Suchergebnisse

Heat pumps use the temperature difference between inside and outside areas to modify a refrigerant, either for heating or cooling. Doing so can lower the need for external heating energy for a household to some extent. The eventual impact depends on various factors, such as the external source for heating or cooling and the temperature difference. The use of heat pumps, and eventual benefits has not been studied in the context of subarctic areas, such as in Iceland. In Iceland, only remote areas do not have access to district heating from geothermal energy where households may, therefore, benefit from using heat pumps. It is the intent of this study to explore the observed benefits of using heat pumps in Iceland, both financially and energetically. This study further elaborates on incentives provided by the Icelandic government. Real data were gathered from the Icelandic energy authority for the analysis. It was found for the study database of 128 households that the annual electricity use was reduced from 37.8 to 26.7 kWh (an average 29.3% reduction) after installation of heat pumps. Large pumps (9.0–14.4 kW) and small pumps (5.0–9.0 kW) saved an average of 31.4 and 26.0% (95% confidence intervals), respectively. On average, households used approximately 26 MWh after installing a heat pump. When installing a small pump (5–9 kW), the mean annual saving (and 95% confidence intervals) was 10.6 ( ±± 2.7) MWh (approximately 26%). However, when installing a larger pump, mean annual savings were 11.3 ( ±± 1.6) MWh (Approximately 31%). ; Peer Reviewed

© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. CC BY ; Fairness issues within food systems are of increasing concern for policy makers and other stakeholders. Given the topicality and policy relevance of fairness within food systems, there is value in exploring the subject further. Simulation modelling has been successfully used to develop and test policy interventions. However, the subjectivity and intangibleness of fairness perceptions make them difficult to operationalize in a quantitative model. The objective of this study is to facilitate research on fairness in food systems using simulation modelling by defining the social construct of fairness in model operational terms. The operationalization is conducted in two steps. First, the construct of fairness is conceptually defined in terms of its dimensions, antecedents, and consequences using the literature on interorganizational fairness. Then, by focusing specifically on fairness issues within food systems, the conceptual definition is used as a basis for the identification of proxy indicators of fairness. Seven groups of factors related to fairness perceptions were identified during the conceptualization phase: financial outcomes, operational outcomes, power, environmental stability, information sharing, relationship quality, and controls. From these factor groups, five indicators of fairness that are operational in a quantitative model were identified: profit margin as an indicator of distributive fairness and four indicators of procedural fairness related to market power and bargaining power. ; This research was part of the VALUMICS project "Understanding Food Value Chain and Network Dynamics" funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, https://valumics.eu/. ; Peer reviewed

Publisher´s version / Útgefin grein ; Salmon is the most consumed farmed seafood in the EU and there is no indication that demand will abate. Yet salmon aquaculture's environmental impacts are significant, and its future is likely to be shaped by demands of increased but at the same time more sustainable production. This study developed an integrated theoretical framework based on the multi-level perspective (MLP) and a global value chain (GVC) governance framework and applied it to the global farmed salmon value chain. The objective was to provide insights on the most likely transition pathway towards sustainability based on industry and expert perspectives. The perceptions on challenges and drivers of change, were gathered through focus groups and in-depth interviews, and fitted to the integrated framework to facilitate the transition pathway analysis. Viewing the qualitative findings in the context of the MLP framework provided information about the current workings of the system, the drivers of change in the socio-technical landscape and niche-innovations and their potential to challenge or enhance the current system and thus indicated possible system transitions. To emphasize the role of industry actors in shaping the future of the salmon value chain, the analysis was strengthened using the GVC model which added information about power relations, signaling the ability of system actors to motivate or resist change. The findings indicate that, due to resistance in the regime and the fact that niche-innovations are not yet sufficiently developed, the farmed salmon value chain will continue to be predominated by traditional sea-based aquaculture but that there will be a gradual shift towards more diversity in terms of production methods in response to landscape pressures. The discussion addresses sustainability challenges and policy implications for the farmed salmon value chain and highlights the need for a food system perspective. ; Peer Reviewed