Entwicklung und Anwendung einer Kraftwerks- und Speichereinsatzoptimierung für die Untersuchung von Energieversorgungsszenarien mit hohem Anteil erneuerbarer Energien in Deutschland

In dieser Arbeit wurde ein gemischt-ganzzahliges lineares Einsatzoptimierungsmodell für Kraftwerke und Speicher aufgebaut und für die Untersuchung der Energieversorgung Deutschlands im Jahre 2050 gemäß den Leitstudie-Szenarien 2050 A und 2050 C ([Nitsch und Andere, 2012]) verwendet, in denen erneuerbare Energien einen Anteil von über 85 % an der Stromerzeugung haben und die Wind- und Solarenergie starke Schwankungen der durch steuerbare Kraftwerke und Speicher zu deckenden residualen Stromnachfrage (Residuallast) verursachen. In Szenario 2050 A sind 67 TWh Wasserstoff, die elektrolytisch aus erneuerbarem Strom zu erzeugen sind, für den Verkehr vorgesehen. In Szenario 2050 C ist kein Wasserstoff für den Verkehr vorgesehen und die effizientere Elektromobilität hat einen Anteil von 100% am Individualverkehr. Daher wird weniger erneuerbarer Strom zur Erreichung desselben erneuerbaren Anteils im Verkehrssektor benötigt. Da desweiteren Elektrofahrzeuge Lastmanagementpotentiale bieten, weisen die Residuallasten der Szenarien eine unterschiedliche zeitliche Charakteristik und Jahressumme auf. Der Schwerpunkt der Betrachtung lag auf der Ermittlung der Auslastung und Fahrweise des in den Szenarien unterstellten ’Kraftwerks’-parks bestehend aus Kraftwerken zur reinen Stromerzeugung, Kraft-Wärme-Kopplungskraftwerken, die mit Wärmespeichern, elektrischen Heizstäben und Gas-Backupkesseln ausgestattet sind, Stromspeichern und Wärmepumpen, die durch Wärmespeicher zum Lastmanagment eingesetzt werden können. Der Fahrplan dieser Komponenten wurde auf minimale variable Gesamtkosten der Strom- und Wärmeerzeugung über einen Planungshorizont von jeweils vier Tagen hin optimiert. Das Optimierungsproblem wurde mit dem linearen Branch-and-Cut-Solver der software CPLEX gelöst. Mittels sogenannter rollierender Planung wurde durch Zusammensetzen der Planungsergebnisse für überlappende Planungsperioden der Kraftwerks- und Speichereinsatz für die kompletten Szenariojahre erhalten. Es wurde gezeigt, dass der KWK-Anteil an der Wärmelastdeckung gering ist. Dies wurde begründet durch die zeitliche Struktur der Stromresiduallast, die wärmeseitige Dimensionierung der Anlagen und die Tatsache, dass nur eine kurzfristige Speicherung von Wärme vorgesehen war. Die wärmeseitige Dimensionierung der KWK stellte eine Begrenzung des Deckungsanteils dar, da im Winter bei hoher Stromresiduallast nur wenig freie Leistung zur Beladung der Speicher zur Verfügung stand. In den Berechnungen für das Szenario 2050 A und C lag der mittlere Deckungsanteil der KWK an der Wärmenachfrage von ca. 100 TWh_th bei 40 bzw. 60 %, obwohl die Auslegung der KWK einen theoretischen Anteil von über 97 % an der Wärmelastdeckung erlaubt hätte, gäbe es die Beschränkungen durch die Stromseite nicht. Desweiteren wurde die CO2-Vermeidungswirkung der KWK-Wärmespeicher und des Lastmanagements mit Wärmepumpen untersucht. In Szenario 2050 A ergab sich keine signifikante CO2-Vermeidungswirkung der KWK-Wärmespeicher, in Szenario 2050 C hingegen ergab sich eine geringe aber signifikante CO2-Einsparung in Höhe von 1,6 % der Gesamtemissionen der Stromerzeugung und KWK-gebundenen Wärmeversorgung. Das Lastmanagement mit Wärmepumpen vermied Emissionen von 110 Tausend Tonnen CO2 (0,4 % der Gesamtemissionen) in Szenario A und 213 Tausend Tonnen in Szenario C (0,8 % der Gesamtemissionen). Es wurden darüber hinaus Betrachtungen zur Konkurrenz zwischen solarthermischer Nahwärme und KWK bei Einspeisung in dieselben Wärmenetze vorgenommen. Eine weitere Einschränkung der KWK-Erzeugung durch den Einspeisevorrang der Solarthermie wurde festgestellt. Ferner wurde eine untere Grenze von 6,5 bzw. 8,8 TWh_th für die in den Szenarien mindestens benötigte Wasserstoff-Speicherkapazität ermittelt. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit legen nahe, das technisch-ökonomische Potential von Langzeitwärmespeichern für eine bessere Integration von KWK ins System zu ermitteln bzw. generell nach geeigneteren Wärmesektorszenarien zu suchen, da deutlich wurde, dass für die öffentliche Wärmeversorgung die KWK in Kombination mit Kurzzeitwärmespeicherung, Gaskesseln und elektrischen Heizern keine sehr effektive CO2 -Reduktion in den Szenarien erreicht. Es sollte dabei z.B. untersucht werden, ob ein multivalentes System aus KWK, Wärmespeichern und Wärmepumpen eine ökonomisch darstellbare Alternative sein könnte und im Anschluss eine Betrachtung der optimalen Anteile von KWK, Wärmepumpen und Solarthermie im Wärmemarkt vorgenommen werden.

Understanding Recreational Services of Urban Riverfront Space for Planning Purposes

In the process of urbanization, natural and semi-natural landscapes are increasingly cherished as open space and recreational resource. Urban rivers are part of this kind of resource and thus play an important role in managing urban resilience and health. Employing the example of Tianjin, this doctoral dissertation research aims at learning to understand how to plan and design for the interface zones between urban water courses and for the land areas adjacent to such water courses. This research also aims at learning how to link waterfront space with other urban space in order to make a recreational space system for the benefit of people. Five questions of this dissertation are: 1) what is the role of rivers in spatial and open space planning? 2) What are the human needs regarding outdoor open space? 3) How do river and water front spatial structures affect people's recreational activities? 4) How to define the recreational service of urban river and waterfront open space? 5) How might answering these question change planning and design of urban open space? Quantitative and qualitative empirical approaches were combined in this study for which literature review and theoretical explorations provide the basis. Empirical investigations were conducted in the city of Tianjin. The quantitative approach includes conducting 267 quantitative interviews, and the qualitative approach includes carrying out field observations and mappings. GIS served to support analysis and visualization of empirical information that was generated through this study. By responding to the five research questions, findings and lessons include the following: 1) In the course of time rivers have gained importance in all levels and scales of spatial planning and decision making. Regarding the development of ecological networks, mainly at national scale, rivers are considered significant linear elements. Regarding regional and comprehensive development, river basins and watersheds are often considered as the structural link for strategic ecological, economic, social and recreational planning. For purposes of urban planning, particularly regarding recreational services in cities, the distribution of urban open spaces often follows the structure of river systems. 2) For the purpose of classifying human recreational needs that relate to outdoor open space Maslow's hierarchy of human needs serves as theoretical basis. The classes include geographical, safety, physiological, social and aesthetic need. These classes serve as references while analyzing river and waterfront open space and other kinds of open space. 3) Regarding the question how river and waterfront spatial structures might affect people's recreational activities, eight different landscape units were identified and compared in the case study area. Considering the thermal conditions of Tianjin, one of these landscape units was identified as affording the optimal spatial arrangement which mostly meets recreational needs. The size and the shape of open space, and the plants present in an open space have been observed as being most relevant regarding recreational activities. 4) Regarding the recreational service of urban river and waterfront open space the results of this research suggest that the recreational service is felt less intensively as the distances between water 183 front and open space user’s places of residence are increasing. As a method for estimating this ‘Service Distance Effect’ the following formula may be used: Y = a*ebx. In this equation Y means the ‘Service Distance’ between homes and open space, and X means the percentage of the people who live within this service distance. Coefficient "a" represents the distance of the residential area nearest to the water front. The coefficient "b" is a comprehensive capability index that refers to the size of the available and suitable recreational area. 5) Answers found to the questions above have implications for the planning and design of urban open space. The results from the quantitative study of recreational services of waterfront open space were applied to the assessment of river-based open space systems. It is recommended that such assessments might be done employing the network analysis function available with any GIS. In addition, several practical planning and designing suggestions are made that would help remedy any insufficient base for satisfying recreational needs. The understanding of recreational need is considered helpful for the proposing planning and designing ideas and for the changing of urban landscapes. In the course of time Tianjin's urban water system has shrunk considerably. At the same time rivers and water courses have shaped Tianjin's urban structure in noticeable ways. In the process of urbanization water has become increasingly important to the citizens and their everyday recreations. Much needs to be changed in order to improve recreational opportunities and to better provide for a livable city, most importantly when considering the increasing number of old people. Suggestions made that are based on results of this study, might be implemented in Tianjin. They are 1) to promote the quality of the waterfront open space and to make all linear waterfront area accessible recreational spaces. Then, 2), it is advisable to advocate the concept of green streets and to combine green streets with river open space in order to form an everyday recreational network. And 3) any sound urban everyday recreational service made cannot rely on only urban rivers; the whole urban structure needs to be improved, including adding small open space and optimize the form of urban communities, finally producing a multi-functional urban recreational network.

Diversity, local uses and availability of medicinal plants and wild yams in the Mahafaly region of south-western Madagascar

Short summary: This study was undertaken to assess the diversity of plant resources utilized by the local population in south-western Madagascar, the social, ecological and biophysical conditions that drive their uses and availability, and possible alternative strategies for their sustainable use in the region. The study region, ‘Mahafaly region’, located in south-western Madagascar, is one of the country’s most economically, educationally and climatically disadvantaged regions. With an arid steppe climate, the agricultural production is limited by low water availability and a low level of soil nutrients and soil organic carbon. The region comprises the recently extended Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, with numerous sacred and communities forests, which are threatened by slash and burn agriculture and overexploitation of forests resources. The present study analyzed the availability of wild yams and medicinal plants, and their importance for the livelihood of the local population in this region. An ethnobotanical survey was conducted recording the diversity, local knowledge and use of wild yams and medicinal plants utilized by the local communities in five villages in the Mahafaly region. 250 households were randomly selected followed by semi-structured interviews on the socio-economic characteristics of the households. Data allowed us to characterize sociocultural and socioeconomic factors that determine the local use of wild yams and medicinal plants, and to identify their role in the livelihoods of local people. Species-environment relationships and the current spatial distribution of the wild yams were investigated and predicted using ordination methods and a niche based habitat modelling approach. Species response curves along edaphic gradients allowed us to understand the species requirements on habitat conditions. We thus investigated various alternative methods to enhance the wild yam regeneration for their local conservation and their sustainable use in the Mahafaly region. Altogether, six species of wild yams and a total of 214 medicinal plants species from 68 families and 163 genera were identified in the study region. Results of the cluster and discriminant analysis indicated a clear pattern on resource, resulted in two groups of household and characterized by differences in livestock numbers, off-farm activities, agricultural land and harvests. A generalized linear model highlighted that economic factors significantly affect the collection intensity of wild yams, while the use of medicinal plants depends to a higher degree on socio-cultural factors. The gradient analysis on the distribution of the wild yam species revealed a clear pattern for species habitats. Species models based on NPMR (Nonparametric Multiplicative Regression analysis) indicated the importance of vegetation structure, human interventions, and soil characteristics to determine wild yam species distribution. The prediction of the current availability of wild yam resources showed that abundant wild yam resources are scarce and face high harvest intensity. Experiments on yams cultivation revealed that germination of seeds was enhanced by using pre-germination treatments before planting, vegetative regeneration performed better with the upper part of the tubers (corms) rather than the sets of tubers. In-situ regeneration was possible for the upper parts of the wild tubers but the success depended significantly on the type of soil. The use of manure (10-20 t ha¹) increased the yield of the D. alata and D. alatipes by 40%. We thus suggest the promotion of other cultivated varieties of D. alata found regions neighbouring as the Mahafaly Plateau.

Family background, adolescent's achievement and aspirations, and young adult's enrolment in Australian Universities

Resumen tomado de la publicaci??n

Escala de Evaluación de la Comunicación en la Parentalidad (COMPA): Desarrollo y Validación de una Medida de la Comunicación Padres-Hijos

Este trabajo presenta las características psicométricas de las versiones de la Escala de Evaluación de la Comunicación en la Parentalidad (COMPA): versión parental, versión para adolescentes (12-16 años) y versión para niños (7-11 años). Esta es una prueba que tiene el objetivo de evaluar las percepciones de padres e hijos sobre la comunicación que mantienen. El estudio se realizó con una muestra de 803 padres y 619 hijos de la población portuguesa. Los resultados del análisis de componentes principales han revelado una estructura de cinco factores para la versión parental (expresión afectiva/ soporte emocional, α:.821; disponibilidad parental para la comunicación, α:.732; metacomunicación, α:.725; compartir/confianza de los padres en los hijos, α:.753; compartir/confianza de los hijos en los padres, α:.615) y para la versión de adolescentes (disponibilidad parental para la comunicación, α:.865; compartir/confianza de los hijos en los padres, α:.873; expresión afectiva/soporte emocional, α:.838; metacomunicación, α:.805; patrones negativos de comunicación, α:.650) y de dos factores para la versión de los niños (disponibilidad parental para la comunicación, α:.842; expresión afectiva/soporte emocional, α:.784). Esta estructura factorial exploratoria fue confirmada mediante un análisis de ecuaciones estructurales. Los niveles de consistencia interna se han revelado buenos para el propósito de investigación y evaluación clínica.

Relationship among children’s perception of parental relationship and parental empathy and prosocial behaviour during childhood

The objective of this work is to study if children’s perception of parental relationship and parental empathy can predict prosocial behaviour during childhood. The sample was composed of 934 Argentine children, aged 9 to 12, of middle socio-economical level. The participants completed Argentine scale of Children Perception of Parental relationship (richaud de Minzi, 2007), an Argentine adaptation of scale of Prosocial Behaviour (Caprara and Pastorelli, 1993) and a questionnaire to measure children’s perception of parental empathy (richaud de Minzi, 2006). structural equations modelling (sEM) analyses were conducted to explore our hypotheses. Six theoretical models fit the data very well. The results showed that parental styles of acceptance and pathological control impact on children prosocial behavior. Children’s perception of parental empathy was positively associated with children prosocial behavior. Finally, parental acceptance and pathological control were associated with children’s perception of parental empathy, but negligent parental behaviour did not.  

Actitudes sobre la vida sexual en España : un estudio transversal.

Detectar la opinión de los españoles sobre algunos aspectos de la sexualidad y de la Educación Sexual, con el fin de contribuir a introducir este importante sector de la formación general en los currícula escolares. Por otra parte, se pone de manifiesto la necesidad de afrontar la tarea de preparar a los padres para que puedan educar a los hijos en lo que respecta al conocimiento y vivencia de lo sexual. Formada por hombres y mujeres de edades comprendidas entre los 15 y 65 años. Este trabajo posee dos tipos de datos obtenidos en dos momentos distintos. El primer tipo de datos se refiere a un inventario en el que se inquieren cuestiones acerca de la sexualidad y la Educación Sexual y que ha sido depurado y aplicado en dos ocasiones separadas entre sí dieciseis años. El segundo tipo de datos, obtenidos sólo una vez, en la segunda aplicación, se refiere a preferencias y creencias sobre la conducta sexual, por una parte, y las dimensiones básicas de personalidad tal y como son defendidas y propuestas por Eysenck, por otra. Junto a los predictores de personalidad se han utilizado otros correspondientes a criterios de identificación (edad, sexo, profesión, etc.), y con todos ellos se han aplicado análisis modulares zonales para detectar relaciones no lineares. Encuesta elaborada en 1970; constaba de 13 preguntas de identificación y 84 referidas a: consideración actual de la mujer en España, conocimiento y vivencia de la propia sexualidad entre la población adulta española y predisposición respecto a la educación sexual desde la infancia. Segunda aplicación: la misma encuesta pero depurada, añadiéndose preguntas del cuestionario de actitudes sexuales y personalidad de Eysenck. Existe una importante permanencia de los factores, en el transcurso del tiempo, en nuestra prueba de actitudes sexuales. Los factores se repiten prácticamente todos. Los factores se repiten prácticamente todos, si bien cambia el sentido de algunos de ellos de acuerdo con las modificaciones que ha experimentado la sociedad respecto del tema sexual. Parece que los factores obtenidos por Eysenck son diferentes a los nuestros, en la prueba de actitudes hacia el sexo. En los factores de personalidad existe una cierta semejanza. La consistencia interna de los diferentes factores de nuestra prueba de actitudes sexuales es, en general, aceptable. Parece que se ha dado un giro importante en las actitudes de los individuos respecto a la sexualidad, sobre todo en el deseo de una mayor información sexual para la infancia y la juventud, en una mayor aceptación de relaciones prematrimoniales, en un aumento de las manifestaciones de satisfacción sexual y en una precocidad en la madurez de los individuos respecto al conocimiento y uso de la sexualidad. Como no ha habido una intencionalidad educativa, los avances, creemos, son debidos a la instuitución. El uso de nuestra prueba en investigaciones posteriores podría confirmar la validez y fiabilidad de la misma.

A microextracção em fase sólida como técnica de preparação de amostras em química analítica e toxicologia : teoria e aplicações

Amicroextracção em fase sólida, SPME, é uma técnica de adsorção/dessorção desenvolvida na Universidade de Waterloo (Ontario, Canadá) que elimina a necessidade de utilização de solventes orgânicos ou instrumentos complicados para a extracção e concentração de compostos voláteis e não voláteis a partir de amostras líquidas ou gasosas.ASPME origina resultados lineares dentro de um amplo intervalo de concentrações, é compatível com qualquer tipo de equipamento de cromatografia gasosa, com colunas de enchimento ou capilares, ou ainda cromatografia gasosa-espectrometria de massa. Pode, inclusivamente ser utilizado com injectores split/splitless ou directos. Na análise de urina, sangue ou outras matrizes biológicas, a preparação das amostras é normalmente necessário extraír e concentrar os analitos de interesse, o que é efectuado com recurso à extracção líquido-líquid, extracção em fase sólida, ou outras técnicas. Estes procedimentos apresentam várias desvantagens, onde se incluem o tempo excessivo de preparação e gasto desnecessário de solventes orgânicos. A SPME elimina a maior parte destes inconvenientes, já que é uma técnica rápida e que não necessita de solventes orgânicos ou de equipamentos complicados para ser levada a cabo. Esta técnica pode ser utilizada para monitorizar analitos em amostras líquidas ou gasosas, podendo ser acoplada à cromatografia gasosa, cromatografia gasosa-espectrometria de massa ou cromatografia líquida de alta eficiência. Embora inicialmente direccionada para a determinação de compostos orgânicos no meio ambiente, as suas vantagens nas análises clínicas, forenses e de alimentos têm vindo a ser postas em evidência. Desta forma, com este trabalho pretende-se conhecer mais aprofundadamente esta técnica bem como rever as suas principais aplicações no campo da toxicologia e da química analítica.

Aplicação do european customer satisfaction índex (ecsi) ao sector das águas

A Satisfação do cliente e a sua avaliação fazem parte integrante das preocupações dos gestores, sendo cada vez mais comum realizarem-se inquéritos juntos dos consumidores de modo a aferir a sua Satisfação. O Índice Nacional de Satisfação do Cliente (ECSIPortugal) é um sistema de medida da qualidade dos produtos e serviços disponíveis no mercado nacional, por via da Satisfação do cliente. A Satisfação dos clientes pode ser medida utilizando duas abordagens distintas, a tradicional e a estrutural. A metodologia utilizada no ECSI-Portugal segue a abordagem estrutural, baseada em modelos de equações simultâneas e variáveis latentes (SEM). A metodologia adotada neste projeto integra as seguintes etapas: – Realização de um inquérito junto dos clientes de cada entidade estudada; – Especificação e estimação de um modelo de Satisfação do cliente adequado a essas entidades; – Agregação dos resultados obtidos ao nível do setor e produção de informação sobre o conjunto da economia portuguesa. Pretende-se aplicar estes índices ao setor das águas de modo a que as entidades gestoras obtenham, entre outros benefícios, informação de gestão para atuarem em prol dos seus clientes, permitindo simultaneamente a criação de uma plataforma de validação dos resultados obtidos através de indicadores de desempenho.

Exclusão étnica, julgamento moral e emoções morais : estudo em adolescentes

Os pressupostos defendidos na declaração de Salamanca sobre a Educação Inclusiva não são fáceis de concretizar pois as pessoas, por causa de diferenças de sexo, etnia, aparência, etc, têm frequentemente condutas diferenciais. Um dos critérios sociais que mais provoca exclusão social são as diferenças étnicas, um fenómeno mais estudado pela psicologia social. Porém, a atitude de exclusão social pode estar relacionada com a competência moral dos indivíduos, uma relação que foi analisada neste estudo. Para isso recorremos ao suporte da psicologia moral que valoriza o papel das emoções na compreensão das condutas sociais, bem exemplificada nos estudos do vitimizador feliz (e.g., Arsenio & Kramer, 1992; Lourenço, 1998). Nas perspectivas mais recentes da psicologia moral tem sido atribuída grande ênfase à necessidade de analisar cognições e emoções nas condutas morais (e.g., Malti & Latzko, 2010; Turiel & Killen, 2010). Apoiados no estudo de Malti, Killen & Gasser (2012) sobre a exclusão social analisámos os julgamentos e as emoções morais de adolescentes em três contextos, etnia africana, etnia cigana e género, numa amostra de 45 adolescentes, com idades entre os 13 e os 19 anos, através da aplicação de uma versão traduzida da Survey Instrument for Measuring Judgments about Emotions about Exclusion (Malti, Killen & Gasser, 2009). Os jovens avaliaram a exclusão étnica como mais incorreta que a exclusão por género mas não foram encontradas diferenças nos juízos e emoções expressas pelos portugueses e estrangeiros. As emoções de culpa, tristeza, vergonha, atribuídas ao excludente confirmam a avaliação negativa da atitude de exclusão. Porém, a emoção normal que revela indiferença expressa que alguns jovens avaliaram positivamente a exclusão. A intensidade emocional intermédia das emoções atribuídas mostra inconsistência com o juízo moral. Relativamente ao excluído existe consenso pois as emoções de tristeza e raiva foram as mais atribuídas. As justificações dos juízos e emoções atribuídos são de tipo diverso, ou seja, argumentos morais de justiça e igualdade, argumentos de inclusão por empatia e argumentos convencionais relativos à coesão intragrupal. A atitude de exclusão não é estritamente moral pois também é vista em função de benefícios para o funcionamento do grupo. A relação complexa entre juízos, emoções e justificações requisita mais investigação de modo a percebermos melhor os processos psicológicos que induzem a conduta social.