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This work describes an analysis of the impact of distributed generation, focusing on the generation from renewable sources, in the technical losses of electrical energy distribution systems. To do so, the OPENDSS software was used to simulate the operation of two distribution feeders, considering: (a) different generation penetration levels; (b) generation with different power factors; (c) variations in the location of distributed sources in the distribution system. The results show that these factors can both interfere positively (decrease) or negatively (increase) in the distribution network technical losses levels, and therefore, there may be distortions in the recognized electrical losses by regulatory agencies, mainly due to the generation unpredictability of renewable sources.

The Carpathian mountain region is one of the most significant natural refuges on the European continent. It is home to Europe’s most extensive tracts of montane forest, the largest remaining virgin forest and natural mountain beech-fir forest ecosystems. Adding to the biodiversity are semi-natural habitats such as hay meadows, which are the result of centuries of traditional land management. Like other mountain regions areas, the Carpathian mountain region provides important ecosystem goods and services such as water provision, food products, forest products and tourism. But these ecosystem services are feared to be under threat from climate change.This chapter reports on climate trends, impacts and adaptation options. Analysis of climate trends show an increase in annual mean temperature of 1.1–2.0 °C over the last 50 years (1961–2010), further increasing by 3.5–4.0 °C towards the end of the century. Precipitation changes are dispersed with an increase of 300–400 mm in the north and decrease of 100–150 mm in the south regions. Summer precipitation is projected to reduce by 20 %, whereas winter precipitation is projected to increase in most areas by 5–20 % by the year 2100. Both future scenarios and observations show high spatial variability and uncertainty. The same holds for the impacts on the investigated sectors water resources, forests, wetlands, grasslands, agriculture and tourism.The review of climate trends and adaptation options, inspired a strategic agenda on adaptation to be implemented under the regional Carpathian Convention. Planning for climate change adaptation benefits from transnational cooperation because many impacts relate to seasonal and geographical shifts across borders. This is true for the natural system (e.g. shifts in species distribution and snow cover) as well as for socio-economic activities like agriculture, forestry and tourism (e.g. shifting opportunities for growing crops and changes in the tourist season). Examples of adaptation exist, yet need to be communicated for wider adoption. Essential components of adaptation will be capacity building and information sharing, climate-proofing of infrastructure and investments, promotion of eco-system based adaptation measures and making biodiversity management more dynamic.

Earth’s biodiversity and human societies face pollution, overconsumption of natural resources, urbanization, demographic shifts, social and economic inequalities, and habitat loss, many of which are exacerbated by climate change. Here, we review links among climate, biodiversity, and society and develop a roadmap toward sustainability. These include limiting warming to 1.5°C and effectively conserving and restoring functional ecosystems on 30 to 50% of land, freshwater, and ocean “scapes.” We envision a mosaic of interconnected protected and shared spaces, including intensively used spaces, to strengthen self-sustaining biodiversity, the capacity of people and nature to adapt to and mitigate climate change, and nature’s contributions to people. Fostering interlinked human, ecosystem, and planetary health for a livable future urgently requires bold implementation of transformative policy interventions through interconnected institutions, governance, and social systems from local to global levels.

ABSTRACTIntraguild interactions among carnivores have long held the fascination of ecologists. Ranging from competition to facilitation and coexistence, these interactions and their complex interplay influence everything from species persistence to ecosystem functioning. Yet, the patterns and pathways of such interactions are far from understood in tropical forest systems, particularly across countries in the Global South. Here, we examined the determinants and consequences of competitive interactions between dholes Cuon alpinus and the two large felids (leopards Panthera pardus and tigers Panthera tigris) with which they most commonly co‐occur across Asia. Using a combination of traditional and novel data sources (N = 118), we integrate information from spatial, temporal, and dietary niche dimensions. These three species have faced catastrophic declines in their extent of co‐occurrence over the past century; most of their source populations are now confined to Protected Areas. Analysis of dyadic interactions between species pairs showed a clear social hierarchy. Tigers were dominant over dholes, although pack strength in dholes helped ameliorate some of these effects; leopards were subordinate to dholes. Population‐level spatio‐temporal interactions assessed at 25 locations across Asia did not show a clear pattern of overlap or avoidance between species pairs. Diet‐profile assessments indicated that wild ungulate biomass consumption by tigers was highest, while leopards consumed more primate and livestock prey as compared to their co‐predators. In terms of prey offtake (ratio of wild prey biomass consumed to biomass available), the three species together harvested 0.4–30.2% of available prey, with the highest offtake recorded from the location where the carnivores reach very high densities. When re‐examined in the context of prey availability and offtake, locations with low wild prey availability showed spatial avoidance and temporal overlap among the carnivore pairs, and locations with high wild prey availability showed spatial overlap and temporal segregation. Based on these observations, we make predictions for 40 Protected Areas in India where temporally synchronous estimates of predator and prey densities are available. We expect that low prey availability will lead to higher competition, and in extreme cases, to the complete exclusion of one or more species. In Protected Areas with high prey availability, we expect intraguild coexistence and conspecific competition among carnivores, with spill‐over to forest‐edge habitats and subsequent prey‐switching to livestock. We stress that dhole–leopard–tiger co‐occurrence across their range is facilitated through an intricate yet fragile balance between prey availability, and intraguild and conspecific competition. Data gaps and limitations notwithstanding, our study shows how insights from fundamental ecology can be of immense utility for applied aspects like large predator conservation and management of human–carnivore interactions. Our findings also highlight potential avenues for future research on tropical carnivores that can broaden current understanding of intraguild competition in forest systems of Asia and beyond.

AbstractDonor–acceptor dyes are a well‐established class of photosensitizers, used to enhance visible‐light harvesting in solar cells and in direct photocatalytic reactions, such as H2 production by photoreforming of sacrificial electron donors (SEDs). Amines—typically triethanolamine (TEOA)—are commonly employed as SEDs in such reactions. Dye‐sensitized photoreforming of more sustainable, biomass‐derived alcohols, on the other hand, was only recently reported by using methanol as the electron donor. In this work, several rationally designed donor–acceptor dyes were used as sensitizers in H2 photocatalytic production, comparing the efficiency of TEOA and EtOH as SEDs. In particular, the effect of hydrophobic chains in the spacer and/or the donor unit of the dyes was systematically studied. The H2 production rates were higher when TEOA was used as SED, whereas the activity trends depended on the SED used. The best performance was obtained with TEOA by using a sensitizer with just one bulky hydrophobic moiety, propylenedioxythiophene, placed on the spacer unit. In the case of EtOH, the best‐performing sensitizers were the ones featuring a thiazolo[5,4‐d]thiazole internal unit, needed for enhancing light harvesting, and carrying alkyl chains on both the donor part and the spacer unit. The results are discussed in terms of reaction mechanism, interaction with the SED, and structural/electrochemical properties of the sensitizers.

AbstractThis study analyses the relationship between foreign direct investment, economic growth, urbanization, energy use, and carbon emissions in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS countries) between 1990 and 2014. According to the empirical results, both environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) and pollution haven hypotheses (PHH) are confirmed. Urbanization contributes to reducing carbon emissions, while energy use is one of the main driving forces of ascending carbon emissions. The main advance of this paper lies in the moderating effect of foreign direct investment and energy usage on carbon emission in the case of the BRICS. The empirical results confirm a dampening impact of foreign direct investment on energy use, generating a correction in carbon emission. Thus, structural transformations are highlighted with a positive influence on energy efficiency and sustainable growth. It is expected that policymakers must promote renewable sources and boost clean foreign industries in selected host countries.

{"references": ["Ebrahim Hajidavalloo (2007), \"Application of evaporative cooling on the condenser of window-air-conditioner\", Appl. Therm. Eng., Volume 27, Issue 11-12, pp. 1937-1943, Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2006.12.014 .", "Chainarong Chaktranond and Peachrakha Doungsong (2010), \"An Experimental evaluation of energy saving in a split type air conditioner with evaporative cooling system\" Int. Transac. J.of Eng. Mgmt and Appl. Sci and Technol., Volume 1, Issue 1, pp. 9-18, Available at https://www.slideshare.net/drboon/01-01009018itjemast-chainarong .", "Vrachopoulos, M.G., Filios, A.E., Kotsiovelos, G.T. and Kravaritis, E.D (2005), \"Incorporated evaporative condenser\" Appl. Therm. Eng., Volume 27, Issue 5-6, pp. 823-828, Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2006.09.021.", "T. T. Chow, Zang Lin and X.Y. Yang (2002), \"Placement of condensing units of split-type air conditioners at low-rise residences\", Appl. Therm. Eng., Volume 22, Issue 13, pp. 1431-1444,Available at https://doi.org/10.1016/S1359-4311(02)00068-6", "Reshap Arora and Rajesh Sharma (2017), \"Experimental Investigation of Evaporative Condenser with Two Cooling Pads for Window Air-Conditioner\", An International Int. Journal J. of Eng. Sci., ISSN: 2320-0332, 2017; Volume 25, pp. 11-16, Available at http://ijoes.vidyapublications.com/paper/Vol25/02-Vol25.pdf", "M.M. Kulkarni, A.V. Khandagale, P.V. Singh, S.S. Choudhary, R.D. Sharma (2016), \"Experimental Investigations of Evaporative-Cooled Condenser Split Air Conditioner\", Int. J. of Eng. Sci. and Comput., ISSN: 2321 3361, Volume 6, Issue 5, pp. 5407-5411, DOI: 10.4010/2016.1324", "K. R. Aglawe, M. S. Matey and N. P. Gudadhe (2013), \"Experimental Analysis of Window Air Conditioner using Evaporative Cooling\", International Journal of Engineering Research & Technology, ISSN: 2278-0181, Volume 2, Issue 2, pp. 1-6, Available at https://www.ijert.org/research/experimental-analysis-of-window-air-conditioner-using-evaporative-cooling-IJERTV2IS2319.pdf"]} A unit for evaporative cooling in condenser of domestic air conditioner and its performance testing on effectiveness and reduction in power consumption. Evaporative cooling in condenser of Split A.C is achieved by spraying water on the fins of condensing unit at regular interval of time. Evaporative cooling will increase the rate of heat transfer and thus further sub cooled refrigerant will be obtained at the exit of condenser. Due to this sub cooling, refrigeration effect increases which results in increase in COP and reduces power consumption.

The goal of developing ornamental landscapes that are safe, attractive, and functional for urban dwellers is pursued with great interest, and vast amounts of energy and material resources were used in this effort. However, direct and indirect energy consumption, the need for supplemental water, and the concerns about soil and ground water contamination raise serious questions regarding the long-term sustainability of urban landscapes. Sustainability in landscaping can be improved through a number of actions, such as planning and managing landscapes to function more like natural environments through cycling of resources and managing energy costs; integrating efforts to conserve water and energy, reduce green waste, improve soils, increase wildlife and reducing the demand for energy and material resources in other sectors of the urban environment through microclimate mitigation and habitat restoration. The objective of enviroscaping is to provide home gardeners and commercial landscapers with information that can help them to design and develop beautiful healthy, landscapes in an environmental friendly manner. The approach of enviroscaping is to manage landscapes as an interactive system by considering various components such as temperature, water/irrigation, fertilization, plants and trees, insect pest and pathogens control. Enviroscaping sets new dimension to landscape design and maintenance that can help us to conserve energy and water, recycle yard wastes on site and reduce inputs of fertilizers and pesticides into the environment.