40 research outputs found
Water footprint of Kenya's electricity system from 2016 to 2021
No full textLAUREA MAGISTRALELo sfruttamento delle risorse naturali nel mondo dipende dall'esistenza di altre risorse naturali. L'interdipendenza tra le risorse naturali del mondo giustifica la necessità di considerarle e, se possibile, gestirle non in modo isolato, ma come un sistema interconnesso per poter evitare efficacemente i problemi causati dalla loro cattiva gestione. In particolare, l'interconnessione tra le risorse energetiche (elettricità) e le risorse idriche ha suscitato l'interesse e la ricerca di scienziati di tutto il mondo, portando alla formulazione del termine "nesso elettricità-acqua". Il Kenia è un Paese che deve far fronte alla scarsità d'acqua e metà della sua popolazione non ha accesso ad acqua sicura e sufficiente per uso domestico. Nonostante ciò, il Kenia non ha beneficiato di studi relativi al nesso elettricità-acqua che sono orientati alla comprensione e al miglioramento della gestione delle risorse idriche. L'obiettivo di questo studio è quindi quello di analizzare l'uso dell'acqua nell'intero sistema elettrico del Kenia per fornire un punto di partenza per l'ottimizzazione dell'uso dell'acqua nel settore e per cercare di informare il piano del governo del Kenia di aumentare la quota rinnovabile del consumo di elettricità all'80% dell'elettricità totale generata nel Paese entro il 2030.
Per raggiungere questo obiettivo, il presente studio analizza innanzitutto lo status quo del sistema elettrico del Kenia dal 2016 al 2020, con l'obiettivo di stabilire la quantità di elettricità consumata all'interno dei confini del Kenia. In secondo luogo, viene effettuata una stima dell'utilizzo di acqua dovuto all'elettricità consumata in Kenia. Ciò è possibile applicando il concetto di impronta idrica, che è un indicatore della quantità di acqua dolce consumata da un'unità di prodotto o servizio. L'elettricità in Kenia è il prodotto oggetto di questo studio e la sua impronta idrica è stimata in unità di m3/MWh o m3/GWh in un determinato periodo di tempo, ad esempio un anno. Successivamente si procede alla stima della quantità di flusso di acqua virtuale legata all'elettricità tra il Kenia e i Paesi limitrofi, applicando ancora una volta il concetto di impronta idrica. L'obiettivo di questa fase è identificare i principali protagonisti in termini di scambi di elettricità tra i Paesi limitrofi del Kenia e cercare di farsi un'idea dell'impatto ambientale che il Kenia ha sui suoi vicini e viceversa.
Le variazioni annuali del consumo di energia elettrica osservate dal 2016 al 2020 in Kenia mostrano un aumento complessivo di circa il 16% con una variazione individuale di +5843% per le fonti solari, +2259% per le fonti eoliche, +13% per le fonti geotermiche, +8% per le fonti idroelettriche, -48% per le fonti termiche e -78% per le fonti di biomassa. La corrispondente tendenza dell'impronta idrica dell'elettricità in Kenia mostra un'enorme oscillazione, ma con un leggero calo del suo valore complessivo da 39 m3/MWh (392 MCM) nel 2016 a 37 m3/MWh (426 MCM) nel 2020. Si tratta di una variazione del -7% nell'impronta idrica e di una variazione del +9% nell'uso annuale complessivo di acqua. Se si considerano le proiezioni energetiche per il 2030, si prevede che la produzione di elettricità in Kenia crescerà di circa il 42%, con un intervallo di confidenza del 95%. La tendenza corrispondente dell'impronta idrica e dell'uso complessivo annuo di acqua del consumo di elettricità è stimata ridursi rispettivamente del 30% e del 46%. Questa riduzione è dovuta all'ambizioso piano del governo di spostare il mix energetico all'80% di energie rinnovabili entro il 2030.
Questa ricerca propone la necessità di ridurre il predominio dell'energia idroelettrica e di promuovere altre fonti rinnovabili non idroelettriche per il loro evidente vantaggio di ridurre al minimo la pressione sulle risorse idriche. Questo studio dimostra anche come i modelli dei flussi di elettricità e i corrispondenti flussi di acqua virtuale tra il Kenia e i Paesi limitrofi siano alla base della predominanza degli scambi tra Kenia e Uganda rispetto agli altri Paesi in tutti i periodi di studio. Si propone quindi lo sviluppo di un quadro di riferimento per gli scambi di energia elettrica che dia una direzione più informata verso scambi futuri migliori e consapevoli, con le esigenze idriche di entrambi i Paesi al centro delle considerazioni. Alcuni degli sviluppi futuri previsti per questa ricerca includono la definizione di fattori di intensità idrica più precisi per tutti gli impianti di produzione di energia elettrica in Kenia, l'inclusione nel calcolo dell'impronta idrica futura degli impianti idroelettrici fluviali, l'inclusione delle perdite di energia durante la fase di trasmissione dell'energia elettrica nel calcolo dell'impronta idrica, l'inclusione dell'impronta idrica verde e grigia e l'avvio di un esercizio di ottimizzazione per stabilire il mix ideale che darà i migliori risultati di impronta idrica per il sistema elettrico in Kenia.Harnessing of natural resources around the world is dependent on the existence of other natural resources. The interdependence between the world’s natural resources warrants the need to view them and if possible manage them not in isolation but as an interconnected system to be able to effectively steer away from problems caused by their poor management. Specifically, the interlinkages between energy resources (electricity) and water resources has led to interests and research by scientists around the world leading to the formulation of the term electricity-water nexus. Kenya is a country facing water scarcity with half of its population lacking adequate access to safe and sufficient water for domestic use. Despite this, Kenya has not benefited from studies related to electricity-water nexus which are geared towards understanding and improving the management of water resources. The focus of this study is therefore to analyze the water use in Kenya’s entire electricity system in order to provide a starting point for water use optimization in the sector and to try and inform the government of Kenya’s plan to increase its renewable portion of electricity consumption to 80% of the total electricity generated in the country by 2030.
This is achieved in this study by first analyzing the status quo of Kenya’s electricity system yearly from 2016 to 2020 with the aim of establishing the quantity of electricity consumed within the borders of Kenya. Secondly, the estimation of water use due to the electricity consumed in Kenya is undertaken. This is accomplished with the application of the water footprint concept which is an indicator of amount of freshwater consumed by a unit amount of a product or service. Electricity in Kenya is the product of focus in this study and its water footprint is estimated in units m3/MWh or m3/GWh in a specified amount of time say year. Next is the estimation of the amount of electricity related virtual water flow between Kenya and its neighboring countries with the application of the water footprint concept once again. The aim of this step is to identify the main protagonists in terms of electricity exchanges among the neighboring countries of Kenya and to try and get an idea of how much environmental impact Kenya is having on its neighbors and vice versa.
The annual electricity consumption changes seen from the year 2016 to 2020 in Kenya shows an overall increase of approximately 16% with an individual change of +5843% for solar sources, +2259% for wind sources, +13% for geothermal sources, +8% for hydropower sources, -48% percent for thermal sources and -78% for biomass sources. The corresponding trend of water footprint of electricity in Kenya displays a huge oscillation but with a slight decline in its overall value from 39 m3/MWh (392 MCM) in the year 2016 to 37 m3/MWh (426 MCM) in 2020. This is a -7% change in the water footprint and a +9% change in overall annual water use. Looking at the 2030 energy projections, Kenya’s electricity generation is projected to grow by about 42% from with a 95% confidence interval. The corresponding trend of water footprint and overall annual water use of electricity consumption respectively is estimated to reduce by 30% and 46%. This reduction is due to the ambitious plan by the government to shift the energy mix to 80% renewable energy by 2030.
This research proposes the need to carb the dominance of hydroelectricity and to promote other non-hydro renewable sources of electricity due to their apparent benefit of minimal pressure on water resources. This study also demonstrates how the patterns of electricity flows and the corresponding virtual water flow between Kenya and its neighboring countries and underpins the dominance of exchanges between Kenya and Uganda as compared to other countries in all the study periods. It therefore proposes the development of an electricity exchange framework that will give a better-informed direction towards better and informed future exchanges with water needs of both countries at the center of considerations. Some of the proposed future developments anticipated for this research include establishment of more precise water intensity factors for all electricity generation plants in Kenya, inclusion of river based hydroelectric plants future water footprint calculation, incorporation of energy losses during electricity transmission phase to water footprint calculations, inclusion of green and grey water footprints and the undertaking of an optimization problem exercise to establish the ideal mix that will give the best water footprint results for the electricity system in Kenya
Nurses Experiences of Patient Safety in a Home Care Setting : A Literature Review
No full textThe prevalence of problems of sensory impairments, reduced mobility, and age-related conditions among home care residents present the concern for patients’ safety within the home care setting. The purpose of this thesis was to review the experiences of home care nurses regarding patient safety.
This literature review study was implemented with a focus on reviewing the experiences of home care nurses regarding patient safety in a home care setting. The keywords used for the data search were: “Nurse experience” OR “Nurse perspective”, AND “Patient Safety”, AND “Home Care” OR “Home health care” OR “Domiciliary care” OR “Home-based care” OR “Hospital-at-home care” “patient safety”, with the search conducted on PubMed, Google Scholar, and CINAHL. A total of 10 articles were used after the data selection process.
The findings showed that the approaches to ensuring patient safety in a home care setting are avoiding medication errors, implementing interventions in healthcare environmental hygiene (HEH), and implementing fall prevention strategies. This thesis recommends further research on nurses’ experiences through ethnographic studies in underrepresented regions
Soil Organic Carbon Stock Dynamics as Influenced by Land Use, Elevation, and Management Practices: A Case Study of the Eastern Slopes of Mount Kenya
No full textEducation in Kenya: Contemporary Situation and New Tendencies at the Beginning of the XXI Century
No full textThe article considers the present situation on the different educational levels in Kenya. Despite of the government efforts one could hardly mark visual successes. The author considers traditional means to be the best in improving the quality of education
The affordability of school textbooks in Kenya: Consumer experiences in the transforming to a liberalising economy
No full textABSTRACT The growth of educational publishing in Kenya depends heavily on the disposable income of its customers. This article looks at the incomes of both actual and potential customers and how they prioritise their spending. The findings are based on research carried out in Kenya by the author. In selecting the areas to conduct the research, socio-economic factors, geographical conditions and level of development were considered. It was found that most textbook purchasers think that textbooks are very expensive in comparison with their own incomes. This has therefore led them to prioritise basic essential needs before thinking of purchasing textbooks
Образование в Кении: состояние и новые тенденции в начале XXI века
No full textThe article considers the present situation on the different educational levels in Kenya. Despite of the government efforts one could hardly mark visual successes. The author considers traditional means to be the best in improving the quality of education.В статье рассматривается ситуация, сложившаяся на всех уровнях образования в Кении. Несмотря на усилия правительства, видимых успехов пока не наблюдается. Выход из сложившейся ситуации видится в использовании традиционных мер, способствующих улучшению образования
Climate Change as a Double-Edged Sword: Exploring the Potential of Environmental Recovery to Foster Stability in Darfur, Sudan
No full textThe Darfur conflict, which emerged in the early 21st century, represents a multifaceted crisis driven by socio-political and environmental factors, with resource scarcity, exacerbated by climate change, playing a pivotal role in intensifying tensions between agricultural and pastoral communities. While climate change is typically associated with adverse environmental outcomes, an analysis of data spanning four decades (1980–2023) reveals a contrasting trend of increased precipitation, enhanced vegetation, and decreased drought frequency in recent years. This research explores the potential of these positive environmental changes to mitigate resource-based conflicts and foster political stability in Darfur as improved environmental conditions are posited to create a foundation for conflict resolution and sustainable peacebuilding. The present study integrates trends in the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) to examine these shifts. EVI data, derived from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) at a 250 m resolution, was used to assess large-scale vegetation patterns in arid and semi-arid landscapes. The Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model was employed to forecast future precipitation scenarios up to the year 2034, enhancing the understanding of long-term climatic trends. Data processing and analysis utilized advanced tools, including Google Earth Engine (GEE), ArcGIS Pro (version 3.4), and R software (version 4.3.2). The findings reveal a significant (33.19%) improvement in natural vegetation cover between 2000 and 2023, with degraded and unchanged areas accounting for 1.95% and 64.86%, respectively. This finding aligns with a marked increase in annual precipitation and a reduction in drought intensity over the study period. Historical SPEI analysis showed persistent drought events between 1980 and 2012, followed by a notable decline in drought frequency and severity from 2013 to 2024. Precipitation projections suggest a stable trend, potentially supporting further vegetation recovery in the region. These environmental improvements are preliminarily linked to climate-change-induced increases in precipitation and reductions in drought severity. This study’s findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of the interplay between environmental dynamics and socio-political stability in Darfur, offering actionable insights for policy interventions aimed at fostering sustainable peace and resilience in the region
Historical and projected forest cover changes in the Mount Kenya Ecosystem: Implications for sustainable forest management
No full textUnderstanding historical patterns of forest cover change (FCC) is critical for predicting future trends and informing sustainable management strategies. This study quantified and analyzed historical and projected FCC in the Mount Kenya Ecosystem (MKE), central Kenya. Land Use Land Cover (LULC) maps for 2000, 2014, and 2023 were classified using Random Forest (RF) in Google Earth Engine (GEE). Explanatory factors of LULC change (slope, aspect, population density, proximity to rivers, roads, and towns) were used to project LULC for 2035 using Cellular Automata and Markov Chain Analysis (CA-MCA).
Six LULC types (open forest, closed forest, cropland, bareland, built-up, shrubland and grassland) were successfully classified with accuracies exceeding 82.5% and Kappa coefficients above 0.77. Between 2000 and 2023, open forest (+201.12 km2), cropland (+218 km2), bareland (+290.09 km2), and built-up areas (+0.27 km2) expanded, while closed forest (−141.55 km2) and shrubland and grassland (−567.93 km2) declined. An overall Kappa coefficient value of 0.78 and an accuracy of 82% indicated good results for LULC statistics and projected map for 2035. LULC projections for the year 2035 under the Business as Usual (BAU) scenario suggest continued expansion of cropland (+174.70 km2), built-up areas (+0.49 km2), and open forest (+471.72 km2), with declines in closed forest (−423.53 km2) and shrubland and grassland (−357.79 km2).
These results highlight the ongoing pressures on the MKE's biodiversity and ecosystem services. The study's methods offer a replicable framework for assessing FCC in similar ecosystems to inform evidence-based conservation and land management policies
A Comprehensive Framework for Forest Restoration after Forest Fires in Theory and Practice: A Systematic Review
No full textIncidences of forest fires have increased in recent decades largely as a result of climate change and human factors, resulting in great environmental and socioeconomic losses. Post-fire forest restoration is therefore indispensable for maintaining forest ecological integrity and for the sustainability of the affected forest landscapes. In this study, we conduct a systematic review of the available literature on forest restoration in the past two decades (2002–2022) and propose a comprehensive framework for consideration in forest restoration after the occurrence of forest fires. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) model was adopted for this study, where three academic literature databases (Scopus, CAB Direct, Web of Science), the Google Scholar search engine, and specialized websites were used for literature searches. A final list of 36 records from the initial 732 was considered for this study after the screening stage and subsequent inclusion/exclusion of articles as per the stipulated eligibility criteria. The study findings reveal a dearth of information in the field of post-fire forest restoration in an integrated, balanced, and comprehensive manner, as there was no single methodology or unified protocol that guides post-fire forest restoration. There was also a notable bias in the geographical distribution of the relevant studies in restoration as influenced by economic prosperity, political stability, and scientific and technical advancement. This study recommends a 6-criteria comprehensive framework with 29 indicators for post-fire forest restoration based on the reviewed studies. The criteria integrate environmental, economic, social, cultural and aesthetic, management, infrastructure, and education objectives in their design and implementation for better outcomes in achieving the restoration goals
Visibility and Citation Impact
No full textThe number of publications is the first criteria for assessing a researcher output. However, the main measurement for author productivity is the number of citations, and citations are typically related to the paper's visibility. In this paper, the relationship between article visibility and the number of citations is investigated. A case study of two researchers who are using publication marketing tools confirmed that the article visibility will greatly improve the citation impact. Some strategies to make the publications available to a larger audience have been presented at the end of this paper
