1,720,961 research outputs found
Efficiency and allocation of emission allowances and energy consumption over more sustainable European economies
No full textEfficient use of energy, reduction in fossil fuel dependence and control of CO2 emissions are all fundamental
to development of a sustainable economy. Competitiveness in energy use saves imports of oil and
gas, increases gross domestic product and creates new jobs in the renewable energy and energy efficiency
sectors. This study identifies the more or less competitive European Union member states in terms
of sustainable growth, using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model, and proposes new allocations of
country greenhouse gas limits and energy consumption, using a Zero Sum Gains DEA model. The analysis
of European countries fills a gap in the existing literature and contributes to the discussion on the 2020
e2030 European strategy, proposing an efficiency-based indicator which measures country performance
in terms of economic, social and environmental factors: GDP represents the economic factor, population
represents the social factor, and emissions, final and renewable energy consumption are the environmental
factors. The numerical results show that the initial allocations are inefficient. Applying the
modelled reallocation, the most efficient countries are “rewarded” by potential increases in emission and
energy consumption, while the least efficient countries must bring about decreases to achieve full
efficiency
A profitability analysis of small-scale plants for biomethane injection into the gas grid
No full textBiomethane is a promising renewable energy carrier with the potential to diversify and decarbonise
natural gas. It is produced from a range of waste sources and can be distributed into the natural gas grid
or used as a vehicle fuel or converted into in cogeneration units. The economic evaluation of small plants
for biomethane injection into the gas grid is not well defined in literature. This paper proposes a
mathematical and economic model useful to evaluate the profitability of these plants in according to
Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) method. The indicators used are Net Present Value (NPV), Discounted
Payback Time (DPBT), Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Profitability Index (PI). The baseline case studies
analyse three different small-scale sizes (50m3/h, 100m3/h and 150m3/h) concerning two typologies of
substrates (organic fraction of municipal solid waste (ofmsw) and a mixture of maize and manure residues).
Results define that the profitability is verified only for 150m3/h ofmsw plant in baseline case
study (NPV is 615,694 V, DPBT is 3 y, IRR is 33% and PI is 0.18). Furthermore, alternative case studies are
conducted on the main critical variables (subsidies, investment costs of biogas production, transport
costs of substrates and percentage of maintenance and overhead costs in biogas production). The economic
feasibility can be reached in the following case studies: 100m3/h ofmsw plant in sensitivity
analysis, 50m3/h ofmsw plant in scenario analysis, 150m3/h mixed plant in scenario analysis with a new
incentive scheme and 100m3/h manure residues plant in scenario analysis. The biomethane can
contribute to develop the circular economy recovering a wide range of waste
Environmental performance versus economic-financial performance: Evidence from Italian firms
No full textThe aim of the study is to evaluate the economic-financial performance of a sample of 236 Italian companies in relation to their environmental performance, measured in terms of CO2 emissions normalized by company turnover. In addition to the company’s economic management, the analysis also considers the equity structure and company liquidity, over a period of 6 years (2008-2013). The analysis involves the creation of four maps of positioning, serving to represent the companies of the sample in relation to their different attitudes: (i) Green efficiency, (ii) operational efficiency, (iii) company profitability, (iv) financial viability, (v) company liquidity. The examination of positioning maps also serves in identifying extreme cases, meaning the totally inefficient and the “virtuous” companies, and for conducting sectoral analyses to evaluate potential relations between company performances and the characteristics of their industrial sector
Examining the effect of managing GHG emissions on business performance
No full textUnprecedented climate changes menace not only the planetary ecosystem, but also the stability of the global economy. The European Union has for years promoted the transition of the economy towards a model of sustainable development, stimulating companies to adopt a strategic approach based on quality and environmental efficiency, rather than on quantity and reduction of costs. The aim of this study is to analyze how greater attention to the environmental effects of a company’s activities (environmental management) and monitoring and reduction of CO2 emissions (emission management) can improve the company’s economic performance. We analyze the financial data and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission figures for a sample of large Italian companies, searching for potential relations between increasing returns on capital invested and the reduction of pollutants. The results show that the companies examined are ever more attentive to environmental policies, and that those with a green vision achieve better operating performance
Economic Feasibility for Recycling of Waste Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Modules
Full text linkCumulative photovoltaic (PV) power installed in 2016 was equal to 305 GW. Five countries (China, Japan, Germany, the USA, and Italy) shared about 70% of the global power. End-of-life (EoL) management of waste PV modules requires alternative strategies than landfill, and recycling is a valid option. Technological solutions are already available in the market and environmental benefits are highlighted by the literature, while economic advantages are not well defined. The aim of this paper is investigating the financial feasibility of crystalline silicon (Si) PV module-recycling processes. Two well-known indicators are proposed for a reference 2000 tons plant: net present value (NPV) and discounted payback period (DPBT). NPV/size is equal to −0.84 €/kg in a baseline scenario. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis is conducted, in order to improve the solidity of the obtained results. NPV/size varies from −1.19 €/kg to −0.50 €/kg. The absence of valuable materials plays a key role, and process costs are the main critical variables
Examining the effect of managing GHG emissions on business performance
No full textUnprecedented climate changes menace not only the planetary ecosystem, but also the stability of the global economy. The European Union has for years promoted the transition of the economy towards a model of sustainable development, stimulating companies to adopt a strategic approach based on quality and environmental efficiency, rather than on quantity and reduction of costs. The aim of this study is to analyze how greater attention to the environmental effects of a company's activities (environmental management) and monitoring and reduction of CO2 emissions (emission management) can improve the company's economic performance. We analyze the financial data and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission figures for a sample of large Italian companies, searching for potential relations between increasing returns on capital invested and the reduction of pollutants. The results show that the companies examined are ever more attentive to environmental policies, and that those with a green vision achieve better operating performance. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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