The impact of the EU ETS on the sectoral innovation system for power generation technologies – Findings for Germany

This paper provides an overview of early changes in the sectoral innovation system for power generation technologies which have been triggered by the European Emission Trading System (EU ETS). Based on a broad definition of the sector, our research analyses the impact of the EU ETS on the four building blocks ‘knowledge and technologies’, ‘actors and networks’, ‘institutions’, and ‘demand’ by combining two streams of literature, namely systems of innovation and environmental economics. Our analysis for Germany is based on 42 exploratory interviews with experts in the field of the EU ETS, the power sector, and technological innovation. We find that the EU ETS mainly affects the rate and direction of technological change of power generation technologies within the large-scale, coal-based power generation technological regime, to which carbon capture technologies are added as a new technological trajectory. While this impact can be interpreted as the defensive behaviour of incumbents, the observed changes should not be underestimated. We argue that the EU ETS’ impact on corporate CO₂ culture and routines may prepare the ground for the transition to a low-carbon sectoral innovation system for power generation technologies.     

Kompetenzzentrum Wasserkraft

AktuellKelag und Rwe

Kompetenzzentrum Wasserkraft     

Age profile,personnel costs and scientific productivity at the University of Vienna

This study analyzes the age profile of scientific employees and its relation to personnel costs and scientific productivity within eight faculties at the University of Vienna. The age demography can overall be divided into two main categories: Category one faculties represent an increased number of younger aged researchers (Catholic-, Protestant Theology, Law, Economics, Information Sciences, and Medicine), category two faculties show an increased number of older aged researchers (Social Sciences, Humanities, and Science). In addition, it can be demonstrated that the personnel costs for full professors are higher within four faculties (Catholic-, Protestant Theology, Law, and Economics and Information Sciences). Inevitably, this leads to savings for habilitated and non- habilitated researchers at these faculties. The faculty of Medicine represents a well-balanced use of personnel costs. Three faculties (Social Sciences, Humanities, and Sciences) have to pay dramatically more for their older aged habilitated and non-habilitated personnel. For the entire university and two faculties, Medicine and Humanities, a positive and significant relationship between age and the average weekly teaching performance is shown. This study suggests that institutions with a high percentage of older researchers, mainly in the categories of habilitated and non- habilitated personnel, must change their policy to become more flexible and attractive for new talented young people. Due to the fact, that this cannot only be realized through the introduction of new laws, each faculty must establish a scientific plan combined with reorganizations of the personnel structure and personnel costs. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Beurteilung des Präoxydationsgrades bzw. der Oxydationsstabilität pflanzlicher Öle aufgrund ihrer Benzidin- oder Anisidinzahl

Evaluation of the Degree of Preoxidation and Oxidative Stability of Vegetable Oils on the Basis of Benzidine or Anisidine Value It is known that the preoxidation of oils can be detected by a rise in benzidine value and an increase in absorbence at 232 and 268 nm. In order to determine the relationship between these values and the oxidative stability of oils, fully refined vegetable oils (soybean, sunflower, peanut and rapeseed) were oxidized such that only hydroperoxides were formed. These oils were then subjected to a second refining and finally their oxidative stability was studied using the automatic SWIFT test. It was found that a highly significant correlationship exists between the length of the SWIFT induction period and the magnitude of benzidine value as well as the UV absorbence.     

Die einzelnen Lebensmittel (Chemie, Technologie, Analytik)

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

The effect of reduced tillage agriculture on carbon dynamics in silt loam soils

Reduced tillage (RT) agriculture is an effective measure to reduce soil loss from soils susceptible to erosion in the short-term and is claimed to increase the soil organic carbon (SOC) stock. The change in distribution and total SOC stock in the 0–60 cm layer, the stratification of microbial biomass carbon (MB-C) content in the 0–40 cm layer and the carbon (C) mineralization in the upper 0–5 cm layer in silt loam soils in Western Europe with different periods of RT agriculture were evaluated. Ten fields at seven locations, representing the important RT types and maintained for a different number of years, and eight fields under conventional tillage (CT) agriculture with similar soil type and crop rotation were selected. RT agriculture resulted in a higher stratification of SOC in the soil profile than CT agriculture. However, the total SOC stock in the 0–60 cm layer was not changed, even after 20 of years RT agriculture. The MB-C was significantly higher in the 0–10 cm layer under RT agriculture, even after only 5 years, compared to CT agriculture. The higher SOC and MB-C content in the upper 0–5 cm layer of RT fields resulted in a higher C mineralization rate in undisturbed soil in the laboratory. Simulating ploughing by disturbing the soil resulted in inconsistent changes (both lower and higher) of C mineralization rates. A crop rotation with root crops, with heavy soil disturbance every 2 or 3 years at harvest, possibly limited the anticipated positive effect of RT agriculture in our research.     

Sojaproteinpräparate als Antispritzmittel für Margarine

Soy Protein Preparations as Antispattering Agents for Margarine It was found that soy protein concentrates obtained by successive extraction of ground soybeans with hexane and ethanol or with hexane alone, grinding to a particle size less than 100 μ and subsequent leaching with diluted acids at pH 4.5, are good antispattering agents. If the process is preceded by a debittering treatment of the beans with steam, products having very neutral taste are obtained. Addition of 0.2% of these concentrates to fully deaerated margarine containing 5% milk and 0.15% each of mono- plus diglycerides and lecithin, prevents spattering completely. Half-fat margarine does not spatter inspite of its high water content, if 0.1% of the concentrate is added. A disadvantage is the infection of soy protein concentrates with resistent fungus, which necessitates sterilization of the proteins at 85% C in acidic medium.