The Effect of Power factor Improvement on Switching Transients: A Case of FUMMAN Agricultural Products Industry Plc.

Industrial loads are mostly inductive and hence operate at low power factor. Several methods including the installation of capacitor banks are available for improving power factor in order to reduce the kilovolt ampere (kVA) demand of the load and power loss from the power supply system. However, literatures have shown that improvement of power factor has effect on switching transients which is dangerous for industrial loads and operating personnel. In this work, we investigated the effect of improving the power factor of a power system beyond 0.8 (lagging) on switching transient levels using FUMMAN industry power network as a case study. A power factor measuring tool was modelled using the mathematical relation between power factor, reactive power and active power. The modelled equations were simulated Matlab/Simulink software (Version 7.9.0.529 ‘R2009b’). The characteristics of the system under study namely root mean square (r.m.s) voltage, peak steady state voltage, peak transient voltage and kVA demand were measured during the simulation with and without parallel connection of capacitor bank across the system. The result from the analysis showed that FUMMAN industry power network was operating at a lagging power factor of 0.8 with r.m.s voltage of 412.1 V, peak steady state voltage of 582.8 V, peak transient voltage of 701.9 V and kVA demand of 1878 kVA without the capacitor bank. However, when a capacitor bank was connected across the system and the power factor increased from 0.8 (lagging) to 0.9098 (lagging), optimised performance of the system was obtained with a capacitor bank size of 440 kVar. At lagging power factor of 0.9098, the kVA demand of the system was 1650 kVA, r.m.s voltage was 415.5 V and peak transient voltage was 749.5 V. The analysis therefore showed that increasing power factor beyond 0.8 (lagging) using capacitor banks though improves the r.m.s voltage and reduces the power loss but invariably leads to increase in switching transients which is undesired for optimised system performance

A Policy Maker’s Guide to Designing Payments for Ecosystem Services

Over the past five years, there has been increasing interest around the globe in payment schemes for the provision of ecosystem services, such as water purification, carbon sequestration, flood control, etc. Written for an Asian Development Bank project in China, this report provides a user-friendly guide to designing payments for the provision of ecosystem services. Part I explains the different types of ecosystem services, different ways of assessing their value, and why they are traditionally under-protected by law and policy. This is followed by an analysis of when payments for services are a preferable approach to other policy instruments. Part II explains the design issues underlying payments for services. These include identification of the service as well as potential buyers and sellers, the level of service needed, payment timing, payment type, and risk allocation. Part II contains a detailed analysis of the different types of payment mechanisms, ranging from general subsidy and certification to mitigation and offset payments. Part III explores the challenges to designing a payment scheme. These include the ability to monitor service provision, secure property rights, perverse incentives, supporting institutions, and poverty alleviation

How to increase technology transfers to developing countries: a synthesis of the evidence

The existing United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has failed to deliver the rate of low-carbon technology transfer (TT) required to curb GHG emissions in developing countries. This failure has exposed the limitations of universalism and renewed interest in bilateral approaches to TT. Gaps are identified in the UNFCCC approach to climate change TT: missing links between international institutions and the national enabling environments that encourage private investment; a non-differentiated approach for (developing) country and technology characteristics; and a lack of clear measurements of the volume and effectiveness of TTs. Evidence from econometric literature and business experience on climate change TT is reviewed, so as to address the identified pitfalls of the UNFCCC process. Strengths and weaknesses of different methodological approaches are highlighted. International policy recommendations are offered aimed at improving the level of emission reductions achieved through TT

Distinct Mechanisms for Induction and Tolerance Regulate the Immediate Early Genes Encoding Interleukin 1β and Tumor Necrosis Factor α

Interleukin-1β and Tumor Necrosis Factor α play related, but distinct, roles in immunity and disease. Our study revealed major mechanistic distinctions in the Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling-dependent induction for the rapidly expressed genes (IL1B and TNF) coding for these two cytokines. Prior to induction, TNF exhibited pre-bound TATA Binding Protein (TBP) and paused RNA Polymerase II (Pol II), hallmarks of poised immediate-early (IE) genes. In contrast, unstimulated IL1B displayed very low levels of both TBP and paused Pol II, requiring the lineage-specific Spi-1/PU.1 (Spi1) transcription factor as an anchor for induction-dependent interaction with two TLR-activated transcription factors, C/EBPβ and NF-κB. Activation and DNA binding of these two pre-expressed factors resulted in de novo recruitment of TBP and Pol II to IL1B in concert with a permissive state for elongation mediated by the recruitment of elongation factor P-TEFb. This Spi1-dependent mechanism for IL1B transcription, which is unique for a rapidly-induced/poised IE gene, was more dependent upon P-TEFb than was the case for the TNF gene. Furthermore, the dependence on phosphoinositide 3-kinase for P-TEFb recruitment to IL1B paralleled a greater sensitivity to the metabolic state of the cell and a lower sensitivity to the phenomenon of endotoxin tolerance than was evident for TNF. Such differences in induction mechanisms argue against the prevailing paradigm that all IE genes possess paused Pol II and may further delineate the specific roles played by each of these rapidly expressed immune modulators. © 2013 Adamik et al

Beyond the public and private divide: Remapping transnational climate governance in de 21th century

This article provides a first step towards a better theoretical and empirical knowledge of the emerging arena of transnational climate governance. The need for such a re-conceptualization emerges from the increasing relevance of non-state and transnational approaches towards climate change mitigation at a time when the intergovernmental negotiation process has to overcome substantial stalemate and the international arena becomes increasingly fragmented. Based on a brief discussion of the increasing trend towards transnationalization and functional segmentation of the global climate governance arena, we argue that a remapping of climate governance is necessary and needs to take into account different spheres of authority beyond the public and international. Hence, we provide a brief analysis of how the public/private divide has been conceptualized in Political Science and International Relations. Subsequently, we analyse the emerging transnational climate governance arena. Analytically, we distinguish between different manifestations of transnational climate governance on a continuum ranging from delegated and shared public-private authority to fully non-state and private responses to the climate problem. We suggest that our remapping exercise presented in this article can be a useful starting point for future research on the role and relevance of transnational approaches to the global climate crisis

Accounting for Centennial Scale Variability when Detecting Changes in ENSO: a study of the Pliocene

The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is the dominant mode of interannual climate variability. However, climate models are inconsistent in future predictions of ENSO, and long term variations in ENSO cannot be quantified from the short instrumental records available. Here we analyse ENSO behaviour in millennial-scale climate simulations of a warm climate of the past, the mid-Pliocene Warm Period (mPWP; ∼3.3 − 3.0Ma). We consider centennial-scale variability in ENSO for both the mPWP and the preindustrial, and consider which changes between the two climates are detectable above this variability. We find that El Niño typically occurred 12% less frequently in the mPWP but with a 20% longer duration, and with stronger amplitude in precipitation and temperature. However low frequency variability in ENSO meant that Pliocene-preindustrial changes in El Niño temperature amplitude in the NINO3.4 region (5° N-5° S, 170° W-120° W) were not always detectable. The Pliocene-preindustrial El Niño temperature signal in the NINO4 region (5° N-5° S, 160° E-150° W) and the El Niño precipitation signal are usually larger than centennial scale variations of El Niño amplitude, and provide consistent indications of ENSO amplitude change. The enhanced mPWP temperature signal in the NINO4 region is associated with an increase in Central Pacific El Niño events similar to those observed in recent decades and predicted for the future. This study highlights the importance of considering centennial scale variability when comparing ENSO changes between two climate states. If centennial scale variability in ENSO has not first been established, results suggesting changes in ENSO behaviour may not be robust

PELATIHAN PEMANFAATAN TEKNOLOGI DALAM PEMBELAJARAN MATEMATIKA BAGI GURU MATEMATIKA SE-KECAMATAN SULAMU KABUPATEN KUPANG

Tujuan dari kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini adalah memberikan pemahaman kepada guru matematika bagaimana pemanfaatan teknologi yang benar dalam pembelajaran matematika serta keterampilan menggunakan software pembelajaran dinamis seperti GeoGebra dalam pembelajaran matematika. Jumlah guru yang terlibat dalam kegiatan ini sebanyak 30 guru. Metode kegiatan ini adalah ceramah, diskusi, tanyajawab, dan latihan mandiri. Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat ini akan dilaksanakan dalam beberapa tahapan, yaitu 1) penyampaian materi oleh narasumber mengenai pembelajaran abad 21, pemanfaatan teknologi dalam pembelajaran matematika, serta penggunaan GeoGebra sebagai media pembelajaran visual; 2) latihan mandiri penggunaan GeoGebra, 3) pengisian angket pemahaman tentang pemanfaatan teknologi dalam pembelajaran, serta 4) rencana tindak lanjut. Selama kegiatan, para guru antusias mengikuti materi, berdiskusi, dan mencoba menggunakan GeoGebra. Pemanfaatan teknologi khususnya penggunaan GeoGebra dalam pembelajaran matematika merupakan sesuatu yang baru bagi guru sehingga sangat membantu mereka mengembangkan pembelajaran yang inovatif sesuai tuntutan pembelajaran saat ini. Berdasarkan angket pemahaman pemanfaatan teknologi dalam pembelajaran, hasil pelatihan dipahami dengan baik oleh para guru dalam kategori sangat baik