1,721,789 research outputs found
Effective bioeconomy policies for the uptake of innovative technologies under resource constraints
No full textThe bioeconomy is a shared vision for a future European industry entirely based on organic matter. Authorities support this technological development with subsidies and policies stimulating R&D. One major limitation for the bioeconomy is that R&D and industrial growth require the continuous availability of biomass as a primary resource. This resource dependence is already present during the formative years of new biobased innovations and influences the pilot and demonstration phase of the development. Traditionally, it is assumed that public support for pilot and demonstration initiatives may overcome this hurdle. In this paper, we investigate how this resource constraint limits the effectiveness of bioeconomy policies. The future development of the biobased sector is simulated including the inherent dependence of industrial activity on biomass. We simulate the future growth and technological diversity of an emerging biotechnological sector: the sector of manure transformation in Belgium. The paper reports the evolutions for three policy scenarios. The model explicitly accounts for endogenous innovation and knowledge transfer mechanisms. The results show that policies may have an important impact on the sector structure in the long run, but the sector growth remains ultimately constrained by the availability of inputs. So bioeconomy policies to promote innovation will be less effective, unless mechanisms are included to alleviate the resource constraint
Market power and sustainability : a new research agenda
No full textPerfectly operating markets only exist in theory. Market failures are known to not only inhibit the proper functioning of the market, but also affect sustainability and thus a sustainability transition. In this regard, much attention has been paid to externalities or missing markets, even though these are not the only market failures. In this paper, we argue that market power and its relationship with sustainability has been neglected, despite the fact that, back in 1931, Hotelling indicated the connection between the two concepts. However, research that has been dealing with this connection has not been comprehensive and has only looked at one aspect of sustainability and market power. Due to the rising relevance of market power as well as of sustainability concerns, the connection between the two deserves thorough attention. Accordingly, we propose initiating a new interdisciplinary research agenda to comprehensively analyze the complex relationship between market power and sustainability
Multilevel and multi-user sustainability assessment of farming systems (vol 32, pg 170, 2012)
No full textHow do Western European farms behave and respond to Climate Change? A Simultaneous Irrigation-Crop Decision Model
No full textMost farm adaptations are reactive actions that run the risk of locking farm systems into suboptimal long-term trajectories. This is especially the case with regard to water management as water scarcity will be aggravated by climate change. This paper looks into farm irrigation choices in combination with crop choices because a proper crop choice has the potential to reduce water requirements. It proposes an extended Ricardian model to capture multiple adaptation decisions explicitly. The new simultaneous irrigation-crop farm decision model uses spatially detailed farm-level data of over 18,000 European farms on irrigation and seven different crop choices. The analysis shows that larger farmers and farmers in less water-scarce regions that use irrigation are more sensitive to temperature increases than rain-fed agriculture. This might be explained by the fact that these farmers do not experience the real cost of water scarcity because of which they take less efficient decisions
Recycled Content als beleidsinstrument: internationale wetgevingsvoorbeelden en verdere ontwikkeling.
No full textRecycled Content werd als beleidsinstrument ontwikkeld als reactie op het groeiende aanbod gerecycleerd materiaal. Recycled content standaarden sporen producenten aan om gerecycleerd materiaal te gebruiken bij het vervaardigen van hun producten. De betreffende standaarden werden in het verleden dikwijls bij wet bekrachtigd. De laatste jaren valt er binnen Europa echter een verschuiving op te merken naar vrijwillig overeengekomen standaarden. De studie geeft een uitgebreid overzicht van internationale recycled content wet- en regelgeving. Daarnaast wordt er aandacht besteed aan recycled content in de context van groene overheidsaankopen, een context waarin wettelijke implementatie interressant lijkt te zijn en veelvuldig wordt toegepast. De studie geeft verder punten van kritiek aan die in de wetenschappelijke literatuur worden opgelijst in verband met command-and-control wetgeving. Hiermee rekening houdende, worden er tot slot enkele aanbevelingen gedaan waar rekening mee gehouden zou moeten worden wanneer er wordt overgegaan tot een eventuele implementatie in Vlaanderen.SuMM
Market Power Extended: From Foucault to Meadows
No full textMarket power is a complex matter that is approximated with quantitative indicators within economics. However, these indicators may not fully capture market power, or they may fail to identify it, although it may be present. Moreover, a quantitative approach restricts market power as a concept, impeding the ability to discuss its relationship with other concepts, such as sustainability. This paper extends the definition of market power, following Foucault’s understanding of power and the associated theoretical discussions of power from different disciplines. We extended Foucault’s work by including systems thinking to capture the importance of the prevalent system’s paradigm, which is the ultimate initiator of action. Apart from distinguishing different elements of power, we also integrate an instrumental view on the elements of power. The developed frame allows us to understand the dynamic character of power as a force that strives to maintain or ameliorate the position of the paradigm that it serves. Based on this frame, we outline how this extended understanding of power can be used to analyze market power itself, and its relation with sustainabilityThis research was performed within the frame of the HORIZON 2020 project SUFISA with the grant agreement number 635577
Are Smart Grids the Holy Grail of Future Grid Mix? Economic, Environmental, and Regulatory Opportunities for Smart Grid Development in Northwestern Europe
No full textHet potentieel van algen-bioraffinaderijen in België en India
No full textEen algen-bioraffinaderij kan een duurzaam alternatief vormen voor producten gebaseerd op fossiele brandstoffen. Om dit te realiseren is het cruciaal om de technologische, economische en milieu-gerelateerde haalbaarheid te onderzoeken door middel van één geïntegreerde methode. Uit die analyse blijkt dat een algen-bioraffinaderij waarbij gebruik gemaakt wordt van vijvers voor de groei en een membraan voor een pre-oogststap, het meeste potentieel bezit
Het potentieel van algen-bioraffinaderijen in België en India
No full textEen algen-bioraffinaderij kan een duurzaam alternatief vormen voor producten gebaseerd op fossiele brandstoffen. Om dit te realiseren is het cruciaal om de technologische, economische en milieu-gerelateerde haalbaarheid te onderzoeken door middel van één geïntegreerde methode. Uit die analyse blijkt dat een algen-bioraffinaderij waarbij gebruik gemaakt wordt van vijvers voor de groei en een membraan voor een pre-oogststap, het meeste potentieel bezit
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