An Integrated Multi-Criteria System to Assess Sustainable Energy Options: An Application of the Promethee Method

The planning and appraisal of sustainable energy projects involve rather complex tasks. This is due to the fact that the decision making process is the closing link in the process of analysing and handling different types of information: environmental, technical economic and social. Such information can play a strategic role in steering the decision maker towards one choice instead of another. Some of these variables (technical and economic) can be handled fairly easily by numerical models whilst others, particularly ones relating to environmental impacts, may only be adjudicated qualitatively (subjective or not). In many cases therefore, traditional evaluation methods such as cost-benefit analysis and the main economic and financial indicators (NPV, ROI, IRR etc.) are unable to deal with all the components involved in an environmentally valid energy project. Multi-criteria methods provide a flexible tool that is able to handle and bring together a wide range of variables appraised in different ways and thus offer valid assistance to the decision maker in mapping out the problem. This paper sets out the application of a multi-criteria method (PROMETHEE developed by J.P. Brans et al. 1986) to a real life case that is in tune with the objectives of sustainable development.Renewable energy, Multicriteria, Sustainable devolopment

An Integrated Multi-Criteria System to Assess Sustainable Energy Options: An Application of the Promethee Method

The planning and appraisal of sustainable energy projects involve rather complex tasks. This is due to the fact that the decision making process is the closing link in the process of analysing and handling different types of information: environmental, technical economic and social. Such information can play a strategic role in steering the decision maker towards one choice instead of another. Some of these variables (technical and economic) can be handled fairly easily by numerical models whilst others, particularly ones relating to environmental impacts, may only be adjudicated qualitatively (subjective or not). In many cases therefore, traditional evaluation methods such as cost-benefit analysis and the main economic and financial indicators (NPV, ROI, IRR etc.) are unable to deal with all the components involved in an environmentally valid energy project. Multi-criteria methods provide a flexible tool that is able to handle and bring together a wide range of variables appraised in different ways and thus offer valid assistance to the decision maker in mapping out the problem. This paper sets out the application of a multi-criteria method (PROMETHEE developed by J.P. Brans et al. 1986) to a real life case that is in tune with the objectives of sustainable development

Una traccia machiavelliana nelle pagine del Quijote

Tra le pieghe dello straordinario percorso del Quijote si trova un passaggio la cui ascendenza risale a Machiavelli. C'è poi da riflettere sull'origine di quelle righe divertite e incisive, per cercar di capire se Cervantes abbia proprio letto le pagine del Principe, oppure se sia pervenuto per via indiretta alle idee che lì espone. Appunto per misurare il grado di curiosità e di competenza da parte di Cervantes in fatto di lingua e di scrittori italiani, si getta qui uno sguardo sulla sua familiarità con il filone irriverente e burlesco della letteratura «toscana» del '500. D'altro canto, la traccia machiavelliana che si trova nel Quijote, documenta l'interesse per Machiavelli e per le sue idee, ma non fa di Cervantes un «machiavellico ». Nemmeno si può dire che egli sia orientato contro le idee del Fiorentino in virtù di un'opposizione morale o teologica. La distanza tra i due nasce piuttosto dal fatto che Cervantes -come Montaigne- è tra i grandi fondatori di una nuova dimensione del moderno, che si lascia alle spalle le certezze antropocentriche del Rinascimento, mentre fa emergere una diversa immagine dell'uomo: si fa strada infatti, fino ad occupare il primo piano, l'interiorità della dimensione privata, secondo una prospettiva ben diversa da quel primato dell'uomo pubblico che è nota dominante nelle opere machiavelliane.Between the lines, of the amazing literary work Quijote, we find a passage that brings to mind Machiavelli. In these entertaining and incisive lines, there is quite a bit of food for thought to make us reflect whether Cervantes had actually read pages from the Prince or if his ideas had come to him through other means. Therefore, in order to measure Cervantes's degree of curiosity and competence regarding Italian and Italian writers, in this paper we take a glance at Cervantes's familiarity with the irreverent and burlesque line of thought in Tuscan literature belonging to the 1500s. The traces and hints of familiarity with Machiavelli found in Quijote document Cervantes's interest in the Italian writer and his ideas, however these points do not make Cervantes a Machiavellian. In any case, we can not affirm that Cervantes was oriented against the Florentine's ideas considering his moral and theological beliefs. The difference between the two arises from the fact that Cervantes as Montaigne is among the founding fathers of a new dimension of Modern man, that leaves behind the anthropocentric certainties of the Renaissance, and promotes the emergence of a different image of Man, which arises from the interiority of the private dimension, an outlook in stark opposition to the Public Figure known as the dominant theme in Machiavelli's works

Consumption Taxation and Endogenous Growth in a Model with New Generations

This article studies the implications of consumption taxation on capital accumulation in a one-sector endogenous growth model with finite horizons. A tax on consumption, when tax revenues are lump-sum rebated to consumers, redistributes income between living generations and future, still unborn, generations, and therefore depresses aggregate consumption and raises saving, stimulating capital accumulation and economic growth. If however the resources from taxation are used for financing unproductive public spending, the effect of the consumption tax on the endogenous growth rate disappears as no intergenerational redistribution of income occurs. Finally, a consumption tax hike accompanied by a compensatory reduction of public debt increases long-run economic growth and reduces the consumption-output ratio. Our results on consumption taxation differ substantially from those obtained within the endogenous growth literature.This article studies the implications of consumption taxation on capital accumulation in a one-sector endogenous growth model with finite horizons. A tax on consumption, when tax revenues are lump-sum rebated to consumers, redistributes income between living generations and future, still unborn, generations, and therefore depresses aggregate consumption and raises saving, stimulating capital accumulation and economic growth. If however the resources from taxation are used for financing unproductive public spending, the effect of the consumption tax on the endogenous growth rate disappears as no intergenerational redistribution of income occurs. Finally, a consumption tax hike accompanied by a compensatory reduction of public debt increases long-run economic growth and reduces the consumption-output ratio. Our results on consumption taxation differ substantially from those obtained within the endogenous growth literature.Refereed Working Papers / of international relevanc

Application of Oxy-fuel combustion on South African Coals using Thermogravimetric Analyses (TGA)

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Engineering. Johannesburg, 2016The quality and grade of South African coal is declining simultaneously with depleting seams. This has a negative impact on power generation and the economics of coal mining and power production. The reason is that good quality coal is more difficult to mine and hence costly, thus affecting coal prices and the ability of mines to supply coal quality of the required specifications. There is a global environmental awareness around the CO2 greenhouse gas and its effect on global warming. Legislations are becoming more stringent in limiting the amount of greenhouse gases and air pollutants we produce. In power generation, the most prominent greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide (CO2) and the most prominent air pollutants are oxides of Nitrogen and Sulphur (NOx and SOx). Oxy-fuel combustion (OFC) is a process change that can reduce the production of CO2 by increasing the concentration of oxygen in combusting air. A study is presented here, that focuses on the application of this process (OFC) to South African coals. Three different coal types were studied and characterized by conventional proximate and ultimate analyses and further characterized and graded by more specialized analyses; petrographic analyses and the quantitative evaluation of minerals b scanning electron microscopy (QEMSCAN). The gasification of the coals was then modeled to determine, qualitatively, its magnitude in comparison to combustion (oxidation) in oxy-fuel combustion. However, when modeling and conducting experiments to determine this, it was found that existing empirical formulae used to quantify char burnout are not suitable for all South African types of coal. The formulae found in literature (for both oxidation and gasification) could only be applied to two of the three samples. For the two samples that were successfully modeled, it was found that reactivity in gasification was probable but not to a significant level. For the third sample that couldn’t be modeled successfully, a recommendation was made that a new model be developed to take into account the nature of low grade, high inertinite South African coal. This is required in order to successfully formulate the char burnout of South African coals and thus depict with certainty, the applicability of Oxy-fuel combustion on South African coals. Such a step would benefit the forthcoming studies on modeling the char burnout of South African coal and therefore contribute to addressing the challenge of declining coal quality in South Africa.MT201

Pathways to Mitigate Challenges of Learner Academic Performance in a Grade 10 Economics Class in South Africa

This paper aims to explore the pathways to mitigate challenges of learner academic (LAP) performance in a Grade 10 economics class in South Africa. The challenge of poor LAP has ushered a myriad of predicaments in schools globally. These predicaments include lack of teacher inclusion in decision making, inability to work cooperatively together, and lack of professional development opportunities geared towards LAP. The study was qualitative, with 15 participants chosen through purposeful sampling from one rural school in the Thabo-Mofutsanyane education district. This paper is couched in critical emancipatory research with emphasis on the emancipation of the teachers regarding pathways they can self-develop to mitigate the challenges of LAP. The focus group discussions were used to gather information regarding pathways to mitigate the challenges of LAP in schools. The study revealed that teachers possess a very equivocal and varying experience regarding the pathways to use to mitigate the challenges of LAP. The findings suggest that for successful implementation of pathways to mitigate the challenges of LAP, schools need to invest in training teachers for team-teaching and avail the necessary resources (both human and physical) to ensure effective quality teaching and learning exist in the school. The article recommends that schools should develop policy frameworks, together with relevant stakeholders, to guide novice teachers on the strategies they can use to mitigate the challenges of LAP in their classes

Teachers' pedagogical knowledge of integrating indigenous knowledge systems in economics education curriculum

In South Africa, the movement towards a decolonised curriculum is gaining traction. In contrast to the Western-centric emphasis of school curricula, indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) highlight and utilise indigenous materials and knowledge processes. Several research works have emphasised the importance of IKS and the necessity of incorporating them into South African educational practices in an effective manner. This study aims to assess the pedagogical competency of instructors in integrating IKS into the teaching of economics. The pedagogical competency of economics teachers regarding the incorporation of IKS into economics education was investigated through a qualitative literature review. Sixteen studies were selected following a search conducted in electronic resources such as ResearchGate and Google Scholar. The results of the literature review synthesis were analysed using the content analysis approach in light of the framework for culturally responsive pedagogy. This review identified aspects, including IKS incorporation guidelines, policy reviews, teacher professional development on IKS, development of specific IKS study materials, and IKS knowledge strands, that influence teachers' integration of IKS in economics education. The study's recommendations, based on the findings, suggest that professional development, appropriate content selection training, instructors' competency in using IKS, and IKS integration policies all affect their pedagogical proficiency in the subject. According to the study's findings, the CAPS curriculum document ought to specifically specify which economics topics can be taught using IKS in order to prevent teachers from relying on their own judgment when deciding how to incorporate IKS into their lessons

Challenges facing the development of small businesses in the rural areas of the Free State Province.

M. Com. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.Small businesses play a significant role in economic development of the country. However, their growth seems to be constrained by various challenges. Therefore, this study sought to establish the specific factors that hampered growth and development of small businesses in the rural areas of the Free State Province. The specific internal factors that were investigated were: access to training and development, adequate financial management skills, facilitation of marketing of SMMEs products and finally an extent to which the development of rural SMMEs was affected by access to start-up finance. To select the respondents, this study employed a non-probability sampling technique specifically convenience sampling. A structured questionnaire was used to interview a total number of 150 respondents. This number made the sample size of this study. Those SMMEs operated from various districts of the Free State Province, which were Harrismith, Phuthaditjhaba, Ficksburg, Ladybrand and Wepener. The collected data was quantitatively analysed with the use of SPSS computer software. The results indicated that rural SMMEs lacked access to training and development and they operated without financial management qualifications. Marketing of their products was another challenge they faced. Also a shortage of credit facilities for start-up and facilitation for the expansion of businesses was among the constraints to SMMEs development. To overcome the challenges, this study recommended the availability of training and development in the rural areas. Financial literacy mentorship should be established in rural areas for training SMMEs on basic accounting skills. SMMEs should be assisted with a standard way to market their products and financial access must be improved for rural SMMEs. The study confirms previous findings and contributes additional evidence that suggests that lack of education and financial facilities were the main challenges facing SMMEs in many parts of the country

Exploring experiences of the 4th year student teachers on the quality of education received during the four years of initial training at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).

Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2012.This study identified the quality of education in regard to pedagogical content knowledge, personal characteristics of lecturers, and teaching and assessment strategies practices in the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), as experienced by student teachers. The study is an interpretive study following a qualitative approach, and focuses on students' understanding of their lived experiences. This is a case study of Fourth year B.Ed. students registered at UKZN in 2011 for Foundation and Intermediate (F & I) phase. 24 students were selected and had agreed to participate in the study but 15 actually participated in interviews. Student teachers argued that most lecturers employed by UKZN are good quality lecturers. There were some lecturers who were considered poor quality lecturers. Student teachers categorized poor quality lecturers as those who do not know how to teach, those who do not have experience, and those who were always away attending conferences or on sabbatical leaves. Student teachers considered an outstanding lecturer as a fully qualified person who is always on time and available for lectures and consultations. Student teachers claim to have acquired sound pedagogical content knowledge from the university. They concur that lecturers employed various assessment strategies which challenged students' higher order thinking abilities. The study revealed that the most common lecture delivery methods employed by lecturers are lecture method and reading (where the lecturer reads course materials in class). The student teachers noted that these methods were used with minimal variation. There were some lecturers who utilized resources such as overhead projectors while a few used PowerPoint presentations and some engaged students in discussion. Most student teachers regarded teaching practice as a programme which developed their teaching skills, helped them in developing confidence to address audience, and with planning and presenting lessons. But they claim that there was poor organisation of teaching practice. In the final chapter it is argued that quality as experienced by teacher education students in the 4th year is a complex phenomenon which covers especially areas of teaching practice, lecture delivery. This excludes other areas that pivotal in judging quality of high institution of education such as curriculum balance, financial resources and admission criteria