Quantitative Performance Indicators Research Articles

ANALYSIS OF DENTAL CARE INDICATORS FOR CHILDREN BASED ON DATA FROM THE PEDIATRIC DENTAL CLINIC OF POLTAVA CITY

In the period from 2020 to 2023, the dental care system in Ukraine underwent significant changes considering the effects of healthcare reforms, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ongoing conflict. The objective of this article is to assess the changes in the provision of general dental care at the Pediatric Dental Polyclinic in Poltava City over the past five years based on a retrospective analysis of statistical reports from 2019 to 2023. In 2019, emergency dental care accounted 9.69% of all visits. Complicated caries of permanent teeth was found in 2.28% of filled teeth, with light-cured resin fillings representing 29.52% of them. Periodontal diseases were detected in 0.62% of visits. Preventive examinations comprises a significant portion of visits, 86.43% of visits; 94.66% of children who needed dental sanitation received full treatment. Preventive measures including fissure sealing, remineralizing therapy, and supervised tooth brushing played a significant role in these outcomes. In 2020, the number of visits dramatically decreased, but the share of emergency dental care increased to 11.65%, compared to 2019 (p < 0.0001). The number of filled teeth decreased, while the percentage of complicated caries of permanent teeth increased to 4.09% (p < 0.0001). The proportion of fillings made of light-cured resins rose to 40.19%, representing a 1.36-fold increase (p < 0.0001). Preventive examinations accounted for 26.47% of visits, and 88.47% of examined children in need of dental sanitation were fully treated. However, the share of preventive measures and the number of visits for children with periodontal disease dropped. In 2021, the number of preventive examinations increased to 49.49% of visits. The percentage of complicated caries of permanent teeth in the filling structure rose to 4.93% compared to 2020 (p < 0.0001). The share of fillings made of light-cured resins reached 51.19%, and the rate of children receiving treatment under anesthesia increased (p < 0.0001). Indicators of preventive measures, which received less attention during quarantine, continued to decline. In 2022, complicated caries of permanent teeth constituted 4.96% of fillings that was higher than in 2021 (p < 0.0001). The proportion of preventive examinations significantly decreased to 33.45% (p < 0.0001), and the percentage of treated children among those who needed treatment dropped to 77.5%. Pedodontists started paying more attention to periodontal disease, preventive care, and treatment under anesthesia, which increased significantly. In 2023, the share of complicated caries of permanent teeth increased to 5.53% (p < 0.0001). The number of children treated under local or general anesthesia increased by 2.5 times. The number of visits for children with periodontal disease and indicators of preventive measures also increased (p < 0.001). In 2023, the share of preventive examinations was 36.28%, and the percentage of treated children among those who needed help decreased compared to 2022 (p < 0.0001), reaching 79.29%. The closure of school dental offices due to Covid-19 significantly reduced the number of patients in the pediatric dental polyclinic in 2020, leading to a significant decline in planned sanitation for children and preventive measures. In 2021, despite further decreases in visits, planned sanitation for children improved. In 2022, due to the treatment of internally displaced persons, the quantitative performance indicators of the polyclinic improved. From 2019 to 2023, there was an increase in the number of light-cured fillings, reflecting a trend in modern dentistry. Indicators for the treatment of periodontal disease, preventive measures, and treatment with anesthesia increased since 2022. During 2020-2023, there was a growth in the number of filled permanent teeth due to complicated caries, possibly due to budget funding for such dental aid in the polyclinic or because young patients may delay seeking medical attention. In 2023, the trend of decreasing the number of patients who were completely treated during planned sanitation was overcome. Further analysis of dental aid indicators for children is necessary for planning and funding to reduce the impact of socio-economic factors on children's health.

FIWARE-Compatible Smart Data Models for Satellite Imagery and Flood Risk Assessment to Enhance Data Management

The increasing rate of adoption of innovative technological achievements along with the penetration of the Next Generation Internet (NGI) technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the water sector are leading to a shift to a Water-Smart Society. New challenges have emerged in terms of data interoperability, sharing, and trustworthiness due to the rapidly increasing volume of heterogeneous data generated by multiple technologies. Hence, there is a need for efficient harmonization and smart modeling of the data to foster advanced AI analytical processes, which will lead to efficient water data management. The main objective of this work is to propose two Smart Data Models focusing on the modeling of the satellite imagery data and the flood risk assessment processes. The utilization of those models reinforces the fusion and homogenization of diverse information and data, facilitating the adoption of AI technologies for flood mapping and monitoring. Furthermore, a holistic framework is developed and evaluated via qualitative and quantitative performance indicators revealing the efficacy of the proposed models concerning the usage of the models in real cases. The framework is based on the well-known and compatible technologies on NGSI-LD standards which are customized and applicable easily to support the water data management processes effectively.

The current state of the non-ore mineral deposits mining in the concept of the Ukraine reconstruction in the post-war period

AbstractThe study of quantitative and qualitative indicators of the non-metallic mineral deposits mining based on recognized methods of economic and technological assessment to determine the damages and the development of technical–technological measures for the providing the mining industry of construction and bulk materials from the crisis in the post-war period. To assess the state of non-ore mineral deposits, the authors of the article used the following research methods: critical analysis of literary sources, statistical processing of data on the mines functioning and the probability of their manifestation in specific mining and geological conditions. Based on the selected UNIDO method, which is used for the evaluation of high-budget projects, the quantitative performance indicators of the selected quarries of non-ore raw materials have been established. Systematization and visualization of the obtained results were carried out with the help of Excel calculation tables from the available software product MS Office. The main problems associated with the activity of mining enterprises that develop deposits of non-ore useful minerals are highlighted. Qualitative and quantitative values of the work of the selected mines have been prepared according to European standards, which serve as initial data for assessing the economic attractiveness and the possibility of their restructuring in the post-war period. A forecast of the development of the industry is provided on the example of individual technological units of entrepreneurial activity for the nearest period. Dependencies of changes in production capacity indicators of mining enterprises developing non-ore mineral deposits have been established. Data on the spatial distribution of reserves of construction and backfill materials (gravel, sand, clay) were studied. Using generally recognized international methods of assessing the efficiency of enterprises, changes in the priority of mine development were determined depending on the needs of the Ukrainian economy and the destruction of territories caused by military actions, that appeared due to the aggression of the RF. The effectiveness of the methodology was proposed and confirmed, which allows determining the operative parameters of mines, which are mining non-ore mineral deposits. It gives the possibility to assess the economic attractiveness of individual mines and subsequently predict the possibility of their restructuring for the introduction of the innovative equipment and technologies in accordance with generally recognized international standards.

Obstacle avoidance and trajectory optimisation for an autonomous vessel utilising MILP path planning, computer vision based perception and feedback control

In this study, we investigated autonomous vessel obstacle avoidance using advanced techniques within the Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC) framework. We propose a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) based Guidance system for robust path planning avoiding static and dynamic obstacles. For Navigation, we suggest a multi-modal neural network for perception, demonstrating the identification of obstacle type, position, and orientation using imaging sensors. Additionally, the paper compares an error-based PID control strategy and a Model Predictive Control (MPC) scheme as well. This evaluation aids in better evaluating their performance and determining their applicability within the GNC scheme. We detail the implementation of these systems, present simulation results, and offer a performance evaluation using an experimental dataset. Our findings, analysed through qualitative discussion and quantitative performance indicators, contribute to advancements in autonomous navigation and the control strategies to achieve it.

Financial and Economic Tools of Project Management in Public Sector

"The article examines the introduction of project management as a result of the implementation of administrative reforms in modern states based on the management paradigm of New Public Management and New Public Governance. Based on both experts’ opinions and a number of cases from different counties, it is shown that the development of such elements of new public management as focus on achieving results, monitoring of quantitative and qualitative performance indicators, budget savings, creative organizational culture, became possible thanks to a set of economic and strategic tools that characterize project management, especially PMBoK. The expediency of a large-scale transition to professional management of public projects through the use of the generally recognized PMBoK standard, as well as the “living” Agile project methodology, is substantiated."

Practicing responsible research assessment: Qualitative study of faculty hiring, promotion, and tenure assessments in the United States

Abstract Recent times have seen the growth in the number and scope of interacting professional reform movements in science, centered on themes such as open research, research integrity, responsible research assessment, and responsible metrics. The responsible metrics movement identifies the growing influence of quantitative performance indicators as a major problem and seeks to steer and improve practices around their use. It is a multi-actor, multi-disciplinary reform movement premised upon engendering a sense of responsibility among academic evaluators to approach metrics with caution and avoid certain poor practices. In this article we identify how academic evaluators engage with the responsible metrics agenda, via semi-structured interview and open-text survey responses on professorial hiring, tenure and promotion assessments among senior academics in the United States—a country that has so far been less visibly engaged with the responsible metrics reform agenda. We explore how notions of ‘responsibility’ are experienced and practiced among the very types of professionals international reform initiatives such as the San Francisco Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) are hoping to mobilize into their cause. In doing so, we draw on concepts from science studies, including from literatures on Responsible Research and Innovation and ‘folk theories’ of citation. We argue that literature on citation folk theories should extend its scope beyond simply asking researchers how they view the role and validity of these tools as performance measures, by asking them also what they consider are their professional obligations to handle bibliometrics appropriately.

Contributions to the development of the analytical tools of sustainability reporting

The purpose of this paper is to research the premises for the development of analytical tools for reporting sustainability activities at the microeconomic level. Based on the synthesis of specialized literature, the analysis of policy documents and analytical reports of international and European organizations, it was hypothesized that the current corporate reporting framework does not meet the informational needs of stakeholders. In order to identify the methodological issues regarding sustainability reporting, both the national practice in the field of monitoring and reporting of the National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova regarding ODD2030 and the corporate practice were analyzed, being examined non-financial reporting documents of the Purcari S.A. group and of the State enterprise „State Administration of Roads”. Traditional research methods were applied in the research: monographic, analysis, synthesis, comparison. The carried-out research allowed the authors to systematize qualitative and quantitative performance indicators (KPI) for measuring and evaluating the entity’s sustainable performance. It was concluded that at the national level, the system of indicators for monitoring progress in achieving the 2030 Agenda is developed, but at the microeconomic level, the necessary analytical and methodological framework is missing. In this context, the conducted research provides a theoretical framework for the relationship between the accounting information system and business sustainability. In addition, the study provides a methodological framework for the sustainability reporting procedure and the KPI system for sustainability performance assessment.

IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE INDICATOR OF CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS

This article is devoted to the research and development of methods to improve the performance of centrifugal pumps. Centrifugal pumps are key elements in various industrial and technical systems, ensuring efficient transportation of liquids. This article reviews the operation of centrifugal pumps, shows the scheme of the pumping part of the centrifugal type equipment, the scheme of the cantilever type centrifugal pump and describes their main components. Further, the factors affecting pump performance, including fluid viscosity and operating conditions, are analyzed, and methods for improving performance are described in detail, including design optimization, the use of new materials and modern technologies, as well as speed control and monitoring of pump condition. The advantages and disadvantages of centrifugal pumps are noted, the concept of what the operation of this equipment is based on is given, and the fields of application of centrifugal pumps are considered. In order to improve the operation of pumps, the article includes a table showing the existing problems in the operation of the pumps described by the author, the correction of which will lead to positive results, namely, an increase in quantitative and qualitative performance indicators. Further, in the article, a color diagram is shown, which shows the share distribution, that is, the percentage of damage to the structural elements of centrifugal pumps. To improve the reliability and efficiency of operation of centrifugal pumps, the article discusses in detail two ways to solve this task. The first way to solve the problem is the development and manufacture of new, namely more advanced pumps in design, which most often requires significant financial costs, and the second way was noted the modernization of already functioning equipment, which allows you to reduce your own costs and thereby ensure the implementation of energy saving programs. Based on the analysis and the examples considered, it is concluded that an increase in the performance of centrifugal pumps can lead to a significant improvement in efficiency and cost reduction. Keywords: centrifugal pump, productivity, performance indicators, optimization, materials, control.

EFFICIENCY OF PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT: ANALYSIS AND PROSPECTS

In 2022, the magnitude of investments in Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) within the infrastructure sector demonstrated a gradual resurgence. Beyond the well-established practice of attracting significant PPP investments in developed nations, there has been a notable increase in the engagement of middle-income countries in the utilization of public-private collaborative mechanisms for the advancement of their infrastructure. Among the sectors, transportation, and communications have consistently maintained a prominent position in terms of both investment influx and the quantity of successfully executed infrastructure projects on a global scale. Quantitative performance indicators within the sphere of PPP projects, encompassing metrics such as the count, monetary volume, and the proportion of different agreement types, manifest encouraging trends in the execution of infrastructure PPP initiatives. Conversely, the qualitative outcomes of this investigation reveal a spectrum of issues that are intrinsically linked to CSFs. These CSFs represent the principal benchmarks that exert a direct influence on the efficiency of PPP projects concerning their established objectives, processes, and management framework. The research undertaken by the authors has successfully identified a range of disparities in the challenges faced during the implementation of PPP projects across diverse nations, notwithstanding the similarity in the underlying mechanisms of cooperation.

Pragmatic Evaluation of Health Monitoring & Analysis Models from an Empirical Perspective

Implementing and deploying several linked modules that can conduct real-time analysis and recommendation of patient datasets is necessary for designing health monitoring and analysis models. These databases include, but are not limited to, blood test results, computer tomography (CT) scans, MRI scans, PET scans, and other imaging tests. A combination of signal processing and image processing methods are used to process them. These methods include data collection, pre-processing, feature extraction and selection, classification, and context-specific post-processing. Researchers have put forward a variety of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) techniques to carry out these tasks, which help with the high-accuracy categorization of these datasets. However, the internal operational features and the quantitative and qualitative performance indicators of each of these models differ. These models also demonstrate various functional subtleties, contextual benefits, application-specific constraints, and deployment-specific future research directions. It is difficult for researchers to pinpoint models that perform well for their application-specific use cases because of the vast range of performance. In order to reduce this uncertainty, this paper discusses a review of several Health Monitoring & Analysis Models in terms of their internal operational features & performance measurements. Readers will be able to recognise models that are appropriate for their application-specific use cases based on this discussion. When compared to other models, it was shown that Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), Masked Region CNN (MRCNN), Recurrent NN (RNN), Q-Learning, and Reinforcement learning models had greater analytical performance. They are hence suitable for clinical use cases. These models' worse scaling performance is a result of their increased complexity and higher implementation costs. This paper compares evaluated models in terms of accuracy, computational latency, deployment complexity, scalability, and deployment cost metrics to analyse such scenarios. This comparison will help users choose the best models for their performance-specific use cases. In this article, a new Health Monitoring Metric (HMM), which integrates many performance indicators to identify the best-performing models under various real-time patient settings, is reviewed to make the process of model selection even easier for real-time scenarios.

Microbial Conversion of Cheese Whey to Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) via Statistically Optimized Cultures

The intended circular economy for plastics envisages that they will be partially replaced by bio-based polymers in the future. In this work, the natural polyester polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) was produced by Azohydromonas lata using cheese whey (CW) as a low-cost substrate. Initially, CW was evaluated as the sole carbon source for PHB production; it was found to be efficient and comparable to PHB production with pure sugars, such as saccharose or glucose, even when mild (with dilute acid) hydrolysis of cheese whey was performed instead of enzymatic hydrolysis. An additional series of experiments was statistically designed using the Taguchi method, and a dual optimization approach was applied to maximize the intracellular biopolymer content (%PHB, selected as a quantitative key performance indicator, KPI) and the weight average molecular weight of PHB (Mw, set as a qualitative KPI). Two different sets of conditions for the values of the selected bioprocess parameters were identified: (1) a carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (C/N) of 10 w/w, a carbon-to-phosphorous ratio (C/P) of 1.9 w/w, a dissolved oxygen concentration (DO) of 20%, and a residence time in the stationary phase (RT) of 1 h, resulting in the maximum %PHB (61.66% w/w), and (2) a C/N of 13.3 w/w, a C/P of 5 w/w, a DO of 20%, and a RT of 1 h, leading to the maximum Mw (900 kDa). A final sensitivity analysis confirmed that DO was the most significant parameter for %PHB, whereas C/N was the most important parameter for Mw.

Governance in regional sports organisations: An analysis of the Catalan sports federations

In recent decades there has been an increasing concern among stakeholders surrounding sport organisations regarding the implementation of governance principles and processes. It is believed that these can help them to overcome sustainability problems and to promote organisational success. This research aims to analyse the governance of Catalan sports federations (CSFs), an area that has not been analysed to date. The study, based on previous approaches in the sport management literature, proposes a model to measure three dimensions considered key to good governance in sport organisations: democracy and participation, ethics and integrity, and accountability and transparency, which are measured by quantitative performance indicators. 38 CSFs were assessed, and the results showed considerable room for improvement with respect to metrics in divergent areas of organisational governance. Six clusters were determined using the Hierarchical Ascending Classification, and statistical correlations were also found between the dimensions analysed and the size of the organisations. In addition to the interest for stakeholders in the context of Catalonia, the authors believe that this research supports recent calls for good governance in sport and can serve as a foothold for scholars to investigate other contexts.

50W급 산업용 무선 충전 LED 조명등 개발

In this study, a 50W class industrial wireless charging LED lamp capable of wireless charging was developed. The LED battery pack was charged by a push-pull DC-DC converter, and the transmission-receiving coils for wireless charging adopted a magnetic flux concentrating type. Magnetic flux distribution and magnetic flux direction were analyzed by MAXWELL, and a transmission-receiving coils were manufactured according to the designed the turns ratio. The validity of this study was verified by six quantitative performance indicators by a 50W class wireless charging LED lighting test set. As a result of the verification, the light efficacy of the LED lamp was 126lm/W, the power conversion efficiency was over 90%, and the WPT efficiency was over 85% under the 6mm air gap condition. Since the working environment of industrial LED lamp is poor, it must be resistant to waterproofing, and the developed system satisfies the waterproof standard of IP X5. The output voltage ripple was 4.55%, and it was possible to supply stable DC voltage to LED lamp. The 50W wireless charging LED light developed as a result of this study can be used not only for industrial LED work lights but also for indoor and outdoor lighting, and when LEDs of various colors are applied, it is expected to be applied as landscape lighting.

Trends in private sector engagement with biodiversity: EU listed companies' disclosure and indicators

The EU biodiversity strategy highlights the relevance of the private sector and its prominent role as potential degrader and as protector of biodiversity. However, the topic of biodiversity seems to be downplayed and disregarded by most companies, and the potential proxies leading them to report on the matter are not yet clear.This exploratory paper aims at assessing the companies' actual engagement with the EU biodiversity strategy, and the factors influencing the relevance and quality of their disclosure indicators. To that purpose, 170 listed companies from the 5 biggest economies in the EU have been studied after their reporting indicators on biodiversity in 2018 and 2021, focusing on country, sector and impact intensity as potential drivers, as well as on the changes in reporting and indicators between those years.Our findings highlight an increased but heterogeneous engagement with biodiversity among EU listed companies, with limited relevance given by the companies to standard and quantitative performance indicators, and a strong influence on reporting of factors such as the companies' country of origin, and the companies' sector/activity. All of which suggests different approaches to biodiversity within the private sector and insufficient corporate action to meet the EU biodiversity strategy goals.

Application of Exploration of Geometry Shapes with Various Media to Improve Learning Outcomes Masjid Raya Islamic Kindergarten students

The goal to be achieved in this research is to improve the learning outcomes of Islamic Kindergarten students at the Grand Mosque by exploring geometric shapes. The research will be conducted in two cycles in August 2021 and September 2021. The research tool uses Learning Outcomes tables and Observation tables. The learning achievement table is used to record quantitative data on student learning outcomes before and after the cycle. Observation sheets are used to record qualitative data in the form of observations of student participation in learning activities before and after the cycle. Data analysis used descriptive analysis techniques. Quantitative data in the Learning Outcomes table is processed using percentage analysis. Qualitative data from the observation table, categorized according to the aspects that are used as the focus of analysis. Quantitative and qualitative data are then linked as a basis for describing the successful application of various learning media which is marked by an increase in learning outcomes of geometric shapes and in line with changes in engagement (student behavior in the classroom). Quantitative data collection standard performance indicators show that students in the above categories are getting more and more geometric shape learning outcomes, indicating an increase in learning quality standards. Performance indicators from qualitative data determined that increased student engagement and positive attitudes, both qualitatively and quantitatively, were indicators of increased active learning from cycle to cycle. The results showed that student learning outcomes increased from cycle to cycle. The standard of student engagement increases each cycle along with the increase in student learning outcomes. This was marked by an increase in the percentage of student learning outcomes that obtained criteria scores 4 and 5. After the first cycle it rose very sharply, students who scored 4 and 5 reached 2.6 % ( 9 children) and 24 % ( 8 children) at the time before cycle. A score of 5 was 7 people ( 21 %), who got a score of 4 were 9 students (2 6 %) and who got a score of 3 were 18 students (53 %) in cycle I and increased to as many as 25 students got a score of 5 ( 74 %) ) and as many as 9 students get a score of 4 (2 6 %) in cycle II

Стратегическое развитие сельского хозяйства в регионе: программно-целевой метод

Abstract. The purpose of the article is to develop a modular universal program for the development of agriculture in the region, taking into account global trends in the development of agriculture, demographic processes, achievements in the field of science, the need to provide food to the population. The authors analyzed the global situation of the development of the agro-industrial complex and agriculture, took into account the peculiarities of production and subsequent export of agricultural products in a particular region. Methods. The program-target method was chosen as the main one, which was later disclosed from the standpoint of measures and performance indicators that can be used to guide the formation of the program. The authors relied on the research of foreign and domestic scientists, world centers for research on agriculture and nutrition, statistical data, reviews and analytical reports of authorities and universities. The scientific novelty lies not only in the justification of specific methods of implementing state policy in the field of agriculture, but also takes into account import substitution programs, the development of robotics, the need for a clear definition of quantitative performance indicators. The proposed program has been developed taking into account the binding to specific territories and implementation tools, that is, the fact of the need for zoning has been taken into account. Results. A universal modular program is presented, which can be used in the practice of strategic planning of the region, taking into account the specifics of the development of the agro-industrial complex, existing infrastructure and investment projects. The industrial region (Sverdlovsk region) was chosen as the research site for the article. The authors limit themselves to pointing out measures and performance indicators, without touching on financial issues due to market instability. Also, the issue of developing mechanisms for subsidizing and co-financing was not considered, since they are already, as a rule, established in the practice of the regions and fixed at the level of legislation.

Оценка эффективности моделей органа опеки и попечительства в отношении несовершеннолетних с позиции удовлетворенности ими специалистов

<p><span lang="EN-US">As part of the development of the Concept of Improving the activities of Guardianship and Guardianship Authorities (OOiP), a study was conducted on the effectiveness of various OOiP models, which differ in which organizations the half of the OOiP are raised. The standard approach of comparing quantitative performance indicators cannot be used due to similar values. Therefore, the option of evaluating the effectiveness was chosen by measuring the satisfaction of OOiP specialists with the management system and working conditions. The issue of the specifics of work in remote and hard-to-reach areas is considered separately. The article discusses the socio-psychological factors affecting job satisfaction and management. The analysis showed that none of the existing models is currently a reference. However, according to the degree of satisfaction, it can be assumed that the main model of the OOiP should be regional at its core. Thanks to this, issues of uniformity of work algorithms, raising the status of a specialist of the guardianship and guardianship authority, and so on are solved. At the same time, part of the powers can be transferred to municipalities, which will allow using local resources and the interest of the local administration, and organizing closer interdepartmental interaction at the municipal level.</span></p>

Energy Consumption Optimization of an IoT Monitoring Center Based on a Max-Min Ant Colony Algorithm

As a result of the green IoT, application layer users are increasingly seeking more services, and it is particularly important to reduce the energy consumption of an IoT monitoring center while ensuring service reliability. In this paper, the max-min ant colony algorithm is proposed to effectively solve the problems of user service reliability and energy consumption optimization of an IoT monitoring center. First, the service reliability of the application layer users is modeled based on a Markov chain, and the quantitative reliability performance indicators are given. Second, an optimization model between the user service reliability and the energy consumption of an IoT monitoring center is established. Finally, the optimization problem is solved based on the improved max-min ant system. Simulation experimental results show that compared with the improved FFD algorithm, the average power consumption of the max-min ant colony algorithm can be reduced by up to 7.14%.

Salient Insights on the Performance of EU Member States on the Road towards an Energy-Efficient Future

Energy efficiency plays an important role in energy systems all over the world, representing the most available and cheapest source of energy. Progress in energy efficiency translates into reduced consumption, reduced dependency on external suppliers of fossil fuels, mitigation of climate change, and improvement of quality of life. Given its tremendous importance for energy systems and national economies, this paper aims to offer salient insights on the performance of the countries of the European Union (EU-27) towards an energy-efficient future, bearing in mind the quantitative milestones of sustainable development goal 7 (SDG7) of the Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations. The current research offers a new perspective and delivers a comprehensive, robust, and succinct model which provides insights on the performance of EU-27 member states based on appropriate quantitative key performance indicators related to energy efficiency. The results show that about 19% of EU-27 member states are in a leading position, while about 41% of EU-27 member states have modest performance, and about 14% are still lagging. The findings of this paper may open discussions to find better ways to valorise energy efficiency, and may offer support for legislators and other stakeholders in energy systems. Moreover, by benchmarking different types of national practices, the countries which are still struggling to use energy-efficiency measures may find suitable ways to accelerate transition to a more energy-efficient future.

Application of Scheduling Techniques for Load-Shifting in Smart Homes with Renewable-Energy-Sources Integration

The general context of this proposal is represented by the energy-efficient smart home that integrates renewable energy sources such as photovoltaic panels. The objective of this article is to minimize the amount of energy consumed from the national energy grid by producer-consumers of energy from renewable sources, in their own smart homes. In order to fulfill this goal, it was necessary to estimate the amount of renewable energy produced on the day-ahead horizon and to schedule the operation of controllable consumers in a smart home. To predict the amount of energy produced, two approaches were used: the first was based on data, and used techniques specific to artificial intelligence, more specifically, multilayer perceptron and radial-basis-function neural networks, and the second was based on models. The accuracy of the short-term prediction horizon of the techniques used was evaluated with quantitative performance indicators so that the most appropriate one in relation to the goal of the article could be selected to be used in the test scenarios. The scheduling of consumer functioning was based on their classification in relation to their ability to be controlled, and on the selection from the peer-reviewed literature of an optimization algorithm which, by load shifting from a smart home, ensured the optimal fulfillment of the objective function. The selected load-shifting algorithm was then integrated into and tested on a real database. The data used were monitored for two representative days, in terms of the amount of energy from renewable energy sources produced and consumed. The load-shifting algorithm proved its effectiveness through the results obtained and which are reported in the article.