Das Projekt "Technical Support for the revision of ecolabel and green public procurement GPP Criteria Lot 1" wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Öko-Institut. Institut für angewandte Ökologie e.V..The project's objective is to support JRC IPTS in revising the existing Ecolabel and GPP criteria of personal computers and notebook computers. The priority in this revision process is to first analyse which of the existing criteria and the supporting evidence are still valid and to identify the additional research that should be carried out. Potential additional criteria can be developed, if identified as necessary in the course of the study. The study starts with a definition of the scope; the necessarity for new or revised Ecolabel and GPP criteria is based on a market analysis and a technical analysis with research on the most significant environmental impacts during the whole life cycle of the products. This also includes the application of a consistent methodological approach regarding the hazardous substances criteria. Based on these findings, the improvement potential will be derived resulting in a proposal for a revised Ecolabel and GPP criteria set for desktop and notebook computers which will be discussed in a European stakeholder process.
Das Projekt "Technical Support for the revision of ecolabel and green public procurement GPP Criteria Lot 4" wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Öko-Institut. Institut für angewandte Ökologie e.V..The project's objective is to support JRC IPTS in revising the existing Ecolabel and GPP criteria of televisions. The priority in this revision process is to first analyse which of the existing criteria and the supporting evidence are still valid and to identify the additional research that should be carried out. Potential additional criteria can be developed, if identified as necessary in the course of the study. The study starts with a definition of the scope; the necessarity for new or revised Ecolabel and GPP criteria is based on a market analysis and a technical analysis with research on the most significant environmental impacts during the whole life cycle of the products. This also includes the application of a consistent methodological approach regarding the hazardous substances criteria. Based on these findings, the improvement potential will be derived resulting in a proposal for a revised Ecolabel and GPP criteria set for televisions which will be discussed in a European stakeholder process.
Das Projekt "Hydrogeological and hydrochemical modelling of density-driven flow in the Tiberias Basin, in particular between Ha'on and Tiberias Regions, Jordan Valley" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Bundesamt für die Sicherheit der nuklearen Entsorgung.The aim of the current research is to identify regional sources and trans-boundary flow leading to the observed salinity of Lake Tiberias (LT) -also known as the Sea of Galilee or Lake Kinneret-, and its surroundings, which is considered the only natural surface fresh water reservoir of the area. The current study will include all sources of brines in the Tiberias Basin (TB) with specific emphasis of the relationship between the brines from the Ha'on and Tiberias Regions (HTR).The tasks will be achieved by a multidisciplinary approach involving: (i) numerical modelling of density-driven flow processes (i.e., coupled heat and dissolution of evaporites), (ii) hydrochemical studies, supplemented by investigations of subsurface structures.(i) Numerical modelling will be carried out by applying the commercial software FEFLOW® (WASY, GmbH) complemented with the open source code OpenGeoSys developed at the UFZ of Leipzig (Wang et al., 2009). The final goal is to build a 3D regional-scale model of density-driven flow that will result in: (1) revealing the different interactions between fresh groundwater and natural salinity sources (2) elucidate the driving mechanisms of natural brines and brackish water body's movements.(ii) Hydrochemical study will include major, minor and, if possible, rare earth elements (REE) as well as isotope studies. The samples will be analysed at the FU Berlin and UFZ Halle laboratories. Geochemical data interpretation and inverse modelling will be supported by PHREEQC. Hydrochemical field investigations will be carried out in Tiberias basin and its enclosing heights, i.e. the Golan, Eastern Galilee and northern Ajloun in order to search for indications of the presence of deep, relic saline groundwater infested by the inferred Ha'on mother-brine. The current approaches will be supplemented by seismic and statistical data analysis as well as GIS software applications for the definition of the subsurface structures. The key research challenges are: building a 3D structural model of selected regions of TB, adapting both structural and hydrochemical data to the numerical requirements of the model; calibrating the 3D regional-scale model with observational data. The results of this work are expected to establish suitable water-management strategies for the exploitation of freshwater from the lake and from the adjacent aquifers while reducing salinization processes induced by both local and regional brines.
Das Projekt "Schwerpunktprogramm (SPP) 1158: Antarctic Research with Comparable Investigations in Arctic Sea Ice Areas; Bereich Infrastruktur - Antarktisforschung mit vergleichenden Untersuchungen in arktischen Eisgebieten, Eddy-driven transports in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: IFM-GEOMAR Leibniz-Institut für Meereswissenschaften.In the Southern Ocean, eddy-driven transports can be as large as mean transports. In particular the meridional, cross frontal transports are affected or even controlled by meso-scale eddy activity. On the other hand, these transports set the role of the Southern Ocean as a major oceanic sink in the global carbon cycle. In ocean models, such variability has to be adequately resolved or parameterised. The parameterisation by Gent and McWilliams (1990) is currently used to account for such eddy-driven transports, in which the so-called thickness diffusivity K has to be specified. Only a rough order of I magnitude is currently known for ', but, in particular in the Southern Ocean, the choice of K strongly affects meridional transports of mass and tracers and is therefore of crucial importance to quantify the role of the Southern Ocean in the climate system and the global carbon cycle. It is proposed to estimate the thickness diffusivity K in the Southern Ocean from synthetic data of an existing realistic eddy-resolving ocean model. While previous attempts highlight the problem of rotational eddy fluxes which complicate the estimation procedure, it has been recently shown that the definition and use of physically meaningful rotational fluxes reduces this problem. Therefore, reliable estimates of K in the Southern Ocean appear possible for the first time. Furthermore, it is proposed to estimate relations between mean quantities predicted by ocean models and thickness diffusivity, necessary in order to build a self-consistent eddy parameterisation.
Das Projekt "Private Sector Sustainable Energy Facility ('TurSEFF') - Project Consultant (Inception Phase)" wird/wurde gefördert durch: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: GFA Envest GmbH.Turkey is urgently required to reduce its high energy intensity. Promotion of energy efficiency across economic sectors is one of the operational priorities for the Bank during the initial phase of operation in Turkey. In this context, the EBRD is developing the Turkey Private Sector Sustainable Energy Financing Facility (the 'Facility' or 'TURSEFF'). This will take the form of a framework operation of USD 200 million2 under which credit lines will be provided by EBRD to at least four banks in Turkey for on-lending to (i) commercial energy efficiency investments; (ii) stand-alone small scale renewable energy investments; (iii) buildings sector energy efficiency and renewable energy investments; (iv) energy efficiency and renewable energy in the residential sector; and (v) investment loans for eligible manufacturers, suppliers and installers of energy efficiency and renewable energy technology, equipment and materials. The objective of the Facility is to ensure that Participating Banks (PBs) become familiar with appraising and financing bankable sustainable energy investment projects and that technical expertise is developed to identify and prepare technically and environmentally feasible energy efficiency projects. As a result, the Facility is expected to instigate a self-sustaining market for investment in small and medium sized sustainable energy projects in Turkey. Services provided: Promotion of TurSEFF through targeted public awareness and marketing campaigns; Definition and update of technical criteria of the Facility; Development of a pipeline and portfolio of Sub-projects; Capacity building among local PBs to identify eligible project opportunities (via training of loan officers); Establishment of a database of applicants for Sub-loans and assist both the PBs and the Sub-borrowers; Development of energy efficiency, renewable energy and Buildings Sector Sub-projects; Establishment of an efficient electronic tracking, monitoring and reporting system; Analysis of greenhouse gas emissions and assessment of the scope for a carbon credit transaction; Elaboration of Project Identification Notes (PIN) for carbon projects; Elaboration of an innovative concept for bundling carbon revenues.
Das Projekt "Indicators and tools for restoration and sustainable management of closed-deciduous forests in East Africa" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Kommission der Europäischen Gemeinschaften Brüssel. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Universität Freiburg, Waldbau-Institut.Objectives: The study links East African and European re-searchers into strategic alliances so as to contribute to resolving conflicts prevailing between the needs of different forest stakeholders and the need to sustain the remaining forest and its biodiversity. The project will develop a scientific basis and directly applicable tools for forest ecosystem restoration and sustainable management. The particular objectives are to: - Establish and validate ecological & socio-economic criteria against which status and pro-cesses of forest and its management can be assessed - Assess indicators that permit inference of the status of a particular criterion and to formulate appropriate verifiers - Design and validate nature-based silvicultural tools to gear operations so as to improve local livelihoods and sustain forest resources - Integrate results into appropriate technology packages and disseminate to target-groups. Activities: Establishment of country-specific tandems of local and European institutions. Identification of locally applicable C&I for sustainable forest management and standardisation of research methods. Together with stakeholders, joint development of a framework in which C&I can be verified locally, based on prevailing information and complementary research. Participating NGOs to facilitate establishment of socio-economic context, research institutions to investigate status and dynamics of forests. In parallel, research will commence on silviculturally relevant ecosystem characteristics. Mid-project evaluation of descriptive-analytical 1st project phase so as to formulate the experimental, predictive 2nd phase of the study. Definition of research approaches to calibrate verifiers for indicators and to test silvicultural tools suited to guide the forest ecosystem into the desired direction or status. Research on the management of invasive species, natural establishment of desirable species and on stand improvement treatments. The continuous input and evaluation through an NGO moderator will help to fine-tune and ensure the client-orientated approach of the silvicultural research. A specific communication module serves to translate scientific findings into technological packages relevant to stakeholders. Expected Outcome: Regional framework to assess sustainability of forest management. Silvicultural tools for forest restoration and sustainable forest management. Research findings translated into formats appropriate to the target group, including extension, policy advice and management guidelines.
Das Projekt "Combined development of compact thermal energy storage technologies (COMTES)" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Kommission der Europäischen Gemeinschaften Brüssel. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: AEE, Institut für Nachhaltige Technologien.The COMTES project has as goal to develop and demonstrate three novel systems for compact seasonal storage of solar thermal energy. These systems will contribute to the EU 20-20-20 targets by covering a larger share of the domestic energy demand with solar thermal energy. Main objective of COMTES is to develop and demonstrate systems for seasonal storage that are significantly better than water based systems. The three technologies are covered in COMTES by three parallel development lines: solid sorption, liquid sorption and supercooling PCM. Strength of this approach is the collaboration of three development groups in activities that pertain to the analyses, methods and techniques that concern all technologies, without risking the exchange of confidential material. In this way, the development is much more effective than in three separate projects. The project starts with a definition of system boundary conditions and target applications. Next comes the investigation of the best available storage materials. Detailed numerical modelling of the physical processes, backed by experimental validations, will lead to optimum component design. Full-scale prototypes are simulated, constructed and tested in the laboratory in order to optimize process design. One year of fully monitored operation in demonstration buildings is followed by an integrated evaluation of the systems and their potential. When deemed successful, the involved industry partners will pick up the developed storage concepts and bring them further to a commercial level. The COMTES project is a cooperation of key scientific institutions active in the above mentioned heat storage technologies. For the first time, all relevant research disciplines are covered in an international effort. For each development line, a top-Ieading industry partner contributes its know-how and experience, providing the basis for further industrial development and exploitation of project results.
Das Projekt "MYFISH - Maximising yield of fisheries while balancing ecosystem, economic and social concerns" wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Universität zu Kiel, Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre, Lehrstuhl für Umwelt-, Ressourcen- und Ökologische Ökonomik.The MSY concept was included as a principle in the 2009 Green Paper on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in accordance with the global imperative to manage fish stocks according to the maximum sustainable yield (MSY). This implies a commitment to direct management of fish stocks towards achieving MSY by 2015. Attaining this goal is complicated by the lack of common agreement on the interpretation of 'sustainability' and 'yield' and by the effects that achieving MSY for one stock may have on other stocks and broader ecosystem, economic, or social aspects. MYFISH will provide definitions of MSY variants which maximize other measures of 'yield' than biomass and which account for the fact that single species rarely exist in isolation. Further, MYFISH will redefine the term 'sustainable' to signify that Good Environmental Status (MSFD) is achieved and economically and socially unacceptable situations are avoided, all with acceptable levels of risk. In short, MYFISH aims at integrating the MSY concept with the overarching principals of the CFP: the precautionary and the ecosystem approach. MYFISH will achieve this objective through addressing fisheries in all RAC areas and integrating stakeholders (the fishing industry, NGOs and managers) throughout the project. Existing ecosystem and fisheries models will be modified to perform maximization of stakeholder approved yield measures while ensuring acceptable impact levels on ecosystem, economic and social aspects. Implementation plans are proposed and social aspects addressed through active involvement of stakeholders. Finally, effects of changes in environment, economy and society on MSY variants are considered, aiming at procedures rendering the MSY approach robust to such changes. The expertise of 26 partners from relevant disciplines including fisheries, ecosystem, economic and social science are involved in all aspects of the project. Global experience is engaged from North America and the South Pacific.
Das Projekt "Teilvorhaben 11: Herstellung, Charakterisierung und Prozessintegration der Produkte^Teilvorhaben 14: Scale Up von Prozessen in Pilotanlagen^Teilvorhaben 12: Rohstoffmanagement der Anbau- und Reststofföle inklusive ökonomische und ökologische Betrachtung des Anbaus^Forschungsverbund: Integrierte chemisch-biotechnologische Herstellung von Synthesebausteinen auf Basis nachwachsender Rohstoffe in einer Bioraffinerie^Teilvorhaben 1: Projektmanagement und Rohstoffaufbereitung, Entwicklung von Biokatalysatoren, Herstellung von Synthesebausteinen, Prozess- und Produktbewertung^Teilvorhaben 13: Erzeugung und Nutzung von Synthesegasen aus Glycerin^Teilvorhaben 3: Gewinnung der Synthesebausteine, Prozessintegation, Teilvorhaben 10: Prozess- und Produktbewertung" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Bundesministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), Institut für Industriebetriebslehre und Industrielle Produktion.Das Projekt ist getragen von der Vision der 'Integrierten Verbundproduktion auf Basis nachwachsender Rohstoffe' und der durchgängigen Entwicklung vom Labor- bis zum Produktionsmaßstab. Dieser Ansatz ist neuartig und wurde bisher noch nicht realisiert. Die durchgängige Entwicklung von Prozessen und Verfahren zur Nutzung nachwachsender Rohstoffe vom Labor- bis zum Produktionsmaßstab in einer Bioraffinerie ist ein entscheidender Faktor für die erfolgreiche Umsetzung des vorgeschlagenen Konzeptes. AP7.1: Erfassung der ökonomischen und ökologischen Kenngrößen der Rohstoffbereitstellung. AP7.2: Definition der Systemgrenzen der Teilprozesse sowie der vier Produktlinien. AP7.3: Erfassung der Stoff- und Energieströme mit einem Stoffflussanalysewerkzeug. AP7.4: Ökonomische, ökologische und soziale Bewertung der Teilprozesse. AP7.5: Produktbewertung. Für das Institut für Industriebetriebslehre und Industrielle Produktion (IIP) der Universität Karlsruhe (TH) stellen die Ergebnisse des Vorhabens einen wichtigen Schritt zur Entwicklung eines in sich geschlossenen Instrumentariums zur ökonomischen, ökologischen und sozialen Bewertung von Nutzungskonzepten von Biomasse sowohl aus Prozess- als auch aus Produktsicht dar. Die entwickelten und angepassten Methoden und Werkzeuge können auf weitere Produkte und Prozesse zur Nutzung von Biomasse übertragen werden. Darüber hinaus werden die methodischen Ergebnisse in wissenschaftlichen und industriellen Fachzeitschriften publiziert und finden Eingang in die Lehre des Institutes.
Das Projekt "Balanced European Conservation Approach (BECA) - ICT services for resource saving in social housing" wird/wurde gefördert durch: Kommission der Europäischen Gemeinschaften Brüssel. Es wird/wurde ausgeführt durch: Empirica Gesellschaft für Kommunikations- und Technologieforschung mbH.The BECA (Balanced European Conservation Approach - ICT services for resource saving in social housing) project addresses the need to reduce energy consumption in European social housing by a very significant amount to meet overall emission reduction targets. To substantially reduce peak and overall demand for energy and water across EU social housing, BECA will develop a full set of innovative services for resource use awareness and resource management. Balance is achieved by addressing not only energy but water, by including all key energy forms - electricity, gas and heating - and by including strong activities in Eastern Europe as well as in the North, South and West of the EU. Social housing organisations in 7 European countries (Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Serbia) and their partners are cooperating in the project to provide ICT-based energy management and energy awareness services directly to social housing tenants and service operators. Services will be piloted by approx. 5,000 social housing tenants across 7 sites in 7 European countries. Sustained reductions in resource use are to be achieved through usable ICT-based services directly to tenants, as well as by effective monitoring and control of local power generation and, for district heating, the full heat delivery chain. Intensive work will be addressed to optimising services for tenants and maximising impact on resource use behaviour. Service requirements will be investigated with tenants and staff and service prototypes based on initial use cases will be subject to user testing within the first year of the project. Results are used to finalise service design in a second iteration of use case definition and service specification lasting some 8 months, cumulating in implementation of operational services at all the 7 pilot sites. Pilots at sites will operate for at least 14 months; lead sites will be identified to being operation early and provide example solutions to others. The consortium, led by social housing providers and public authorities includes global ICT and service providers and distribution network operators working with local consultants and specialist advisors to carry out all steps in service implementation.
