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This paper introduces an analytical method, based on the Complex Network Theory (CNT), to assess the risk of the Smart Grid failure due to communication network malfunction, associated with latency and ICT network reliability. Firstly, the communication architecture is modelled using a two-step CNT framework – an Operation Graph (OG) in step one and a Reliability Graph (RG) in step two. Secondly, the latency of data packets and the reliability of each communication device are incorporated into the model to identify the reliability of all operational communication paths for successful power system control purposes. Then, the risk of Smart Grid failure due to the communication network malfunction is quantified using a System Reliability Index (SRI). Next, sensitivity analysis is performed to assess the importance of each communication network component using two innovative Importance Measures (IM), namely System Reliability Advancement Worth (SRAW) and System Reliability Deterioration Worth (SRDW). Finally, the proposed approach is demonstrated on a laboratory-scale communication network.

AbstractAgeing and urbanisation pose significant challenges for public health and urban planning. Ageing populations are at particular risk from hazards arising from urbanisation processes, some of which are in turn exacerbated by climate change. One approach for mitigating the negative effects of urbanisation on ageing populations is the leveraging of the beneficial effects of urban green infrastructure as a public health intervention in the planning process. We assessed the potential of available theoretical frameworks to provide the context for such leverage. This involved active engagement with academics and practitioners specialising in ageing, green infrastructure and health and well-being through a knowledge-brokering approach. We concluded that an integrated and comprehensive framework on the socio-cultural-ecological determinants of health is lacking. To address this, we present a set of principles for overcoming challenges to knowledge integration when working at the intersection of green infrastructure, ageing, health and well-being. Our findings—and the co-production process used to generate them—have wider significance for trans-disciplinary research into the benefits of the natural environment to human health and well-being as well as other complex and interconnected topics associated with global grand challenges.

Utility maximization is a major priority of prosumers participating in peer-to-peer energy trading and sharing (P2P-ETS). However, as more distributed energy resources integrate into the distribution network, the impact of the communication link becomes significant. We present a multi-commodity formulation that allows the dual-optimization of energy and communication resources in P2P-ETS. On one hand, the proposed algorithm minimizes the cost of energy generation and communication delay. On the other hand, it also maximizes the global utility of prosumers with fair resource allocation. We evaluate the algorithm in a variety of realistic conditions including a time-varying communication network with signal delay signal loss. The results show that the convergence is achieved in a fewer number of time steps than the previously proposed algorithms. It is further observed that the entities with a higher willingness to trade the energy acquire more satisfactions than others.

Resilience to high impact low probability events is becoming of growing concern, for instance to address the impacts of extreme weather on critical infrastructures worldwide. However, there is, as yet, no clear methodology or set of metrics to quantify resilience in the context of power systems and in terms of both operational and infrastructure integrity. In this paper, the resilience “trapezoid ” is therefore introduced which extends the resilience “triangle” that is traditionally used in existing studies, in order to consider the different phases that a power system may experience during an extreme event. The resilience trapezoid is then quantified using time-dependent resilience metrics that are specifically introduced to help capture the critical system degradation and recovery features associated to the trapezoid for different temporal phases of an event. Further, we introduce the concepts of operational resilience and infrastructure resilience to gain additional insights in the system response. Different structural and operational resilience enhancement strategies are then analyzed using the proposed assessment framework, considering single and multiple severe windstorm events that hit the 29-bus Great Britain transmission network test case. The results clearly highlight the capability of the proposed framework and metrics to quantify power system resilience and relevant enhancement strategies.

Abstract Manufacturing industries have objectives of improving productivity and economic growth while simultaneously reducing energy consumption and lessening environmental impact. Energy is a vital resource for the manufacturing industry. However, environmental impacts are a major concern for energy use in manufacturing. It is important to control and manage the way energy is consumed to reduce costs and carbon emissions. This research focused on the energy consumption and carbon emissions for the manufacturing industry in South Africa from 1999 to 2015. Index decomposition analysis (IDA) and historical trends analysis were used to analyse drivers of manufacturing energy consumption and to understand rebound effects respectively. Sub-sectoral analysis alongside the index of energy effectiveness (IoEE) was formulated which analysed and ranked selected manufacturing sub-sectors in terms of its effectiveness in energy use. Index decomposition analysis (IDA) has shown that the reductions in energy consumption within manufacturing was predominantly driven by reductions in energy intensities for the period of interest. Further analysis of changes in energy effectiveness against production changes also support the evidence that production output increases has not wiped out energy effectiveness gains, displaying little rebound effect. Pareto and sub-sectoral contribution analysis revealed that (i) the manufacture of basic iron and steel and (ii) the manufacture of refined petroleum products, chemicals and chemical products contribute 80% of the aggregate energy consumption and are amongst the least effective in energy use. The combined analysis in this study is aimed at policymakers, government and industries to inform energy reduction strategies.

(1) Background: The consequences of the recent economic crisis have shown the need for promoting certain key skills in future entrepreneurs to create enterprises that are capable of producing added value, generating employment and remaining solvent or growing in a competitive and highly volatile environment. Therefore, the issue is not simply a matter of creating more businesses, but rather, a model based on organizations with strong sustainable values in the long term. (2) Methods: The originality and new approach of this article is to establish, through an empirical approach, the link between the entrepreneurial skills and environmental and social commitment in times of crisis. Based on the analysis of a questionnaire answered by MBA students and using structural equation modelling, the relation between entrepreneurial skills, social and environment commitment are tested. (3) Results: The statistical analysis proved the existence of a positive relation between entrepreneurs’ skills and environmental and social commitment pointing out the importance of sustainability commitment as a source of high added value activities. (4) Conclusion: The paper demonstrates that investing in the promotion of entrepreneurial skills in education systems has positive effects on how future entrepreneurs will manage their firms. Therefore, this sustainably depends on the present education policies.

In this paper, the design of an event-driven middleware for general purpose services in smart grid (SG) is presented. The main purpose is to provide a peer-to-peer distributed software infrastructure to allow the access of new multiple and authorized actors to SGs information in order to provide new services. To achieve this, the proposed middleware has been designed to be: 1) event-based; 2) reliable; 3) secure from malicious information and communication technology attacks; and 4) to enable hardware independent interoperability between heterogeneous technologies. To demonstrate practical deployment, a numerical case study applied to the whole U.K. distribution network is presented, and the capabilities of the proposed infrastructure are discussed.

Abstract The article analyses economic barriers leading to the energy efficiency gap in the market for energy-using products by observing several million transactions in the UK over two years. The empirical exercise estimates AIDS models for refrigerators, washing machines, TVs, and light bulbs. Results indicate that market barriers are crucial in the demand for energy efficient options, and consumer response to changes in appliance prices, total expenditures, and energy prices depends on the possibility of behavioural adjustments in consumption. In contrast with the induced innovation hypothesis, current electricity prices can fail to induce innovation because of their short-term impact on disposable income, while consumers invest in energy efficiency when expecting electricity prices to rise in the future.