Study and modeling of the desintegration kinetics of coated paper

The disintegration of recovered paper is the first operation in the preparation of recycled pulp. It is known that the defibering process follows a first order kinetics from which it is possible to obtain the disintegration kinetic constant (KD) by means of different ways. The disintegration constant can be obtained from the Somerville index results (%lsv and from the dissipated energy per volume unit (Ss). The %slv is related to the quantity of non-defibrated paper, as a measure of the non-disintegrated fiber residual (percentage of flakes), which is expressed in disintegration time units. In this work, disintegration kinetics from recycled coated paper has been evaluated, working at 20 revise rotor speed and for different fiber consistency (6, 8, 10, 12 and 14%). The results showed that the values of experimental disintegration kinetic constant, Ko, through the analysis of Somerville index, as function of time. Increased, the disintegration time was drastically reduced. The calculation of the disintegration kinetic constant (modelled Ko), extracted from the Rayleigh’s dissipation function, showed a good correlation with the experimental values using the evolution of the Somerville index or with the dissipated energy

Energy-momentum tensor for scalar fields coupled to the dilaton in two dimensions

We clarify some issues related to the evaluation of the mean value of the energy-momentum tensor for quantum scalar fields coupled to the dilaton field in two-dimensional gravity. Because of this coupling, the energy-momentum tensor for matter is not conserved and therefore it is not determined by the trace anomaly. We discuss different approximations for the calculation of the energy-momentum tensor and show how to obtain the correct amount of Hawking radiation. We also compute cosmological particle creation and quantum corrections to the Newtonian potential.

The reform of the European Energy Tax Directive reform : effect on prices

[spa] Para hacer frente a los riesgos relacionados con la contaminación atmosférica, es ampliamente aceptada la necesidad de instrumentos de política encaminados a reducir las emisiones. La intervención tiene por objeto reducir las conductas contaminantes y incentivar una conducta más respetuosa y el uso de tecnologías más eficientes. La Unión Europea cuenta con dos importantes mecanismos económicos para el control de emisiones a escala europea: la directiva sobre los impuestos energéticos, un instrumento de fiscalidad ambiental aprobado en 2003 que afecta el precio de los productos energéticos, y el sistema de comercio de los derechos de emisiones, introducido en 2005, que afecta directamente a la cantidad de emisiones de CO2. En 2011, la Comisión Europea propuso una nueva versión de la directiva sobre los impuestos energéticos. El objetivo principal de la propuesta es aumentar la eficacia del instrumento a través de una mayor presión fiscal sobre los productos energéticos y de coordinar este instrumento de fiscalidad medioambiental con el sistema de comercio de los derechos de emisiones, para establecer una señal de precio de CO2 coherente para todos los sectores. Sin embargo, en mayo de 2012 el Parlamento Europeo bloqueó la propuesta de la nueva versión del impuesto, y el proceso de actualización se detuvo. La preocupación principal parecía ser el efecto de dicha propuesta en la competitividad, en particular para los sectores que serían los más afectados dado el uso intensivo de los productos energéticos, como el sector del transporte. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar el efecto que la reforma de la directiva sobre los impuestos energéticos podría tener sobre el nivel de precios, en particular en los países de la Unión Europea donde esta reforma implicaría un aumento de los impuestos energéticos. Utilizando datos del proyecto “World Input-Output Database”, la principal conclusión es que el nuevo sistema de impuestos energéticos tendría un impacto muy bajo sobre los precios. Por lo tanto, dado que los precios no serían fuertemente afectados por la reforma, no habrá inconvenientes para la competitividad y implicaciones en términos de distribución, pero, por otro lado, este resultado también implica una baja capacidad de esta reforma para provocar cambios en el consumo y la producción hacia menos presiones ambientales.

The reform of the European Energy Tax Directive reform : effect on prices

[spa] Para hacer frente a los riesgos relacionados con la contaminación atmosférica, es ampliamente aceptada la necesidad de instrumentos de política encaminados a reducir las emisiones. La intervención tiene por objeto reducir las conductas contaminantes y incentivar una conducta más respetuosa y el uso de tecnologías más eficientes. La Unión Europea cuenta con dos importantes mecanismos económicos para el control de emisiones a escala europea: la directiva sobre los impuestos energéticos, un instrumento de fiscalidad ambiental aprobado en 2003 que afecta el precio de los productos energéticos, y el sistema de comercio de los derechos de emisiones, introducido en 2005, que afecta directamente a la cantidad de emisiones de CO2. En 2011, la Comisión Europea propuso una nueva versión de la directiva sobre los impuestos energéticos. El objetivo principal de la propuesta es aumentar la eficacia del instrumento a través de una mayor presión fiscal sobre los productos energéticos y de coordinar este instrumento de fiscalidad medioambiental con el sistema de comercio de los derechos de emisiones, para establecer una señal de precio de CO2 coherente para todos los sectores. Sin embargo, en mayo de 2012 el Parlamento Europeo bloqueó la propuesta de la nueva versión del impuesto, y el proceso de actualización se detuvo. La preocupación principal parecía ser el efecto de dicha propuesta en la competitividad, en particular para los sectores que serían los más afectados dado el uso intensivo de los productos energéticos, como el sector del transporte. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar el efecto que la reforma de la directiva sobre los impuestos energéticos podría tener sobre el nivel de precios, en particular en los países de la Unión Europea donde esta reforma implicaría un aumento de los impuestos energéticos. Utilizando datos del proyecto “World Input-Output Database”, la principal conclusión es que el nuevo sistema de impuestos energéticos tendría un impacto muy bajo sobre los precios. Por lo tanto, dado que los precios no serían fuertemente afectados por la reforma, no habrá inconvenientes para la competitividad y implicaciones en términos de distribución, pero, por otro lado, este resultado también implica una baja capacidad de esta reforma para provocar cambios en el consumo y la producción hacia menos presiones ambientales.

The use of cost per life year gained as a measurement of cost-effectiveness in Spain: a systematic review of recent publications

The objective of this study was to evaluate the methodological characteristics of cost-effectiveness evaluations carried out in Spain, since 1990, which include LYG as an outcome to measure the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. METHODS: A systematic review of published studies was conducted describing their characteristics and methodological quality. We analyse the cost per LYG results in relation with a commonly accepted Spanish cost-effectiveness threshold and the possible relation with the cost per quality adjusted life year (QALY) gained when they both were calculated for the same economic evaluation. RESULTS: A total of 62 economic evaluations fulfilled the selection criteria, 24 of them including the cost per QALY gained result as well. The methodological quality of the studies was good (55%) or very good (26%). A total of 124 cost per LYG results were obtained with a mean ratio of 49,529 and a median of 11,490 (standard deviation of 183,080). Since 2003, a commonly accepted Spanish threshold has been referenced by 66% of studies. A significant correlation was found between the cost per LYG and cost per QALY gained results (0.89 Spearman-Rho, 0.91 Pearson). CONCLUSIONS: There is an increasing interest for economic health care evaluations in Spain, and the quality of the studies is also improving. Although a commonly accepted threshold exists, further information is needed for decision-making as well as to identify the relationship between the costs per LYG and per QALY gained.

Energy efficiency determinants: An empirical analysis of Spanish innovative firms

This paper examines the extent to which innovative Spanish firms pursue improvements in energy efficiency (EE) as an objective of innovation. The increase in energy consumption and its impact on greenhouse gas emissions justifies the greater attention being paid to energy efficiency and especially to industrial EE. The ability of manufacturing companies to innovate and improve their EE has a substantial influence on attaining objectives regarding climate change mitigation. Despite the effort to design more efficient energy policies, the EE determinants in manufacturing firms have been little studied in the empirical literature. From an exhaustive sample of Spanish manufacturing firms and using a logit model, we examine the energy efficiency determinants for those firms that have innovated. To carry out the econometric analysis, we use panel data from the Community Innovation Survey for the period 2008‐2011. Our empirical results underline the role of size among the characteristics of firms that facilitate energy efficiency innovation. Regarding company behaviour, firms that consider the reduction of environmental impacts to be an important objective of innovation and that have introduced organisational innovations are more likely to innovate with the objective of increasing energy efficiency. Keywords: energy efficiency, corporate targets, innovation, Community Innovation Survey. JEL Classification: Q40, Q55, O31

Study and modeling of the desintegration kinetics of coated paper

The disintegration of recovered paper is the first operation in the preparation of recycled pulp. It is known that the defibering process follows a first order kinetics from which it is possible to obtain the disintegration kinetic constant (KD) by means of different ways. The disintegration constant can be obtained from the Somerville index results (%lsv and from the dissipated energy per volume unit (Ss). The %slv is related to the quantity of non-defibrated paper, as a measure of the non-disintegrated fiber residual (percentage of flakes), which is expressed in disintegration time units. In this work, disintegration kinetics from recycled coated paper has been evaluated, working at 20 revise rotor speed and for different fiber consistency (6, 8, 10, 12 and 14%). The results showed that the values of experimental disintegration kinetic constant, Ko, through the analysis of Somerville index, as function of time. Increased, the disintegration time was drastically reduced. The calculation of the disintegration kinetic constant (modelled Ko), extracted from the Rayleigh’s dissipation function, showed a good correlation with the experimental values using the evolution of the Somerville index or with the dissipated energy

Empirics of the international inequality in CO2 emissions intensity: explanatory factors according to complementary decomposition methodologies

This paper analyses the international inequalities in CO2 emissions intensity for the period 1971- 2009 and assesses explanatory factors. Multiplicative, group and additive methodologies of inequality decomposition are employed. The first allows us to clarify the separated role of the carbonisation index and the energy intensity in the pattern observed for inequalities in CO2 intensities; the second allows us to understand the role of regional groups; and the third allows us to investigate the role of different fossil energy sources (coal, oil and gas). The results show that, first, the reduction in global emissions intensity has coincided with a significant reduction in international inequality. Second, the bulk of this inequality and its reduction are attributed to differences between the groups of countries considered. Third, coal is the main energy source explaining these inequalities, although the growth in the relative contribution of gas is also remarkable. Fourth, the bulk of inequalities between countries and its decline are explained by differences in energy intensities, although there are significant differences in the patterns demonstrated by different groups of countries.

Energy intensity in road freight transport of heavy goods vehicles in Spain

This paper examines the factors that have influenced the energy intensity of the Spanish road freight transport of heavy goods vehicles over the period 1996–2012. This article aims to contribute to a better understanding of the factors behind the energy intensity change of road freight and also to inform the design of measures to improve energy efficiency in road freight transport. The paper uses both annual single-period and chained multi-period multiplicative LMDI-II decomposition analysis. The results suggest that the decrease in the energy intensity of Spanish road freight in the period is explained by the change in the real energy intensity index (lower energy consumption per tonne-kilometre transported), which is partially offset by the behaviour of the structural index (greater share in freight transport of those commodities the transportation of which is more energy intensive). The change in energy intensity is analysed in more depth by quantifying the contribution of each commodity through the attribution of changes in Divisia indices.

Regulador de llum controlat per ordinador

El llum electric és un tipus d’energia amb la que s’il•lumina tot el món i s’utilitza tant per a il•luminar la nit com per a disposar de llum addicional durant el dia. L’energia es pren directament de la xarxa de subministrament elèctric i permet encendre tot tipus de focus i bombetes. Actualment la necessitat de controlar la intensitat lumínica de focus és de gran utilitat i es poden veure exemples en escenaris de teatres, concerts musicals, domòtica bàsica a vivendes, botigues, restaurants, etc. on s’incorporen aparells òptims per aquest control. Aspectes com la programació d’encesa, apagat i intensitat desitjada de focus a una hora convinguda facilita el fet de fer-ho manualment i disposar de més temps propi. L’objectiu principal d’aquest treball és dissenyar i construir un regulador de llum controlat per ordinador capac de regular la intensitat lumínica de 8 focus independentment l’un de l’altre. El control de regulació s’efectua mitjancant un programa informàtic compatible amb ordinadors que incorporin el sistema operatiu Windows i és programable en el temps permetent seleccionar la intensitat desitjada a diferents hores del dia seleccionat. Com a conclusions es pot destacar un estalvi energètic al regular la intensitat dels focus evitant així la permanent connexio a una tensió màxima de 230 VAC i la oportunitat de construir un regulador de llum amb els documents subministrats.

Efficiency and quality in local government management: the case of Spanish local authorities

This study analyses efficiency levels in Spanish local governments and their determining factors through the application of DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) methodology. It aims to find out to what extent inefficiency arises from external factors beyond the control of the entity, or on the other hand, how much it is due to inadequate management of productive resources. The results show that on the whole, there is still a wide margin within which managers could increase local government efficiency levels, although it is revealed that a great deal of inefficiency is due to exogenous factors. It is specifically found that the size of the entity, per capita tax revenue, the per capita grants or the amount of commercial activity are some of the factors determining local government inefficiency.

Environment conditions and biological innovations in the european agrarian growth, 1819-1939

The circumstances that were the driving forces behind Europe's economic growth beginning in the 19th century are diverse, and not easily prioritized. Until the 1970's, specifically, in Economy and Economic History, attention was focused on different institutional and technological variables, and various regularities were proposed. Nevertheless, new studies also underlined that the evolution of economic activity could not be understood considering only the new production possibilities offered by market economies. As a result, today it is also accepted that those processes can not be explained without considering two additional circumstances: the energy flows that sustained them, and the changes undergone in their transformation In this context, a question arises that takes on special importance. Which was the influence of the biological change in the economic growth?. A part of the flows of energy must be made into food, and this transformation can only happen with the participation.

Memoria – beca BE2005

Report for the scientific sojourn at the Centre for Interdisciplinary studies in Environment and Development (CISED), located in Bangalore (Southern India), from September to December 2005. A field-work in the South Indian city of Chennai (former Madras) was developed to analyse the mounting urban (and peri-urban) water crisis. In view of tackling this matter, the state government has done a deal to construct a 100 million litres per day seawater desalination plant. Due to its relative energy-intensiveness (compared to conventional water supply means), the fact that such a large capacity plant will be located in poor country such as India, constitutes somewhat of a surprising novelty, as most desalination facilities in the world are to be found in the oil-rich Persian Gulf countries. This work faces the environmental impact, the energy-intensive technology required, the cost and the missed water management options

Between specialization and globalization. The marketing of agrarian products and its environmental impacts seen from a historical perspective: the province of Barcelona in the mid-nineteenth century

Ecological economics has five good reasons to consider that economic globalisation, spurred by commercial and financial fluxes, to be one of the main driving forces responsible for causing environmental degradation to our planet. The first, is the energy consumption and the socio-environmental impacts which long-distance haulage entails. The second, is the ever-increasing flow of goods to far-away destinations which renders their recycling practically impossible. This is particularly significant, because it prevents the metabolic lock of the nutrients present in food and other agrarian products from taking place. The third, is that the high degree of specialization attained in agriculture, forestry, cattle, mining and industry in each region, generates deleterious effects not only on the eco-landscape structure of the uses of the soil, but on the capability to provide habitat and environmental functions to maintain biodiversity as well

Autosuficiència energètica en nuclis de muntanya: experiència a Araós

A aquest estudi s’ha analitzat si és viable l’autosuficiència energètica en base a un estudi pilot al nucli d’Araós a partir dels recursos renovables locals. S’ha realitzat un anàlisi del consum energètic del nucli d’Araós i s’ha comparat amb el potencial de producció energètica dels recursos renovables locals, incloent energia provinent de la biomassa forestal dels boscos de què disposa el municipi d’Alins i energia solar. Igualment s’han analitzat les emissions de CO2 derivades del consum energètic del poble. S’ha comprovat així que la mitjana de consum per habitant i any d’Araós supera en 1Tep a la mitjana de Catalunya. El 38% del consum d’Araós però, prové de biomassa forestal local, que compta amb unes emissions de CO2 associades pràcticament nul·les. Finalment s’ha detectat que és possible assolir l’autosuficiència energètica d’Araós, mitjançant diferents estratègies d’implantació d’energies renovables. S’han considerat dues estratègies que cobreixen de 3 a 5 vegades el consum energètic: estratègia individual amb instal·lació d’energia solar en teulada i, calefacció i ACS a partir de calderes de biomassa; estratègia col·lectiva mitjançant una central de biomassa forestal. Ambdues representen beneficis energètics, econòmics i fins un 92% de reducció d’emissions de CO2.