Demand response status in EU Member States

This paper reviews the current status of European Member States’ regulation supporting Demand Response and Aggregation in the wholesale, balancing and ancillary electricity markets, as stipulated in Article 15 of the Energy Efficiency Directive. Demand Response is able to increase the system’s adequacy and to substantially reduce the need for investment in peaking generation by shifting consumption away from times of high demand. It can act as a cost effective balancing resource for variable renewable generation. Adding stability to the system, it lowers the need for coal and gas fired spinning reserves – most running power plants burn fuel continuously in order to be ready to supply power at short notice. It furthermore decreases the need for local network investments, as it shifts consumption away from peak hours in regions with tight network capacity. Demand Response delivers these benefits by providing consumers – residential, commercial or industrial – with control signals and/or financial incentives to adjust their consumption at strategic times.JRC.C.2-Energy Efficiency and Renewable

Replicable Measures for Eastern Partnership cities

This document is aimed to present examples of the measures to local authorities that could be used for Sustainable Urban Demonstration projects (SUDeP) in the Eastern Partnership cities ( Moldova, Belarus, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan). The measures are related to the concrete implementation of the actions in line with the Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAPs) developed under the of Covenant of Mayors initiative. The measures are focused on achieving energy savings and improving energy efficiency in the sectors where local authorities have the control and influence. In addition, measures on renewable energy are considered along with measures on information systems to monitor and control energy consumption.JRC.F.7-Renewables and Energy Efficienc

How to avoid typical mistakes in Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs)

This document aims to collect the most common mistakes from Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs) submitted by local authorities of Eastern Partnership and Central Asian cities and analysed so far by the JRC. The mistakes can refer to methodological issues as well as to the way the information is presented in the SEAP document and/or in the online SEAP submission templates. Furthermore, this document also provides recommendations on how to avoid these most common mistakes, describing relevant examples of good and bad practices. Focusing on these recommendations will increase the possibilities for a SEAP to be accepted by the JRC (without a need for revision by the signatory) Additionally, it will also help signatories to develop a good document, which will be well understood by different stakeholders (technical officers, citizens) and, at the same time, it will lead the way to the successful implementation of the SEAP.JRC.F.7-Renewables and Energy Efficienc

A ação do Programa Patronato Municipal de Francisco Beltrão e o atendimento aos seus assistidos

Anais do 35º Seminário de Extensão Universitária da Região Sul - Área temática: Direitos Humanos e JustiçaEste artigo aborda a atuação do programa Patronato Municipal de Francisco Beltrão, órgão de execução penal ligado a Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná – UNIOESTE, campus de Francisco Beltrão, que realiza o atendimento e fiscalização dos assistidos por meio de equipe multidisciplinar composta por profissionais recém-formados e graduandos. O objetivo principal do programa tem enfoque no processo de ressocialização dos assistidos, de forma que uma das funções do Patronato é assistir o egresso na vida pós-liberdade, auxiliando- o a superar as dificuldades de natureza econômica, familiar e/ou de trabalho. Para que as ações sejam realizadas de forma efetiva, destaca-se a importância da extensão universitária, uma vez que quando se refere à Universidade, pode-se citar o tripé ensino, pesquisa e extensão. Esta última tem como característica proporcionar a troca de experiências entre sociedade e conhecimento a fim de exercer seu papel transformador. Nesta perspectiva, são descritas as ações desenvolvidas pelo Patronato para além de sua função fiscalizadora, mas como ferramenta que visa promover espaços que favoreçam o desenvolvimento social e o resgate de condutas produtivas e responsáveis para o bem comum. Por fim, este artigo, também faz apontamentos dos resultados obtidos através da prática multidisciplinar no programa, permitindo compreender e analisar a importância da interface sociedade e extensão para um contexto social que busca a transformaçã

Rapid maxillary expansion and obstructive sleep apnea: a review and meta-analysis

Background: OSAS during childhood leads to significant physical and neuropsychomotor impairment. Thus, it needs to be recognized and treated early in order to avoid or attenuate the chronic problems associated with OSAS, which are deleterious to a child’s development. Adenotonsillectomy and, in select cases, continuous positive airwaypressure (CPAP) have been the preferred treatments for OSAS in children, and yet they are ineffective at fully ameliorating the disease. Minimally invasive treatments have recently been proposed, comprising intra-oral and extra-oral devices as well as speech therapy. Objetive: to conduct a meta-analysis on studies from around the world that used rapid maxillary expansion (RME) to treat OSAS in children. Material and Methods: We performed a meta-analysis of studies using RME for OSA treatment in children. A literature survey was conductedusing PubMed and Medline for English articles published up to December 2014 with the following descriptors: Sleep Apnea, Obstructive, Children, Treatment, Orthodontic, Othopaedic, Maxillaryexpansion. Studies were included in the meta-analysisif they were case-controlled studies, randomized, and involved non-syndromic children aged 0 to 12years old diagnosed with OSA by the polysomnography apneahypopnea index (AHI) before and after the intervention, submitted RME only. Results: In all, 10 articles conformed to the inclusion criteria and were included in this meta-analysis. The total sample size across all these articles was 215 children, having a mean age of 6.7 years,of whom58.6%were male. The mean AHI during the follow-up was -6.86 (p <0.0001). Conclusions: We concluded that rapid maxillary expansion (RME) in children with OSAS appears to be an effective treatment for this syndrome. Further randomized clinical studies are needed to determine the effectiveness of RME in adults

Randomized controlled study of a mandibular advancement appliance for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea in children: a pilot study

Background: The current limited evidence may be suggestive that mandibular advancement appliance (MAAs) result in improvements in AHI scores, but it is not possible to conclude that MAAs are effective to treat paediatric OSA. There are significant weaknesses in the existing evidence due primarily to absence of control groups, small sample sizes, lack of randomization and short-term results. Aim: the objective of the present study was to evaluate MAAs in children with OSA. Material and Methods: Children presenting an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) greater than or equal to one event per hour were considered to be apneic. This group of children with AHI greater than or equal to one was randomly divided through a draw into two subgroups: half of them in an experimental subgroup and half of them in a control subgroup. In the experimental subgroup, molds of each of these children’s maxillary and mandibular arches were taken using standard molds and molding material. The control group did not use any intraoral device and did not undergo any type of treatment for OSAS. The MAAs used in this study had the aim of achieving mandibular advancement, thereby correcting the mandibular position and dental occlusion, and perhaps increasing the airway and treating OSAS. After 12 consecutive months of use of the mandibular advancement devices, polysomnography examinations using the same parameters as in the initial examinations were requested for both the experimental and the control subgroup. Results: There was a decrease in AHI in the experimental group and an increase in the control group, with statistical significance. These data were used to calculate the sample size, which was 28 children in total in the groups. Conclusions: There was a decrease in AHI one year after implementing use of mandibular advancement devices, in comparison with the group that did not use these devices

How to develop a Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) in the Eastern Partnership and Central Asian Cities ─ Guidebook PART I – The SEAP process, step-by-step towards the – 20 % target by 2020

This Guidebook is tailored to the specific needs of the Eastern Partnership and central Asian countries, which are still recovering from economic reform. As such, various specific indicators were calculated for the 11 Newly Independent States and a Business as Usual scenario was developed projecting the growth of their economy, and the increase in CO2 emissions for 2020 as a result of a 'do nothing' stance in terms of policies and the environmental regulations scenario. The current guidebook provides detailed step-by-step recommendations for the entire process of elaborating a local energy and climate strategy, from initial political commitment to implementation. It is divided into 3 parts: Part I relates to the description of the overall SEAP process and covers the strategic issues; Part II gives guidance on how to elaborate the Baseline Emission Inventory; Part III is dedicated to the description of technical measures that can be implemented at local level by the local authority in the different sectors of activity; The guidebook provides a flexible but coherent set of principles and recommendations. The flexibility will allow local authorities to develop a SEAP in a way that suits their own circumstances, permitting those already engaged in energy and climate action to come on board of the Covenant of Mayors, while continuing to follow the approaches they have used before with as little adjustments as possible.JRC.F.7-Renewables and Energy Efficienc

Distinction between adapted, slightly breathy and tense voices: differences between the first two harmonics

OBJETIVO: Verificar a eficácia dos valores da diferença entre os dois primeiros harmônicos para diferenciar vozes adaptadas de vozes levemente soprosas (B) ou tensas (S), durante a emissão da vogal "é" prolongada. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliadas 30 mulheres com vozes normais e alteradas. Foi gravada a vogal "é" de cada sujeito para posterior extração da intensidade dos dois primeiros harmônicos, por meio do gráfico FFT. Foi feita a subtração da amplitude do primeiro pelo segundo harmônico (H1-H2) e os dados foram tratados estatisticamente. RESULTADOS: A variação entre os valores de H1-H2, entre os sujeitos com grau 0 de soprosidade e tensão e os sujeitos com grau 1, também nos dois parâmetros, foi muito grande, portanto os valores não foram estatisticamente significativos. Entretanto, quando a soprosidade e tensão atingem o grau 2 a variação dos valores aproxima-se das descrições da literatura. CONCLUSÃO: A medida estudada não é eficaz para diferenciar vozes adaptadas daquelas levemente soprosas e tensas, em emissões da vogal "é" prolongada.PURPOSE: To verify the efficacy of the values of the difference between the first two harmonics to distinguish adapted voices from slightly breathy (B) or tense (S), during the emission of the long vowel /é/. METHODS: Thirty women with normal and altered voices were evaluated. Each subject's vowel "é" was recorded in order to extract the intensity of the first two harmonics, using the FFT graph. The range of the second harmonic was subtracted from the range of the first, and data were treated statistically. RESULTS: The variation between the values of H1-H2 between subjects rated 0 breathiness and tension and subjects rated 1, also in both parameters, was very high, therefore the values were not statistically significant. However, when the degrees of breathiness and tension get to 2, the variation values become more compatible with descriptions in literature. CONCLUSION: The measure studied is not efficient to distinguish adapted voices from those slightly breathy and tense, during the emission of the long vowel /é/

Covenant of Mayors: Monitoring Indicators

Launched in 2008 by the European Commission, the Covenant of Mayors (CoM) is the mainstream European movement involving cities and towns in the development and implementation of local sustainable energy and climate policies. Covenant of Mayors' signatories can benefit from support at different levels: from European institutions to national and regional governments and to fellow signatories which share best practises through the CoM platform. Featured by multilevel governance models and bottom up actions, the CoM platform paves the way for local and regional governments to contribute to EU's climate and energy objectives. By signing up to the Covenant of Mayors, local authorities commit to submit: I. action plan: based on the inventory of energy consumptions/production and greenhouse gas emissions in the local authority's territory, identifies actions to be implemented for reaching the CO2 reduction target. II. monitoring reports: including status of the implementation of actions and - at least every fourth year - a monitoring inventory which allows to measure progress toward the targets set in the action plan1. As of September 2015, almost six thousand local authorities have signed the CoM, for a total of ca. 208 million inhabitants in the whole initiative. More than 4 500 local authorities have submitted an action plan (Sustainable Energy Action Plan) for a total of ca. 166 million. Out of these, 122 signatories, representing 3% of the signatories with an action plan, have submitted a monitoring report including inventories for a total ca. 11 million inhabitants. Monitoring inventories enable to track the evolution of GHG emissions in local authorities territories as well as changes in energy consumptions patterns, and to compare estimated impacts of the actions against actual results. This report illustrates main statistical indicators based on data provided by signatories in the monitoring reports submitted as of September 2015.JRC.F.7-Renewables and Energy Efficienc

Covenant of Mayors in Figures: 8-year Assessment

The European Commission’s initiative Covenant of Mayors (CoM), one of the world’s largest urban climate and energy initiatives, involving more than seven thousand local and regional authorities, proves that climate change has moved to the forefront of urban priorities. Its integrated approach is in line with a number of EU priorities not only concerning mitigation and adaptation but also in terms of embracing a robust transparency framework for the implementation of the Paris agreement. The Covenant of Mayors in figures 8-year assessment report, based on the data collected in the CoM platform as of September 2016, aims at providing an overall picture of the achievement and projections made by the signatories in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and the related energy consumptions. Developing a sustainable energy and climate action plan that requires the establishment of a baseline emission inventory, target setting and the adoption of policy measures is already a tangible achievement for cities. This is the first step towards an effective, transparent system for tracking progress and concrete results. Ultimately, the report emphasis that strong urban energy policies and increased involvement of citizens is of vital importance in the potential of urban mitigation of global climate change.JRC.C.2-Energy Efficiency and Renewable