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Due to the effects of global warming, water management has become more complex. Increased water scarcity creates rivalries between water users for the access and use of the resource. Since 1992, the French Government has elaborated the water management and development plans (Schéma d’aménagement et de gestion de l’eau, SAGE). In 2015, 179 SAGE were approved of which 108 have already been implemented. In line with the Water Framework Directive, these local plans developed an integrated and concerted water management that combines environmental protection with the human-induced water usages. They rely on a water basin authority which designs and implements the plan in a consensual way and encourages the definition of common goals between the local users. The aim of this communication is to question the actual role of the basin authority and asks whether it is central in the local water management. Alternatively, major stakeholders or public authorities may be the de facto decision-makers in the distribution of water uses. The communication relies on a case study conducted in the Thau basin in 2012. Drawing on social network analysis, a method used to visualize and describe social structures, it identifies the actors which occupy central positions and hold effective power. Specifically, the analysis looks at three measures of centrality linked to different forms of power: Degree centrality, closeness, and brokerage. As a result, the key actors of the SAGE, namely the Water Agency (AE-RMC), the local water agency (SMBT) and the users’ assembly (CLE), appear as the most powerful actors in the management of the river basin, which validates the shift in power introduced with integrated water management from territorial and central authorities to functional and more local managers.

Bolivia plans significant investments in conventional and renewable energy projects before 2025. Deployment of large hydro-power, wind and solar projects are foreseen in the investment agenda. However and despite the large renewable potential in the country non-conventional renewable technologies are not yet considered to be a main source in the supply chain. The aim of this article is to evaluate the flexibility of the Bolivian power generation system in terms of energy balancing, electricity generation costs and power plants scheduling in a scenario that considers large solar and wind energy technology deployment. This is done using an open source unit commitment and optimal dispatch model (Dispa-SET) developed by the Joint Research Center of the European Commission. National data for existing infrastructure, committed and planned energy projects are used to assess the case of Bolivia. The base scenario consider all techno-economic data of the Bolivian power system up to 2016. A harmonized dataset is gathered and released as open data to allow other researchers to run and re-use the model. This model is then used to simulate scenarios with different levels of solar and wind energy deployment. Results from the analysis show that an energy mix with participation of solar and wind technology with values lower than 30% is technically feasible and indicates that further grid reinforcements are required. International Journal of Sustainable Energy Planning and Management, Vol 22 (2019)

The present dissertation entitled “Theoretical study of structure, dissociation, reaction and thermochemistry of molecules of environmental and industrial interest” is submitted to fulfill the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (Science) of Jadavpur University. The study has been done for the investigation of electronic structure, metal ligand coordination, potential energy surface of reaction and thermochemistry of molecules having environmental and industrial interest using high-level theoretical methods. This thesis contains five chapters. An introduction of the thesis is given in first chapter for understanding the environment and industrial chemistry. The second chapter describes briefly the computational science, computational chemistry and a review of the theoretical methods. Third chapter deals with the electronic structure and metal ligand coordination observed in some chelates. The fourth chapter gives a theoretical account of the study of the reaction mechanism of an interesting atmospheric reaction. The dissociation channels, thermochemistry and spectroscopy of some molecules of industrial and atmospheric interest are studied in detail in last chapter five. ; The research was carried out under supervision of Prof. Abhijit Kr. Das of the Spectroscopy division of the SPS [School of Physical Sciences]

In view of global targets to expurgate the carbon foot prints, presently major focus is on integrating prosumer renewable energy sources (RES). This has caught more interest in studying the impacts of AC and DC micro grid. Looking at the advantages of power transformers for stepping up and down the voltages, AC grids seem favorable for transmitting power over long distances, but AC grids are also often subjected to difficulties associated with them such as frequency dip, voltage drop due to line impedance, skin effect and Ferranti effect etc. Most of the sources and loads, particularly the renewables like solar, battery etc., in a micro grid are basically DC in nature and their operating voltages are low. Considering the conversion losses and transformer cost combined with problems of AC grid, DC micro grids are catching attention and their analysis is thus required. This paper presents the controls of various types of distributed generation sources (DGs) including renewable energy sources (RES) so as to integrate them to form a micro-grid. The AC and DC micro-grid models have been developed and its performance is assessed. Stability analysis is performed on both AC and DC micro-grid during permanent faults, temporary faults and sudden load variations to have a comparative outcome for selection of a better micro-grid.

In this study, the performance of ventilation systems with heat recovery in residential buildings with a low energy demand for heating was evaluated. In a completely heated building, the percentage of useful recovered heat will be equal to the nominal effectiveness of the heat exchanger. In the case some rooms are not heated, they will still receive preheated air. This part of the recovered heat will not directly increase comfort, so it does not completely contribute to the energy savings of the building. Simulations were done with TRNSYS to assess the percentage of usefully recovered heat. This value was found to be lower than the nominal effectiveness, but varying with several parameters.

The interaction of Aluminum with phosphatidyl serine lipid vesicles containing variable amounts of phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl choline and cholesterol has been studied by lipid phase separation monitored by fluorescence quenching. The interaction of Al3+ with neutral phospholipid membranes has also been investigated. Maximal lipid phase separation can be demonstrated in mixed phosphatidyl ethanolamine-cholesterol vesicles when using concentrations of aluminum between 87.5 and 125 microM. Millimolar concentrations of Ca2+, Mn2+, Cd2+ and Zn2+ were without any effect. Aluminum also induced fusion of phospholipid membranes monitored by resonance energy transfer between N-(7-nitro-2,1,3, benzoxadiazol-4 yl) phosphatidyl ethanolamine and N-(lissamine Rhodamine B-sulfonyl) phosphatidyl ethanolamine, either when containing low amounts of phosphatidyl serine (12.5%) or without any negatively charged phospholipid. Aluminum-induced fusion of liposomes was also monitored by the fluorescence of the terbium-dipicolinic acid complex (Tb-DPA3-) formed during fusion of vesicles containing either Tb-(citrate)6- complex or sodium salt of dipicolinic acid.

Mesozooplankton standing stock, abundance and composition were studied during three seasons (summer, winter and inter-monsoon) from coastal and open ocean waters of the central and eastern Arabian Sea in 1994-95. Concentrations were generally higher in the mixed layer compared to deeper strata. A noteworthy feature was that the standing stocks and abundances did not vary significantly between seasons and areas. Vertical migrations appeared to be in a low key. In all seasons herbivores dominated, followed by carnivores. A few species, common in all seasons, accounted the majority of the population. The 'paradox' of the Arabian Sea, that zooplankton biomass remains more or less invariant, despite seasonally varying primary production regimes, could be explained by a microbial loop.