The installed capacity of European Offshore Wind Turbines (OWT) is likely to rise from the 2014 value of 7GW to 150GW in 2030. However maintenance of OWT is facing unprecedented challenges and cost 35% of lifetime costs. This will be equivalent to £14billion/year by 2030 if current OWT maintenance schemes are not changed. However the complexities around OWT operation require tools and systems to optimise OWT maintenance. The design of optimal OWT maintenance requires failure analysis of over 10,000 components in OWT for which there is little published work relating to performance and failure. In this work, inspection reports of over 400 wind turbine gearboxes (source: Stork Technical Services) and SCADA data (source: Shetland Aerogenerators Ltd) were studied to identify issues with performance and failures in wind turbines. A modified framework of Failure Mode Effects and Criticality Analysis (i.e. FMECA+) was designed to analyse failures according to the unique requirements of OWT maintenance planners. The FMECA+ framework enables analysis and prediction of failures for varied root causes, and determines their consequences over short and long periods of time. A software tool has been developed around FMECA+ framework that enables prediction of component level failures for varied root causes. The tool currently stores over 800 such instances. The need to develop a FMECA+ based Enterprise Resource Planning tool has been identified and preliminary results obtained from its development have been shown. Such a software package will routinely manage OWT data, predict failures in components, manage resources and plan an optimal maintenance. This will solve some big problems that OWT maintenance planners currently face. This will also support the use of SCADA and condition monitoring data in planning OWT maintenance, something which has been difficult to manage for a long time.

With the recent unprecedented growth of many African economies, infrastructure investment has been flooding into the continent. Two key areas experiencing large growth in infrastructure development are the transport and energy sectors. This trend also continues to hold true in the South African development framework. The theme of this thesis encompasses both subjects of energy and transportation infrastructure which feature prominently in the countries development plans. When energy is discussed in South Africa, it is usually in the context of power generation and electricity distribution. This study focuses on another key component of the energy sector in the form of liquid fuel. Most of this energy is consumed for transportation purposes. The energy consumption of the transport sector in South Africa is large, totalling around 28% of Total Final Consumption (TFC) in the national energy balances. The bulk of this energy demand (97%) is in the form of liquid fuels, accounting for 84% of the national liquid fuel demand. This thesis focusses on the investigation of a Multi Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) model, which can be used to aid decision makers in the planning and assessment of liquid fuel transportation projects. A key feature of this thesis is the incorporation of a stochastic analysis in the MCDA model. There are two key motivations for assimilating a stochastic analysis in this investigation. The first one is the evaluation of incorporating such an analysis in an MCDA, as opposed to a more traditional sensitivity analysis. The second motivation is to assess the value of employing stochastic analysis as an input method for analysing a decision problem, where comprehensive field data can be substituted for a relevant range of simulated data. This thesis proposes a model which integrates the MCDA and stochastic analysis in the hope that it would provide a faster and more cost effective alternative for assessing certain liquid fuel transportation problems.

This thesis contains three separate papers. A balance of questions: what can we ask of climate change economics? is a critical analysis of the economics of climate change literature. It concludes that much more research effort needs to be put into studying the investment needed for a transition to a zero carbon energy infrastructure, rather than the focus on determining the social cost of carbon. The interaction of scale economies and energy quality is a theoretical study of the ability of economies to operate given different qualities of energy resources. Measuring costs and benefits of independence is an analysis of the welfare costs to Catalonia from reduced trade, which may arise on independence from Spain. These costs are set against the benefits to Catalonia of not paying fiscal transfers to the rest of Spain.

O objetivo geral do trabalho foi consolidar uma base de dados georreferenciada da rede de distribuição de energia elétrica para todo o Brasil de tal maneira que as informações possam ser utilizadas na geração de variáveis indicadoras da qualidade instalada de infraestrutura elétrica para irrigação e serem aplicadas em análises territoriais de desenvolvimento rural, possibilitando ao governo brasileiro elaborar a análise territorial e políticas para o desenvolvimento da agricultura irrigada no Brasil. Os objetivos específicos foram: (i) analisar a disponibilidade de energia elétrica no meio rural para a expansão da agricultura irrigada, e (ii) desenvolver metodologia e resultados referentes à espacialização dos dados de infraestrutura de distribuição de energia elétrica do Brasil e compatibiliza-los com estudos de análise territorial de abrangência nacional. O presente trabalho marca a conclusão do primeiro ciclo de consolidação e processamento de dados espaciais do Projeto \"Análise territorial e as políticas voltadas para a promoção da gestão integrada e do uso sustentável da água no meio rural no Brasil\". Este ciclo de trabalho esteve voltado para a estruturação de uma base de dados geográfica com abrangência nacional de representação da infraestrutura elétrica instalada, apta para alimentação de projetos de irrigação. Foram aqui trabalhados todos os dados geográficos atualmente disponíveis sobre distribuição de energia elétrica de alta, média e baixa tensão no Brasil, congregando informações de todas as distribuidoras de energia elétrica reguladas pela Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica (ANEEL). A base de dados consolidada possibilitou a geração de variáveis qualitativas e quantitativas compatíveis, em formato e estrutura, com modelos de análise territorial. A conclusão dessa etapa preenche uma lacuna nos estudos de análise territorial de uso sustentável da água porque trata da disponibilidade de infraestrutura elétrica que é crucial na modelagem de sistemas de agricultura irrigada. Até então, não havia sido realizado um tratamento dessas informações com abrangência nacional, utilizando-se uma metodologia única, replicável e articulada com as instituições ANEEL e Ministério da Agricultura Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA). A colaboração institucional na cessão e orientação de uso das bases de dados cria condições para o continuo aprimoramento das informações e seu geoprocessamento, na medida em que a rede de distribuição de energia elétrica se ramifica e novas informações vão sendo agregadas. O trabalho apresenta uma contribuição significativa para combinar as informações geradas com outros estudos que analisaram o potencial de expansão da agricultura irrigada no Brasil e uso sustentável da água no meio rural. / The main objective of this work was the consolidation of a georeferenced database of the electricity distribution network throughout Brazil in such a way that the information can be used to generate variables indicating the installed quality of electrical infrastructure for irrigation and to be applied in territorial analyzes of rural development, enabling the Brazilian government to elaborate the territorial analysis and policies for the development of irrigated agriculture in Brazil. The specific objectives were: (i) the analysis of electricity availability in rural areas for irrigated agriculture expansion, and (ii) development of method for modeling the spatial distribution of electric infrastructure in Brazil and link of results with large scale territorial analysis. This paper marks the conclusion of the first spatial data consolidation and processing cycle of the Project \"Territorial analysis and policies aimed at promoting integrated management and sustainable water use in rural areas in Brazil\". All the geographic data currently available on high, medium and low voltage electricity distribution in Brazil were compiled from all the electricity distributors regulated by ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency). The consolidated database enabled the generation of qualitative and quantitative variables compatible, in format and structure, with territorial analysis. The conclusion of this work fills a gap in studies related to sustainability in water use since it addresses the availability of electrical infrastructure using a unique methodology, replicable and articulated with ANEEL and MAPA (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply) institutions with a national scope. The results obtained and the institutional collaboration carried out in this work creates conditions for the continuous improvement of studies focusing on irrigated agriculture and sustainable use of water in rural areas in Brazil.

O objetivo geral do trabalho foi consolidar uma base de dados georreferenciada da rede de distribuição de energia elétrica para todo o Brasil de tal maneira que as informações possam ser utilizadas na geração de variáveis indicadoras da qualidade instalada de infraestrutura elétrica para irrigação e serem aplicadas em análises territoriais de desenvolvimento rural, possibilitando ao governo brasileiro elaborar a análise territorial e políticas para o desenvolvimento da agricultura irrigada no Brasil. Os objetivos específicos foram: (i) analisar a disponibilidade de energia elétrica no meio rural para a expansão da agricultura irrigada, e (ii) desenvolver metodologia e resultados referentes à espacialização dos dados de infraestrutura de distribuição de energia elétrica do Brasil e compatibiliza-los com estudos de análise territorial de abrangência nacional. O presente trabalho marca a conclusão do primeiro ciclo de consolidação e processamento de dados espaciais do Projeto \"Análise territorial e as políticas voltadas para a promoção da gestão integrada e do uso sustentável da água no meio rural no Brasil\". Este ciclo de trabalho esteve voltado para a estruturação de uma base de dados geográfica com abrangência nacional de representação da infraestrutura elétrica instalada, apta para alimentação de projetos de irrigação. Foram aqui trabalhados todos os dados geográficos atualmente disponíveis sobre distribuição de energia elétrica de alta, média e baixa tensão no Brasil, congregando informações de todas as distribuidoras de energia elétrica reguladas pela Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica (ANEEL). A base de dados consolidada possibilitou a geração de variáveis qualitativas e quantitativas compatíveis, em formato e estrutura, com modelos de análise territorial. A conclusão dessa etapa preenche uma lacuna nos estudos de análise territorial de uso sustentável da água porque trata da disponibilidade de infraestrutura elétrica que é crucial na modelagem de sistemas de agricultura irrigada. Até então, não havia sido realizado um tratamento dessas informações com abrangência nacional, utilizando-se uma metodologia única, replicável e articulada com as instituições ANEEL e Ministério da Agricultura Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA). A colaboração institucional na cessão e orientação de uso das bases de dados cria condições para o continuo aprimoramento das informações e seu geoprocessamento, na medida em que a rede de distribuição de energia elétrica se ramifica e novas informações vão sendo agregadas. O trabalho apresenta uma contribuição significativa para combinar as informações geradas com outros estudos que analisaram o potencial de expansão da agricultura irrigada no Brasil e uso sustentável da água no meio rural. / The main objective of this work was the consolidation of a georeferenced database of the electricity distribution network throughout Brazil in such a way that the information can be used to generate variables indicating the installed quality of electrical infrastructure for irrigation and to be applied in territorial analyzes of rural development, enabling the Brazilian government to elaborate the territorial analysis and policies for the development of irrigated agriculture in Brazil. The specific objectives were: (i) the analysis of electricity availability in rural areas for irrigated agriculture expansion, and (ii) development of method for modeling the spatial distribution of electric infrastructure in Brazil and link of results with large scale territorial analysis. This paper marks the conclusion of the first spatial data consolidation and processing cycle of the Project \"Territorial analysis and policies aimed at promoting integrated management and sustainable water use in rural areas in Brazil\". All the geographic data currently available on high, medium and low voltage electricity distribution in Brazil were compiled from all the electricity distributors regulated by ANEEL (National Electric Energy Agency). The consolidated database enabled the generation of qualitative and quantitative variables compatible, in format and structure, with territorial analysis. The conclusion of this work fills a gap in studies related to sustainability in water use since it addresses the availability of electrical infrastructure using a unique methodology, replicable and articulated with ANEEL and MAPA (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply) institutions with a national scope. The results obtained and the institutional collaboration carried out in this work creates conditions for the continuous improvement of studies focusing on irrigated agriculture and sustainable use of water in rural areas in Brazil.

This work describes the virtualization process, virtualization tools and virtualization automation. The work also deals with the description of energy infrastructure, KYPO cyber range platform and DLMS/COSEM protocol used in energy. The practical part deals with the virtualization of energy infrastructure using OpenStack and KYPO cyber range platforms. A virtual environment was created using Vagrant application. The OpenStack and KYPO cyber range platforms were subsequently installed in this environment. Next, a sandbox definition was created. The sandbox definition creates a scenario with an energy infrastructure using KYPO platform. The functionality of the energy infrastructure was verified using the Gurux DLMS library.

No description available.

Expropriation for the purposes of construction of transport, water and energy infrastructure Résumé This thesis deals with expropriation under the regime of Act No. 416/2009 Coll. on accelerating the construction of transport, water and energy infrastructure and electronic communications infrastructure (Act on Acceleration of Construction). The thesis provides an analysis of selected provisions of this Act, evaluates the possibilities of interpretation of questionable provisions and proposes possibilities of de lege ferenda optimisation of the existing legislation. The thesis also responds to the recent amendment to the Act on Acceleration of Construction implemented by Act No. 169/2018 Coll. and analyses the potential impacts of the new legislation on the procedural position of the parties to the proceedings as well as the conformity of the selected provisions of the amendment with the constitutional order. In the first chapter, the reader is acquainted with the notion of expropriation, with the content of this term, the relevant legal regulation and the substantive conditions of expropriation. The following second chapter contains a brief description of the Act on Accelerating Construction and its contextualisation in the terms of historical and political circumstances of its adoption. The third chapter...

Smart Grids technologies cover a wide range of applications, from energy efficiency to load adjustments. However, they still rise interrogations and doubts around their economic benefits and environmental improvements. Therefore, this thesis aims to understand and highlight the benefits of smart grids technologies applied to an urban development project of new neighborhood. For such a perimeter, it is first necessary to clearly define the smart grids considered, the stakeholders involved and the new tools that smart grids technologies bring. Therefore, this thesis highlights how, for an urban development project, the economic value of smart grids mainly lies in the reduction of infrastructure and tools to monitor and maintain energy performance of a neighborhood in its operational phase. Furthermore, the introduction of intermittent and decentralized production, facilitated by smart grids technologies, aims to extent the considered scale to tackle energy questions, from the building scale to the district scale. Therefore, new actors and governance practices may need to emerge in order to support Smart Grids technologies. / Smarta nät teknik täcker ett brett spektrum av tillämpningar, från energieffektivitet att ladda justeringar. Men de fortfarande stiga förhör och tvivel kring deras ekonomiska fördelar och miljöförbättringar. Därför denna avhandling syftar till att förstå och lyfta fram fördelarna med smarta nät teknik inom ett stadsutvecklingsprojekt av ny stadsdel. För en sådan omkrets, är det först nödvändigt att tydligt definiera de smarta elnät anses, berörda aktörer och de nya verktyg som smarta nät teknik medför. Därför belyser avhandlingen hur en stadsbyggnadsprojekt, ligger det ekonomiska värdet av smarta nät främst i minskningen av infrastruktur och verktyg för att övervaka ochupprätthålla energiprestandan i en stadsdel i sin operativa fas. Dessutom har införandet av intermittent och decentraliserad produktion, underlättas genom smarta nät teknik, syftar till att utsträckning anses skala för att ta itu med energifrågorna, från byggnaden skala till distrikts skala. Därför kan nya aktörer och förvaltningspraxis måste dyka upp för att stödja smarta nät teknik.

Over the past century, populations of North American grassland songbirds have declined sharply as a consequence of habitat destruction. Alberta’s mixed-grass prairie constitutes Canada’s largest remaining tract of native grassland. However, this region has recently undergone a rapid expansion of conventional oil and natural gas development, and few studies have documented its effects on songbird nesting success. During the 2012-2014 breeding seasons, I monitored 813 nests of grassland songbirds located at sites that varied with respect to presence/absence, distance from, and types of oil and gas infrastructure (pump jacks, screw pumps, compressor stations) and gravel roads. Nest survival was significantly lower at infrastructure sites relative to controls for both Savannah sparrow and vesper sparrow. Additionally, vesper sparrow nest density was greater within 100 m of structures. These findings suggest that habitat disturbance caused by infrastructure may result in increased frequencies of nest predation at multiple spatial scales. / February 2016