text:
- Original article
- Open Access
The promotion of domestic grid-connected photovoltaic electricity production through social learning
- Greg Hampton1Email author and
- Simon Eckermann2
© Hampton and Eckermann; licensee Springer. 2013
- Received: 21 July 2013
- Accepted: 1 November 2013
- Published: 26 November 2013
An effective social learning process which enhances public understanding of photovoltaic installations in residential dwellings and the economic instruments used by governments to encourage investment in this form of energy is regarded as an important component of implementing renewable energy policy in Australia.
The development of social learning was explored in deliberative workshops conducted in 2005 and 2012 in New South Wales, Australia. Participants had informed discussion of the operation of photovoltaic panels and how such panels could be integrated into domestic building structure and the economic instruments used by their State and Federal governments to encourage the installation of grid-connected photovoltaic systems. Their attitudes to the technology and investment were surveyed at the end of the workshops.
The participants expressed favourable attitudes toward the design, reliability and environmental benefits of such technology and positive attitudes towards the building integration of such panels. However, despite this, the participants were unwilling to invest in this technology, primarily because in 2005 they perceived the financial benefits of doing so as being marginal and in 2012 they were framing investment decisions in terms of reductions in tariff rates since 2010 rather than current returns.
Social learning principles can provide a range of benefits for communication and decision making in the informed promotion of grid-connected photovoltaic technology. Public perceptions and citizens' investment decisions should move beyond framing decisions relative to subsidy levels to consider long-term investment returns. Retailers and installers of residential photovoltaic systems in Australia are encouraged to promote the option of building-integrated panels given favourable preferences shown for such technology.
- Grid-connected photovoltaics
- Building-integrated photovoltaic panels
- Renewable energy and economic instruments
Public understanding and policy context of grid-connected photovoltaic electricity production in Australia
Use of grid-connected photovoltaics (GCPV), which involve the installation of photovoltaic panels (PV) on a roof or external wall and generating electricity for use and/or export to the grid, has been in its infancy in Australia. GCPV is a renewable source of power without environmental cost in producing electricity once installed or the need for land to be used and has minimal transmission or distribution cost [1], while having up front panel, inverter and instillation costs. Much of Australia has an ideal climate for generating solar energy with these technologies, as well as wind energy, and policy support by Governments in Australia for use of renewable energy has emerged over the last 5 to 10 years in large part in response to international targets for greenhouse gas emissions. Production of electricity in Australia has historically been predominantly from burning coal, and Australia retains a very high per capita emission of greenhouse gases. Government policy to increase use of renewable solar energy generation has been enacted with economic instruments such as rebates and gross feed in tariffs by Federal and State levels of government (electricity grids between states are not fully interconnected nationally). However, there has been meagre research on public familiarity and attitudes towards GCPV and the associated subsidies and feed in tariffs.
This article considers processes of social learning about the economic instruments and decision making, given technology and installation options for photovoltaic electricity production. Empirically, we report on social learning with randomly selected public participants from a regional area south of Sydney, New South Wales in deliberative workshops undertaken at the University of Wollongong in 2005 and 2012. These workshops provided participants with a general introduction to the practical and financial feasibility of domestic production of electricity through installing photovoltaic panels with inverters and the economic instruments involved in residential installation.
The enhancement of social learning about residential photovoltaic installation is an important component of effective policy implementation for renewable energy in the Australian context. Meeting renewable energy targets is in part dependent on citizen take up of renewable energy systems, while it has been left to citizens to initiate the implementation of this technology through a renewable energy certificate system.
Large-scale Generation Certificates are currently provided by the Australian Federal government for the installation of capital equipment in large schemes [2], and as the name suggests, this is likely to be implemented by large-scale generators. Under a parallel small-scale renewable energy scheme, Small-scale Technology Certificates (STC) are provided for domestic installations [3], and it is in this area that citizen social learning is of importance.
This paper considers how social learning processes could be used by such citizenry to aid information flows, decision making and policy implementation. Having set the Australian context for decision making by citizenry in this introduction, the next section considers the decision to invest in PV technology. The concept of social learning in relation to decision making for small-scale PV investment is then reviewed in relation to technology characteristics (PV system installed costs, expected performance, aesthetics, building integration) and government policy instruments (subsidies, tariffs and rebates) and their interaction in informing expected return on investment, before describing methods for and reporting on attitudes to PV decision making emerging from deliberative social learning workshops run in 2005 and 2012. Finally, the results from the workshops in relation to understanding and attitudes reported are discussed in relation to the differences in policy context and framing of PV investment decisions in 2005 and 2012, drawing out lessons for future policy and use of social learning methods.
Citizenry decisions to invest in PV under alternate policies
A decision to invest in installing a small-scale photovoltaic installation depends upon the inclinations of residents and their level of knowledge of photovoltaic technology, particularly the relative environmental and economic costs and benefits which may accrue from such installation. An STC can be transferred to and redeemed by a photovoltaic installer, reducing the capital investment costs of a typical 1.5-kilowatt (kW) installation to around Australia $3,000 at the time of the workshops in early 2012.
This system of STCs was preceded by a Federal government rebate scheme between 2000 and 2009 which resulted in the installation of 107,572 units generating 128 megawatt (MW) [4]. The previous program has been regarded as being ineffective environmentally and inefficient in terms of failing to promote understanding and acceptance of residential photovoltaic installation. The suggestion is it would have been less costly to employ other strategies such as standard social marketing [4]. Further, such alternative strategies could have mitigated negative publicity and associated framing of investment decisions for residential photovoltaic installation when prices for STCs or State arrangements for feed in tariffs for generated electricity changed in 2010. This, consequently, could also have mitigated the uncertainty and boom and bust cycles for associated manufacturing and installation industries.
Wustenhagen et al. [5] reviewed research on the social acceptance of wind energy and pose some questions which might also arise for citizens who install photovoltaic systems in their residences. Much of the research which has been conducted on social acceptance and renewable energy has been related to wind energy, nuclear power and geothermal, and has not focussed on photovoltaic panels on residences. For example, social acceptance of wind energy has shown the type of landscape to be a critical factor [6]. Analogously, the siting of PV solar panels may be an important issue, particularly if large-scale photovoltaic installations become more plentiful. There is some evidence that the visual intrusion of residential panels is associated with a decision not to install panels [7]. Australians may have concerns about the visual amenity of having panels installed on a residence, in relation to which the workshops developed for the current project assessed perceptions of traditional panels versus building-integrated panels.
There are likely to be varying levels of community engagement and education to promote the installation of a residential photovoltaic system, depending on factors such as whether or not citizens were residents in one of the designated seven Solar Cities in Australia [8]. Education of citizens in general about photovoltaic technology in Australia consists currently primarily of static website information. There have been no apparent government initiatives for citizens to pursue this information or highlight the expected financial returns from investing in and using electricity generated by residential photovoltaic systems.
Assessing citizen attitudes towards and motivation to investing in PV systems in Australia needs to distinguish between wholesale price levels for exported feed in tariffs, effective electricity cost offsets with direct generated use and government subsidized tariffs. Such subsidies can provide incentives to install domestic photovoltaic electricity generation technology but in turn need to consider the real expected return and payback periods given the expected performance, and up front capital costs, of systems.
In addition to Commonwealth Government cost offsets accruing from STCs, State governments across Australia have provided a range of domestic electricity offset and feed in tariff arrangements and associated incentives. These initially ranged from State tariffs with typical small-scale (less than 10-kW systems) systems for net export of electricity in excess of domestic use into the grid (South Australia (SA), Victoria (Vic), Western Australia (WA), Queensland (QLD)) of amounts varying from Australian $0.44 to Australian $0.60/kWh over 10 to 20 years, to gross feed in tariffs in New South Wales (NSW) and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) over 6 to 20 years from Australian $.040 up to Australian $0.60/kWh [9]. In NSW, where our study is based, an Australian $0.60 gross feed in tariff applied to installation and supply agreements in NSW signed from 9 November 2009 up to midnight 27 October 2010 for electricity generated by PV panels up to 31 December 2016 under the Solar Bonus Scheme program. This program essentially covered the capital investment costs by households of a typical 1.5-kW system installation (around Australian $6,000 during 2010) by the end of 2016, given that under this tariff such a system reduces energy costs or generates income of approximately Australian $1,100/year. This NSW program has more recently been framed as burdensome by the current NSW State Government, but the program did ensure a rapid uptake of photovoltaic technology in the State, while not committing tariff funding beyond 2016 unlike other state schemes. For agreements signed after the 28 October 2010, the gross feed in tariff in NSW was reduced from Australian $0.60/kWh generated to Australian $0.20/kWh, but a newly elected state government in April 2011 effectively removed any government subsidy, moving to a tariff to reflect the cost of undistributed wholesale electricity. For PV panel installation and supply agreements in New South Wales at the time of the workshops conducted in 2012, residents could receive around an average Australian $0.07/kWh for electricity exported to the grid - a price which is based on the spot price which a wholesaler would receive for electricity generated in the state [10]. Alternatively, if the residents in NSW were to utilize electricity generated by their photovoltaic installation in their own home, this would be financially equivalent to what they would pay for utilizing electricity from the grid, typically Australian $0.22 to Australian $0.24/kWh, unless use is off-peak. Hence, offsetting domestic use in peak periods when PV electricity is generated would, on average, provide three times the price which they are offered for exporting electricity through a net feed in tariff. However, to utilize PV energy generated at their home, residents would have to utilize this electricity at the time it is generated (during sunlight hours) which may not be feasible for many residents given their patterns of energy consumption.
Extensive publicity and political attention around the reduction in gross feed in tariff rate to Australian $0.20/kWh for systems signed off after the 27 October 2010, and further falls in the exporting rate when investing beyond 28 April 2011, has negatively framed public perception of investing in domestic photovoltaic technology in NSW after 27 October 2010. Indeed, beyond 28 April 2011, while the Independent Pricing and Regulatory Tribunal (IPART) recommended a non-mandatory price per kWh around the wholesale average undistributed price of Australian $0.052 to Australian $0.103 per kWh in 2011 to 2012 and Australian $0.077 to Australian $0.129 in 2012 to 2013 [11, 12], electricity retailers effectively paid at the bottom of these ranges, if anything, for PV exported electricity. Hence, there was marginal if any return received from investing in a gross metered system, depending on retailer after 28 April 2011, with net meters clearly preferable when offsetting domestic electricity use with PV energy generated during daylight hours (effectively Australian $0.20 to Australian $0.28, depending on provider over 2011 to 2013).
Importantly, the rate of payment for PV energy generation with investment after 27 October 2010 was publicly framed as a loss relative to that previously received at Australian $0.60c/kWh. Public framing and focus on such perceived losses is, following prospect theory and loss aversion with higher valuing of perceived losses than gains [13], expected to lead to sharp falls in GCPV investment and installations. However, continual significant decreases in capital costs faced by households for installing systems after 27 October 2010 and increasing prices for grid electricity mean that while the payback period for installing domestic solar panels may have increased somewhat, the long-term rate of return to households on a typical 1.5-kW system has in fact increased over time. For example, a reduction for the installed cost to a household of a 1.5-kW system to $3.000 with an agreement signed in early 2011, with an Australian $0.20c feed in tariff until the end of 2016, results in an expected 7- to 9-year payback period. A 1- to 3-year payback period beyond 2016 depending on the extent to which feed in tariffs are higher than Australian $0.30 beyond 2016, with converting from gross to net meters and domestic generation offsets daylight consumption and doubles the return on initial capital investment relative to an Australian $6,000 system beyond that. Hence, falls in capital costs after October 27 2010 result in a higher rate of expected overall investment return with an outlook beyond 10 to 15 years despite the lower rate of tariff to 31 December 2016 in NSW. Indeed, the long-term return continues to rise with continuing falls in capital costs of installation, even with the further fall in effective gross tariffs paid to the end of 2016. Currently, 1.5-kW systems in NSW installed with net meters offset energy use during daylight (about Australian $0.25 to Australian $0.30/kWh) and receiving what amounts to an average wholesale price (around Australian $0.077/kWh) with an appropriate choice of retailer can be installed for as little as Australian $1,500. This results in a 4- to 12-year payback period, depending on energy use offset and the extent to which the retail and wholesale price for electricity can be expected to increase to 2016 and beyond. If, as reported by IPART, on average, two thirds of PV generation is consumed and one third exported to the grid, then the average payback period with a net meter and 1.5-kW system in 2013 would be approximately 6 to 7 years, depending on the rate of increase in electricity prices [12]. Those consuming all PV energy generated would have a payback period of approximately 4 years, those who export 50% about 9 years, and those exporting all energy generated around 12 years.
Beyond 2016, the net-metered PV systems with Australian $1,500 capital installation costs in 2013 will have twice the return on capital of fixed systems installed for Australian $3,000 and four times the return on a system installed for Australian $6,000 in 2010. Those with a gross feed in meter who received Australian $0.60 and Australian $0.20 will also face costs of converting to a net meter post 2016 to allow for the higher effective returns from offsetting electricity use during PV generating hours.
Consequently, the processes of social learning and the investigation of public perceptions is becoming increasingly pertinent to effective promotion, informed investment decisions and efficient implementation of such domestic PV systems in NSW. Further, while the above consideration of returns on investment is framed in the context of subsidized gross-metered tariffs in NSW, similar calculations and arguments for approaches to informed promotion with social learning apply in other jurisdictions (Australian States and elsewhere) where reduced capital costs and increasing energy prices result in increased long-term return on investment for net-metered PV systems despite removal of previously subsidized tariffs for fixed periods. However, despite the general and increasing need to have informed public perception and investment decisions, the promotion of domestic utilization of photovoltaic technology in Australia remains very limited. This is primarily limited to Internet websites created by government departments and installers of photovoltaic panels and occasional printed postal information provided by utilities and retailers.
It is suggested that in order for citizens to be more knowledgeable about the environmental and financial returns from installing photovoltaic technology, consideration should be given to the utilization of processes of social learning within various modes of educating citizens. These processes of social learning can be incorporated in community information sessions and other forms of media promotion.
Social learning
Social learning is briefly reviewed to articulate essential components required for a social learning process in relation to domestic grid-connected photovoltaic systems. The facilitation of social learning is critical to the process of developing citizen proficiency in understanding science and technology. It is designed 'to enlarge the citizen client's abilities to pose the problems and questions that interest and concern them and to help connect them to the kinds of information and resources needed to help them find answers' [14]. Schusler et al. ([15], p. 311) defined social learning 'as learning that occurs when people engage one another, sharing diverse perspectives and experiences to develop a common framework of understanding and basis for joint action'. Keen et al. [16] propose a model of social learning comprised of reflection, systems orientation, integration, negotiation and participation. They include the economic system in their system orientation which is relevant to financial aspects of the installation of grid-connected photovoltaic production of electricity in domestic premises.
In social learning, the social condition can be changed or altered, especially changes in how one perceives their personal interests compared to and connected with the shared interests of their community [17]. Conditions for social learning need to be conducive for meaningful dialogue and interaction to occur between experts and non-experts that results in an environment for thinking and learning together. Some aspects of a program that can promote social learning include providing an atmosphere of open dialogue and transparency of information, opportunities for repeated meetings and gatherings, access to expert support, face-to-face small group work, site visits and tours, unrestricted opportunities to influence the program process and political support for the process [17]. In this project, we developed a deliberative workshop format which provided participants with information on photovoltaic technology, building integration of photovoltaic technology, government economic instruments designed to promote domestic use of this technology and the opportunity to reflect on this information.
The sharing of diverse participant perspectives involves providing a public with an opportunity to discuss their experience and local knowledge of an issue [14]. Local knowledge is often tacit knowledge which can be rendered explicit through deliberation [18, 19]. In the deliberative workshops, we built upon participants' local knowledge by referring to other forms of renewable energy, already in existence in the local area, which they were familiar with and provided participants with the opportunity to elaborate on the issues which arose for them in the workshops.
Deliberative workshops incorporating social learning provide the opportunity for participants to consider technological and domestic issues in depth as well as elicit issues not considered by researchers. The workshops provided participants with an opportunity to share their views on energy production and individual usage and the personal, economic and social conditions which influence the uptake of photovoltaic systems in domestic dwellings. The participants were provided with opportunities to discuss similar technologies, such as wind energy and a local trial of ocean tidal generation of electricity, which informed their understanding of similar contexts for photovoltaic electricity production. In order to develop the workshop process, social science research relevant to citizen attitudes towards and knowledge of photovoltaic technology was reviewed. This guided the choice of relevant content for the development of the workshop process, highlighting aspects of public understanding of residential photovoltaic technology.
Previous studies of motivational and attitudinal factors associated with residential grid-connected photovoltaic technology
Studies of understanding and attitudes to domestic installations of grid-connected photovoltaic systems have largely been conducted in Europe and America, and generally show that citizens have positive attitudes towards GCPV [20]. Some populations while having a positive attitude towards GCPV tended to confuse such installations with roof-mounted solar hot water [21]. However, only a small proportion of a population are prepared to invest in such technology. Oppenheim [22] refers to 1% of consumers in two American cities being willing to pay extra to have photovoltaic panels on their roof. Faier and Neame [7] note the lack of uptake of a combined photovoltaic and thermal solar panel system made available in England under a grant system that provided 50% of the installed capital cost.
Building integration of photovoltaics
Building-integrated photovoltaic panels do not feature extensively in installations in Australia, whereas they do in the northern hemisphere. Social research on this aspect of photovoltaic technology is limited, with Sylvester [23] having studied simulation of photovoltaic filtering on windows in office buildings. Although the participants were in favour of the energy and associated energy cost savings of this technology, they were dissatisfied with the disruption to natural light in the building. Blewett-Silcock [24] studied public reactions to building-integrated photovoltaic technology in an English university. He examined whether participants found the materials attractive and found that this depended on the type of building they were asked to evaluate. Interestingly, the participants did not link the electricity they used in the office with that generated by the façade.
Perceived economic feasibility
Perez et al. [25] consider the perception of economic feasibility of photovoltaic electricity generation and solar hot water production. Initially, they considered short-term payback, the net cost divided by the first year energy cost savings, but quickly dismiss this as too simple and partial, in failing to take account long-term impacts of GCPV. Long-term return requires assessing the net present value (NPV) - the economic value over a product's lifetime, where they demonstrated a positive value. Importantly, in assessing NPV, they highlighted that current retail costs do not reflect some of the advantages of GCPV with dispersed production of electricity on site rather than undispersed electricity, the value of which they estimated as US$0.01 to US$0.06 more per kWh. Hence, comparisons with other technologies should compare the NPV of lifetime distribution costs. Similarly, Riedy [26] notes that, in general, transmission pricing regimes in Australia are biased against distributed generation such as GCPV while favouring undistributed generation such as coal fire production. Distributed generation sources such as GCPV should not be compared as though they use the transmission system.
Feed in tariff
Wiginton et al. [27] argue that feed in tariffs have been the most effective government incentive program for encouraging domestic photovoltaic installation, and those countries which have introduced feed in tariffs have seen the greatest uptake. Mitchell et al. [28] maintained that the German feed in tariff scheme is more effective at increasing the share of renewables than the Renewables Obligation in England and Wales because it reduces risk more effectively for generators; such arguments are reiterated by Lesser and Su [29]. Schaefer et al. [30] reported favourable citizen attitudes towards feed in tariffs in a survey of views on domestic wind energy production in New Zealand and refer to similar findings in Canada and Japan. Maine and Chapman [31] demonstrated that during industry infancy, paying the spot price for electricity in South Australia provided insufficient incentive to take up solar electricity, suggesting that it was an unsuitable base on which to formulate a feed in tariff to promote PV installation.
Rebates and subsidies
Haas et al. [32] have examined participants' motives in the Austrian rooftop program of the early 1990s and found that the rebate was an essential factor in the adoption of GCPV for 40% of participants. About 35% of participants would have purchased a system without a rebate. Haas et al. [32] regarded the high investment costs as a major barrier for broader market penetration. They noted a high willingness to pay for photovoltaics, which is above the level of cost-effectiveness but argued that this willingness is dependent upon rebates or other financial incentives. Haas [33] argued that rebates are an effective tool in expanding photovoltaic markets but that the rebates in almost all programs are too high and do not provide a sufficient incentive for a customer to find the most efficient system. Hence, while they may be appropriate for an early stage of market diffusion, rate-based incentives are the most effective tool for efficiently increasing GPCV use.
Chosen features for a social learning and attitude evaluation process for GCPV in NSW
The review of social science studies relevant to GCPV in NSW suggests that a relevant social learning and attitude evaluation process should
discuss and demonstrate how domestic installations operate and assess participants' attitudes to GCPV and willingness to pay to have an installation in their residence;
provide information and assess understanding of the economic and environmental impacts of distributed generation and evaluate participants' attitudes towards such impacts;
evaluate participants' attitudes to the design and appearance of building-integrated panels;
provide explanations on the operation of feed in rates in New South Wales, provide comparisons with other States in Australia and assess participants' attitudes towards and preferences for levels of feed in rates;
provide information on the types of rebate that have been made available by the Federal government in Australia and assess participants' attitudes towards and preferences for rebates provided.
These content and evaluation areas were incorporated in the development of a deliberative workshop process.
Deliberative workshop method
Four deliberative workshops were conducted with citizens in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia, implementing a social learning method for developing and assessing public understanding of residential photovoltaic installations. The participants were systematically selected [34] from the local telephone directory and paid Australian $50 for their participation in a 90-min workshop. The workshop was conducted with the aid of a PowerPoint audiovisual presentation, which included information about how photovoltaic panels operated and images of photovoltaic panels utilized in domestic installations. The participants were provided with a booklet which had a printed version of the slides contained in the audiovisual presentation.
The workshop commenced with a discussion of renewable energy and the various means by which it can be produced. This focused on the generation of electricity through wind turbines and a local system which utilized wave energy. The audiovisual presentation provided information on the basic operation of a photovoltaic panel. It also presented images of the basic installation of panels on a domestic rooftop with traditional mounting of panels on a rack.
The presentation then provided photographs of building-integrated panels which are more prevalent in Japan and Europe. The participants were asked to rate the attractiveness and design of four building-integrated types of panels and four non-integrated types of panels on 10-point semantic differential scales, where 1 was attractive and 10 unattractive; and on a second semantic differential, where 1 was not well designed and 10 was well designed. These different types of panels were represented by computer graphics which presented different types of generic panel structures. These included non-integrated panels on two upright short racks, panels on four long flat racks, flat panels on tiles; and integrated panels on short skylights, elongated skylights, panels which completely replace roof tiles and look like a flat iron roof, and panels which completely replace traditional roof tiles and look like roof tiles.
The presentation then focused on the financial aspects of installing panels on a domestic dwelling and the rebates which were available from the Federal government. In 2005, the Federal Government provided a rebate of Australian $7,920 for the installation of 1.5 kWh of panels (usually six panels), which typically cost Australian $14,000 to install, thus requiring an outlay of Australian $6,080. The state governments would typically pay for electricity generated, which was excess to domestic usage, at the same rate at which they sold electricity to residents, usually at Australian $0.125/kWh. The participants were told that this size of installation would typically generate 1,461 kWh of electricity per annum which would be worth Australian $4,566 over a 25-year period, the expected life of the panels. The scenario of a payment of Australian $.50/kWh was also discussed. This feed in rate was available in Germany and was being considered for the Northern Territory in Australia. They were also told that the maintenance cost of the panels would typically be Australian $650 for the purchase of a new inverter, which might become necessary at some stage of the expected 25-year life of the panels.
The participants in 2012 were told that a 1.5-kWh system would cost Australian $7,000 and there would be a government rebate in the form of a renewable energy certificate with a solar credit of Australian $3,720 which the supplier via the resident would receive, leaving a resident to pay Australian $3,280. They were told that if they used the electricity generated, depending on the tariff they paid for electricity from the grid, it would be expected to be worth Australian $300/year at Australian $0.20/kWh or Australian $7,500 over the expected 25-year operation of the panels, assuming electricity prices increase at the same rate as inflation. They were also told that this may not be feasible, as for it to be worth this amount, they would have to use energy during daylight hours, when it was generated. If they fed it back to the grid, then under proposed arrangements, they would receive about Australian $0.077/kWh, the wholesale undistributed price to be paid for electricity generated by PV in NSW. They were also told that the maintenance costs for a set of panels would typically be Australian $650 for the purchase of a new inverter at some stage of the expected 25-year working life of the panels.
The participants were finally asked to complete a questionnaire in which they rated their agreement with various attitude statements about photovoltaic panels, on 7-point Likert scales, where 1 indicated very strongly agreeing and 7 was very strongly disagreeing. They were asked to rate whether they considered the panels to be environmentally worthwhile, financially worthwhile, reliable, safe, whether or not panels could be constructed to be unnoticeable on roofs and whether or not they detract from the appearance of a house. They were also asked to rate their intention to install photovoltaic panels on a 4-point scale of very likely to very unlikely. If they were not prepared to install panels, they were asked if they would be prepared to do so if the rebate in 2005 or the solar credit in 2012 was higher and by how much, and if a feed in tariff rate on electricity generated was higher and by how much.
Discussion about the various technological and financial aspects of photovoltaic panels was encouraged in the workshop. Discussion was encouraged through asking the participants what they knew about renewable energy and how important it was to them; whether they had any safety concerns about installing a set of photovoltaic panels on their residence, what they thought of the appearance of integrated and non-integrated photovoltaic panels, what they thought of the financial benefits of installing a set of panels on their residence and whether they thought it was more important to receive a high rebate or feed in tariff.
Bang et al. [35] argue that more qualitative work is needed to ascertain what beliefs people have about renewable energy. The workshop proceedings were recorded, transcribed and qualitatively analysed, but while the quantitative results are reported, the qualitative results are not reported in detail in this particular article.
Research expectations
Although this was a preliminary study examining how a social learning method could be implemented on residential grid-connected photovoltaics, there were some expectations about the deliberations which ensued even though an initially small sample size was utilized. These expectations were as follows:
Only a small proportion of the public would be prepared to purchase a set of photovoltaic panels in 2005, and the awareness and understanding of photovoltaic technology would be minimal in the general community.
A higher proportion of the public would be prepared to purchase a set of photovoltaic panels in 2012, and there would be increased awareness in the local community about the nature of photovoltaic panels and familiarity with such panels partly due to the publicity surrounding the brief implementation of a subsidized gross feed in tariff policy, by the State government, which had been terminated before the 2012 workshops were conducted.
Positive attitude towards the environmental benefits of photovoltaic panels would be less of a predictor of intention to purchase a set of panels than positive attitude towards the financial benefits of purchasing a set of panels.
A larger proportion of the sample would be prepared to purchase a set of panels if the installed cost was lower and/or rebate in 2005 or solar credit in 2012 and feed in tariff rate was higher.
The public would have more positive attitudes towards the attractiveness and design considerations of building-integrated panels than traditional panels.
Analysis of questionnaire responses
In 2005, seven participants attended the first workshop, and eight participants attended the second workshop. In 2012, seven people attended the third workshop, and nine attended the fourth workshop. The participants comprised approximately half male and half female in each workshop, half of whom were over 45 years of age and predominantly living with a spouse or partner. The participants were from a range of occupational backgrounds with professional and retired categories, having more than five participants in 2005 and 2012. One third of the participants were receiving more than Australian $80,000 gross income per year, one fifth were receiving between Australian $50,000 and Australian $80,000/year, and one fifth Australian $40,000 to Australian $50,000/year. There were no differences in the demographic characteristics of the two samples in 2005 and 2012.
Frequency of response of participants' likelihood of purchasing a photovoltaic system
Very likely
Very unlikely
Forty percent (6/15) of the 2005 sample stated that they would need to receive Australian $0.50/kWh, and four participants chose other rates: Australian $0.20, Australian $0.30, Australian $0.70 and Australian $1/kWh, while 33% (5/15) of the participants in 2005 did not respond. In 2012, 38% participants responded (6/16) and were evenly spread over Australian $0.20 to Australian $1.00/kWh, while 62% (10/16) did not respond to this question. The mean difference between year of consultation in preferred feed in tariff rate was not statistically significant (F(1,15) = 0.57, p < .47).
Participants' preferred capital purchase price for a set of six panels
Purchase price (Australian $)
Participants' ratings of the characteristics of photovoltaic panels
Panel characteristic
2005 mean ratings (SD)
2012 mean ratings (SD)
Environmentally worthwhile
1.87 (1.06)
2.12 (0.23)
Financially worthwhile
5.43 (0.19)
2.94 (0.17)
Not financially viable
3.29 (0.32)
4.53 (0.29)
2.29 (0.27)
2.71 (.25)
2.00 (0.96)
2.65 (0.20)
Unnoticeable on roofs
2.00 (0.29)
3.35 (0.26)
Detract from the appearance of a house
4.71 (0.39)
3.59 (0.35)
p < .04
Ratings of whether or not a grid-connected photovoltaic installation was environmentally worthwhile and financially worthwhile were regressed on ratings of likelihood to purchase a set of panels, in order to assess the relative predictive efficacy of these factors. The regression model was significant (F(2,30) = 4.45, p < .05). The likelihood of purchasing a set of panels was predicted by whether participants considered that panels are financially worthwhile and not based on whether they considered such panels to be environmentally worthwhile.
Participants' ratings of the attractiveness and design of building-integrated and non-integrated panels
Panel characteristic
2005 mean ratings (SD)
2012 mean ratings (SD)
P value
Attractiveness of integrated panels
3.66 (1.65)
4.19 (1.35)
Attractiveness of non-integrated panels
5.51 (1.93)
5.47 (1.61)
Good design of integrated panels
8.28 (1.07)
6.74 (1.43)
Good design of non-integrated panels
5.88 (1.96)
5.08 (1.25)
Although the qualitative analysis of the workshop discussion is not reported here, it is worth noting that some 2005 workshop participants initially misunderstood photovoltaic technology to be solar hot water technology. The participants in the 2012 workshops did not indicate this misunderstanding but were concerned about the safety of installing photovoltaic panels on their roofs, whether such panels were a fire hazard and whether they would withstand storm damage. The qualitative data obtained in the workshops provide details of the social learning process which occurred. Briefly, the participants shared their knowledge of renewable energy, which was primarily solar hot water in 2005. Through discussing the difference between solar hot water production and photovoltaic electricity production, the participants shared and developed their understanding of the differences between these two forms of renewable energy. There was considerably more understanding of the operation of photovoltaic panels in 2012, and the participants were fairly conversant with the operation of such technology. Social learning also took place with regard to the building integration of photovoltaic panels. There was considerable discussion about how this type of photovoltaic panels was preferable to stand-alone panels in 2005 and 2012 in terms of the aesthetic benefits and in terms of the monetary benefits of substituting photovoltaic panels for building materials. The participants' understanding of the financial costs and benefits of GCPV also benefited from a social learning process, whereby participants shared their understanding of feed in tariffs and how they were operating in 2005 and 2012.
The questionnaire results indicate positive attitudes to domestic installation of photovoltaic panels but a reticence to participate in the rebate scheme in existence in 2005 because it was not seen as financially viable. The participants in 2005 were more willing to participate in the scheme if the government rebate had been higher. The participants also felt that the feed in tariff should be higher. The participants in the 2012 workshops were more likely to purchase a set of panels, but the difference with the 2005 participants was not statistically significant.
Forty percent of the participants in the 2005 workshop (6/15) indicated an interest in receiving Australian $0.50/kWh. This was probably due to a discussion in the 2005 workshops of an Australian $0.50/kWh hour feed in tariff rate proposed for the Northern Territory in Australia. The participants' preferred feed in tariff was evenly spread between Australian $0.20 and Australian $1.00/kWh for 2012, while 38% (6/16) did not respond. This indicates that the participants may not be connecting return on investment to initial investment capital and had difficulty answering the question. There was also a high non-response to how much they were prepared to pay for the purchase of a set of panels (32% in 2012). Non-responses were not observed for other items in the questionnaire. These questions may be more readily answered through a discrete choice experiment structure [36] which provides a more readily interpreted structure and such a structure will be trialled in future research. The high level of prices that participants were prepared to pay in 2005 (median of Australian $5,000) than those in 2012 (median of Australian $2000) is expected given the quoted retail price of Australian $6,080 when the federal government rebate was taken into account in 2005, whereas in 2012, the general price for a 1.5-kW system was Australian $3,280 when solar credits were taken into account.
The participants' ratings of the general characteristics of panels differed significantly between years of consultation. The participants in 2012 had greater agreement than the 2005 participants with the statement that panels are financially worthwhile and disagreed more with the statement that panels are not financially viable. This reflects the significantly lower capital costs of installing systems and despite 36% lower feed in tariff than in 2005 (Australian $0.08 vs Australian $0.13c/kWh). The participants in 2012 were concerned about the safety aspects of installing photovoltaic panels on a residence. This was reflected in the ratings that participants provided on the characteristics of panels and also in the discussions which took place in the workshops in 2012, where participants were concerned about whether or not the panels could cause a fire or whether or not they would withstand storm damage. This may have been instigated by the reports in the media in the year preceding the 2012 workshops about electrical and fire problems which had arisen through an environmental program in which the installation of house insulation was implemented through a subsidy provided by the Federal Government.
In 2005, the participants' understanding of solar hot water generation was the initial knowledge of parallel phenomena which they brought forth in their discussions about photovoltaic electricity generation. Some participants in 2005 did not initially understand the differences between solar hot water and photovoltaic electricity generation. Knowledge about solar hot water production was what they initially discussed in relation to the topic of the workshop.
Government action, encouraging public action, was also considered important by the participants in 2005 and 2012. In 2005, they considered that the subsidy should be greater to enable more panels to be installed. The participants in 2005 were also in favour of a higher feed in tariff. They considered that they would be more motivated to purchase panels if the feed in rate was higher. The participants in 2012 were still in favour of higher feed in tariffs as would be expected.
The semantic differential ratings of the building-integrated panels indicated a positive evaluation of such integration with participants, considering that such panels were more attractive and better designed in both 2005 and 2012. The ratings suggest that retailers should consider marketing and selling such panels as they may significantly enhance the public's interest in and attitude toward such technology.
Discussion in the 2005 workshops indicated misunderstandings in the participants' perceptions of the practicalities of utilizing GCPV technology. If the researchers had relied on their own understandings and knowledge of citizen interpretations of the way in which such technology operates, they would have missed out on various aspects of citizen understanding of photovoltaic technology which were tacit in their understanding of how such technology operates. This indicates the worth of implementing a social learning approach to informing the public about residential grid-connected photovoltaic installation.
Discussion in the 2012 workshops indicated greater understanding of the operation of domestic photovoltaic installations than that in the 2005 workshops. However, the research indicates that the 2012 participants had increasing difficulty expressing their attitudes towards the financial arrangements which are currently in place for residents who wish to install photovoltaic systems in their residences, which likely reflect changes in tariff policy and associated uncertainty. Importantly, such policy changes in NSW appear to have framed public perception of investment in GCPV now as a loss relative to investment when tariffs were Australian $0.60c/kWh until 2016. This is in spite of long-term returns on investment in GCPV in fact being higher as capital costs of installed GCPV systems have significantly fallen and despite NSW pricing not appropriately having taken into account the lower distribution costs of residential GCPV-generated electricity. This research is timely in informing the public and government policy, showing the impacts on decisions to install GCPV technology are in large part dependent on factors which have not been considered or researched. Namely, what citizens perceive as reasonable and fair and sufficiently motivating to invest in installing a GCPV system in their residences, how well that is informed and how those factors have been framed and changed over time [10, 12].
Social learning principles can provide a range of benefits for communication and decision making in the informed promotion of grid-connected photovoltaic technology. Public perceptions and citizens' investment decisions should move beyond framing decisions relative to subsidy levels to consider long-term investment returns, which generally continue to improve with falling capital costs and higher energy prices, despite reducing generation subsidies in New South Wales since 2010. Retailers and installers of residential photovoltaic systems in Australia are encouraged to promote the option of building-integrated panels given favourable preferences shown for such technology.
Authors' Affiliations
- Bakos GC, Soursos M, Tsagsas NF: Technoeconomic assessment of a building-integrated PV system for electrical energy saving in residential sector. Energ Build 2003, 35: 757–762. 10.1016/S0378-7788(02)00229-3View ArticleGoogle Scholar
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This article is published under license to BioMed Central Ltd. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


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Morris is a true master story teller and stage wizard.
A heady mixture of evocative storytelling, performance craft and awe inspiring future gazing was the recipe to Morris receiving the largest immediate number of You Tube views, comments and likes ever for a Melbourne TEDx presentation, with his piece entitled Unlearn the Future.
Straight after the event Morris wrote:
"To have the TEDx stage for 18 minutes is a privilege and an honor. To use this global platform to tell the story of my family's past, to introduce my ancestors who have not been spoken of or seen in over 70 years to a worldwide audience that they could never have imagined and to combine all of this with my love of the infinite possibilities of the future and what we must each do to allow these opportunities into our lives is a gift that I will cherish forever – thank you!!"
Let Morris build you a 100% custom developed future focused fable that will charm, captivate and engage your audience, but underneath pack a real wallop crammed full of the future, horizon trends, innovation know-how and how-to's and the inspiring infinite possibility's available in the land of tomorrow.
This inspEYEring evocative unexpected edutainment performance will be the talking point of your event!
Performance length: 15 – 60 minutes
Delivery method: keynote, board room presentation, provocation, public talk, intervention, panel discussion, round-table, talk-show, on and off site seminars, TV and radio broadcasts, webinar or blog broadcasts and also available as a live or pre-recorded digital broadcast.

subset: commoncrawl


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Greece: Twilight for Golden Dawn?
Date created : Latest update :
The neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn won its first seats in parliament in Greece's 2012 elections. From xenophobic speeches to attacks on immigrants, spurred on by the financial crisis, its militants would go to any lengths to impose their ideology. But on September 17th, the murder of the far-left rapper Pavlos Fissas by a Golden Dawn sympathiser caused unanimous indignation.
Party leaders were charged with belonging to a criminal organisation and state funding for the party was removed. But will this stop Golden Dawn? Our reporter went to Athens to investigate.


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Education and fragility in LiberiaPublisher: IIEP
Serie: Education in emergencies and reconstruction
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Liberia has experienced a long history of political, social and economic fragility, and insecurity, the legacies of which have inevitably shaped the present. Culminating in the instability of the 1980s and the civil war, which started in 1989, overt conflict finally ended with the signing of the 2003 Accra Peace Accord, allowing the country to embark on intensive efforts of post-war reconstruction and development, as well as peacebuilding and reconciliation. Historically, while schooling served an educational function for many, it also played a major role in the historic patterns of exclusion and marginalization by limiting access, off
ering low levels of quality for many, and hewing to the culture of one out of many groups in society. While the Liberian government aims to rebuild the system, the achievement of its objectives has been hindered by the immensity of the task. This report, published by UNESCO's International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), examines the impact of education on fragility in Liberia through a review of the interaction of education with the drivers and dynamics of fragility
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Michel Gondry on animating "Why is the Tall Man Happy?"
My classmate shared this interview with animator Michel Gondry with me after I showed part of the final movie (about Noam Chomsky!) for our animation class. I always find the process stories so interesting. And I hope, for my sake as a designer, you do too.


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20 track collection of early Rockabilly sides cut by the young Eddie Cochran before he went on to cut a string of Rock 'n' Roll classics.
Raucous Records is the longest establisted 1950s Rock 'n' Roll, Rockabilly and Psychobilly CD, DVD and vinyl specialist on the internet.A world of Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Surf, Swing and 1950s Rock 'n' Roll delivered to your door.
© Raucous Records 2019 All Rights Reserved


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Marketers approaching for binary option trading software's need careful attention while its selection today because online marketers are now driving various scam sources, making high end promises that have no value.
Most of the binary option trading software works on artificial intelligence and even stand out as smart machine that could be operated 24 hours a day. Wiki Trader was the recent scam software I observed online that just like other launches used same technique for manipulating the users.
According to manufactures Wiki Trader software is high end software system that works on automatic and manual mode and transmits signals regarding the market fluctuations to make necessary adjustments with changes.
Reed Wallace has been named as a creator of this software and also described as financial expert, with many award winning achievements. Unfortunately we were unable to discover out any old or current news regarding creators achievement through any source. This could only mean to us that identity is just a fake one and doesn't meet the standards.
Further it has been described that Wiki Trader software uses convenient interface that is easily accessible by newcomers as well as veteran traders. The question to ask here is how much investment to make first? Unfortunately to start up with trading business you need to pay $500 first, which is a real expensive deal for newcomers who have insufficient knowledge with smart steps.
The customer service departments seems to be absent looking after the official website of Wiki Trader software and is raising questions as why creators is hiding the customer service department. There were few cases registered where users complained to receive malware attacks on their system interface while downloading the application.
Further creators have mentioned that chances of making loss through Wiki Trader use almost zero as it detects the actual fluctuations and signals immediately where profit could rise up to $1000 a day. Still trading business is most time consuming and risky source where making profit hardly lays 50-50 ratio then how come such actions are achievable is a serious question to ask here.
For joining with Wiki Trader you need to clear your browser cookies first and start up with the registration process by filling the required information's. Make sure entire information is mentioned correctly including your mailing address. As soon as registration gets completed you need to pay $500 to start up with trading process and proceed with your operations.
So far we have only made a conclusion describing Wiki Trader binary option trading software as a big failure and another scam entry to market. Beware of these fake promises made by creators who would just ask you hand full of money and give a big blunder to suffer in the end.


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The 80's film that time forgot
Mannequin (1987)
Director: Michael Gottlieb
Starring: Andrew McCarthy, Kim Catrall, James Spader
An out of work sculptor falls in love with a mannequin. Seriously, what more could you want from a film?
Jonathan Switcher (McCarthy) gets fired from every job he attempts but when he sees a mannequin in a shop window that he previously made whilst working at a factory his life changes forever. After inadvertently saving the life of the store owner he manages to get a job at there as a window dresser and seems to develop an unhealthy attachment to his creation. Then, as luck would have it, Switcher is saved from looking like a total pervert when his mannequin comes to life. But there's a catch – he's the only one who can see her in her non-mannequin form. Hilarity ensues.
What really makes this film so enjoyable is the support cast. James Spader (Pretty in Pink) is magnificent as Switcher's slimy boss who is in league with a rival department store, as is G. W Malley (Police Academy) as Spader's security guard minion whilst Meshach Taylor is a store employee named Hollywood who seems to accept Switcher's mannequin loving ways rather too quickly. In fact, with everything that's going on in the film it soon becomes easy to ignore the plot holes and Catrall's acting. There's even a montage of outfit changes! In my opinion, one of the best films of the decade: Mannequin is unforgettable.
And good news.... there's a Mannequin 2.


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Tattooed Angels Trilogy Book 1
by Valerie Willis
Genre: Paranormal Urban Fantasy
Already struggling with a mountain of hardships, Hotan is just trying to get his diploma as his mother had always insisted. Friends know if he's not at home or at the club playing in his band, you can always find him thinking at the old broken down church. Basking in the moonlight, Hotan finds himself under attack by an immortal named Geliah, the element of Fear. Talib, the element of Judgment, interrupts the fight, furious that Geliah would force Hotan to awaken his own abilities and immortality. Normally when pulled out of the reincarnation spell, an immortal would remember whom and what they were, but he is not the Hotan from the Past. Walk beside him as he struggles to keep his chaotic life in order as he tries to break the secrets of his own element, Rebirth.
Goodreads * Amazon
Tattooed Angels Trilogy Book 2
About the Book
Talib and Hotan find themselves facing off with the element of Death, Iapetos. Failing to take him out, Talib's life starts flashing before him. As he experiences thousands of years, things that were once forgotten begin to emerge. Will he find the answer in his past in time to aid Hotan?
Website * Amazon * Smashwords * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram
Cedric Series Facebook Page * Tattooed Angels Facebook Page


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Naked Souvenirs #1
A video diary of Ukrainian Naturist families enjoying
their holidays in extreme places like Crimea. Beautiful landscapes, wild Black Sea
shores, friendly people of all ages. This is truly a wonderful time to enjoy the
hot sun and warm sea together, as the summer unfolds with all its magic and
experiences in total freedom.
Six Girls in one Bus
Follow six girls and one cameraman to the Crimean Grand Canyon and a
small lake. Visit the archeological dig of an ancient city and a watermelon
plantation. Watch the girls make a few first hesitant steps at a
diving school and then try to use this newly-learnt knowledge in the
sea. And of course, visit and explore many wonderful places
with them. DVD $60.00
Summer Symphony Part I
30 or more Naturists enjoy a sunny picnic at the beach. There
are lots of playing in the sand and splashing in the water and exploring the
tidal pools. For the final part of the film the camera goes under water with
the nudist swimmers as they explore the exotic sea life.
Approx. 1 hour VHS $60.00
Summer Symphony Part II
Back for more the Naturists explore their artistic talents using
one another as canvases. Lots of walking adventures along the cliffs and more
swimming at the beach and pool.
Approx. 1 hour VHS $60.00
Bare Beach Ball
When Naturists meet to celebrate a spring
festival together, all sorts of fun and games are on the agenda. Great family
entertainment is quickly underway as Naturists of all ages join in the fun filled
program under a brilliant blue sky and blazing sun.
Approx. 1 hour $60.00 DVD
The pages above contain samples from Naturist or Nudist Documentaries,
categorized by the their general theme (i.e. Naturist Sports, Naturist Outdoor
Activities,etc.). The Helios Natura Videos focus primarily on the FKK (Free Body
Culture Society) of the Czech Republic, while the Synetech and Mike Herringg
videos focus primarily on France. For those of us, who are not privy to
participation in such a culture, the absence of clothing is the most striking aspect of this
culture. However, as the viewer gets to know the Naturists / Nudists presented in
these videos, their state of dress or undress fades into the background and the warm sense of
community overwhelms.


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Today, there is no journaling prompt, which is good because I have been out all day, and have a busy week ahead of me, and will have trouble just keeping up with the art! I am also concerned with writing 3 pages of stream of consciousness writing over the next 2 days (yeah I didn't today :P). My hands hurt! But I am painting... I threw my own rules out the door, and although I had an idea in my head (and a previous impromptu drawing), I didn't pull up a photo reference or draw first. I just PAINTED. And it looks amazing so far... in my opinion anyway... :P
Post it later! ^-^


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On-site & Online Training in UAE
We provide quality computer training and skills to boost your career. We combine real world experience and training to give you the right direction in your daily office administration. We service all levels of business from small sector through to the Enterprise and Government, delivering training to enhance employee productivity and maximize business investments in IT systems.
We provide both online and on-site training to organizations all over the UAE for very affordable rates.
We offer the following courses:
Business Computing emphasises the business uses of IT, and provides the skills needed to produce the commercial and administrative business computer systems of tomorrow.
Email Marketing is still one of the most cost effective and powerful forms of digital marketing and often forms the basis of online marketing strategies, as it is inexpensive, reliable and the return on investment (ROI) can be very high.
This course introduces you to the context of social media use for business, strategies for social media application, and a practical introduction to the most common and useful social media tools for business.
Introduction to Dreamweaver
Site management, visual design, tools for creating tables and forms, implementing style sheets, and adding javascript or behaviors.o.
A course on action scripting, from A to Z. Learn the most hidden secrets of Flash.
Utilizes examples, discussions, and exercises designed to demystify the art and science of effective writing and editing for the e-audience.
Search engines are the #1 way people find new sites on the Web. Learn techniques to increase traffic to your site and get you a top search engine ranking.
This course shows how small businesses are successfully taking advantage of the Internet for promotional and marketing opportunities.
Learn HTML5 by hand! Get rid of the WYSIWYG and get down to the nuts and bolts of HTML. Great for beginners!
Introduction to Cascading Style Sheets. Learn the basics of separating style from structure within an HTML document.
Introduction to XHTML. Study the structure and syntax of XHTML, the bridge language between HTML and XML.
Introduction to Database Design. This course will give you the steps to design a database.
Introduction to SQL (Using Access). Hands-on class in learning SQL queries – Great for beginners
Introduction to PHPVariables, arrays, flow control, form interaction, sticky forms, functions and code libraries.


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Last May I thought that this blog would be moving in a new direction. Since then I have made exactly zero blog entries. Clearly the idea that the focus of this blog would be "an interest in heresies" was premature. The reality is that I stopped writing here because I had priorities of a political nature and because I had developed a strong doubt as to whether I have had anything worth saying on the subject of religion or spirituality.
On the issue of priorities all that needs be said is that I am a National Committee member of one of oldest and smallest of America's Socialist parties, the Social Democrats USA. I am deeply committed to this organization and have been doing a substantial amount of work within it. Thus a considerable amount of my writing has been in its service during the last few years.
The second issue has been one of self doubt. Part of this concern has been based on the minimal response that most of my writings within this blog have received from viewers. However another more important cause has a sense of my own inadequacy and of doubt regarding whether what I have to say has any significance. Most people who write on religious topics have a certain sense of spiritual achievement, success, and divine revelation that I have never had. Further more I feel that in many ways in Christian terms I am still too attached to many of the addictions, vices, or what Christians would call the sins. I am hardly a person who lives in an ongoing awareness of the Divine.
Well, I am still not out of that wilderness, however I think that despite my problems perhaps even because of them, I still have ideas and insights worth attempting to communicate. A major reason for my change of attitude has been my increasing study of the classics of the Confucian tradition. This tradition with its spiritual morality which is both deeply personal yet strongly focused on society seems to be just what I need to help me deal with many of the issues of my life. It have given me some real grounding, inspiration, and a better sense of my self and of my possibilities.
The other change has been my deepening sense of the rightness of my Isian beliefs. My sense of Isis, her significance, and her way of justice (maat) contrasts sharply with most other Isians that I know. This has always deeply bothered me and I have hesitated to go against the flow. I plan in the future to be more assertive in communicating what I think is of value. People can then respond positively or negatively as they wish.


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Guest Article: The Healthcare IT Gap
I was recently introduced to Dr. Stephen Beller and Mr. Sabatini Monatesi's work at the WellnessWiki. I really liked what they were doing there so I asked them to write up an article on "The Healthcare IT Gap" to help us get their perspective on why existing HIT systems may not be enough to automate and improve healthcare. Steve is a licensed clinical psychologist with heavy expertise in software and has been working in the health informatics field since 1981. Over the next 25 years, Steve and his associates worked to create a universal lifetime electronic patient records system integrated with evidence-based clinical pathways/guidelines tools, as well as outcome data collection, analytics and reporting capabilities. Sabatini runs an independent consulting business focusing on change & project management, system integration, and IT training. Together they are attempting to use off the shelf and custom developed solutions to fill the healthcare IT gap and I encourage you to visit their site.
Is Your HIT System Giving You What You Need?
There is a huge gap between ???what HIT needs to be??? and ???what HIT is now.??? Only by closing this gap can an HIT system deliver what the healthcare industry needs today.
What HIT Needs to Be
As the USA struggles to deal with the healthcare crisis, mandates for change ??? such as the National Health Information Infrastructure (NHII) initiative ??? focus on the use of HIT to help increase healthcare effectiveness and safety, and reduce errors and costs, by:
Achieving these objectives requires changes in healthcare policies and practices, as well as interoperable HIT that:
- Helps people know the safest and most cost-effective ways to care for each patient and deliver that care in a coordinated manner across the entire healthcare continuum with minimal error and omissions (see Consumer-Centered Care).
- Helps people understand each patient???s health problems and needs in fine, clear detail, to support accurate diagnostic and treatment prescription decisions (see Personalized Care).
- Helps people create and use evidence-based practice guidelines.
- Helps people know how to prevent illness and promote wellness for each person, and deliver such wellness/prevention programs.
- Promotes consumer/patient participation through increased knowledge and decision-support, which benefits them by increasing their ability to select the right providers and health plans, prevent illness/complications/accidents by focusing on self-care and wellness, and reduce complications of chronic disease by complying with plans of care.
- Promotes provider participation through increased knowledge, decision-support, and workflow efficiencies, which benefits them by increasing their ability to deliver more cost-effective treatment and increase patient safety (reduced errors and omissions).
- Promotes payer participation through increased knowledge, decision-support, and workflow efficiencies, which benefits them by increasing their ability to contain costs and take advantage of new business opportunities.
- Promotes purchaser participation through delivery of more cost-effective care to employees, which benefits them by reducing healthcare expenditures, absences, and turnover, as well as improvements on-the-job productivity.
- Enables collaborative networks to improve healthcare quality by helping them;
- Perform clinical research in the field and lab through streamlined collection, sharing, and analysis of large quantities of diverse clinical outcomes data
- Build evolving health science knowledge bases based on the clinical research and transform this knowledge into evidence-based practice guidelines
- Disseminate, implement, and evolve the guidelines
- Communicate easily and efficiently to share observations and lessons learned, handle disputes, and help run collaborative organizations.
- Protects populations by offering an efficient and effective way to obtain, transmit, and analyze biosurveillance and post-market surveillance data and by assisting first responders in the event of a wide-spread emergency (e.g., bioterrorism, epidemic).
- Helps utilize resources more efficiently.
- Helps people transfer data and information in a shared environment.
- Helps people use scaleable, integrated software applications.
What HIT is Now
Efforts these days focus on the most basic functional level of HIT, i.e., the development of interoperable architectures and the use of applications for inputting, validating, storing, securing, and exchanging basic patient data. Current HIT also offers some decision-support through reminders (e.g., of follow-up appointments, inoculations, etc.) and alerts via medication prescription checks, and streamline certain workflows. All this is a necessary first step, but it is grossly insufficient.
Defining the HIT Gap
The HIT gap is a result of not making six essential needs a top priority; that is, current HIT does not adequately focus on:
Filling the HIT Gap
For a description of an HIT system blueprint developed by the authors, which satisfies many unmet HIT needs, see the Filling the HIT Gap page. It's got some practical ideas that you can implement quickly.


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Are you an electric guitar player? How much have you known about the Fender Jaco Pastorius Bass? The following I will introduce something about it, if you are attracted by it, CONTACT US NOW!!!
This is a wonderful coffee with all good appointment in the right places that one can expect a seri[……]


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Recipe for a great programmer
Monday, January 9, 2017
- Books for a computer science curriculum from a top university
- Computer
- Headphones
- Internet
- Stress ball
- Pillow
- Lighter fluid
- Food
- Cover computer science books with lighter fluid
- Light books on fire
- Use flames to cook an energy-rich meal for the thousands of hours ahead
- Pick an editor
- Choose a project beyond current capabilities. Good ways to push boundaries:
- Unfamiliar domain (e.g. large scale data processing, UI programming, high performance computing, games)
- Exotic programming language
- Larger in scope than any project before
- Shut up about your editor
- Attempt to build
- Stop procrastinating on Hacker News
- Re-attempt to build
- Squeeze stress ball and scream into pillow as necessary to keep sanity
- When stuck:
- Paste stack traces into Google
- Find appropriate mailing list to get guidance
- Realize that real learning happens when you are stuck, uncomfortable, and/or frustrated
- Seek out books, classes, or other resources AFTER you have a good understanding of your deficiencies
- Repeat #4 to #10 for at least 10 years
Results guaranteed! (to the same extent static types guarantee bug-free programs)
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Well as first impressions go, Hotel Rocamar certainly sets very low standards for Soller. As you leave the main road to the Port and take the back way to 'Can Repic' beach the first thing you notice is this old derelict, graffitied eyesore. Abandoned, smashed windows and old fashioned.
A friend of mine died sleeping rough in this waste plot last year. Many will remember him.
So, it has been planned for some time that the eyesore will be demolished. But guess what? It doesn't seem to matter what the tourists impressions of the area are. Louis Rullán, the president of the hotels association has stated that it is delayed due to administration complications and not wanting to affect the tourist industry. Well done, I guess the whole of winter wasn't long enough to complete the work.
The Mayor of Soller, Charles Simarro, also agreed, so I guess the tourists and locals will be delighted to see this historical structure live on for another year or two.


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Excerpts from "Gerontion," by T.S. Eliot:
I an old man,
A dull head among windy spaces …
After such knowledge, what forgiveness? Think now
History has many cunning passages, contrived corridors
And issues, deceives with whispering ambitions,
Guides us by vanities. Think now
She gives when our attention is distracted
And what she gives, gives with such supple confusions
That the giving famishes the craving. Gives too late
What's not believed in, or if still believed,
In memory only, reconsidered passion. Gives too soon
Into weak hands, what's thought can be dispensed with
Till the refusal propagates a fear. Think
Neither fear nor courage saves us. Unnatural vices
Are fathered by our heroism. Virtues
Are forced upon us by our impudent crimes.
These tears are shaken from the wrath-bearing tree.
The tiger springs in the new year. Us he devours. Think at last
We have not reached conclusion, when I
Stiffen in a rented house. Think at last
I have not made this show purposelessly
And it is not by any concitation
Of the backward devils
I would meet you upon this honestly.
I that was near your heart was removed therefrom
To lose beauty in terror, terror in inquisition.
I have lost my passion: why should I need to keep it
Since what is kept must be adulterated?
I have lost my sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch:
How should I use it for your closer contact?
Photo credit: By W.carter (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons


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DIY kitchen reworking specialists present the fundamental steps of hanging wall and base kitchen cupboards. Base cupboard depth is the space from the outer edge of the cabinet itself to the wall behind it. Although there are several sorts of wall cabinets available, here are a couple of varieties commonly used all through the home. Add a Wall Message Middle Cabinet on the finish of a run to scale back everyday kitchen muddle. Constructing codes and accepted design practices prefer to stress accessibility, and the improper top is the one facet that can make a base cabinet inaccessible.
A rest room wall cabinet is usually constructed into a wall, but this is not all the time the case. A few of them are created on the wall and most of the people tend to decide on the wall mounting of toilet cupboard. Create an entertainment center using wall cupboards made with features comparable to wine cubbies; glass insert doorways for displaying glasses; or open shelving for books and video games.
Filler cabinets can accommodate pull-outs , these narrow rolling racks which are nice for storing baking pans or spices. One tip with kitchen cabinets for saving cash is to buy basic base cupboards however splurge more on wall cupboards with equipment you could enjoy, like glass inserts on in-cupboard lighting. I generally tend to spend a lot greater than what I would spend on a rest room wall cupboard when I go window purchasing.
Building a bathroom wall storage cabinet is a straightforward task and does not take a lot time. And let us face it, if you are doing a seek for new lavatory wall cabinets when in an off kilter mood, you possibly can create fairly an interesting atmosphere in your bathroom. A standard wall cabinet is 12 inches deep, but that is really the one commonality that may be seen all through kitchen wall cupboard building.
While base cupboards tend to hide down below the countertop, effectively below eye level, wall cabinets are at top stage and announce themselves right away. Make certain the doorways and hardware are faraway from the cupboards to make them lighter and easier to install. Countertops often overhang on the entrance to cover the top edge of the bottom cupboards.


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The two largest planes ever built are AN-225 and
Hughes H-4. AN-225 is longer but Hughes H-4 has
a bigger wing span. However, AN-225 can carry an amazing 1.3
million pound of weight (called maximum take off weight).
Following image gives a very good comparison of various BIG planes
Source: AeroSpaceWeb


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Finally, a leading drinks brand has cottoned onto to the power that virtual reality can bring to an advertising campaign. Martell, makers of some of the finest cognac money can buy, have worked with their advertising agency AKQA to help with the launch of a limited edition cognac called 'La French Touch' by Etienne de Crécy (he of the house music fame).
Lucky customers of this rather expensive cognac can use the packaging to create a Martell branded VR headset which is used to play a VR game also created by AKQA. The game has you playing as the famous gold swift-like Martell bird as you whiz around various cities at night collecting points. There is also a boomingly fun house track by French musician Danger to accompany the action.
Virtual reality Martell
The game isn't go to win the Grand Prix for best VR action however the whole concept of offering packaging for VR and an accompanying app has been well thought through and executed. Kudos to both Martell and AKQA for this first of its kind activity. a ground breaker.
Check out the Martell VR app trailer below.


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Transforming Anthony Trollope
Dispossession, Victorianism and Nineteenth-Century Word and Image
Edited by Simon Grennan, Laurence Grove
This volume is a cross-disciplinary collection of essays in the fields of nineteenth-century history, adaptation, word/image and Victorianism. Featuring new writing by some of the most influential, respected and radical scholars in these fields, Transforming Anthony Trollope constitutes both a close companion to Simon Grennan's 2015 graphic novel Dispossession—an adaptation of Anthony Trollope's 1879 novel John Caldigate—and a forward-looking, stand-alone addition to current debates on the cultural uses of history and the theorization of remediation, illustration, and narrative drawing.
Contributors: Jan Baetens (KU Leuven), Hugo Frey (University of Chichester), Ian Hague (Comics Forum), Marie-Luise Kohlke (Swansea University), John Miers (University of the Arts London / Kingston University), Barbara Postema (Ryerson University), Aarnoud Rommens (University of Liège), David Skilton (Cardiff University), Frederik Van Dam (KU Leuven), Peter Wilkins (Douglas College)


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Becoming the Change We Want to See: Critical Study Abroad for a Tumultuous World
Becoming the Change We Want to See: Critical Study Abroad for a Tumultuous World - Download this document for free, or read online. Document in PDF available to download.
Frontiers: The Interdisciplinary Journal of Study Abroad, v18 p241-267 Fall 2009
Study abroad has become, at least rhetorically, a core element in U.S. post-secondary education. For those who practice study abroad and have dedicated themselves to leading students, managing programs, or theorizing the role of study abroad in its relationship to the academy generally, the meaning of their work is powerfully shaped by rhetorical frames produced by college administrations and granting institutions. In this essay the authors call for a new way of framing the work of study abroad. They argue that study abroad should deliberately position itself as an activist force in the service of global survival. They propose a new model for understanding the work of study abroad, Critical Study Abroad. Critical Study Abroad is a structured way of framing ones's work with direct reference to the current state of the world, and it suggests concrete changes in the work of study abroad programs. The authors examine nine ways in which Critical Study Abroad can respond to global crisis. Over the past century, several rhetorical frames or discourses have been used to justify the sojourn of U.S. students in foreign locations. For the purposes of this essay, the authors focus on three of these broad discourses: (1) class reproduction; (2) idealist internationalism; and (3) political internationalism. Although each discourse arose in a unique historical moment, elements of all three still shape the rhetoric used to describe contemporary study abroad programs. (Contains 48 notes.)
Descriptors: Study Abroad, Postsecondary Education, Trend Analysis, Social Capital, Social Change, Change Strategies, Rhetorical Theory, Political Influences, Ideology, International Education, International Educational Exchange, Competence, Rhetorical Criticism
Frontiers Journal. Dickinson College P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013. Tel: 717-254-8858; Fax: 717-245-1677; Web site: http://www.frontiersjournal.com
Author: Reilly, Doug; Senders, Stefan
Source: https://eric.ed.gov/?q=a&ft=on&ff1=dtySince_1992&pg=2635&id=EJ883702


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The topic of 'Chrissy Metz weight' has been trending recently, after the first hit episodes of the new NBC show This Is Us. The 37 year-old actress plays Kate on the show, who is about lose weight as a result of gastric bypass surgery – and the actress is excited for the major journey she's about to embark on. Chrissy recently opened up about her weight, body image and losing weight for her role:
On losing weight for the show:
It's a different kind of motivation, so I was excited about it. In our contract, it did state that that would be a part of it, to lose the weight in the trajectory of the character as she comes to find herself. That was a win-win for me. Because it's one thing to try to do it on your own. But as human beings, it's an ego thing: We're more likely to do something for someone else.
On the fact that losing weight doesn't mean that she is betraying the bigger girls:
I, as Chrissy, want to do things that mentally, emotionally and physically make me the best that I can be. That's the intention for our writers and the development of the character. I just have to be very clear. Whether or not I lose weight or stay the same, it's purely a choice of mine for health. Not because I think that plus size, curvy, voluptuous, big bodies aren't attractive — because I think they're awesome and sexy. So I'll just have to make sure that's known, because I'm not selling out the big girls. I don't do that. That's not me.
On how at her size, weight is always the focus:
You know, it's really hard for me because I have friends who are like, Why do we have to talk about the weight? Why can't you just be an actor who happens to be overweight in the show and you're moving on with your life? and I completely understand that. Eventually I know that that will be the case — there will just be plus-size actors and it's not going to be talked about. However, this role is written about a woman who — it was loosely based on Dan Fogelman's sister — who struggled with her weight and her self-worth. And a lot of people do, and I have myself, as a human being. So this is a story that needs to be told because there are people who find their self-worth in the number on the scale.
See more photos of Chrissy inside!