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After a halt of four years, the n TOF spallation neutron facility at CERN has resumed operation in November 2008 with a new spallation target characterized by an improved safety and engineering design, resulting in a more robust overall performance and e cient cooling. The rst measurement during the 2009 run has aimed at the full characterization of the neutron beam. Several detectors, such as calibrated ssion chambers, the n TOF Silicon Monitor, a Mi- croMegas detector with 10B and 235U samples, as well as liquid and solid scintillators have been used in order to characterize the properties of the neutron uence. The spatial pro le of the beam has been studied with a specially designed \X-Y

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the current energy status in the West Balkan countries and the related perspectives for renewable energy sources (RES) cooperation mechanisms, within the framework of RES Directive 2009/28/European Commission (EC), through the elaboration of a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis. Particular emphasis is laid on the case of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia. The SWOT analysis provides a clearer view of expanding RES in the West Balkans, as well as the level of utilization and potential of cooperation mechanisms and renewable energy in each country. Design/methodology/approach The adopted approach is mainly based on the context of a project co-financed by the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme, titled “Bringing Europe and Third countries closer together through renewable Energies (BETTER)” (project number: IEE/11/845/SI2.616378). The adopted approach incorporates the steps of desktop analysis, stakeholders’ mapping and engagement, key factors’ identification and analysis of results. Findings The barriers to expand RES in the region are significant. Currently, the region is electricity importer and by far not in the position to efficiently exploit the large RES potentials. It remains to be seen whether and to what extent cooperation mechanisms may be used in the Western Balkans and the EU by 2020. The unification of the fragmented electricity system and market-oriented reforms aim to join regional power markets and then to integrate with the European Union power market. There is a multitude of market barriers for RES, resulting in a high risk perception n by investors. Cooperation mechanisms could strengthen the regions’ policy frameworks and be a starting point to integrate the region’s energy systems and to overcome the fragmentation of the past two decades. Originality/value The potential of West Balkan countries to make use of the cooperation mechanisms provides opportunities for RES exporting between West Balkan and other European countries. An analysis of these opportunities for cooperation will allow drawing clearer conclusions on cooperation potentials and business cases for the region.

The results of experimental studies performed in a radiotherapy (12)C ion beam with a nominal energy of 500 MeV/amu and in (16)O and (56)Fe ion beams with a nominal energy of 1 GeV/amu have been described. Linear energy transfer (LET) spectra have been established by means of an LET spectrometer based on a chemically etched track detector, and the measured results were also compared with theoretical calculations obtained using the program Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter (SRIM). It was observed that with increasing depth in a beam, the LET spectra are shifted towards higher values of LET; one can also observe an important widening of the spectra along the range, as well as an increasing amount of nuclear reaction products and/or of fragments in the spectra. The relative contribution of these secondary particles to the total absorbed dose was assessed.

The Greek policy targeting residential energy efficiency has launched the “Residential Energy Saving” financial incentives program to assist in achieving the goals related to reducing energy use and GHG emissions. Considering the research gaps of previous work, the present study examines the sociodemographic, dwelling, and geographical characteristics, and the environmental awareness and behavior that affect individuals’ (a) actual decision to perform an energy-saving renovation of their dwelling; this has been previously examined, but not in the Greek context, (b) awareness of the incentives program; this has not been addressed in previous research, and (c) utilization of the program; this has not been addressed in previous research. Accordingly, we performed a questionnaire-based survey in Greece in 2019 (n = 451). Based on the development of three binary logistic regression models, it is indicated that the decision to perform an energy-saving renovation is affected by ownership status, year of construction, income, and environmental behavior; awareness is affected by education level, environmental awareness, and residence location; use of the incentives program is affected by residence ownership and year of construction, presence of senior citizens and education level. The study’s results, indicating the determinants of energy-saving renovation decisions and awareness and utilization of financial incentives programs, can assist policymakers in planning financial incentives adapted to different characteristics, thus achieving improved awareness and utilization of such tools.

This paper describes the problems, which occurred when optimising the drive for a battery-powered electric locomotive. Possible solutions are shown herein for setting the electric drive, which is composed of an induction motor, fed by a frequency converter with vector control. The aforementioned problems are tackled via the cooperation between the workplaces of authors of this paper at VSB-Technical University of Ostrava (hereinafter referred to as “VSB-TUO”) and the contracting company Inovacni a.s.

The joint impact of human activities and climate change on natural resources lead to biodiversity loss. Therefore, it is important to select protected areas through systematic conservation planning. The present study assessed how representative natural habitats are protected under the nature conservation network, and to identify new—but so far insufficiently—protected areas containing these habitats for sustainable management. We used the Marxan model to select the most valuable insufficiently protected natural habitats in the Czech Republic as a representative example for a conservation strategy for Central–Eastern European environments. We set three conservation targets (25%, 50%, and 75%), defining how much percent area of valuable representative natural habitats should be added to the area of the habitats already included in the Nature Protection Network. To implement these conservation targets it is necessary to preserve 22,932 ha, 72,429, ha and 124,363 ha respectively of the conservation targets occurring in the insufficiently protected areas, and 17,255 ha, 51,620 ha, and 84,993 ha respectively of the conservation features in the areas without protection status. Marxan was revealed to be an appropriate tool to select the most valuable and insufficiently protected natural habitats for sustainable management.