Total Economic Benefits Research Articles

A Retrospective Study on the Regional Benefits and Spillover Effects of High-Speed Broadband Networks: Evidence from German Counties

There is still hardly any empirical evidence on how divergent broadband technologies, and, by extension, bandwidth levels, influence GDP growth, or on the extent of spatial externalities at a regional level. Our study aims to assess the economic benefits of high-speed broadband networks within and across neighbouring counties in Germany. Utilizing a balanced panel dataset of 401 German counties with data from 2010-2015 as well as different panel estimation techniques, we find that the availability of high-speed broadband (which enables transfer rates of 50 Mbit/sec and higher) has a small but significant positive effect on regional GDP growth in the average German county, when compared to normal broadband availability. Furthermore, we find that broadband deployment in German counties induces substantial economic benefits in terms of direct effects and regional externalities. According to our main estimation results, an increase in bandwidth coverage of 50 Mbit/sec and higher by one percentage point induces a rise in regional GDP of 0.05%. This effect is almost doubled if we also take regional externalities into account and is of particular relevance for urban counties. Furthermore, our cost-benefit analysis suggests substantial efficiency gains, as the total economic benefits of subsidy programs to encourage broadband expansion substantially exceeded their associated costs.

Restorative Just Culture: a Study of the Practical and Economic Effects of Implementing Restorative Justice in an NHS Trust

Restorative justice is an approach that aims to replace hurt by healing in the understanding that the perpetrators of pain are also victims of the incident themselves. In 2016, Mersey Care, an NHS community and mental health trust in the Liverpool region, implemented restorative justice (or what it termed a 'Just and Learning Culture') to fundamentally change its responses to incidents, patient harm, and complaints against staff. Although qualitative benefits from this implementation seemed obvious, it was also thought relevant to identify the economic effects of restorative justice. Through interviews with Mersey Care staff and collecting data pertaining to costs, suspensions, and absenteeism, an economic model of restorative justice was created. We found that the introduction of restorative justice has coincided with many qualitative improvements for staff, such as a reduction in suspensions and dismissals, increase in the reporting of adverse events, increase in the number of staff that feel encouraged to seek support and a slowing down of the upward trend in absence due to illness. It also improved staff retention. The economic benefits of restorative justice appear significant. After corrections for inflation, acquisitions and anomalies, we found that the salary costs averaged over two fiscal years were reduced by £ 4 million per year, coinciding with the introduction of a just and learning culture in 2016. In addition, Mersey Care reaped around £ 1 million in saved legal and termination expenses. We conservatively attribute half of these savings to the introduction of a just and learning culture itself, and the other half to non-related factors. Using this assumption, we estimate the total economic benefit of restorative justice in the case of Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust to be about £ 2.5 million or approximately 1% of the total costs and 2% of the labour costs.

Air quality improvement and health benefit of PM2.5 reduction from the coal cap policy in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region, China.

Large amounts of air pollutants emitted from massive coal combustion result in the air quality deterioration and threaten public health in China. To improve air quality, the Chinese government released the coal cap policy to reduce coal consumption. So it is important and necessary to understand the possible environmental impact and relevant health benefits from the coal cap policy. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the air quality improvement and to evaluate the health benefits from the implementation of the coal cap policy, with the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region as the study area. The results showed that the emissions of SO2, NOx, CO, VOCs, PM10, and PM2.5 could be reduced by 20-40% in the BTH region in 2020 and all pollutants from industrial boilers notably decreased. Under the coal cap policy, the PM2.5 concentration in the whole region would fall by 11.27%, and the total economic benefit from health impacts could achieve 26.61 (13.29 to 39.14) billion RMB (3.9 billion USD) in the BTH region in 2020, accounting for 0.43% (0.21 to 0.63%) of regional GDP in 2013. This study demonstrated the quantification of environmental effect and health benefit from the coal cap policy, which could be used for the complete cost-benefit analysis and provide the sufficient support for policy makers to implement the coal cap policy in the BTH region and other areas of China.

Multi-Objective Hybrid WIPSO–GSA Algorithm-Based DG and Capacitor Planning for Reduction of Power Loss and Voltage Deviation in Distribution System

In electric distribution system, majority of load connected are inductive in nature and it results in increased system power loss and reduced bus voltage profile. In this study, in order to overcome these issues, optimal planning of DG and capacitor are presented by optimizing multiple objectives such as minimization of total active power loss (Plosstotal) and reduction of voltage deviation (VD). Here, a hybrid configuration of weight improved particle swarm optimization (WIPSO) and gravitational search algorithm (GSA) called hybrid WIPSO–GSA algorithm is proposed to solve the optimization problem in multi-objective problem domain. In order to solve multi-objective optimization problem, the proposed hybrid WIPSO–GSA algorithm is integrated with two components. The first component is fixed-sized archive that is responsible for storing a set of non-dominated Pareto optimal solutions and the second component is a leader selection strategy that helps to update and identify the best compromised solution from the archive. The proposed methodology is tested on standard 33-bus and Indian 85-bus distribution system. Moreover, the total economic benefit due to optimal DG and capacitor planning are established and also the superiority of the proposed technique is illustrated by comparing the results with other existing optimization techniques.

Optimal multiple installation of DG and capacitor for energy loss reduction and loadability enhancement in the radial distribution network using the hybrid WIPSO–GSA algorithm

ABSTRACTIn the electric power system, the majority of loads connected to the distribution side are inductive loads, thereby resulting in enhanced energy loss and reduced voltage stability and maximum loadability. In this study, in order to overcome these issues, optimal multiple installation of distributed generation (DG) and capacitor are presented with minimisation of total apparent power loss () taken as the main objective function. The optimal DG and capacitor planning problem are solved using a hybrid configuration of the weight improved particle swarm optimisation (WIPSO) algorithm and gravitational search algorithm (GSA) called the hybrid WIPSO–GSA algorithm. Moreover, the total economic benefit due to optimal DG and capacitor installation are also established by considering essential cost parameters for the total planning period. The proposed methodology is tested on standard 33-bus and Indian 85-bus radial distribution systems. The superiority of the proposed technique is also illustrated by comparing the results with other optimisation techniques.

Economic Evaluation of the Juvenile Drug Court/Reclaiming Futures (JDC/RF) Model.

Juvenile drug court (JDC) programs are an increasingly popular option for rehabilitating juvenile offenders with substance problems, but research has found inconsistent evidence regarding their effectiveness and economic impact. While assessing client outcomes such as reduced substance use and delinquency is necessary to gauge program effectiveness, a more comprehensive understanding of program success and sustainability can be attained by examining program costs and economic benefits. As part of the National Cross-Site Evaluation of JDC and Reclaiming Futures (RF), an economic analysis of five JDC/RF programs was conducted from a multisystem and multiagency perspective. The study highlights the direct and indirect costs of JDC/RF and the savings generated from reduced health problems, illegal activity, and missed school days. Results include the average (per participant) cost of JDC/RF, the total economic benefits per JDC/RF participant, and the net savings of JDC/RF relative to standard JDC.

Integrating ecosystem services value for sustainable land-use management in semi-arid region

Abstract In this study, an inexact multi-objective optimization model integrated with ecosystem service value was developed for supporting sustainable land-use management in Took Mu Qinqi in the northeast of Inner Mongolia Province, China. It was an attempt to incorporate ecosystem service evaluation model within a general modeling framework in typical semi-arid region. The ecosystem service value was modified according to the development of eco-environment and social economy in Took Mu Qinqi based on the study of land ecosystem service value in China. The modified ecosystem service value provided input parameters for the optimization model. The results showed that the ecosystem service value of grassland was the highest among the six land-use categories, with about 97% and 83% of the total value for East and West Took Mu Qinqi, respectively. It indicated that grassland played an important role in ecosystem service. The results also showed that the total economic benefit produced by the optimal land use pattern increased by [11.5, 12.6], [5.66, 6.36] × 1012 RMB ¥ compared with the current land-use pattern for East, West Took Mu Qinqi, respectively. The total ecosystem service value produced by the optimal land-use pattern also increased by [5.9, 9.1], [3.4, 4.5] × 1012 RMB ¥ compared with that produced by the current land-use pattern for East, West Took Mu Qinqi, respectively. It indicated that the optimal land-use pattern generated by the multi-objective model was better than the current land-use pattern either from the point of economic benefit or from the point of ecological benefit. The optimization model of land-use structure based on ecosystem service value could satisfy the social, economical, and environmental development, which provided a new way to solve the key technical problem in land-use planning in typical semi-arid region.

Economic values of a public outreach and education program for aquatic invasive species prevention

ABSTRACTAquatic invasive species (AIS) are often impossible to eradicate from an ecosystem once breeding populations are established and widely dispersed. After establishment, control programs become one of the only options available to managers. Agencies are using public outreach programs to increase public awareness and prevent new introductions. This study employed the contingent valuation method to quantify boaters’ willingness to pay (WTP) for public outreach programs. On average, Michigan boaters were willing to pay $20.68 per year for AIS-prevention education, and total economic benefits at the population level were calculated at US$16.74 million. From a cost–benefit perspective, WTP benefits far outweigh aggregated federal, state, and nonprofit costs by a wide margin. One-time exposure to AIS education materials and perception of AIS threats did not affect WTP. Long-term program impacts and the economic benefits of resulting behavior change are important areas for future research. Managerial and policy-related implications are also discussed.

The New York City Off-Hour Delivery Program: A Business and Community-Friendly Sustainability Program

The New York City Off-Hour Delivery (NYC OHD) program is the work of a private-public-academic partnership—a collaborative effort of leading private-sector groups and companies, public-sector agencies led by the New York City Department of Transportation, and research partners led by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. The efforts of this partnership have induced more than 400 commercial establishments in NYC to accept OHD without supervision. The economic benefits are considerable: the carriers have reduced operational costs and parking fines by 45 percent; the receivers enjoy more reliable deliveries, enabling them to reduce inventory levels; the truck drivers have less stress, shorter work hours, and easier deliveries and parking; the delivery trucks produce 55–67 percent less emissions than they would during regular-hour deliveries, for a net reduction of 2.5 million tons of CO2 per year; and citizens’ quality of life increases as a result of reduced conflicts between delivery trucks, cars, bicycles, and pedestrians, and through the use of low-noise delivery practices and technologies that minimize the impacts of noise. The total economic benefits exceed $20 million per year. The success of the OHD program is due largely to the policy design at its core, made possible with the behavioral microsimulation. This unique optimization-simulation system incorporates the research conducted into an operations research/management science tool that assesses the effectiveness of alternative policy designs. This enabled the successful implementation of the project within the most complex urban environment in the United States.

FLFP: A fuzzy linear fractional programming approach with double-sided fuzziness for optimal irrigation water allocation

In this study, a fuzzy linear fractional programming (FLFP) approach with double-sided fuzziness is developed for optimal irrigation water allocation under uncertainty. The FLFP model can be derived from incorporating double-sided fuzzy chance-constrained programming (DFCCP) into linear fractional programming (LFP) optimization framework. The developed model can deal with uncertainty presented as fuzziness in both right-hand and left-hand sides of constraints. Moreover, it has advantages in: (1) addressing two objectives directly without considering subjective factors, (2) effectively reflecting economic water productivity between total system economic benefit and total irrigation water use, (3) introducing the concept of confidence levels of fuzzy constraints-satisfaction under both the minimum and maximum reliabilities to generate more flexible solutions and (4) facilitating in-depth analysis of interrelationships among economic water productivity, system benefits and varying confidence levels. The model is applied to a case study of irrigation water allocation in the middle reaches of Heihe River Basin, northwest China. The optimal irrigation water allocation solutions from the FLFP model can be obtained. These results can provide decision-support when deciding on selecting reasonable irrigation water resources management and agricultural production.

ECONOMIC VALUATION OF MANGROVES FOREST RESOURCES IN REGENCY OF BANGGAI DAN BANGGAI ISLAND CENTRAL SULAWESI

This study aims to determine how big the value of the total economic benefits of mangrove forest by using the concept of economic valuation to calculate the value of the benefits of natural resources which exist in 9 District of Banggai Regency and Banggai Island Regency located in Peleng Strait Costal Area there are: District of Batui Selatan, Batui, Luwuk Timur, Lamala, Masama, Balantak, Bualemo (in Banggai Regency Area) and District of Buko and Buko Selatan (Banggai Island Regency). The research was conducted in August to November 2016, by conducting field observations and interviews directly to the community and local government. Based on the results obtained that indicate the area of mangrove forest ecosystems in Peleng Strait Costal Area with a broad ± 167 ha, have total value of economic benefits amounted Rp 26,591,841,888/year with the largest contributor to the value of benefits is from the value of indirect benefits that is the value of the benefits of mangrove forests as a buffer abrasion or sea water waves is about Rp 16.030.000.000. The total value of economic benefits can be used as a reference or basic comparison for the community and the government in determining the policy management and utilization of existing mangrove forests. Keywords: mangrove forest ecosystems, benefits value, economicvaluation

Stochastic multi-temporal optimal power flow approach for the management of grid-connected storage

Renewable energy (RE) integration into distribution grids is becoming more common in the context of the energy transition. The management of wind or solar generation due to their variability and low predictability are challenging for distribution system operators (DSOs). To that may be added uncertainties related to electric load profiles. The role of flexibility, coming from decentralised storage devices, will be important for DSOs trying to manage uncertain loads as well as high levels of RE penetration. The introduction of automation and smart metering in distribution grids allows for the optimised management of storage devices to maximise the capability of current infrastructure to integrate RE generators. These optimised management strategies can be calculated with optimal power flow algorithms. This study uses a convex relaxation of the power flow equations to expand the multi-temporal deterministic approach presented into a stochastic one. The stochastic algorithm implies the integration of a scenario tree to plan the charging and discharging schedule of batteries 1 day in advance. When comparing deterministic and stochastic operation planning strategies, the stochastic method annually increases total economic benefit by 3.1% while requiring lower annual cycling of the battery, therefore increasing battery life.

Households’ Willingness-to-Pay for Fish Product Attributes and Implications for Market Feasibility of Wastewater-Based Aquaculture Businesses in Hanoi, Vietnam

A choice experiment was used to assess households’ willingness-to-pay (WTP) for informational attributes (sources of water used to rear fish, and certification) of fish products in Hanoi, Vietnam. The study showed that households’ purchasing decisions are influenced by their access to information of food product attributes and ascribe an economic value to it. The results indicated that households are willing to pay 51% (USD 1.11 per kg) above the prevailing market price of fish for information to know if wastewater is used to rear the fish they consume. Similarly, they are willing to pay 20% above the prevailing market price of fish (USD 0.43 per kg) to know if freshwater is used as a rearing medium. It is important to note that the increased marginal WTP is for information on whether the fish they consume is raised in wastewater over freshwater. This supports the notion of households’ concern over the safety of consuming wastewater-raised fish. Households are also willing to pay 65% (USD 1.42 per kg) above the prevailing market price for certified fish. Based on the cost of fish certification and WTP estimates, we found a total economic benefit of USD 172 million for the implementation of a wastewater-raised fish business model in Hanoi. The demand for wastewater-raised fish is likely to be affected by households’ perception of certification by a trusted government agency, source of water used to raise the fish, age, income and household size.

Industrial water resources management based on violation risk analysis of the total allowable target on wastewater discharge

To improve the capabilities of conventional methodologies in facilitating industrial water allocation under uncertain conditions, an integrated approach was developed through the combination of operational research, uncertainty analysis, and violation risk analysis methods. The developed approach can (a) address complexities of industrial water resources management (IWRM) systems, (b) facilitate reflections of multiple uncertainties and risks of the system and incorporate them into a general optimization framework, and (c) manage robust actions for industrial productions in consideration of water supply capacity and wastewater discharging control. The developed method was then demonstrated in a water-stressed city (i.e., the City of Dalian), northeastern China. Three scenarios were proposed according to the city’s industrial plans. The results indicated that in the planning year of 2020 (a) the production of civilian-used steel ships and machine-made paper & paperboard would reduce significantly, (b) violation risk of chemical oxygen demand (COD) discharge under scenario 1 would be the most prominent, compared with those under scenarios 2 and 3, (c) the maximal total economic benefit under scenario 2 would be higher than the benefit under scenario 3, and (d) the production of rolling contact bearing, rail vehicles, and commercial vehicles would be promoted.

Economic evaluation of the eradication program for bovine viral diarrhea in the Swiss dairy sector

Since 2008, the Swiss veterinary service has been running a mandatory eradication program for Bovine Viral Diarrhea (BVD) that is focused on detecting and eliminating persistently infected (PI) animals. Detection was initially based on antigen testing from ear tag samples of the entire cattle population, followed by antigen testing of all newborn calves until 2012. Since then, bulk milk serology (dairy herds) and blood sample serology (beef herds) have been used for the surveillance of disease-free herds. From 2008 to 2012, the proportion of newborn PI calves decreased from 1.4% to less than 0.02%. However, this success was associated with substantial expenditures.The aim of this study was to conduct an economic evaluation of the BVD eradication program in the Swiss dairy sector. The situation before the start of the program (herd-level prevalence: 20%) served as a baseline scenario. Production models for three dairy farm types were used to estimate gross margins as well as net production losses and expenditures caused by BVD. The total economic benefit was estimated as the difference in disease costs between the baseline scenario and the implemented eradication program and was compared to the total eradication costs in a benefit-cost analysis. Data on the impact of BVD virus (BVDV) infection on animal health, fertility and production parameters were obtained empirically in a retrospective epidemiological case-control study in Swiss dairy herds and complemented by literature. Economic and additional production parameters were based on benchmarking data and published agricultural statistics. The eradication costs comprised the cumulative expenses for sampling and diagnostics. The economic model consisted of a stochastic simulation in @Risk for Excel with 20,000 iterations and was conducted for a time period of 14 years (2008–2021).The estimated annual financial losses in BVDV infected herds were CHF 85–89 per dairy cow and CHF 1337–2535 for an average farm, depending on the production type. The median net present value (NPV) was estimated at CHF 44.9 million (90% central range: CHF 13.4 million–69.4 million) and the break-even point to have been reached in 2015. Overall, the outcomes demonstrate that the Swiss BVD eradication program results in a net benefit for the dairy sector. These findings are relevant for planning similar BVD control programs in other countries.

Benefit-cost analysis of SBIRT interventions for substance using patients in emergency departments

Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) has been widely implemented as a method to address substance use disorders in general medical settings, and some evidence suggests that its use is associated with decreased societal costs. In this paper, we investigated the economic impact of SBIRT using data from Screening, Motivational Assessment, Referral, and Treatment in Emergency Departments (SMART-ED), a multisite, randomized controlled trial. Utilizing self-reported information on medical status, health services utilization, employment, and crime, we conduct a benefit-cost analysis. Findings indicate that neither of the SMART-ED interventions resulted in any significant changes to the main economic outcomes, nor had any significant impact on total economic benefit. Thus, while SBIRT interventions for substance abuse in Emergency Departments may be appealing from a clinical perspective, evidence from this economic study suggests resources could be better utilized supporting other health interventions.

VALUASI SUMBERDAYA AIR (STUDI KASUS KAWASAN MATA AIR TATANEYAN DI KELURAHAN KINILOW I, KECAMATAN TOMOHON UTARA, KOTA TOMOHON)

This study aims to determine how how big the valuations of water in the spring Tataneyan located in the Village Kinilow I, District of North Tomohon, Tomohon, by using the concept of economic valuation to calculate the value of the utilization of water resources directly or indirectly. This study was conducted from October to December 2016, using primary and secondary data with sampling technique simple random sampling method and the respondents as many as 30 people. Analysis of the data used is quantitative analysis to identify the value of the value of benefits in the area of water resources in the waters Tataneyan value direct use for domestic households and public bath are also value the presence of fish breeding and agricultural irrigation water spinach. The results showed that the area of the springs Tataneyan have a total economic benefit value of Rp. 1.586.715.372/year. By calculating the average value of the obtained surplus WTP consumers showed the overall consumer receives more benefits than the actual price that is able to pay in exploiting springs Tataneyan. The total value of economic benefits can be used as a reference for local communities in the utilization and management of water in the spring Tataneyan.Keywords : Economic Valuation, Water Resources, WTP ( Willingness to pay), Kinilow, Tomohon

Assessment of population exposure to PM2.5 for mortality in China and its public health benefit based on BenMAP

Along with the rapid socioeconomic development, air pollution in China has become a severe problem. One component of air pollution, in particular, PM2.5 has aroused wide public concern because of its high concentration. In this study, data were collected from over 900 monitoring sites of the newly constructed PM2.5 monitoring network in China. The interpolation methods were used to simulate the PM2.5 exposure level of China especially in rural areas, thus reflecting the spatial variation of PM2.5 pollution. We calculated the health benefit caused by PM2.5 in China in 2014 based on Environmental Benefits Mapping and Analysis Program (BenMAP), assuming achievement of China National Ambient Air Quality Standard (No. GB3095-2012). By reducing the annual average concentration of PM2.5 to the annual Grade II standard (35 μg/m3), the avoided deaths for cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and lung cancer could reach 89,000 (95% CI, 8000–170,000), 47,000 (95% CI, 3000–91,000) and 32,000 (95% CI, 6000–58,000) per year using long term health function, respectively. The attributable fractions of cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and lung cancer to all cause were 42%, 22% and 15%, respectively. The total economic benefits for rolling back the concentration of PM2.5 to the level of 35 μg/m3 were estimated to be 260 (95%CI: (73, 440) billion RMB and 72 (95%CI: (45, 99) billion RMB using willingness to pay (WTP) and human capital (HC) methods, respectively, which account for 0.40% (95%CI: (0.11%, 0.69%) and 0.11% (95%CI: (0.07%, 0.15%) of the total annual Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of China in 2014.

Carbon stock estimation in an unmanaged old-growth forest: a case study from a broad-leaf deciduous forest in the Northwest of Italy

SUMMARY The aim of the study was to evaluate the carbon storage capability of an unmanaged old-growth deciduous forest developing inside a Natural Reserve. Our research aims to emphasize how the conservative management, by determining the actual structure and species composition, resulted in a high carbon storage capability. The results highlight that the forest stores a large carbon amount (CTot = 418 Mg C ha-1) with the greater pool in the aboveground biomass and in the soil (42%). In particular, among the most abundant species, Populus spp. and Quercus robur are the major carbon sink of the forest, accounting for 31% and 63% of the forest aboveground biomass. In addition, the total economic benefits from carbon storage of the forest of 11 209 $ ha-1 was estimated. Thus, preserving this type of forest structure and tree species composition can ensure in the future the same forest contribution to the local carbon stock.

Economic valuation of alternative land uses in a state park

Public lands such as state parks provide numerous environmental, economic, and cultural benefits. Many of these benefits possess public goods characteristics and are not traded in market, making it difficult to incorporate them in a traditional economic analysis. Agencies responsible for managing public parks often struggle with demonstrating amenity benefits. Consequentially, many state parks in the U.S. are facing reductions in operating hours and in some cases permanent closure. Using the case of Indian Springs State park in Georgia, U.S, this study compares the economic returns of using the area as a recreation park with the alternative land use option of timber production. Lost timber sale revenues were estimated using a timber investment model. The results reveal that if only revenue and operating costs associated with the current land use (i.e., recreation) are considered, the best financial option is to utilize the area for timber production. However, the total economic benefits of using this land as a state park exceeded the operating costs of park by a factor of ten. Furthermore, the ratio ranged from 8.86 to 9.74, even when foregone opportunity costs of timber production were considered in benefit-cost analysis. These results provide further evidence of the net benefit of public recreation lands, and will help managers justify investments in operating and maintaining such resources.