LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT OF SOLAR COMMUNITIES: A SCENARIO ANALYSIS

The study proposes the comparisonof the life cycle performances of two different energy systems aimed at covering the needs of a large mixed-mode community, in Calgary (Canada). The two systems investigated are a“conventional” one, using heat pumps for heating, cooling and domestic hot water, and another one widely deploying solar thermal panels as well as a district heating infrastructure and a borehole seasonal thermal storage. The analysis is based on the LifeCycle Assessment (LCA) methodology and includes the stages of raw materials and energy supply, system manufacturing, use stage of the systems, generation and use of energy on-site, maintenance and components’ substitution, and explo…

Search for an Invisibly Decaying Z′ Boson at Belle II in e+e−→μ+μ−(e±μ∓) Plus Missing Energy Final States

Theories beyond the standard model often predict the existence of an additional neutral boson, the Z′. Using data collected by the Belle II experiment during 2018 at the SuperKEKB collider, we perform the first searches for the invisible decay of a Z′ in the process e+e-→μ+μ-Z′ and of a lepton-flavor-violating Z′ in e+e-→e±μZ′. We do not find any excess of events and set 90% credibility level upper limits on the cross sections of these processes. We translate the former, in the framework of an Lμ-Lτ theory, into upper limits on the Z′ coupling constant at the level of 5×10-2-1 for MZ′≤6 GeV/c2.

Carotid plaque detection improves the predictve value of CHA2DS2-VASc score in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrilation: The ARAPACIS Study

Abstract Background and aims Vascular disease (VD), as assessed by history of myocardial infarction or peripheral artery disease or aortic plaque, increases stroke risk in atrial fibrillation (AF), and is a component of risk assessment using the CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score. We investigated if systemic atherosclerosis as detected by ultrasound carotid plaque (CP) could improve the predictive value of the CHA 2 DS 2 -VASc score. Methods We analysed data from the ARAPACIS study, an observational study including 2027 Italian patients with non-valvular AF, in whom CP was detected using Doppler Ultrasonography. Results VD was reported in 351 (17.3%) patients while CP was detected in 16.6% patients. Ad…

Materiali isolanti per l’edilizia: uno studio di LCA

Il presente lavoro descrive l’applicazione della LCA per valutare l’embodied energy e le emissioni di gas serra (GHGs) di due sistemi edilizi (costituiti da involucro edilizio, pareti interne e pavimenti di interpiano) che differiscono per il materiale isolante: polistirene espanso estruso (XPS) o fibra di cellulosa (FC). I risultati mostrano che l’impiego di FC in alternativa al XPS consente di ridurre l’embodied energy del sistema edilizio di circa il 13% (l’aliquota di energia non rinnovabile, che rappresenta circa il 79-81% del totale, si riduce del 16,5%). Si osserva inoltre una riduzione del 9,3% delle emissioni di GHGs. Un’analisi di dominanza consente di identificare i componenti de…

From biomass waste to tri-generation: a life-cycle experience in the “agro-combined” of Thibar

The paper presents a Life Cycle Assessment of the energy tri-generation from biomass waste in a plant located in Tunisia. The analysis included the plant construction and end-of-life, the supply of biomass, its use for biogas production and the electricity, heating and cooling generation from biogas. The study is one of the first applications of environmental analysis to tri-generation from biomass waste in developing countries. The results showed that the plant construction is responsible of 76% of primary energy consumption and gives a contribution higher than 88% on resource depletion and ionising radiation. The operation causes 66% of the impact on human toxicity - cancer effects and mo…

Monitoraggio visivo su palmacee potenziali ospiti del Punteruolo rosso e del Castnide delle palme presenti in Sicilia

Historical Buildings in protected areas in Italy: a re-design study of a rural building

Historic and traditional buildings, including rural ones, are a territorial resource in Europe and constitute an integral part of the European’s cultural heritage. However they are often characterized by poor energy performances and a large potential for energy retrofit actions. On the other hand, the hardest part of retrofitting such buildings is the limited invasiveness that such actions need to have on the historical and heritage value of the building itself. The paper describes an experience of re-design of an existing rural building located in Sicily, inside the ancient Greeks “Valley of the Temples”. An energy audit was performed on the building, its energy uses thoroughly investigate…

Attacks of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus on natural specimens of dwarf fan palm Chamaerops humilis in Sicily.

The red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus was recently introduced into Europe where it has destroyed many Phoenix canariensis palms. This weevil attacks different species of palms in different countries, mainly cultivated date palms (Phoenix dactylifera) in Egypt and cultivated Canary palms (Phoenix canariensis) in Europe. In Europe, sporadic attacks of the weevil to native dwarf fan palm (Chamaerops humilis) have been reported. The current paper reports attacks of R. ferrugineus on dwarf fan palms in natural environments of Sicily. This insect represents an important threat to dwarf palms and to the complex ecosystem where they live.

Major adverse cardiovascular events in non-valvular atrial fibrillation with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the ARAPACIS study

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) increases the risk of mortality in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients. Data on the relationship of COPD to major cardiovascular events (MACE) in AF have not been defined. The aim of the study is to assess the predictive value of COPD on incident MACE in NVAF patients over a 3-year follow-up. In the Atrial Fibrillation Registry for Ankle-Brachial Index Prevalence Assessment-Collaborative Italian Study (ARAPACIS) cohort, we evaluate the impact of COPD on the following clinical endpoints: MACE (including vascular death, fatal/non-fatal MI and stroke/TIA), cardiovascular (CV) death and all-cause mortality. Among 2027 NVAF patients, pati…

Electric mobility in Sicily: An application to a historical archaeological site

Transports should be a key focus in the close future for decarbonization efforts, if the optimistic climate change mitigation objectives to be reached by 2050 on a global scale are to be met. Choosing an emblematic and historical location in the center of Sicily as object of the study, the potential for decarbonization and the reduction of the energy and environmental impacts in the site for electric mobility is assessed, by considering electric mobility scenarios based on different shares of electricity generated through renewable energy technologies. The analysis is performed by means of a life-cycle approach, through the use of the Life Cycle Assessment methodology. A parametric analysis…

ECO-design of solar driven systems: A performance comparison between the Italian and the Brazilian context

The paper shows a comparative analysis of the performances of two typologies of solar assisted cooling systems for building applications. In particular, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology is applied to assess the energy and environmental impacts of solar-assisted, heat-driven chillers and conventional compression chillers driven by grid-connected and stand-alone photovoltaic configurations. LCA is applied in compliance with the international standards of ISO 14040. System boundaries are defined following a “cradle to grave” approach, taking into account all the life-cycle phases including the raw materials supply, the production of the components of the plant, the operation and mainten…

Abstracts of papers presented at the 7th International Symposium of Scale Insect Studies (ISSIS-VII)

Experimental Tests

This chapter presents the outcomes of the experimental implementation of the architecture described in Chap. 4 running a hardware testbed for the emulation of domestic electrical load profiles. Besides it shows how this experimental scenario integrates both with the legacy metering architecture and with the blockchain platform. Finally, the integrated use with an Energy Management System designed on purpose is also described with the aim of ensuring intervention and automating the end user’s response to a DR event.

The Belle II Physics Book

cd. autorów: L. Cao48,‡, G. Caria145,‡, G. Casarosa57,‡, C. Cecchi56,‡,D. Cˇ ervenkov10,‡,M.-C. Chang22,‡, P. Chang92,‡, R. Cheaib146,‡, V. Chekelian83,‡, Y. Chen154,‡, B. G. Cheon28,‡, K. Chilikin77,‡, K. Cho70,‡, J. Choi14,‡, S.-K. Choi27,‡, S. Choudhury35,‡, D. Cinabro170,‡, L. M. Cremaldi146,‡, D. Cuesta47,‡, S. Cunliffe16,‡, N. Dash33,‡, E. de la Cruz Burelo9,‡, E. de Lucia52,‡, G. De Nardo54,‡, †Editor. ‡Belle II Collaborator. §Theory or external contributing author. M. De Nuccio16,‡, G. De Pietro59,‡, A. De Yta Hernandez9,‡, B. Deschamps129,‡, M. Destefanis60,‡, S. Dey116,‡, F.Di Capua54,‡, S.Di Carlo75,‡, J. Dingfelder129,‡, Z. Doležal10,‡, I. Domínguez Jiménez125,‡, T.V. Dong30,26,…