scholarly journals Big batteries on wheels: converting diesel trains to battery electric can provide significant economic, environmental, and grid resilience benefits

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie Popovich ◽  
Amol Phadke ◽  
Elif Tasar
Keyword(s):  
Electric Drive ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Diesel Generator ◽  
Renewable Electricity ◽  
Electricity Rates ◽  
Premature Deaths ◽  
Battery Technology ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Daily Distance

Abstract Nearly all locomotives in the U.S. are propelled by an electric drive that is powered by a diesel generator, the air pollution from which contributes to more than 1,000 premature deaths every year. Dramatic improvements in battery technology plus access to cheap renewable electricity open the possibility of battery-electric rail. Given that locomotives already have an electric drive, converting them to battery-electric primarily requires a battery car, which can be connected directly to the drivetrain. We examine the case for a battery-electric U.S. freight rail sector and find that one heavy-duty battery car can power a typical locomotive for 450 miles, three times the average daily distance travelled by U.S. freight trains. We find that battery-electric trains can achieve cost parity with diesel trains with electricity charging costs under 6 cents/kWh. We illustrate how these costs can be achieved with access to wholesale electricity rates. Converting the fleet to battery-electric would remove 37 million metric tons of carbon dioxide and generate total sector cost savings of $250 billion over 20 years, while introducing 238 GWh of mobile batteries that could address location-specific grid constraints during extreme events.

Immigration and the tech industry: As a labour shortage remedy, for innovation, or for cost savings?

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norman Matloff
Keyword(s):  
Immigration Policy ◽  
Brain Drain ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Foreign Workers ◽  
Service Firms ◽  
It Service ◽  
Labour Shortage ◽  
Labour Costs ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The U.S

The two main reasons cited by the U.S. tech industry for hiring foreign workers--remedying labour shortages and hiring "the best and the brightest"--are investigated, using data on wages, patents, and R&D work, as well as previous research and industry statements. The analysis shows that the claims of shortage and outstanding talent are not supported by the data, even after excluding the Indian IT service firms. Instead, it is shown that the primary goals of employers in hiring  foreign workers are to reduce labour costs and to obtain "indentured" employees. Current immigration policy is causing an ‘Internal Brain Drain’ in STEM.

scholarly journals Cost effectiveness analysis of implementing tuberculosis screening among applicants for non-immigrant U.S. work visas

Pneumonia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bisma Ali Sayed ◽  
Drew L. Posey ◽  
Brian Maskery ◽  
La’Marcus T. Wingate ◽  
Martin S. Cetron
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Home Country ◽  
Screening Program ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
The United States ◽  
Active Tuberculosis ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Tuberculosis Screening ◽  
Hospitalization Costs ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Background While persons who receive immigrant and refugee visas are screened for active tuberculosis before admission into the United States, nonimmigrant visa applicants (NIVs) are not routinely screened and may enter the United States with infectious tuberculosis. Objectives We evaluated the costs and benefits of expanding pre-departure tuberculosis screening requirements to a subset of NIVs who arrive from a moderate (Mexico) or high (India) incidence tuberculosis country with temporary work visas. Methods We developed a decision tree model to evaluate the program costs and estimate the numbers of active tuberculosis cases that may be diagnosed in the United States in two scenarios: 1) “Screening”: screening and treatment for tuberculosis among NIVs in their home country with recommended U.S. follow-up for NIVs at elevated risk of active tuberculosis; and, 2) “No Screening” in their home country so that cases would be diagnosed passively and treatment occurs after entry into the United States. Costs were assessed from multiple perspectives, including multinational and U.S.-only perspectives. Results Under “Screening” versus “No Screening”, an estimated 179 active tuberculosis cases and 119 hospitalizations would be averted in the United States annually via predeparture treatment. From the U.S.-only perspective, this program would result in annual net cost savings of about $3.75 million. However, rom the multinational perspective, the screening program would cost $151,388 per U.S. case averted for Indian NIVs and $221,088 per U.S. case averted for Mexican NIVs. Conclusion From the U.S.-only perspective, the screening program would result in substantial cost savings in the form of reduced treatment and hospitalization costs. NIVs would incur increased pre-departure screening and treatment costs.

Traction Electric Drive for Wheels of Commercial Heavy-Duty Automobile

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Boris Beloousov ◽  
Tatiana I. Ksenevich ◽  
Dmitry Izosimov
Keyword(s):  
Electric Drive ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
Traction Electric Drive

Heavy duty pumps help to lay the foundations for a new bridge in the U.S.

World Pumps ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 2005 (460) ◽  
pp. 15-16
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Duty ◽  
The U.S

(Invited) Overview of the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Laboratory Consortia to Improve Fuel Cells for Heavy-Duty Applications

2021 ◽  
Vol MA2021-02 (44) ◽  
pp. 1332-1332
Author(s):  
Gregory Kleen ◽  
Dimitrios Papageorgopoulos ◽  
William T Gibbons ◽  
Donna Ho ◽  
David Peterson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
National Laboratory ◽  
Heavy Duty ◽  
The U.S

Strategic Decisions for Green Electricity Marketing

2011 ◽  
pp. 2589-2605
Author(s):  
Marta Pérez-Plaza ◽  
Pedro Linares
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Conditions ◽  
Electricity Market ◽  
Strategic Decisions ◽  
Renewable Electricity ◽  
Green Electricity ◽  
The U.S

Green electricity (GE) has emerged as one of the most interesting instruments for promoting renewable electricity in liberalized markets, at least in theory. Indeed, some experiences have already been carried out, mostly in the U.S. and Europe. However, most of them have been largely unsuccessful. In this chapter, we look at previous surveys and studies carried out on customer response, and provide a review of the most relevant results achieved by GE experiences, in order to learn from them. As a result, we provide what we believe are the key strategic recommendations for green electricity retailers to launch a successful GE program. Although the green electricity market remains a difficult one, several improvements can be achieved by learning from past mistakes and carefully analysing the alternatives and the boundary conditions.

Grupo de Renovacion Musical (1942–1948)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marysol Quevedo
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Contemporary Music ◽  
Art Music ◽  
Igor Stravinsky ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Sonata Form ◽  
Compositional Techniques ◽  
American Composers ◽  
Premature Deaths ◽  
The U.S

The Grupo de Renovacion Musical was a school of Cuban composers that emerged out of the Conservatorio Municipal de La Habana during the 1940s. The young composers were pupils of Spanish-born composer José Ardévol, who served as the leader and mentor of the group. After the premature deaths of Amadeo Roldán and Alejandro García Caturla (1939 and 1940 respectively), Ardévol took over some of their duties as music professor at the Conservatorio Municipal. Ardévol and his pupils saw a need for Cuban composers to focus on compositional techniques and strongly believed that all composers should master traditional compositional methods, such as traditional counterpoint, sonata form, and fugues (most commonly used by composers of the Baroque and Classical periods) in order to fully develop their music-writing abilities. They also rejected the obvious nationalism that Roldán and Caturla had popularised and that was also found in the works of many other Latin American composers from the previous generation. Instead, they preferred the neoclassical trends of Europe—mostly of France and Spain—with composers Igor Stravinsky and Manuel de Falla serving as their models. However, they never denied the importance of the legacy established by Roldán and Caturla for future generations of Cuban composers. The group acknowledged that Roldán and Caturla were visionaries in their own time, influential through their compositions, which brought Cuban music up to date with contemporary music developments in the U.S., Latin America, and Europe, and for introducing the use of traditional Cuban music elements to contemporary art music—particularly the use of rhythm and percussive instrumentation.

Information Technology Offshoring Outsourcing

2011 ◽  
pp. 122-139 ◽  
Author(s):  
Smita Gupta ◽  
Narendra S. Chaudhari
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cost Savings ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Offshore Outsourcing ◽  
Business Services ◽  
Job Growth ◽  
Software Development Methodologies ◽  
The U.S

Offshore outsourcing is a term covering a range of information technology (IT) and business services delivered to companies in developed countries by IT personnel based in developing countries. The significant cost savings achieved by the offshore model is the prime factor in its growing acceptance and use. IT software and service outsourcing is becoming a new reality for employers, employees, government and academicians. The widespread use of Internet, standardization of software development methodologies, efficient IT project management techniques, low cost of telecommunications, have provided the necessary thrust for global production of software and services. In this chapter, we analyze the impact of today’s offshore outsourcing movement to the United States economy, education, jobs, wages, and social issues. We suggest that offshoring is a viable economic model. It leads to improved productivity, lower inflation and eventually growth in jobs and wages. The U.S. will also see significant numbers of “in-sourced” jobs because of subsidiaries of foreign based companies. Future job growth in different areas of business and skills, require young students and present IT workforce to acquire them with education and training. Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan has also expressed the need to produce highly skilled workers. The loss of jobs of IT workers is the difficult aspect of offshoring. Laid-off workers should be provided assistance to find a new comparable job, both by the U.S. government and companies. In this chapter, we make some recommendations to reduce, minimize and overcome the hardships caused by the IT outsourcing.

scholarly journals Trends in Premature Deaths From Alcoholic Liver Disease in the U.S., 1999–2018

2020 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 469-480
Author(s):  
Young-Hee Yoon ◽  
Chiung M. Chen ◽  
Megan E. Slater ◽  
M. Katherine Jung ◽  
Aaron M. White
Keyword(s):  
Liver Disease ◽  
Alcoholic Liver Disease ◽  
Premature Deaths ◽  
The U.S
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