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Books > Business & Economics > Industry & industrial studies > Energy industries & utilities
The absence of water supply infrastructure is a critical issue that affects the sustainability of cities in the developing world and the quality of life of millions of people living in these cities. Urban India has probably the largest concentration of people in the world lacking safe access to these infrastructures. This book is a unique study of the politics of water supply infrastructures in three metropolitan cities in contemporary India - Bangalore, Chennai and Kochi. It examines the process of change in water supply infrastructure initiated by notable Public Private Partnership's efforts in these three cities to reveal the complexity of state-society relations in India at multiple levels - at the state, city and neighbourhood levels. Using a comparative methodology, the book develops as understanding of the changes in the production of reform water policy in contemporary India and its reception at the sub-national (state) level. It goes on to examine the governance of regimes of water supply in Bangalore, Chennai and Kochi, and evaluates the role of the partnerships in reforming water supply. The book is a useful contribution to studies on Urban Development and South Asian Politics.
Water utilities worldwide lose 128 billion cubic meters annually, causing annual monetary losses estimated at USD 40 billion. Most of these losses occur in developing countries (74%). This calls for rethinking the challenges facing water utilities in developing countries, foremost of which is the assessment of water losses in intermittent supply networks. Water loss assessment methods were originally developed in continuous supply systems, and their application in intermittently operated networks (in developing countries) is hindered by the widespread use of household water tanks and unauthorised consumption. This study provides an extensive review of existing methods and (software) tools for water loss assessment. In addition, several new methods were developed, which offer improved water loss assessment in intermittent supply. As the volume of water loss varies monthly and annually according to the amount of supplied water, this study proposes procedures to normalise the volume of water loss in order to enable water utilities to monitor and benchmark their performance on water loss management. The study also developed a novel method of estimating apparent losses using routine data of WWTP inflows, enabling future real-time monitoring of losses in networks. Different methods have also been suggested to estimate the unauthorised consumption in networks. This study found that minimum night flow analysis can still be applied in intermittent supply if an area of the network is supplied for several days. Furthermore, this study concluded that water meter performance is enhanced in intermittent supply conditions. However, continuous supply in the presence of float-valves significantly reduces the accuracy of water meters. Finally, this study provides guidance and highlights several knowledge gaps in order to improve the accuracy of water loss assessment in intermittent supply. Accurate assessment of water loss is a prerequisite for reliable leakage modelling and minimisation as well as planning for, and monitoring of water loss management in distribution networks.
Regulatory Governance and Risk Management will be the first book addressing the diffusion of risk-based governance in the coal mining industry from a health and safety standpoint. More specifically, it aims to understand a puzzling phenomenon. Since the 1990s, the approach of risk-based governance has been widely adopted in almost all developed countries in Europe and commonwealth countries. It, however, has diffused much more slowly in the U.S. Using a diffusion approach and comparisons between Australia and the U.S., this book examines mechanisms that both drive and prevent the diffusion of risk-based governance in the coal mining industry. This book has two major selling points. First, this is a timely work given the Upper Big Branch coal mine explosion occurred in April, 2010. After this disaster, many asked why an enhanced level of enforcement after 2006 has not prevented catastrophic accidents from occurring and why risk-based governance, which helps other countries achieve better safety performance, has been largely ignored in the U.S. This book answers these questions and makes recommendations on how to remove barriers in moving toward risk-based governance. Second, this book is readable because it embeds theories into storytelling and gives particular emphasis on the influence of key strategic individuals.
This book presents a variety of policy adoption methods, irrigation scheduling, and design procedures in micro irrigation engineering for horticultural crops. The chapters range from policy interventions to applications of systems for different crops and under different land conditions. Compiling valuable information and research, the book is divided into three main sections: Policy Options: Drip Irrigation Among Adopters Irrigation Scheduling of Horticultural Crops Design of Drip Irrigation Systems The editors present valuable research and information on micro irrigation methods in an effort to focus on innovation and evolving new paradigms for efficient utilization of water resources. The adoption of micro irrigation systems can be a panacea for irrigation related problems and can help to increase the yield and area under cultivation, especially for small farmers without abundant technological resources. Micro Irrigation Engineering for Horticultural Crops: Policy Options, Scheduling, and Design will be valuable for agricultural engineering students, irrigation engineers, and scientists/professors in engineering.
In Kazakhstan, the oil industry plays a crucial role in its economic and political life due to the country's considerable oil revenues and accompanying conflicting interests. As an arena of political struggle, this industry provides a good test case for uncovering regime maintenance techniques. This book examines the ways in which the post-Soviet Kazakh regime has managed to sustain itself in power, and the regime maintenance techniques it has used in the process of establishing and upholding its position. It scrutinizes the tools that the Kazakh regime employed in order to bring the country's oil industry under its control and, while doing so, shifts the emphasis from the prevalent zhuz-horde, tribe, and clan-based approaches to Kazakh politics towards corporatism and patron-client mechanisms of control. Based on extensive field work in Kazakhstan and in-depth interviews with high ranking representatives of companies working in Kazakhstan's oil and gas industry, both local and foreign, the National Oil Company and its subsidiaries, government agencies, foreign diplomats, journalists and representatives of oppositional parties and NGOs, this book provides a comprehensive study of the issues of politics of oil and state-business relationships in Kazakhstan.
This comprehensive volume describes how ecosystem services-based approaches can assist in addressing major global and regional water challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and water security in the developing world, by integrating scientific knowledge from different disciplines, such as hydrological modelling, environmental economics, psychology and international law. Empirical assessments at the national, catchment and regional levels are used to critically appraise this systemic approach, and the merits and potential limitations are presented. The practicalities of this approach with regard to water resources management, nature conservation, and sustainable business practices are discussed, and the role of society in underpinning the concept of ecosystem services is explored. Presenting new insights and perspectives on how to shape future strategies, this contributory volume is a valuable reference for researchers, academics, students and policy makers, in environmental studies, hydrology, water resource management, ecology, environmental law, policy and economics, and conservation biology.
Caspian Energy Politics analyses the role of oil and gas in the development of the three main petroleum exporters in the Caspian region - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan - and how energy resources influence interactions with semi-authoritarian Russia and China. Due to volatile commodity prices and competition for the resources in and around the Caspian Sea, the governments of these petroleum-exporters face a series of difficult decisions. These governments have sought to balance short-term incentives to spend oil revenues as a means to maintain power against the need for a long-term strategy for managing these assets, choices which have further implications for how these countries align themselves internationally. By illuminating important linkages between domestic and international dynamics in these states, the book provides a fresh perspective on energy politics and the impact of petroleum on the development of the Caspian petroleum producers. Expert contributors from Central Asia and the South Caucasus and international scholars provide context-specific insights into the incentives affecting decision-makers that can provide a foundation for strategies to help the countries in the region overcome the negative effects of reliance on oil and gas. As such, the book will be a valuable tool for business actors seeking to understand the role of Chinese and Russian companies in the region, as well as local and international policymakers and non-governmental organisations.
Minnesota has a unique role in U.S. water policy. Hydrologically, it is a state with more than 12,000 lakes, an inland sea, and the headwaters of three major river systems: the St Lawrence, the Red River of the North, and the Mississippi. Institutionally, Minnesota is also unique. All U.S. states use Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) approaches to addressing impaired waters. Every TMDL requires a substantial investment of resources, including data collection, modeling, stakeholder input and analysis, a watershed management plan, as well as process and impact monitoring. Minnesota is the only state in the union that has passed legislation (the 2007 Clean Water Legacy Act) providing significant resources to support the TMDL process. The book will be an excellent guide for policymakers and decision makers who are interested in learning about alternative approaches to water management. Non-governmental organizations interested in stimulating effective water quality policy will also find this a helpful resource. Finally, there are similarities between the lessons learned in Minnesota and the goals of water policy in several other states and nations, where there are competing uses of water for households, agriculture, recreation, and navigation.
From Oil to Gas and Beyond chronicles the history of the petroleum industry in Trinidad and Tobago and appraises major policy decisions impacting its economy. The book details the macroeconomic, commercial, and technical challenges faced by Trinidad and Tobago in the monetization of its oil and gas resources over the past one hundred years. The contributors cover several topics including local content, national participation, sustainability, communication, leadership, energy diplomacy, environmental law and macroeconomic policy.
This book explores the complicated interrelationships between freshwater resources and tourism and recreation. The focus is on Australia, but comparisons with the experience of other countries are also made throughout. Yet Australia has been at the forefront of conflicts over drought and water use, particularly for irrigated agriculture, as well as of the design of policies and institutions for water policy, so there are many lessons which can be applied to other parts of the world.Thie authors examine in detail the relationships between water economics and supply, and the needs for tourism and recreation. The book discusses water use and access, and the conflict between urban and recreational demands. It considers the institutional arrangements around water and the significance of property rights, including water markets and water pricing. Theoretical and practical models for increasing collaboration and cooperation such as the use of trusts are also developed and water trusts in the USA are examined. Specific chapters highlight the role of interest groups, such as the boating industry, to influence policy thinking and the practical trade-offs between access to urban water supplies and the requirements of recreation. Tourist behavior in relation to water use and pricing is also assessed.
Benchmarking has become a key tool in the water industry to promote and achieve performance targets for utilities. The use of this tool for performance improvement through systematic search and adaptation of leading practices, has expanded globally during the past decade. Many ongoing projects worldwide aim to address different needs and objectives, in varying contexts, with outstanding results and impact. Benchmarking Water Services provides valuable information to everyone interested in benchmarking in the water industry. The text is aimed at utilities considering joining a benchmarking project, experienced practitioners in charge of organizing a benchmarking exercise, consultants, regulators and researchers. The document is presented with a clear practice oriented approach and can be used as a how-to-benchmark guide presented from different perspectives (participants, organizers, supervising bodies). Readers will gain practical insight on real life benchmarking practices and will benefit from the experiences gained in some of the leading benchmarking projects of the water industry (including the IWA-WSAA benchmarking efforts, the European Benchmarking Co-operation and the several benchmarking projects carried out in Austria and Central Europe). The manual also presents the new IWA Benchmarking Framework, which aims to harmonize the terms used to describe benchmarking and performance indicators practices in the water industry, guaranteeing a more fluent and efficient communication. This Manual of Best Practice is edited by the IWA Specialist Group on Benchmarking and Performance Assessment, and co-published by AWWA and IWA Publishing. Praise for Benchmarking Water Services: "The continual trend of conceptual to specifics throughout the book provides for an educational experience each time the book is either casually perused or carefully studied." "The authors (Cabrera, Haskins and Fritiz) diligently pursue the focus of improvement." "Benchmarking Water Services is an in depth and practical 'must have' guide for any utility currently engaged in or planning to develop a benchmarking process" - Gregory M. Baird (2012) Benchmarking: An International Journal 19:2. More information about the book can be found on the Water Wiki in an article written by the author: http://www.iwawaterwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Articles/TheNewIWABenchmarkingFramework A Spanish language version of this book is available as a free eBook: http://www.iwawaterwiki.org/xwiki/bin/view/Articles/eBookTitlesfromIWAPublishingFreetoDownload-Volume2#HBenchmarkingParaServiciosdeAgua
Gulf Oil Collectibles by Charles Whitworth covers over one hundred different categories of Gulf collectibles, containing over 500 different pictures in full color of everything from cans, signs, promotional items, and clothing, to toys and many other Gulf related items. If it's Gulf, its probably covered in this book. The values here have been established based on the author's years of collecting Gulf Oil memorabilia.
The story of the miners of Zonguldak presents a particularly graphic local lens through which to examine questions that have been of major concern to historians-most prominently, the development of the state, the emergence of capitalism, and the role of the working classes in these large processes. This book examines such major issues through the actual experiences of coal miners in the Ottoman Empire. The encounters of mine workers with state mining officials and private mine operators do not follow the expected patterns of labor-state-capital relations as predicted by the major explanatory paradigms of modernization or dependency. Indeed, as the author clearly shows, few of the outcomes are as predicted. The fate of these miners has much to offer both Ottoman and Middle East specialists as well as scholars of the developing world and, more generally, those interested in the connections between economic development and social and political change.
China's rapid economic growth has led to a huge increase in its domestic energy needs. This book provides a critical overview of how China's growing need for oil imports is shaping its international economic and diplomatic strategy and how this affects global political relations and behaviour. Part One is focused on the domestic drivers of energy policy: it provides a systematic account of recent trends in China's energy sector and assesses the context and processes of energy policy making, and concludes by showing how and why China's oil industry has spread across the world in the last fifteen years. Part Two analyses the political and foreign policy implications of this energy-driven expansion and the challenges this potentially poses for China's integration into the international system. It examines a number of factors linked to this integration in the energy field, including the unpredictabilities of internal policymaking; China's determination to promote its own critical national interests, and the general ambition of the Chinese leadership to integrate with the international system on its own terms and at its own speed. The highly topical book draws together the various dimensions of China's international energy strategy, and provides insights into the impact of this on China's growing international presence in various parts of the world.
This informative new book takes an interdisciplinary look at agricultural and food production and how new engineering practices can be used to enhance production. With contributions from international experts from India, Russia, China, Serbia, and USA, this book presents a selection of chapters on some of these emerging practices, focusing on soil and water conservation and management; agricultural processing engineering; water quality and management; emerging agricultural crops; renewable energy use in agriculture; and applications of nanotechnology in agriculture.
With a roster of international contributors, this volume offers an abundance of solutions to address agricultural water management challenges in today's water-scarce areas of the world. The authors present studies on farmer-friendly irrigation scheduling methods, model-based analysis of crop water requirements, ways to optimize surface irrigation systems, and hydraulic design and management of surface water systems. The book goes on to highlight ways to improve soil properties by taking into account spatial, temporal, and spectral variability in soil properties. The volume also covers various innovative research studies on soil and water productivity of vegetable cultivation under water-stressed areas, application of coir geotextiles, and the role of biofertilizers in controlling soil degradation and maintaining fertile topsoil. Crop management strategies to enhance the efficient use of marginal and saline lands for nonconventional crops are also discussed. The book is divided into four sections, covering: engineering interventions in irrigation management technological interventions in management of soil properties technological inventions for soil and water conservation crop management for non-conventional use This volume will serve as an invaluable resource for academicians, researchers, engineers, agronomists, extension officers, students, and farmers in the broad discipline of agricultural and biological engineering.
Modeling aspects have added a new dimension in research innovations in all branches of engineering. In the field of soil and water engineering, they are increasingly used for planning, development, and management of land and water resources, including analysis of quantity and quality parameters of surface and ground water, flood forecasting and control measures, optimum allocation and utilization of irrigation water. The application of these models saves considerable time in decision support systems and helps in conservation and optimum allocations of scarce precious natural resources.
This book analyzes the expanding oil and gas activities in the Arctic from the perspective of Sustainable Development (SD) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). The focus is on the territories of the Arctic rim where the current and future oil and gas activities in the Arctic are and will be located. The book raises a number of questions including how sustainable development has been framed in the Arctic and the interaction between indigenous peoples, governments and oil and gas companies. The book is divided into three parts. In the first part of the
book, oil and gas are approached through the concepts of
sustainable development (SD) and Corporate Social Responsibility
(CSR) together with the challenge of climate change. The second
part consists of case studies from Alaska, Canada, Norway and
Russia where the discourses on oil and gas in the Arctic are
explored and the final part of the book draws together the material
from the country studies in a comparative manner.
The potential for energy transformation from geothermal heat is limitless. For millennia natural sources of this energy, in the form of thermal springs, have been used by populations for heating, cooking and bathing. Modern-day usage has been extended to electricity generation from binary cycle power plants, heat extraction from geothermal heat pumps and use in greenhouses for industrial crop growing. Perspectives for Geothermal Energy in Europe highlights the status of geothermal energy in countries where natural sources of this energy are available. It concludes with a presentation of current geothermal policy and regulations within Europe, and discussion of how this fits in with the EU Energy and Climate Framework.Suitable for students, academics and practitioners in the fields of energy studies, geology and the earth sciences, electrical engineering and environmental economics, this book is the first comprehensive review of the practicalities of geothermal extraction and use in Europe.
The marine environment is one of our most precious yet fragile natural resources. It provides a wide range of essential goods and services, including food, regulation of climate and nutrient cycling, as well as a setting for transport, recreation and tourism. This environment is however extremely complex and very sensitive to development pressures and other forms of human influence. Planning and management of the sea are similarly complicated, reflecting intricate legal, institutional and ownerships patterns. This creates a situation where marine ecosystems are vulnerable to over-exploitation or neglect. The Ecosystem Approach to Marine Planning and Management describes how growing concern about the state of our seas is resulting in the development of new approaches to marine planning and management. For example, the United Nations Environment Programme has called for the widespread introduction of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), and the European Union has recently been consulting on a new European Maritime Policy designed to stimulate economic growth but at the same time protect the resource base. Within the United Kingdom, the 2010 Marine Act draws upon the experience of town and country planning and brings into being a new system of Marine Spatial Planning. The authors show that a common feature of all these developments is an appreciation that more integrated forms of planning and management are required for our seas and that new arrangements must draw together understanding from natural science, social science and many other perspectives. Adopting such a trans-disciplinary and holistic (or 'ecosystems') approach, the book distils the expertise of these different disciplines and seeks to promote a broader understanding of the origins and practicalities of new approaches to marine planning and management.
The author develops an economic framework for analyzing state regulation of oil and gas and concludes that existing regulations fall short of assuring optimum well spacing, production rates, use of associated gas, and exploration. Originally published in 1971.
This book traces the history and implementation of regulation programs for state crude oil production. Originally published in 1967
First Published in 2011. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Results of a comprehensive two-year study analyzing the facts and policy alternatives. Originally published in 1979.
Raymond F. Mikesell deals with sources of conflict between private foreign investors and the governments of developing countries. He concludes that government ownership and control will expand and that foreign investors are most likely to become sellers of their special services rather than remain investors who act freely for the benefit of parent companies. Originally published in 1971. |
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