Sector In Austria Research Articles

Scenarios on future electricity storage requirements in the Austrian electricity system with high shares of variable renewables

This paper presents three scenarios (policy, renewables and electrification and efficiency) for transitioning to a 100 % renewable electricity sector in Austria, based predominantly on wind and photovoltaics, alongside sector-specific electrification. Considering renewable expansion targets and three distinctive weather years from an overall system perspective, the core objective is to minimize variable costs of electricity storage and dispatchable power plants. The model developed determines their optimal dispatch for meeting the underlying electricity demand each hour. Within the scenarios for renewable expansion, a special focus lies on integrating short-duration (batteries), medium-duration (pumped storage hydro) and long-duration (hydrogen) energy storage. Our analysis reveals the significant impact of weather patterns on renewable electricity generation, particularly the differences between winter and summer generation quantities. This necessitates seasonal balancing and the mitigation of extremes like low wind power events, which require corresponding backup capacities. This contrast is particularly evident when comparing the years 2030–2050, wherein in the latter, certain dispatchable generators are only utilized in one of the three underlying weather years during extreme weather conditions. In our paper, we demonstrate how, especially for hydrogen production and storage, weather conditions influence production levels and the re-electrification demand. The results indicate the feasibility of achieving a fully decarbonized energy system in Austria through suitable policy measures and expanded renewable generation, with long-duration storage playing a crucial role in seasonal balance and compensating for the absence of fossil fuel generation. Strategic planning is essential to aligning the expansion of renewable energy generation with the necessary flexibility.

Navigating missions: experiences from a long-term R&I programme to transform the building sector in Austria

Abstract Mission-oriented innovation policies are increasingly recognized as an effective strategy for initiating and guiding far-reaching transition processes towards sustainability. In this article, we examine a successful early example of a national mission-oriented research and innovation (R&I) programme (Building of Tomorrow) that has had a significant impact on the building sector in Austria. The objective is to identify the factors and dynamics that contributed to the programme’s success and helped maintain its momentum over a period of more than 20 years. By successively integrating different groups of researchers and practitioners, organizing programme development as an adaptive process of co-production, and regularly ‘reinventing itself’ by shifting focus and guiding ideas, the programme sustained its mission momentum. Several insights from this case study can provide valuable guidance for organizing mission-oriented programmes, particularly by avoiding an exclusive emphasis on ‘mission orientation by design’ at the expense of processes of sense-making, emergence, and reinvention.

Neither work nor leisure: temporalities and life world realities of split shift work in the Austrian care sector

ABSTRACT Employment conditions have been subject to far-reaching flexibilization and fragmentation in recent decades. One of the many ways to make labor flexibly available and cost-effective is to divide the working day using split shifts. In this qualitative study on the home care sector in Austria, we investigate the workers’ experiences of split shifts as example of fragmented work and unsocial working times. On an empirical level, the findings show that split shifts imply severe challenges for the workers. On a conceptual level, the research emphasizes the need to consider complex and subjective dimensions of time in researching working times. Our findings suggest that even seemingly clear delineations between work and non-work time are in fact fragile and ambivalent. In that sense, the interruption between the two shifts in split shift work is neither work nor real leisure.

Thermal Twin 4.0: Digital Support Tool for Optimizing Hazardous Waste Rotary Kiln Incineration Plants

The present paper focuses on developing a novel virtual representation framework for optimizing standalone hazardous waste rotary kiln incineration plants. A digital support tool can be provided to optimize the plant's waste management, operation, and maintenance by combining thermochemical-based simulation models with a fuel classification system. First of all, the virtual representation can be used to determine the waste composition of not entirely analyzed waste streams. Furthermore, the determined waste compositions of historically fed waste streams can be used to enable further advanced applications. The determined waste compositions are linked with the appropriate waste code and supplier, which first enables the monitoring of the delivered waste streams. In the case of recurring fractions, the virtual representation can be used to optimize the barrel sequence to reach homogenous waste inputs. Additionally, the plant operation can be optimized regarding stable operation conditions due to the knowledge about waste compositions of recurring fractions. The parametrization results fit very well with the comparable sensor values. Therefore, the novel virtual representation of the hazardous waste incineration plant could definitely make a reasonable contribution to optimize the efficiency of thermal waste treatment within the hazardous waste sector in Austria and Europe.Graphical

Digitizing the Austrian Universities’ ICR for an Effective Higher Education Governance

The Intellectual Capital Reports (ICR) of the Austrian Universities are a major source of data needed for the evidence-based governance of the higher education sector in Austria. However, the current information gathering processes within the Science Ministry were very time consuming and labor-intensive due to the following reasons:
 
 Out of the three sections of the ICR universities could only deliver the indicator section via digital interface.
 The performance report as well as the performance agreement monitoring chapters, which consist largely of body of texts, had to be processed manually by gathering and compiling data out of separate pdf files for each university.
 
 This impedes the effectiveness of the use of the data contained in the ICR for governance purposes.
 Additionally, creating said elements at the universities largely happens by way of a collaborative effort. At some institutions, however, the processes for an effective collaboration require immense coordination efforts as these processes provide very little digital support.
 Consequently, the Science Ministry, under involvement of the universities, decided to create a tool, which enables the universities to compile the majority of the ICR in an online database achieving the following effects:
 The universities compile the ICR in a browser-based application in one of two ways: either they use the application’s interface to compile the report elements collaboratively with clear process structures as well as comprehensive tasks and responsibilities. Alternatively, universities may copy texts from MS Word files if they have already established their own processes.
 The contents of the aforementioned sections are automatically entered into a search database that enables the Science Ministry to browse, compare and compile information either by keyword search or by exporting (sub)chapters. Search results may be grouped by single universities or groups of universities as well as the reporting year.
 Thus, accessibility of information contained in the ICRs is more easily accessible by providing tools for effective of data mining, thus conserving staff resources and therefore enhance the informed decision-making processes required for effective governance.

Short-Term Effects of the COVID-19 Outbreak on Consumer Perceptions of Local Food Consumption and the Local Agri-Food Sector in Austria

Disruptions in agri-food systems caused by crises, such as the COVID-19-pandemic, reveal the vulnerability of global food supply chains. Such crises might consequently impact consumer perceptions about the relevance of local food production and consumption. In this light, this study aims to (i) identify whether the COVID-19 outbreak led to short-term changes in perceptions about local food consumption and (ii) capture how the role of local agri-food systems is perceived in times of crisis. For the first purpose, this study analyzes two waves of survey data collected from an Austrian sample (n = 351) to compare pre-and post-COVID-19 levels of consumer values, beliefs, and attitudes towards local food. For the second purpose, the paper assesses consumer perceptions about the reliability and resilience of the local agri-food sector in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. The results reveal that while consumer perceptions driving local food consumption at an early phase of the pandemic remained stable at large, the perceived relevance of the local agri-food sector attenuated. Consumers showed strong beliefs in the local agriculture as a reliable and trustworthy partner during the pandemic guaranteeing food supply security. Based on these findings, the paper discusses how these insights into consumer perceptions in response to macro-level disruptions might help to better understand short-term demand-side implications of other forms of external crises affecting local food production and supply. Finally, the paper provides recommendations for practitioners and avenues for future research to determine implications from a long-term perspective.

The interplay between enterprise and entrepreneur in the flood risk management of small- and medium-sized enterprises in Austria

ABSTRACT Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of most economies across the globe. They are particularly vulnerable to floods because they typically have less structural adaptation measures and less resources and financial access for recovery than large companies. In SMEs, economic and personal interests in risk governance intersect, such as when business crises after flood impacts spill over to personal crises of entrepreneurs. Applying a qualitative research method comprising policy document analysis, interviews and workshops with 11 flood-affected owner-entrepreneurs and 10 local and federal experts, this article analyses SMEs in the manufacturing sector in Austria. SME vulnerability and coping capacity emerge from the close interaction of (1) the governance framework, foremost the public disaster compensation scheme; (2) enterprise-oriented factors, e.g. availability of capital, customer loyalty, labour force flexibility; and (3) entrepreneur-oriented factors, e.g. psychological resilience, social networks, political efficacy. Flood impacts may increase bankruptcy risk when coinciding with economic and personal challenges. SMEs merit special consideration in disaster risk management, therein accounting for the interplay of enterprise- and entrepreneur-oriented factors. Flood risk managers could introduce mentoring by flood-experienced entrepreneurial peers, consolidate informal local business and political networks, train risk competences of entrepreneurs and promote private insurance.

Spread and conditions of Social Innovation Research in Austria in the field of Social Sciences

This paper scrutinises the spread and the conditions of social innovation research in Austria in social sciences. Although the empirical results are inconclusive, social innovation is definitely not a marginal topic in social sciences in Austria. More than 80% of the responding social scientists deal with social innovation at different levels of intensity. It also seems that social innovation works well for the overall self-representation of the universities. The construct of social entrepreneurship has probably contributed most to anchoring the notion of social innovation in the higher education sector in Austria, especially in teaching. Although some curricula and courses are more confined to traditional business school topics, some transcend the narrow business focus towards sociological and political approaches. The academic embedding of social innovation in Austria, however, is still hampered by structural factors. Our findings show a lack of both tangible and intangible support measures.

Analysing price cointegration of sawmill by-products in the forest-based sector in Austria

Empirical analyses of interlinkages and price dependencies in the forest-based sector support the forecast of market developments and the design of efficient utilization pathways. This article aims at analysing price cointegration between roundwood (sawlogs, pulpwood), sawmill by-products (sawdust, wood chips) and wood products (pellets, particle board) in the forest-based sector in Austria. Monthly price data for the period 2005–2019 were used for the following statistical tests: (1) The Augmented-Dickey-Fuller and Zivot-Andrews unit root tests were conducted to investigate stationarity of the data; (2) The Johansen Cointegration test was pairwise applied to price time series; (3) The Granger Causality test was used for cointegrated time series to examine which one is price leading. Furthermore, sawmill by-product prices were modelled as Vector Error Correction Models (VECM) to analyse their common behaviour. The dataset was divided to a training (2005–2017) and test (2018–2019) subset to assess the prediction accuracy of the models. The training data were used to estimate a VAR model as basis for forecasts, which were compared to the test data. Results show that sawdust prices are cointegrated and thus modelled with pellet and particle board prices. In contrast, wood chips are used for several applications and thus prices are cointegrated and modelled with prices of sawlogs, pulpwood, pellets and particle board. The comparison with the test data showed that forecasts were able to predict data from 2018 to 2019 well. However, a decrease in prices, starting in 2019 and intensified by the Covid-19 pandemic, could not be fully captured by these forecasts.

Krise und neue Anforderungen. Das österreichische Hochschulregime 1920–1960 und die Kritik der frühen 1960er-Jahre

In the early 1960s, the higher education sector in Austria was in a deep crisis. Intellectuals of all colors debated intensely about the reason for this, and also what purpose higher education was to fulfill. But where did the perception of crisis come from? What happened to universities and other institutions of higher education in the years between 1920 and 1960? The article attempts to address this question holistically, that is, by understanding the period of four decades before the crisis as one of a distinct higher education regime — one that was marred by political interventions, immense social tensions, and steady decline.

The size\u2013growth relationship in the social services sector in Austria

The social services sector is among the fastest-growing industries, but it has gained little attention in the debate regarding firm growth. This article analyzes firm growth in relation to firm size using payroll expenses as our indicator for both firm growth and firm size. We apply structural equation modeling and full maximum likelihood estimation using Austrian data comprising all non-profit social service providers. After 2013, fewer firms have been entering and more have been exiting the sector; however, we find that growing in size is still not associated with higher growth rates. Our study emphasizes the role of small organizations in remaining a growth sector.

Evaluation of biomass-based production of below zero emission reducing gas for the iron and steel industry

The present paper focuses on the production of a below zero emission reducing gas for use in raw iron production. The biomass-based concept of sorption-enhanced reforming combined with oxyfuel combustion constitutes an additional opportunity for selective separation of CO2. First experimental results from the test plant at TU Wien (100 kW) have been implemented. Based on these results, it could be demonstrated that the biomass-based product gas fulfills all requirements for the use in direct reduction plants and a concept for the commercial-scale use was developed. Additionally, the profitability of the below zero emission reducing gas concept within a techno-economic assessment is investigated. The results of the techno-economic assessment show that the production of biomass-based reducing gas can compete with the conventional natural gas route, if the required oxygen is delivered by an existing air separation unit and the utilization of the separated CO2 is possible. The production costs of the biomass-based reducing gas are in the range of natural gas-based reducing gas and twice as high as the production of fossil coke in a coke oven plant. The CO2 footprint of a direct reduction plant fed with biomass-based reducing gas is more than 80% lower compared with the conventional blast furnace route and could be even more if carbon capture and utilization is applied. Therefore, the biomass-based production of reducing gas could definitely make a reasonable contribution to a reduction of fossil CO2 emissions within the iron and steel sector in Austria.

Embedding Social Innovation and Service Learning in Higher Education's Third Sector Policy Developments in Austria

Social innovation in Austrian HEIs is discussed under the headline of their “Third Mission.” The HE sector is pressured to have more and more impact on society. Internationally speaking, many countries benefit from national policies and networks in the Third Sector, but policies in Austria were initiated only recently, in 2017, on a national level. Interestingly, the service learning approach as an innovative and socially responsible teaching methodology stands out in Austrian HE. This article classifies the developments of the Third Sector in Austria in the form of a policy brief. Austria has a growing community of practice in social innovation and service learning. The article gives insight into the strategic developments in Austria and is underpinned with recommendable action to be transferred to others.

Financial crimes in the real estate sector in Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how criminals commit financial crimes in the real estate business in Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative content analysis of 100 semi-standardized expert interviews with both criminals and prevention experts and a quantitative survey of 200 compliance officers led to the identification of specific money laundering techniques in the real estate sector.FindingsReal estate companies in German-speaking countries in Europe continue to be extraordinarily suitable for money laundering and other financial crimes. In particular, they can be used for placement, layering and integration, as well as for violations of the tax code. Most importantly, however, they are vehicles for one of the very few profitable methods of laundering money.Research limitations/implicationsAs the qualitative findings are based on semi-standardized interviews, they are limited to the perspectives of 100 interviewees.Practical implicationsThe identification of gaps in existing anti-money laundering mechanisms is intended to provide compliance officers, law enforcement agencies and legislators with valuable insights into how criminals operate.Originality/valueWhile the existing literature focuses on organizations combating money laundering and on improving anti-money laundering measures, this paper describes how money launderers operate to avoid getting caught. Both prevention and criminal perspectives are taken into account.

Electricity market options for heat pumps in rural district heating networks in Austria

The integration of renewable heat sources in the electricity grid represents a challenge in the energy system due to their stochastic production character. Besides, the rural district heating sector in Austria is confronted with a large number of biomass boilers reaching the end of their lifetime and thus operating unprofitably. In this context, heat pumps have a decisive role in supporting both networks and providing flexibility. However, their implementation is not yet extended in Austria. This paper shows the potential of heat pump utilization in several concrete use cases. Results determine that heat pumps can be active players in the Austrian electricity market. Energy costs can be saved by taking advantage of low prices in the day-ahead market and additional revenues can be earned in the balancing market. Offering negative balancing energy for the automatic frequency restoration reserve (aFRR) presents a potentially interesting business case since it provides a considerable reduction in the heat generation costs. Considering the complexity and uncertainty of the future market development, awareness on the most influencing factors gains great relevance. Results show that fluctuations in the biomass price and call probabilities can affect the heat pump profitability.

PP87 Inpatient Drug Reimbursement: Approaches For A Democratic Process

IntroductionIn the context of limited healthcare resources and high healthcare expenditures, the introduction of new, cost-intensive medicines forces decision-makers to prioritize drug funding, especially in the areas of orphan diseases and oncology. In democratic societies, health policy decisions need to be evidence-based, transparent, fair, and efficient. Therefore, in some countries standardized (transparent) processes exist. In Austria, decisions on the reimbursement of new medicines have not been made for a long time. The aim of the present study was to develop different scenarios for a standardized, centralized reimbursement process for expensive hospital drugs in Austria that favors democratic decisions.MethodsA multi-stage approach was undertaken. Firstly, the reimbursement processes (only for original preparations) in Austria and other selected countries were investigated. Secondly, the strengths and weaknesses of these processes were analyzed based on predefined criteria, following the concepts of “accountability for reasonableness” (A4R) and “deliberative decision making”. Thirdly, scenarios for an Austria-wide uniform reimbursement process for hospital drugs were developed.ResultsThree scenarios were identified: (i) a reimbursement process for hospital drugs that follows the existing reimbursement process in the outpatient sector in Austria; (ii) a cooperative of decentralized Pharmaceutical and Therapeutics Committees for procurement, use, and reimbursement decisions for hospital drugs; and (iii) an adaptation of the existing reimbursement process of non-drug, highly specialized technologies to pharmaceutical interventions.ConclusionsAccording to the concepts of A4R and deliberative decision making, a transparent, evidence-based, fair, and efficient allocation of limited healthcare resources is indispensable for justifying decisions on health funding priorities in democracies. However, these criteria can be diametrically opposed. For example, methods, processes, and decisions can be evidence based, transparent, and fair, but also significantly more time consuming. Thus, a balance between the individual options for action is necessary, and priorities must be set.

Risk assessment of the low-carbon transition of Austria’s steel and electricity sectors

To limit global temperature increase below +2°C, societies need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions radically within the next few decades. Amongst other mitigation measures, this requires transforming process-emission intensive industries towards emission neutrality. One way to this end is the renewables-based electrification of industries. We present results of a recent co-production process which brought together stakeholders from industry, policy, administration and science to co-create climate-neutral transition pathways for the steel and electricity sectors in Austria. The results summarized here are the definition of reliable pathways and the identification of associated risks pertaining to pathway implementation, including a macro-economic quantification. We find that risks to implementation (barriers) are at least as important as risks of implementation (negative consequences). From the quantitative analysis we find that, provided that barriers can be reduced, macroeconomic costs of the transition are only moderate and that stakeholders might overestimate risks, when neglecting economy-wide feedbacks.

A relational perspective on the dynamics of the organic sector in Austria, Italy, and France

Despite a common legal framework at EU-level, organic farming has developed differently in Member States. Previous analyses showed the influence of various factors on the development of the organic sector, including public policies, discourses, and marketing channels. Building on a relational perspective, we propose a conceptual framework that provides a situated understanding of national trajectories. We argue that the organic sector emerges based on relations between organic actors, policymakers, mainstream farmers associations, advocacy groups, and actors along the food chain. Based on these relations, we analyse the development of the organic sector in Austria, Italy, and France. We show that its dynamics result from a complex and evolving intertwining of relations over time. These dynamics are unpredictable, as they depend on whether and how actors can build and maintain relations between organic agriculture and broader issues in the agrifood system, such as the maintenance of family farms, environmental protection, gastronomic heritage, fairness in the food chain, or export promotion. The relational perspective highlights the historicity of relations, as well as the extent to which relations are influenced by the temporal and the spatial context. By framing the agrifood system as an ensemble of emergent social practices rather than a field of invariant logic and automatic unfoldings, the relational perspective emphasises the importance of seizing windows of opportunity, and the role of creativity in actions.

CO2 taxes, equity and the double dividend – Macroeconomic model simulations for Austria

This paper investigates the impacts of CO2 tax schemes on CO2 emissions, equity and macroeconomic indicators in Austria with the macroeconomic model DYNK[AUT]. Our scenarios focus on non-ETS CO2 emissions and comprise different tax rates and revenue recycling options (lower labor taxes, lower VAT and lump sum payments). The short-term comparative scenario analysis indicates that CO2 taxes without recycling lead to significant CO2 emission reductions at moderate economic costs. Equity impacts on households depend on the indicator used but can be regressive without recycling. Most recycling schemes can achieve a double dividend, i.e. emission reductions and increases in GDP. Lump sum payments are less efficient than reducing the VAT or labor taxes. Equity impacts are progressive with lump sum payments, rather proportional with lower VAT and regressive with lower labor taxes. A combination of recycling schemes and/or a restriction of lump sum payments to lower income households can minimize the trade-off between equity and efficiency. Our simulations suggest that well-designed CO2 tax schemes could be a crucial and socially acceptable element within a comprehensive policy package to achieve GHG emission targets for non-ETS sectors in Austria.

Alien Species and Human Health: Austrian Stakeholder Perspective on Challenges and Solutions.

No saturation in the introduction, acceleration of spread and the increasing impacts of alien species are a characteristic feature of the Anthropocene. Concomitantly, alien species affecting human health are supposed to increase, mainly due to increasing global trade and climate change. In this study, we assess challenges and solutions posed by such species to the public health sector in Austria over the next few decades. We did so using an online questionnaire circulated to 131 experts and stakeholders working on human health and biological invasions, supplemented by in-depth interviews with eleven selected experts. Results from the online survey and in-depth interviews largely support and complement each other. Experts and stakeholders suggest that (i) the allergenic Ambrosia artemisiifolia (common ragweed), the photodermatoxic Heracleum mantegazzianum (giant hogweed), and vectors of diseases such as Aedes albopictus (Asian tiger mosquito) are considered the alien species posing the most severe challenges; (ii) challenges are expected to increase in the next few decades and awareness in the public health sector is not sufficient; (iii) effective and efficient solutions are mainly related to prevention. Specific solutions include pathway management of introduction and spread by monitoring and controlling established populations of ragweed, hogweed and mosquitos.