Offshore Electrification - Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Balder/Grane Electrification Project: Assessing the Viability for National & Global CO2 Emission Reduction

This master's thesis examines the Balder/Grane Electrification (BGE) project as a case study to evaluate its economic viability and environmental benefits by utilizing Power from Shore for the offshore facilities. The primary research question of this study is to assess the financial feasibility of the project and its potential to contribute to the reduction of both national and global CO2 emissions. The study evaluates important factors such as net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR), payback period, and CO2 emissions to understand the potential benefits of the project. By utilizing a combination of qualitative and quantitative data, this thesis integrates both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies. Through collaboration with Vår Energi and use of relevant reports and studies, this thesis provides analyses of the BGE project. To address uncertainties regarding future market trends and global CO2 impact, research and data comparisons have been conducted to ensure the reliability of the estimates. The economic analysis calculates a positive NPV for the BGE project at a 4% discount rate after tax, indicating a net economic gain. However, when using a 7% discount rate, the NPV turns negative. Furthermore, the Environmental impact analysis reveals that implementing power from shore as a solution has a significant potential for reducing CO2 emissions both at the national and global levels. While the project successfully reduces CO2 emissions on a national level, the analysis indicates that the global CO2 reduction impact surpasses the reduction achieved at the national level. In other words, the effect of adopting power from shore leads to a greater overall reduction in global CO2 emissions. Based on the findings and results of the analyses, the thesis concludes that the BGE project with power from shore could be a promising and financially viable solution that holds great potential to reduce both national and global CO2 emission. However, further evaluation of key input variables and additional analysis is required to address uncertainties and ensure the project's economic viability

Combination prevention: new hope for stopping the epidemic.

HIV research has identified approaches that can be combined to be more effective in transmission reduction than any 1 modality alone: delayed adolescent sexual debut, mutual monogamy or sexual partner reduction, correct and consistent condom use, pre-exposure prophylaxis with oral antiretroviral drugs or vaginal microbicides, voluntary medical male circumcision, antiretroviral therapy (ART) for prevention (including prevention of mother to child HIV transmission [PMTCT]), treatment of sexually transmitted infections, use of clean needles for all injections, blood screening prior to donation, a future HIV prime/boost vaccine, and the female condom. The extent to which evidence-based modalities can be combined to prevent substantial HIV transmission is largely unknown, but combination approaches that are truly implementable in field conditions are likely to be far more effective than single interventions alone. Analogous to PMTCT, "treatment as prevention" for adult-to-adult transmission reduction includes expanded HIV testing, linkage to care, antiretroviral coverage, retention in care, adherence to therapy, and management of key co-morbidities such as depression and substance use. With successful viral suppression, persons with HIV are far less infectious to others, as we see in the fields of sexually transmitted infection control and mycobacterial disease control (tuberculosis and leprosy). Combination approaches are complex, may involve high program costs, and require substantial global commitments. We present a rationale for such investments and cite an ongoing research agenda that seeks to determine how feasible and cost-effective a combination prevention approach would be in a variety of epidemic contexts, notably that in a sub-Saharan Africa

The Effect of Complete Integration of HIV and TB Services on Time to Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy: A Before-After Study.

Studies have shown that early ART initiation in TB/HIV co-infected patients lowers mortality. One way to implement earlier ART commencement could be through integration of TB and HIV services, a more efficient model of care than separate, vertical programs. We present a model of full TB/HIV integration and estimate its effect on time to initiation of ART

Method for determining in-vitro dissolution rates of man-made vitreous fibres

A "state-of-the-art" method for determining the in-vitro dissolution rate of man-made vitreous fibres (MMVF) is described. The dissolution rate is determined using an artificial lung fluid, adjusted to pH values of 7.5 or of 4.5, reflecting that the dissolution in vivo takes place both in the near-neutral lung fluid and in the acidic environment of the macrophages. The method is based on flow-through equipment and prescribes well-defined conditions using a ratio of the flow rate to surface area of 0.03 µm/s. The results obtained with this method correlate to results from in-vivo tests, and thus the method provides a tool for a comparative evaluation of the biodurability of different fibre types. The described method seems suitable to be estabhshed as a provisional standard test, until further investigations allow the definition of a final standard test. The empirically derived carcinogenicity index (KI) extrapolates the in-vitro results obtained for some fibre types at the neutral pH value to other very different fibre types. The proposed in-vitro method avoids these uncertain generalizations, as it is based on actually measured dissolution rates at pH values 7.5 and 4.5, respectively