Ownership Scenarios Research Articles

Exploring impacts of electricity tariff on charging infrastructure planning: An activity-based approach

In the past decade, electric vehicles (EVs) have gained popularity for their efficiency and environmental benefits. Advances in battery technology and charging equipment have yielded long-range EVs and fast-charging. However, many major cities lack adequate charging infrastructure for daily EV use. This study addresses this gap by integrating activity-based modeling, charging behavior simulation, and charging infrastructure optimization. The research utilizes the POLARIS agent-based transportation model to accurately capture user activities, trip patterns, and traffic flows. Additionally, the study investigates the impact of fixed and spatiotemporal electricity rate distributions on optimal charging infrastructure deployment. The framework is applied to the Chicago regional area network and analyzed under various EV ownership scenarios. The results reveal significant impacts of the charging pricing strategy on user decision-making and charging demand distribution. There is also a need for consistent pricing policies in charging infrastructure planning and operational phases to avoid drops in service quality.

Multi-objective sizing and real-time scheduling of battery energy storage in energy-sharing community based on reinforcement learning

Reducing peak demand and enhancing self-sufficiency have made the battery energy storage system (BESS) essential in microgrids when combined with photovoltaic (PV) systems. Previous studies have shown that BESS usage remains expensive, and it is more practical to share it within a community rather than installing individual systems. Therefore, this study aimed to propose a framework for BESS sizing and scheduling in an energy-sharing community based on reinforcement learning. To validate the proposed framework, a case study was conducted based on the BESS ownership scenarios (i.e., individual-owned BESS (IOB) and community-shared BESS (CSB)) considering the following purposes of potential stakeholders: (i) enhancing SSR; (ii) reducing peak demand; and (iii) increasing economic profit. The maximum SSR of CSB was 12.4% higher than IOB, while the peak load of CSB was 0.07% lower than IOB. As the BESS size increased, the total cost of BESS increased, and the total profits on electricity decreased. The economic profit increased by about 38% when CSB was used compared to IOBs. The proposed framework offers more promise for a broader range of building loads and PV generation within the energy-sharing community. Ultimately, this study would allow prosumers, community practitioners, and policymakers to better understand the sharing mechanisms in the community and provide decision guidelines for ownership types, operational strategies, and sizing of BESS and PV systems.

The public-private decision for alcohol retail systems: Examining the economic, health, and social impacts of alternative systems in Finland.

Background: Organising alcohol retail systems with more or less public ownership has implications for health and the economy. The aim of the present study was to estimate the economic, health, and social impacts of alcohol use in Finland in 2018 (baseline), and in two alternative scenarios in which current partial public ownership of alcohol retail sales is either increased or fully privatised. Methods: Baseline alcohol-attributable harms and costs were estimated across five categories of death, disability, and criminal justice. Two alternate alcohol retail systems were defined as privately owned stores selling: (1) only low strength alcoholic beverages (public ownership scenario, similar to Sweden); or (2) all beverages (private ownership scenario). Policy analyses were conducted to estimate changes in alcohol use per capita. Health and economic impacts were modelled using administrative data and epidemiological modelling. Results: In Finland in 2018, alcohol use was estimated to be responsible for €1.51 billion (95% Uncertainty Estimates: €1.43 billion, €1.58 billion) in social cost, 3,846 deaths, and 270,652 criminal justice events. In the public ownership scenario, it was estimated that alcohol use would decline by 15.8% (11.8%, 19.7%) and social cost by €384.3 million (€189.5 million, €559.2 million). Full privatisation was associated with an increase in alcohol use of 9.0% (6.2%, 11.8%) and an increase in social cost of €289.7 million (€140.8 million, €439.5 million). Conclusion: The outcome from applying a novel analytical approach suggests that more public ownership of the alcohol retail system may lead to significant decreases in alcohol-caused death, disability, crime, and social costs. Conversely, full privatisation of the ownership model would lead to increased harm and costs.

Waste-to-Energy and recycling: The role of plant ownership and waste mobility

This paper proposes a stylized two-region model to study the joint effect of waste mobility and WtE plant’s ownership on waste disposal choices, welfare and environmental quality. The aggregate level of recycling emerging from the mobility/private ownership scenario is excessive relative to the first best. By contrast, under waste autarky, the institutional configuration of the WtE plant turns out to be neutral and the resulting level of recycling is generally suboptimal. The analysis further shows that mobility may not be Pareto improving for both regions, and that the engagement of local authorities in the decision of how much waste to incinerate has a sound economic justification, especially in the presence of old-generation WtE plants. Finally, this work provides new insights into the debate about the relationship between WtE incineration and recycling by suggesting that the two opposing views within such debate are not totally incompatible; rather they capture different dimensions of the problem. In particular, the view that WtE combustion represents an obstacle to recycling is consistent with what is found at the local level when burning waste for energy recovery becomes available. while the view that the two activities are positively correlated is more in line with the findings at the aggregate level.

Owning or sharing autonomous vehicles: comparing different ownership and usage scenarios

The impact of autonomous vehicles (AVs) on urban mobility systems is an increasingly discussed topic in recent years. There is currently some discussions about different ownership models and their consequences. Regarding autonomous vehicles (AVs), two ownership models are being considered for future transportation systems. These are: autonomous vehicles as a public service or individual owning ownership. The first ownership model is based on AVs operating within an on-demand (taxi) service while the second proposes private vehicle ownership combined with offering the AV to other users when not used by its owner and thereby partially financing the vehicle’s acquisition cost. In addition to the ownership model comes the possibility of sharing rides. The main difference when sharing a trip is that an individually-owned vehicle always prioritizes its owner. Based on an existing approach for assessing the potential of predefined meeting points in a ride-sharing service, we develop a method for assessing the sharing potential of those different variants. We consider the number and distance of shared trips, and thus, we evaluate the potentially saved vehicle kilometers. We analyze several ownership and sharing scenarios on a case study for New York and Paris. The results demonstrate that sharing AV trips has the potential of increasing the system-wide matching rate as well as saving up to 25% of the overall traveled distance.

Evaluating the Efficacy of Zero-Emission Vehicle Deployment Strategies: The Maryland Case

This study aimed to develop a model to estimate the impacts of zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) adoption on CO2 emissions and to evaluate efficacy of ZEV deployment strategies in achieving greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals. We proposed a modeling scheme to represent ZEVs in four-step trip-based travel demand models. We then tested six ZEV scenarios that were a cross-combination of three ZEV ownership levels and two ZEV operating cost levels. The proposed modeling scheme and scenarios were implemented on the Maryland Statewide Transportation Model (MSTM) to analyze the impacts of different ZEV ownership and cost combinations on travel patterns and on CO2 emissions. The main findings were the following: (1) A high-ZEV ownership scenario (43.14% of households with ZEVs) could achieve about a 16% reduction in statewide carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2Eq) emissions from 2015 base year levels; and (2) CO2Eq emissions at a future year baseline (2030) (the Constrained Long-Range Plan) level dropped by approximately 11% in low-ZEV ownership scenarios, 17% in medium-ZEV ownership scenarios, and 32% in high-ZEV ownership scenarios. The high-ZEV ownership results also indicated a more balanced distribution of emissions per unit area or per vehicle mile traveled among different counties.

Never Mind the Science, Herees the Convention on Biological Diversity: Viral Sovereignty in the Smallpox Destruction Debate

Since the eradication of smallpox was declared in 1980, debate has ensued over what to do with the remaining stocks of the causative agent, variola virus. For more than three decades the World Health Organization has resolved to destroy the virus isolates, now maintained in high-security laboratories in the Russian Federation and the United States, and each time the deadline has been deferred. The legal facets of this debate have been largely overlooked. As genetic resources, all viruses fall within the scope of the United Nations’ Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) that provides for “the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilisation of genetic resources”. This article examines the possible ownership scenarios for variola viruses and concludes that the conservation principles of the CBD and the ambiguous sovereign status of individual isolates may preclude the destruction of the world’s remaining variola stocks.

The effects of rural development policy on land rights distribution and land use scenarios: The case of oil palm in the Peruvian Amazon

Decades of development history show that rural agricultural policies and government support for specific en vogue crops can seriously alter land rights, land tenure regimes and land use strategies for local people in tropical forests. Today, oil palm is such a crop, and it is an emergent commodity that is proliferating in the Peruvian Amazon. This paper asks: How is government interest in promoting oil palm development affecting property rights formalization for smallholders in the Peruvian Amazon region of Ucayali, and what are the socio-ecological implications? While there are strong theoretical reasons that expect these phenomena to be related, the precise nature of their interaction has not been rigorously examined in Peru. The study analyses data from a large household survey, and three years of participant observation work in those villages to unpack how these factors interact. The paper presents descriptive results comparing smallholder claims to their formal rights, and finds a large discrepancy between de facto and de jure land ownership scenarios – especially with relation to old-growth forest fragments. Furthermore, whilst our statistical model testing qualifies our hypothesis about the link between oil palm and land right in the region at both the household and village levels, it is not a direct causal relationship. The empirical results suggest a more complex nuanced picture of how migration, oil palm expansion and development are more broadly linked to land use change in the region. We conclude with policy recommendations that could facilitate improved forest conservation in the area, and a more equitable distribution of land rights to smallholders.

Invited Review: Management Strategies for Intensive, Sustainable Cow-Calf Production Systems in the Southeastern United States: Bermudagrass pastures overseeded with cool-season annual grasses and legumes

ABSTRACT Sustainability of cow-calf production in the United States has received increased attention during the past few years. The ever-increasing land values and ownership scenarios, redirected agricultural production objectives, and financial requirements for new ownership affects land use, livestock enterprises, and sustainability of the beef industry. Bermudagrass [ Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] is the most sustainable and persistent warm-season perennial grass used for N-fertilized pastures in the southeastern United States. Management strategies that affect bermudagrass persistence and DM production goals include soil nutrient management, primarily N and K, and stocking rate, intensity, and duration. Overseeding bermudagrass with cool-season annual forages such as small grains, annual ryegrass ( Lolium multiflorum L.), or clovers ( Trifolium sp.) extends the active grazing period of pastures and provides the highest nutritive value of any forage class. Stocking strategies that incorporate the most adapted bermudagrass cultivars with soil type, soil nutrient availability, and use of cool-season annual forages provide the best options to achieve intensive forage utilization. Using stocking rates appropriate for forage utilization intensity objectives provides for enhanced gain per animal and gain per unit land area relationships. The economy of scale of operation, management objectives, and acceptable risk allow stakeholders to select their site-specific level of intensive cow-calf production. The most noteworthy aspects of bermudagrass pasture management have shown that the magnitude of forage mass can be immediately altered with implementation of levels of N fertilization and stocking rate to affect beef production per unit land area.

Emissions and Economics of Behind-the-Meter Electricity Storage

Annual installations of behind-the-meter (BTM) electric storage capacity are forecast to eclipse grid-side electrochemical storage by the end of the decade. Here, we characterize the economic payoff and regional emission consequences of BTM storage without colocated generation under different tariff conditions, battery characteristics, and ownership scenarios using metered loads for several hundred commercial and industrial customers. Net emissions are calculated as increased system emissions from charging minus avoided emissions from discharging. Net CO2 emissions range from 75 to 270 kg/MWh of delivered energy depending on location and ownership perspective, though in New York, these emissions can be reduced with careful tariff design. Net NOx emissions range from -0.13 to 0.24 kg/MWh, and net SO2 emissions range from -0.01 to 0.58 kg/MWh. Emission rates are driven primarily by energy losses, not by the difference between marginal emission rates during battery charging and discharging. Economics are favorable for many buildings in regions with high demand charges like California and New York, even without subsidies. Future penetration into regions with average charges like Pennsylvania will depend greatly on installation cost reductions and wholesale prices for ancillary services.

Maximising product innovation in Chinese state-owned enterprises

Chinese SOEs have been experiencing dramatic changes over the last three decades. Although there is an active debate on the advantages and disadvantages of Chinese SOEs, few studies pay attention to the quantitative relationship between Chinese SOEs' new product development and the ownership structure of the industries. Does the change of weight of SOEs in an industry affect the overall innovation output of the industry? By examining new product development data in all 39 industries in China from 2006 to 2010, this research measures the influence of the SOEs on the industrial innovation at different ownership scenarios. Through comparative analysis between different industrial groups and regression, this study reveals that in the industries which has 15%-30% of SOEs, the overall innovation demonstrates the best results, which are reflected in more new products, larger monetary value of innovation, and a higher efficiency of new products development.

Write up! A Study of Copyright Information on Library-Published Journals

INTRODUCTION Libraries have a mission to educate users about copyright, and library publishing staff are often involved in that work. This article investigates a concrete point of intersection between the two areas - copyright statements on library-published journals. METHODS Journals published by members of the Library Publishing Coalition were examined for open access status, type and placement of copyright information, copyright ownership, and open licensing. RESULTS Journals in the sample were overwhelmingly (93%) open access. 80% presented copyright information of some kind, but only 30% of those included it at both the journal and the article level. Open licensing was present in 38% of the journals, and the most common ownership scenario was the author retaining copyright while granting a nonexclusive license to the journal or publisher. 9% of the sample journals included two or more conflicting rights statements. DISCUSSION 76% of the journals did not consistently provide accurate, easily-accessible rights information, and numerous problems were found with the use of open licensing, including conflicting licenses, incomplete licenses, and licenses not appearing at the article level. CONCLUSION Recommendations include presenting full copyright and licensing information at both the journal and the article level, careful use of open licenses, and publicly-available author agreements.External Data or Supplements:Schlosser, Melanie, 2016, "Data from: Write Up! A Study of Copyright Information on Library-Published Journals", http://dx.doi.org/10.7910/DVN/R36SVZ, Harvard Dataverse.

Patient Attitudes Toward Orthopedic Surgeon Ownership of Related Ancillary Businesses

BackgroundPhysician ownership of businesses related to orthopedic surgery, such as surgery centers, has been criticized as potentially leading to misuse of health care resources. The purpose of this study was to determine patients’ attitudes toward surgeon ownership of orthopedic-related businesses. MethodsWe surveyed 280 consecutive patients at 2 centers regarding their attitudes toward surgeon ownership of orthopedic-related businesses using an anonymous questionnaire. Three surgeon ownership scenarios were presented: (1) owning a surgery center, (2) physical therapy (PT), and (3) imaging facilities (eg, Magnetic Resonance Imaging scanner). ResultsTwo hundred fourteen patients (76%) completed the questionnaire. The majority agreed that it is ethical for a surgeon to own a surgery center (73%), PT practice (77%), or imaging facility (77%). Most (>67%) indicated that their surgeon owning such a business would have no effect on the trust they have in their surgeon. Although >70% agreed that a surgeon in all 3 scenarios would make the same treatment decisions, many agreed that such surgeons might perform more surgery (47%), refer more patients to PT (61%), or order more imaging (58%). Patients favored surgeon autonomy, however, believing that surgeons should be allowed to own such businesses (78%). Eighty-five percent agreed that patients should be informed if their surgeon owns an orthopedic-related business. ConclusionAlthough patients express concern over and desire disclosure of surgeon ownership of orthopedic-related businesses, the majority believes that it is an ethical practice and feel comfortable receiving care at such a facility.

Shipowners' structure and fleet distribution in the liquefied natural gas shipping market

The liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipping market has witnessed a rapid development over the last decade in line with the rising natural gas demand worldwide and the ongoing transformations in the globalising gas market. The purpose of this paper is to explore unique features of the LNG shipping market, more in particular to investigate shipowners’ structure and fleet distribution. We specifically focus on the following research questions: Who are the market participants and what tanker ownership scenario is to be expected? How does the shipping market structure look like, in terms of number and size distribution of shipowners? Several concentration measures are applied to examine the latter question. Moreover, the characteristics of the LNG shipping market are further examined by looking at the fleet distribution. By answering the above questions, this paper aims to provide a deeper understanding of the current LNG shipping market.

Three Ownership Scenario Analyses of a Historic Site Management: Lessons Learned from a Historic Mill

Historic buildings have public attributes due to a diverse set of social values held by the general public, and maintaining them represents economic sustainability and a sense of place. Privately owned, profit driven historic places may generate these social values, but not capture them, thereby reducing the incentive to preserve (Navrud and Ready 2002). However, public ownership may account for the social benefits and enhance historic preservation. The objective of this paper is to examine how these social values impact benefit-cost analyses under three property right scenarios: private, non-profit, and public ownership. The historic site considered in this study is an agricultural grist mill (Reckart’s Mill) in Preston County, West Virginia, USA. Analyses are evaluated under two cases: (1) a base case and (2) optimistic use and social value assumptions (upper case). The results suggest that private ownership is not economically feasible under either case. Only public ownership is economically efficient under optimistic assumptions and a 4% discount rate. These results can be used as a basis for evaluating the appropriate property rights allocation of historic buildings, and could be expanded to other historic places under similar circumstances.

Modelling housing affordability measurement through the incorporation of life cycle costs

This paper examines the problems associated with home ownership affordability measurement and proposes a unique model that consumers can use to carry out an independent and comprehensive financial analysis of home ownership life cycle costs and the affordability of these costs for their specific circumstances. It commences with an overview of current measures of housing affordability leading to the identification of key methodological problems with these measures. The paper then describes the development of a conceptual affordability measurement model to address the gaps found in the literature research. The model is based on a ‘residual income’ approach that includes a comprehensive assessment of total potential housing life cycle costs in relation to actual purchaser income. It focuses on creating greater consumer awareness of the total costs of ownership and concomitant financial risks. Risk simulations for different ownership scenarios are a feature of the model. Although focused on the Australian scene, the conceptual aspects of the model have universal application.

Who owns the sand? The Ayre of Cara, Orkney Islands, Scotland

The construction of Churchill Barrier No. 4 in 1943, a causeway in the Orkney Islands of Scotland, has led to the accretion of a substantial beach‐dune system, the so‐called ‘Ayre of Cara’. As a result of the blocking of tidal flows through Water Sound into Scapa Flow, the deposits have accumulated at an average rate of 7.7 × 103 m3 a−1, which is manifest at the land surface as an average lateral advance rate of 1–6 m a−1. The Ayre of Cara is the only accreting dune system in the Orkney Islands and the rate of lateral growth of the beach is one of the fastest in Britain. Since the causeway, one of four built in World War II to defend the British naval fleet, was not intended to ‘claim’ land, the fundamental question raised is who owns the sand that has accumulated? This question is especially pertinent given that the materials deposited have, at one part of the site, been extracted for commercial gain under license granted by the local authority. A series of theoretical ownership scenarios, which pertain to British legal systems, demonstrate that the situation is complex and that a definitive answer is not yet possible as there has not been a case from this specific site brought before a court, or even from a similar site. However, were property disputes to arise in comparable situations in the future, this paper details for the first time the potential level of confusion and complexity that is likely to arise. The findings of this work also have similar relevance for similar situations in other legal systems in the world.

Comparison of Breeding and Marketing Systems for Red Angus Cattle Using an Integrated Computer-Based Spreadsheet

An integrated computer-based spreadsheet was developed with data from 581 Red Angus-sired calves to compare synchronized AI and natural service breeding systems. This comparison was based on input costs, genetic merit of sires used for mating, and calf marketing system, using differences in net return. The spreadsheet integrated four elements into a decision summary: bull costs, AI costs, genetics merit, and marketing options. An economic sensitivity analysis was used to identify trends and key variables in the net return of each decision. Three prominent variables identified from economic analysis were bull purchase price, semen price, and percent genetic change. Bull purchase price was a primary factor in changes in net return; semen costs and genetic merit change explained rearrangements in ranking of net return. These two variables altered the ranking based on whether the estrous synchronization protocol used estrus detection or timed AI. The spreadsheet identified AI to be more cost effective than natural service when calves are marketed as finished cattle. Net revenue from AI calves was greater in all retained ownership scenarios; the weaned marketing scenario caused net return to vary by synchronization system for the combinations of costs and changes in genetic merit. However, there was a wide variance in identifying which breeding system provided the greatest benefit when calves were marketed as feeder cattle. Retaining ownership through finish and marketing either on the cash market or on a grid proved to be advantageous to AI in all of the estrous synchronization protocols provided. The economic advantage ranged from $142.98 to $214.16 per head compared with marketing at weaning. The spreadsheet developed provides a useful tool for evaluating the economic impacts of breeding system decisions.

Overview of System Architectural Implications of Third-Party Liability and Government Indemnification for GPS Augmentation

: Increased third-party tort liability resulting from GPS augmentation is an important issue to consider in selecting a system architecture. There are different liabilities for the U.S. Government, private and commercial parties, and foreign partnership countries. The paper explores the extent of liability by reviewing the relevant treaty, statutory, and case law. Five alternative system ownership scenarios are presented, and the impact of third-party liability is assessed for each. The conclusion reached is that the U.S. Government has significant liability exposure; however, private and commercial system owners have even higher exposure.

Effect of Drought on Urban Water Supplies. II: Water‐Supply Analysis

Using a water-resource-system model, the water-supply system of the City of Fort Collins, Colorado, which consists of five river basins, was simulated for selected drought periods to determine the yield of the city’s existing water supplies and for other potential water-supply sources. The paper outlines approaches for estimating yields of various water-supply sources from adjacent basins during projected drought conditions. A water-rights model (MODSIM) is used to simulate allocations of water supplies based on existing and future water-rights ownership scenarios for the city. Safe demand levels are determined to assure adequate water availability during extreme drought events. The results of the study indicated that although water supplies for the city are adequate at the present time, policies should be adopted to assure that supplies are adequate to meet future demands during drought periods. The study provided a tool to use in evaluating the drought sensitivity of new water sources for meeting future water demands. The approach presented in this study has widespread application to evaluation of droughts on western urban water supplies.