Analyzing Uncertainty in Release Planning: A Method and Experiment for Fixed-Date Release Cycles

Release planning—deciding what features to implement in upcoming releases of a software system—is a critical activity in iterative software development. Many release planning methods exist, but most ignore the inevitable uncertainty in estimating software development effort and business value. The article’s objective is to study whether analyzing uncertainty during release planning generates better release plans than if uncertainty is ignored. To study this question, we have developed a novel release planning method under uncertainty, called BEARS, that models uncertainty using Bayesian probability distributions and recommends release plans that maximize expected net present value and expected punctuality. We then compare release plans recommended by BEARS to those recommended by methods that ignore uncertainty on 32 release planning problems. The experiment shows that BEARS recommends release plans with higher expected net present value and expected punctuality than methods that ignore uncertainty, thereby indicating the harmful effects of ignoring uncertainty during release planning. These results highlight the importance of eliciting and analyzing uncertainty in software effort and value estimations and call for increased research in these areas.

ESTABLISHING A SHARED –USER COMMUNITY KITCHEN IN LILIW LAGUNA KITCHEN UTILITY PROJECT FOR ALL

The study aims to analyze the financial feasibility of establishing a shared-use community/ commercial kitchen as an economic development tool. The study was intended to reveal other potential opportunities that could exist with a viable community kitchen concept to enhance workforce training in the food service industry, culinary arts and help the local food manufacturers who do not have their kitchen facility. A 700 square meter, including areas for processing, storage, shipping, warehousing, etc and areas for culinary training, shared user community kitchen facility is needed in Liliw Laguna according to the fifty (50) respondent’s. The volume of responses and their consistent support of the shared – use concept of community kitchen facility provide sufficient basis for a positive feasibility determination. The strength of the anecdotal information drawn from in – depth interviews simply verifies the survey and provides a high degree of confidence in the study result. The needed facility design and equipment should match ethnic foods, local delicacies/snack foods, meat products and catered meals production. Freelance cooks wanted to use the facility regularly. Ninety-eight percent of the facility schedule could be absorbed by the potential users. The number of caterers without a kitchen in Liliw Laguna area seems to provide a sufficient base to provide a steady revenue stream, for the facility. Specialty food producers accounted for majority of all intended users (60% of respondents) with caterers the second most likely users (23% of respondents). Survey results indicated that there is a potential “hour lease” estimated at 166/168 revenue hours per week. Both groups would utilize the proposed facility. Liliw Senior High School – TVL strand within the vicinity desire to utilize the kitchen as a training facility. The capital budget needed is Php 9, 401, 981. The internal rate of return of the project is 23% at 20% cost money hurdle cost. The Return – on – Investment is 43% using DuPont’s Model and has positive net present value Php 1, 597, 649 assuming project life of eight years. The project can generate sufficient revenue to achieve breakeven point at 3, 173 rental services of Php 850 per hour. Has the ability to pay for itself within three and half (3.5) years with two employees – a facility General Manager on full time employment basis and a Facility General Manager on full time employment basis and a Facility General Affairs Assistant as soon as the revenue permits. The survey result indicated that the facility site is preferred at Mh. Del Pilar Bgry Pagasa Liliw Laguna. Many catering institutions need to be located in close proximity to their catering sites and clientele. A variety of collaborations is possible in developing the project and operating the facility. Potential structures include choices as Liliw Laguna as sole sponsor, owner, operator and administrator of the project transforming the kitchen as Government Owned and Controlled Corporation. KEYWORDS: Shared-User, Community Kitchen, Kusina ng Bayan, Kitchen Utility for All

Performance Analysis of a Waste-to-Energy System Integrated with the Steam–Water Cycle and Urea Hydrolysis Process of a Coal-Fired Power Unit

An innovative hybrid energy system consisting of a waste-to-energy unit and a coal-fired power unit is designed to enhance the energy recovery of waste and decrease the investment costs of waste-to-energy unit. In this integrated design, partial cold reheat steam of the coal-fired unit is heated by the waste-to-energy boiler’s superheater. The heat required for partial preheated air of waste-to-energy unit and its feedwater are supplied by the feedwater of CFPU. In addition, an additional evaporator is deployed in the waste-to-energy boiler, of which the outlet stream is utilized to provide the heat source for the urea hydrolysis unit of coal-fired power plant. The stand-alone and proposed designs are analyzed and compared through thermodynamic and economic methods. Results indicate that the net total energy efficiency increases from 41.84% to 42.12%, and the net total exergy efficiency rises from 41.19% to 41.46% after system integration. Moreover, the energy efficiency and exergy efficiency of waste-to-energy system are enhanced by 10.48% and 9.92%, respectively. The dynamic payback period of new waste-to-energy system is cut down from 11.39 years to 5.48 years, and an additional net present value of $14.42 million is got than before.

Techno-Economic Evaluation of 5G Technology for Automated Guided Vehicles in Production

The fifth generation of mobile communication (5G) is expected to bring immense benefits to automated guided vehicles by improving existing respectively enabling 5G-distinctive network control systems, leading to higher productivity and safety. However, only 1% of production companies have fully deployed 5G yet. Most companies currently lack an understanding of return on investment and of technical use-case benefits. Therefore, this paper analyses the influence of 5G on an automated guided vehicle use case based on a five-step evaluation model. The analysis is conducted with a use case in the Digital Experience Factory in Aachen. It shows a difference of net present value between 4G and 5G of 1.3 M€ after 10 years and a difference of return of investment of 66%. Furthermore, analysis shows an increase of mobility (13%), productivity (20%) and safety (136%). This indicates a noticeable improvement of a 5G-controlled automated guided vehicle compared to a 4G-controlled automated guided vehicle.

Financial and Economic Investment Evaluation of Wastewater Treatment Plant

Improved Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) analysis requires a broader analytical framework, in order to perceive each project individually from the perspective of potentially measurable and significant effects on the environment and society as a whole. The main goal of our paper is to assess the financial and economic justification for variant V3 (as the most technically optimal) of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) construction project in Nov Dojran, North Macedonia, with the purpose of advancing municipal infrastructure and environmental benefits from improved water treatment. Based on the economic analysis conducted, we conclude that the investment in the WWTP project is justified, because the economic internal rate of return is higher than the opportunity cost of capital (EIRR = 16.38%), the economic net present value is higher than 0, and EBCR (benefit-cost ratio) is greater than 1 (EBCR = 2.11). The highest environmental benefit of 49.2% in total environmental benefits is associated with nitrogen, while phosphorus is the next pollutant in the structure of environmental benefits at 46.1%. The environmental benefits of removing biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) are significantly less important, despite the removal of significant amounts of these pollutants during treatment. The situation is similar with suspended particles.

Feasibility Study Fishing Tour Project in Dongkal Village, East Pondok Jagung, North Serpong, South Tangerang City, Banten

The purpose of writing a feasibility study paper on fishing tourism business is to assist the village government in realizing increased economic growth for the community around village. The author also wants to carry out several feasibility measurements in a project development by analyzing, viewing and measuring several measurement indicators using the Net Present Value method, Internal Return Rate, Cost Benefit Ratio, Return on Investment, and Return on Investment Period. Based on the results of the analysis of the financial feasibility test with this method, the authors use a loan interest rate of 11% per year to operate. From the calculation results obtained a positive number of Net Present Value of Rp. 493,276 million, the value of the Internal Rate of Return 12.1388% > 11% (Interest Rate), the value of the Cost Benefit Ratio 1.5165 > 1, with a payback period of 3.0825 years < 5 years (Bank loan repayment period).

Does the Net Present Value as a Financial Metric Fit Investment in Green Energy Security?

Surprisingly, little is known whether the net present value (NPV) used as a financial metric in budgeting and investment planning to analyse a projects’ profitability is universal. Meanwhile, the epochal green energy revolution ensuring carbon neutrality through green innovations requires enormous investments, and projects realised must ensure energy security. Therefore, there is a need to reanalyse financial metrics used in financial planning, including NPV. We eliminate this research gap and, based on data from Poland, Romania, Hungary, Croatia, the USA, the United Kingdom, Japan, Israel, and Euro Zone, explain why one may not perceive the currently used NPV formula as a universal financial metric. We show that the variable discount rate influences the time value of money. Therefore, there is a need to redefine the NPV formula. This study makes two main contributions. First, it creates new ground by revisiting the NPV formula in the emerging market context compared to stable economies and contributes to developing business and management theory. Second, we propose and empirically verify the modified NPV formula as a financial metric that considers the situation of energy firms in emerging markets. Thus, this research helps the capital budgeting process, and the modified NPV formula can help provide optimal outcomes in firms, helping to reduce financial risks. Our study contributes to a further contextual diagnosis of business projects and can, in turn, be relevant for other energy sector analyses.

An Online Tool for Estimating Return-on-investment for Water Recycling at Nurseries

Water availability, quality, and management, particularly under climate change constraints and fierce competition for water resources, are challenging the sustainability of intensively irrigated nursery crops. We created an online tool to estimate costs and benefits of a water recycling investment at a commercial nursery, given data on the operation input by the user. The online tool returns a “regulatory risk score” based on the user’s drought and pollution risk. Then, using a partial budget approach, it returns net present value of the investment, upfront capital cost, and expected change in annual cash flow. The present article seeks to cross-validate this computer model with results reported in the case study literature. We aggregated data on 38 nurseries and greenhouses profiled in five published studies into a meta study dataset. These data validated the computer tool’s assumptions about the relationship of operation size to total capital cost. Separate simulations on the profitability effects of varying public water rates and price premia due to green marketing corroborated the findings of earlier studies. A major finding of the simulation analysis not previously emphasized in the literature is that capital cost and profit vary significantly with the precise method that is used to size the recapture pond. A “minimalist” approach to this decision is likely to be the most cost-effective, but growers should also keep stormwater runoff and other issues of environmental best practices in mind.

Current Status of Old Housing for Low-Income Elderly Households in Seoul and Green Remodeling Support Plan: Economic Analysis Considering the Social Cost of Green Remodeling

In this study, the economic feasibility of green remodeling (GR), which could improve the health, safety, and energy of elderly households considering social cost, was analyzed. As a result, the net present value of GR was ‘−10,267 USD (49.7%)’, which was found to be uneconomical compared to the total construction cost (20,981 USD, 100%) despite benefits of energy saving, carbon reduction, and air pollutant reduction. Based on this result, in order to expand GR for low-income elderly households, who cannot afford to perform GR, a GR support measure linked to the currently implemented energy conversion and old-age housing support policies was proposed. It allows the government to perform GR for low-income elderly households with 1/4 of the total construction cost. This result could revitalize GR to reduce greenhouse gas and contribute to housing stability for low-income elderly households who are vulnerable to COVID-19 and climate change.