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We present the architecture and design of the IANOS scheduling framework. The goal of the new Grid scheduling system is to provide a general job submission framework allowing optimal positioning and scheduling of HPCN applications. The scheduling algorithms used to calculate best-suited resources are based on an objective cost function that exploits information on the parameterization of applications and resources. This standard-based, interoperable scheduling framework comprises four general web services and three modules. The middleware is complemented with one client and one admin console. The implementation is based on proposed Grid and Web services standards (WSRF, WS-Agreement, JSDL, and GLUE). It is agnostic to a specific Grid middleware. The beta version of IANOS has been tested and integrated with UNICORE. The validation of IANOS is in progress by running different types of HPCN applications on a large-scale Grid testbed.

Abstract Electricity markets in Europe become increasingly interconnected due to new grid connections and market coupling regulations. This paper examines the interdependencies between the Swiss electricity market and those of neighbouring countries. The Swiss market serves as a good example for a smaller electricity market which is increasingly affected by developments in the large neighbouring countries. To study these cross-border effects, especially those on Swiss electricity prices, we apply two different methodologies, an econometric and a Nash-Cournot equilibrium model. The analyses show that the Swiss electricity price correlates strongly with the German electricity price in the summer, but tends to follow the French electricity price in the winter. Another finding is that gas prices and the electricity load of neighbouring countries have a significant influence on prices. In particular, the load of France and Italy is driving up Swiss prices in the winter, while the German electricity demand and renewable energy generation have a larger influence on Swiss prices in the summer.

Sustainability of agro-food supply chains has recently become the subject of greater interest from consumers, firms, governmental organizations and academia as the environment continues to deteriorate. One of the most critical factors influencing the sustainability of an agro-food supply chain is its network design. A particularly challenging aspect in this context is the broad range of influencing indicators associated with the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) of sustainability that need to be considered. However, many of these indicators could not be fully integrated or measured by single-step optimization problems. This paper presents a critical literature review of operational research methods for the design of sustainable supply chains. A novel two-stage hybrid solution methodology is proposed. In the first stage, a partner selection is performed using a hybrid multi criteria decision making based on Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method and the Ordered Weighted Averaging (OWA) aggregation method. The result obtained in the first stage is used in the second stage to develop a multi-objective mathematical model to optimize the design of the supply chain network. This approach allows the simultaneous consideration of all three dimensions of sustainability including carbon footprint, water footprint, number of jobs created and the total cost of the supply chain design. The proposed approach generates a Pareto frontier to aid users in making decisions. Numerical experiments are completed utilizing data from an agro-food company to demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed solution methodology. The analyzes of the numerical results provide important organizational, practical and policy insights on (1) the impact of financial and environmental sustainability on supply chain network design (2) the tradeoff analysis between environmental emission, water footprint, societal implications and associated cost for making informed decision on supply chain investment.

In 2010 the Vietnam government arrived at a decision to build the first nuclear power plant in the country Ninh Thuan 1 according to Russian project and with the help of Russian specialists. The construction of NPP in Vietnam will essentially relieve the deficit in energy production. The political leaders of Vietnam reckon upon the further growth of the economy. Energy of Vietnam is now generally held on big HPPs and TPPs. Small hydropower and such renewable energy sources as sun and wind play an important role in energy production. Because of the small amount of falls in the recent years in spite of monsoon climate, HPPs in Vietnam produce energy using not their full capacity. In TPP coal, diesel oil and gas is used as energy resources. The share of coal is still quite big (around 18 %) and coal TPPs have a serious negative impact on the environment. That’s why the specialists count on the development of nuclear energy. The paper presents the plans for the construction of a nuclear power plant "Ninh Thuan" in Vietnam, the alleged NPP project, its advantage over other projects, prerequisites and prospects for cooperation between the Russian and Vietnamese governments in this field.

Nano-scale aluminum particles are innovative materials increasingly used in energetic formulations. In this contribution, the rheological behavior of suspensions with either paraffin oil or HTPB as the matrix fluid and nano-scale aluminum (ALEX) as the dispersed phase is described and discussed. The paraffin oil/aluminum suspensions exhibit non-Newtonian flow behavior over a wide range of concentrations, whereas the HTPB/aluminum suspensions exhibitNewtonian behavior (i.e. the viscosity is independent of shear stress) up to a concentration of 50 vol.% aluminum. Both systems have unusual viscoelastic properties in that their elastic moduli are independent of the solids concentration.

Abstract The Renewable energy power generation capacity has been rapidly increasing in China recently. Meanwhile, the contradiction between power supply and demand is becoming increasingly more prominent due to the intermittence of renewable energies. On the other hand, on the mitigation of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in China needs immediate attention. Power-to-Gas (PtG), a chemical energy storage technology, can convert surplus electricity into combustible gases. Subsurface energy storage can meet the requirements of long term storage with its large capacity. This paper provides a discussion of the entire PtG energy storage technology process and the current research progress. Based on the comparative study of different geological storage schemes for synthetic methane, their respective research progress and limitations are noted. In addition, a full investigation of the distribution and implementation of global PtG and CO2 capture and storage (CCS) demonstration projects is performed. Subsequently, the opportunities and challenges of the development of this technology in China are discussed based on techno-economic and ecological effects analysis. While PtG is expected to be a revolutionary technology that will replace traditional power systems, the main issues of site selection, energy efficiency and the economy still need to be adequately addressed. Additionally, based on the comprehensive discussion of the results of the analysis, power-to-gas and subsurface energy storage implementation strategies, as well as outlook in China are presented.