in italy, several policy measures have been implemented in order to increase energy efficiencyand reduce carbon emissions especially concerning the household sector. however, in order to design andimplement these policy measures efficiently, it is necessary to get a better understanding of the factorsinfluencing household energy behavior. in this paper, by using disaggregated data from the 2009...

Woodfuels are the most heavily used energy source in sub-Saharan Africa. We analyzed the ecological impacts and modes of access of five user groups (domestic consumers, gin distillers, brick manufacturers, charcoal producers, and tea companies) drawing biomass energy from natural forests in western Uganda. While domestic consumers use the most species for fuelwood (>50), their consumption is li...

In this paper, a strategy framework for coordinating decentralized autonomous agents is presented and applied within a smart energy grid. The framework brings together the concept of policy-based computing and market-based coordination. In this context, agents can be seen as self-interested entities that are governed by their local policies. Efficient coordination between these self-interested ...

As state and local officials struggle with the challenge of organizing and implementing solid waste management programs, they are faced with choices laden with emotional, political, scientific and economic influences. Trash-to­ energy, an important part of many states' disposal options, brings with it policy issues reflective of its unique processes. Recycling, emissions levels, and ash managem...

Within the framework of multiple advocacy theory and elite model, an eclectic approach, the study examined citizens’ participation in public policy making and implementation with specific reference to Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State 2011-2015, with the aim of indentifying the overall impacts, benefits as well as factors hindering citizens’ participation in public policy making an...

Background: There is limited understanding about the development of the online one-stop shops for evidence in a limited-resource setting, such as Uganda. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive account of the development process of the online resource for local policy and systems-relevant information in this setting. Methods: We utilized a case study design to address our objective where ...

We consider a swarm-intelligent inspection system concerned with the inspection of blades in a jet turbine. The system is based on a swarm of autonomous, miniature robots, using only on-board, local sensors. We capture the dynamics of the system at a higher abstraction level using non-spatial, probabilistic, discrete-time macroscopic models, which we use in an optimal control framework to find ...

Positive and negative side effects of economic activities—“externalities” in the language of economists—are universal in the energy sector. Coal-fired power plants not only produce electricity, but also CO2, which contributes to global warming, and local air pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (SO2), which have adverse health effects on the population living downwind of the smoke stacks. The stud...