Rural electrification serves as a tool to reach several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, challenges occur related to increased electricity access, involving financial, informational, technical and regulatory factors. Another issue concerning electrification is the potential climate effects that increased electricity production causes. To minimise emissions and energy losses, usage of renewable energy sources is a possible solution as well as increased decentralised electricity production. Microgrids enable both of these parts and therefore serve as a great solution to sustainably meet the increased demand of electricity. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to investigate the potential of microgrids to sustainably contribute to an increased access to electricity. The study focuses on the electrical power situation in Thailand. The literature study covers the political strategies regarding rural electrification and implementation of renewable energy sources in Thailand’s electrical power system, and how the country is currently developing according to these strategies. The case study consists of a cost and emission analysis related to a pilot microgrid project in northern Thailand. The Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) in Thailand initiated and built the microgrid project called Maesariang Microgrid, in MaeSariang District in the northern province Mae Hong Son. The purpose of the project was to improve reliability and quality of the power delivered to Mae Sariang District. The microgrid consists of a solar power plant, a hydro power station, diesel generators and a battery energy storage system (BESS). The results from the case study shows that implementation of the Maesariang Microgrid, in addition to power reliability and quality, resulted in both reduced cost of electricity generation (COEG) with 3 percent and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions with 11 percent. Furthermore, emissions per generated electricity unit has reduced from 380 kg CO2 per MWhto 340 kg CO2 per MWh. By using a system model covering the current microgrid in Mae Sariang, three alternative microgrid compositions with different shares of installed renewable energy capacity were simulated in three scenarios. In these scenarios, the amount of electricity generated from the solar power plant, diesel generators and BESS varied in order to analyse the effects on emissions and COEG. The analysis displayed that an increased capacity of solar power installed, both with the current size of the BESS capacity, and with an increased BESS capacity, resulted in lower COEG and emissions. It also showed that usage of less installed solar power capacity and increased usage of diesel generators would reduce CO2 emission sper year compared to using the local grid. However, with the current price of diesel fuel and electricity from the local grid, it would result in a higher COEG. / Elektrifiering av landsbygden fungerar som ett verktyg för att nå flera av FN:s mål för hållbarutveckling. Däremot uppstår utmaningar relaterade till ökad tillgång till elektricitet, som involverar både finansiella, informationsmässiga, tekniska och regulatoriska faktorer. Ett ytterligare problem som elektrifiering medför är de potentiella klimateffekter som ökad elproduktion orsakar. För att minimera utsläpp och energiförluster är användning av förnybara energikällor samt ökad decentraliserad elproduktion en möjlig lösning. Microgrids möjliggör båda dessa delar och fungerar därför som en utmärkt lösning för att på ett hållbart sätt möta den ökade efterfrågan på el. Huvudsyftet med denna studie är därför att undersöka microgrids potential att på ett hållbart sätt bidra till ökad tillgång till elektricitet. Studien fokuserar på elsituationen i Thailand. Litteraturstudien täcker landets politiska strategier för landsbygdens elektrifiering och implementering av förnybara energikällor i det thailändska elkraftsystemet, samt hur landet för närvarande utvecklas enligt dessa strategier. Fallstudien består av en kostnads- och utsläppsanalys relaterad till ett microgridpilotprojekt i norra Thailand. Provincial Electricity Authority (PEA) i Thailand initierade och byggde microgridprojektet Maesariang Microgrid i Mae Sariang-distriktet, i den norra provinsen MaeHong Son. Syftet med microgridprojektet var att förbättra tillförlitligheten och kvaliteten på elektriciteten som levereras till Mae Sariang-distriktet. Microgridet består av en solpark, ett vattenkraftverk, dieselgeneratorer och ett batterienergilagringssystem. Resultaten från fallstudien visar att implementeringen av microgridet i Mae Sariang, förutom strömtillförlitlighet och kvalitet, har lett till både minskad kostnad för elproduktion med 3 procent och CO2-utsläpp med 11 procent. Vidare har utsläppen per genererad elenhet minskat från 380 kg CO2 per MWh till 340 kg CO2 per MWh. Genom att använda en systemmodell som omfattar det nuvarande microgridet i Mae Sariang, simulerades tre alternativa microgridsammansättningar med olika andelar installerad förnybar energikapacitet i tre scenarion. I dessa scenarion varierar mängden el som genereras från solparken, dieselgeneratorer och batteriet för att analysera hur utsläpp och kostnad förelproduktion påverkas. Analysen visade att en ökad kapacitet av installerad solenergi, både med nuvarande storlek på batteriet, och med en ökad batterikapacitet, resulterade i lägre kostnader för elektricitet och utsläpp. Den visade också att användning av mindre installerad solenergikapacitet och ökad användning av dieselgeneratorer skulle minska CO2-utsläppen per år jämfört med att använda det lokala nätet. Dock skulle det resultera i högre kostnader för elektricitet med det nuvarande priset på dieselbränsle och el från det lokala nätet.

Electricity is a fundamental energy carrier for modern life and for economic prosperity. All kinds of equipment use electricity as their power source, including domestic and industrial applications. There is a trend to adopting more electricity-based equipment in all areas. The modern power infrastructures can sufficiently supply most cities and developed areas. However, certain rural areas are still unable to get access to electric power due to the inconvenient locations or less developed economy. This makes the living conditions in such areas extremely inconvenient and further hinders the economic development in those areas.Electrification for rural areas has been a critical task for some developing countries. To accomplish this task, the options are limited to build a stand-alone power system or construct a power transmission line for the chosen location. A stand-alone power system has commonly been based on fossil fuel, such as a diesel generator, with low capital cost compared to a long connection, but with significant running cost of fuel. Recent improvements of renewable sources and storage, and more efficient loads, have made renewable sources much more competitive than before for a stand-alone electricity supply. The choice between different renewable energies depends on the local natural resources. It is a more flexible way to providing the electricity and a more efficient and environmental-friendly way since the energy loss caused by transmission is eliminated. On the other hand, the grid connection option involves building a transmission line to connect the rural area to the national grid, which is a more traditional approach to provide power. The cost of this method depends on the relative distance between the rural area and the nation grid.The choice between the above two mentioned electrification options is the first step when considering providing power to the rural area. This thesis focuses on the electrification for rural areas and comparing the above two methods, finding out the break-even point. It is of current interest as the technology for both options is changing, and the break-even is also changing.In this thesis, a mathematical model for on-grid electrification is proposed and simulated on MATLAB. The off-grid option is simulated by HOMER. The results show how the LCOE of on-grid and off-grid electrification as well as the off-grid configuration are affected by different parameters like the distance to grid, load demand level, PV cost, WT cost, storage cost, the diesel price and so on. By comparing the results, the break-even point of two options is also presented. / Elektricitet är den viktigaste energibäraren för det moderna livet och för ekonomiskt välstånd. Många typer av utrustning använder el som sin kraftkälla, i hushållet såväl som I industrin, och det finns en tendens att öka användning av el inom alla områden. Moderna elnät levererar till de flesta städer och utvecklade områden. Dock har vissa landsbygdsområden fortfarande inte elförsörjning, på grund av svårtillgängliga områden och mindre utvecklade ekonomier. Detta gör att levnadsförhållandena i sådana områden är lägre än om man hade haft tillgång till el, och ytterligare hindrar den ekonomiska utvecklingen i dessa områden.Elektrifiering för landsbygdsområden har varit en viktig uppgift för vissa utvecklingsländer. Två extrema fall är att bygga ett fristående lokalt kraftsystem, eller att bygga nya kraftledningar för att ansluta till ett befintligt elnät. Ett fristående kraftsystem har historiskt sett typiskt berott på fossila bränslen, till exempel med en dieselgenerator, vilket ger lägre kapitalkostnad än en lång ledning, fast med betydande driftskostnader för bränsle. De senaste förbättringarna av förnybara källor och lagring, samt effektivare laster, har gjort förnybara källor mycket mer konkurrenskraftiga än tidigare för en fristående elförsörjning.Valet mellan de två ovannämnda alternativen är det första steget när man elektrifierar ett landsbygdsområde. Denna uppsats fokuserar på elektrifiering för landsbygdsområden och jämför dessa två metoder. Det är av aktuellt intresse eftersom tekniken för båda alternativen är i förändring.I denna uppsats, en matematisk modell för on-grid elektrifiering är föreslås och simuleras på MATLAB. Alternativet off-grid simuleras av HOMER. Resultaten visar hur LCOE av on-grid och off-grid elektrifiering såväl som nätverkskonfigurationen påverkas av olika parametrar som avståndet till rutnätet, lastbehovsnivå, PV kostnad, WT kostnad, lagerkostnad, dieselpriset och så vidare. Genom att jämföra resultaten, jämnpunkten av två alternativ är också presenterad.

Nearly one fifth of the global population lacks access to electricity and electricity access is essential for economic growth and human well-being. SHSs and micro-grids both have the possibility of increasing the electricity access in developing countries. The decision to choose either SHSs or micro-grids for rural electrification is a complex task that must consider both the technological factors that separate these two systems and the non-technological factors. Separate times of peak load between households (inter-class diversity) has shown to be one major advantage for the use of micro-grids. Studies have shown that the diversity factor present in micro-grids can scale down the necessary capacity of PV modules and energy storage of up to 80%, in comparison to stand-alone systems (e.g. SHSs). These reductions are nevertheless based on assumed diversity factors, not using real load profiles and the necessary capacities are calculated using intuitive methods (known to be inexact). From interviews in a rural community of Nicaragua, the author generated load profiles and determined the diversity factor of the community. The load profiles were generated with a specially designed software to formulate realistic load profiles for off-grid consumers in rural areas. These load profiles were later used in the software HOMER where the diversity’s influence on required capacity and NPC were determined by comparing SHSs to a PV based micro-grid. The study showed that the required capacity and NPC of the inverter and charge controller are clearly decreased as an influence of inter-class diversity. The required PV and battery capacity are also decreased when a micro-grid is utilized, but these reductions are most likely a result from the limited nominal power per component considered in HOMER. / Nästan en femtedel av världens befolkning saknar tillgång till elektricitet. Nicaragua är ett av de länder där en stor del av befolkningen saknar eltillgång och det gäller speciellt hushållen på landsbygden. Utbyggnader av elnätet till dessa områden är ofta låg-prioriterade på grund av höga kostnader för att tillgodose ett många gånger lågt energi och effektbehov. En alternativ lösning för att ge dessa hushåll tillgång till elektricitet är att använda off-grid system, system frikopplade från det nationella elnätet. Två vanligt förekommande off-grid system är solar home systems (SHSs) och micro-grids. Det faktum att flera hushåll ofta använder sin toppeffekt vid olika tillfällen (sammanlagring av effekt) har visat sig vara till stor fördel för micro-grids. Tidigare studier har visat att sammanlagringsfaktorn i ett micro-grid kan reducera nödvändig kapacitet av solceller och energilager upp till 80%, i jämförelse med enskilda system (t.ex. SHSs). Dessa studier bygger dock på antagna sammanlagringsfaktorer, overkliga lastprofiler och nödvändig kapacitet beräknas med intuitiva metoder. Med data från intervjuer i ett landsbygdssamhälle i Nicaragua skapas lastprofiler och en sammanlagringsfaktor beräknas för samhället. Lastprofilerna skapas i en programvara utvecklad för att formulera realistiska lastprofiler för off-grid konsumenter i landsbygdsområden. Lastprofilerna används senare i programvaran HOMER där sammanlagringens påverkan på nödvändig kapacitet och kostnad undersöks genom en jämförelse mellan SHSs och ett solcellsdrivet micro-grid. Studien visar att nödvändig kapacitet och nuvärdeskostnad för växelriktare och laddningsregulator tydligt minskar till följd av sammanlagring. Nödvändig kapacitet på solceller och batterier minskar också när ett micro-grid används. Dock beror detta med stor sannolikhet inte på sammanlagring utan är ett resultat från de begränsade märkeffekter på komponenter som användes i HOMER.

O fornecimento de energia elétrica é uma função social do Estado outorgada às concessionárias. Preocupadas em manter padrões de qualidade e reduzir custos para atingir seu objetivo maior que é o lucro, as empresas de energia não se interessam pela extensão de seu serviço para atender populações rurais pobres. O governo do estado de São Paulo planejou uma política de eletrificação rural com o objetivo de promover a valorização social da vida no campo. Baseado em um modelo desenvolvido pelo Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social em parceria com a Universidade de São Paulo, foi proposto o programa \"Luz da Terra\", envolvendo vários novos atores e deixando para as concessionárias o papel de executar serviços de engenharia somente. Este trabalho analisa o processo de planejamento, o arranjo institucional e a prática de implantação desse programa em sua primeira fase. Os fracos resultados são atribuídos à falhas no arranjo institucional e nas ações de campo. O eixo do programa deslocou-se das comunidades e do poder local para as concessionárias. Em sua prática, o programa negou o modelo. Nesse contexto, são sugeridas medidas corretivas. / The electric energy supply is a State social matter granted to the utilities. Worried in to maintain quality patterns and to reduce costs to reach its larger objective that it is the profit, the utilities are not interested in the extension of its service to assist poor rural populations. The state of São Paulo government has planned a rural electrification politics aimed to promoving the social valuation of the life in rural areas. Based on a model developed by the Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social in partnership with the Universidade de São Paulo, the program \"Luz da Terra\" was proposed it, involving several new actors and passing to the utilities the task of executing engineering services only. This work analyses the planning process, the institutional arrangement and the practice of that program in its first phase. The weak results are attributed to mistakes in the institutional arrangement and in the country actions. The program axis moved from the communities and the local power to the utilities. In its practice, the program denied the model. In that context, this work suggests actions to correct it.

As cooperativas de eletrificação rural são agentes que sempre estiveram à margem do setor elétrico e que agora devem se regularizar, adaptando-se aos condicionantes do serviço público de energia elétrica decorrentes da Lei de Concessões de 1995. Este trabalho faz a avaliação do aparato de regulação das atividades das cooperativas de eletrificação rural brasileiras e da política pública de regularização aplicada em São Paulo. O foco da avaliação é o cidadão rural, o cidadão que consome energia elétrica, e o cidadão que está ainda excluído do acesso ao serviço de eletricidade. A interpretação do problema e o estudo do processo de regularização levaram à constatação da existência de uma situação de impasse. Demonstra-se a tese de que a atitude do órgão regulador perante a tarefa que a lei lhe impõe cria um paradoxo em que as cooperativas são deixadas fora do alcance da regulação, com prejuízo maior para o cidadão que mora em sua área de atuação. Em particular, no momento em que todo brasileiro acaba de ganhar a garantia do seu direito de acesso à eletricidade, o cidadão que mora na área das cooperativas não tem a proteção do Estado para fazer valer esse seu direito. O trabalho oferece uma proposta acadêmica de alternativa de saída para esse impasse institucional, baseada na busca do equilíbrio entre os agentes. / The rural electric cooperatives are agents who have always been on the edge of the electric sector. Now, they must be regularized to the new rules of the electric energy public service established by the 1995 Concessions Law. This work provides an evaluation of the Brazilian rural electric cooperatives regulation apparatus and the regularization public policy applied in São Paulo. The evaluation focus is the rural citizen, the electric energy consumer and the citizens who have been excluded from this public service. The interpretation of the problem and the study of the regularization process has led to the evidence that the situation reached an impasse. The thesis is that the attitude of regulatory agencies create a paradox where the cooperatives are not covered by the regulation policies with damage to citizens in these areas. Particularly, given that the Brazilian citizens have won the right of electricity access, the citizen who lives in the cooperative area have no protection by State to do this right effective. This work offers an academic proposal to break this institutional impasse, based on the search of the agents equilibrium.

Este documento mostra uma interpretação do comportamento do consumo de energia elétrica baseada nos dados numéricos que foram coletados com o uso de contadores de Ah em 38 instalações fotovoltaicas domiciliares. A pesquisa envolveu igual número de famílias de 10 comunidades rurais com diferentes características sócioculturais localizadas nos Estados de São Paulo, Pernambuco e Amazonas, no Brasil, e adicionalmente na região Puno, no Peru. Também se discute diversas questões acerca do consumo de energia elétrica em sistemas fotovoltaicos domiciliares e sua relação com o desenvolvimento socioeconômico. O objetivo principal é propor um procedimento para dimensionar esses sistemas que inclua os múltiplos fatores que foram identificados e que exercem forte influência no comportamento do consumo. Estes foram denominados fatores técnicos, gerenciais, psicológicos, geográficos, demográficos, socioculturais e econômicos. O procedimento proposto leva em conta a constatação resultante da análise estatística dos dados por meio da qual a função de distribuição Gama é a que melhor caracteriza o comportamento desse consumo. Em sua essência, esta função indica que “muitas pessoas consomem pouco e poucas pessoas consomem muito". / This document shows an interpretation of the behavior of the electric energy consumption based on the numerical data collected with the use of Ah meter in 38 solar home systems. The research involved an equal number of families of 10 rural communities with different sociocultural characteristics located in the Brazilian States of São Paulo, Pernambuco and Amazonas, and additionally in the Puno region, in Peru. It also raises several points concerning the electric energy consumption in SHS´s and its relationship with the socioeconomic development. The main objective is to suggest a procedure for the sizing of SHS´s that includes the several factors that were identified and that exert strong influence in the behavior of the consumption. These were called technical, administrative, psychological, geographical, demographical, sociocultural and economic factors. This procedure takes into account the evidence resultant of the statistic analysis of the data by means of which the Gamma distribution function is the one which better characterizes the behavior of this consumption. Essentially, this function indicates that “many people consume little and few people consume much".

As cooperativas de eletrificação rural são agentes que sempre estiveram à margem do setor elétrico e que agora devem se regularizar, adaptando-se aos condicionantes do serviço público de energia elétrica decorrentes da Lei de Concessões de 1995. Este trabalho faz a avaliação do aparato de regulação das atividades das cooperativas de eletrificação rural brasileiras e da política pública de regularização aplicada em São Paulo. O foco da avaliação é o cidadão rural, o cidadão que consome energia elétrica, e o cidadão que está ainda excluído do acesso ao serviço de eletricidade. A interpretação do problema e o estudo do processo de regularização levaram à constatação da existência de uma situação de impasse. Demonstra-se a tese de que a atitude do órgão regulador perante a tarefa que a lei lhe impõe cria um paradoxo em que as cooperativas são deixadas fora do alcance da regulação, com prejuízo maior para o cidadão que mora em sua área de atuação. Em particular, no momento em que todo brasileiro acaba de ganhar a garantia do seu direito de acesso à eletricidade, o cidadão que mora na área das cooperativas não tem a proteção do Estado para fazer valer esse seu direito. O trabalho oferece uma proposta acadêmica de alternativa de saída para esse impasse institucional, baseada na busca do equilíbrio entre os agentes. / The rural electric cooperatives are agents who have always been on the edge of the electric sector. Now, they must be regularized to the new rules of the electric energy public service established by the 1995 Concessions Law. This work provides an evaluation of the Brazilian rural electric cooperatives regulation apparatus and the regularization public policy applied in São Paulo. The evaluation focus is the rural citizen, the electric energy consumer and the citizens who have been excluded from this public service. The interpretation of the problem and the study of the regularization process has led to the evidence that the situation reached an impasse. The thesis is that the attitude of regulatory agencies create a paradox where the cooperatives are not covered by the regulation policies with damage to citizens in these areas. Particularly, given that the Brazilian citizens have won the right of electricity access, the citizen who lives in the cooperative area have no protection by State to do this right effective. This work offers an academic proposal to break this institutional impasse, based on the search of the agents equilibrium.

O fornecimento de energia elétrica é uma função social do Estado outorgada às concessionárias. Preocupadas em manter padrões de qualidade e reduzir custos para atingir seu objetivo maior que é o lucro, as empresas de energia não se interessam pela extensão de seu serviço para atender populações rurais pobres. O governo do estado de São Paulo planejou uma política de eletrificação rural com o objetivo de promover a valorização social da vida no campo. Baseado em um modelo desenvolvido pelo Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social em parceria com a Universidade de São Paulo, foi proposto o programa \"Luz da Terra\", envolvendo vários novos atores e deixando para as concessionárias o papel de executar serviços de engenharia somente. Este trabalho analisa o processo de planejamento, o arranjo institucional e a prática de implantação desse programa em sua primeira fase. Os fracos resultados são atribuídos à falhas no arranjo institucional e nas ações de campo. O eixo do programa deslocou-se das comunidades e do poder local para as concessionárias. Em sua prática, o programa negou o modelo. Nesse contexto, são sugeridas medidas corretivas. / The electric energy supply is a State social matter granted to the utilities. Worried in to maintain quality patterns and to reduce costs to reach its larger objective that it is the profit, the utilities are not interested in the extension of its service to assist poor rural populations. The state of São Paulo government has planned a rural electrification politics aimed to promoving the social valuation of the life in rural areas. Based on a model developed by the Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social in partnership with the Universidade de São Paulo, the program \"Luz da Terra\" was proposed it, involving several new actors and passing to the utilities the task of executing engineering services only. This work analyses the planning process, the institutional arrangement and the practice of that program in its first phase. The weak results are attributed to mistakes in the institutional arrangement and in the country actions. The program axis moved from the communities and the local power to the utilities. In its practice, the program denied the model. In that context, this work suggests actions to correct it.

This dissertation explores the potential of renewable energy and efficiency strategies to solve the energy challenges faced by the people living in the biosphere reserve of El Vizcaíno, which is located in the North Pacific region of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. This research setting provides a practical analytical milieu to understand better the multiple problems faced by practitioners and agencies trying to implement sustainable energy solutions in Mexico. The thesis starts with a literature review (chapter two) that examines accumulated international experience regarding the development of renewable energy projects as a prelude to identifying the most salient implementation barriers impeding this type of initiatives. Two particularly salient findings from the literature review include the importance of considering gender issues in energy analysis and the value of using participatory research methods. These findings informed fieldwork design and the analytical framework of the dissertation. Chapter three surveys electricity generation as well as residential and commercial electricity use in nine coastal communities located in El Vizcaíno. Chapter three summarizes the fieldwork methodology used, which relies on a mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods that aim at enabling a gender-disaggregated analysis to describe more accurately local energy uses, needs, and barriers. Chapter four describes the current plans of the state government, which are focused in expanding one of the state’s diesel-powered electricity grids to El Vizcaíno. The Chapter also examines the potential for replacing diesel generators with a combination of renewable energy systems and efficiency measures in the coastal communities sampled. Chapter five analyzes strategies to enable the implementation of sustainable energy approaches in El Vizcaíno. Chapter five highlights several international examples that could be useful to inform organizational changes at the federal and state level aimed at fostering renewable energy and efficiency initiatives that enhance energy security, protect the environment, and also increase economic opportunities in El Vizcaíno and elsewhere in Mexico. Chapter six concludes the thesis by providing: a summary of all key findings, a broad analysis of the implications of the research, and an overview of future lines of inquiry.

This dissertation explores the potential of renewable energy and efficiency strategies to solve the energy challenges faced by the people living in the biosphere reserve of El Vizcaíno, which is located in the North Pacific region of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur. This research setting provides a practical analytical milieu to understand better the multiple problems faced by practitioners and agencies trying to implement sustainable energy solutions in Mexico. The thesis starts with a literature review (chapter two) that examines accumulated international experience regarding the development of renewable energy projects as a prelude to identifying the most salient implementation barriers impeding this type of initiatives. Two particularly salient findings from the literature review include the importance of considering gender issues in energy analysis and the value of using participatory research methods. These findings informed fieldwork design and the analytical framework of the dissertation. Chapter three surveys electricity generation as well as residential and commercial electricity use in nine coastal communities located in El Vizcaíno. Chapter three summarizes the fieldwork methodology used, which relies on a mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods that aim at enabling a gender-disaggregated analysis to describe more accurately local energy uses, needs, and barriers. Chapter four describes the current plans of the state government, which are focused in expanding one of the state’s diesel-powered electricity grids to El Vizcaíno. The Chapter also examines the potential for replacing diesel generators with a combination of renewable energy systems and efficiency measures in the coastal communities sampled. Chapter five analyzes strategies to enable the implementation of sustainable energy approaches in El Vizcaíno. Chapter five highlights several international examples that could be useful to inform organizational changes at the federal and state level aimed at fostering renewable energy and efficiency initiatives that enhance energy security, protect the environment, and also increase economic opportunities in El Vizcaíno and elsewhere in Mexico. Chapter six concludes the thesis by providing: a summary of all key findings, a broad analysis of the implications of the research, and an overview of future lines of inquiry.