GIS modelling of forest wood residues potential for energy use based on forest inventory data: Methodological approach and case study application

This paper presents an approach to perform geo-referenced estimations of forest wood residues availability for energy use based on forest inventory data integration into a GIS. Three different estimation methods are described. The first one evaluates biomass availability based on the application of biomass expansion factors to stem volume data of the forest inventories. The method accounts for forest dynamics and assigns management treatments in function of forest properties. The second method estimates available forest wood residues applying biomass production by tree, derived from field studies, to the inventoried tree species. The third method links inventory data with national statistics of final cuttings of commercial tree species. Useful biomass potential is then estimated based on ecological, logistic and economic constraints. The methods were tested in a case study in Northern Spain where optimal facilities location based on marginal delivery costs and resources competition between facilities were found. Results are presented for three different scenarios. Biomass resources estimations under the different methods result in significant differences. GIS maps of useful biomass availability estimations are presented giving an idea of the optimal locations for bioenergy facilities based on resource availability

Sustainable Liquid Biofuels for Transport: The Context of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC)

The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has evolved in 1992 from the former Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) existing since 1980. The SADC aims at regional integration, sustainable growth and alleviation of poverty in the member countries. Fourteen countries make up the Southern African Development Community (SADC): Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Biofuels production represents an opportunity for the region to increase energy supply security and to give a boost to rural economies by opening markets for agricultural surpluses, creating jobs and encouraging mechanization of agricultural practices. However, climatic, agronomic, ecological and policy factors can hamper the industry development in the region. In that sense, a clear definition of objectives and a careful implementation that takes into account sustainability as well as socio-economic aspects are much needed from policy makers

Sustainable Liquid Biofuels Development for Transport: Frequently Asked Questions and Review of Initiatives

Increased worldwide concern about the sustainability of large-scale production of liquid biofuels for transport has led certain governments and institutions to start developing sustainability standards in order to assess the environmental and social performances of this production. Several initiatives are being developed worldwide and some controversial issues and questions arise when trying to tackle sustainability assessment in this context. This document comes to enrich a sometimes harsh discussion. Biofuels, as an alternative to a full reliance on fossil fuel and a strategy to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions, are increasingly attacked from a point of view of sustainability. The question is raised whether the cure could be worst than the disease

Estimating Energy and Greenhouse gas balances of biofuels: Concepts and methodologies

The interest in developing biofuels has rapidly increased during the last decades followed by a strong controversy about their sustainability. Diverting a large amount of land from agriculture to fuels, impacting forests and grasslands, loss of biodiversity due to large monocropped fields are some threats that inhibit the momentum towards a significant substitution of fossil fuels by biofuels. From a methodological point of view, several estimations of the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from biofuels lead to a large variability of results even if they address the same biofuel pathway. It has been shown that the methods used and the assumptions on data inventories, system boundaries, allocation of resources and emissions may significantly impact the results. In different countries and regions in the world, sustainability standards are being developed in order to limit the promotion of biofuels to those that are environmentally sound, socially responsible and economically effective

The predictive validity of parent and teacher reports of ADHD symptoms

The objectives were to evaluate the ability of the Inattention and Hyperactivity-Impulsivity factors of the ADHD Rating Scale-IV to differentiate children with ADHD from a control group and to discriminate children with different subtypes of ADHD. Also, we sought to determine optimal cutoff scores on the teacher and parent versions of this scale for making diagnostic decisions about ADHD. In a sample of 92 boys and girls 6 to 14 years of age referred to a regional ADHD program, we assessed ADHD diagnostic status using categorical and dimensional approaches as well as parent- and teacher-report measures. Logistic regression analyses showed that the Inattention and Hyperactivity-Impulsivity factors of the ADHD Rating Scale-IV were effective in discriminating children with ADHD from a control group and differentiating children with ADHD, Combined Type from ADHD, Inattentive Type. Although both teacher and parent ratings were significantly predictive of diagnostic status, teacher ratings made a stronger contribution to the prediction of subtype membership. Using symptom utility estimates, optimal cutoff scores on the Inattention and Hyperactivity-Impulsivity scales for predicting subtypes of ADHD were determined

Defund the Police: Moving Towards an Anti-Carceral Social Work

This paper addresses social work’s place in the movement to “defund the police.” We argue that social work’s collaboration with police and use of policing constitutes carceral social work. In defining carceral social work, we specify the ways in which coercive and punitive practices are used to manage Black, Indigenous, other people of color and poor communities across four social work arenas – gender-based violence, child welfare, schools, and health and mental health. To inform anti-carceral social work, we provide examples of interventions in these arenas that dismantle police collaborations and point to life-affirming, community-centered, and mutual aid alternatives

Il Counseling nella prospettiva inclusiva dell'educazione speciale

Il contributo intende sottolineare come le funzioni di counseling non riguardano esclusivamente gli psicologi, ma il modo differente, anche di educatori che lavorano a contatto con situazioni difficili e problematiche legate alle limitazioni più o meno gravi delle autonomie delle persone disabili nelle quotidiane attività di vita

GIS-based approach for defining bioenergy facilities location: A case study in Northern Spain based on marginal delivery costs and resources competition between facilities

This paper presents a GIS-based decision support system for selecting least-cost bioenergy locations when there is a significant variability in biomass farmgate price and when more than one bioenergy plant with a fixed capacity has to be placed in the region. The methodology tackles the resources competition problem between energy facilities through a location-allocation model based on least-cost biomass quantities. Whole system least delivery cost including intermediate bioenergy products is estimated. The methodology is based on a case study where forest wood residues (FWR) from final cuttings (FCs) are used to produce torrefied wood (TW) in two torrefaction plants (TUs) that supply a gasification unit (GU) in order to produce electricity. The provinces of Navarra, Bizkaia, Gipuzkoa, Alava, La Rioja, Cantabria and Burgos are assessed in order to find the best locations for settling down the TUs and the GU according to biomass availability, FWR and TW marginal delivery costs