Review of Support Schemes for Renewable Energy Sources in South America

This article reviews the current experiences implemented to date in the South American region to promote non-conventional renewable energy sources. We briefly describe first the particular characteristics of the territory which make it so appealing for the RES deployment. Then we scour the continent examining the mechanisms implemented to date. We conclude by just pointing out what should be expected for the years to come. The authors aim to contribute to fill in the current lack of state of the art, not only for South American audience, but also for those seeking for new "green business" opportunities.Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Researc

Fractional-order identification based on time domain methodology for hydraulic canal system

[Abstract] This paper discusses the identification of hydraulic canal system with a fractional-order model. The identification procedure is carried out by using a time domain technique. A pseudorandom binary signal (PRBS) is considered, the auto-correlation of the input signal, as well as, the impulsive response of the system has been concluded, and the obtained model are discussed in order to show the effect of using the PRBS signal in comparison with a fundamental step signal. Finally, we put the accent into the improvisation of the fractional-order model of the considered prototype that has a significant impact on improving the performance of canal monitoring, control, and supervisory systems.[Resumen] Este artículo discute la identificación del sistema de canal hidráulico con un modelo de orden fraccional. El procedimiento de identificación se lleva a cabo utilizando una técnica de dominio de tiempo. Se considera una señal binaria pseudoaleatoria (PRBS), se ha concluido la autocorrelación de la señal de entrada y la respuesta impulsiva del sistema, y se analiza el modelo obtenido para mostrar el efecto del uso de la señal PRBS. En comparación con una señal de paso fundamental. Finalmente, ponemos el acento en la improvisación del modelo de orden fraccional del prototipo considerado que tiene un impacto significativo en la mejora del rendimiento de los sistemas de supervisión, control y supervisión del canal

Regulatory Design for RES-E Support Mechanisms: Learning Curves, Market Structure, and Burden-Sharing

Drawing from relevant experiences in power systems around the world, this paper offers a critical review of existing policy support mechanisms for RES-E (renewable energy sources for electricity), with a detailed analysis of their regulatory implications. While recent studies provide an account of current RES-E support systems, in this paper we focus on the impacts these mechanisms have on the overall energy market structure and its performance in the short and long term. Given the rising importance of RES-E in systems everywhere, these impacts can no longer be overlooked.Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Researc

Optimizing Long-Term Service Agreements for gas-fired units in the context of increasing penetration of intermittent generation

As power systems increasingly rely on gas-fired power plants (GFPP), and as thermal cycling requirements increase due to larger penetrations of intermittent generation, the long-term service agreements (LTSAs) that define the conditions and costs for GFPP maintenance are exerting more economic influence over a power system’s short-term operations. In a previous paper, the authors proposed a unit commitment formulation that explicitly represents LTSAs and showed that these operations and maintenance (O&M) contracts substantially impact the cost of economic dispatch when GFPPs are forced to intensively cycle. The authors also showed that properly modeling these contracts can substantially alter a power system’s short term optimal scheduling. Traditional LTSAs were designed assuming that (especially) combined cycle gas turbines would operate in a base-loaded regime. In new operating regimes characterized by heavy cycling, GFPPs with traditional LTSAs can incur excessive cycling costs. It may be possible for owners of these GFPPs to renegotiate their existing LTSAs for more flexible conditions that will allow their GFPPs to cycle at lower costs, even if this renegotiation requires the owner to pay an upfront expense. In this paper, we propose a formulation aimed at supporting the process of optimizing LTSAs contracts for a portfolio of GFPPs

Índice de competitividad empresarial

The present study explores the parameters of profitability, liquidity, sustainability, and sustainability of SMEs, with the aim to strengthen small and medium enterprises, to achieve sustainability over time, through the profitability and liquidity, using the principles of innovation, productivity, competitiveness and access to finance and develop the necessary tools to facilitate the development of management skills and the development of permanent administrative attributes. On the concepts of productivity and total productivity breakeven competitiveness, develops the concepts of autonomous and competitive equilibrium. He points out that "For the mismatch between supply and demand, access to finance for SMEs is limited to the potential and investing capacity," reducing the growth and competitiveness of the sector, we have to look for alternatives to strengthen SMEs and have the resources necessary for its sustainability over time. To facilitate the calculations, this research also developed an Excel model, which establishes the measures using historical data of the most important financial statements, projecting for five years, providing such calculations in current and constant data, using the CPI as a deflator of the same. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/ryr.v37i0.1836 Realidad y Reflexión Año 13, N° 37: 7-135En el presente estudio se exploran los parámetros de rentabilidad, liquidez, sostenibilidad, y sustentabilidad, de las PYMES, con el objetivo de fortalecer a las pequeñas y medianas empresas, para lograr sostenibilidad en el tiempo, por medio de la rentabilidad y liquidez, utilizando los principios de innovación, productividad, competitividad y acceso al financiamiento y desarrollar los instrumentos necesarios, para facilitar el establecimiento de las habilidades gerenciales y el desarrollo de atributos administrativos permanentes. Sobre los conceptos de productividad total y productividad de punto de equilibrio, desarrolla los conceptos de competitividad autónoma y competitividad de punto de equilibrio. Puntualiza que “Por los desajustes entre la oferta y la demanda, el acceso al financiamiento de las PYMES es limitado, para el potencial y la capacidad inversoras”, reduciendo el crecimiento y la competitividad del sector, por lo que hay que buscar alternativas para que las PYMES se fortalezcan y cuenten con los recursos necesarios para su sostenibilidad en el tiempo. Para facilitar los cálculos, esta investigación también desarrolló un modelo en Excel, que establece dichas medidas utilizando datos históricos de los estados financieros más importantes, proyectándolos por cinco años, proporcionando dichos cálculos en datos corrientes y constantes, utilizando el IPC como deflactor de los mismos.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5377/ryr.v37i0.1836Realidad y Reflexión Año 13, N° 37: 7-13

From distribution networks to smart distribution systems : rethinking the regulation of European electricity DSOs

Revised version of Florence School of Regulation; 2013/05; THINK Policy BriefsDistributed energy resources allow for new business models that have the potential to substantially change today's power system functioning paradigm. In particular, these changes pose challenges for distribution system operators (DSOs) and their regulation alike. This article sheds light on missing aspects in current regulation, recognizing DSOs as regulated monopolies, but also as key players along the supply chain. We provide insights on how regulation should be adjusted so that DSOs are incentivized to facilitate the market entry of welfare-enhancing technologies in a timely fashion, and to manage the distribution system efficiently in the presence of distributed energy resources

Financiamiento de la seguridad pública en El Salvador

The article describes and examines the behavior of the main variables affecting public security, consequently focusing on homicides, extortions and property related crimes, as well as economic factors directly related to our topic of inquiry. Comparative methods, trends and econometric models were used in order to provide an overview of the historical data and place the reader well within the Salvadoran perspective; and all of these helped create a public security model that was then placed under different financial scenarios, resulting in specific ideas and thus, the proposal of sources of financing that could help obtain the necessary resources to strengthen institutions and programs with a direct effect on the country’s public security. These ideas and proposals were then placed under analysis from different perspectives and in relation to possible macroeconomic impacts, endeavoring at all times to guarantee they do not affect any of the main economic variables.Revista Policía y Seguridad Pública 5(1) 2015: 31-74El artículo describe y analiza el comportamiento de las principales variables que afectan la seguridad pública, tomando como referencia los homicidios, extorsiones y delitos al patrimonio, además de variables en el ámbito económico y que mantienen una relación con el tema de estudio; utilizando métodos comparativos, tendenciasy modelos econométricos, con el propósito de concluir sobre los datos históricos y situar al lector en el contexto salvadoreño. Con ello se crea un modelo de seguridad pública que permite definir escenarios financieros, concluyendo en ideas y propuesta de fuentes de financiamiento para obtenerlos recursos que fortalezcan las institucionesy programas que afectan la seguridad pública en el país, analizándolas bajo perspectivas e impactos macroeconómicos, procurando que estas no afecten las principales variables económicas.Revista Policía y Seguridad Pública 5(1) 2015: 31-7

Flexible link arm with a passive gravity compensation mechanism: design and modeling

[Abstract] The gravity compensation of flexible link manipulators using mechanisms based on counterweights has been previously studied in the research literature. However, as far as we are concerned, no attempt has been done to study the difficulties and benefits of constructing mechanisms for the same purposes based on springs. This paper presents a gravitational mechanism based on springs for a single-link flexible arm. In specific, we address the mechanical design of the mechanism and the dynamic modeling of the resulting system. To assess the effectiveness of the mechanism and the validity of the dynamic model, we present experimental results.[Resumen] La compensación por gravedad de los manipuladores de enlace flexible que utilizan mecanismos basados en contrapesos se ha estudiado previamente en la literatura de investigación. Sin embargo, en lo que a nosotros respecta, no se ha hecho ningún intento de estudiar las dificultades y los beneficios de construir mecanismos para los mismos propósitos basados en resortes. Este artículo presenta un mecanismo gravitatorio basado en resortes para un brazo flexible de un solo enlace. En concreto, abordamos el diseño mecánico del mecanismo y el modelado dinámico del sistema resultante. Para evaluar la efectividad del mecanismo y la validez del modelo dinámico, presentamos resultados experimentales.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad; DPI2016-80547-