Low Resource Potential Research Articles

Regional perspective on prospects and risks of the renewable energy in Russia

AbstractThe expansion of renewable energy (RE) relies on both natural factors and socioeconomic conditions fostered at the regional level. This paper examines the key factors influencing RE development in selected Russian regions. We conducted a literature review, surveyed 250 industry experts, and analyzed reports from energy and rating agencies, along with natural resource maps, to identify specific risks and indicators. Our expert survey revealed that the most significant technical risks are low resource potential (68%), energy system surplus (68%), and the absence of transport logistics with neighboring regions (58%). Politically, the lack of additional sector initiatives (6%) was noted. Economically, the high cost of RE (56%) and insufficient experience with “green” investments (54%) were highlighted. Social factors included low unemployment rates (74%), and the absence of remote areas without power supply (72%). Environmentally, the lack of enterprises for energy unit utilization (84%), low greenhouse gas emissions (60%), and insufficient accessible territories for facilities (58%) were significant concerns. We developed risk profiles for nine Russian regions, categorizing them into leaders, intermediates, and nascent stages of RE market formation. Our findings indicate that the most impactful factors include resource potential, space limitations for energy facilities, proximity to equipment manufacturers, regional support measures, and the development of “green” investment instruments. Conversely, regional investment attractiveness had a lesser influence. On the basis of these insights, we recommend enhancing RE development through refined federal and regional support programs. We propose additional criteria for project selection: (1) minimum construction costs covered by “green” investments and (2) quantitative restrictions on new capacities, considering regional energy system status. Practical recommendations also include developing regional centers for servicing generating facilities and increasing the sector's investment attractiveness to stimulate private investment.

Reduction of global natural gas hydrate (NGH) resource estimation and implications for the NGH development in the South China Sea

There have been at least 29 groups of estimates on the global natural gas hydrate (NGH) resource since 1973, varying greatly with up to 10,000 times and showing a decreasing trend with time. For the South China Sea (SCS), 35 groups of estimations were conducted on NGH resource potential since 2000, while these estimates kept almost the same with time, varying between 60 and 90 billion tons of oil equivalent (toe). What are the key factors controlling the variation trend? What are the implications of these variations for the NGH development in the world and the SCS? By analyzing the investigation characteristics of NGH resources in the world, this study divided the evaluation process into six stages and confirmed four essential factors for controlling the variations of estimates. Results indicated that the reduction trend reflects an improved understanding of the NGH formation mechanism and advancement in the resource evaluation methods, and promoted more objective evaluation results. Furthermore, the analysis process and improved evaluation method was applied to evaluate the NGH resources in the SCS, showing the similar decreasing trend of NGH resources with time. By utilizing the decreasing trend model, the predicted recoverable resources in the world and the SCS are (205–500) × 10 12 m 3 and (0.8–6.5) × 10 12 m 3 , respectively, accounting for 20% of the total conventional oil and gas resources. Recoverable NGH resource in the SCS is only about 4%–6% of the previous estimates of 60–90 billion toe. If extracted completely, it only can support the sustainable development of China for 7 years at the current annual consumption level of oil and gas. NGH cannot be the main energy resource in future due to its low resource potential and lack of advantages in recovery.

The natural resources potential assessing aimed at territorial planning using time-varying space data of vegetation index and LST.

This research presents the methodology of mapping a situation of the natural-landscape resources of Khuzestan province in Iran using time-varying space data according to seasonal changes of the indicators of SAVI and LST. The novelty of this research is the combined use of GIS techniques, optical and thermal remote sensing for mapping the situation of the natural-landscape resources aimed at territorial planning. In this research, a classification was carried out for the study area based on the potential of the natural-landscape resources. The Landsat 7 and 8 materials from the periods of 2011-2013 and 2017-2019 were used to perform this research using ERDAS Imagine, ENVI, ArcGIS, and Priznak software. Variations of LST and SAVI were analyzed for 10 seasons of year from April to September. The results showed that both increasing the area of bare soils (wasteland) and residential areas and decreasing the extent of the water resources, forests, and rangeland in Khuzestan province have caused the surface temperature to rise over a period of 9years. Whereas, matching of the Entisols and Inceptisols with areas having high natural resource potential in Khuzestan province was indicated by the results of this study. And also, the Badlands, Rock-outcrops, and Dunelands are the areas with low natural resource potential. It has been shown that integral indicator of the situation of the natural-landscape resources that calculated using the materials of multispectral space imagery is a stable indicator and criterion for land assessing in terms of their suitability for agricultural use. The results of this study can be used to provide a territorial management and planning in accordance with the goals of land use planning and sustainable development, by potential assessment and mapping a status of the natural-landscape resources.

The Russian Population’s Adaptation to the New Economic Reality

ABSTRACT The article considers the adaptive behavior of Russians during 2015–2017 (a period that is often referred to as the “new reality”) by analyzing how Russians perceive the prospects of economic development, and the available resources they can use to formulate their strategies for adapting to the new conditions. We likewise describe the available resources that Russians can bring to bear on the situation and the results of their efforts. We used the database produced by the monitoring study “The Social Well-Being of the Population,” which was conducted by the Institute of Social Analysis and Forecasting, (Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration) via eight rounds of annual representative population surveys with a sample size of 1,600 respondents per each round. The population is not alarmed at the current economic situation, but has little hope for improvement. Most people have adapted not by actively maintaining or improving their material well-being, but by becoming inured to lower consumer standards. Only a fifth of the population has the necessary resources to develop a variety of adaptive strategies, and twice as many people have low resource potential. Apart from restricting their spending, people in the low resource group also turned to the use of private household plots. A third of the population implemented active forms of adaptation associated with a variety of resources.

Адаптационное поведение населения как фактор социального развития

The paper outlines the core approaches to the study of social development; it shows that people’s adaptation strategies can be a factor of social development amidst the sluggish economic growth. It reviews the adaptation resources of the population, quantitatively classifies people by low, medium and high adaptive potential; describes the socio-demographic composition of the respective groups.
 The research provides insights into the most widespread adaptation strategies of the population based on a different combination of available social and economic development resources, including labor and financial strategies, investments in human capital, employment in personal households. It studies the link between the implemented strategies with welfare changes in the population groups. The authors construct the typology of adaptive behavior and show that the low resource potential of most people hampers the formation and rollout of effective adaptation.

The Effects of Family Capital on Kazakh Youth Strategies in the Choice of Higher Education

Introduction. The article explores strategies of young people in the choice of higher education in Kazakhstan. There are discussions about the interrelations of family resources and socio-economic determined strategies of higher education choice, where the latter is viewed as the process involving a decision to continue / not to continue the study, university and specialty choice. The changes in the process of transformation of the economic capital of parents into the cultural capital of children and then into the economic capital of young people are analyzed for the first time in the context of post-Soviet Kazakhstan. The purpose of the article is to study the main mechanisms shaping the educational strategies of youth with different social and economic status. Materials and Methods. Four sociological studies were conducted in 2014-2017, based both on qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. This article presents results of research that was conducted among high school students of urban and rural, private (fee-paying) and public, general and specialized schools and their parents that represent different socio-economic groups. The sample size is 500 respondents. Results. On the basis of developed methodology of integrated assessment of family resource potential, the direct and indirect impact of family resources on youth strategies in higher education choice has been revealed. Direct impact is seen in the range of available higher education institutions. In case of insufficient family resource potential, young people face economic difficulties related to the payment of education. In this case, the yang people are on participating in the distribution of educational grants, on receiving social benefits while entering the university. While indirect influence has a hidden character, it manifests in the differentiation of the level of a starting educational capital. The high resource potential of the family allows parents to send a child to private school, to pay extra (paid) courses, thus forming the foundation for the accumulation of high educational capital in advance. In this aspect, young people with low family resource potential become less competitive in the sphere of higher education. This category of youth faces structural barriers, which manifested in a low level of start-up education al capital. Discussion and Conclusion. The research tools of youth strategies in higher education choice could be applied in the work of scientific and research organizations and state bodies, scientists and experts. The obtained scientific data and results provide relevant and reliable information to reduce or eliminate barriers specific to young people of “unprivileged” groups. Keywords: choice of higher education, influence of family capital, choice of university, social background, educational plan, social capital, family cultural capital Acknowledgments. The study was carried out within the framework of the project of the Committee of Science of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan (MES RK) “Sociological indicators for measuring the competitiveness of Kazakhstan university graduates in the professional labor market: comparative country study” 5480/GF4 (2014-2017). The author is grateful to the editorial staff and reviewers for useful comments and recommendations.

Structural Analyses aiding Identification of Water Conductive Fracture Zones in Crystalline Rock

Development of hydraulic conductive zones in crystalline rock can result from a wide range of geological conditions which include primary structures, post crystalline tectonics, fluid solution and movement within a developing and eroding regolith.Crystalline rock areas mostly have low water resource potential due to inherent extremely low storage and water conductive properties. Therefore, fracture zones of high hydraulic conductivity have an important role in developing groundwater resources that may be distant or where it may be difficult to obtain alternative sources in these areas.Mechanisms for development of open tension or pull-apart fractures in brittle rocks are similar to those involving development of mineralised veins. The same structural analytical techniques can be applied for water bearing structures.Crystalline rock fracture zones can be amenable to rapid recharge through rainfall runoff. They are also significant in that they provide a mechanism for underdrainage through ‘delayed yield’ of surrounding or enclosing low conductive rocks such as saprock/saprolite, pelite and phyllite.In addition to brittle rocks, open tension fracture zones of enhanced hydraulic conductivity may also occur in more fissile pelitic rocks such as slate and phyllite. These conductive zones are often associated with crestal zones of folds, strike deviations produced by conjugate shears and fracture zones discordant with layering and foliation. The development of conjugate joint sets in a region frequently provide a significant basis for this type of fracture analyses.This presentation provides examples of water supplies developed from crystalline rock structures in a range of geological and earth environments.

Structural Analyses aiding Identification of Water Conductive Fracture Zones in Crystalline Rock

Development of hydraulic conductive zones in crystalline rock can result from a wide range of geological conditions which include primary structures, post crystalline tectonics, fluid solution and movement within a developing and eroding regolith.Crystalline rock areas mostly have low water resource potential due to inherent extremely low storage and water conductive properties. Therefore, fracture zones of high hydraulic conductivity have an important role in developing groundwater resources that may be distant or where it may be difficult to obtain alternative sources in these areas.Mechanisms for development of open tension or pull-apart fractures in brittle rocks are similar to those involving development of mineralised veins. The same structural analytical techniques can be applied for water bearing structures.Crystalline rock fracture zones can be amenable to rapid recharge through rainfall runoff. They are also significant in that they provide a mechanism for underdrainage through ‘delayed yield’ of surrounding or enclosing low conductive rocks such as saprock/saprolite, pelite and phyllite.In addition to brittle rocks, open tension fracture zones of enhanced hydraulic conductivity may also occur in more fissile pelitic rocks such as slate and phyllite. These conductive zones are often associated with crestal zones of folds, strike deviations produced by conjugate shears and fracture zones discordant with layering and foliation. The development of conjugate joint sets in a region frequently provide a significant basis for this type of fracture analyses.This presentation provides examples of water supplies developed from crystalline rock structures in a range of geological and earth environments.

Small mammals in the biomonitoring system of protected areas (on the example of the Ishim District of the Tyumen Region)

The article presents the results of the field studies of small mammals carried out from 1997 till 2017 on three specially protected natural areas of the Ishim District of the Tyumen Region (on the example of subzone of the northern forest-steppe). The method of synecology helped to analyze both the species and structural diversity and integral indices of the state of communities. The method of epigenetics aimed to show the stability of development in the populations of dominant species (on the example of Myodes rutilus and Sorex araneus). The article shows that the level of species diversity and stability of small mammalian communities is directly proportional to the area of specially protected natural areas and reversely proportional to the level of anthropogenic load on the habitat. High anthropogenic load is the reason of neutrals and anthropophiles disappearing from communities of small mammals. The index of dominance of Apodemus agrarius increases as well as the exoanthropic species. The author establishes that the information structure of all studied communities is that of poorly disturbed habitats of the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia. The information structure of the small mammals community of the most protected areas (1108 hectares), experiencing minimal anthropogenic impact is consistently reproduced in the number of years. The analysis of small mammals community showed a low resource potential of a forest park with an area of 14,5 hectares, located in the center of the city. At the same time the integral indices of the fluctuating asymmetry of the nonmetric features of the skull in the investigated populations of M. rutilus and S. araneus indicate the stability of epigenetic processes and the good state of the land and air environment.

АДАПТАЦИЯ НАСЕЛЕНИЯ К "НОВОЙ ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОЙ РЕАЛЬНОСТИ"

<p align="justify">Статья посвящена анализу адаптационного поведения населения, складывающегося в период 2015-2017 гг., получивший название новой реальности. Исследованы представления населения о перспективах экономического развития; уровень развития ресурсов, которые могут быть использованы при формировании адаптационных стратегий; собственно адаптационные стратегии и результаты их реализации. Информационной базой послужило мониторинговое исследование Социальное самочувствие населения, проводимое ИНСАП РАНХиГС в виде восьми волн репрезентативных опросов населения ежегодно с выборкой 1600 респондентов в каждой волне. Показано, что население воспринимает сложившуюся экономическую ситуацию без алармизма, но не видит и перспектив ее улучшения. Для большинства адаптация выражается не в активных действиях по восстановлению или улучшению собственного материального статуса, а в привыкании к новым условиям за счет снижения стандартов потребления. Высоким ресурсным потенциалом, позволяющим выстраивать разнообразные адаптационные стратегии, обладает лишь пятая часть населения; у вдвое большей его части ресурсный потенциал низок. Для представителей группы с низким ресурсным потенциалом основной стратегией адаптации стало, помимо сокращения расходов, использование личного подсобного хозяйства. Активные формы адаптации, связанные с реализацией различных ресурсов, характеризуют поведение трети населения. </font>

Wide-scale utilization of MSWI fly ashes in cement production and its impact on average heavy metal contents in cements: The case of Austria

A number of studies present the utilization of fly ashes from municipal solid waste incineration (MSWI) in cement production as a recycling alternative to landfilling. While there is a lot of research on the impact of MSWI fly ashes utilization in cement production on the quality of concrete or the leaching of heavy metals, only a few studies have determined the resulting heavy metal content in cements caused by this MSWI fly ashes utilization. Making use of the case of Austria, this study (1) determines the total content of selected heavy metals in cements currently produced in the country, (2) designs a scenario and calculates the resulting heavy metal contents in cements assuming that all MSWI fly ashes from Austrian grate incinerators were used as secondary raw materials for Portland cement clinker production and (3) evaluates the legal recyclability of demolished concretes produced from MSWI fly ash amended cements based on their total heavy metal contents.To do so, data from literature and statistics are combined in a material flow analysis model to calculate the average total contents of heavy metals in cements and in the resulting concretes according to the above scenario. The resulting heavy metal contents are then compared (i) to their respective limit values for cements as defined in a new technical guideline in Austria (BMLFUW, 2016), and (ii) to their respective limit values for recycling materials from demolished concrete.Results show that MSWI fly ashes utilization increases the raw material input in cement production by only +0.9%, but the total contents of Cd by +310%, and Hg, Pb, and Zn by +70% to +170%. However these and other heavy metal contents are still below their respective limit values for Austrian cements. The same legal conformity counts for recycling material derived from concretes produced from the MSWI fly ash cements. However, if the MSWI fly ash ratio in all raw materials used for cement production were increased from 0.9% to 22%, which is suggested by some studies, the limit values for cements as defined by the BMLFUW (2016) will be exceeded. Furthermore, the concrete produced from this cement will not be recyclable anymore due to its high total heavy metal contents. This and the comparatively high contribution of MSWI fly ashes to total heavy metal contents in cements indicate their relatively low resource potential if compared to other secondary raw materials in the cement industry.

Перспективы создания школы гостиничного менеджмента в России как фактора развития ресурсного потенциала гостиничного предприятия

The article deals with the challenges which Russian hotel-industry-specific higher education faces and which significantly undermine the education’s competitiveness in the educational service market in Europe and worldwide. The author identifies the key aspects of personnel training that the author sees as requiring a competition-driven revision. The research undertaken by the author has allowed him to formulate the possible solutions to the problem of low hotel resource potential. The implementation of the solutions is based on the creation of a competitive hotel-management-specific HE institution in Russia The author pays particular attention to such problems as insufficient emphasis on application, which become apparent given the employers’ readiness to provide traineeship programs for HE students; inadequate linguistic skills the students acquire in industry-specific HE institutions, which frustrates the purposes of training that is focused on communication with foreign guests; and, finally, the status value of the students of Russian HE institutions. In the author’s opinion, the problems can be solved through a creation of a new competitive HE institution which will provide high-quality linguistic training, will put emphasis on application, and will collaborate with top regional employers in terms of traineeship programs and recruitment on graduation. The whole educational process in such an institution is to be provided in English, be employer-hotel-based, and guarantee employment in the employer-hotels through a system of graduate-placement or a system of industry-commission. At the transition stage, the solutions can be implemented in the context of an existing industry-specific HE institution.

Very low frequency electromagnetic (VLF-EM) and electrical resistivity (ER) investigation for groundwater potential evaluation in a complex geological terrain around the Ijebu-Ode transition zone, southwestern Nigeria

Groundwater exploration in either a basement or sedimentary environment is often fairly well defined and focuses on delineating weathered/fractured rocks or saturated formations, respectively. Conversely, unique geological structures, the complex coexistence of different rock types and poorly defined basal/lateral contacts between basement and sedimentary rocks make groundwater development in a geological transition environment very challenging. Ijebu-Ode and its environs lie within such a problematic transition zone, between the Precambrian basement rocks and Cretaceous sediments of the Dahomey Basin, in southwestern Nigeria, where associated acute groundwater development challenges require adequate subsurface information to maximize its groundwater resource potential. This study integrated very low frequency electromagnetic (VLF-EM) and electrical resistivity (ER) geophysical prospecting techniques for a detailed terrain study of Ijebu-Ode in order to establish the reasons for the low groundwater resource potential in the area. Thirty five VLF-EM profiles, 140 vertical electrical soundings (VES) and relevant hydrogeological data were acquired along grids and profiles. Data were filtered, inverted and enhanced using appropriate software packages. The current density and geoelectric parameters of the VLF-EM and VES data were employed to generate terrain maps, the conductivity distribution and a subsurface basement model of the study area. Current density plots and geoelectric parameters identified up to three layers in the basement complex terrain which comprised lateritic topsoil, weathered basement and fresh basement rocks. The five layers encountered in the sedimentary terrain were topsoil, a lateritic unit, a dry sandy unit, a saturated sandy unit and fresh basement rocks. The hydraulic conductivity of the thick (3–18 m) lateritic unit was determined to be 1.32 × 10−5 mm s−1, while that of the underlying sandy units ranged from 2.65 × 10−4 to 1.36 × 10−3 mm s−1. The thick but less permeable lateritic unit which overlaid the more permeable rocks constituted a partial impermeable overburden that prevented an adequate groundwater recharge during and immediately after rainfall. Three zones were delineated as low, medium and high groundwater resource potential areas, located in the northern, central and southern part of the study area, respectively. The low groundwater resource potential around Ijebu-Ode is due to the less permeable lateritic overburden, which prevents an adequate recharge during rainfall and the rugged/undulating basement topography that controls the distribution and storage of the limited recharged water. The southern part of the study area can be developed to meet the water needs of the inhabitants.

What is the potential for utilizing the resources in sludge?

The successful strategy for water protection by biological wastewater treatment results in a sludge production of about 20 to 40 kg dry matter per population equivalent and year. In the context of regional material fluxes, sewage sludge has a low resource potential and a low pollution potential despite the fact that it can be characterised as a sink, concentrating wastewater compounds. The mass flow of nutrients (N, P) in the sewage sludge is comparatively small as compared to the losses of nutrients in agriculture. The most valuable element in the sludge is phosphorus, as the availability of phosphorus for the production of low-cost mineral fertiliser is limited. The most economical means of P-recycling is agricultural sludge application, which can also be seen as the option with the lowest loss of all valuable compounds of the sludge, and the lowest increase of entropy. The reliability of this disposal route for the treatment plant operator depends on several major pre-requisites: * reliability in regard to hygiene * reliability in regard to long-term soil protection public acceptance (politicians, media) * acceptance by all parties involved in sludge application and its consequences (farmers, farmer unions, land owners, food industry, food trade, retailers, consumers, consumer associations, NGOs, etc.) Only the first two prerequisites can be based on scientific research and risk assessment. As a consequence, only for these two aspects can quality criteria and adequate procedures be developed and introduced into a legal framework and quality assurance procedures. The latter two pre-requisites must be addressed in terms of sociology, psychology and political science and have a strong educational aspect.

Effect of donor resources on recipient self-esteem and self-help

A 2 (aid vs no aid) × 2 (high vs low resource potential donor) between subjects design tested the effects of aid and donor resources on recipient self-perceptions and subsequent self-help behavior. The results were characterized by interactions between the two factors. Subjects who received aid from a low resource donor perceived themselves more positively and engaged in less self-help than subjects in the no-aid low resource potential donor condition. In contrast, subjects who received aid from a high resource donor perceived themselves less positively and tended to engage in more self-help behavior than subjects in the no-aid high resource potential donor condition. The relationship between threat to self-esteem inherent in aid and subsequent self-help is discussed in terms of self-esteem theory.