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This paper analyzes different policies that may promote the transition to sustainability, with a particular focus on the energy sector. We present a dynamic simulation model where three different strategies for sustainability are identified: reduction in GHG emissions, improvements in energy efficiency and the development of the renewable energy sector. Our aim is to evaluate the dynamics that those strategies may produce in the economy, looking at different performance indicators: rate of growth, unemployment, fiscal position, GHG emission, and transition to renewable energy sources.

This paper analyzes different policies that may promote the transition to sustainability, with a particular focus on the energy sector. We present a dynamic simulation model where three different strategies for sustainability are identified: reduction in GHG emissions, improvements in energy efficiency and the development of the renewable energy sector. Our aim is to evaluate the dynamics that those strategies may produce in the economy, looking at different performance indicators: rate of growth, unemployment, fiscal position, GHG emission, and transition to renewable energy sources.

<p>In the last years, extreme rainfalls have caused many collapses of bridges. In Italy several of those were short span’s ones that failed during or after extreme events of this nature. This work presents a method for inspection survey and its results regarding a campaign on 71 bridges, located in Tuscany (Massa Carrara, Italy). This area was affected by a big flood that took place in 2014 and also two earlier ones in 2012 with only 15 days apart one from the other, leading to a huge disrupting situation for the population’s daily life and consequent economical loss. Concerning this issue, the local stakeholders showed an increasing interest for sustainable methods for monitoring the built environment, thus the results of this research have been made available for integration on the Civil Protection Emergency Plan (CLE) and can be used in a decision-making prioritization list of actions. The framework uses a Gis- based approach combined with a quick survey technique. This method balances costs of surveying with the accuracy needed in inspections, bypassing the classical procedure which requires several onsite surveys. This procedure uses only three transversal river sections for each bridge. The method also comprises a tailored survey inspection form and a user-friendly worksheet was designed to build the database, applicable for further studies. Results showed the absence of maintenance on existing structures and riverbeds, often resulting in a partially or fully bridge section obstruction, and material’s decay. The framework created in this work allowed to assess the conditions of several bridges in the studied region, to further analyse the resilience of the infrastructure system and proceed with adequate interventions.</p>

<p>In the last years, extreme rainfalls have caused many collapses of bridges. In Italy several of those were short span’s ones that failed during or after extreme events of this nature. This work presents a method for inspection survey and its results regarding a campaign on 71 bridges, located in Tuscany (Massa Carrara, Italy). This area was affected by a big flood that took place in 2014 and also two earlier ones in 2012 with only 15 days apart one from the other, leading to a huge disrupting situation for the population’s daily life and consequent economical loss. Concerning this issue, the local stakeholders showed an increasing interest for sustainable methods for monitoring the built environment, thus the results of this research have been made available for integration on the Civil Protection Emergency Plan (CLE) and can be used in a decision-making prioritization list of actions. The framework uses a Gis- based approach combined with a quick survey technique. This method balances costs of surveying with the accuracy needed in inspections, bypassing the classical procedure which requires several onsite surveys. This procedure uses only three transversal river sections for each bridge. The method also comprises a tailored survey inspection form and a user-friendly worksheet was designed to build the database, applicable for further studies. Results showed the absence of maintenance on existing structures and riverbeds, often resulting in a partially or fully bridge section obstruction, and material’s decay. The framework created in this work allowed to assess the conditions of several bridges in the studied region, to further analyse the resilience of the infrastructure system and proceed with adequate interventions.</p>

Geochemical characterization of two landfills, one closed and the other still active, both located near Komotini (Thrace, Greece), has been carried out. The aim was to provide an integrated and reliable methodology for a rapid assessment of the real impact of a municipal solid waste landfill, in the main environmental matrices (air and water) of the surrounding areas. The chemical (CO2, CH4, CO, H2, N2, and O2 + Ar) and isotopic characterization (?13C(CO2) and ?13C(CH4)) of landfill gas and chemical (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, SO4 2-, HCO3 -, NH4 +, NO3 -, NO2 -, B, COD, Fe, Mn, As, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Hg) and isotopic analysis (?D, ?18O, tritium content, and ?13CDIC) of leachate, stream waters and groundwaters, and flux survey on the air-soil interface has been carried out. Combined chemical and isotopic analysis of the fluids collected inside and in the surroundings of the Komotini landfills supply a detailed picture of biogas emission and composition as well as of leachate chemistry and interaction with local waters. The results arising in this case study demonstrate that it is possible to propose a quick and reliable geochemical protocol to get a detailed picture of the state of health of the environment around a landfill.

Geochemical characterization of two landfills, one closed and the other still active, both located near Komotini (Thrace, Greece), has been carried out. The aim was to provide an integrated and reliable methodology for a rapid assessment of the real impact of a municipal solid waste landfill, in the main environmental matrices (air and water) of the surrounding areas. The chemical (CO2, CH4, CO, H2, N2, and O2 + Ar) and isotopic characterization (?13C(CO2) and ?13C(CH4)) of landfill gas and chemical (Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Cl-, SO4 2-, HCO3 -, NH4 +, NO3 -, NO2 -, B, COD, Fe, Mn, As, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, and Hg) and isotopic analysis (?D, ?18O, tritium content, and ?13CDIC) of leachate, stream waters and groundwaters, and flux survey on the air-soil interface has been carried out. Combined chemical and isotopic analysis of the fluids collected inside and in the surroundings of the Komotini landfills supply a detailed picture of biogas emission and composition as well as of leachate chemistry and interaction with local waters. The results arising in this case study demonstrate that it is possible to propose a quick and reliable geochemical protocol to get a detailed picture of the state of health of the environment around a landfill.

Electrochemical capacitors, called supercapacitors (SCs) or ultracapacitors, are devices conveniently used for embedded electrical energy management owing to their huge capacitance, low internal resistance and flexible control through power electronic conversion. This paper proposes a main power supply of hybrid Wind Generator (WG)–SC within the train station for feeding the traction onboard SC through specified limited feeding transit durations. Onboard SCs provide the train with the requested start–up self–energy. The hybrid WG–SCs system is an environmental–friendly source that enables the independency on national grid and guarantees an efficient bidirectional power transfer for energy management with enhanced dynamic performance. Therefore, the dynamic modelling and the experimental analysis of the modern hybrid WG–SCs used for managing the charge/discharge operation of SCs at Unity Power Factor (UPF) mode are presented. For this purpose, the Port–Controlled Hamiltonian (PCH) methodology is deduced and explicitly presented. Simulation results, via MATLAB™, reveal that the proposed PCH control methodology can be successfully implemented to ensure acceptable system dynamic behavior. Numerical results are validated with experimental measurements to investigate the significance of the PCH approach for the energy management operation in eco-tractions.