Modeling a Grid-Connected PV/Battery Microgrid System with MPPT Controller

This paper focuses on performance analyzing and dynamic modeling of the current grid-tied fixed array 6.84kW solar photovoltaic system located at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). A battery energy storage system is designed and applied to improve the systems stability and reliability. An overview of the entire system and its PV module are presented. In sequel, the corresponding I-V and P-V curves are obtained using MATLAB-Simulink package. Actual data was collected and utilized for the modeling and simulation of the system. In addition, a grid- connected PV/Battery system with Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) controller is modeled to analyze the system performance that has been evaluated under two different test conditions: (1) PV power production is higher than the load demand (2) PV generated power is less than required load. A battery system has also been sized to provide smoothing services to this array. The simulation results show the effective of the proposed method. This system can be implemented in developing countries with similar weather conditions to Florida.Comment: 6 pages, 14 figures, PVSC 201

Comunicación y deporte: el caso del boxeador segundo mercado

El boxeo es una disciplina que ha trascendido en la historia deportiva ecuatoriana. Los medios de comunicación han difundido la carrera deportiva de varios atletas entre los que cabe destacar la del boxeador Segundo Mercado, analizada por varios medios y en particular la prensa plana. Se parte del principio de que examinando textos es posible conocer no sólo su significado, sino también la forma de producirlos. El período abordado tuvo una gran repercusión e influencia social, en particular, porque sus peleas se consideran entre las primeras transmitidas por la radio y la televisión ecuatorianas. Una vez seleccionados los artículos, se analizan los términos empleados en los títulos, lo cual reveló su sentido y significado en el contexto deportivo de Segundo Mercado. Entre los resultados obtenidos está la recopilación de varios artículos de la revista Estadio y el periódico El Universo, donde se constatan los triunfos y los reveses deportivos del atleta. Se concluye que el análisis semántico de las palabras muestra cómo el empleo de una serie de calificativos para identificar al atleta se relaciona tanto con su condición social como con su estilo de pelear. Al investigar lo escrito en este medio se aplica el análisis del discurso puesto que el objetivo de la investigación es determinar cómo describió la prensa plana la carrera deportiva de Segundo Mercado.Boxing is a discipline that has transcended in Ecuadorian sports history. The media have disseminated the sporting career of several athletes including the boxer Segundo Mercado, analyzed by various media and in particular the flat press. It is taken in account the principle that examining texts allow to know not only its meaning, but also how to produce them. The period addressed had a great impact and social influence, because their fights are considered among the first transmitted by the Ecuadorian broadcasting, radio as well as television. Once the articles are selected, the terms used in the titles are analyzed, which revealed their meaning and significance in the sporting context of Segundo Mercado. Among the results obtained appears the compilation of several articles of the magazine Estadio and the newspaper El Universo, where the triumphs and the sports setbacks of the athlete were gathered. It is concluded that the semantic analysis of the words shows how the use of a series of qualifiers to identify the athlete is related to both his social condition and his style of fighting. Investigating what is written in this medium, the discourse analysis is applied since the objective of the research to determine how the written press described to Segundo Mercado´s sporting career

Registro, aplicación y pago del Impuesto sobre la Renta (I.R) en la empresa Almacenes Pedro J. Gutiérrez en la ciudad de Matagalpa en el período 2015

El presente trabajo investigativo comprende el tema del impuesto sobre la renta (I.R) en las empresas del régimen general de los departamentos de Matagalpa y Jinotega en el período 2015. El impuesto sobre la renta es el principal recaudador de fondo que tiene el estado para ejecutar el presupuesto general de la república y de esta manera contribuir a la mejoras de los servicios y obras públicas del país. Para la empresa es de gran importancia el pago de los impuestos ya que de esta manera cumple con cada una de los deberes que tienen como contribuyente. Después de realizar este estudio se determinó el apego total a la Ley por parte de la empresa, quien es conocedora de todas sus obligaciones tributarias como un negocio en marcha. Almacenes Pedro J. Gutiérrez quien forma parte de Inversiones Gutiérrez Amador tiene como giro principal la comercialización de: instrumentos musicales, deportivos, agroquímicos entre otros. Es por eso que la aplicación de los impuestos se centra en sus ingresos tanto para el IR anual y pago mínimo que se sustentan de las ventas y de cualquier otra entrada de dinero ocasional, en el caso de las retenciones se recaudan por todas las compras de bienes o servicios necesarios en la entidad. Para el registro del impuesto sobre la renta (I.R), se utilizan los documentos como: comprobante de diario, comprobante de pago, facturas, libros y formatos de declaración. La aplicación se basa en los porcentajes establecidos en la Ley de Concertación Tributaria y la forma de pago se rige en base a los procedimientos y calendarios imputados por la administración de tributaria. Palabra clave: Impuesto sobre la renta (I.R) registro, aplicación y pag

Technology adoption in small-scale agriculture

This study sets out to explore one of the most important questions for alleviating poverty in sub-Saharan Africa namely: why are advancements in agricultural technology not taking root in this region? Using data from deep interviews of 42 smallscale farmers in Ghana and Cameroon, a conceptual analysis of drivers and factors of agricultural technology adoption in this region is made and represented as causal loop diagrams. Interviews also provide a basis for weighting factors that farmers consider before adopting a new technology. These weights are then used to run a systems dynamics model with a hypothetical population of 10.000 farmers to see the effects of different drivers of technology adoption on the adoption rate and number of adopters over a 25 year period. Results show that most farmers have a bethedging strategy as they try to minimize risks of production failures. While certain factors like scale of production, long-term considerations, the history of success of past technologies, and the endorsement of technologies by opinion leaders may be important, many other factors do influence decisions to adopt new technologies. This limits any silver bullet strategy towards solving the problem of limited diffusion of agricultural technologies in this region. Addressing such a problem therefore calls for a much more holistic approach

Optimalisasi Tingkat Pemanfaatan Fasilitas Dasar Dan Fungsional Di Pelabuhan Perikanan Samudera Nizam Zachman Jakarta Dalam Menunjang Kegiatan Penangkapan Ikan

Nizam Zachman Ocean Fishery Port Jakarta (PPSNZJ) is the center of fishing activities in Jakarta. This is supported by the location of its strategic location that has the potential to own a good fhishery resources. As Indonesia entered the ara of decentralization, each district is required to be able to support their own region to optimize the full potential of the area both real and non real sector. Therefore, in the fisheries sector, built Nizam Zachman Jakarta Ocean Fishery Port (PPSNZJ). The study aims to determinate the condition of facilities, to analyze the level of optimization, and analyze appropriate strategies to be applied in the development of PPSNZJ with current condition. The method used in this study was descriptive sampling and purposive sampling analysis of the utilization rate of facilities and SWOT analysis were used in this study. The result obtained that the existing facilities at the Nizam Zachman Jakarta Ocean Fishery Port (PPSNZJ) was still good condition and still proper to use, with the cruise line utilization rate 87%, 96% harbor pool, pier 110%, 129% TPI. From these result could be concluded than the optimization of basic facilities and fully functional facilities have not been utilized optimally. While the result obtained from the application of SWOT analysis S-O strategy (Strength-Opportunity) which means that the strategy in its application to use force to take advantage of an opportunity

Perceptions of the mental health impact of intimate partner violence and health service responses in Malawi

Background and objectives: This study explores the perceptions of a wide range of stakeholders in Malawi towards the mental health impact of intimate partner violence (IPV) and the capacity of health services for addressing these. Design: In-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted in three areas of Blantyre district, and in two additional districts. A total of 10 FGDs, 1 small group, and 14 IDIs with health care providers; 18 FGDs and 1 small group with male and female, urban and rural community members; 7 IDIs with female survivors; and 26 key informant interviews and 1 small group with government ministry staff, donors, gender-based violence service providers, religious institutions, and police were conducted. A thematic framework analysis method was applied to emerging themes. Results: The significant mental health impact of IPV was mentioned by all participants and formal care seeking was thought to be impeded by social pressures to resolve conflict, and fear of judgemental attitudes. Providers felt inadequately prepared to handle the psychosocial and mental health consequences of IPV; this was complicated by staff shortages, a lack of clarity on the mandate of the health sector, as well as confusion over the definition and need for ‘counselling’. Referral options to other sectors for mental health support were perceived as limited but the restructuring of the Ministry of Health to cover violence prevention, mental health, and alcohol and drug misuse under a single unit provides an opportunity. Conclusion: Despite widespread recognition of the burden of IPV-associated mental health problems in Malawi, there is limited capacity to support affected individuals at community or health sector level. Participants highlighted potential entry points to health services as well as local and national opportunities for interventions that are culturally appropriate and are built on local structures and resilience

The El Niño – La Niña cycle and recent trends in supply and demand of net primary productivity in African drylands

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2016. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here by permission of Springer for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Climatic Change 138 (2016): 111-125, doi:10.1007/s10584-016-1730-1.Inter-annual climatic variability over a large portion of sub-Saharan Africa is under the influence of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Extreme variability in climate is a threat to rural livelihoods in sub-Saharan Africa, yet the role of ENSO in the balance between supply and demand of net primary productivity (NPP) over this region is unclear. Here, we analyze the impact of ENSO on this balance in a spatially explicit framework using gridded population data from the WorldPop project, satellite-derived data on NPP supply, and statistical data from the United Nations. Our analyses demonstrate that between 2000 and 2013 fluctuations in the supply of NPP associated with moderate ENSO events average ±2.8 g C m-2 yr-1 across sub-Saharan drylands. The greatest sensitivity is in arid Southern Africa where a +1oC change in the Niño-3.4 sea surface temperature index is associated with a mean change in NPP supply of -6.6 g C m-2 yr-1. Concurrently, the population-driven trend in NPP demand averages 3.5 g C m-2 yr-1 over the entire region with densely populated urban areas exhibiting the highest mean demand for NPP. Our findings highlight the importance of accounting for the role ENSO plays in modulating the balance between supply and demand of NPP in sub-Saharan drylands. An important implication of these findings is that increase in NPP demand for socio-economic metabolism must be taken into account within the context of climate-modulated supplyFunding for this project was provided by the Swedish National Space Board (contract no. 100/11 to J.A.). A.M.A. received support from the Royal Physiographic Society in Lund and the Lund University Center for Studies of Carbon Cycle and Climate Interactions (LUCCI). C.C.U. was supported by NSF grant OCE-1203892.2017-07-0

ICE

Commonly known as ICE, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement works to monitor the level of illegal migration to the United States. They also are in charge of at least 40% of deportation of innocent, non-criminal immigration violators. At times, the children of these immigrants are born in the United States. As US citizens, ICE cannot deport them without violating their rights, resulting in the separation of families. This poem speaks of a young child whose mother was deported by ICE and the yearning of wanting to know where the mother is. The mix of English and Spanish reinforces the struggle between balancing an American culture while also keeping primarily Latin American based roots

Letters from a Cynical Romantic

With the romanticization of relationships in media and literature, it has become hard to distinguish fiction from reality—a fact Genesis Montalvo has realized the hard way. In a millennial world where “love” is just a swipe right away, she has found it hard to hold onto the old ideals of love and what partners are expected to contribute to a relationship. Using her own experiences with love, Montalvo explores the idea of the sentiment in the current age. Through the form of letters to her ex-boyfriends, she contrasts the expectations built by her parents’ relationship with the realities she now knows to be true, demonstrating the constant back and forth she faces: is she a cynic or is she a romantic advocate for love