scholarly journals Tracking the Adoption of Electric Pressure Cookers among Mini-Grid Customers in Tanzania

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (15) ◽  
pp. 4574
Author(s):  
Ansila Kweka ◽  
Anna Clements ◽  
Megan Bomba ◽  
Nora Schürhoff ◽  
Joseph Bundala ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lake Victoria ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Cooking Practices ◽  
Utility Companies ◽  
Electric Pressure ◽  
Grid Operators ◽  
Set Up

“Are electric cooking appliances viable clean cooking solutions for mini-grids?” To help answer this question, the Access to Energy Institute (A2EI) set up a pilot project in six different mini-grid locations around Lake Victoria in Tanzania and gave 100 households an electric pressure cooker (EPC) to use in their homes. Each EPC was connected to a smart meter to collect data on how the EPCs were used. The paper presents findings from a study designed around the A2EI pilot project that aims to provide an understanding of cooking practices, the adoption of electric cooking over time, and to assess the potential for electric cooking to substitute traditional cooking fuels. Through collaboration with the Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) program, Nexleaf Analytics, and PowerGen, the pilot has generated data on electrical energy consumption from 92 households in six remote areas as well as a comprehensive range of other datasets gathered from 28 households in two of the locations. This paper presents a preliminary analysis of this data. It starts with an analysis of cooking practices in these communities—dishes cooked, utensils used for cooking, and choice of fuels. It goes on to examine fuel stacking behavior, and finally, it examines how people have integrated EPCs into their cooking practices before the highlighting key impacts associated with using EPCs. The answer to the original research question will be useful for different stakeholders such as utility companies, mini-grid operators, electric cooking appliance manufacturers, the clean cooking sector, and international organizations.

scholarly journals Low Cost Automatic Street Light Control System With and Without Relay

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 3790-3794
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Power Plants ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Modern Technology ◽  
Light Control ◽  
Utility Companies ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Cost

modern society entirely depends on electricity for daily life. It has become the key component for modern technology, without electricity most of the equipments which we are using daily will not work at all. Internet is our gateway for knowledge and we also depend on it a lot to get the things which are surrounding us very easily. Under this situation we are not using proper electrical energy in case of street lights. Street lights are perfect solution for night base loads at most of the utility companies during 1930’s were seeking for night timed base loads especially coal based power plants. In India approximately 40 million street lights are there which will generates a total demand of 4000 MW. The cost required to satisfy this demand will also very high. In most of the places maintenance of street lights is very poor. Even though several technologies have used to automatic control of street light but they may turn into several failures because of high cost, improper maintenance, environmental effects on the components or some other major issues. In this paper a low cost maintenance free automatic street light control system is proposed which can be used with relay al well as without relay by using basic electronics components. A small experimental set up has done in laboratory and it can be concluded that the street light automatically turns on and off depends on the darkness of the environment. It can be implemented anywhere irrespective of environmental conditions without any maintenance

scholarly journals Big data-driven stochastic business planning and corporate valuation

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (3-1) ◽  
pp. 189-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roberto Moro Visconti ◽  
Giuseppe Montesi ◽  
Giovanni Papiro
Keyword(s):  
Big Data ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Predictive Ability ◽  
Cash Flows ◽  
Data Driven ◽  
Business Planning ◽  
Information Asymmetries ◽  
Methodological Innovation ◽  
Set Up ◽  
And Control

The research question of this paper is concerned with the investigation of the links between Internet of Things and related big data as input parameters for stochastic estimates in business planning and corporate evaluation analytics. Financial forecasts and company appraisals represent a core corporate ownership and control issue, impacting on stakeholder remuneration, information asymmetries, and other aspects. Optimal business planning and related corporate evaluations derive from an equilibrated mix of top-down and bottom-up approaches. While the former follows a traditional dirigistic methodology where companies set up their strategic goals, the latter are grass-rooted with big data-driven timely evidence. Real options can be embedded in big data-driven forecasting to make expected cash flows more flexible and resilient, improving Value for Money of the investment and reducing its risk profile. More accurate and timely big data-driven predictions reduce uncertainties and information asymmetries, making risk management easier and decreasing the cost of capital. Whereas stochastic modeling is traditionally used for budgeting and business planning, this probabilistic process is seldom nurtured by big data that can refresh forecasts in real time, improving their predictive ability. Combination of big data and stochastic estimates for corporate appraisal and governance issues represents a methodological innovation that goes beyond the traditional literature and practice.

From Rural Outsourcing to Rural Opportunities

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 16-30
Author(s):  
Aarti Kawlra
Keyword(s):  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Business Strategy ◽  
Development Project ◽  
Production Model ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Local Networks ◽  
Key Innovation ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Production Company ◽  
Distributed Production

Inspired by the potential of Information and Communication Technologies, henceforth ICTs, for socio-economic development, and supported by a university based technology and business incubator, Rural Production Company, henceforth RPC, was set up in 2007 employing an ICT-mediated distributed production model. This paper reveals how RPC, initially an exploratory project whose key innovation was its Internet kiosk-facilitated model of crafts production and local empowerment, morphed into a social enterprise catering to global demands. The context of innovation provided by the Incubator led to a transformation of an ICT4D (ICT for Development) project into a business venture through the practice of formal and informal questioning at every stage of its implementation. This paper focuses on the iterative method adopted while highlighting the role of the incubator in the overall design and development process of the enterprise. This paper is a reflexive mapping of the organization’s evolution from the original research agenda of outsourcing production cum rural employment, to one that privileges local networks both as a conscious business strategy and as an arena for collaborative change for human development.

Multi-disciplinary assessment of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a tertiary assessment package

1999 ◽  
Vol 23 (7) ◽  
pp. 421-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Kat ◽  
Clay Frake ◽  
Rebecca Sawtell
Keyword(s):  
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Attention Deficit ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Assessment Protocol ◽  
Hyperactivity Disorder ◽  
Set Up

Aims and methodA tertiary assessment package was set up for the more equivocal cases of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who present with problems of inattention, impulsivity and overactivity. The structure of the three-day package was discussed, with an analysis of our experience in assessing 12 children using the pilot project. The package and Its use in clinical practice are presented.ResultsThe pilot project described can be modified into a two-day package.Clinical implicationsAssessment of ADHD conducted in multiple settings inherently has many advantages over single clinic assessment. We suggest that such an assessment protocol can be conducted cost effectively.

scholarly journals How to design and set up a clinical trial part 1: the research question

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 111-116
Author(s):  
Amarpreet Atwal ◽  
Philip E Benson
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Clinical Relevance ◽  
Clinical Care ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Human Participants ◽  
Set Up

Data from clinical trials involving human participants are essential in establishing an evidence base about the safety and effectiveness of our treatments. This first article describes the steps involved in designing and setting up a clinical trial, from establishing the research question(s) to searching the literature. Acquiring some knowledge about how to set up a clinical trial will allow the conscientious clinician to use the most relevant information to provide the highest possible standards of clinical care for his/her patients. CPD/Clinical Relevance: Even if a clinician is not, has never been, nor is ever planning to be involved in research, he/she should understand and be able to interpret the data from clinical trials.

Mega-Doses of Behaviour Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Agoraphobics*

1983 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 105-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morton S. Rapp ◽  
Martyn R. Thomas ◽  
Eleanor C. Reyes
Keyword(s):  
Effective Treatment ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Treatment Resistant ◽  
Behaviour Therapy ◽  
The Past ◽  
Cost Effective Treatment ◽  
Intensive Program ◽  
Set Up

This was a pilot project set up to test the feasibility of effectively and inexpensively treating agoraphobic patients who had not responded to adequate trials of behaviour therapy (and other therapy) in the past. We employed a quantitatively intensive program of exposure therapy, calisthenics and muscular relaxation, and have explained the rationales for the choice of each treatment. The results were gratifying in four of the five patients, with follow-up to three years. This pilot project enabled us to set up a cost-effective treatment for all forms of agoraphobia which is as efficient as other programs described. It has also highlighted the fact that some patients exist who may do poorly on schedules of behaviour therapy which are adequate for some patients, and yet may do well if the amount of treatment is drastically increased.

Data Collection and Analysis Using a Wind Turbine and a Photovoltaic Solar Panel

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salim Azzouz ◽  
Johnny Blevins ◽  
Tyler Thomas ◽  
Makenzie Johnson ◽  
Clarke O’Connor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wind Turbine ◽  
Electrical Energy ◽  
Atmospheric Temperature ◽  
Training System ◽  
Weather Data ◽  
The Sun ◽  
Solar Panels ◽  
Dc Voltage ◽  
Data Collecting ◽  
Set Up

Abstract A weather data collection study is currently conducted using a renewable energy training system. The system is composed of a LabVolt trainer, two sun tracking photovoltaic solar panels and a small wind turbine. The LabVolt training system is located in one of the McCoy School of Engineering laboratories, the solar panels and the wind turbine are located in the neighborhood of the Engineering building at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas. A set of meteorological data collecting outdoor sensors to monitor the impact of weather conditions on the power generation of the sun-tracking photovoltaic solar panels and the wind turbine have been installed on the building roof. Weather parameters such as atmospheric temperature, pressure, humidity, and rainfall are monitored using a Davis Vantage Pro 2 data collecting system. A number of LabVIEW data acquisition cards and signal processing modules are used to monitor the sun-tracking photovoltaic solar panels’ output voltage, the wind turbine output voltage, the atmospheric temperature, the solar irradiance, and the wind direction, speed, and RPM. A voltage divider has been built to step down the 90V DC voltage produced by the solar panels to 12V DC voltage required for the trainer electrical circuits. A LabVIEW data processing program is used to create instantaneous graphic displays of the collected data on a monitoring screen. The LabVolt trainer is equipped with two charge controller electronic devices, one is used for the sun tracking photovoltaic solar panels, and one is used for the wind turbine. They are used to control the flow of electrical energy through a set of electrical loading devices and a set of storages batteries. Additionally, the LabVolt trainer is equipped with two kilowatt-hour-meters counting the electrical energy consumed by the electrical loads. The trainer is also equipped with two inverters transforming the 12 V DC voltage collected from both energy producing devices to 120 V that can be used by the electrical loading devices. A brief description of all used electronic components and devices is provided in the paper, as well a detailed experiment set-up with a procedure to run them. The project has been divided into three consecutive phases. The first phase dealt with connecting the solar panels, wind turbine, and data collecting sensors to the LabVIEW data acquisition software. The second phase is currently dealing with setting up the trainer solar and wind electricity providing circuits. In the third upcoming phase, it is expected that the data collected by the sensors will be gradually archived using Excel files and analyzed for weather data correlation purposes. It is also expected that the training system will be used to teach upcoming mechanical engineering students about how to set up an independent renewable energy system and the necessary equipment required to run it.

scholarly journals Propelling a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience Using an Open-Access Online Undergraduate Research Journal

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evelyn Sun ◽  
Marcia L. Graves ◽  
David C. Oliver
Keyword(s):  
Open Access ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Testable Hypothesis ◽  
Original Research ◽  
Research Experience ◽  
Research Journal ◽  
Original Manuscript ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
New Research

The University of British Columbia has developed a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) that engages students in authentic molecular microbiology research. This capstone course is uniquely built around an open-access online undergraduate research journal entitled Undergraduate Journal of Experimental Microbiology and Immunology (UJEMI). Students work in teams to derive an original research question, formulate a testable hypothesis, draft a research proposal, carry out experiments in the laboratory, and publish their results in UJEMI. The CURE operates in a feed forward manner whereby student-authored UJEMI publications drive research questions in subsequent terms of the course. Progress toward submission of an original manuscript is scaffolded using a series of communication assignments which facilitate formative development. We present a periodic model of our CURE that guides students through a research cycle. We review two ongoing course-based projects to highlight how UJEMI publications prime new research questions in the course. A journal-driven CURE represents a broadly applicable pedagogical tool that immerses students in the process of doing science.

The blockchain as a sustainable business model innovation

2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (8) ◽  
pp. 1621-1642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riccardo Tiscini ◽  
Silvia Testarmata ◽  
Mirella Ciaburri ◽  
Emanuele Ferrari
Keyword(s):  
Food Industry ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Academic Research ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Website ◽  
Set Up

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to strive to close the current research gap pertaining to potential implications of the blockchain (BC) for sustainable business models (SBMs) in the agri-food industry.Design/methodology/approachTo answer the research question, the authors utilised the Value Triangle framework by Biloslavo et al. (2018) in order to explore the potential innovation of BC for SBMs in the agri-food industry. Then, the authors apply it to an in-depth exploratory case study of the Placido Volpone winery. The authors draw data from strategic plans, annual reports, corporate website and a semi-structured interview with the winery's founder.FindingsThe authors show how BC technology could be a source of SBM innovation in the agri-food industry.Research limitations/implicationsBC technology has the potential to significantly change SBMs. Given the huge set-up investments by the industry, academic research investigating potential implications and supporting companies in their application of BC is needed. This paper explores how the implications of BC as source of innovation on SBMs can be investigated.Practical implicationsThe research results of this study can be used by company leaders and managers to support the development of SBMs through the introduction of BC technology in their business activities.Originality/valueThe paper is novel because it investigates the relationship between SBM innovation and BC providing theoretical justification to SBM technological innovation in an agri-food setting. Additionally, the paper provides an empirical application of the framework by Biloslavo et al. (2018) for understanding the development of SBM through BC in the agri-food industry.

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