Problems of Developing Countries in International Trade free essay sample

Problems of Developing Countries in International Trade Developing countries and trade Introduction: International trade is an important source of foreign income in almost all developing economies, these countries are referred to as developing due to their low GDP level and they are faced with high levels of poverty and unemployment, according to David Ricardo and Adam smith international trade plays a crucial role in the development of an economy, the Mercantile theory of development states that trade led to the wealth of nation. This paper discus the various problems that the developing countries face in international trade and their effect on the agricultural, industrial and service sectors. Some of these problems are external while others are internal problem. Some external problems include competition in the global market, tariffs and other trade barriers, required quality standards. Some internal problems include high cost of production, tariffs of inputs and   Problems faced by developing countries:There are various problems that developing countries face in international trade which will be discussed; this paper also provides possible solutions to these problems of trade. We will write a custom essay sample on Problems of Developing Countries in International Trade or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Some of the problems include trade barriers, unfavorable terms of trade, high quality standards,    Agricultural sector: A large portion of GDP in developing countries depend on agriculture, agriculture helps in providing food to the population, providing employment and surplus is exported to other countries.Foreign income highly depends on agricultural products exported and also tourism, however agriculture plays an important role in these countries in providing employment and food, there are various problems that these developing countries face in this sector and they include:   Trade barriers: High tariffs are imposed on imports in international trade; tariffs are a source of revenue to the government but at the same time they restrict the level of imports in a country, the agricultural sector in developing countries are faced with this problem because their good become more xpensive in the internal market due to imposed tariffs. The tariffs will reduce the amount demanded du e to the increase in price, therefore the agricultural sector is faced with the problem of declined demand for their products, and for this reason therefore the surplus amounts produced is not exported. Bans and quotas are also trade barriers that cause problems in internal trade, in the case of quota the developing countries are only required to export a certain quantity to country, this is a major draw back to the agricultural sector in the developing countries.High input costs: Most developing countries import inputs such as fertilizer, pesticides and oil, their cost in the internal market are usually high and some producers cannot afford these costs, for this reason therefore the cost of producing the agricultural products is usually very high making the final price for these products to be high.Therefore the high cost of inputs will lead to an increase in the cost of production, the final price of the agricultural products is usually very high and therefore less competitive in the internal market, for this reason therefore the agricultural products are usually less demanded in the internal market due to competition from more efficient producers.Oil is also a major input in pro duction in each and every sector in an economy, the developing countries in most cases will import oil from developed countries where prices fluctuate frequently, and the cost of oil will lead to an increase in the cost of production of these products leading to less competitive prices in the internal market. Subsidies:Many countries subsidize their agricultural sector in order for them to produce more, this has posed a major problem to the developing countries that cannot afford to subsidize its agricultural sector, subsidizing of agricultural production in developed countries result into a reduction in the cost of production and therefore the country demand less imports. Subsidies therefore will create problems to the agricultural sector in the developing countries; this is because the developing countries produce more at low prices that are more competitive in this market. Technology and mechanization:Developing countries import technology and machinery from the developed countri es, these machines help in increasing production and also bringing down the cost of production, however due to the high cost of these machines the developed countries prefer to use labor intensive methods of production due to high initial cost and also maintenance costs. The lack to use modern machines and technology in production lead to low levels of exports and also high costs of production, for this reason therefore the developed countries remain with the problem of underproduction and also low exports.The lack of machines that help in turning the raw materials from the agricultural sectors into finished products lead to increased disadvantages to the developing countries, most developing countries export raw materials whose prices in the international market is low, developing countries should therefore start exporting finished products from the agricultural sector rather than export raw material. Some developing countries use genetically modified plants for production, these products are more productive where the time taken to grow and also the production levels.This is a challenge to the developing countries to adopt modern technology to increase production and also reduce costs of production. Lack of product diversity: Developing countries e xport approximately the same product to the internal market, this leads to increased competition and the developed countries have power over them on deciding from which country to import from, and further the developed countries will set prices due to high competition in the global market.Product diversification means that the developing countries should not produce the same goods for exports; they should try and diversify the products they exports in order to reduce competition and therefore increase the foreign income received. This should involve the introduction of new products to be produced in the agricultural sector that are to meet the demand for consumers abroad. Unfavorable terms of trade:Terms of trade will also be a major problem to the agricultural sector, developing countries exports are mostly agricultural products and they will import machinery and oil from developed countries, this poses a major problem in the terms of trade and this finally results to trade balances because the imports have more value than the exports they produce. Lack of proper bargaining power by the developing countries lead to them experience problem in setting prices, the developed countries will give their decisions on the price they are willing to pay for the products and because the supply in the global market for these products is high the developing countries have little control over the export prices and the problem of terms of trade arises making imports expensive than the exports. Debts and balance of trade:Due to the problem of balance of trade and terms of trade the developing countries are faced with the problem of debts, developing countries face balances in trade adding to the problem of high debt levels to finance debts, for this reason therefore the developing countries may restrict imports in order to reduce the level of debts and therefore less inputs to the industries and agricultural sectors, for this reason therefore the country will not be in a position to increase production to offset the debts earlier incurred.Quality and standards: Developed countries and developing countries tradfe partners set high standards for products exported, this lead to frequent ban on products produced in developing countries, A good example is the ban on fish imported from east Africa during Idian Amin reign, the reason was because the dictator had all the disabled people thrown into lake Victoria and therefore it was unhealthy to import fish from the lake.From the above example it is clear that developing countries will ban imports due to various reasons, in the example it was evident that most fish exported from east Africa was tilap ia, tilapia fish is a glazer and fed on sea weed and not meat, however due to the act of the dictator fish imports were banned for health reasons.Other products have also been faced with the same problem, example beef from developing countries where a certain disease outbreak may result into a total ban in the exports of these products even after health checks on the slaughtered animals. This is a major draw back to the agricultural sector. Processing and transportation: Most of the agricultural products require that they are processed before being consumed, most of these products are perishable and require to enter the market within the shortest time possible, this requires that the eveloped country to device ways by which this is possible but due to security reasons some products get stale before they enter the market. For this reason therefore there is a need to process these products before they are transported. The other problem is that some products require refrigeration example flowers, vegetables and fish and due to lack of capital to purchase and maintain these machines, for this reason therefore the products are not of quality on entering the market.Poor transport and communication network in developing countries also hinders the movement of good, for this reason the surplus products produced in developed countries does not find its way into the market resulting into less products being exported, for this rea son therefore the developing country government has a role to play in ensuring supportive infrastructure exist which will aid in transportation of goods to the market.Bureaucracy in international trade: Most developing countries are faced with the problem of bureaucratic policies formed by developed countries, a country may export a certain product to a developing country but it is required to import a certain product from the developing country, these are bureaucracies that lead to trade diversion where developing countries may be forced to import good from a high cost country because it exports the products to that country.These bureaucratic policies harm the developing country agriculture sector whereby they are required to import a product from a country where it exports to its product failure to which they are denied access to the market. These bureaucratic organization also set the prices they buy the imports from the developing countries, this is amjaor draw back to the agric ultural sector in the developing country because developed countries will set prices for the goods imported from these countries and also set the prices for the inputs into the agricultural sector. Industrial sector and services: The industrial sector in developing countries is still in its initial stages of development, developing countries will protect these industries though tariffs and quotas to protect infant industries, the countries will also try to help these industries by subsidizing the products in order for them to gain competitive advantages in the internal market, there are some problems that this sector face in international trade and they include:   High cost of nputs: The industrial sector will demand inputs from foreign countries and in most cases the cost of these inputs will be very high which will make the cost of final products to be high, the industrial sector products therefore will have a higher price in the global market reducing their competitiveness in other countries, this is a disadvantage to the industrial sector.Some of these inputs include oil and oil products that lead to an increase in the cost of production if their prices are increased by o il exporting countries; the cost of production caused by high input prices is therefore a major disadvantage toward the development of the industrial sector in developing countries. However there is need for the industrial sector to adopt other alternatives as sources of energy and also substitute imported inputs with locally produced products. Technology:Developing countries fail to make a break through in science and technology, they do not undertake sufficient research for technological progress, for this reason their products do not meet the quality of the products in the international products, developing countries are highly advanced in technology and will produce high quality products that are very competitive in the market, for this reason therefore the products produced in the industrial sector does not meet the standard set by internal traders.Therefore it is evident that developing countries face challenges in the production of goods where they are required to produce hig h quality goods but they are unable to met these standards due to the lack of technology and machinery that aid in improving the quality of the good they produce. Quotas and tariffs: Developing countries will have infant industries that they protect by means of tariffs and quotas; however trade partners will be against this move and will result into an imposition on more tariffs on goods imported from such a country, this therefore leads to problems in the international market.Tariffs and quotas imposed on the imports by developing countries also pose a major problem to the industries, this is because the cost of production rises far beyond the equilibrium global market prices, the developing countries impose these tariffs to earn revenue from imports but at the same time the industries face problems. Tariffs imposed on their exported products is also a major disadvantage to the developing countries, their products become very expensive in the international market due to these tariffs leading to reduced demand for these products, this is a problem that can only be resolved through formation of trading blocks.Competition: These developing countries aim at producing good for exports but they are faced with stiff competition from other countries producing the same good, high competition leads to a reduction in the global market prices posing a threat to the industrial sectors in developing countries, high competition in the global market therefore leads to reduced earnings from exports by developing countries.High competition also occurs as a result of trading partners producing the same goods they import from the developing countries, these products are substitutes to the products imported and in order to reduce the level of imports they subsidize the production and at the same tim e impose tariffs on imports and therefore the developing countries loose the international markets they earlier acquired.Lack of product diversity: The industrial sector is also faced with the problem of the lack of diversity in the industrial products they export. This lead to increased competition which would have not been present if the countries produced many different goods for exports, for this reason therefore there is a need to diversify on the products produced by the industrial sector.Most developing countries will have industries that do not completely convert raw materials into finished products, this leads to the disadvantage that the industry receive less for exports than when it would have converted the products to their final stage, this happens however due to lack of machines and capital to undertake processing, therefore it is important that the industrial sector produces fully processed products for exports.Bureaucracies; Bureaucracies in internal trade also affec t the industrial sector where developed countries set conditions regarding trade, they require developed countries that export products in their country to import their products, for example a country that exports coffee to a developed country is required to import inputs such as fertilizers and pesticiedes from the same country leading to problems in the industrial sector. Bureaucracies also distort the free market in international trade by setting the prices for products from developing countries, therefore they determine both the input prices and the export prices in developing countries, this is major problem in the development of the industrial sector in developing countries and this is what is referred to as neocolonialism.Loans and grants from developing countries also lead to problems in international markets, developing countries may be offered a grant or a loan but with strings attached or conditions attached, they may require the developing country to purchase certain products from them or even other conditions that may hinder efficient exchange of goods in the international market, the developed country do this for their own benefits and the developing remain poor due to these problems faced in trade.Service sector: Trade involves trade in both goods and services, services include the trade in services provided by countries to other countrie s, these services in trade can for example be viewed as outsourcing services, most companies in developed countries outsource in developing countries due to low wage rates demanded, for this reason therefore there is an exchange of services for income.This sector has developed as a result of improved communication network all over the world allowing people to get employed by companies abroad, however the lack of proper communication networks in developing countries creates a major problem to this sector and there is less income sourced through these methods. Therefore one of the problems is lack of support infrastructure such as communication networks and also electricity supply in remote regions of developing countries. this hinders the development of this sector resulting to reduced income from this sector.The other problem is the high income taxes imposed on this type of sourcing, most countries will demand revenue from firms in this sector which makes it difficult for the sector to develop, as a result this sector remains underdeveloped to its full potential due to high tax imposed on income. Despite the high foreign income potential in this sector the developing countries have not focused on its development, according to the various trade theories the free movemtn of goods and services between countries will esult to equalization of factor incomes, however this is not the case and the developing countries still remain low income countries where labor is cheap and capital is far much expensive. There are inputs for this sector such as computers and other machines that are imported from developing countries, they are very expensive and developing countries will impose taxes on these products making them very expensive, the high cost of inputs results into high cost of production and therefore they are less competitive in the global market.Bureaucratic organizations also affect nthe service sector in developing countries, certain conditions put in place by developed countries hinder the proper running of the service sector, conditions are put in place by these bureaucracie s that affect the service sector where the developing country must adhere to in order to participate. Possible solutions:The industrial sector and agricultural sector should adopt modern technology to help increase production and also increase efficiency, when this is done the sectors will experience scale economies and also a reduction in the costs of production, technology should be adopted in the agricultural sector where machines should be introduced to perform various tasks increasing efficiency, the other option is to introduce genetically modified plants and seeds that are more productive, when this occurs the final product prices will be very competitive in the global market.The other possible solution is through formation of trading blocks with trading partners, this will lead to opening up of trade and formation of free trade areas, and this will lead to increased specialization among countries that will aid in formation of free trade areas, specialization will result into reduced global market prices of products resulting into improved standards of living among countries.Reduced tariffs on industrial inputs will also result into an added advantage into the industrial and agricultural sector, this will make the inputs more affordable and therefore the cost of production will be reduced significantly resulting into more competitive prices in the international markets. Conclusion:From the above discussion it is clear that both the agricultural and industrial sector face major problems in international trade, some of the highlighted problems in this paper include trade barriers, lack of product diversity, quality and standards, high costs of inputs, terms of trade, lack of technological advancement and competition from other countries. The service sector also faces various problems in trade, outsourcing involves providing services to oversea companies which in turn pay for the services provided, however lack of support infrastructure results into reduced income levels in this sector which remains less developed yet the high potential for foreign income These problems can however be resolved through formation of trading blocks that will help achieve free trade among countries; this will ensure that goods and services exported are competitive in the market.Other solutions include subsidizing and protection of infant industries which will help products to b e more competitive in the international market.Other challenges faced by these developing countries include the bureaucratic policies put in place by developed countries, developing countries are required to follow conditions put in place by these copuhntries for it to continue trading with the developed countries, this is a major problem that should be eliminated to allow proper runni9ng of a free market in international trade, however this requires the developed countries to seize giving conditions to the developing countries to enable them to develop.Developing countries governments should also come up with policy measure that help in providing support infrastructure such as road networks and also communication networks, this will help improve internal problems faced by these sectors. Further improvements in policies should be aimed at reducing costs of inputs through zero tariffs on industrial and agricultural inputs imported.

Till vs. Until

Till vs. Until Till vs. Until Till vs. Until By Maeve Maddox A reader asks, Isnt the shortened version of until spelled ’til, not til or till? I know that till is a word (I worked as a grocery store cashier as a teenager), so I understand why it doesnt get flagged by spellcheck when some writers incorrectly shorten the word until as till. Many speakers believe that the till in such expressions as â€Å"Till death do us part† and â€Å"Till the end of Time† should be written ’til, as if it were a shortened version of until. In fact, till is not a shortening of until. It is a freestanding word that can be used as a preposition and as a conjunction in the same ways as until. Both words are documented with the sense of â€Å"up to the time of† as early as the 1300s. Till is more common in speech and until in writing, but both have been used interchangeably by generations of writers. Shakespeare uses both in All’s Well That Ends Well (c.1604): Go, tell the Count Rousillon, and my brother, We have caught the woodcock, and will keep him muffled Till we do hear from them. Our rash faults Make trivial price of serious things we have, Not knowing them until we know their grave. Dickens uses both till and until in Great Expectations (1861): I was not expected till to-morrow; but I had my keys, and, if Herbert were gone to bed, could get to bed myself without disturbing him. Until she opened the side entrance, I had fancied, without thinking about it, that it must necessarily be night-time. George Orwell does it in Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949): The new ration did not start till tomorrow and he had only four cigarettes left. Very likely the confessions had been rewritten and rewritten until the original facts and dates no longer had the smallest significance. The form ’til is a fairly recent invention, created by writers in the mistaken belief that spoken till is a shortening of until and should therefore be written with an apostrophe for the missing syllable un-. Bottom line: Till is a perfectly good English word. ’Til is nonstandard. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Spelling category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:The Royal Order of Adjectives Rules for Capitalization in TitlesWord Count and Book Length

Effective Advertisement English Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Effective Advertisement English Paper - Essay Example However, not every good or service is able to reach its target audience and after all be sold out. Nowadays it is not enough just to get a right idea and implement it in production process. For making your plan work there has to be a promotion, main principles of which will manage to bring your product to customer’s awareness, position it on the market and stimulate sales. Only with a help of precisely elaborated market strategy new product is able to achieve its consumers. Carefully planned advertising campaign may ensure more than fifty percent of success. Otherwise, even a first-class product with high quality and low price can be left unnoticeable by customers. That is why today companies try to advertise their goods and services as frequently and intensively as possible, influencing people’s awareness and behavior. It is fair to mention that advertising has great power, because a lot of things depend on it. Sometimes it happens that according to bad ad, product may be left unaccepted by customers. That is why it is very essential to take into careful consideration every word of slogan, every possible image, color, font, sound or character during advertising campaign. As experience shows, not all advertisements are equally effective and successful. Sometimes producing and advertising the same goods, companies achieve different outcomes. This occurs because various companies choose various marketing strategies. Some of them manage to create the right ad, which is appropriate for customers and able to attract their attention, some do not. Creation of ads requires deep analysis of advertising product and its potential consumers. Sometimes the wrong color of written slogan may make ad unprintable and unattractive, pushing the whole idea to the failure. In this respect, it is urgent to take into account all details of ad’s design, implementing main principles of marketing. For having a clear presentation about different types of ads and also for understanding how exactly flaws of advertising can spoil attitude to the product, several ads of different companies have been chosen for further research. All companies are famous retailers of furniture. The potential audience is multi-faced, mostly family people and businessmen, who can be interested in the furniture for home and office. Advertising analysis Despite advertising’s positive return, many sociologists continue to criticize it, stating that advertisements compel consumers to buy products that they do not need. In the reality advertising is everywhere and it is quit hard to avoid it. We can see it in magazines, newspapers, brochures, booklets, billboards, placards, posters. It is broadcasted on different TV channels and radio waves. It is fair to admit that advertising is so popular due to its effectiveness. Belch stated that good ad requires serious elaboration due to significant financial losses, hence â€Å"the cost of producing a TV commercial can excee d $1 million† (237). Medium expenditure of USA for advertising in newspapers equals to 20 billions of dollars and in magazines 11.7 billions of dollars. That sources of advertising yield only broadcasting television, according to the research of Percy (87). There are several purposes of advertising. First of all, with its help companies make consumers be aware of the new products or possible novelties in design or functions of the

Analyze the impact of globalization, technology, and the quest for Essay

Analyze the impact of globalization, technology, and the quest for democracy in the Middle East today - Essay Example But in this short essay I will analyze in more detail another existential problem touched upon by both of the authors in their stories, namely, the treatment of the protagonists by the society and their attitude toward the communities they live in. What makes both books similar is a wide, yet quite resembling, range of metaphysical and existential problems the supernatural events of the sci-fi storyboard are covering. The dark side of the protagonists in either Shelleys or Stevensons stories is revealed contrary to their expectations. The depth of the spiritual abyss, which protagonists of both stories found themselves in against their own will as a result of actions made in good faith, led to dire consequences and death of innocent people. Once anyone in a community takes on responsibility for breaking the worlds backbone and defying the laws of nature, the way either Victor Frankenstein in Shelleys novel or Dr. Jekyll in Stevensons novella have done, the payback comes inevitably. Mary Shelley gave her book a title that contains the name of a hero from the ancient Greek mythology as an implication to the bitter end of her story. The legend about Prometheus becomes the key note of the whole book not by chance. According to the Greek mythology, Prometheus was the divine being responsible for creation of humankind. Complying with the desire of the supreme God named Zeus Prometheus made a human being in the image of god and taught men everything he knew. But then Prometheus got corrupted by humans and betrayed Zeus who had punished mankind for their wrong-doings. Zeus took the fire away from humans as a punishment, but Prometheus defied the odds and stole the fire from Zeus to give back to the people. In turn, Zeus decided to punish Prometheus for such impudence and tied him to the mountain to make suffer eternally. Just like in the legend about Prometheus, whose ambitions

Judicial System and Application of Criminal Responsibility Essay

Judicial System and Application of Criminal Responsibility - Essay Example The main role of any judicial system is to mitigate crime, provide social control, and impose sanctions to violators of the law and to rehabilitates individuals who have violated the law. Germany Criminal Justice system The Germany criminal justice system is one of the most elaborate systems in the world due to the proper structure and the eloquent due process. The German police are the first line contact with crimes happening on the ground. Additionally, their main mandate is to detect, conduct investigations and arrest lawbreakers. After the police have made an arrest, they proceed to register the crime and embark on thorough investigations. However, in other cases, the police can conduct undercover investigation in order to detect criminal activities and gather sufficient evidence for prosecution purposes. Additionally, when they find sufficient evidence, then they hand over the case to the public prosecutions officer who is has the mandate of prosecuting the suspect on behalf of the public (Miller & Gaines, 2011). However, the prosecution must have a high degree of specificity in order to prosecute an individual according to the German laws. Additionally, the matter must be an offense against the public interest. However, when the nature of crime is minor and the prosecutor sees no ground of public prosecution, then the penal sanctions are applied that may include fines. The prosecutor can go ahead and prosecute an offender, when the crime is against the public and has sufficient evidence. However, the courts will commence proceedings after thoroughly examining the charges, the nature of crime and the degree of seriousness (Hess, Orthmann & Cho, 2012). When an individual commits a crime for instance robbery, the police conduct an intensive investigation regarding the crime before they register it and forward it to the public prosecutions officer who then evaluates the case against the evidence in order to forward it to court for proceedings to commence. How ever, the crime must cause significant harm to the public for instance robbery causes harm to the victims. When the public prosecutor forwards the case to court, the court examines the case against the evidence that the public prosecutions officer puts forward in order to establish grounds for commencing proceedings otherwise without sufficient evidence and legal grounds the court throws out the case (Cole & Smith, 2008). The public prosecutor has to follow the due process model to the letter in order to achieve successful prosecution. The first court that majorly deals with criminal cases has one professional judge specialized in criminal cases and two other lay judges. Similarly, a higher court consists of three professional judges and two other lay judges. When an individual is arraigned in court with charges of robbery, then the case may take two major directions, they court may terminate the proceeding on grounds of insufficient evidence or the case may proceed if the court est ablishes grounds for the case. At this point, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment if found guilty. The main aim of the German Judicial process is to reform the individual, protect the public from such criminal offences that the individual may commit. Additionally, the

Analysis of Energy Consumption in Ireland

Analysis of Energy Consumption in Ireland Introduction General Introduction The following chapter will introduce the dissertation topic by means of its intended goals, outline of content within each chapter and the research methodology. The research goals present the authors aims to be achieved, core objectives and hypothesis to test. The chapters shall be briefly described as to their particular topic area. Research methodology will establish the research process, planning, data collection methods utilized and finally mention limitations encountered throughout completing the dissertation. Research Goals Aim To investigate is renewable energy the way of the future, the potential of renewable energy sources and to analyse their long-term capability of meeting Irelands future energy needs. Objectives To consider past and present trends of energy consumption in Ireland. To investigate the suitability of this technology for Ireland. To evaluate the environmental advantage of using the technology. To examine in detail the practical adoption of renewable energy technology in another country. To compare traditional energy sources against renewable sources. To examine the financial implications of changing from the traditional energy supply to a more renewable supply. Hypothesis Renewable energy is a viable option for meeting energy requirements for the future of the Irish energy market. Outline of Chapters Chapter 1: This chapter introduces the dissertation and details the authors core objectives to be researched. The structure of the dissertation is briefly described, which details the key sources of information followed by a short account of the chapters to follow. Chapter 2: The dissertation begins with a short first chapter explaining what is known as renewable energy. Chapter 3: Talks about potential future energy demands. Energy trends are evaluated to prepare an estimated energy forecast for Irelands future. Chapter 4: Investigates into why a renewable energy future? The chapter deals with the rising demand and price of oil and gas. Also the concerns about climate change and Irelands commitment to the EUs Directives on the deployment of renewable energy are dealt within the chapter. Chapter 5: The chapter reviews the renewable energy options available to Ireland. The options are assessed on the extent to which they could be used in meeting future demands. Chapter 6: Examines the Governments present proposal Renewable Electricity A 2020 Vision, which is to set up an All-Island Energy Market between the Republic and Northern Ireland. The Chapter evaluates the proposal to secure future energy supply through renewable energy for the whole island. Chapter 7: This chapter considers nuclear energy through certain areas which may be beneficial or not to Ireland. Chapter 8: This is the final chapter of the dissertation where the author reaches conclusions from the research carried out to date, followed by recommendations and areas for further study. Research Methodology Research may be defined as, the systematic study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions (Concise Oxford English Dictionary 2005). This section outlines the research methods used to prepare this dissertation. The structure of this dissertation presents the findings of research, clearly identified, which was conducted by the author. Also aspects of data collection associated with problems encountered and limitations will be summarized. Research Process Preliminary research began during the Authors placement year (year 3 of BSc Construction Economics Management in Limerick Institute of Technology). As part of the year a dissertation proposal submission was required. An initial investigation on the availability of information was carried out and being satisfied that the information available was sufficient, I decided to continue with the topic. The initial sources primarily included books, Internet, papers and magazines. Research Planning For the research process consideration was given to the possible methods of approach to the actual dissertation. To carry out the research effectively and in a detailed manner a research plan and programme was established. This plan consisted of giving sufficient time for the detailed research of material both published and unpublished. From this the author got a detailed understanding of the topic and the exact focus of the dissertation was established along with the content and scope of the various chapters. After choosing the title, aim, objectives and hypothesis, a detailed plan had to be formulated to meet each objective of the dissertation. This proved vital to the success of the dissertation, given the limited time frame to review material, engender results and complete the dissertation. Due to the amount of publications and information that needed reviewing for inclusion into the dissertation file, reading and analysis was continuously ongoing. All articles of information were scanned generally to assess their suitability and all relevant information marked accordingly. All relevant information, once analysed, was categorized based on its relevance to a given chapter. Data Collection Methods In order to test the hypothesis of this dissertation effectively detailed information had to be sought on all aspects of renewable energies and the Irish energy market. The types of data used for compiling this dissertation came from both primary and secondary sources. Material from both sources was read in detail and any information relevant to any aspect of the dissertation topic was highlighted and noted. For the actual structure of the separate chapters, this information was subdivided into separate files for each proposed chapter. Primary Sources The dissertation utilized primary sources, as work contained provided accurate information. The volume of the information was obtained from Government organisations and EU reports. The up to date factor of the reports was its main advantage. Other organisations such as Sustainable Energy Ireland published reports which proved very beneficial. As the dissertation subject is topical at present, there have been many related conferences and the proceedings published. Official Government publications were helpful especially for information relating to the All Island Energy Market. Other official publications from the EU were used to gather information on EU Directives and the Kyoto Protocol. Finally structured interviews were conducted in relation to setting up and operating wind farms as the results offered accurate first hand information. Past dissertations have been utilized but for the purpose of guidance. Secondary Sources An in depth documentary review was undertaken by the author, which involved examining various sources of information for factual information. This information was taken from construction journals, textbooks, brochures and magazines. Text books were used only for background information. Magazines and national papers proved helpful in keeping up with new developments affecting the topic, for example the Budget and Government publications. As the dissertation required up to date information on the topic, a large quantity of information was obtained from the Internet. Limitations There were a number of difficulties encountered during the research of this dissertation. The main concern for the author was the realization that new information on the chosen topic was constantly being up dated with new developments. As the dissertation is somewhat based on what may happen in the future, the conclusions and recommendations are based on educated assumptions. There exists a lack of published work in relation to the All Island Energy Market, as the consultation period is still on going. Contact with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources was made with regard to the topic and all other topics relating to the dissertation. The author was informed that the most up to date information would be available in the Governments Energy White Paper 2007 Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland and that information contained within it could not be released until the Governments official launch on the 12th of March 2007. Due to time constraints the author was not able to exploit this source. Based on the limited amount of information available the author utilized a significant amount of secondary sources. Also research questionnaires had to be abandoned due to a lack of response from organisations. Although certain information available was limited, with continued research and perseverance though all possible avenues it is believed that suitable material was compiled delivering a complete dissertation on the subject matter. CHAPTER TWO What Is Renewable Energy? Introduction Renewable energy comes from energy sources that are continuously replenished by nature. They are non-fossil energy sources that are not depleted by utilization. The main sources of renewable energy are the wind, the sun (solar energy), water (hydropower, wave and tidal energy) and biomass (wood, biodegradable waste and energy crops). Renewable energy sources are those which are effectively inexhaustible (such as wind, wave, solar, hydro etc) or which are replenished at or about their rate of consumption (such as managed forests and energy crops and other forms of biomass) (Anon 2005). What are the Benefits of Renewable energy? Renewable energy resources are clean sources of energy. They can be harnessed without damaging the environment, unlike using fossil fuels which release carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) and other harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Increasing the use of renewable energy is therefore a key strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting Irelands Kyoto commitments. Renewable energy resources will not become exhausted. Unlike finite fossil fuels, renewable energy resources are continuously replenished and will not run out. Renewable energy resources are indigenous resources. Ireland is heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels. We now import around 89% of the fuels we need for energy. By tapping the renewable energy resources with which Ireland is richly endowed, we could reduce this reliance on imports. By increasing our use of renewable resources, we can achieve a more secure and stable energy supply for the long term (Sustainable Energy Ireland a). Chapter Summary Renewable energy generally refers to energy derived from non-fossil fuel resources (excluding nuclear). Renewable energy has become more popular in recent times as talks of global warming increase internationally and exhaustion of fossil fuels. Renewable energy will benefit the environment and help reduce our dependency on depleting sources of energy. CHAPTER THREE Irelands Potential Energy Needs Introduction To assess the potential of renewable sources sustaining Irelands energy needs in the future, firstly energy trends have to be evaluated to estimate the future requirements. It is impossible to know for sure what the future will hold but by reviewing different forecasts, a reasonable estimate can be made. Energy Trends Energy trends of the past fifteen years will give a good review of Irelands energy growth. It was within this time that the country experienced significant economic growth which was seen in the energy sector. The amount of energy consumed is shown through the Total Primary Energy Requirement (TPER). Total Energy Requirement (TER) figures represent the total Irish electricity generation at the plant exported level plus imports, less exports. The TER is the amount of electricity required to meet total final consumption in the Republic of Ireland including an allowance for transmission and distribution losses (Anon 2005). Figure 3.1 shows the Total Primary Energy Requirement (TPER) of the Republic of Ireland, broken down by fuel type, over the period 1990 to 2000. Estimates for the period 2001 to 2010 are also included. This figure shows that there was rapidly increasing growth in energy demands in the 90s and in particular, the mid 90s to 2000. It also shows a high dependence on the oil and gas. Energy Forecasts The Government document, All-Island Energy Market: Renewable Electricity A 2020 Vision; Preliminary Consultation Document, (Anon 2005), forecasts energy demands by firstly modifying the 2005 2011 median TER values so as to account for generation plant house load, and then determining the values for 2012 2020 at the assumed growth rates of 3% per annum between 2012 and 2015, and of 2% per annum between 2015 and 2020. This can be clearly seen in Table 3.1. These facts are based on the future for the whole island of Ireland, a joint north and south venture of meeting future energy demands and include Northern Ireland which is discussed in Chapter Six. The above forecast is not alone in believing that there will be a steady growth, although slightly less over a longer period of time. The report (Howley et al 2006) assumes electricity demand to grow significantly. Table 3.2 from the report shows the predicted growth. The prediction assumes the CO2 costs â‚ ¬15/tonne in 2010 and â‚ ¬30/tonne in 2020. Chapter Summary The past energy trends showed that there has been a constant rise in energy demand and this is reflected in the forecasts. The two different reports predicted to 2020 and show a similar prediction. It can then be assumed that to 2010 a 3.0 4.0% increase can be expected and from 2010 2020, a lesser 1.0 2.0%. The forecast for the generating fuel is predicted through past trends and present economic development, predicting oil to be eliminated by 2010 and gas to dominate. Although renewables are predicted to increase, early forecasts report they will only have a minor impact. CHAPTER FOUR Why a Renewable Energy Future? Introduction The future of Irelands energy supply is changing and it can not be stopped but we can adapt. The foremost important issue for the Government is to secure the countries future energy supply. Irelands geographical location and fuel resources means it is of critical importance that the future energy supply is secured now before it is too late. Ireland is too dependant on import fossil fuels for energy and so we need to become more independent, which renewable energy can provide. While Irelands imports of fossil fuels for energy still stand at about 85 per cent, much higher than the EU average of 50 per cent, there is a definite shift towards renewables. But there are other factors steering Ireland towards renewable sources, including EU and Kyoto responsibilities. Oil and Gas Depletion Oil and gas are a finite resource and there so going to completely run out some day. The demand for gas and in particular oil is increasing. This is mainly due to significant economic growth of China and India. The report Exxon-Mobils view of the future of oil and gas predicts demand is expected to rise through the year 2010 at a rate of about 2 per cent per year for oil and 3 per cent per year for gas (Longwell), as shown in Figure 4.1. This is leading to a rise in price, Figure 4.2, which already is affecting Ireland. As stated in the EU Green Paper in 2006, Oil and gas prices are rising. They have nearly doubled in the EU over the past two years, with electricity prices following. This is difficult for consumers. With increasing global demand for fossil fuels, stretched supply chains and increasing dependence on imports, high prices for oil and gas are probably here to stay (Anon 2006). Rising oil prices In its 2001 review BP commented The worlds oil R/P (reserve to production) ratio has fallen modestly since 1990 as world oil production growth has outpaced additions to reserves (Busby 2002). A chart in the 2001 review shows 1990 as the year when the R/P peak ratio of 44 was passed, reducing to 40 by the end of 2000. At the end of 2002 the R/P ratio had reduced further to 39, to rise to 41 at the end of 2003, dropping back to 40.5 at the end of 2004, but shown at 40.6 at the end of 2005. As production continues to rise and additions to reserves fail to match it, the ratio of oil reserves to production (R/P) will continue to decline and the price of crude oil will rise. The world gas R/P ratio in 2005 was 65.1, compared to 40.6 for oil. At 2005 production rates, gas reserves would provide a source of energy for a further 24 years after oil exhaustion. But when oil supplies starts to run out, more gas will be used as a substitute, hence increasing gas depletion. So if oil production peak is predicted at 2010, gas production peak should follow bout the year 2020. The problem starts to become apparent when you realise the decline of oil discovery, as shown in Figure 4.3. The gap between discovery and consumption is widening and this will eventually lead to oil production peaking. Chevron, one of the worlds largest oil companies, admits to the imminent peak and decline of oil. An Oil production peak before or by 2010 seems now to be generally accepted. The not so distant future of Irelands energy market will then have to contend without oil. The oil market is global where the gas market is regional and this is where Ireland could really suffer in the long term. It is predicted that gas will outlast oil but gas has to be piped and Irelands geographical location causes problems. The discovery of the Corrib gas field is potentially very important as it offers temporary relief from increasingly unreliable supplies of gas from the United Kingdom and Europe, says Colin Campbell, petroleum geologist (Campbell). In the near future with oil demand rising pushing up prices and in the distant future oil not been available, we must look to renewables now. The Corrib gas field is small and might get ten or more years out of it at the current rate of consumption but the Government should use this opportunity to draw on the gas to help support renewable energy. The Environment and EU Directive Irelands main source of energy is fossil fuels which produce vast quantities of CO2, add to climate change and which the EU intend to reduce. The emissions that are produced from burning fossil fuels are becoming more serious every year and a much discussed topic at national and international level. Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol Fossil fuels constitute a significant repository of carbon buried deep under the ground. Burning them results in the conversion of this carbon to carbon dioxide, which is then released into the atmosphere. This results in an increase in the Earths levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which enhances the greenhouse effect and contributes to global warming (Wikipedia). As was seen in Figure 4.4, fossil fuels are a major electricity fuel for Ireland. Fossil fuels, particularly coal, contain a dilute radioactive material which is released into the environment leading to low levels of radioactive contamination. Within the EU burden sharing agreement to meet its obligation under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland must stabilise its Greenhouse gas emissions at 13% above 1990 levels within the period 2008 to 2012 (Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources 1998). Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) latest Assessment Report was released on the 2nd of February 2007 in Paris. The report was produced by some 600 authors from 40 countries. According to the IPCC, the warming of the world is unequivocal, and that humans are very likely (higher than 90% likelihood) behind the warming. The key conclusions were: Possible temperature rise between 1.1C and 6.4C by 2100 Sea level most likely to rise by 18-59cm (7in-23in) Artic summer sea ice disappears in second half of century Increase in heatwaves very likely Increase in tropical storm intensity likely Considering overall greenhouse gas emissions, energy related CO2 emissions accounted for 51% in 1990 compared to a projected 66% in 2010 if we continue in the same direction. Renewable energy would dramatically reduce Irelands CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuels. This will take time, so if want to have any chance of meeting the requirements, we have to act now. EU Directive The use of renewable energy has a legislative basis in the EU under Directive (2001/77/EC). The Directive asserts the European Countries need to promote renewables to contribute to: †¦environmental protection and sustainable development. In addition this can also create local employment, have a positive impact on social cohesion, contribute to security of supply and make it possible to meet Kyoto targets more quickly'(Anon 2005). The directive forces Ireland to have an output of renewable powered electricity to 13.2% of total electricity consumed in Ireland by 2010. But the Government is hoping to have it up to 15% by 2010 through the Renewable energy Feed In Tariff (ReFIT) programme. The new Renewable energy Feed in Tariff (ReFIT) programme replaces the Governments previous support mechanism, the Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) programme and provides financial support of â‚ ¬119m to renewable energy projects over a fifteen year period The ReFIT programme will support the construction of an initial target of at least 400 megawatts (MW) of new renewable energy powered electricity generating plants. Its main aim is to increase the contribution of renewable energy sources to electricity production. The ReFIT programme will help make renewable energy competitive and is a move closer to reaching the Kyoto Protocol and the EU directive. Failure to meet the Kyoto Protocol and EU Directive (2001/77/EC) will have serious financial implications. On April 4th 2006 the European Commission launched legal proceedings against Ireland, for failing to meet the deadline of October 2003 for taking the necessary measures to transpose Community legislation on renewable electricity into national law. Ireland is now under pressure to act on renewable energy. Future Policies EU Leaders decided on Friday 9th of March 2007 to slash greenhouse gas emissions, which included a binding target for renewable sources to make up a fifth of EU energy use by 2020. The leaders committed to a target of reducing EU greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 and offered to go to 30 per cent if major nations such as the United States, Russia, China and India follow suit. According to a draft agreement, the EU will aim to go even further in the future, with cuts of 60 to 80 per cent by 2050. Reports of drastic future climate change in the wake of the IPCCs recent assessment, talk of a post Kyoto agreement is been debated. The recent EU summit outcome of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent will form the basis of the EUs position in international talks to replace the U.N. Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. Whatever it may be called, it will aim to severely reduce Greenhouse Gases to coincide with Global Warming reports. Either way it will mean a serious change for Governments and society. Chapter Summary The demand for gas and in particular oil is increasing largely due to the economic growth of China and India. The reserves at the moment show gas will outlast oil. Oil production is predicted to peak around 2010 but as oil resources decrease, demand for gas will increase to make up the slack which will result in gas production peaking sooner rather than later. The large growth in demand at present is increasing prices and with talk of oil production peaking and the politically unstable situation in the Middle East, prices look set to continue escalating. Renewable energy can help Ireland reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels. Irelands main energy source, fossil fuels, is seriously damaging the environment and the main cause of Global Warming. The Kyoto Protocol requires Ireland to reduce its CO2 emissions. Under EU legislation Ireland must increase the use of renewable energy to 13.2% of all electricity produced but the Government are aiming for 15% with the announcement of the ReFIT programme. The programme will help meet Kyoto and EU obligations. Recent announcement from the EU requires 20% of the EUs electricity generation mix be from renewable sources by 2020. This ambitious target will require serious consideration from the Government. CHAPTER FIVE The Renewable Energy Options for the Future Introduction To meet the future energy demands, the Government will have to put a lot more work into developing renewable sources of energy. The positive from this, is Ireland has vast potential for renewable energy production, especially wind. Although the Government are starting to take more notice of renewable energy technology. Within Budget 2007 Brian Cowan stated scheme of tax relief in place in the form of a deduction from a companys profits for corporate investment in renewable energy products in the solar, wind, hydro or biomass technology categories, shall be continued for a further five years, subject to EU approval (Cowan 2006). But when considering renewable energy options, it is important to realistically assess their full potential. The present renewable energy sources should be looked at in a view of their output and efficiency, then evaluate their future part in securing the countrys energy supply. Wind Power Wind power is one of the most mature renewable energy technologies to date and currently has a good record of reliability and availability. The wind resources in Ireland are among the best in the EU due to the strength of the Atlantic winds. A wind turbine in Ireland will deliver twice as much power as the same turbine in Germany. We are the envy of Europe because of our wind speeds (Seanad Éireann 2005). Wind energy has seen major advances in Ireland recently, especially in the last four years. Wind energy now has the largest installed capacity of all renewable energy technologies in Ireland (Figure 5.1). As per up to date statistics from EirGrid, there is currently a total of 744 MW worth of wind power connected to the main grid and an additional 547.3 MW worth of energy from contracted wind farms currently in production to be connected at various stages in the future. (See Appendix C and Appendix D) Renewable Connections Kinetic energy in airflows is used to run wind turbines; some are capable of producing 5 MW of power, but the most cost effective are currently 500 kW 1.5 MW. Conventional investment costs are about â‚ ¬1,100 per kW installed. Wind energy has been growing significantly over recent years and following the trend, wind power will keep going in the near future, Figure 5.2. Wind Generation since 1992 to 2007 Onshore Wind Onshore wind in Ireland is mainly concentrated on the west coast due to strong winds from the Atlantic. Wind-speed maps help decide on the locations by showing the wind potential of certain areas but sites close to the western sea shore is generally the best region, as with Tursillagh Wind Farm. (Example of Analysis of Wind Potential See Appendix E) Turbines at Tursillagh Winds in an area are often monitored for a year and detailed maps constructed prior to wind generators being installed. Coastlines tend to be the windiest sites for turbines, because a primary source of wind is convection from the differential heating and cooling of land and sea. The erection of a wind farm onshore is becoming straight forward with companies having gained much experience and knowledge. Ireland has had well developed onshore wind energy for many years and has the knowledge to develop bigger wind farms to help meet the countries energy demand. Offshore Wind The offshore electricity production in Ireland is minimal but has made a good start. Arklow Offshore Wind Power Plant is the worlds first offshore project to deploy giant wind turbines in excess of 3megawatts and is Irelands only offshore wind project. But already is showing great prospect, showing excellent reliability and availability, areas where wind power is mainly criticised. The site was chosen as tests proved to be one of the windiest areas in Europe. Offshore turbines cause less aesthetic controversy as usually can not be seen from the shore. It offers fewer obstacles and stronger winds but is also more inaccessible and the conditions are harsh, corrosive and can increase the costs of maintenance. Unlike with onshore wind farms, planning is not an issue. The biggest obstacle at present is the significant capital cost even compared to onshore wind. Irelands offshore potential is an untapped resource and must be harnessed to become a serious contributor to the Irish electricity mix. Offshore wind power generation should be recognised for what it is; Irelands best option for meeting present renewable energy and CO2 targets. Planning for the Future To promote wind as one of the major sources of electricity in the future, it can be beneficial to look at a similar EU country with a successful wind market, for example Denmark. The ESB system is comparable in size to the west Denmark Eltra system. The Transmission System Operator (TSO) in Ireland, ESB National Grid (ESB NG), has asked for a report, explaining the management of the western Danish system Eltra with a focus on handling of wind production (Hilger 2004). This shows the level of interest in the Danish system for wind. The ESB has spotted the potential of assessing Denmarks approach to wind for our own future development. Denmark has only modest wind speeds, compared to Irelands impressive wind energy potential. As can be seen in the Case Study (Appendix F), the key to Denmarks wind power success is the support from the interconnectors to other EU countries. Winds intermittence problem is compensated with bought in electricity from the Nordic power pool at the going rate. The major interest in Denmarks Eltra system for the future will come from Denmarks offshore development, in particular the Horns Rev Wind Park. The Horns Rev Wind Park is a show case of Danish initiative in the large scale promotion of renewable energy. Horns Rev is the largest offshore wind farm in the world, producing two per cent of Denmarks total energy consumption. Much can be learned from Horns Rev in planning the future of wind power generation in Ireland. The offshore turbines produce 150 per cent more electricity than land based turbines. Also Denmarks offshore areas are restricted but the Irish situation is a decentralised approach where the pick of areas is open for private initiative. The Horns Rev project was a result of fourteen years of research and initiated by the Danish Government which was the main factor for its commencement. The turbines used (Vestas V80) which can adapt the output of the turbine to suit the parameters of any electricity grid. Although a lot of p lanning and research went into Horns Rev, construction only took six months which was run through the summer months for improved weather conditions. And finally so successful was Horns Rev, an additional wind farm (Horns Rev 2) is to be built northeast of the existing farm. The new offshore wind farm and the landing facilities will be commissioned in May 2009. (See Appendix F, Case Study) Constraints of Wind P Analysis of Energy Consumption in Ireland Analysis of Energy Consumption in Ireland Introduction General Introduction The following chapter will introduce the dissertation topic by means of its intended goals, outline of content within each chapter and the research methodology. The research goals present the authors aims to be achieved, core objectives and hypothesis to test. The chapters shall be briefly described as to their particular topic area. Research methodology will establish the research process, planning, data collection methods utilized and finally mention limitations encountered throughout completing the dissertation. Research Goals Aim To investigate is renewable energy the way of the future, the potential of renewable energy sources and to analyse their long-term capability of meeting Irelands future energy needs. Objectives To consider past and present trends of energy consumption in Ireland. To investigate the suitability of this technology for Ireland. To evaluate the environmental advantage of using the technology. To examine in detail the practical adoption of renewable energy technology in another country. To compare traditional energy sources against renewable sources. To examine the financial implications of changing from the traditional energy supply to a more renewable supply. Hypothesis Renewable energy is a viable option for meeting energy requirements for the future of the Irish energy market. Outline of Chapters Chapter 1: This chapter introduces the dissertation and details the authors core objectives to be researched. The structure of the dissertation is briefly described, which details the key sources of information followed by a short account of the chapters to follow. Chapter 2: The dissertation begins with a short first chapter explaining what is known as renewable energy. Chapter 3: Talks about potential future energy demands. Energy trends are evaluated to prepare an estimated energy forecast for Irelands future. Chapter 4: Investigates into why a renewable energy future? The chapter deals with the rising demand and price of oil and gas. Also the concerns about climate change and Irelands commitment to the EUs Directives on the deployment of renewable energy are dealt within the chapter. Chapter 5: The chapter reviews the renewable energy options available to Ireland. The options are assessed on the extent to which they could be used in meeting future demands. Chapter 6: Examines the Governments present proposal Renewable Electricity A 2020 Vision, which is to set up an All-Island Energy Market between the Republic and Northern Ireland. The Chapter evaluates the proposal to secure future energy supply through renewable energy for the whole island. Chapter 7: This chapter considers nuclear energy through certain areas which may be beneficial or not to Ireland. Chapter 8: This is the final chapter of the dissertation where the author reaches conclusions from the research carried out to date, followed by recommendations and areas for further study. Research Methodology Research may be defined as, the systematic study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions (Concise Oxford English Dictionary 2005). This section outlines the research methods used to prepare this dissertation. The structure of this dissertation presents the findings of research, clearly identified, which was conducted by the author. Also aspects of data collection associated with problems encountered and limitations will be summarized. Research Process Preliminary research began during the Authors placement year (year 3 of BSc Construction Economics Management in Limerick Institute of Technology). As part of the year a dissertation proposal submission was required. An initial investigation on the availability of information was carried out and being satisfied that the information available was sufficient, I decided to continue with the topic. The initial sources primarily included books, Internet, papers and magazines. Research Planning For the research process consideration was given to the possible methods of approach to the actual dissertation. To carry out the research effectively and in a detailed manner a research plan and programme was established. This plan consisted of giving sufficient time for the detailed research of material both published and unpublished. From this the author got a detailed understanding of the topic and the exact focus of the dissertation was established along with the content and scope of the various chapters. After choosing the title, aim, objectives and hypothesis, a detailed plan had to be formulated to meet each objective of the dissertation. This proved vital to the success of the dissertation, given the limited time frame to review material, engender results and complete the dissertation. Due to the amount of publications and information that needed reviewing for inclusion into the dissertation file, reading and analysis was continuously ongoing. All articles of information were scanned generally to assess their suitability and all relevant information marked accordingly. All relevant information, once analysed, was categorized based on its relevance to a given chapter. Data Collection Methods In order to test the hypothesis of this dissertation effectively detailed information had to be sought on all aspects of renewable energies and the Irish energy market. The types of data used for compiling this dissertation came from both primary and secondary sources. Material from both sources was read in detail and any information relevant to any aspect of the dissertation topic was highlighted and noted. For the actual structure of the separate chapters, this information was subdivided into separate files for each proposed chapter. Primary Sources The dissertation utilized primary sources, as work contained provided accurate information. The volume of the information was obtained from Government organisations and EU reports. The up to date factor of the reports was its main advantage. Other organisations such as Sustainable Energy Ireland published reports which proved very beneficial. As the dissertation subject is topical at present, there have been many related conferences and the proceedings published. Official Government publications were helpful especially for information relating to the All Island Energy Market. Other official publications from the EU were used to gather information on EU Directives and the Kyoto Protocol. Finally structured interviews were conducted in relation to setting up and operating wind farms as the results offered accurate first hand information. Past dissertations have been utilized but for the purpose of guidance. Secondary Sources An in depth documentary review was undertaken by the author, which involved examining various sources of information for factual information. This information was taken from construction journals, textbooks, brochures and magazines. Text books were used only for background information. Magazines and national papers proved helpful in keeping up with new developments affecting the topic, for example the Budget and Government publications. As the dissertation required up to date information on the topic, a large quantity of information was obtained from the Internet. Limitations There were a number of difficulties encountered during the research of this dissertation. The main concern for the author was the realization that new information on the chosen topic was constantly being up dated with new developments. As the dissertation is somewhat based on what may happen in the future, the conclusions and recommendations are based on educated assumptions. There exists a lack of published work in relation to the All Island Energy Market, as the consultation period is still on going. Contact with the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources was made with regard to the topic and all other topics relating to the dissertation. The author was informed that the most up to date information would be available in the Governments Energy White Paper 2007 Delivering a Sustainable Energy Future for Ireland and that information contained within it could not be released until the Governments official launch on the 12th of March 2007. Due to time constraints the author was not able to exploit this source. Based on the limited amount of information available the author utilized a significant amount of secondary sources. Also research questionnaires had to be abandoned due to a lack of response from organisations. Although certain information available was limited, with continued research and perseverance though all possible avenues it is believed that suitable material was compiled delivering a complete dissertation on the subject matter. CHAPTER TWO What Is Renewable Energy? Introduction Renewable energy comes from energy sources that are continuously replenished by nature. They are non-fossil energy sources that are not depleted by utilization. The main sources of renewable energy are the wind, the sun (solar energy), water (hydropower, wave and tidal energy) and biomass (wood, biodegradable waste and energy crops). Renewable energy sources are those which are effectively inexhaustible (such as wind, wave, solar, hydro etc) or which are replenished at or about their rate of consumption (such as managed forests and energy crops and other forms of biomass) (Anon 2005). What are the Benefits of Renewable energy? Renewable energy resources are clean sources of energy. They can be harnessed without damaging the environment, unlike using fossil fuels which release carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) and other harmful pollutants into the atmosphere. Increasing the use of renewable energy is therefore a key strategy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting Irelands Kyoto commitments. Renewable energy resources will not become exhausted. Unlike finite fossil fuels, renewable energy resources are continuously replenished and will not run out. Renewable energy resources are indigenous resources. Ireland is heavily reliant on imported fossil fuels. We now import around 89% of the fuels we need for energy. By tapping the renewable energy resources with which Ireland is richly endowed, we could reduce this reliance on imports. By increasing our use of renewable resources, we can achieve a more secure and stable energy supply for the long term (Sustainable Energy Ireland a). Chapter Summary Renewable energy generally refers to energy derived from non-fossil fuel resources (excluding nuclear). Renewable energy has become more popular in recent times as talks of global warming increase internationally and exhaustion of fossil fuels. Renewable energy will benefit the environment and help reduce our dependency on depleting sources of energy. CHAPTER THREE Irelands Potential Energy Needs Introduction To assess the potential of renewable sources sustaining Irelands energy needs in the future, firstly energy trends have to be evaluated to estimate the future requirements. It is impossible to know for sure what the future will hold but by reviewing different forecasts, a reasonable estimate can be made. Energy Trends Energy trends of the past fifteen years will give a good review of Irelands energy growth. It was within this time that the country experienced significant economic growth which was seen in the energy sector. The amount of energy consumed is shown through the Total Primary Energy Requirement (TPER). Total Energy Requirement (TER) figures represent the total Irish electricity generation at the plant exported level plus imports, less exports. The TER is the amount of electricity required to meet total final consumption in the Republic of Ireland including an allowance for transmission and distribution losses (Anon 2005). Figure 3.1 shows the Total Primary Energy Requirement (TPER) of the Republic of Ireland, broken down by fuel type, over the period 1990 to 2000. Estimates for the period 2001 to 2010 are also included. This figure shows that there was rapidly increasing growth in energy demands in the 90s and in particular, the mid 90s to 2000. It also shows a high dependence on the oil and gas. Energy Forecasts The Government document, All-Island Energy Market: Renewable Electricity A 2020 Vision; Preliminary Consultation Document, (Anon 2005), forecasts energy demands by firstly modifying the 2005 2011 median TER values so as to account for generation plant house load, and then determining the values for 2012 2020 at the assumed growth rates of 3% per annum between 2012 and 2015, and of 2% per annum between 2015 and 2020. This can be clearly seen in Table 3.1. These facts are based on the future for the whole island of Ireland, a joint north and south venture of meeting future energy demands and include Northern Ireland which is discussed in Chapter Six. The above forecast is not alone in believing that there will be a steady growth, although slightly less over a longer period of time. The report (Howley et al 2006) assumes electricity demand to grow significantly. Table 3.2 from the report shows the predicted growth. The prediction assumes the CO2 costs â‚ ¬15/tonne in 2010 and â‚ ¬30/tonne in 2020. Chapter Summary The past energy trends showed that there has been a constant rise in energy demand and this is reflected in the forecasts. The two different reports predicted to 2020 and show a similar prediction. It can then be assumed that to 2010 a 3.0 4.0% increase can be expected and from 2010 2020, a lesser 1.0 2.0%. The forecast for the generating fuel is predicted through past trends and present economic development, predicting oil to be eliminated by 2010 and gas to dominate. Although renewables are predicted to increase, early forecasts report they will only have a minor impact. CHAPTER FOUR Why a Renewable Energy Future? Introduction The future of Irelands energy supply is changing and it can not be stopped but we can adapt. The foremost important issue for the Government is to secure the countries future energy supply. Irelands geographical location and fuel resources means it is of critical importance that the future energy supply is secured now before it is too late. Ireland is too dependant on import fossil fuels for energy and so we need to become more independent, which renewable energy can provide. While Irelands imports of fossil fuels for energy still stand at about 85 per cent, much higher than the EU average of 50 per cent, there is a definite shift towards renewables. But there are other factors steering Ireland towards renewable sources, including EU and Kyoto responsibilities. Oil and Gas Depletion Oil and gas are a finite resource and there so going to completely run out some day. The demand for gas and in particular oil is increasing. This is mainly due to significant economic growth of China and India. The report Exxon-Mobils view of the future of oil and gas predicts demand is expected to rise through the year 2010 at a rate of about 2 per cent per year for oil and 3 per cent per year for gas (Longwell), as shown in Figure 4.1. This is leading to a rise in price, Figure 4.2, which already is affecting Ireland. As stated in the EU Green Paper in 2006, Oil and gas prices are rising. They have nearly doubled in the EU over the past two years, with electricity prices following. This is difficult for consumers. With increasing global demand for fossil fuels, stretched supply chains and increasing dependence on imports, high prices for oil and gas are probably here to stay (Anon 2006). Rising oil prices In its 2001 review BP commented The worlds oil R/P (reserve to production) ratio has fallen modestly since 1990 as world oil production growth has outpaced additions to reserves (Busby 2002). A chart in the 2001 review shows 1990 as the year when the R/P peak ratio of 44 was passed, reducing to 40 by the end of 2000. At the end of 2002 the R/P ratio had reduced further to 39, to rise to 41 at the end of 2003, dropping back to 40.5 at the end of 2004, but shown at 40.6 at the end of 2005. As production continues to rise and additions to reserves fail to match it, the ratio of oil reserves to production (R/P) will continue to decline and the price of crude oil will rise. The world gas R/P ratio in 2005 was 65.1, compared to 40.6 for oil. At 2005 production rates, gas reserves would provide a source of energy for a further 24 years after oil exhaustion. But when oil supplies starts to run out, more gas will be used as a substitute, hence increasing gas depletion. So if oil production peak is predicted at 2010, gas production peak should follow bout the year 2020. The problem starts to become apparent when you realise the decline of oil discovery, as shown in Figure 4.3. The gap between discovery and consumption is widening and this will eventually lead to oil production peaking. Chevron, one of the worlds largest oil companies, admits to the imminent peak and decline of oil. An Oil production peak before or by 2010 seems now to be generally accepted. The not so distant future of Irelands energy market will then have to contend without oil. The oil market is global where the gas market is regional and this is where Ireland could really suffer in the long term. It is predicted that gas will outlast oil but gas has to be piped and Irelands geographical location causes problems. The discovery of the Corrib gas field is potentially very important as it offers temporary relief from increasingly unreliable supplies of gas from the United Kingdom and Europe, says Colin Campbell, petroleum geologist (Campbell). In the near future with oil demand rising pushing up prices and in the distant future oil not been available, we must look to renewables now. The Corrib gas field is small and might get ten or more years out of it at the current rate of consumption but the Government should use this opportunity to draw on the gas to help support renewable energy. The Environment and EU Directive Irelands main source of energy is fossil fuels which produce vast quantities of CO2, add to climate change and which the EU intend to reduce. The emissions that are produced from burning fossil fuels are becoming more serious every year and a much discussed topic at national and international level. Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol Fossil fuels constitute a significant repository of carbon buried deep under the ground. Burning them results in the conversion of this carbon to carbon dioxide, which is then released into the atmosphere. This results in an increase in the Earths levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, which enhances the greenhouse effect and contributes to global warming (Wikipedia). As was seen in Figure 4.4, fossil fuels are a major electricity fuel for Ireland. Fossil fuels, particularly coal, contain a dilute radioactive material which is released into the environment leading to low levels of radioactive contamination. Within the EU burden sharing agreement to meet its obligation under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland must stabilise its Greenhouse gas emissions at 13% above 1990 levels within the period 2008 to 2012 (Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources 1998). Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) latest Assessment Report was released on the 2nd of February 2007 in Paris. The report was produced by some 600 authors from 40 countries. According to the IPCC, the warming of the world is unequivocal, and that humans are very likely (higher than 90% likelihood) behind the warming. The key conclusions were: Possible temperature rise between 1.1C and 6.4C by 2100 Sea level most likely to rise by 18-59cm (7in-23in) Artic summer sea ice disappears in second half of century Increase in heatwaves very likely Increase in tropical storm intensity likely Considering overall greenhouse gas emissions, energy related CO2 emissions accounted for 51% in 1990 compared to a projected 66% in 2010 if we continue in the same direction. Renewable energy would dramatically reduce Irelands CO2 emissions by replacing fossil fuels. This will take time, so if want to have any chance of meeting the requirements, we have to act now. EU Directive The use of renewable energy has a legislative basis in the EU under Directive (2001/77/EC). The Directive asserts the European Countries need to promote renewables to contribute to: †¦environmental protection and sustainable development. In addition this can also create local employment, have a positive impact on social cohesion, contribute to security of supply and make it possible to meet Kyoto targets more quickly'(Anon 2005). The directive forces Ireland to have an output of renewable powered electricity to 13.2% of total electricity consumed in Ireland by 2010. But the Government is hoping to have it up to 15% by 2010 through the Renewable energy Feed In Tariff (ReFIT) programme. The new Renewable energy Feed in Tariff (ReFIT) programme replaces the Governments previous support mechanism, the Alternative Energy Requirement (AER) programme and provides financial support of â‚ ¬119m to renewable energy projects over a fifteen year period The ReFIT programme will support the construction of an initial target of at least 400 megawatts (MW) of new renewable energy powered electricity generating plants. Its main aim is to increase the contribution of renewable energy sources to electricity production. The ReFIT programme will help make renewable energy competitive and is a move closer to reaching the Kyoto Protocol and the EU directive. Failure to meet the Kyoto Protocol and EU Directive (2001/77/EC) will have serious financial implications. On April 4th 2006 the European Commission launched legal proceedings against Ireland, for failing to meet the deadline of October 2003 for taking the necessary measures to transpose Community legislation on renewable electricity into national law. Ireland is now under pressure to act on renewable energy. Future Policies EU Leaders decided on Friday 9th of March 2007 to slash greenhouse gas emissions, which included a binding target for renewable sources to make up a fifth of EU energy use by 2020. The leaders committed to a target of reducing EU greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent by 2020 and offered to go to 30 per cent if major nations such as the United States, Russia, China and India follow suit. According to a draft agreement, the EU will aim to go even further in the future, with cuts of 60 to 80 per cent by 2050. Reports of drastic future climate change in the wake of the IPCCs recent assessment, talk of a post Kyoto agreement is been debated. The recent EU summit outcome of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent will form the basis of the EUs position in international talks to replace the U.N. Kyoto Protocol, which expires in 2012. Whatever it may be called, it will aim to severely reduce Greenhouse Gases to coincide with Global Warming reports. Either way it will mean a serious change for Governments and society. Chapter Summary The demand for gas and in particular oil is increasing largely due to the economic growth of China and India. The reserves at the moment show gas will outlast oil. Oil production is predicted to peak around 2010 but as oil resources decrease, demand for gas will increase to make up the slack which will result in gas production peaking sooner rather than later. The large growth in demand at present is increasing prices and with talk of oil production peaking and the politically unstable situation in the Middle East, prices look set to continue escalating. Renewable energy can help Ireland reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels. Irelands main energy source, fossil fuels, is seriously damaging the environment and the main cause of Global Warming. The Kyoto Protocol requires Ireland to reduce its CO2 emissions. Under EU legislation Ireland must increase the use of renewable energy to 13.2% of all electricity produced but the Government are aiming for 15% with the announcement of the ReFIT programme. The programme will help meet Kyoto and EU obligations. Recent announcement from the EU requires 20% of the EUs electricity generation mix be from renewable sources by 2020. This ambitious target will require serious consideration from the Government. CHAPTER FIVE The Renewable Energy Options for the Future Introduction To meet the future energy demands, the Government will have to put a lot more work into developing renewable sources of energy. The positive from this, is Ireland has vast potential for renewable energy production, especially wind. Although the Government are starting to take more notice of renewable energy technology. Within Budget 2007 Brian Cowan stated scheme of tax relief in place in the form of a deduction from a companys profits for corporate investment in renewable energy products in the solar, wind, hydro or biomass technology categories, shall be continued for a further five years, subject to EU approval (Cowan 2006). But when considering renewable energy options, it is important to realistically assess their full potential. The present renewable energy sources should be looked at in a view of their output and efficiency, then evaluate their future part in securing the countrys energy supply. Wind Power Wind power is one of the most mature renewable energy technologies to date and currently has a good record of reliability and availability. The wind resources in Ireland are among the best in the EU due to the strength of the Atlantic winds. A wind turbine in Ireland will deliver twice as much power as the same turbine in Germany. We are the envy of Europe because of our wind speeds (Seanad Éireann 2005). Wind energy has seen major advances in Ireland recently, especially in the last four years. Wind energy now has the largest installed capacity of all renewable energy technologies in Ireland (Figure 5.1). As per up to date statistics from EirGrid, there is currently a total of 744 MW worth of wind power connected to the main grid and an additional 547.3 MW worth of energy from contracted wind farms currently in production to be connected at various stages in the future. (See Appendix C and Appendix D) Renewable Connections Kinetic energy in airflows is used to run wind turbines; some are capable of producing 5 MW of power, but the most cost effective are currently 500 kW 1.5 MW. Conventional investment costs are about â‚ ¬1,100 per kW installed. Wind energy has been growing significantly over recent years and following the trend, wind power will keep going in the near future, Figure 5.2. Wind Generation since 1992 to 2007 Onshore Wind Onshore wind in Ireland is mainly concentrated on the west coast due to strong winds from the Atlantic. Wind-speed maps help decide on the locations by showing the wind potential of certain areas but sites close to the western sea shore is generally the best region, as with Tursillagh Wind Farm. (Example of Analysis of Wind Potential See Appendix E) Turbines at Tursillagh Winds in an area are often monitored for a year and detailed maps constructed prior to wind generators being installed. Coastlines tend to be the windiest sites for turbines, because a primary source of wind is convection from the differential heating and cooling of land and sea. The erection of a wind farm onshore is becoming straight forward with companies having gained much experience and knowledge. Ireland has had well developed onshore wind energy for many years and has the knowledge to develop bigger wind farms to help meet the countries energy demand. Offshore Wind The offshore electricity production in Ireland is minimal but has made a good start. Arklow Offshore Wind Power Plant is the worlds first offshore project to deploy giant wind turbines in excess of 3megawatts and is Irelands only offshore wind project. But already is showing great prospect, showing excellent reliability and availability, areas where wind power is mainly criticised. The site was chosen as tests proved to be one of the windiest areas in Europe. Offshore turbines cause less aesthetic controversy as usually can not be seen from the shore. It offers fewer obstacles and stronger winds but is also more inaccessible and the conditions are harsh, corrosive and can increase the costs of maintenance. Unlike with onshore wind farms, planning is not an issue. The biggest obstacle at present is the significant capital cost even compared to onshore wind. Irelands offshore potential is an untapped resource and must be harnessed to become a serious contributor to the Irish electricity mix. Offshore wind power generation should be recognised for what it is; Irelands best option for meeting present renewable energy and CO2 targets. Planning for the Future To promote wind as one of the major sources of electricity in the future, it can be beneficial to look at a similar EU country with a successful wind market, for example Denmark. The ESB system is comparable in size to the west Denmark Eltra system. The Transmission System Operator (TSO) in Ireland, ESB National Grid (ESB NG), has asked for a report, explaining the management of the western Danish system Eltra with a focus on handling of wind production (Hilger 2004). This shows the level of interest in the Danish system for wind. The ESB has spotted the potential of assessing Denmarks approach to wind for our own future development. Denmark has only modest wind speeds, compared to Irelands impressive wind energy potential. As can be seen in the Case Study (Appendix F), the key to Denmarks wind power success is the support from the interconnectors to other EU countries. Winds intermittence problem is compensated with bought in electricity from the Nordic power pool at the going rate. The major interest in Denmarks Eltra system for the future will come from Denmarks offshore development, in particular the Horns Rev Wind Park. The Horns Rev Wind Park is a show case of Danish initiative in the large scale promotion of renewable energy. Horns Rev is the largest offshore wind farm in the world, producing two per cent of Denmarks total energy consumption. Much can be learned from Horns Rev in planning the future of wind power generation in Ireland. The offshore turbines produce 150 per cent more electricity than land based turbines. Also Denmarks offshore areas are restricted but the Irish situation is a decentralised approach where the pick of areas is open for private initiative. The Horns Rev project was a result of fourteen years of research and initiated by the Danish Government which was the main factor for its commencement. The turbines used (Vestas V80) which can adapt the output of the turbine to suit the parameters of any electricity grid. Although a lot of p lanning and research went into Horns Rev, construction only took six months which was run through the summer months for improved weather conditions. And finally so successful was Horns Rev, an additional wind farm (Horns Rev 2) is to be built northeast of the existing farm. The new offshore wind farm and the landing facilities will be commissioned in May 2009. (See Appendix F, Case Study) Constraints of Wind P

Kant and the Morality of Anger Essay example -- Philosophy Papers

Kant and the Morality of Anger Introduction This essay does not comprise a defence of retributive punishment, neither does it imply a rejection of deterrent punishment. The writer suggests that one possible reason for the tendency to advocate punishment of offenders with ever increasing severity can be discovered in the concept of the 'morality of anger'. It is this explanation of the phenomenon that forms the principal burden of the arguments used in this essay. The salient characteristics of the two theories of punishment, which find expression in English law, will be found below [1]. In the absence of any definitive public policy an unresolved tension exists, which derives from attempts made to reconcile the two theories, with some degree of balance, in sentencing practice. Actual sentences in the English courts are often a compromise between the demands of retribution and deterrence. Any uncertainty that may exist about which theory is being used, in particular circumstances, leads to actions which cannot be completely justified by either theory [2]. Crime and Punishment in Kant's Civil Society According to Kant's moral theory an exacting principle of respect for humanity, in the form of the person, can be reconciled with the absolute necessity of punishment, because punishment, within a properly constituted civil society, is a legitimate and necessary response to crime — punishment must comply with the moral law as a 'categorical imperative [3]. Kant's theory of retributive punishment is of particular importance, because it is one of the most coherent and consistent of the retributive theories, and has not lost its relevance in contemporary discussions [4]. Kant's civil society rest securely on th... ...Foundation Course The Open University 1986, Units 13-15 pp. 68-76 Feinberg, Joel Harmless Wrong Doing, The Moral Limits of the Criminal Law Oxford 1988, pp. 159-165 Guyer, Paul (Ed.) The Cambridge Companion to Kant Cambridge 1992, Essay 10, 'Autonomy, obligation and virtue: An overview of Kant's moral philosophy', pp.309-341, also Essay 11, 'Politics, freedom and order: Kant's political philosophy,, pp.342-366 Hoffe, Otfried Immanuel Kant New York 1994 Honderich, T Punishment, The Supposed Justifications Oxford 1989, pp. 208-237 Paton, H J The Categorical Imperative London 1947 Rawls, John A Theory of Justice Oxford 1972 pp. 251-257 Singer, Peter A Companion to Ethics Oxford 1993 Essay 32, 'Crime and Punishment', C L Ten pp. 366-372 Sorell, Tom Moral Theory and Capital Punishment Oxford 1987 Walker, Nigel Why Punish? Oxford 1991

Course syllabus1. Albert Essay

Course information 1 2.1 Teaching times and Locations Lecture: 8.00 – 11.00 a.m. Venue: 1 2 2.2 Units of Credit This course is worth 3 credits. 2.3 Parallel teaching in the course There is no parallel teaching involved in this course. 2.4 Relationship of this course to others BA023IU–Project Management concentrates on how to manage a project beside discussing issues of project management. The course provides hands-on experience in various stage of the process of project management. The course is independent requiring no prerequisite course. However, the students may find techniques and knowledge from the course of BA164BA–Production and Operations Management useful. Students majoring in International Business, Marketing and Business Management may later take BA171IU–Risk Management and BA149IU–New Product Planning in the following semester, which will complement and foster the skills learned from this course and employ the project management knowledge the students have accumulated here. 2.5 Approach to learning and teaching Employing the interactive learning and problem-based teaching approach, this course emphasizes the interaction between lecturers and students. The lecture materials will be uploaded in Blackboard to help the students to preview the materials and to facilitate discussion during the lecture. This will help students to interact with the lecturer on other matters related to the subject before and after the lecture. The sessions for presentations and discussions comprise company case studies as well as answering some theoretical and conceptual questions, which help the students to see how the concepts are applied in reality. 3. COURSE AIMS AND OUTCOMES 3.1 Course Aims The aim of this course is to provide the students with insights into human behavior, knowledge of organizational issues and skills with quantitative methods for successful project management. Specifically, the course is to provide students with: Understanding on the concepts of project planning and organization, project control and project communications. Decision-making techniques in project selection. Analytical skills for successful project management. Insights into human behavior and people skills for project management. Project scheduling techniques including WBS, PERT, Gantt Charts. Use of Project Management Software Ms Project and Crystal Ball Software. 3.2 Student Learning Outcomes Students completing this course are likely to achieve the following attributes: Systems approach. See a bigger picture when managing a project, holistic perspective regarding all parties involved in the project, and all components that would deliver to make a project completed satisfactorily. People management. Appreciate individual strengths and weaknesses, direct people to achieve project targets. Team player and team leader. Constructively contribute to projects as a team player or leader, having versatility in both human and technical sides, negotiate to get to win-win solutions. Disciplinary and multidisciplinary perspective. Bring disciplinary and multi-disciplinary perspectives in straightening out situations and projecting possible outcomes. Planning, scheduling, logistics literate. Perform satisfactorily the basic tasks of project management. 3.3 Teaching Strategies The learning system in this course consists of lectures and scheduled presentations/discussions. Lectures elaborate the appropriate theoretical content in the textbook and readings. Classes provide a more detailed and refined analysis of both concepts and applied materials. Classes are strongly oriented towards interactive discussion of the text and cases and reading assignments. In order to gain the most from the lectures and class activities, the assigned text/reading should be read before the lecture to participate in the discussions. 4. STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND CONDUCT 4.1 Workload It is expected that the students will spend at least six hours per week studying this course (three hours in class and three at home). This time at home should be made up of reading, research, working on exercises and problems, and attending classes. In periods where they need to complete assignments or prepare for examinations, the workload may be greater. Over-commitment has been a cause of failure for many students. They should take the required workload into account when planning how to balance study  with part-time jobs and recreation and/or other activities. 4.2 Attendance Regular and punctual attendance at lectures is expected in this course. University regulations indicate that if students attend less than eighty per cent of scheduled classes, they may not be considered for final assessment. Exemptions may only be made on medical grounds. It means that if you miss more than two classes, you may fail the class. For any class where you miss, you are obliged to submit your answers to the questions. 4.3 General Conduct and Behaviour The students are expected to conduct themselves with consideration and respect for the needs of the fellow students and teaching staff. Conduct which unduly disrupts or interferes with a class, such as ringing or talking on mobile phones, is not acceptable and students will be asked to leave the class. More information on student conduct is available at the university webpage. 4.4 Keeping informed The students should take note of all announcements made in lectures or on the course’s Blackboard. From time to time, the university will send important announcements to their university e-mail addresses registered with the school without providing a paper copy. The students will be deemed to have received this information. 5. LEARNING ASSESSMENT 5.1 Formal Requirements In order to pass this course, the students must: achieve a composite mark of at least 50; and make a satisfactory attempt at all assessment tasks (see below). 5.2 Assessment Details 5.2. 1 Attendance (5%): In order to get 5% of attendance score, a student must attend all sessions. If a student is absent for more than two sessions, she or he will lose 5% of total course grade and may be prohibited from the  final exam except for cases with medical reasons. 5.2.2 Homework (15%): Each student must submit a project proposal form, with enclosed budget and Ms Project schedule, before Session 8. Details will be announced. 5.2.3 Teamwork(10%): On Session 1, groups of maximum 5 students are formed and they will work on their group project throughout the course. Each team must present their analysis to a textbook case by answering the case questions (see the course calendar). Team members should read all the cases before class for discussion in class. Each class I will choose any team for case presentation which will be marked. 5.2.3 Mid-term Exam (30%): The midterm exam will be one and half hours in length and will be in the form of multiple choices and open questions/problems. This is open book test. Content of the Course Contents for Assessment Level of Cognitive Domain Understanding and Analytical Applying Multiple-choice Questions (MCQ) Written Questions (Problems) Introduction to Project Management Characteristics of a project, roles of project manager, project organization forms, Conflicts and Negotiation 10 MCQ 1 problem Project Selection/Planning Project Selection, Project Cost Estimation and Budgeting 10 MCQ 3 problems SCORE 40 60 5.2.4 Final Exam (40%): The final exam will be 2 hours in length during Final Exam Period and will be in the form of multiple choices and open questions/problems. This is open book test. Content of the Course Contents for Assessment Level of Cognitive Domain Understanding and Analytical Applying Multiple-choice Questions (MCQ) Written Questions (Problems) Project Planning Scheduling , CPM/PERT, Gantt Chart, Issues in Planning 10 MCQ 2 problems Project Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Project Crashing, Resources Allocation, Information Systems, Tools for Project Control, Project Evaluation/Audit 15 MCQ 2 problems SCORE 30 70 5.5 Special Consideration: Request for special consideration (for final examination only) must be made to the Office of Academic Affairs within one week after the examination. General policy and information on special consideration can be found at the Office of Academic Affairs. 6. ACADEMIC HONESTY AND PLAGIARISM Plagiarism is the presentation of the thoughts or work of another as one’s own (definition proposed by the University of Newcastle). Students are also reminded that careful time management is an important part of study and one of the identified causes of plagiarism is poor time management. Students should allow sufficient time for research, drafting, and the proper referencing of sources in preparing all assessment items. The university regards plagiarism as a form of academic misconduct, and has very strict rules regarding plagiarism.1 7. STUDENT RESOURCES 7.1 Course Resources Please note that it is very important to gain familiarity with the subject matter in the readings and cases prior to attendance in classes. Textbook: Meredith, J. and Mantel Jr, S. (2012), Project Management: A Managerial Approach, 8th Edition, Wiley. Reference Books: A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge, 3rd Edition (PMBOK Guide), Project Management Institute, November 2004. Additional materials provided in Blackboard The lecturer will attempt to make lecture notes and additional reading available on Blackboard. However this is not an automatic entitlement for students doing this subject. Note that this is not a distance learning course, and you are expected to attend lectures and take notes. This way, you will get the additional benefit of class interaction and demonstration. Recommended Internet sites PMI (Project Management Institute) IPMA (International Project Management Association) APM (Association for Project Management) The Project Management Podcast Visitask Startwright Recommended Journals The Achiever Newsletter Project Management Books ePMTutor International Journal of Project Management PROJECT Magazine Project Manager Today Project Management Publications Project Times Project Management World Today PROJECTMagazine 7.2 Other Resources, Support and Information 1 2 Additional learning assistance is available for students in this course and will be made available in Blackboard. Academic journal articles are available through connections via the VNU – Central Library. Recommended articles will be duly informed to the students. 8. COURSE SCHEDULE Session Topic Learning materials and activities 1 Introduction – Basics of Project Management Context Definition of ‘project’ and other terminologies Rationale of project management approach Project life cycle Project objectives Risk associated with projects Textbook, Chapter 1 Forming Study groups Allocation of Group Tasks How to prepare for case study presentation Discussion: Bloomfield Transport, Inc. Reading: Lessons for an accidental profession 2 The Project Manager Introduction to Project Manager The roles of project managers The responsibilities of project managers Requirements of project managers Project manager’s qualifications Environmental and cultural issues Textbook, Chapter 3 Case: The National Jazz Hall of Fame Reading: What it takes to be a good project manager? 3 Project in the Organizational Structure Project and other superior organizations Project in its purest form Matrix Mixed Selecting the right project organization Project teams and other functions Textbook, Chapter 5 Case: Dizplaze Reading: The virtual project – Managing tomorrow’s team today 4 Conflict and Negotiation Categories of conflicts Conflicts and project life cycle Uncertainty and conflicts Negotiation defined Methods of negotiation Quiz (30 min) Textbook, Chapter 4 Case: Pelican landing –Bender Corporation. Reading: Methods of resolving interpersonal conflict 5 Project Selection and Planning Project selection models Qualitative and quantitative approaches Risk considered Project coordination plan Project action plan Work breakdown structure Integration management Textbook, Chapters 2 &6 Case: Pan Europa Food S.A. Reading: Planning for crises in project management 6 Budgeting Project budget estimation Methods of project estimation Issues in estimation Techniques for improving estimation Case discussion Textbook, Chapter 7 Case: Gujarat Auto Reading: Three perceptions of project costs MID-TERM 7 Project Scheduling PERT and CPM Gantt charts Risk analysis Extensions of tasks and project Practice of scheduling Textbook, Chapter 8 Case: Topline Arena Tutorial: Ms Project Software and Crystall Ball Software 8 Allocation of Resources CPM and crash Problems with resource allocation Loading and leveling Allocation under constraints Multi-project scheduling and allocation Practice of allocation of resources Textbook, Chapter 9 Case: D.U. Singer Hospital Product Corp. 9 Monitoring and Control Cycle of planning-monitoring-control Report process The concept of earned value Purposes and types of control Practice of project control Textbook, Chapters 10&11 Discussion: Earned value at CERN Case: Kroon Chemische Febriek Reading: Survey of project management tools 10 Project Control Designing control systems Control as a management function Balance in control Control of creative projects Control of change and creep Textbook, Chapter 11 Case: Peerless Laser Processors Reading: Controlling projects according to plan 11 Project Audit and Termination Purposes of evaluation Project audit Audit and project life cycle Design and use of audit report Issues of Measurement Termination basics Types of termination Process of termination Report of termination Textbook, Chapters 12&13 Case: Theatre High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD): Five Failures and Counting Team Project Presentations 12 Course Review Basic concepts Basic process The human side in project management Calculations, techniques and maths Q&A Drills Team Project Presentations