Using methods of Multi-Criteria Decision Making to provide decision support concerning local bioenergy projects

The public sector plays an important role in the German “Energiewende”. Besides energy management in municipal properties the local government can also support the switch to renewable energy sources through a change in energy supply structures within in their region. Methods of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) from Operations Research are helpful regarding that challenge, as they are able to assess the sustainability of local energy concepts, since they not only offer stakeholders the opportunity to participate, but also consider multiple conflicting criteria. In that way, the acceptance of local energy projects and the participation of stakeholders in the decision process are supported. The case study presented in this paper illustrates the results of a MCDM process employed to identify a sustainable bioenergy concept in a rural village in Lower Saxony, Germany. Our analysis revealed not only the opportunities and challenges associated with executing an MCDM process to support the realization of local bioenergy projects, but also discusses potential limitations of the methods.     

中国粳稻生产效率演变及区域差异

[目的]我国粳稻产量现阶段呈连续增长的态势,然而粳稻生产效率却存在无效率或波动剧烈的现象,研究我国的粳稻生产效率,有助于提升和稳定中国粳稻区域生产效率和水平从而间接保障我国粮食安全。[方法]使用超效率DEA方法测算中国13个粳稻生产省份的生产效率,分别从时间和区域上的差异进行分析。[结果]中国粳稻生产技术效率在时间趋势上逐渐趋于平稳,但是在2004—2007年间存在短暂的波动;在区域上主要是西南和东北粳稻生产区的技术效率水平较高,西北区在技术效率、纯技术效率与规模效率上都处于较低的水平;虽然河南、湖北、宁夏3个省份出现技术无效率,但规模报酬都处于递增的状态,仍有提升生产效率的潜力,应通过减少要素投入冗余来改变其无效率状态。[结论]粳稻生产技术无效率主要是由于种子费用、农药费用等生产要素的投入冗余造成的;若将来在保持纯技术效率和其他条件不变的情况下,通过提升规模效率水平会进一步提升我国粳稻的整体技术效率水平。基于上述分析有针对性地提出制定粳稻生产区域规划、发展适度规模经营、改善生产要素使用效率3方面的政策建议。     

Inter‐firm R&D collaborations and green innovation value: The role of family firms' involvement and the moderating effects of proximity dimensions

The present paper investigates the relationship between the involvement of family firms in R&D collaborations aimed at developing green solutions and the value of resulting innovations. To dig into this relationship, the moderating effects of two proximity dimensions (i.e., geographical distance and technological relatedness) are also assessed. Analyses are based on a sample of 156 joint patents classified into the “Alternative energy production” field, as defined by the International Patent Classification Green Inventory and successfully filed at the United States Patent and Trademark Office in the period 1997–2010 by publicly listed companies. According to our conjectures, results reveal a positive relationship between the involvement of family firms and green innovation value. Moreover, our findings show that this relationship is hindered when partners are geographically distant or technologically proximate. Eventually, we contribute to the literature on green innovation by unveiling under which conditions inter‐firm R&D collaborations lead to more valuable innovations.     

生物质能源可利用潜力评价*——以黑龙江省重点国有林区为例

[目的]生物质能源具有污染少、可再生等特点,合理地对其开发利用是黑龙江省重点国有林区经济转型发展的一种探索。通过对黑龙江省重点国有林区生物质能源资源量的计算,明确了生物质能源的可利用潜力及变化趋势,以期为其产业发展的政策制定提供理论参考。[方法]文章利用自下而上估算法,以林木生物质的资源量和农作物秸秆的产量为原始数据,对2005—2015年黑龙江省重点国有林区生物质能源可利用潜力进行评价。[结果](1)研究期间,黑龙江省重点国有林区林木生物质资源可利用潜力小幅下降,农作物秸秆资源可利用潜力稳步上升。(2)林木生物质资源中,商品林采伐剩余物可利用潜力骤降,森林抚育剩余物可利用潜力增加;农作物秸秆资源中,粮食作物秸秆可利用潜力逐年上升。(3)黑龙江省重点国有林区生物质能源可利用潜力随着国家"天保工程"和"重点国有林区全面禁止天然林商业性采伐"政策的实施而发生变化。[结论]黑龙江省重点国有林区生物质能源丰富,可利用潜力较大,其中农作物秸秆资源可利用潜力增速较快。     

“主体-技术”协同视角下的战略性新兴产业创新网络分类研究——以新能源汽车产业为例

本文以“主体-技术”协同视角来分析战略性新兴产业创新网络形成的内在机理和分类模式。在结合2-模网络理论基础上，从核心技术和创新主体两个维度出发，将战略性新兴产业创新网络分为单核心实验室型、单核心产业链型、单核心辅助型、单核心复合型、多核心实验室型、多核心产业链型、多核心辅助型和多核心复合型。同时，以中国新能源汽车产业为例，通过实证分析发现：除了单核心辅助型和多核心辅助型之外，其它6种模式均存在，并进一步对其创新网络的分类模式及相关特征进行了全面分析。     

新能源汽车产业发展商业模式研究

商业模式是新能源汽车产业化的关键。从核心商业要素上看,新能源汽车产业主要出现了降低新能源汽车电池成本、解决能源供给问题和满足消费者需求三种核心商业要素的商业模式;从产业组织上看,新能源汽车产业主要有拓展型、介入型和合作型三种商业模式。为了构建有效的新能源汽车商业模式,需要明确发展重点、加大宏观指导、开展示范运营和创新试点工作以及协调好相关利益等。     

Cleanliness and consumption: exploring material and social structuring of domestic cleaning practices

In line with increasing international trends of energy efficient devices on the market and in households, domestic consumption of water and energy should be decreasing. However in Sweden, domestic per capita water consumption is not decreasing rapidly and energy consumption is actually increasing. This suggests that physical contexts are not the only factor shaping resource demand. People are also influenced by collective conventions; what we think is normal has a significant say in what we do, and the resources we consume in the course of everyday life. This paper explores the way context shapes what people do from both a material infrastructures and social infrastructures perspective, using cleanliness in Sweden as a case study. First, material infrastructures in Sweden are mapped, including device ownership, water, energy and time consumed related to cleanliness. Second, qualitative interviews with Swedish people aim to show the social structuring of cleanliness. Understanding the interplay between physical and social structures has potential implications for decreasing resource intensity in everyday life.     

Creating Opportunities for Women in the Renewable Energy Sector: Findings from India

This paper identifies opportunities and constraints that low-income women face in accessing livelihoods in the renewable-energy sector in India through qualitative and quantitative research conducted in collaboration with The Energy Resources Institute (TERI) and the Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA) in 2012–13. Whereas previous research has focused on women mostly as end users of solar and biomass technologies, this research attempts also to understand women's potential as entrepreneurs, facilitators, designers, and innovators. Findings reveal that although access to technology and employment in the energy sector is limited by inadequate purchasing power and low social status, there is tremendous potential to create livelihoods for women at all levels of the energy supply chain. Broader findings indicate that women can gain optimal traction from employment in the energy sector only if there are wider socially progressive policies in place, including state intervention to create a robust social welfare infrastructure and accessible, high-quality, public services.     

西部大开发对西部地区碳排放演变的影响

西部大开发后西部地区经济增长加快、人民生活水平提高，但产业结构、技术水平以及生态环境质量却并未表现出同等程度的改善或提升。采用30个样本省份1995—2011年的面板数据，运用双重差分法进行分析，结果发现：西部大开发在促进西部地区经济增长以及地区经济趋同的同时，也使得西部地区的碳排放（尤其是人均碳排放）与其他地区相比增长更快，与此同时，西部地区与碳排放相关的因素和条件（如产业结构、技术水平、市场化程度等）未得到显著改善。在既有的资源禀赋、发展阶段、产业结构以及经济发展方式下，西部大开发初期着力于固定资产投资和资源、能源开发，忽视教育事业、市场化改革、技术创新等软环境建设，导致西部地区在经济增长的同时碳排放相对增加。因此，在今后的西部大开发规划中，应当着力于转变经济发展方式，加强软环境建设，重视人力资本积累和技术创新，提升市场化水平，才能在发展地区经济的同时实现节能减排。     

Achievements and gaps in tef productivity improvement practices in the marginal areas of Northern Ethiopia: implications for future research directions

Tef is the most important crop in Ethiopia and is well-adapted to growing environments, but grain yields are low. The government is therefore promoting the adoption of improved varieties, inorganic fertilizers and new planting techniques. This study gathered information on the use of new agronomic practices and barriers to their adoption through a semi-structured questionnaire administered to 60 farmers or respondents from each of 4 districts of Tigray region in northern Ethiopia viz Laelay-Maichew, Medebay-Zana, Ahferom and Alamata. Data were coded and analysed using SPSS software. Except for animal feed and crop rotation, there were significant differences between districts in the relative importance of several criteria for different uses. Improved varieties were used by the majority of respondents in all districts and fertilizers in all except Alamata where severe moisture stress dictated the choice of variety and reduced fertilizer application. Weed control was mainly by hand except in Alamata where chemical control was common because of the predominance of broad-leaved weeds. Transplanting maximized the yield of tef, but a cost–benefit analysis showed that row sowing was more profitable. The study concluded that new varieties better adapted to the likelihood of reduced rainfall and that respond efficiently to fertilizer inputs need to be developed. Until suitable technologies are available, high labour costs would in part dictate some agronomic practices, even if this led to lower yields.