Large Consumers Research Articles

Ways to achieve a balance in the global oil market under sanctions restrictions

Subject. The article considers the oil market functioning under sanctions restrictions. Objectives. The aims are to determine indicators characterizing the ability of the oil market to resist the sanctions, develop tools to study the impact of sanctions on the stability of the energy market, analyze economic consequences of the embargo on the purchase of oil from some producers, perform an economic analysis of possibilities of achieving equilibrium market conditions under an oil embargo. Methods. The main research tool is mathematical modeling of the market. The methodology rests on the study of changes in the typification of the market, caused by the introduction of sanctions restrictions into its regulatory system. This enables to build a game-theoretic model of the market, suitable for its research in the current state. Results. I determined the main indicators characterizing the global oil market functioning under sanctions, constructed a game-theoretic model, examined the market and determined its critical parameters during the introduction of the embargo on the purchase of oil from some producers. The paper defines ways to stabilize the market under the embargo. Conclusions. The model is suitable for studying the current state of the global oil market. Under the current conditions, attempts by consumer countries to circumvent their own sanctions are possible to stabilize the market, which lead to the introduction of secondary sanctions and an increase in market volatility. It is also feasible to enter into contracts between individual large oil producers and consumers at preferential prices. The study of non-market methods of market regulation, specific to the current market situation, is possible by including consumer countries in the model’s set of players.

Forecasting electricity demand of municipalities through artificial neural networks and metered supply point classification

This study develops a methodology to characterise and forecast large consumers’ electricity demand, particularly municipalities, with hundreds of different metered supply points based on the previous characterisation of facilities’ consumption. Demand forecasting allows consumers to improve their participation in electricity markets and manage their electricity consumption. The method considers a classification by different types of metered supply points combined with artificial neural networks to obtain hourly forecasts using well-known parameters such as day types, hourly temperature, the last hour of electricity consumption, and sunrise and sunset time. We apply the methodology to the municipality of Valencia using over five hundred hourly load profiles for a year during 2017 and 2018. Our results present aggregated forecasts with a maximum Mean Absolute Percentage Error of 3.8% per day, outperforming the same forecast without classifying Metered Supply Points. We conclude that a correct electricity demand forecast for a consumer with different types of consumption does not need submetering, but characterising Metered Supply Points is an option with lower costs that allows for better predictions.

Shades and shifts in flexitarian and meat-oriented consumer profiles in a German panel study

Consumers’ growing awareness of the adverse effects of high meat consumption has led to increased attention to flexitarian or meat-reduced diets. However, most flexitarians do not significantly reduce their meat consumption and still eat many meat-based meals. This study aims to classify the large and heterogeneous consumer group of flexitarians into different profiles based on attitudinal, normative, and control beliefs about meat reduction. Being aware that consumer profiles can change over time, this study explores the dynamics of the identified profiles using a two-wave panel survey of 430 German consumers. Latent profile analysis revealed distinct flexitarian and meat-oriented consumer profiles, including three stable profiles and one non-stable profile across both waves. The findings indicate that flexitarian and meat-oriented consumer profiles differ significantly in their belief structure about meat reduction and that consumers can switch back and forth to other profiles over time. Practitioners should be aware of changes in the belief structure of flexitarian and meat-oriented consumer profiles when developing meat reduction interventions. Further research is needed to understand the reasons behind these profile shifts.

KINERJA SISTEM AGRIBISNIS USAHA PENGGEMUKAN SAPI DI DESA ADIREJO KECAMATAN TERBANGGI BESAR KABUPATEN LAMPUNG TENGAH (STUDI KASUS DI PT INDO PRIMA BEEF)

This study aims to analyze the performance of the agribusiness system of the beef cattle fattening business at PT Indo Prima Beef. The research method used is the case study method, located at PT Indo Prima Beef, Terbanggi Besar District of Central Lampung Regency. Data were collected in November-December 2022. Data were analyzed using qualitative and quantitative descriptive analysis. The results showed that the performance of the production facilities supply subsystem was good, as analyzed by the agribusiness index analysis and six right. However, there are still insufficiencies, such as locations close to settlements, feed is not in the right place, and labor is not in the right type, quality, and quantity. The performance of the cultivation subsystem is suitable for cultivation because it has an R/C ratio value of >1, but currently, the company has not conducted mating with artificial insemination. The performance of the marketing subsystem is good as analyzed by the agribusiness index and marketing mix analysis (4P). Beef cattle marketing channels are large traders (abattoirs), retailers, and consumers. The performance of the supporting service subsystem is good, the services utilized by PT Indo Prima Beef are financial institutions, research institutions, government policies, transportation facilities, communication and information technology facilities, and supply stores for production facilities. Overall, the performance of the agribusiness system at PT Indo Prima Beef has been running well with a weighted agribusiness index of 81.51%. Keywords: Agribusiness index, agribusiness system, beef cattle.

Exploring music geography beyond the West: Clustering and mobility of Chinese musicians in the digital era

This study explores music geography beyond the Anglo-American circle through an investigation of the spatiality and mobility of musical workers in a Chinese context. Drawing on a dataset containing the information of 3,689 influential musicians in China’s music market, we investigated the (1) geographical landscape of China’s music industry, (2) spatial mobility of musicians at different stages of their careers, and (3) impact of digital technologies on the clustering of creative musical workers. Our study discovers a conspicuous clustering of post-work musicians in large metropolises, which reflects both the dynamics of scale and scope economies and the influence of state on the offering of cultural infrastructures and institutions in China. Most Chinese musicians have high trans-regional mobility and target locations (increasingly on the Chinese mainland) with large consumer markets or important art education institutions. The impact of geographical distance and agglomeration economies on musicians’ mobility varies at different stages of their careers. In addition, while digitalisation generates certain decentralising effects, enabling more musicians in formerly peripheral areas to enter the market and reducing the need for long-distance mobility, it also strengthens the advantages of dominant music clusters and produces precarious and volatile consequences in China’s music industry.

Renewable Energy Use for Buildings Decarbonization Causes Inequity in Consumers? Comparative Analysis of Spain, Mexico, and Colombia

Building decarbonization strategy with Distributed renewable energy sources (DRES) is applied and extended worldwide for its climate change mitigation benefits, however, it generates debate regarding equity in sharing electric system operation costs. To analyze DRES effects on equity, it is conducted a case study, in which same residential consumer is evaluated in three different markets (Spain, Mexico, Colombia). We analyze not only electrical system technical variables, but we also include society’s economic, social, technological, and environmental characteristics. Next, energy, economic, and environmental benefits are obtained in each the three case studies, analyzing the impact of using DERS on equity to recover electric system operating costs. We also evaluate whether tariff mechanisms are equitable to motivate all consumers participation, as well as whether all consumers have equal opportunity for using DERS. We conclude that tariff mechanisms in Mexico and Colombia lead to inequity to recover market operating costs, favoring large consumers with high incomes. Furthermore, tariff mechanisms discourage the use of DERS by small and medium consumers due to economic, social, and technological aspects. In Spain, inequity arises due to increased difficulty for some consumers to use DERS, i.e., consumers in apartment buildings.

Research Progress of Electronic Nose and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy in Meat Adulteration Detection

China is a large consumer of meat and meat products. People’s daily diets include a variety of meat, but meat food adulteration problems are common. This paper discusses the research progress of the electronic nose and near-infrared spectroscopy in the field of meat adulteration detection. Through the study of dozens of related papers in recent years, it has been found that the use of the electronic nose and near-infrared spectroscopy for meat detection has the advantages of speed, a nondestructive nature, high sensitivity, strong quantitative analysis, high automation, a wide applicability, an improved product quality, and cost reduction over the traditional detection, but it may be limited in detecting the adulteration of a specific meat, and there are issues with the life and stability of the sensors of the electronic nose in the process of detection, along with the problems of the high requirements for the modeling of the data of near-infrared spectroscopy. This paper takes adulterated meat as the research object and briefly summarizes the detection principles of the electronic nose and near-infrared spectroscopy, as well as the types of sensors applied in the electronic nose. The research progress of the electronic nose and near-infrared detection technology in meat adulteration assessment is reviewed, the advantages and disadvantages of the two in practical application are analyzed, the classification of pattern recognition methods and their applications in meat identification are described, and the feasibility and practical significance of the joint application of the two in meat adulteration detection are envisioned. Meanwhile, the challenges faced by the two in meat detection are pointed out.

Regular snoring is associated with uncontrolled hypertension

Snoring may be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease independent of other co-morbidities. However, most prior studies have relied on subjective, self-report, snoring evaluation. This study assessed snoring prevalence objectively over multiple months using in-home monitoring technology, and its association with hypertension prevalence. In this study, 12,287 participants were monitored nightly for approximately six months using under-the-mattress sensor technology to estimate the average percentage of sleep time spent snoring per night and the estimated apnea-hypopnea index (eAHI). Blood pressure cuff measurements from multiple daytime assessments were averaged to define uncontrolled hypertension based on mean systolic blood pressure≥140 mmHg and/or a mean diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mmHg. Associations between snoring and uncontrolled hypertension were examined using logistic regressions controlled for age, body mass index, sex, and eAHI. Participants were middle-aged (mean ± SD; 50 ± 12 y) and most were male (88%). There were 2467 cases (20%) with uncontrolled hypertension. Approximately 29, 14 and 7% of the study population snored for an average of >10, 20, and 30% per night, respectively. A higher proportion of time spent snoring (75th vs. 5th; 12% vs. 0.04%) was associated with a ~1.9-fold increase (OR [95%CI]; 1.87 [1.63, 2.15]) in uncontrolled hypertension independent of sleep apnea. Multi-night objective snoring assessments and repeat daytime blood pressure recordings in a large global consumer sample, indicate that snoring is common and positively associated with hypertension. These findings highlight the potential clinical utility of simple, objective, and noninvasive methods to detect snoring and its potential adverse health consequences.

Awareness on cosmetic-related health hazards and measures to address them among service providers of beauty salons.

Cosmetic products may contain ingredients whose safety is not certain with several instances of death and anaphylaxis due to service/cosmetic usage in beauty salons. With the mushrooming of beauty salons and with a large consumer base, there is a dearth in the literature to assess the awareness of the health hazards among the employees. This study aims to measure the awareness levels on health hazards and their emergency management among employees working in beauty salons in Coimbatore. A cross-sectional study using a semi-structured questionnaire, after Institutional Human Ethics Committee (IHEC) approval, was conducted*** to assess the awareness of the health hazards including emergency management among employees of beauty salons. The sample size was estimated to be 160. All the workers working in unisex beauty salons, selected by convenience sampling within 5 km radius of PSG IMS and R, were assessed based on their awareness toward cosmetics and the data were analyzed using SPSS software version 24 (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 24.0. Armonk, NY). Around 160 service providers of beauty salons participated in the study, among which 84% use several cosmetic products. Only 40% are aware of the health impacts and 21.3% are aware about the side effects which included rashes and itching associated with the products used for bleaching. Only 36.9% knew about the regulations for usage of cosmetic products and 30% knew that there is a governing body for the same. Awareness of health hazards and its emergency management is less among the workers; the literacy programs to improve the awareness on use of cosmetics is the need of the hour.

Minimal Energy Efficiency Indicators for Poultry Industries

This paper discusses the behaviour of energy efficiency in thermal processes of chicken slaughterhouses in Brazil, as they are large consumers of electricity and have few indicators to system monitoring. The work addresses some indicators that are monitored by the slaughterhouse, the main factors affecting the cooling circuit and the technologies that are available in the market for equipment manufacturers. The article proposes measurements in the refrigeration circuit to implement indicator that monitors the power consumption expended to generate the system's cooling capacity and also check and eliminate factors that affect the cooling system to reduce the power consumption. Energy consumption between two slaughterhouses indicates a 49.27% difference. The disclosure of efficiency comparison information may help the national industry to become more efficient and competitive.

Electricity and natural gas tariffs at United States wastewater treatment plants

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are large electricity and natural gas consumers with untapped potential to recover carbon-neutral biogas and provide energy services for the grid. Techno-economic analysis of emerging energy recovery and management technologies is critical to understanding their commercial viability, but quantifying their energy cost savings potential is stymied by a lack of well curated, nationally representative electricity and natural gas tariff data. We present a dataset of electricity tariffs for the 100 largest WWTPs in the Clean Watershed Needs Survey (CWNS) and natural gas tariffs for the 54 of 100 WWTPs with on-site cogeneration. We manually collected tariffs from each utility’s website and implemented data checks to ensure their validity. The dataset includes facility metadata, electricity tariffs, and natural gas tariffs (where cogeneration is present). Tariffs are current as of November 2021. We provide code for technical validation along with a sample simulation.

Identification of potential users of photovoltaic conversion

The growing demand for electricity resulted from the continuous technical progress and its disturbing impacts on the environment motivate the search for technological alternatives for sustainable energy generation. The power consumption changes from consumer to consumer and depends on the nature of the activity it performs. In general, activities of trade and industry consume more energy during business hours while residential buildings do at dusk and at night. With the exception of Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, period of greatest consumption of electricity in Rio de Janeiro is between 17h30 and 20h30. In summer months, the intensive use of air conditioning anticipates peak hours for 14h00. When technically possible, the use of photovoltaic conversion in these peak times, therefore, constitutes a smart strategy for load shifting the peak hours to off-peak for large consumers with contract demand in medium and high voltage. This alternative has two impacts: it relieves the systems at peak times and allows the utility to defer investments in their installed infrastructure. This paper, while discussing the technical conditions and the benefits of using photovoltaic systems in Brazil, proposes a method to identify, based on local solarimetric conditions, the photovoltaic conversion potential users.

Analysis of the insertion of solar Photovoltaic generation in large consumers of Rio de Janeiro: A Case Study

The last few years have shown an exponential growth in the use of photovoltaics in the world. The worldwide installed capacity of 23 GW in 2009 reached the expressive mark of 139 GW in 2013, being the European continent the holder of the largest portion of it (59% or 81GW). The most recent estimates describe a still small market in Brazil, with only 20 MW of installed capacity (EPE 2014) and mostly located in remote areas not covered by the interconnected system. Nevertheless, the growth potential of the domestic market is promising, greater even than that presented by the leaders in the use of this source. In this paper it is presented an implementation of a solar photovoltaic project in one medium voltage client of the distributing utility of Rio de Janeiro (LIGHT). The choice of this client was based in a previous work by (Carmo, 2014 & 2015) that used a fuzzy logic system to classify the potential medium and high voltage clients of LIGHT based on the matching of their weekdays load shape curves and the corresponding daily solar radiation curve in Rio de Janeiro. The results show that, depending on the values of key variables (tariff, rate of exchange and price of equipment) the project is economically viable.

Daily Load Forecasting and Data-Driven Strategies for Steel Industry Based on Random Forest Modeling

Abstract As a large power consumer, the iron and steel industry urgently needs to improve productivity, reduce energy consumption, and save costs by revolutionizing energy management. In this study, we design a power demand management system for the iron and steel industry, and around the load management module, we propose a data-driven strategy based on daily load situational awareness and introduce the random forest model into daily load forecasting in the iron and steel industry. At the same time, the projection principle is applied to improve the traditional gray correlation similar day selection algorithm, and a combination method of daily load forecasting based on the gray projection improved random forest algorithm is proposed. The electric load data of the iron and steel industry in a specific region is utilized as an experimental sample to investigate the model’s forecasting performance and the impact of the data-driven strategy. The model for daily load forecasting in this paper has an average relative error of 1.18%, which is better than other models. The application of the data-driven strategy brought about 6.99% and 6.69% reductions in load demand and basic electricity cost. The data-driven strategy for the steel industry based on the Random Forest model can predict electric loads more accurately and reduce energy costs, as shown by the results.

Research on Media Marketing Strategy of Disney China Market

The theme “Research on Media Marketing Strategies for Disney’s China Market” is crucial. As one of the major powers, China provides Disney with a large consumer base, which can help Disney expand its power effectively worldwide. Disney’s marketing strategy is a very good example for people to learn. Studying this theme can also help Disney Group better understand China and provide better services in the future paper, including the Case study of “The Little Mermaid”. The result of Theory and development status、Possible problems. The Discussion of “Solution for cultural difference”, ”Solution for Local brand competition”, “Solution of copyright” and “Solution for influence on social media”. The value of this article is that it can serve as a reference for Disney staff and amateur readers interested in Disney’s marketing strategies to share and research, especially the person who works in the marketing field can take examples from this article.

CARBON FOOTPRINT IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY. CASE STUDY – MEAT INDUSTRY

The food industry, but especially the meat industry, is a large consumer of energy, which often goes unnoticed and implicitly unassessed, both in terms of the amount of energy consumed and in terms of its impact on the environment and climate change. In this context, this study highlights energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with food processing and distribution to final consumers.The main objectives of this study are to assess the carbon footprint generated by the meat industry, its impact on the environment and climate change, and ways to reduce it.

An approach to prosumer modeling and financial assessment with load clustering algorithm in an active power distribution network

The trend towards decentralized energy generation, particularly evident at the final consumer level, is influencing the electric industry. Although this transformation is more tailored to the needs of individual prosumers and microgrids than large consumers and industries, it remains a significant element in the evolving landscape of energy systems, where prosumers can obtain financial benefits through specific strategies. However, existing literature largely perceives prosumers as being linked to photovoltaic-home-battery energy storage systems using the average historical time-interval load profiles of various countries without analyzing load patterns. Moreover, the existing literature shows that deterministic approaches are unsuitable for analyzing load patterns due to possible biased results. This study identifies and analyzes load patterns through clustering and demand curve analysis, using K-means clustering and Gaussian mixture modeling techniques to address limitations. New strategies of prosumer dispatch models for six load patterns are proposed for improved revenue generation from excess energy: (1) dispatch model with optimum self-consumption and (2) dispatch model with a peak-shaving algorithm. Model (1) provides moderate profits, whereas model (2) provides a higher profit and self-sufficiency rate. The model proposed by this study optimizes energy usage, while self-consumption is shown to vary considerably between load patterns.

Tiktok E-commerce User Stickiness Operation Strategy and Prospect

The current development status of e-commerce in China is very prosperous and rapidly developing. China is the world's largest e-commerce market, with a large online consumer base and a rich e-commerce platform. Overall, China's e-commerce development is very prosperous and rapidly developing. With the continuous progress of technology and the changing demands of consumers, China's e-commerce industry is expected to continue to maintain a good development momentum.

ANALYSIS OF KEY DIRECTIONS AND PROPOSALS TO MINIMISE THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSITION ON LARGE ENERGY-INTENSIVE INDUSTRIAL CONSUMERS OF ELECTRICITY AND CAPACITY

Over the past decade, the global energy sector has undergone major fundamental and structural changes as part of the global energy transition. The energy industry of the Russian Federation, as a key player in the global energy market and the world economy as a whole, is undergoing similar changes. In this case, in terms of ensuring high competitiveness and long-term energy security of the state, it is crucial to set priorities and build models of sustainable development for each of the industries related to the energy sector. Indeed, the process of replacing carbon-intensive energy sources with a systematic increase in the share of new, renewable energy sources (RES) should be gradual and consistent to avoid imbalances in energy systems and maintain equity for all stakeholders. In this context, the search for advanced, low-carbon energy sources is a priority for the vast majority of countries around the world. In addition, the development of renewable energy is one of the goals of Russia՚s energy strategy until 2035. At the same time, despite the obvious advantages of the Russian power industry such as the absence of dependence on budget funds, the overwhelming majority of private investment in the industry, the availability of effective mechanisms for attracting investment and the basic principle of balancing the interests of all market participants, there are also negative consequences of this approach. The nationwide task of developing the energy system and increasing the availability of electricity on the territory of the Russian Federation in terms of financing is becoming an exclusive burden on electricity consumers themselves; even insignificant risks in their operation can turn into a threat not only to sustainable development, but also to their very existence. In this context, the analysis of key directions and proposals to minimise the economic impact of the global energy transition on large energy-intensive industrial consumers of electricity and capacity is of particular relevance.

A STUDY ON CONSUMER DECISION MAKING PROCESS FOR ONLINE SHOPPING

It is always assumed that the most important stage in a sale is when a consumer hands over the money at the billing counter or payment gateway. But when we see the bigger picture, the real challenge is to how to influence consumer behaviour. Every single step in the consumer decision-making process plays an important role. For marketers, it is imperative that they focus their attention to every stage in the buying process in order to maximize their profit. Most of the companies are now adopting to hybrid mode of business and making their presence in the web world as well through on-line portals and or through applications to sell their products/services on-line. Though online shopping is common outside India, its growth in Indian Market, which is a large and strategic consumer market, is still in line with the global market. The potential growth of on-line shopping and the dynamism of Indian Consumer buying decision process has triggered the idea of conducting a study on Consumer Decision Making Process for online shopping.