College Enrollment Essay Example for Free

College Enrollment Essay Income inequality has been increasing for the past 20 years. A substantial part of the increase in income differences can be explained by changes in the return to education. In dollar terms, 1973 college graduates earned 45 percent more than high school graduates; by 1994 they earned 65 percent more, based on real average hourly wages for college and high school graduates (Baumol and Blinder, 1997). The increasing income disparities between groups of differing educational attainment raises concern that access to postsecondary education (PSE) may not be as widespread as desired. President Clinton urged for the goal of universal college access in his 1997 State of the Union address, â€Å"We must make the thirteenth and fourteenth years of education—at least two years of college—just as universal in America by the 21st century as a high school education is today, and we must open the doors of college to all Americans. † Using data from the National Education Longitudinal Study of 1988 (NELS) and the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS), this study examines access to postsecondary education by individuals in different income and test score groups. While many studies have found a statistically significant effect of income on college enrollment,1 less attention has been paid to the effect of family income after controlling for student achievement. This study specifically addresses this issue. We also explore differences in the decision of whether or not to attend PSE or in the type of PSE attended. We are interested in whether students are substituting less expensive alternatives (such as public or 2-year institutions) for high cost institutions, or whether they are not attending PSE at all. However, we do not examine selectivity of institutions attended. Another goal of this study is to determine which factors, including high school experiences, are especially important in determining college enrollment patterns. Hossler and Maple (1993) find that information on individual background factors allows them to predict, with a high degree of accuracy, which ninth-graders will go to college. The emphasis in our study is on how 1 See, for example, Leslie and Brinkman (1987), Savoca (1990), Schwartz (1986), and Mortenson and Wu (1990). SECTION I. INTRODUCTION 1 MATHTECH, INC. early indicators, such as expectations and course-taking behavior in the eighth grade, are related to college attendance six years later. 2 Last, we explore whether financial aid availability is a critical factor in determining PSE attendance. The combined effects of shifting federal support from grants to loans, and college tuition increasing at a rate faster than inflation are expected to have a large impact on enrollment patterns for low income youth. This report examines knowledge of and attitudes toward financial aid, and the relationship between such factors and PSE attendance. We also examine the effect of financial aid receipt on PSE attendance. In summary, the main research questions addressed in this report are: 1. 2. 3. 4. What percentage of students attend PSE, and what types of PSE do they attend? How are income and test score related to who goes to college? What factors, including high school experiences, are especially important in determining college enrollment patterns? Is financial aid availability a critical factor for determining PSE attendance? The rest of the report proceeds as follows. Section II describes the literature on individual and institutional factors that affect PSE attendance. Section III provides an overview of the data used in this report. It describes the NELS data, the NPSAS data, samples and weights used in the study, and correction of standard errors for sampling techniques. Section IV examines who goes to college. The section highlights the main answers to the first two research questions posed above, in a univariate or multivariate framework. Section V examines factors related to PSE attendance. Section VI explores the importance of financial aid, including knowledge of financial aid, financial aid applications, and the relationship between being offered financial aid and PSE attendance. Last, we include a bibliography of cited references. The executive summary (at the beginning of the report) highlights our findings and provides policy implications. An NCES study, not yet released, has focused on the â€Å"pipeline to higher education† using the NELS data (NCES, 1997). SECTION I. INTRODUCTION 2 2 MATHTECH, INC. One subset of analysis for this study is the group of low income, high test score students. Low income, high test score students may have the potential to benefit greatly from PSE attendance and, therefore, we want to identify factors or constraints, particularly financial ones, that might limit the students’ educational opportunities beyond high school. SECTION I. INTRODUCTION 3 MATHTECH, INC. II. LITERATURE REVIEW Much of the research on college enrollment patterns is founded upon the â€Å"human capital† model Gary Becker advanced. According to this theory, one decides to enroll in college as an investment in future earning power. Individuals calculate the value of attending college by comparing costs (direct and indirect) with expected income gains, and they make the decision that will maximize their utility over the long term. To understand enrollment behavior according to this model, it is necessary to look at such factors as tuition levels, student financial aid, average wages for high school graduates, and the difference in lifetime earnings between high school and college graduates. Economists and others agree, however, that non-monetary factors also play a major part in the college enrollment decision. Sociologists’ models of status attainment have suggested a number of background variables that join with economic factors to influence college plans. These include both personal traits (e. g. , academic ability) and interpersonal factors, such as the level of encouragement a student receives from parents and teachers. Hossler and Maple (1993) suggest that individual decisions on enrollment can be broken down into three stages: predisposition, search, and choice. According to their research, students who will ultimately attend college can be differentiated from those who will not as early as the ninth grade. Within the econometric and sociological models outlined above, the factors affecting enrollment in college can be divided into two general types: those specific to individual students, such as academic achievement and parental education levels, and those specific to educational or vocational alternatives, such as college tuition, financial aid, and unemployment levels. Students’ enrollment decisions can be viewed as jointly determined by their individual characteristics and the institutional or societal conditions that prevail. We first review individual traits that affect college enrollment, and then institutional determinants. SECTION II. LITERATURE REVIEW 4 MATHTECH, INC. A. INDIVIDUAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT COLLEGE ENROLLMENT Several studies have used data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS72), the National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Market Experience, Youth Cohort (NLSY), and the High School and Beyond Survey (HSB) to examine the factors affecting college enrollments. Manski and Wise (1983), Rouse (1994), and a number of others have used the variables included in these data sets to estimate multinomial logit models of enrollment decisions. Among the researchers, there seems to be considerable agreement regarding the individual traits that help to determine enrollment. These traits are discussed below. Manski and Wise (1983) presented a key point, namely that the enrollment process begins with the student’s decision to apply to college. This is much more important than the decisions made by college admissions personnel, since most would-be college students are likely to be admitted to some postsecondary institution of average quality. Jackson (1988) reports that in 1972, more than 97 percent of college applicants were admitted to at least one of their top three choices. The factors of greatest interest, then, are those that cause the student to seek to enroll. Both Manski and Wise (1983) and Rouse (1994) find that individual traits such as achievement levels, high school class rank, and parental education levels are of primary importance in determining the likelihood of a student’s applying to college. They state that higher family income levels increase the probability of application as well, but to a lesser extent. Manski and Wise also cite a â€Å" ‘peer’ or high school quality effect,† such that the larger the share of a high school senior’s classmates who attend 4-year schools, the more likely he or she will be to do the same. A recent NCES report (1997) describes the relationship among six risk factors (such as changing schools two or more times) and PSE attendance rates. St. John and Noell (1989) and St. John (1990) draw similar conclusions from the NLS72 and HSB data sets. St. John and Noell state that certain â€Å"social background variables† appear to make college enrollment more likely. These include higher test scores, higher grades, higher SECTION II. LITERATURE REVIEW 5 MATHTECH, INC. maternal education levels,3 and family income, as cited by Manski and Wise and Rouse. Other key variables include participation in an academic track during high school and â€Å"high postsecondary aspirations,† as measured by students’ reporting of the highest level of schooling they expect to achieve. Hossler and Maple (1993) find that parental education levels have a stronger effect on enrollment plans than student ability or income level. Other background factors that researchers have found to be significant include the level of parental encouragement (Hossler, Braxton, and Coopersmith, 1989) and students’ own expectations about the college decision (Borus and Carpenter, 1984). Jackson (1988) concludes that test scores, grades, taking part in a college preparatory program, and attending a school with many college-going peers are the student attributes most important for college enrollment. Kohn, Manski, and Mundel (1976) report that parents’ education level has a positive effect on a student’s likelihood of enrollment, but state that this effect decreases as family income rises. A number of researchers have examined the effects of family income levels on college enrollment. Manski (1992:16) concludes that there are â€Å"persistent patterns of stratification of college enrollments by income. † Both Manski (1992) and Kane (1995) present census data for multi-year periods that show, for ascending income levels, a steadily increasing percentage of 18to 19-year-old dependent family members enrolled in college. Using the same data source, Clotfelter (1991) and Mortenson and Wu (1990) cite positive income effects for the 18- to 24year-old group as well. Hauser (1993) finds large family income effects on college enrollment for White and Hispanic families, but he finds no such effects for Black families. 3 St. John and Noell do not include paternal education levels as a variable in their study. Manski and Wise and Rouse consider maternal and paternal education levels as separate variables, but present their conclusions in terms of parental education levels as a whole. Most of the studies reviewed here do not distinguish between mother’s and father’s education levels. One exception is the study by Kohn, Manski and Mundel (1976). This study estimates a model using subsamples of the SCOPE survey from two different states. While one group shows that the father’s education level has a greater effect on the likelihood of college attendance than does the mother’s, the other group shows the mother’s education level as having a greater effect. SECTION II. LITERATURE REVIEW 6 MATHTECH, INC. B. INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT COLLEGE ENROLLMENT. In addition to the factors that operate at an individual level, researchers have found a variety of institutional factors, or factors pertaining to educational and vocational alternatives, that affect college enrollment levels. Manski and Wise (1983) include among these factors tuition level, â€Å"quality of school† (as measured by the average combined SAT score of incoming freshmen), and the availability of government and institutional financial aid. Rouse (1994) examines the factor of proximity by estimating changes in enrollments that would result from decreasing the average  distance to the nearest 2-year college. She also considers the effects of tuition levels and financial aid availability, as well unemployment rates, which serve as a measure of competing opportunities available to high school seniors. Tuition levels are another institutional factor with a significant effect on college enrollment. Leslie and Brinkman (1987) review 25 studies on this subject, and find a general consensus that a $100 increase in tuition nationwide, in 1982–1983 academic year dollars, would result in a 6 percent decline in the college participation rate for the 18- to 24-year-old group. Savoca (1990) makes the point that high tuition levels may lessen postsecondary enrollments in the aggregate by discouraging some students from ever applying to college. The effects of tuition levels are moderated in many cases by the effects of financial aid. McPherson and Schapiro (1991) state that the variable of interest should be net cost, or tuition less financial aid. At the initial stages of the enrollment decision, however, students often lack information on their eligibility for financial aid and the amount of aid they would be likely to receive. Researchers have differing views regarding the effects of financial aid on enrollment at different types of institutions. Reyes (1994) finds that increases in financial aid positively affect both 2-year and 4-year college enrollment rates, based on information from the NLSY and HSB. Manski and Wise (1983), using the NLS72, conclude that financial aid affects students’ decisions to attend 2-year institutions, as opposed to not going to college at all. However, this study finds that enrollments at 4-year schools have little sensitivity to the availability of financial aid. Manski and Wise do not consider the effect of financial aid on the student’s choice between a 2-year and a 4-year institution. SECTION II. LITERATURE REVIEW 7 MATHTECH, INC. Other researchers have compared the effects of decreasing tuition with the effects of increasing financial aid. Manski and Wise (1983) find that for those attending 2-year schools, an additional dollar of financial aid would be worth more than a one dollar reduction in tuition. St. John (1990:172) also finds that â€Å"college applicants [are] more responsive to changes in student aid than to changes in tuition,† except for those in the upper income group. Kane (1995), however, argues that while financial aid increases may be more equitable because they are means tested, they are not as effective as decreases in tuition. This is a consequence of the complexity of the financial aid application process and the unwillingness of low income families to borrow to finance a college education. When studying the effect of tuition and financial aid on PSE enrollment, the group to be especially concerned about is low income students. Leslie and Brinkman (1987) and Savoca (1990) find that tuition levels affect enrollment decisions for low income students much more than for middle and upper income groups. By the same token, the availability of financial aid is a much more crucial factor for those at lower income levels. Orfield (1992) notes that the maximum Pell grant is less than one-fifth of the tuition at an elite university. Such a gap between aid and costs, he contends, may steer many low income students toward lower cost schools. Hearn’s 1991 study supports this hypothesis. He finds that when academic ability, achievement, and other factors are controlled for, lower income students are especially likely to choose institutions of lower selectivity. Schwartz (1985) finds that low income students are affected differently by publicly provided financial aid and aid supplied by institutions. He states that public grants tend to promote greater equity among income groups in college enrollment. Private grants, however, are often awarded on the basis of academic ability, and they tend to favor students who could afford to go to college without them. Clotfelter (1991) expresses the same concern about the effects of institutional aid. Manski and Wise (1983) note that even public aid is not always awarded where the need is greatest. They state that in 1979, 59 percent of Basic Educational Opportunity Grants were awarded to students who would probably have gone to college in the absence of such aid. Table 1 summarizes the data sources used in the studies mentioned here. SECTION II. LITERATURE REVIEW 8 MATHTECH, INC. Table 1 MAIN DATA SOURCES FOR WORKS CITED IN LITERATURE REVIEW STUDY Borus, Michael E.and Carpenter, Susan A. , â€Å"Factors Associated with College Attendance of High-School Seniors† (1984) Clotfelter, Charles T. , â€Å"Demand for Undergraduate Education† (1991) Hauser, Robert M. , â€Å"Trends in College Entry among Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics† (1993) Hearn, James C. , â€Å"Academic and Nonacademic Influences on the College Destinations of 1980 High School Graduates† (1991) Hossler, Don, Braxton, John and Coopersmith, Georgia, â€Å"Understanding College Choice† (1989). Hossler, Don and Maple, Sue, â€Å"Being Undecided about Postsecondary Education† (1993) Jackson, Gregory A., â€Å"Did College Choice Change during the Seventies? † (1988) Kane, Thomas, â€Å"Rising Public College Tuition and College Entry: How Well Do Public Subsidies Promote Access to College? † (1995) Kohn, Meir G. , Manski, Charles F. , and Mundel, David S. , â€Å"An Empirical Investigation of Factors which Influence College-going Behavior† (1976) Leslie, Larry L. , and Brinkman, Paul T. , â€Å"Student Price Response in Higher Education† (1987) Manski, Charles F. , and Wise, David A. , College Choice in America (1983) Manski, Charles F. , â€Å"Income and Higher Education† (1992) McPherson, Michael S., and Schapiro, Morton Owen, â€Å"Does Student Aid Affect College Enrollment? New Evidence on a Persistent Controversy† (1991) Mortenson, Thomas G. , and Wu, Zhijun, â€Å"High School Graduation and College Participation of Young Adults by Family Income Backgrounds 1970 to 1989† (1990) National Center for Education Statistics. â€Å"Confronting the Odds: Students At Risk and the Pipeline to Higher Education† (1997). MAIN DATA SOURCES 1979 and 1980 National Longitudinal Surveys of Labor Market Experience, Youth Cohort (NLSY) Review of studies done by others, with data from Current Population Survey (CPS) and High. School and Beyond (HSB) CPS HSB, Higher Education Research Institute (HERI) data Review of studies done by others Cluster sample of 5,000 Indiana ninth graders National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS72), HSB NLSY, HSB, CPS School to College: Opportunities for Postsecondary Education (SCOPE) Survey Meta-analysis of studies done by others NLS72 NLS72, HSB, CPS Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP) data, CPS HSB, Current Population Report, CPS NELS SECTION II. LITERATURE REVIEW. 9 MATHTECH, INC. STUDY Orfield, Gary, â€Å"Money, Equity, and College Access† (1992) Reyes, Suzanne, â€Å"The College Enrollment Decision: The Role of the Guaranteed Student Loan† (1994) Rouse, Cecilia Elena, â€Å"What to Do after High School: The Two-Year versus Four-Year College Enrollment Decision† (1994) St. John, Edward P. , and Noell, Jay, â€Å"The Effects of Student Financial Aid on Access to Higher Education: An Analysis of Progress with Special Consideration of Minority Enrollment† (1989) St. John, Edward P., â€Å"Price Response in Enrollment Decisions: An Analysis of the High School and Beyond Sophomore Cohort† (1990) Savoca, Elizabeth, â€Å"Another Look at the Demand for Higher Education: Measuring the Price Sensitivity of the Decision to Apply to College† (1990) Schwartz, J. Brad, â€Å"Student Financial Aid and the College Enrollment Decision: The Effects of Public and Private Grants and Interest Subsidies† (1985) Schwartz, J. Brad, â€Å"Wealth Neutrality in Higher Education: The Effects of Student Grants† (1986) MAIN DATA SOURCES Review of history of federal student financial aid programs NLSY, HSB NLSY, HSB, CPS. NLS72, HSB HSB NLS72 HSB, CPS HSB, CPS SECTION II. LITERATURE REVIEW 10 MATHTECH, INC. III. DATA A. NELS DATA While a number of studies have used data from the National Longitudinal Survey, Youth Cohort (NLSY), the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 (NLS72), and the High School and Beyond Survey (HSB) to examine the factors affecting college enrollments, this work effort is among the first to use NELS to analyze these types of issues. In 1988, NELS initially surveyed over 24,000 public and private school eighth graders throughout the United States. The nationally representative eighth grade cohort was tested in four subjects (mathematics, reading, science, and social studies). Two teachers of each student (representing two of the four subjects) were also surveyed, as was an administrator from each school. On average, each of the 1,052 participating schools was represented by 24 students and five teachers. Parents were also surveyed, providing researchers with detailed information on family background variables. Since 1988, the initial eighth grade cohort has been re-surveyed three times (and has been â€Å"freshened† with new sample members). The first follow-up of NELS (spring, 1990), included the same components as the base year study, with the exception of the parent survey, which was not implemented in the 1990 round. It also included a component on early dropouts (those who left school between the end of eighth grade and the end of 10th grade). The second follow-up (spring, 1992), repeated all components of the first follow-up study and also included a parent questionnaire. However, this time only one teacher of each student (either a mathematics or a science teacher) was asked to complete a teacher questionnaire. High school transcript data were also collected for these students. A subsample of the NELS:88 second follow-up sample was again followed-up in the spring of 1994, when most sample members had been out of high school for 2 years. In all, 14,915 students were surveyed, most through computer-assisted telephone interviewing. Major content areas for the third follow-up questionnaire were: education histories; work experience histories; work-related training; family formation; opinions and other experiences; occurrence or SECTION III. DATA 11 MATHTECH, INC. non-occurrence of significant life events; and income. Data collection for this wave began on February 4, and ended on August 13, 1994. At the time the data were collected, most of the respondents were 2 years out of high school. Table 2 summarizes the components of the different waves of the surveys. Table 2 OVERVIEW OF NELS NELS Components Grades included Cohort Base Year Spring term 1988 grade 8 students: questionnaire, tests questionnaire questionnaire two teachers per student (taken from reading, mathematics, science, or social studies) First Follow-up Spring term 1990 modal grade = sophomore students, dropouts: questionnaire, tests none questionnaire two teachers per student (taken from reading, mathematics, science, or social studies) Second Follow-up Spring term 1992 modal grade = senior students, dropouts: questionnaire, tests, H. S.  transcripts questionnaire questionnaire one teacher per student (taken from mathematics or science). Third Follow-up Spring 1994 H. S. + 2 years all individuals: questionnaire none none none Parents Principals Teachers B. NPSAS DATA Because the NELS database does not contain detailed information on financial aid, the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) database is used to supplement our study with additional financial aid information. This database is used to predict financial aid for the respondents in NELS based on demographic and other characteristics that are available in both databases. NPSAS is constructed specifically to provide information on financing of postsecondary education, so it is a good candidate for this use. This database surveys a nationally representative sample of undergraduate, graduate, and first-professional students attending less than 2-year, 2-year, 4-year, and doctoral granting institutions. Both students who receive and those who do not receive financial aid are surveyed. SECTION III. DATA 12 MATHTECH, INC. The 1993 NPSAS study collected information on more than 78,000 undergraduate and graduate students at about 1,100 institutions. To be eligible, students must have been enrolled between May 1, 1992 and April 30, 1993 at a postsecondary institution in the United States or Puerto Rico. The students had to be enrolled in courses for credit, and in a program of 3 months or longer. Also eligible for inclusion were students who received a bachelor’s degree between July 1, 1992 and June 30, 1993. Students who were enrolled in a GED program or who were also enrolled in high school were not included. C. SAMPLE AND WEIGHTS Of the 14,915 respondents in the third NELS follow-up, 13,120 are represented in all four waves of the NELS data. The remaining 1,795 respondents are either first follow-up â€Å"freshened† students,4 second follow-up freshened students,5 base-year ineligibles,6 or base-year eligible students who declined to participate in one or more of the survey waves, but who did participate in the third survey wave. The breakdown of these 1,795 respondents is as follows: 501 first follow-up freshened students, 102 second follow-up freshened students, 271 base-year ineligibles, and 921 base-year eligibles with missing survey waves. To take advantage of the longitudinal nature of the NELS data and to be consistent across models and issues in the report, we focus our work on the sample of 13,120 respondents represented in all four waves of the NELS data. Consequently, the weight used in our analyses, (â€Å"F3PNLWT†) applies to sample members who completed questionnaires in all four rounds of NELS:88. As a result, the longitudinal analyses that we conduct, and the estimates that are produced in this study can only be used to make projections to the population of spring 1988 eighth graders. In the descriptive tables, all percentages are weighted using F3PNLWT, including the analyses with the high school transcript data. Those who were tenth graders in 1990 but were not in the base-year sampling frame, either because they were not in the country or because they were not in the eighth grade in the spring term of 1988. Those who were 12th graders in 1992 but were not in either the base year or first follow-up sampling frames, either because they were not in the country or because they were not in the eighth (10th) grade in the spring term of 1988 (1990). 6 5 4 Students excluded in 1988 due to linguistic, mental, or physical obstacles to participation. 13 SECTION III. DATA MATHTECH, INC. This sample includes dropouts, since the purpose of this study is to examine the overall question of what characteristics of eighth graders in 1988 are related to PSE attendance. We focus on early indicators, such as educational expectations and course-taking behavior in the eighth grade, and not on the â€Å"pipeline† of high school experiences that a dropout would lack access to. However, the dropouts were not asked the same set of survey questions as the other respondents, and, therefore, some of the analysis does not include dropouts. For each of our tables or figures, we note whether or not the dropouts are included in the analysis. D. CORRECTED STANDARD ERRORS Because NELS data are collected through a multi-stage sampling scheme, calculation of standard errors through standard methods can understate these errors. The sampling technique used in NELS is a selection of schools, and then within schools, a selection of students. With this sampling method, the observations of different students may not be independent from one another. Stataâ„ ¢, the statistical software used for analysis in this report, corrects the standard errors for these sampling techniques. Except for multinomial logit models, for which this correction is not available, survey correction techniques are used, and we note whenever the corrections are not used. However, we have found that such corrections do not have a large effect on our results, and therefore, we present all results with confidence. E. VARIABLE DEFINITIONS. The appendix to this study contains definitions of the key variables used in our analysis. For each key variable, we describe how we constructed the variable and we list the names of the NELS variables used in the construction. SECTION III. DATA 14 MATHTECH, INC. IV. WHO GOES TO COLLEGE? A. WHAT PROPORTION OF STUDENTS ATTEND COLLEGE, AND WHAT TYPE OF COLLEGE DID THEY ATTEND? We begin our analysis by examining the demographics of postsecondary school choice and discussing our main findings regarding college attendance rates and types of postsecondary education (PSE) attended. As shown in Table 3, a majority of 1988 eighth graders attend some type of PSE by 1994. Overall, 62. 7 percent of the respondents attend PSE. (Note that in all of the tables in this report, all percentages are weighted. ) Students are most likely to attend a 4-year public or a less than 4-year public school. Approximately 24 percent of the students attend each of these types of schools. Next most common are 4-year private schools. Just over 11 percent of the respondents attend 4-year private schools. Only 4 percent of the respondents attend less than 4-year private schools. Thirty-seven percent of the respondents do not attend any type of PSE. Women are slightly more likely than men to attend PSE. While 60 percent of men attend PSE, 65 percent of women attend. Women are more likely than men to attend 4-year private schools and less than 4-year private schools. Native Americans, Blacks, and Hispanics are least likely to attend PSE and Asians and Pacific Islanders are most likely to attend PSE. Hispanics are most likely to attend less than 4year private schools. Students whose parents have higher education levels are much more likely to attend PSE. While only 33 percent of students whose parents have less than a high school education attend PSE, 90 percent of students whose parents have an advanced degree attend PSE. SECTION IV. WHO GOES TO COLLEGE? 15 MATHTECH, INC. Table 3 DEMOGRAPHICS OF POSTSECONDARY SCHOOL CHOICE1 No PSE 4-Year Public 4-Year Private.

Our Fascination, Hopes, and Fears. :: Artificial Intelligence Aliens Science Essays

Our Fascination, Hopes, and Fears. Introduction: What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) ? Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a branch of computer science which deals with helping machines find solutions to complex problems in a more human-like fashion. [1] What does it mean to say that a machine might be intelligent? This is the goal of the field of AI, yet it is not an easy goal to define. AI researchers express their goals differently, but they all share an interest in creating, through the hardware and software of a computer, an entity that is in some way recognized as intelligent and that shares some aspects of the distinctly human conditions. Thus, AI can be viewed as the attempt to create a machine that is in some way created in the image of the human person, an image loosely defined using the term intelligence. [3] One of the most challenging approaches facing experts is building systems that mimic the behavior of the human brain, made up of billions of neurons, and arguably the most complex matter in the universe. Alan Turing, a British computer scientist, stated that a computer would deserves to be called intelligent if it could deceive a human into believing that it was human. This generally involves borrowing characteristics from human intelligence, and applying them as algorithms in a computer friendly way. [1] "Strong AI" approach claims that modeling the human mind is necessary for creating some form of computer-based AI that can truly reason and solve problems. A strong form of AI is said to be sentient (self-aware). In contrast, "weak AI" approach focus instead on simulating intelligence (attempting to create machines which will be perceived as intelligent by their users) rather than trying to create it through a model of the mind. The field of Artificial Intelligence has split into several different approaches based on the opinions about the most promising methods and theories. These rivaling theories have lead researchers in one of two basic approaches: bottom-up approach (which believe the best way to achieve artificial intelligence is to build electronic replicas of the human brain's complex network of neuronsand) and top-down (which attempts to mimic the brain's behavior with computer programs). [4] Many articles showed a desire to allay fears that computers truly are intelligent, or worse, that human might soon be supplanted by machines. [3] Intelligent computers, robots, androids, and cyborgs have come to be staple characters in science fiction stories and films.

Renewable energy architecture

Chapter One: IntroductionRationaleRenewable energy is energy generated from natural resources that are renewable, invariably replenished by nature such as sunshine, air current, rain and geothermic heat. All of these signifiers of renewable energy can be used as a cleaner beginning of energy in houses. As these signifiers of renewable energy can be harnessed to bring forth sufficient electricity even for the most demanding of houses and so some, the electricity generated from renewable resource would be clean, safe, environmentally friendly, cost effectual and efficient. â€Å" Our present happy progressive status is a thing of limited continuance † William Stanley Jevons 1865 This citation shows that as far back as the mid 1800s civilization knew the that worlds resources were non infinite and that one twenty-four hours they could run out, so for the past 150 old ages or so civilization could hold been be aftering for this and looking for alternate types of energy such as renewable energy. â€Å" Traditional Fossil fuels are running out, they are acquiring harder and more expensive to obtain, and their emanations are fouling our planet. Newer, greener, alternate, renewable, energy solutions are available today. Emerging engineerings are doing them more efficient, and more low-cost, with shorter payback times. This makes them a feasible option to traditional energy beginnings. Energy costs have snowballed in recent old ages. U.K energy wholesale monetary values have risen by 100 % for electricity, and 230 % for Gas since February 2007. Coal has seen a, monolithic leap with a 400 % addition in the last 10 old ages, from merely ?23 a ton in 1999 to ?100 a ton in 2008. Oil monetary values have increased dramatically late and are ever prone to fluctuation. Oil has reached peak supply and increasing demand from developing states is likely to maintain monetary values high † . ( line.3,4,5. par 2 from place page of www.renewable alternative.co.uk web site for Caron alternate energy systems. ) The Author found this quotation mark to be really acute as it non merely shows that traditional fuels are no longer traveling to be an option in the hereafter but with current demand for energy the monetary value is traveling to flip projectile. This citation besides looks at how promoting and utilizing renewable energy systems can assist you to make a cleaner and more environmentally friendly environment, the quotation mark besides looks at how renewable systems can be more cost effectual non merely in the overall life span but besides in the installing aswell as many authoritiess of states are now giving out grants to householders in order to advance renewable energy. The writer will travel into the inside informations of the grants in greater item later in the thesis.PurposesIn this thesis the writer aims to demo that put ining renewable energy systems in domestic houses is non merely promoting green energy but besides cost-efficient and every bit productive as traditional heating systems in places. Throughout the thesis the writer plans to call and depict the different types of renewable energy systems that are available to a home to do it more energy efficient.AimsTo set up an appropriate research methodological analysis to back up the research needs of the thesis.To analyze and measure the different types of renewable energy systems.Conduct a study of consumers who have purchased/installed a renewable energy system in their house.To look into the advantages and disadvantages between renewable energy systems and traditional warming systems.Formulate decisions and do recommendations on the footing of my findings.HypothesisIs Renewable energy in domestic houses more good than traditional heating systems?Structure of DissertationIntroductionChapter one introduces the reader to the thesis. It provides a brief overture to the subjects that will be discussed in the thesis. It besides discusses the purposes, aims and the construction of the thesis.Research method ological analysissIn chapter two the writer discusses the research methodological analysiss used to research information and this includes the research procedure, primary and secondary literature beginnings.List of renewable energy systemsIn chapter three the writer makes a list of the different types of renewable energy systems available to the consumer.List of traditional warming systemsIn chapter four the writer makes a list of the traditional warming systems available to the consumer.Detailed description of renewable energy systemsIn chapter five the writer gives a elaborate description of the different types of renewable energy systems and lists the advantages and disadvantages.Detailed description of traditional warming systemsIn chapter six the writer gives a elaborate description of the different types of traditional warming systems and lists the advantages and disadvantages.Analysis of questionnairesThis chapter analyses the sentiments of the place proprietors who have inst alled renewable energy systems in their places. In this chapter the writer has made up a client study and given it to place proprietors ( who have installed renewable energy systems in there house ) to finish. The writer will roll up and analyze the consequences of this study.Case surveyIn this chapter the writer looks at different illustrations of similar research.Decision and recommendationsThis chapter provides the decisions and recommendations of the thesis.Bibliography and MentionsThe bibliography and mentions is a list of all the books, articles and web sites used to research the thesisChapter Two Research MethodologiesIntroduction:In this chapter the writer outlines the assorted methods used to bring forth this thesis. It identifies the different beginnings used and illustrates how with comprehensive research the information was collated. The writer besides discusses the restrictions encountered in researching for this thesis.Research ProcedureThe research procedure begins by the writer fixing a preliminary literature reappraisal. This enables the writer to get a sufficient appreciation of the theories and methods of analysis in renewable energy systems. The preliminary literature reappraisal help the writer develop his cognition of the planning system and statute law. The preliminary literature survey besides helps spread out an overview of the primary beginnings of information available. The preliminary literature survey in the initial phases in the research procedure presents a big sum of the stuff needed for the thesis. The writer uses this information to contract his research. This focused his purposes on specific countries. The writer so had to make up one's mind on what format the thesis would take and how to travel about bring forthing it. By analyzing past thesiss on similar topics it will help in the enlargement of the initial thought and will show the right method to put to death a thesis. Throughout the research procedure different information is collected. This information can be broken up into different headers primary and secondary beginnings.Beginnings: Primary and SecondaryPrimary Literature Beginnings:â€Å" Primary literature is the most accurate beginning of information as it publishes original research † ( Naoum, 2007 ) . The lists of primary beginnings included in this thesis were academic research diaries, thesiss, authorities publications and studies on the capable affair. Discussion was carried out with the bibliothecs in both Robert Gordon University and Carlow Institute of Technology this broadened the research avenues. The chief beginnings of information included:Documents from the European UnionDocuments from the Irish authoritiesSustainable Energy without the hot air by David JC MackayRenewable Energy Policy by Paul KomorSecondary Literature beginnings:Secondary literature beginnings are those that cite primary beginnings such as text editions, trade diaries, newspaper articles etc. The secondary beginnings were chiefly conducted during the writer ‘s research period. The writer used many different beginnings such as the cyberspace and the library comfortss available. The utilizations of hunt engines specifically orientated to renewable energy were of great significance to the writer. Th e cyberspace was a really good beginning for up to day of the month stuff. The writer concentrated on the local sustainability web sites, Departments of Environment in Austria, Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom European Parliament, and the national newspaper websites to beginning information for this information.RestrictionsDuring the research for this thesis there were assorted restrictions. One of the greatest restrictions the writer encountered was the clip limitation. Roll uping the information needed clip it takes clip to treat the information and piece the thesis. A job the writer encountered was there were really few books that discussed the issues of the â€Å" the public presentation of renewable engineering in domestic houses † . One other trouble was the response rate was really hapless to the writer ‘s electronic mails and letters. The response rate was really hapless and therefore effected the writer ‘s overall nonsubjective position on this thesis.Literature ReviewThe writer undertook a literature reappraisal to beginning the relevant research involvements. The literature reappraisal provided the background information for the principle. In researching for this thesis the writer used text editions, newspapers, statute law and published studies as the principal beginnings.Past DissertationsPast thesiss in the Robert Gordon University provided a valuable beginning of information. The past thesiss were a considerable aid with the layout and format of the thesis and besides helped with developing the content.QuestionnaireThe usage of questionnaires was a important aid in having feedback from the people who are most influenced by the renewable energy systems ( the people who have had them installed in there houses ) on their sentiments and experiences.Chapter 3 List of Renewable Energy SystemsThe list of renewable energy systems falls under certain different standards for illustration solar, air current power, biomass etc. these are some of the systems that the writer will be looking at in greater item later on in the thesis.SolarSolar panel s.Photovoltaic cells.Evacuated tubing aggregators.Heat pumpsGeothermal heat pumps.Wind energyWind turbinesBiomassWood Chip or Pellet BoilersWater directionRainwater reapingChapter 4 List of Traditional Energy SystemsThe list of traditional energy systems that the writer has decided to research falls under the undermentioned standard Gas, Oil and Coal the writer will be looking at these systems in greater item later on in the thesis.Traditional warming systemsGasOilCoalChapter 5 Detailed Description of Renewable Energy SystemsSolar PanelsSolar thermal ( heat ) energy is frequently used for heating H2O used in places and for heating the interiors of edifices ( â€Å" infinite warming † ) . Solar infinite heating systems can be classified as inactive or active. Passive infinite warming is what happens to your auto on a hot summer twenty-four hours. The Sun ‘s beams heat up the interior of your auto. In edifices, the air is circulated past a solar heat surface and through the edifice by convection ( intending that less heavy warm air tends to lift while denser cool air moves downward ) . No mechanical equipment is needed for inactive solar warming. An active solar thermal system relies on solar aggregators to transform sunshine into heat that can be used for infinite warming or more normally to bring forth hot H2O. Active systems frequently include some type of energy storage system. Information taken from: ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.eia.doe.gov/kids/energyexplained/renewable/flatplate.html )Solar Energy & A ; the EnvironmentUsing solar energy produces no air or H2O pollution and no nursery gases, but does hold some indirect impacts on the environment. In add-on, big solar thermic power workss can harm desert ecosystems if non decently managed. Birds and insects can be killed if they fly into a concentrated beam of sunshine, such as that created by a â€Å" solar power tower. † Some solar thermic systems use potentially risky fluids ( to reassign heat ) that require proper handling and disposal. Concentrating solar systems may necessitate H2O for regular cleansing of the concentrators and receiving systems and for chilling the turbine-generator. Using H2O from belowground Wellss may impact the ecosystem in some waterless locations.Photovoltaic CellsWhat are Photovoltaic Cells and how do they work?Photovoltaic Panels are normally situated on a roof and usage semi music directors to change over sunshine to bring forth electricity for your place. Unlike Solar Panels which use the energy of the Sun to heat H2O, Solar PV ( photovoltaic ) converts the suns energy into electricity. The panels are made up of an array of cells which are made of stuffs such as Si. The Solar PV ‘s are made up of a negative and positive field similar to a battery. The photovoltaic panels do non necessitate sunshine to be effectual as they operate from daytime instead than sunlight specifically, although they do supply more electricity in sunnier climes. The more Sun, the more electricity produced. The photovoltaic cell is activated by visible radiation. Electricity is created by the creative activity of an electric field across beds of semi-conductors in the cell.Advantages of Solar PVPhotovoltaic cells are low care, but do necessitate checking of the wiring and guaranting the Photovoltaic panels are unbroken clean and debris free.For new physique or redevelopments, photovoltaic installing costs will be lower as they can be incorporated with other plants.Photovoltaic reduces your C footmark.Alternative energy systems can better overall marking for ‘Energy Performance Certificates ‘ which form a mandatory component of the Home Information Packs ‘HIPS ‘ which house Sellerss now have to roll up.Alternative, renewable energy systems increase the value and saleability of your belongings.Photovoltaic panels are low noise.Photovoltaic panels can be used to supplement air current energy.SuitabilityPhotovoltaic panels should be placed so that they are South or c hiefly South confronting to derive most benefit from them, on an country where they will non blockade or overshadowed by edifices or trees. If they are in the shadiness for portion of the clip their end product will be less. Whilst traditionally these have been available in panels, Photovoltaic is now besides available in a signifier which mimics traditional tiles, and besides as units which can be used in the building of conservatories where they can besides supply shadiness. For larger Photovoltaic installings you may necessitate be aftering permission. A single system design will supply you with the best options for your single demands. We are able to plan and provide ‘off grid options ‘ which can let you to be self sufficient for electricity, heating and hot H2O. Photovoltaics ( pvs ) which convert sunshine straight into electricity, have many attractive characteristics. They are quiet, reliable, have no moving parts, can be installed really rapidly, and can be sized to power anything from a individual visible radiation to an full community. However they are rather expensive, with current costs of 20 per to 40 us cents per kWh for grid connected systems ( compared to 3 to 5 cents per kWh for coal or natural gas systems ) . Although costs have come down well in recent old ages and will go on to drop, PVs are presently nowhere near cost competitory with fossil fuels. ( l.3,4,5 par.2 pg 39 Renewable Energy Policy by Paul Komor )Evacuated Tube CollectorsEvacuated cellular tubings are made up of a series of modular tubings mounted in parallel.these tubings can be added to or taken away in conformity to hot H2O demands. These aggregators consist of rows of parallel see through glass tubings in which each contain an absorber tubing. In an evacuated tubing aggregator the sunshine passes through the glass tubing and heats up the absorber tubing by agencies of a heat money changer. The thickened fluid so flows back into the underside of the heat pipe. The pipes must be placed at a certain angle so that the method of vaporisation and compression will work to the best of it ‘s capableness.Advantages of Evacuated Tube CollectorsThe tubings can be separately replaced easy without particular tools and the H2O does non hold to be drained from the solar hot H2O system.The E.C.T ( evacuated tubing aggregators ) work like a thermos and maintain up to 93 % of the Sun heat in and lose between merely 3-5 % of the heat gained.The E.C.T will work in cold conditions up to -40 grades Fahrenheit.Geothermal Heat PumpsA geothermic heat pump is a cardinal warming and/or chilling system that pumps heat to or from the land. The geothermic heat pump uses the heat from the land as a beginning of heat ( in the colder months ) or a heat storage ( in the warmer months ) . This design takes advantage of the sensible temperatures in the land to better efficiency and cut down the costs of runing warming and chilling systems. The systems work a batch like a icebox or an air conditioner. Heat pumps can reassign heat from cold countries to warm countries, against the natural way of tally, or the systems can better the natural rush of heat from a warm country to a cool one. But unlike air-source heat pumps, which preponderantly transfers heat to or from the colder outside air, a land beginning heat pump takes its heat from the land. The fact that belowground temperatures are much more changeless means that geothermic heat pumps are much more energy efficient than air beginning heat pumps. What a land beginning heat pump does is it extracts the heat from the land in the colder months ( for heating ) and transfers the heat back into the land in the warmer months ( for chilling ) . During the summer months, the process can be changed so that the heat pump takes the heat from the edifice and channels it to the land. In order for a land beginning heat pump to work it must hold a heat money changer connected with the land to take or scatter heat. Direct exchange systems move refrigerating resistance, closed cringle systems use a combination of anti-freeze and H2O, where as natural groundwater is used in unfastened cringle systems. â€Å" Geothermal electricity has one compelling advantage over air current and solar. It ‘s non limited by the caprices of the air current or the Sun and can therefore provide base burden electricity. Typical geothermic workss operate at capacity factors of 90 per centum, compared to weave ‘s 25 to 30 per centum. This means that a geothermic power works is presenting near to its maximal end product most of the clip. This makes it a much more valuable and reliable beginning of electricity † .Wind TurbinesWhat are wind turbines and how do they work?Wind turbines are the most common of the alternate energies, they are efficaciously the modern equivalent of the old fashioned windmill. The rotors or blades of the air current turbines are placed on a pole high up, where they need comparatively small air current to turn them. The whirling blades of the turbines create electricity by revolving a lasting magnet to bring forth electricity, which can be used for a assortment of intents. The more electricity required the bigger the air current turbines required. When most people think of air current turbines they think of the really big commercial air current farms, with really high, really big air current turbines. Wind turbines are now available on a much smaller graduated table for domestic homes, and are capable of bring forthing sufficient electricity for the family, and dependent upon size, there is besides the possibility of selling extra electricity to the grid.Advantages of Wind TurbinesWind turbines are environmentally friendly.Once installed air current turbines provide free electricity.Wind turbines are a more constituted engineering, they are a cheaper option and have a lower payback period.During periods of good air current, electricity produced by Wind turbines and non used or stored can be sold to electricity companies.Our new coevals air current turbines non merely look different, they are quieter and more efficient. Their light-weight and compact de sign allows them to be located on edifice roofs.SuitabilityIn the chief, wind turbines are used for supplementing an bing electricity supply. You will necessitate a suited environment to be able to turn up the turbine, as far off as possible from trees and edifices. You will necessitate a suited base or pedestal on which to mount the air current turbine. Wind turbines merely generate electricity while there is sufficient air current so a uninterrupted supply of electricity can non be achieved. If there is no bing supply of electricity, electricity will either necessitate to be stored for unproductive periods, and/or used in concurrence with another beginning of renewable energy. Not all locations are suited for air current turbines, the placement of the turbine and the surrounding environment are critical for optimal public presentation. Any local planning limitations need to be taken history of in England and Wales be aftering permission is necessary to put in a little air current turbine. Wind turbines are best suited for rural belongingss, farms, community edifices, industrial estates, schools etc. The cardinal thought behind wind power is appealingly simple: the air current turns the blades, the blades turn the generator, and the generator makes electricity. The world of class is much more complex. Today ‘s air current turbines are technically sophisticated and finely engineered, integrating the latest progresss in stuffs, microprocessor controls, and computational fluid kineticss ( for blade design ) ( line 5, par 2, pg 34 Renewable Energy Policy by Paul Komor )Biomassâ€Å" Most common procedure of biomass burning is firing of wood. In developed states replacing oil or coal-burning cardinal heating boiler with a wood firing one can salvage between 20 and 60 % on warming measures, because wood costs less than oil or coal. At the same clip wood firing units are eco-friendly. They merely emit the same sum of the nursery gas CO2 as the tree absorbed when it was turning. So burning wood does non lend to planetary heating. Since wood contains less sulphur than oil does, les s sulfate is discharged into the ambiance. This means less acerb rain and less acid in the environment † . ( This is the sentiment of the industries of the frohling company who manufacture biomass boilers. ) Biomass can be converted to different signifiers of energy including heat, power, combined heat and power or liquid bio fuels.Direct burning of biomass stuff. Some processing of biomass may be carried out anterior to combustion e.g. sorting, splintering, pelleting or drying.The chemical processes-where solid biomass is upgraded to a liquid or a gas by pyrolisis and gasification.Decomposition of solid biomass to liquid or gaseous fuels by procedures such as anaerobiotic and agitation.Whilst the writer was researching biomass energy he came across a really interesting article on the importance of biomass energy in Germany this is what it states â€Å" Biomass is one of the most of import and most diverse renewable energy beginnings in Germany † . Quote taken from ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bmu.de/english/renewable_energy/doc/42722.php ) .As Germany is one of the taking states in sustainability in the European Union the writer thought that this would be rather good to t he thesis. Biomass can be used in solid, gas and liquid signifier to make electricity and heat and to bring forth bio-fuels. It is estimated that of the entire concluding energy created from renewable beginnings in the twelvemonth stoping 2007 biomass contributed 69 % this is a astonishing figure when you take that more than two tierces of renewable energy came from biomass. Harmonizing to the concluding energy ingestion bio energy is responsible for about 4 per centum of entire electricity usage, merely over 6 per centum of entire heat required and 7.6 per centum of entire fuel needed. â€Å" The usage of bio-energy is to be farther expanded. The proficient potency required for this is available in Germany. In the agricultural and forestry sector, portion of the 17 million hectares of agricultural land ( approx. 12 million hectares of cultivable land and approx. 5 million hectares of grassland ) and of the 11 million hectares of forest are available for biomass production. By far the most of import beginning of bioenergy in Germany is wood. About one one-fourth of Germany ‘s wood production ( lower quality line of production ) is used for bring forthing energy, about three quarters are used as stuff. Waste wood and used wood are besides used for energy production. Model computations by the Federal Research Centre for Forestry and Forest Products have shown that there are militias to spread out the usage of wood without impairing sustainable forestry. † quotation mark taken from ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.bmu.de/english/renewable_energy/doc/42722.php ) this quotation mark shows how the German people are utilizing at that place natural resources to farther heighten the solution to fossil fuel jobs. Economically biomass energy has become rather important in Germany with about 100,000 occupations being created in the bio energy sector, specifically in the agricultural and forestry subdivisions, where they are fabricating stuffs such as pellets, wood french friess or biogas from biomass. The entire net incomes from the bio-energy sector came to 10.23 billion euro in 2007. ( Information was taken from the web site of the Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety of the German Government )Rainwater HarvestingRainwater harvest home is the collection and maintaining of rainwater. It can supply H2O for imbibing, for farm animate beings, for irrigating land and for H2O to replenish acquifies in the procedure known as groundwater recharge. In some instances rainwater is the lone sensible or available H2O beginning. The systems are really suited in countries where the rainfall is greater than 200mm per twelvemonth. There are two types of reaping land H2O harvest home and roof harvest home. Land H2O reaping systems feed H2O from a prepared catchment country into a storage country. They are normally merely considered in countries where rainwater is highly limited and extra supplies of H2O are missing or non available at all. They are really suited for little communities. If good designed, land catchments systems can roll up big sums of rainwater. Roof reaping systems feed rainwater that falls onto a roof into storage through a system of troughs and pipes. The initial bustle of rainwater after a dry enchantment should non be stored as it could be polluted with soil, bird dungs etc. Roof troughs must hold sufficient incline to avoid any opportunity of a back log of H2O. The troughs must be strong plenty, and large plenty to transport maximal flows. In order to cut down the hazard of taint and fungus growing the storage armored combat vehicles should be covered. In order for the Rainwater reaping systems to be kept hygienic and clean they require regular cleansing and care this will protract the good working order of the systems. Rainwater reaping in towns or metropoliss can be really utile for many grounds. One of the chief grounds rainwater reaping can be implemented in metropoliss is to provide excess H2O for the metropolis ‘s demands, to refill flora to better the scenic beauty of a town/city, to increase the land H2O tabular array through unreal recharge, to relieve urban implosion therapy and to better the quality of groundwater. Another ground that rainwater harvest home can be utile for is in families the H2O can be used to flush lavatories and for rinsing apparels, sometimes it can be more good to utilize rainwater to make laundry as some country the brinies H2O may hold hints of calcium hydroxide which could consequence the lavation machine over clip. It can besides be used for lavishing or bathing. It will necessitate extremist violet intervention prior to utilize for imbibing.Chapter 6 Detailed Description of Traditional Energy SystemsIn this chapter the writer decided to look at the stuffs used to heat the traditional types of heating systems.GasHow Was Natural Gas Formed?â€Å" The chief ingredient in natural gas is methane, a gas ( or compound ) composed of one C atom and four H atoms. Millions of old ages ago, the remains of workss and animate beings ( diatoms ) decayed and built up in thick beds. This rotten affair from workss and animate beings is called organic stuff – it was one time alive. Over clip, the sand and silt changed to sway, covered the organic stuff, and trapped it beneath the stone. Pressure and heat changed some of this organic stuff into coal, some into oil ( crude oil ) , and some into natural gas – bantam bubbles of odourless gas. †Advantages of Natural GasThe procedure of firing natural gas is cleaner than firing other fossil fuels. It releases fewer emanations of sulfur, C, and N than oil or coal. As natural gas is one of the cleaner fuels it has become much more popular in recent old ages.Disadvantages of Natural GasNatu ral gas may be cleaner than other fossil fuels but like other dodo fuel, the combustion of natural gas will bring forth C dioxide. Carbon dioxide is the 2nd biggest nursery gas lending to the nursery consequence. Natural gas besides has a negative consequence on the environment while it is being manufactured, polishing and transporting.OilOil was created from the remains of workss and animate beings that existed 1000000s of old ages ago in a maritime environment.Heating oil is a liquid with gluey characteristics, it is a combustible liquid crude oil merchandise used as a fuel for heating systems or boilers in edificesHeating oil is really similar to diesel fuel, and both are classified as distillations. It consists of a mixture of crude oil and hydrocarbonsDisadvantages of OilOil merchandises help us achieve many things. We use them oil merchandises to fuel many of our conveyance systems such as cars, planes trains etc to heat our places, and to develop merchandises such as medical specialties and plastics. Even though oil merchandises make life easier – discovering, fabrication, transporting, and the usage of them can harm the environment through H2O and air pollution.Harmful gases and emanations are produced from firing Oil merchandises.Some of these harmful emanations include:Particulate affair ( PM )Carbon dioxide ( CO2 )Sulfur dioxide ( SO2 )Carbon monoxide ( CO )About all of these byproducts of firing oil have a negative consequence on peoples wellness and the environment:Carbon dioxide is a nursery gas, which is of class a beginning of planetary heating.SO2 is known to causes causes respiratory unwellnesss and bosom diseases and besides acerb rain, which is damaging to animate beings and workss that live in H2O.Particulate affair is known to lend to the undermentioned wellness jobs lung malignant neoplastic disease, emphysema, asthma and chronic bronchitis.CoalCoal is a readily combustible black or brown-black sedimentary stone. It is composed ch iefly of C along with fickle sums of other elements, chiefly S, H, O and N. Coal starts out as a movie of works substance builds up at the underside of a organic structure of H2O. In order for the process to go on the works substance affair must be sheltered from biodegradation and oxidation, normally by clay or acidic H2O. This trapped atmospheric C in the land in huge peat bogs that finally were covered over and profoundly buried by deposits under which they metamorphosed into coal. Coal, a dodo fuel, is the largest beginning of energy for the coevals of electricity worldwide, every bit good as one of the largest worldwide anthropogenetic beginnings of C dioxide emanations. Coal is the largest emmittant of C dioxide of all the fossil fuels it emits about double the sum of Co2 that natural gas emits. Coal is extracted from the land by excavation, either belowground or in unfastened cavities. Coal is chiefly used as a solid fuel to make heat and electricity.What are some of the disadvantages with excavation coal?â€Å" Without proper attention, excavation can hold a negative impact on ecosystems and H2O quality and alter landscapes and scenic positions. Debris that chokes mountain watercourses can ensue from surface excavation like mountaintop remotion, and acidic H2O can run out from abandoned belowground mines. Today reconstructing the land damaged by surface excavation is an of import portion of the excavation procedure. Because excavation activities frequently come into contact with H2O resources, coal manufacturers must besides travel to great attempts to forestall harm to land and surface Waterss.What Emissions and By merchandises Are Produced from Burning Coal?The burning of coal produces several types of emanations that adversely affect the environment. The five chief emanations associated with coal ingestion in the energy sector are:Sulfur dioxide ( SO2 ) , which has been linked to acid rain and increased incidence of respiratory unwellnesssNitrogen oxides ( NOx ) , which have been linked to the formation of acerb rain and photochemical smogParticulates, which have been linked to the formation of acerb rain and increased incidence of respiratory unwellnesssCarbon dioxide ( CO2 ) , which is the primary nursery gas emanation from energy usage. †Chapter 7: Analysis of Questionnair e:Introduction:In this chapter the writer will measure some of the sentiments of householders from Scotland and Ireland. These people represent the householders who have installed renewable energy systems in there houses of, so their sentiments will give an honest position of the systems. The questionnaire will assist me compare my ain beliefs on the renewable energy systems with the people most accustomed to them. The questionnaire was sent out with a cover missive as shown in Appendix A. There were 40 questionnaire sent out. 30 respondents sent their questionnaires back. I posted the questionnaires with a return cast addressed envelope included.Question 1:How satisfied are you with sing the following points? Merchandise, overall quality, value, installing ( first usage ) , usage experience and after purchase service. The intent of this inquiry is to see whether the people who have purchased renewable energy systems are happy in the above countries. The consequences of the study prove that big proportion of the people who have installed renewable energy systems in their places have been preponderantly happy with there purchase.Question 2:Overall, how satisfied are you with the merchandise? The consequences of this study are reasonably conclusive in turn outing that the bulk of the people surveyed are either really satisfied or highly satisfied with there merchandise.Question 3:Compared to other merchandises that are available, would you state that the merchandise is? The intent of this inquiry is to see whether the people who have purchased renewable energy systems are happy with there merchandises compared to traditional energy systems. Looking at the consequences of the questionnaire it is obvious to see that the people who have had the renewable systems installed are happy with there purchase with a bulk of 53 % happening the new system to be better and 27 % of the people.Question 4:Would you travel back to your old system? The intent of this inquiry was to happen out what per centum of the people surveyed would be happy to travel back to there original system. Once once more the consequences of the study were reasonably conclusive with the bulk of the people more than happy to remain with there renewable systems.Question 5:How likely are you to urge this merchandise to others? The intent of this inquiry was to happen out what per centum of the people surveyed would be happy to urge this merchandise to there friends and household. The consequences of this inquiry shows that out of 30 people who answered the questionnaire a bulk of 54 % of people would be willing to urge a renewable energy system to people they know, with 30 % of the people being open.Question 6:Based on your experience with this sort of merchandise, how likely are you to put in a similar merchandise in your house once more? The consequences of this inquiry are really concise with a bulk of 73 % likely or highly likely to put in a similar renewable energy system in the hereafter and a minority of 23 % who would non be willing to put in another renewable energy system.Chapter 8: Case StudyAs portion of the instance survey chapter the writer has looked at the new E.U. statute law brought in on the 23rd January 2008 entitled â€Å" Renewable Energy in the twenty-first century: edifice a more sustainable hereafter † . This enterprise is aimed at holding Renewable energy history for 20 per centum of the brotherhoods overall Energy ingestion by 2020. As portion of this instance analyze the writer looked at how four different states viz. Austria, Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom intend to run into foremost the interim marks and secondly there overall mark by 2020. The writer will besides be looking at the different grant strategies grants for renewable energy in domestic places awarded by differen t states within the European Union. First the writer will demo the statute law given by the EU below and demo what marks have to be met by each state in the European brotherhood and the interim marks set out for each state listed below.Member provinces ‘ marksOn 23 January 2008, theCommission put frontward a proposal for a newdirective on renewable energies to replace the bing steps adopted in 2001.EU authoritiess and the European Parliament reached a wide understanding on the proposal on 9 December 2008, which was so adopted by the Parliament in a plenary ballot on 17 December Harmonizing to the text, each member stateshouldincrease its usage ofrenewable energies – such as solar, air current or hydro -in a bidto encouragement the E.U. ‘s portion from 8.5 % of the axis ‘s energy mix today to 20 % by 2020.A 10 % usage of ‘green fuels'in transportis besides included within the overall EU aim. To accomplish the marks, every state in the 27-member axis is required to increase its portion of renewables by 5.5 % from 2005 degrees, with the staying addition calculated on the footing of per capita gross domestic merchandise ( GDP ) :Interim marksThe Commission alsoproposes aseries of interim marks, in order to guarantee steady advancement towards the 2020 marks.25 % norm between 2011 and2012 ;35 % norm between 2013 and 2014 ;45 % norm between 2015 and 2016, and ;65 % norm between 2017 and 2018.OesterreichsIn researching the proposals of each of the four states the writer intended to look at, the writer found it highly hard to happen a finalised proposal as the finalised proposals do non hold to be submitted to the European Union until June of 2010. the best the writer was able to make was research proposals forwarded by MPs to each authorities. The Austrian authorities set up a plan to analyze the effects of holding to make 34 % renewable energy of the entire energy end product by 2020 and the impact this will hold on the environment, the economic system and on society. In order to analyze the inquiries posed, the undertaking comprises two chief blocks: the development of the simulation theoretical account â€Å" e3.at † which integrates energy, economic and environmental facets in one individual and consistent modeling model, and its application within a participatory scenario patterning procedure. After the creative activity of the simulation theoretical account and the development of the scenarios, the scenarios had to be implemented into the theoretical account. The undertaking consists of:An economic theoretical account, dwelling of an input-output theoretical account, the system of national histories ( SNA ) , and the labour market.An energy theoretical account, exemplifying the relationship between economic development, energy usage and CO2 emanations. It comprises energy demand, transmutation and supply.A resource theoretical account, apportioning the domestic and imported stuff inputs to those sectors responsible for the material extraction.The theoretical account acts as a footing for quantifying the effects of different scenarios of a more ambitious usage of renewable energy in Austria.GermanyThe German authorities has estimated that they will non merely make the mark by 2020 but beat it by.7 % the authorities. The German authorities have done up a tabular array gauging how much per centum of energy they are traveling to do from renewables from 2010 to 2020.Irish republicHarmonizing to the Irish authoritiess section of communicating, Marine and renewables white paper papers, presenting a sustainable hereafter for Ireland the authorities intends to make the followers:Encourage biomass in power coevals by back uping biomass engineering transportation, investing in specific biomass R & A ; D and tackling of supply side ( biomass feedstock ) issues ;They will extinguish the dedicated oil demand for the power coevals sector by 2020 while reexamining the strategic necessity for double fire at gas workss ;They will accomplish 15 % of electricity ingestion from renewable beginnings by 2010through bing and new undertakings under the refit strategy ;They will accomplish 33 % of electricity ingestion from renewable beginnings by 2020 through support for research, development, commercialisation, and engineering transportation every bit good as grid connexions and be aftering issues for offshore air current, ocean engineering and biomass ;They will restrict Irelands dependance on natural gas for power coevals to about 50 % b y 2020.They will guarantee the necessary transmittal system planning and development in support of renewables by EirGrid SONI and the Regulators in the all-island model.Besides in the white paper papers was a estimated tabular array of the electricity coevals between 2005 and 2020.United KingdomIn relation to the United Kingdom the writer was able to come across a proposal by Mr John Hutton MP sketching his proposals to assist the United Kingdom make its recommended renewable energy mark of 15 % by 2020. The proposals are as follows:â€Å" Extending and raising the degree of the renewables duty to promote 30-35 % of our electricity to come from renewable beginnings by 2020.Introducing a new fiscal inducement mechanism to promote a really big addition in renewable heat.Widening more effectual fiscal support for heat and electricity microgeneration engineerings in places and other edifices.Helping the planning system to present.Guaranting appropriate inducements for new electricity g rid substructure.Exploiting the full potency of energy from waste by sing farther limitations on land make fulling biomass.Necessitating all biofuels to run into rigorous sustainability standards to restrict inauspicious impacts on nutrient monetary values, and other societal and environmental concerns.Promoting the development of new renewable engineerings by guaranting effectual support peculiarly where the UK has the possible to be a market leader.Maximizing the benefits for UK concern by supplying a clear long-run policy model. â€Å" Taken from ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.energyportal.eu/component/content/article/6175.html )Chapter 8.2 Grant allotmentAs portion of this thesis the writer researched the grants available to householders, who wished to put in renewable energy systems in there homes. The writer decided to look at the grants available in the four European states he had looked at for the E.U enterprise viz. Austria, Germany, Ireland and the United Kingdom. T he writer thought that this would be really good as the chief ground for non put ining renewable energy systems in peoples places was the monetary value of it, but if the grants available can be significant plenty to cut the monetary value of installing down to a minimal so there should be no ground for non put ining renewable energy systems.OesterreichsSome European states, such as Germany, Ireland, Portugal and Spain, already established renewable edifice codifications on a national degree. Austria has chosen a different way. Alternatively of an amendment to the bing edifice codifications, which would do a portion of renewable energy mandatary in new or refurbished edifices, Austria agreed on a ordinance which is linked to the lodging aid programmes. The model for this political instrument is an agreement ( paragraph 15a B-VG ) between the national and the province authoritiess to cut down the nursery gas emanations of the edifice sector. It stipulates that all Austrian provinces implement regulations for paying lodging aid merely if the warming system of the house fulfils certain ecological demands. Efficient oil/gas boilers with a solar thermal system are eligible in most provinces, every bit good as wood boilers, heat pumps and territory warming. 7 of 9 Austrian provinces already approved these demands last twelvemonth. Austrian provinces that implemented demands for an ecological warming system for new and refurbished residential edifices, desiring to gain from lodging aid. In most instances, the householder can take between different heating engineerings, one of them being an efficient oil/gas boiler combined with a solar thermal system.GermanyHarmonizing to the German authorities they are apportioning 350 million euros each twelvemonth to in the signifier of grants to householders for the installing of renewable energy systems such as solar panels, biomass boilers and heat pumps. However the German authorities expects most householders to take solar panels. Under the new ordinances, solar panels will necessitate to hold an country equal to 4 % of the entire country of a house. The German authorities has besides brought in a statute law that all new places built in Germany from January 1st 2009 will be required to put in renewable energy heating systems under a new jurisprudence called the Renewable Energies Heating Law ( Erneubare-Energien-Warmegesetz ) . Harmonizing to the new statute law 14 % of a family ‘s entire energy ingestion must be met by renewable energy beginnings. For bing houses from 2010 onwards the recommendations are that 10 % of the warming and domestic supplies will hold to be provided by integrating renewable energy. For old houses, 10 % of the warming and domestic hot H2O energy demands will hold to be provided by renewables. Fines of up to 500,000 euros will confront anyone who fails to exchange their warming systems. ( information for this was taken from the German federal ministry for the environment, nature preservation and atomic safety of the German authorities )Irish republicIn Ireland the Irish authorities have been giving out grants to place proprietors since the 27thof March 2006 under the grant strategy the applier.United KingdomThe United Kingdom besides allocates grants to householders who are put ining renewable engineering in there houses but certain criterions have to be met first these criterions are as follows: The grants are merely available to place that have:Insulated the whole of the loft of the belongings to run into current edifice ordinances e.g. 270mm of mineral wool loft insularity or suited option.Installed pit wall insularity where possible.Fitted low energy visible radiation bulbs in all appropriate light adjustments.Have thermostatic controls and a coder or timer for your warming.In many of the grants available the grants will besides pay for 30 % of the installing fee. So in decision with the grants in each of the four states researched covering at least 30 % of the installing fee if non more there should be no ground for non put ining renewable engineering systems.Decision:The chief purpose of this thesis is to place whether the renewable energy systems could work every bit if non better than the traditional warming systems. The 2nd purpose was to bring out if the renewable energy systems be more cost effectual and significantly more environmentally friendly than the bing warming systems. In order to carry through these purposes and to prove the hypothesis of â€Å" Is Renewable energy in domestic houses more good than traditional heating systems? the writer set out specific aims to accomplish these ends. In the of all time altering universe of renewable energy it is apparent that the progresss and on-going progresss in the field of renewable energy agencies that better engineering will be bought at a more competitory monetary value. This will portend good for both the consumer and the environment with the consumer being able to buy renewable engineering cheaper than he would a traditional dodo fuel he/she will be cutting down on the nursery gas emanations that are fouling the environment every twenty-four hours. To demo one illustration of this Evacuated cellular tubings are perchance the best solar thermic devices on the market right now but they are besides the dearest but with progresss in engineering ( e.t.c ‘s ) will go cheaper doing them more popular. Another decision that the writer came to while he was researching for this thesis is that non merely is the use of fossil fuels earnestly harming our environment but they are besides running out at an dismaying rate which means if we do n't move every bit shortly as possible to rectify our errors we will non merely have created irreversible harm to our environment, by breathing harmful gases into the ambiance but we will hold sucked dry all of the earths dodo fuels. It is rather clear to see this go oning now all we have to make is look at the surging monetary values of oil, gas and coal e.g. monetary values have risen 230 % for Gas since February 2007. Coal has seen a, monolithic leap with a 400 % addition in the last 10 old ages, from merely ?23 a ton in 1999 to ?100 a ton in 2008. figures taken from ( Caron alternative energy web site. ) Consequences from the who installed renewable energy systems in there places were more than happy questionnaires, proved that 74 % of the people that were surveyed with either the heat generated or the electricity generated and the comfort provided by the renewable energy systems. As the bulk of the people surveyed either switched from traditional heating systems to renewable energy systems or were brought up in life in a house with traditional heating systems the writer thought that this was a true contemplation of the position of the people most affected.Recommendations:There should be more accent put on the fabrication of renewable energy systems as the writer noted earlier if there were more renewable devices supplied so the overall monetary value would travel down as it is simple marketing â€Å" supply and demand †Although the European Union have brought in a new directive where by 2020 40 % of the corporate European states energy should be renewable energy, the writer b elieves that each authorities in each state should make its uttermost to excel this demand.The authorities of each state should convey in a statute law that all new houses have to run into a certain criterion of renewable end product to advance both the sale and usage of renewable energy. The authorities should besides see presenting stricter clip frames for enforcement of this statute law.Governments could besides give greater grants to advance the sale of renewable systems and revenue enhancement an over usage of fossil fuels.

Plant And Animal Viruses Research Paper - 728 Words

Jillian Page 10-20-16 Mr. Blevins 8th hour Biotechnology 12 Plant and Animal Viruses Research Paper With the vast amount of animal and plant species, there are, of course, vast amounts of viruses that can affect them. From Canine Parvovirus to Cucumber Mosaic virus, the virology is extensive. Luckily because of modern science and innovations in biotechnology, these viruses are being prevented and eradicated so plants and animals can have long, healthy lives. Canine Parvovirus is an animal disease that comes in two different forms, the most common being the intestinal form. It is most prominent in bigger dogs such as Rottweilers, Dobermans, Labradors, and German Shepherds, although all dogs can contract it. The spreading of the disease is almost always caused by an altered strain of Canine Parvovirus. The disease is most commonly transmitted through direct contact with an infected dog. It can also be transmitted through the fecal-oral route. Large concentrations of the disease can be found in a dog’s stool, so when a dog sniffs an infected dog’s stool, it will immediately contract the virus. The disease can live in soil for up to a year, making it very easy to contract. It is also resistant to most cleaning products, except for bleach. It is important to observe the symptoms in dogs early on to increase the chance of survival. The vast amount symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, rapid weight loss, lack of appetite, lethargy, fever, and the tissues around the eyes andShow MoreRelatedThe Effects of Genetic Engineering on Agriculture Essay1409 Words   |  6 PagesEngineering on Agriculture Agribiotechnology is the study of making altered agricultural products. Agribusiness is trying to alter the genes of already existing products to try to enhance the biocompetitiveness and adaptability of crops by enhancing plant resistance to drought, salinity, disease, pests and herbicides. 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