This far-reaching resource covers a full spectrum of multi-faceted considerations critical for energy generation decision makers considering the adoption or expansion of wind power facilities. It contextualizes pivotal technical information within the real complexities of economic, environmental, practical and socio-economic parameters. This matrix of coverage includes case studies and analysis from developed and developing regions, including North America and Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle-East and Africa. Crucial issues to power generation professionals and utilities such as: capacity credits; fuel saving; intermittency; penetration limits; relative cost of electricity by generation source; growth and cost trends; incentives; and wind integration issues are addressed. Other economic issues succinctly discussed inform financial commitment to a project, including investment matrices, strategies for economic evaluations, econometrics of wind energy, cost comparisons of various investment strategies, and cost comparisons with other energy sources. Due to its encompassing scope, this reference will be of distinct interest to practicing engineers, policy and decision makers, project planners, investors and students working in the area of wind energy for power generation.

This book gives readers a practical introduction into machine learning and sensing techniques, their design and ultimately specific applications that could improve food production. It shows how these sensing and computing systems are suitable for process implementation in food factories. This book starts by giving the reader an overview of the historic structures of food manufacturing standards and how they defined today’s manufacturing. It is followed by a topical introduction for professionals in the food industries in topics such as AI, machine learning, and neural networks. It also includes an explanation of the different sensor systems and their basic principles. It shows how these sensing and computing systems are suitable for process implementation in food factories and what types of sensing systems have already been proven to deliver benefit to the food manufacturing industries. The authors also discuss issues around food safety, labelling, and traceability and how sensing and AI can help to resolve issues. They also use case studies and specific examples that can show the benefit of such technologies compared to current approaches. This book is a practical introduction and handbook for students, food engineers, technologists and process engineers on the benefits and challenges around modern manufacturing systems following Industry 4.0 approaches.

This book serves the purpose of showcasing some of the works in respect of applied research, field projects, and best practice to foster climate change adaptation across the region. Climate change is having a much greater impact in the Mediterranean than the global average. In the Paris Climate Agreement, the UN member states pledged to stop global warming at well below two degrees, if possible at 1.5 degrees. This mark, which is expected elsewhere only for 2030 to 2050, has already been reached in the region. The situation could worsen in the coming years if the global community does not limit its emissions. The above state of affairs illustrates the need for a better and more holistic understanding of how climate change affects countries in the Mediterranean region on the one hand, but also on the many problems it faces on the other, which prevent adaptation efforts. There is also a perceived need to showcase successful examples of how to duly address and manage the many social, economic, and political problems posed by climate change in the region, in order to replicate and even upscale the successful approaches used. It is against this background that the book "Climate Change in the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Region" has been produced. It contains papers prepared by scholars, practitioners, and members of governmental agencies, undertaking research and/or executing climate change projects, and working across the region.

The publication looks at innovations happening at all stages of the food value chain: from production to manufacturing and retailing. This also includes the extended value chain, for example input supply, financial services and agribusiness support services. Yields are improving and primary production is becoming more resilient as a result of digital technologies such as precision agriculture, agricultural drones, and digital farming services and marketplaces; and novel business models such as plant factories, crowdsourcing for farmers. Data and robotics help lift productivity and food safety in the manufacturing process. Online grocery commerce and food delivery services are revolutionizing the way consumers purchase food. Distributed ledger technology, such as blockchain, allows making payments and tracing back food products along the chain in order to increase transparency and trust. New business models are springing up to shorten the chain by removing or shifting stages and to make it fairer and greener, stimulated by enabling technologies and changing customer behaviours. Innovations such as these are discussed and illustrated by almost 200 practical examples from 21 countries in the Asia-Pacific region, across various types of firms and commodities. By observing emerging trends and providing concrete examples, the book discusses the nature of these innovations, how they are affecting food systems and value chains, positively or negatively, and how to deal with trade-offs. It concludes with a reflection on the impacts of these innovations, the policy solutions identified, and lessons learned to future-proof the region’s food systems, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Climate Change, Community Response, and Resilience: Insight for Socio-Ecological Sustainability, Volume Six presents a fundamental theoretical framework for understanding how community resilience and risk assessment affect climate change adaptation behavior. This framework is based on a 26-chapter theoretical and empirical examination that includes pioneer projects from various regions that illustrate the relationship between theory and practice, reflect a paradigm shift in climate change, community response, and resilience, and focus on these important aspects from a sectoral perspective. Climate change, ecological consequences and resilience are then discussed in the final section. Members of the Royal Meteorological Society are eligible for a 35% discount on all Developments in Weather and Climate Science series titles. See the RMetS member dashboard for the discount code. - Provides insights into the impact of community resilience and risk assessment on climate change adaptation behavior - Examines several case studies in which local communities have used innovative methods to address climate threats - Assesses the vulnerability of households and agroecosystems to climate change and environmental degradation

This volume is the outcome of an international cooperation between 73 scientists, experts, and practitioners from many countries, disciplines, and professional areas. As a part of a series of CERES publications, the volume attempts to contribute to the scientific debate about the food–biodiversity–climate nexus by developing a comprehensive region-specific and broader global understanding of the linkages between these areas, especially in the context of Global South. Instead of providing only modern science-based solutions for the nexus related challenges, the volume covers case studies that present mixed solutions, offering the use of traditional ecological knowledge in combination with modern science for both resilience and sustainability. This is increasingly instrumental in shaping the needed response options regarding the economic, social, and environmental future of the world. Based on a multi-regional and cross-sectoral analysis, the approach consists of: assessing the different natural and anthropogenic factors currently affecting ecosystems and their services, especially the impacts of climate change; highlighting the different linkages between the state of biodiversity and food systems in many contexts and scales; and exploring the various response mechanisms to effectively manage the implications of such linkages. Most chapters provide inputs for future relevant research and policy agendas.

The Working Group II contribution to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) provides a comprehensive assessment of the scientific literature relevant to climate change impacts, adaptation and vulnerability. The report recognizes the interactions of climate, ecosystems and biodiversity, and human societies, and integrates across the natural, ecological, social and economic sciences. It emphasizes how efforts in adaptation and in reducing greenhouse gas emissions can come together in a process called climate resilient development, which enables a liveable future for biodiversity and humankind. The IPCC is the leading body for assessing climate change science. IPCC reports are produced in comprehensive, objective and transparent ways, ensuring they reflect the full range of views in the scientific literature. Novel elements include focused topical assessments, and an atlas presenting observed climate change impacts and future risks from global to regional scales. Available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.