[en] The Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) started global radiation (G) measurements in 1949. PAR measurements started in 1978 as part of a Nordic project. The project terminated in 1981, but the measurements continued at NMBU. We have used the data from the Nordic project’s seven stations and the long time series from NMBU to investigate the limitations of using the relative flux density method for the estimation of PAR from G. The yearly mean value of the relative flux density PAR/G at NMBU is 0.48 with a standard deviation of 0.02. The monthly mean values of PAR/G show a seasonal variation, with its maximum (0.50) in late summer and minimum in the winter months (0.45). The seasonal variation corresponds to 15% difference in relative cloud cover. Data from the original Nordic project gave the opportunity to investigate the usability of the relative flux density method in the Nordic area. The flux ratio for July was generally larger than the ratio for September or October, even though the differences are small and not statistically significant. In trying to explain this, one obvious candidate is the cloud cover. In the lack of cloud data, time records of global radiation were used to select fair weather and overcast days. For all stations, fair days show higher flux ratios and overcast days show lower flux ratios. Neglect of cloud cover may lead to an error in the calculation of PAR from the simple formula PAR = constant G of the order of 10%.

[en] Since 2000 Dobbestroom is operator of a private grid in the Netherlands that is linked to the public grid at two points. In the opinion of the Dutch Trade and Industry Appeals Tribunal, Dobbestroom need not pay any distribution cost to energy company Enexis for the connection of its private grid to the public grid. The Dutch Competition Authority does not agree. These different opinions lie in the interpretation of the definition of a connection as formulated in the Dutch Electricity Act of 1998.

[en] We analyze the electricity transmission planning process in Germany (Netzentwicklungsplan), which separates transmission expansion decisions from generation dispatch. We employ an economic modeling approach to analyze two different network planning settings. In the first setting, there is no trade-off between transmission network development and generation dispatch, as is currently the case in Germany. A second setting alternatively allows for such a trade-off, and thus represents a welfare superior way of transmission network planning. Applications with the two model variants are carried out for the German electricity system in 2035. The results illustrate overinvestment in transmission capacity and decreased welfare associated with the Netzentwicklungsplan. - Highlights: •Analyze planning and regulatory regimes for electricity transmission in Germany. •Modeling setup to analyze transmission planning process NEP (Netzentwicklungsplan). •The NEP suggests excessive network expansion. •Alternative integrated generation-transmission optimization enhances welfare. •Transmission investment needs should be reconsidered.

[en] Germany has gained considerable experience in the decommissioning of nuclear facilities since the 1970s. Currently 16 nuclear power plants, both power and prototype reactors, are at different stages of decommissioning. Three decommissioning projects have been completed. Future tasks in Germany are the completion of the current decommissioning projects and the decommissioning of the nuclear facilities that are still operating once they have reached the end of their operating life. The number of parallel decommissioning projects of large scale facilities required by the phase-out of nuclear power could pose challenges in terms of the availability and maintenance of competences at all levels (operators, regulatory body, technical support organizations, and suppliers).

[en] Germany has gained considerable experience in the decommissioning of nuclear facilities since the 1970s. Currently 16 nuclear power plants, both power and prototype reactors, are at different stages of decommissioning. Three decommissioning projects have been completed. Future tasks in Germany are the completion of the current decommissioning projects and the decommissioning of the nuclear facilities that are still operating once they have reached the end of their operating life. The number of parallel decommissioning projects of large scale facilities required by the phase-out of nuclear power could pose challenges in terms of the availability and maintenance of competences at all levels (operators, regulatory body, technical support organizations, and suppliers).

[en] With the project “Virtual Immersions in Science: a path of excellence from Research to Outreach” (VIS), we set ourselves the ambitious goal to divulge and disseminate the latest scientific research results produced by the Scuola Normale Superiore (SNS) and by top level Italian scientists working in our country and in the rest of the world, providing an idea as to the type of activity carried out by researchers as well as how research is actually carried out, and showing the most dynamic and creative side of contemporary scientific activity. VIS has met with extraordinary public success, coverage by the major media including local and national television and newspapers, and enthusiastic feedback from all the participants, already in their hundreds of thousands.

[en] Very few contributions in the literature have dealt with the issue of social exclusion related to High Speed Rail systems. The objective of this manuscript is to understand what are the factors excluding users from choosing High Speed Rail services considering as case study Spain. For this purpose, a Revealed Preference survey was employed in November and December 2015. A questionnaire was submitted to users of the Spanish transport systems travelling for long distance-journeys. The aim was that of investigating their perception of High Speed Rail system and the factors inhibiting passengers or excluding them from its use. Data about their socioeconomic characteristics were collected as well. The main result of the survey has been that a relationship between social exclusion and High Speed Rail in Spain is present, especially in terms of geographical exclusion. (Author)

[en] The abundant literature on consumer feedback shows that it is an efficient instrument for reducing household energy consumption. However, the reported reductions are strongly dependent on contextual factors and on the type of feedback provided. Given the importance of learning to this respect, this dimension constitutes the core focus of the present study which reports the findings of the TICELEC (i.e. French acronym for information technologies for responsible electricity consumption) project in France. The experiment included a control group (G1: the self-monitoring group) and one equipped group (G2). All participants reduced their consumption and learnt either directly from feedback or indirectly through self-monitoring. The amount of energy savings, which is larger than in similar experiments, can be explained by two factors. First, the specificity of our sample (i.e. high income, high consumption) which allows for potentially large energy savings. Second, high involvement of participants and the building of trust. The quantitative and qualitative dimensions of learning are then discussed. Additionally, we focus on peak-load shifting in G2 with 2 subgroups (G21 and G22). The higher proportion of shifters in G22 and the higher ‘quality’ of their shifting suggest a higher level of learning enabled by the more sophisticated feedback. Although this translated into only a moderately higher rate of energy savings, the higher degree of absorbed knowledge (i.e. through ‘learning by looking through connecting’) might lead to a qualitatively distinctive type of energy saving. - Highlights: • The feedback experiment in Southern France generated substantial energy savings in all observed groups. • Focus is on observing learning with or without feedback. • Peak-load shifting appears as a significant variable. • More sophisticated feedback entails a qualitatively distinct form of learning. • Trust and confidence as central element.

[en] Wetting pattern enhancement is one of the goals of irrigation designers and researchers. In this study, we addressed three techniques (dual-lateral drip, intermittent flow and physical barrier methods) that change the wetting pattern of subsurface drip irrigation. To study their effect on the yield and water-use efficiency (WUE) of potatoes, field experiments were conducted for four seasons, during which the soil-water balance was continuously monitored using a set of capacitance probes. The results of the soil water patterns showed that both the dual-lateral and intermittent techniques increased lateral water movement and eliminated deep percolation, whereas the physical barrier had a limited effect on the top soil layer. The crop results indicated that the yield and WUE increased significantly in response to the application of the dual-lateral drip (up to 30%); the intermittent application also positively affected the yield (~10%) and the WUE (~14%), but these effects were not statistically significant according to the statistical model. The physical barrier showed a non-significant negative effect on the yield and WUE. These findings suggest the following recommended practices: the use of dual-lateral drip technique due to its beneficial results and its potential for increasing yields and reducing water consumption; the application of intermittent flow with more than three surges; and restricting the use of physical barriers to soils with high permeability. (Author)

[en] Some very high activity sealed radioactive sources remain dangerous a long time after they become disused. For both safety and security objectives, it is essential to find reliable solutions for their management. Following the first Nuclear Security Summit in Washington, where a political commitment was taken at the highest level, France and IAEA finalized in 2011 a support plan aimed at facilitating the safe and secure management of the most vulnerable disused sources of French origin. This support plan was put in place in the framework of a wider bilateral practical arrangement on Nuclear Security. This paper presents the scope, objectives and implementation of the support plan, and introduces discussion material on possible ways to improve the management of DSRS worldwide. (author)