829 research outputs found
L'utile oggetto di ammassare notizie. Archivi e archivisti a Milano tra Settecento e Ottocento
No full textNegli ultimi decenni un rinnovato interesse per la storia degli archivi, intesi sia nell’accezione di fondi documentari sia in quella di istituti e luoghi di conservazione, ha coinvolto in Italia e in ambito internazionale un numero crescente di storici e archivisti. Una storia degli archivi che non ha come unico obiettivo quello di ricostruire la storia delle carte fine a se stessa, ma semmai – come sottolinea Stefano Vitali nella prefazione che accompagna il volume – «di cogliere nell’archivio le tracce dei molteplici fattori che, nel corso del tempo, contribuiscono a plasmarlo e a trasformarlo, a partire da quelli di carattere materiale e di tecnica archivistica ... per giungere a quelli di carattere politico istituzionale, ma anche culturale e latamente sociale» (p. XXI).
Il volume di Marco Lanzini si inserisce appieno in tale contesto di ricerca. Nei sei capitoli che compongono l’opera,
l’autore ripercorre, sulla scorta di una ricca documentazione archivistica in gran parte inedita e della pubblicistica
dell’epoca, le vicende degli archivi milanesi prodotti dagli uffici governativi e dalle magistrature locali tra Settecento e Ottocento. Mediante un assiduo confronto tra la storia degli archivi «nella loro duplice accezione di fondi e di istituti» (p. XL) e quella degli archivisti, coinvolti nelle trasformazioni che investirono la loro professionalità tra antico regime e pieno Ottocento, Lanzini individua le fasi cruciali che caratterizzano l’organizzazione e l’assetto degli archivi lombardi nei periodi del riformismo asburgico, della dominazione napoleonica e della successiva Restaurazione, fornendo una chiave di lettura unitaria delle vicende archivistiche indagate
Mobility and Individual Choices in Turbulent Times - an Overview
No full textThe automotive industry and the mobility sector are experiencing turbulent times, where the intertwining effects of both endogenous and exogenous phenomena are swiftly changing the rules of the game. The rise of innovative technologies and business models, the shift from the concept of ownership to that of use and an unprecedented awareness of sustainability-related issues are all dimensions that are likely to change the way individuals conceive mobility and choose between different options available. Now more than ever, it is crucial for automakers willing to get an edge over competitors (both inside and outside the car industry) to gain further insights on the demand side. That is, shedding light on the behavioural and psychological determinants of individual choices in the domain of mobility, being this a pre-requisite for the implementation of effective corporate strategies. The chapter i) illustrates the role that variables such as attitudes, values or habits play in shaping individual behaviours and ii) focuses in the survey-based empirical appendix on electrification from the point of view of demand, highlighting perceptions, attitudes and hindrances that linger on such envisaged change of paradigm
Biofuels in Europe: Overview and features of a new industry
No full textBiofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel hold promises of becoming a strategic renewable energy source, achieving at once multiple and broad goals such as the security of supply, the mitigation of climate change through lower emissions of GHG in the atmosphere and the rise of new business opportunities in both the agricultural and industrial sector. However, a set of question marks emerge as many believe that biofuels are not able to achieve such ambitious goals, so that the paper will investigate hot issues such as the competition for land or the GHG savings actually achieved in Europe thanks to the shift to biofuels. Current progress in the use of biofuels is assessed, as well as the policies that are being implemented to support the young industry (mainly, excise reduction and blending obligations). The core of the paper is represented however by the analysis of the industrial structure of the European biofuel industry, with a specific focus on biodiesel, highlighting the groups of actors, their features and interactions, as well as overlaps and synergies with other sectors such as sugar, oil, chemicals and so on
Energy and economic performance of novel integrated gasifier fuel cell (IGFC) cycles with carbon capture
No full textThis work analyzes the efficiency and economic performance of different configurations of a coal-fed integrated gasification fuel cell (IGFC) plant with CO2 capture. Our analysis evaluates novel configurations, providing a detailed economic assessment for each case.The plants studied here are based on a pressurized solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) based power cycle integrated with a Shell coal gasifier. The design variations focus on syngas cleaning and pre-processing upstream of the SOFC power island. In particular, we have designed, simulated and optimized three main system configurations; two with a partial methanation process upstream of the SOFC ('TREMP' and 'HICOM' cases, respectively) and one without ('DIRECT' case). Depending on the specific plant layout, carbon capture is accomplished either before or after the SOFC power island, or both.The best performance, both thermodynamic and economic, was achieved by the HICOM case, whose coal-to-electricity conversion efficiency is ~55% (lower heating value, LHV, basis). Note that this paper is meant to supplant the preliminary results presented in Lanzini et al. (2012). ?????? 2014 Elsevier Ltd
Inside the black box of responsible consumers: Novel perspectives from an integrative literature review
No full textAs consumers represent a key actor for the success of businesses implementing socially responsible strategies, companies need to gain further insights on the determinants of responsible behaviors. In this study, we provide a contribution to the ongoing debate on responsible consumers by means of an integrative literature review, which analyzes a set of competing models mainly from social psychology and marketing. Stemming from this preliminary analysis of the existing evidence, we develop a new conceptual model, that is, a framework based on (i) a flexible setting of the boundaries of analysis, (ii) a broader lens taking into account interrelations across behaviors, and (iii) a dynamic approach. The framework, for which an exemplary use is illustrated, represents the basis for advancing a rich agenda for future research. The latter is aimed at overcoming current criticalities in responsible consumer research, and it develops around the need for an integrative, dynamic, and cross-cultural approach on the one hand, and the elaboration of new perspectives on single antecedents, on the other
Biofuels Policy in Europe under the Directive 2003/30: An Analysis of Goals, Hindrances, Instruments and Effects
No full textUp to 2008/2009, biofuels were considered one of the best alternatives to oil consumption in a captive market like transports, being one of the pillars of the 20-20-20 initiative in Europe. Improvement of security of supply through partial substitution of imported oil; reduction of GHGs emissions; improvement of income and employment in the agricultural and rural sectors were the main drivers of the promotion of biofuels in Europe, as well as in the United States and in Brazil. In the European Union biofuels policy was supported through Directive 2003/30. However its effects proved to be disappointing: the consumption of biofuels was expected by the Directive to account for 5.75% share of road fuels in 2010 in the European MSs, but it came early clear that such a target could not be met. Above all, consensus about biofuels decreased sharply when their ability to strongly decrease overall GHGs emissions was questioned, and when they were blamed of being the main responsible of the 2007-2008 food price increase. Finally, a new Directive was approved on April 23rd, 2009, including the request of various certifications to prove the sustainability of biofuels. The paper deals deeply with the biofuel experience in Europe, providing a general analysis of the 2003/30 Directive. It includes an evaluation of the difficulties met in satisfying the requested targets, an assessment of the MSs policies to support biofuels, and a discussion about the main features of the (failed) birth of a new industry
From techno-centrism to socio-centrism: The evolution of principles for urban sustainable mobility
No full textThe study aims to identify the evolution of perspectives on sustainable urban mobility and the principles that have emerged. Despite the burgeoning of interest in and contributions to sustainable mobility, the debate on its underlying principles has remained peripheral. The overwhelming focus has been on micro-dynamics and the need for comprehensive perspectives has been underestimated. Principles are crucial whenever there are conflicting policy objectives. Indeed, sustainable mobility practices primarily address obvious emergencies, whose priorities are undisputed. However, once these emergencies have passed, heterogeneous stakeholders may express different priorities for secondary problems, so that the priorities themselves need to be defined through a political process. Such a process requires an in-depth thought on principles. Through a systematic literature review on peer-reviewed journal articles and proceedings from 1996 to 2018, this study highlights two main perspectives that have shaped the way sustainability in urban mobility management is conceived today: planning versus strategy oriented. We then identify a set of principles that have gained center-stage in the debate on urban mobility and that, in our view, show how the debate has evolved: socio-centrism, participatory planning, systemic evaluation of financial sustainability, and integrated mobility management. The new perspective privileges a holistic approach. A pivotal role is played by the social dimension, whereas technical and economic evaluations assume a different role in the political process of priority definition
Enhanced biomass-to-liquid (BTL) conversion process through high temperature co-electrolysis in a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC)
No full textPolito SFX(opens in a new window)|Full Text(opens in a new window)| Export | Download | Add to List | More... Fuel Volume 145, 1 April 2015, Pages 39-49 Enhanced biomass-to-liquid (BTL) conversion process through high temperature co-electrolysis in a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) (Article) Pozzo, M. , Lanzini, A., Santarelli, M. Department of Energy (DENERG), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, Torino, Italy View references (33) Abstract A novel process design of a plant integrating a dimethyl ether (DME) synthesis unit with a woody biomass gasifier and a high-temperature co-electrolysis unit is proposed and analysed in this study. The plant foresees a two-stage gasifier that produces a CO2-rich syngas, which is further upgraded to a product gas with a higher energy content through a high temperature co-electrolysis section consisting of a solid oxide electrolysis cell (SOEC) module. The energy system analysis of the whole process was developed, also taking into account the kinetic mechanisms for the syngas conversion to DME in a catalytic reactor. The calculated biomass-to-liquid (BTL) plant efficiency is 69.5% (LHV) with specific productivity of 0.86 kgDME/kgbiomass. This is a productivity two-fold higher than what achieved in conventional BTL plants operating without the electrochemical enhancement ste
The automotive industry and the increasing relevance of a consumer perspective: a research agenda
No full textThe deep transformations occurring in transports and mobility call for automakers and other actors in the automotive industry to gain further insights on the mechanisms underpinning behaviours of commuters, which represent the key-actor in determining the success or failure of any industrial initiative or public policy in the sector. The present article provides a detailed overview of the state-of-the-art of research on the determinants of car use, identifying relevant gaps of knowledge and advancing a research agenda to overcome the limitations of current studies hindering their effectiveness in providing a valuable informational background on which to build sound strategies
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