Geography Department

Smart grids (SGs) have a central role in the development of the global power sector. Cost-benefit analyses and environmental impact assessments are used to support policy on the deployment of SG systems and technologies. However, the conflicting and widely varying estimates of costs, benefits, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction, and energy savings in literature leave policy makers struggling with how to advise regarding SG deployment. Identifying the causes for the wide variation of individual estimates in the literature is crucial if evaluations are to be used in decision-making. This paper (i) summarizes and compares the methodologies used for economic and environmental evaluation of SGs (ii) identifies the sources of variation in estimates across studies, and (iii) point to gap in research on economic and environmental analyses of SG systems. Seventeen studies (nine articles and eight reports published between 2000 and 2015) addressing the economic costs versus benefits, energy efficiency, and GHG emissions of SGs were systematically searched, located, selected, and reviewed. Their methods and data were subsequently extracted and analysed. The results show that no standardized method currently exists for assessing the economic and environmental impacts of SG systems. The costs varied between 0.03 and 1143 M€/yr, while the benefits ranged from 0.04 to 804 M€/yr, suggesting that SG systems do not result in cost savings The primary energy savings ranged from 0.03 to 0.95 MJ/kWh, whereas the GHG emission reduction ranged from 10 to 180 gCO 2 /kWh, depending on the country grid mix and the system boundary of the SG system considered. The findings demonstrate that although SG systems are energy efficient and reduce GHG emissions, investments in SG systems may not yield any benefits. Standardizing some methodologies and assumptions such as discount rates, time horizon and scrutinizing some key input data will result in more consistent estimates of costs and benefits, GHG emission reduction, and energy savings.

While much has been published on the advantages of organic agriculture, less has addressed its potentials and challenges to fight undernourishment in developing countries. This article aims at reviewing the main potentials and challenges of this approach when dealing with "undernourishment" as a multifaceted concept in developing countries. Accordingly, 2 main issues of the concept which are "food security" and "food safety" are discussed in the context of both developed and developing countries to understand their different food policies' priorities. Next, the main potentials, challenges and tradeoffs of the organic approach are analyzed to understand whether the approach is capable to provide a secure or a safe food-production system which can meet the food policy priorities in developing countries. With respect to food security, the article concludes that conventional and biotechnological approaches still produce higher yields than organic agriculture. However, considering the many advantages of organic agriculture, it can in a long run, be more conducive than now to meet food security. Thus, conventional approach is still needed to feed the hungers in developing countries [corrected]. Accordingly, the article emphasizes on the importance of providing farmers in developing countries with the possibility of implementing different approaches. Therefore, policy makers should be aware of a realistic and gradual transition from the other approaches to the organic that should be projected only in "long run," and after conducting a series of risk assessment studies on the bases of both "crop-case" and "region-case."

ABSTRACT The goal of this study was to evaluate the sustainability and efficiency of corn production with regard to energy consumption in the Fars province, Southwest Iran. To reach the goal, fuzzy modeling and Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) were employed. The fuzzy model included three sub-models which assessed the sustainability use of energy inputs, i.e. machinery, fuel, fertilizer, chemical, human power, seed, and electricity. Some DEA models like CCR (Charnes, Cooper and Rhodes), BCC (Banker, Charnes and Cooper) and SBM (Slack Based Measure) were applied in assessment of efficiency scores. Using non-hierarchical cluster analysis, 89 farmers were chosen in two clusters including 47 and 42 farmers as the first and second cluster, respectively. The farmers in cluster 2 used 44,238.235 MJ/ha energy input which was 2500 MJ/ha more than the first cluster. The fuzzy modeling revealed that the sustainability indices were higher in the first cluster. However, the indices were in the ranges of very low to medium for all the farmers, representing that the current corn production system is not sustainable. Also, the DEA models revealed that the first cluster also held more efficient farmers. Since DEA defines a reference set of efficient for inefficient farmers to follow, lead inefficient farmers to improve their sustainability up to efficient ones. Therefore, efficient and inefficient farmers must change the trends of energy utilization for approaching even more sustainable production.

ABSTRACT Dissemination programs of nontraditional cookstoves often fail. Nontraditional cookstoves aim to solve problems associated with biomass fuel usage in developing countries. Recent studies do not explain what drives user's cookstove choice. This study therefore builds a holistic framework that centralizes product-specific preferences or needs. The case study identifies product-specific factors that influence rural Senegalese inhabitants to switch to solar cooking, using best–worst scaling. Looking at the preferences, the case study classified 126 respondents, in three distinct market segments with different solar cooking expectations. The paper identifies socio-demographic characteristics that explain these differences in the respondents' preferences. Finally, the respondent sample is divided in two groups: solar cooker owners and non-owners. When studied with regard to the same issue, solar cooker owners appear to value benefits of the solar cooker lower than non-owners. This is due to program factors (such as formations, after-sales network) and miscommunication (such as a wrong image of the solar cooker) that highly influenced the respondents' cookstove choice. As a conclusion, solar cookers and solar cooking programs are not always adapted to the needs and requirements of the end-users. Needs-oriented and end-user adopted strategies are necessary in order to successfully implement nontraditional cookstoves programs.