Interconnection Project Research Articles

Simulating cyberattacks with extended Petri nets

Cybersecurity is an urgent concern. Cybersecurity simulation is an important part of the response to it. This article describes a research program consisting of several interconnected cybersecurity simulation research projects. Cyberattacks are modeled using Petri nets extended with features designed for modeling cyberattacks, including representations of the attacker’s and defender’s strategies, their actions, and their actions’ cost. A database of known attack patterns is automatically processed to generate cyberattack component models, one for each attack pattern. The models are verified and validated using multiple application-relevant methods that consider both Petri nets’ theoretical properties and cyberattacks’ practical characteristics. Because the source attack pattern database is attacker-centric, the cyberattack component models are enhanced to include defender actions and responses, as well as representations of normal user activities on the computer system being attacked. Cyberattack component models stored in a repository are selected and composed into complete models of target computer systems. Metadata associated with each model guides the selection and composition. The cyberattack models are executed to simulate cyberattacks. Multiple simulation iterations are used to train reinforcement learning algorithms that automatically learn improved attacker or defender strategies.

Meat consumption and incident type 2 diabetes: an individual-participant federated meta-analysis of 1·97 million adults with 100 000 incident cases from 31 cohorts in 20 countries

Meat consumption could increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, evidence is largely based on studies of European and North American populations, with heterogeneous analysis strategies and a greater focus on red meat than on poultry. We aimed to investigate the associations of unprocessed red meat, processed meat, and poultry consumption with type 2 diabetes using data from worldwide cohorts and harmonised analytical approaches. This individual-participant federated meta-analysis involved data from 31 cohorts participating in the InterConnect project. Cohorts were from the region of the Americas (n=12) and the Eastern Mediterranean (n=2), European (n=9), South-East Asia (n=1), and Western Pacific (n=7) regions. Access to individual-participant data was provided by each cohort; participants were eligible for inclusion if they were aged 18 years or older and had available data on dietary consumption and incident type 2 diabetes and were excluded if they had a diagnosis of any type of diabetes at baseline or missing data. Cohort-specific hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs were estimated for each meat type, adjusted for potential confounders (including BMI), and pooled using a random-effects meta-analysis, with meta-regression to investigate potential sources of heterogeneity. Among 1 966 444 adults eligible for participation, 107 271 incident cases of type 2 diabetes were identified during a median follow-up of 10 (IQR 7-15) years. Median meat consumption across cohorts was 0-110 g/day for unprocessed red meat, 0-49 g/day for processed meat, and 0-72 g/day for poultry. Greater consumption of each of the three types of meat was associated with increased incidence of type 2 diabetes, with HRs of 1·10 (95% CI 1·06-1·15) per 100 g/day of unprocessed red meat (I2=61%), 1·15 (1·11-1·20) per 50 g/day of processed meat (I2=59%), and 1·08 (1·02-1·14) per 100 g/day of poultry (I2=68%). Positive associations between meat consumption and type 2 diabetes were observed in North America and in the European and Western Pacific regions; the CIs were wide in other regions. We found no evidence that the heterogeneity was explained by age, sex, or BMI. The findings for poultry consumption were weaker under alternative modelling assumptions. Replacing processed meat with unprocessed red meat or poultry was associated with a lower incidence of type 2 diabetes. The consumption of meat, particularly processed meat and unprocessed red meat, is a risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes across populations. These findings highlight the importance of reducing meat consumption for public health and should inform dietary guidelines. The EU, the Medical Research Council, and the National Institute of Health Research Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre.

Future‐proofing city power grids: FID‐based efficient interconnection strategies for major load‐centred environments

AbstractThe flexible interconnection device (FID) offers significant advantages for interconnecting different distribution networks flexibly. This paper focuses on the significant advantages offered by the FID for interconnecting different distribution networks flexibly. It specifically delves into FID‐based multi‐voltage and multi‐substation distribution networks, proposing a preferable scheme applicable to major load‐centred cities. Beginning with an analysis of constructed FID‐based flexible interconnected distribution network projects, key configurations and features are summarized. Subsequently, typical configurations, electrical parameters, facilities, relevant power functionalities, and application scenarios of multi‐voltage multi‐substation distribution networks are outlined. Building upon this foundation, a suitable interconnection scheme tailored for current urban use is explored to meet the specific needs of load‐centred cities, while incorporating recent advancements in high‐power‐density IGCT technology. An EMT model of a 10 kV/10 MW IGCT‐based four‐substation distribution network is developed in PSCAD/EMTDC. Through thorough analysis under different conditions, the operational performance and benefits are evaluated, providing insights into the efficiency and resilience of the proposed FID‐based interconnection. Lastly, challenges and prospects are discussed from various perspectives to advance the development of FID‐based flexible interconnection solutions. This study aims to contribute to the advancement and implementation of robust interconnection solutions to meet the evolving needs of major load‐centred cities.

Economic and environmental impacts from the China-Korea power grid interconnection

China and Korea have planned a substantial power grid interconnection project, driven by a shared commitment to achieve their respective policy goals. This paper analyzes the economic and environmental impacts of this cross-border power grid interconnection and presents a comprehensive financial analysis of the project. We formulate a power system model that includes a planned submarine HVDC transmission line between two countries and study various scenarios by using hourly data. Our results demonstrate that the interconnection line operates with a remarkably high utilization rate, ranging from 98.90 % to 99.95 % across all analyzed scenarios. This high utilization rate suggests that the project holds significant economic potential, with estimated net present values ranging from $1,786 million to $3,019 million at a discount rate of 7 %. Furthermore, from the sensitivity analysis on carbon price, discount rate, and transmission capacity, we show how the financial outcome of the project is affected by the change in these parameters. Finally, we discuss the consequence of imposing an additional constraint on the carbon emission to our model and then, minimizing the overall carbon emissions subject to keeping the overall cost without the interconnection. In both variations, we show that the two countries can achieve their policy goals without increasing carbon emission.

A real-time simulation model of water quality with the impact of internal pollution for water source reservoir.

The water source reservoirs are the important urban water source in northern China. Although external pollution has been greatly improved, the internal pollutants in reservoirs continue to accumulate with the complex deposition and release processes, resulting in potential risks to water supply safety. To address the aforementioned issue, this paper proposed a simulation model of water quality named ECOlab EU1-WSR to simulate the spatio-temporal changes of water quality under the influence of internal pollution for the water source reservoirs. Based on the analysis of the water quality characteristics and the distribution of benthic vegetation in the reservoir, a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model was established based on MIKE3, the corresponding parameters and the related state variables were set, the ECOlab EU1-WSR model was established by secondly developing the original ECOlab EU1 template, and the real-time dynamic outputs of pollutant content in sediment were added to link the water quality index with sediment nutrition index for better revealing the impact of the internal pollution on the water quality. The performance of the model was evaluated by the case application on the water quality simulation of Daye reservoir and the optimization of the connection project between Daye reservoir and Xueye reservoir in Shandong Province China. The results showed that the model can accurately and simultaneously simulate the pollution in water and sediment by the comparative verification of hydrodynamics, water temperature, and water quality. Moreover, the model can effectively reflect the influence of the accumulation, deposition, and release of internal pollution on water quality by analyzing the correlation between the content of various pollution in water body and those in sediment, such as the total nitrogen and total phosphorus in the water body at the bottom of the water intake, were negatively correlated with the total nitrogen and total phosphorus in the sediments with correlation coefficients of 0.538 and 0.917, respectively. In addition, the optimal water inlet position and water flow rate of the connection project can be optimized and determined by using the model to effectively control water quality. The established model will be a useful tool for the design and management of a reservoir, the interconnection projects, and other water bodies by adaptively recoded.

Study on Optimization of Low-Voltage Multi-Port Flexible Interconnection Device in AC/DC Hybrid Distribution

At present, the back-to-back multilevel modular converter (BTB-MMC) used in low and medium voltage flexible interconnection projects has the disadvantages of high cost and large footprint. Based on MMC, a multi-port flexible interconnection device for AC/DC hybrid distribution network is designed. Firstly, the topology structure and power regulation principle of the device are described by constructing the model of the low and medium port multi-port flexible device. Secondly, an improved inverter model based on independent center line module is proposed, and a multi-objective optimization compensation strategy for multi-function grid-connected inverters is proposed, which effectively improves the ability of independent inverters to carry unbalanced loads and optimizes power quality. Finally, a set of 750 V/50 kW experimental prototype is built, and the performance of the prototype is tested to verify the advantages of the voltage stability of the device.

Assessment criteria for inter-organizational collaboration in interconnected infrastructure projects

PurposeSocieties depend on interconnected infrastructures that are becoming more complex over the years. Multi-disciplinary knowledge and skills are essential to develop modern infrastructures, requiring close collaboration of various infrastructure owners. To effectively manage and improve inter-organizational collaboration (IOC) in infrastructure construction projects, collaboration status should be assessed continually. This study identifies the assessment criteria, forming the foundation of a tool for assessing the status of IOC in interconnected infrastructure projects.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature study and in-depth semi-structured interviews with practitioners in interconnected infrastructure construction projects in the Netherlands are performed to identify the criteria for assessing the status of IOC in infrastructure construction projects, based on which an assessment tool is developed.FindingsThe identified assessment criteria through the literature and the practitioner’s perspectives results in the designing and development of a collaboration assessment tool. The assessment tool consists of 12 criteria and 36 sub-criteria from three different categories of collaborative capacity: individual, relational, and organizational.Originality/valueThe assessment tool enables practitioners to monitor the status of IOC between infrastructure owners and assists them in making informed decisions to enhance collaboration. The assessment tool provides the opportunity to assess and analyze the status of collaboration based on three categories (i.e., individual, relational, and organizational).

Denitrification regulates spatiotemporal pattern of N2O emission in an interconnected urban river-lake network

Urban rivers are hotspots of N2O production and emission. Interconnected river-lake networks are constructed to improve the water quality and hydrodynamic conditions of urban rivers in many cities of China. However, the impact of the river-lake connectivity project on N2O production and emission remains unclear. This study investigated dissolved N2O and emission of the river-lake network in Wuhan City, China from March 2021 to December 2021. The results showed that river-lake connection greatly decreased riverine Nitrogen (N) concentration and increased dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration compare to traditional urban rivers. N2O emissions from the urban river interconnected with lakes (LUR: 67.3 ± 92.6 μmol/m2/d) were much lower than those from the traditional urban rivers (UR: 467.3 ± 1075.7 μmol/m2/d) and agricultural rivers (AR: 20.4 ± 15.3μmol/m2/d). Regression tree analysis suggested that the N2O concentrations were extremely high when hypoxia exists (DO < 1.6 mg/L), and TDN was the primary factor regulating N2O concentrations when hypoxia does not occur. Thus, we ascribe the low N2O emission in the LUR and AR to the lower N contents and higher DO concentrations. The microbial process of N2O production and consumption were quantitatively estimated by isotopic models. The mean proportion of denitrification derived N2O (fbD) was 63.5 %, 55.6 %, 42.3 % and 42.7 % in the UR, LUR, lakes and AR, suggested denitrification dominated N2O production in the urban rivers, but nitrification dominated N2O production in the lakes and AR. The positive correlation between logN2O and fbD suggested that denitrification is the key process to regulate the N2O production and emission. The abundance of denitrification genes (nirS and nirK) was much higher than that of nitrification genes (amoA and amoB), also evidenced that denitrification was the main N2O source. Therefore, river-lake interconnected projects changed the nutrients level and hypoxic condition, leading to the inhibition of denitrification and nitrification, and ultimately resulting in a decrease of N2O production and emission. These results advance the knowledge on the microbial processes that regulate N2O emissions in inland waters and illustrate the integrated management of water quality and N2O emission.

Assessing Iran and its neighbors for prospects and challenges: The case of the electrical sector

Rapid growth in population and economic development in Iran and its neighboring countries has resulted in a dramatic increase in electricity demand over the past few years. A substantial amount of electricity must be produced to meet this growing demand in this region. By installing conventional fossil power plants, using renewable energy, and interconnecting with neighboring countries, this growing demand can be accomplished. The main aim of this research is to identify prospects and challenges in the electrical sector around Iran. To this end, this paper evaluates the existing and future state of the electrical sector in Iran and its neighboring countries. Despite the fact that there is still a long way to go in terms of renewable energy in this region, there are some promising targets for the future that will allow fossil fuels to be replaced effectively. Notwithstanding this, we should point out that a number of cross-border interconnection projects are being pursued by Iran and its neighbors in order to integrate their networks and supply this growing demand. Finally, this study presents an overview of the future prospects and challenges of electricity capacity expansion, cross-border interconnections, and electricity transmission corridors in this region. The review results provide comprehensive background knowledge to all the researchers in order to investigate further into the field. This paper assists energy policy makers regarding the development of sustainable energy planning.

Algeria's potential to supply Europe with dispatchable solar electricity via HVDC links: Assessment and proposal of scenarios

The idea of exporting dispatchable solar electricity from the North African region to Europe is still the subject of several bilateral meetings, workshops, and conferences, despite doubts and previous failures with the Desertec concept. Given that each North African country has its own privacy policy, energy strategy, and distinct approach to the concept of renewable energy exports, while the potential of renewable energy sources varies from country to country, it would be very helpful to assess the potential and export opportunities of each country. In this respect, this paper focuses on the potential of Algeria. Several key factors that can make Algeria an attractive place to supply Europe with dispatchable solar electricity have been identified and discussed. The factors have been identified from the European perspective and can be used to analyze the potentials of neighboring countries. The barriers that could impede the export of dispatchable solar electricity from Algeria to Europe have also been identified. Based on certain given criteria, the paper provides some scenarios of possible solar electricity import corridors from Algeria to Europe. This work is timely as the Algerian government has expressed interest in exporting its surplus electricity to Europe and is studying an electricity interconnection project with Italy.

Intermodal Passenger Transport after COVID-19 Pandemic Breakout

The current paper is based on data collected within the framework of the Inter-Connect PLUS project, with a focus on incorporating new norms before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic. A questionnaire was conducted in four countries of the Adriatic-Ionian (ADRION) Region: Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, and Albania. The collected data from the survey was analyzed to draw conclusions about the travel modes citizens used before, during, and are willing to use after the pandemic. The paper closes with recommendations, in the form of a Roadmap, highlighting the potential positive impact of the pandemic on the future of sustainable mobility.

Projects of common interest? Evaluation of European electricity interconnectors

This paper evaluates the new electricity interconnection projects on the fifth list of Energy Projects of Common Interest. A cost-benefit analysis is carried out with electricity market modelling. The results show that out of the 13 planned lines, 12 are socially beneficial. Moreover, the sensitivity checks highlight that most projects remain beneficial despite differing market assumptions. In those scenarios, where Europe's average wholesale electricity price is relatively higher, the projects yield greater social benefits. A complementarity index is also calculated, showing that PCI projects are generally weak competitors to each other.

Effects of anthropogenic magnetic fields on the behavior of a major predator of the intertidal and subtidal zones, the velvet crab Necora puber

With the progress of the offshore renewable energy sector and electrical interconnection projects, a substantial rise in the number of submarine power cables is expected soon. Such cables emit either alternating or direct current magnetic fields whose impact on marine invertebrates is currently unknown and hardly studied. In this context, this study aimed to assess potential short-term exposure (30 min) effects of both alternating and direct magnetic fields of increasing intensity (72–304 μT) on the behavior of the high-ecological value velvet crab (Necora puber). Three experiments were designed to evaluate whether the strongest magnetic field intensities induce crabs’ attraction or repulsion responses, and whether foraging and sheltering behaviors may be modified. We extracted from video analyses several variables as the time budgets crabs spent immobile, moving, feeding, or sheltering as well as total and maximal distance reached in the magnetic field (MF) gradient. The crabs exposed to artificial MF did not exhibit significant behavioral changes compared with those exposed to the “natural” MF. Overall, our results suggest that, at such intensities, artificial magnetic fields do not significantly alter behaviors of N. puber. Nevertheless, future studies should be conducted to examine the effects of longer exposure periods and to detect potential habituation or resilience processes.

The Strategy of Economic Security of the Municipality from the Standpoint of ESG-Principles

The practice of building strategies for the development of modern Russian municipalities is filled with both new methodological content and the content of the strategies themselves. So, for example, the release of the law on strategic planning in the Russian Federation was followed by the Decree of the President of Russia, which determined the strategy of economic security in the country and was reflected in the strategies of the regions and municipalities. However, in the methodological plan, there are no recommendations for determining the content of the elements of the economic security strategy both at the regional and municipal levels of government. Traditionally, the results of the analysis of factors of the external and internal environment serve as the basis for determining the content of strategies, but if we analyze the content of the results of the analysis and the content of the strategies, it is easy to see that these two subsystems of the strategy (the results of the analysis and the content of the strategy itself) are largely not interconnected. The purpose of this study is the desire to find tools that allow the transition from the results of the traditional SWOT analysis (but in terms of the non-traditional sphere of analysis — economic security) to the content of the economic security strategy of the municipality. Among the research methods used are content analysis of documents, the method of constructing morphological matrices, methods of grouping and generalization, as well as methods of logical analysis and synthesis of information within the subject area of the study. In this paper, on the example of one of the leading districts of the Vladimir region, an algorithm for the formation of an economic security strategy is shown, based on the application of ESG principles of sustainable development and economic security tasks limited by the powers of municipalities, the combination of which is filled with the content of the results of a modified SWOT analysis with subsequent aggregation of the formulated solutions in the strategy of economic security of the municipality. The result obtained in the study indicates that the economic security of the municipality in the form of interconnected projects and programs can be formed in three main directions that ensure security in the field of ecology, economy and society of the municipality. In the future, it is necessary to study the aspect related to the distribution of these projects and programs in the areas recommended by the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation in terms of implementing the law on strategic planning in the Russian Federation.

Technical versus socio-economic and environmental criteria in power transmission projects

In recent years, the efforts of countries to reach agreements on the development of cross-border electricity interconnection have intensified because they optimize energy resources and constitute the most significant instantaneous support for the security and continuity of electricity supply. In addition, interconnections play a key role in the integration of electricity markets. However, the planning of European electricity infrastructures constitutes complex analyses due to the large number of factors involved. This article applies a multicriteria methodology for the evaluation and prioritization of cross-border interconnection projects with the simulation of different scenarios, in total 12 scenarios, to study the effect of changes in the selected criteria on the results obtained. To test the defined methodology, the variation in the weight of different criteria in the assessment of a new cross-border electrical interconnection project between Spain and France is studied. It was verified that the tool is coherent and that the analysis developed improves the understanding of such large and complex projects and can facilitate the prioritization of project portfolios with a clear and explicit method.

Inter-Organizational Collaboration in Interconnected Infrastructure Projects

This study aims to identify which factors affect inter-organizational collaboration (IOC) in interconnected infrastructure projects to enable practitioners to establish a collaborative environment at the project level. This specific form of inter-organizational collaboration (IOC) is characterized as “horizontal” and has received limited attention in the literature. To this end, a systematic literature review and Q-methodology were conducted. The Q-methodology involves practitioners from various infrastructure organizations in the Netherlands gaining insights into their perspectives on IOC in interconnected infrastructure projects. The study identifies two perspectives: a “holistic, goal-oriented” perspective that recognizes various dimensions of IOC and a more “people-oriented” perspective that emphasizes the value of individual factors for IOC. The findings suggest that multiple perspectives on collaboration exist among practitioners, potentially affecting collaboration in interconnected infrastructure projects. Awareness of the need to manage practitioners’ perspectives, and addressing and discussing these differences, can stimulate inter-organizational collaboration and contribute to improved project performance.

InterConnect: A European project that is changing the way energy is consumed.

Project InterConnect is a major European project focusing on energy consumption. With 25 sites in Europe and more than 3,500 users, the InterConnect project has a dual economic and educational benefit for users, which should lead to responsible and sustainable behaviour. Fully meeting the needs of the moment and the choices of the future in terms of energy consumption and management is in line with the ambitious objectives of the European Union set out in the Paris Agreement of December 2015. The originality of this project lies mainly in the choice not to create innovation for its own sake but rather to create innovations that make the existing equipment (heaters, hot water tanks, etc.) more modern and more economical. In a context of economic and social crisis, this approach is bound to be met with a favorable response from low-income households or consumers who are also the most frequent users of energy-consuming equipment. This article is an opportunity, at the beginning of the analysis phase of the data collected during the InterConnect project, to highlight the pedagogical virtues and the capacity of such a project to influence behaviour.

Sleights of Hand: Free Ports, Bordering, and the Racial Capitalist Roots of Economic Nationalist Strategies in the US and the UK

Sleight of hand economic nationalist strategies by recent administrations of the US and UK emphasizing the “freedom” of those selectively imagined as belonging to the nation while quietly but pivotally discouraging human mobility and encouraging elite capital mobility, are discussed in this article. The US and UK’s distinct but connected recent policies – Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) and Boris Johnson’s Brexit strategies -- are not viewed as exceptional, or unique to those specific administrations of each country, but as embedded within long-term, interconnected transnational racial capitalist projects. The sleights of hand promoting selective publics’ freedom are not only hypocritical but complex to see, especially with white-impaired lenses. Two interrelated technologies of power on which these economic nationalist strategies have relied, bordering and free zones, are examined ethnographically in this article, contributing to research on the complex, varied, and experience-inflected responses US and UK residents have to these policies.

Research on the Training of Interdisciplinary-Based Intelligent Manufacturing Talents

As a significant field of research under the 14th Five Year Plan, intelligent manufacturing holds a special position in industrial upgrading and core technology independence. Intelligent manufacturing is an important support for building a “scientific and technological power” in the future. Cultivating creative interdisciplinary talents who can adapt to the development of intelligent manufacturing industry in the new era is of great significance for China to realize the modernization and autonomy of its industrial system. In view of the existing gap between the interdisciplinary talent training of intelligent manufacturing and the actual needs of the industry, this paper focuses on the concept of interdisciplinary construction. Based on the cycle improvement of professional construction, a curriculum system that integrates the interaction of interconnected projects is established. Through four specific measures, namely establishing the collaborative development system of intelligent manufacturing specialty, building a cycle diagnosis and reform system of intelligent manufacturing specialty, improving the curriculum system of integrated modular specialty group, and setting up an application scenario project-based curriculum, we hope to provide reference for the cross-training of compound intelligent manufacturing talents.

Application of 30 MWp grid-connected solar photovoltaic power plant for Djibouti Vision 2035

Nowadays, like most of African countries, Djibouti is facing challenging energy access. The country was suffering a shortage of electricity for a long period until the government of Djibouti signed an agreement with the Ethiopia electric power cooperation (EEPCO) company in 2011. Thereby, the electricity consumption of the country is mainly from imported fossil fuels and the interconnection project. In order to realize Djibouti Vision 2035, the Republic of Djibouti signed an agreement with an Emirati company (AMEA) to build the first solar photovoltaic power plant in Grand Bara. In this paper, sizing, and simulation of the 30 MWp grid-connected solar photovoltaic power plant will be done using PVsyst 7.2 software. A 400 W bifacial monocrystalline panel and 160 kW string inverters are used in this study. The simulation results from PVsyst software are to acquire the system production, the performance ratio, and the various power losses such as losses due to irradiance level. The average global horizontal irradiance of the site is 2317.2 kWh/m 2 while the average ambient temperature is 25.75° C. About 59.6 GWh of electricity power is injected into the grid with an average performance ratio of 83.21% in the year. This study is an example in terms of solar energy application in Africa and also its contributions to the socio-economic development of African countries will be observed in the near future.