spurred the development and refinement of a set of policies to create incentives for energy efficiency improvements, to reduce labour costs, and to raise funds to finance energy security and climate policy objectives. Special tax and levy reductions and exemptions were introduced for each policy for a transitional period. In this report, CPI presents a tool that it developed to help analyze the impact of tax exemptions and levy reductions on energy prices, which in turn impact energy efficiency and climate related goals. In developing this tool, we studied the impact of four major sets of energy policies and their related exemptions to determine the net impact on industry players, differentiated by the size of the industrial concern (as expressed by energy usage) and by the industrial sub-sector. The four energy policies are: • The Environmental Tax Reform; • The Combined Heat and Power Act; • The EU Emission Trading Scheme; and • The Renewable Energy Act

Auswirkungen der Entlastungsregelungen von Energiesteuern und -abgaben auf die deutsche Industrie

Zwischen 2002 und 2007 verabschiedete die Bundesregierung die Nationale Nachhaltigkeitsstrategie und das Integrierte Energie- und Klimaprogramm. Beide Programme enthalten klare energie- und klimapolitische Zielsetzungen: So sollen die Treibhausgasemissionen bis zum Jahr 2020 um 40% gesenkt werden – verglichen mit dem Stand im Jahr 1990. Um dieses Ziel zu erreichen, wurden verschiedene energiepolitische Instrumente eingeführt, die Anreize für die Verbesserung von Energieeffizienz schaffen und gleichzeitig Gelder für die Finanzierung von Energiesicherheit und klimapolitischen Zielen bereitstellen sollen. Bei Einführung der Instrumente wurden Unternehmen des Produzierenden Gewerbes verschiedene Entlastungen von Steuern und Abgaben eingeräumt, um deren internationale Wettbewerbsfähigkeit nicht zu gefährden und den Unternehmen Zeit für Anpassungsmaßnahmen an die veränderten Rahmenbedingungen zu geben. Im vorliegenden Bericht präsentiert CPI eine selbst entwickelte Methode als Hilfestellung für die Untersuchung der Nettoauswirkungen von derartigen Steuerentlastungen und Abgabenausgleichen auf die Energiepreise der Industrie. Bei der Entwicklung dieser Methode untersuchten wir die folgenden vier wichtigen energiepolitischen Instrumente: • die Ökosteuerreform; • das Kraft-Wärme-Kopplungsgesetz (KWKG); • das Emissionshandelssystem der EU (EU-ETS); • das Erneuerbare-Energien-Gesetz (EEG). Die Akteure im Industriesektor wurden für die Analyse nach Konzerngröße (definiert durch Energieverbrauch) sowie nach Wirtschaftszweig unterschieden

Meeting Energy Concept Targets for Residential Retrofits in Germany: Economic Viability, Financial Support, and Energy Savings

In the 2010 Energy Concept, the German government committed to reducing the primary energy requirement of buildings by 80% by 2050 and to increase the thermal retrofit rate from 0.8% to 2% per year. The 2% target is less than the 3%1 rate at which outer walls are currently being renovated each year, so it is achievable even if the government only targets buildings that are already planning a renovation. If a 2% retrofit rate were achieved, most German buildings would have thermal retrofits by 2050. However, in order to achieve the 80% reduction of the primary energy requirement in the building sector, each thermal retrofit has to be „deep‟; that is, it must reduce the energy requirement by around 80%. This paper addresses three questions this raises: 1. What are the costs of deep thermal retrofit for the owner of the building? Is it economically viable? 2. What scale of financial support will be required if the thermal retrofit rate increases to 2% per year? 3. How much energy could be saved

Organic redox-flow batteries using hair dyes and pharmaceuticals

Durch die Verwendung von Haarfärbemitteln wie Phenylendiamin und Pharmazeutika wie Paracetamol können effiziente organische Redox-Flow-Batterien hergestellt werden. Als besonders geeigneter Kandidat erwies sich das Zersetzungsprodukt von Paracetamol, p-Aminophenol, was durch Cyclovoltammetrie gezeigt wird. (DIPF/Orig.)Efficient organic Redox-Flow-Batteries can be made by using hair dyes like phenylenediamine and pharmaceuticals such as Paracetamol. The decomposition product of Paracetamol, p-Aminophenol proved to be a particular suitable candidate, which is shown via cyclic voltammetry. (DIPF/Orig.

Supplementary data for: Missed Diagnoses and Health Problems in Adults With Prader-Willi Syndrome: Recommendations for Screening and Treatment

Context: Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex hypothalamic disorder, combining hyperphagia, hypotonia, intellectual disability, and pituitary hormone deficiencies. Annual mortality of patients with PWS is high (3%). In half of the patients, the cause of death is obesity related and/or of cardiopulmonary origin. Health problems leading to this increased mortality often remain undetected due to the complexity and rareness of the syndrome. Objective: To assess the prevalence of health problems in adults with PWS retrospectively. Patients, Design, and Setting: We systematically screened 115 PWS adults for undiagnosed health problems. All patients visited the multidisciplinary outpatient clinic for rare endocrine syndromes at the Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, Netherlands. We collected the results of medical questionnaires, interviews, physical xaminations, biochemical measurements, polygraphy, polysomnography, and radiology. Main outcome measures: Presence or absence of endocrine and nonendocrine comorbidities in relation to living situation, body mass index, genotype, and demographic factors. Results: Seventy patients (61%) had undiagnosed health problems, while 1 in every 4 patients had multiple undiagnosed health problems simultaneously. All males and 93% of females had hypogonadism, 74% had scoliosis, 18% had hypertension, 19% had hypercholesterolemia, 17% had type 2 diabetes mellitus, and 17% had hypothyroidism. Unfavorable lifestyles were common: 22% exercised too little (according to PWS criteria) and 37% did not see a dietitian. Conclusions: Systematic screening revealed many undiagnosed health problems in PWS adults. Based on patient characteristics, we provide an algorithm for diagnostics and treatment, with the aim to prevent early complications and reduce mortality in this vulnerable patient group

Generalized nonreciprocity in an optomechanical circuit via synthetic magnetism and reservoir engineering

Synthetic magnetism has been used to control charge neutral excitations for applications ranging from classical beam steering to quantum simulation. In optomechanics, radiation-pressure-induced parametric coupling between optical (photon) and mechanical (phonon) excitations may be used to break time-reversal symmetry, providing the prerequisite for synthetic magnetism. Here we design and fabricate a silicon optomechanical circuit with both optical and mechanical connectivity between two optomechanical cavities. Driving the two cavities with phase-correlated laser light results in a synthetic magnetic flux, which in combination with dissipative coupling to the mechanical bath, leads to nonreciprocal transport of photons with 35dB of isolation. Additionally, optical pumping with blue-detuned light manifests as a particle non-conserving interaction between photons and phonons, resulting in directional optical amplification of 12dB in the isolator through direction. These results indicate the feasibility of utilizing optomechanical circuits to create a more general class of nonreciprocal optical devices, and further, to enable novel topological phases for both light and sound on a microchip.Comment: 18 pages, 8 figures, 4 appendice

Lokale Energie-Transitions-Experimente als Beitrag zur Transformation hin zu einer klimaneutralen Gesellschaft. Pilotierung eines «Transition Management Prozesses» im Berner Oberland

Die Schweiz hat sich mit der Ratifikation des Pariser Klimaabkommens und der Annahme des Klimagesetzes verpflichtet, klimaneutral zu werden. Um dieses Ziel zu erreichen, braucht es umfassende und weitreichende Veränderungen der vorherrschenden Systeme der Energieproduktion und des Energiekonsums. Diese lassen sich nicht allein mit den bisher ergriffenen Massnahmen und Instrumenten erreichen. Zudem müssen sie von der betroffenen Bevölkerung mitgetragen werden. Partizipative Gouvernanz-Ansätze, wie das in der Forschung zu Nachhaltigkeitstransformationen entstandene «Transition Management», stellen einen innovativen und vielversprechenden Ansatz dar, um alle relevanten Akteur:innen einzubeziehen und lokal angepasste, systemische Veränderungen Richtung Klimaneutralität anzustossen. Der vorliegende Bericht dokumentiert die Umsetzung eines Transition Management Prozesses im östlichen Teil des Berner Oberlands in den Jahren 2020 bis 2024. Das Oberland-Ost ist als rurale und alpine Studienregion von besonderem Interesse. Einerseits ist die Region mit ihrer Abhängigkeit von (Winter)-Tourismus, Land- und Alpwirtschaft, besonders stark von den Folgen des Klimawandels betroffen. Gleichzeitig hatte die Region 2019 das strategische Entwicklungsziel gefasst, eine CO2-neutrale Tourismusregion zu werden, was dem Prozess politische Legitimität verlieh. Zudem bestand eine bereits etablierte Partnerschaft zwischen der Regionalkonferenz Oberland-Ost, der Wyss Academy for Nature und dem Amt für Umwelt und Energie (AUE) des Kantons Bern im Rahmen des Projekts «Klimaneutrale Region Oberland-Ost». Dies mit dem Ziel, die Region auf ihrem Weg Richtung Klimaneutralität zu unterstützen. Das in diesem Bericht dokumentierte Projekt ermöglichte den Einstieg in einen partizipativen regionalen Planungs- und Experimentierprozess, um gesellschaftlich getragene Schritte Richtung Klimaneutralität in die Wege zu leiten. Das Projekt wurde unter der Federführung des Zentrums für Nachhaltige Entwicklung und Umwelt (CDE) der Universität Bern, in Zusammenarbeit mit dem «Hub Bern» der Wyss Academy for Nature und dem Amt für Umwelt und Energie (AUE) des Kantons Bern ausgeführt, dies in enger Partnerschaft mit dem Präsidium und der Geschäftsstelle der Regionalkonferenz Oberland-Ost

Reducing unnecessary prescriptions of antibiotics for acute cough: Adaptation of a leaflet aimed at Turkish immigrants in Germany

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The reduction in the number of unnecessary prescriptions of antibiotics has become one of the most important objectives for primary health care. German GPs report that they are under "pressure to prescribe" antibiotics particularly in consultations with Turkish immigrants. And so a qualitative approach was used to learn more about the socio-medical context of Turkish patients in regard to acute coughs. A German leaflet designed to improve the doctor-patient communication has been positively tested and then adapted for Turkish patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The original leaflet was first translated into Turkish. Then 57 patients belonging to 8 different GPs were interviewed about the leaflet using a semi-standardised script. The material was audio recorded, fully transcribed, and analysed by three independent researchers. As a first step a comprehensive content analysis was performed. Secondly, elements crucial to any Turkish version of the leaflet were identified.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The interviews showed that the leaflets' messages were clearly understood by all patients irrespective of age, gender, and educational background. We identified no major problems in the perception of the translated leaflet but identified several minor points which could be improved. We found that patients were starting to reconsider their attitudes after reading the leaflet.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The leaflet successfully imparted relevant and new information to the target patients. A qualitative approach is a feasible way to prove general acceptance and provides additional information for its adaptation to medico-cultural factors.</p

Vpliv naravnih protimikrobnih snovi na bakterijsko hidrofobnost, adhezijo in zeta potencial

Interactions between bacterial cells and contact materials play an important role in food safety and technology. As bacterial strains become ever more resistant to antibiotics, the aim of this study was to analyse adhesion of selected foodborne bacterial strains on polystyrene surface and to evaluate the effects of natural antimicrobials on bacterial cell hydrophobicity, adhesion, and zeta potential as strategies of adhesion prevention. The results showed strain-specific adhesion rate on polystyrene. The lowest and the highest adhesion were found for two B. cereus lines. Natural antimicrobials ferulic and rosmarinic acid substantially decreased adhesion, whereas the effect of epigallocatechin gallate was neglectful. Similar results were found for the zeta potential, indicating that natural antimicrobials reduce bacterial adhesion. Targeting bacterial adhesion using natural extracts we can eliminate potential infection at an early stage. Future experimental studies should focus on situations that are as close to industrial conditions as possible.Interakcije med bakterijskimi celicami in površinami delovnih materialov imajo pomembno vlogo v živilski tehnologiji pri zagotavljanju varnih živil. Poznano je, da različni bakterijski sevi postajajo bolj in bolj odporni proti antibiotikom in drugim biocidom. Zato je bil namen naših raziskav analizirati adhezijo izbranih patogenih bakterij, ki se prenašajo z živili. Proučevali smo njihov oprijem na polistirensko površino in ovrednotili vpliv naravnih protimikrobnih snovi na bakterijsko hidrofobnost, adhezijo in zeta potencial, v smislu možnih strategij za preprečevanje adhezije. Rezultati so pokazali, da je adhezija sevno specifična lastnost, saj je bila najmanjša in največja stopnja adhezije določena za različna seva bakterij vrste Bacillus cereus. Naravni protimikrobni snovi, ferulična in rožmarinska kislina, sta zmanjšali stopnjo adhezije na polistiren, medtem ko je bil vpliv epigalokatehin galata zanemarljiv. Podobne rezultate smo dobili pri zeta potencialu, kar nakazuje na možnosti delovanja naravnih snovi kot protiadhezivnih komponent. Uporaba naravnih protimikrobnih snovi lahko prepreči oziroma zmanjša stopnjo adhezije bakterijskih celic in s tem eliminira možnosti kontaminacij ali okužb v začetni fazi. Nadaljnje eksperimentalno delo bo potrebno za ovrednotenje razmer, ki so čim bolj podobne industrijskemu okolju