Explore the vast range of titles available.

Lithium-ion batteries are usually connected in series and parallel to form a pack for meeting the voltage and capacity requirements of energy storage systems. However, different pack configurations and battery module collector positions result in different equivalent connected resistances, leading to pack current inhomogeneity, which seriously reduces the lifetime and safety of the pack. Therefore, in order to quantitatively analyze the influence of the connected resistance on the current distribution, this study researched the initial cell current distribution of the parallel module by developing mathematical models of different configurations. Then, this study explored the influence of multiple module collector positions on the current inhomogeneity of the pack under the dynamic current condition. The results show that the inhomogeneity of cell current and discharge capacity in the pack with parallel modules connected in series can be improved by keeping each cell in a parallel module with the same distance to its module collector. Furthermore, the current homogeneity of the edge parallel modules in the pack is seriously affected by the position of the single module collector. Therefore, this study innovatively proposes the symmetrical multiple module collectors of the pack, which can greatly improve the current homogeneity of the edge parallel modules, thereby improving the lifetime and safety of the pack.

Constitutional, economic and administrative reforms have generated debates about their unintended consequences in poor and developing countries, and the best way to steer them towards better outcomes. In-depth case study analysis helps in tailoring future reforms and enriches academic literature on countries faced with the complex and intertwined problems of fragility, traditional actors, state building and donor involvement. This paper aims at examining the legacies of state-building and civil service reforms in Yemen by providing a narrative of motivations, outcomes as well as the involved politics and actors. Yemen's state institutions have evolved from times of colonization and isolation to pass through centralization in the two-state era, reunification, decentralization and reorientation towards merit-based bureaucracy. Yemen's reform experiences did not result in well-performing administrative and civil service institutions while they were often ad hoc, rushed or born out of political circumstances and donors' pressure. Alongside the devastating civil war, contemporary state-building challenges result from legacies of reform failures. Current problems are exacerbated by long-standing policies of patronage, but they are also a reflection of the difficult reality of dominance of tribal elites, lack of capacities, interference from regional powers, and disagreements about the future shape of the Yemeni state.

Energy transition in the region of the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) has recently commenced and is now being implemented through large-scale renewable projects, nuclear plants, and energy efficiency measures in the built environment. This paper highlights how alternative energies are associated with non-economic factors such as prestige, modernity, and (soft or symbolic) power. It analyzes the specific ways of delivering energy diversification in the Gulf through renewable megaprojects, the reorganization of the energy sector, and the incorporation of nuclear energy as an add-on source. These decisions serve GCC states in showcasing modernity, maintaining centralized control, posturing geopolitically, and extending the rent distribution mechanisms. On one hand, the energy transition in the Gulf has been domesticated through policies and strategies suiting the political systems in the region. This can have an acceleration effect on this transition. On the other hand, the implications of the adaptation of the energy transition to the reality of the Gulf remain open. The success of this transition will depend on the ability of GCC states to ecologically modernize the Gulf societies, reduce environmental risks, and enhance GCCwide cooperation.

The agenda of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is a key international outcome for guiding development efforts of nation states. However, SDG targets cover vast areas of action, and they are difficult to break down and monitor for countries with different developmental situations and needs. Often, global rankings of countries’ compliance with the SDG agenda are plagued with false signals and methodological limitations. This paper presents a much-needed prioritization of the SDG targets for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region. It maps SDG targets and outlines priorities and key areas for environmental action. Sustainability in resource use, consumption and production constitutes a primary area for investments. Education and awareness represent cross-cutting priorities and low-hanging fruit for action. Tackling climate change and emerging supply risks and the management of ecosystems represent an action area in which GCC governments can intensify their interventions. As a supporting policy, regional environmental cooperation is important for enhanced commitments and tackling transboundary aspects of the SDG agenda. The analysis of the SDG agenda in the GCC regions reiterates the importance of countries engaging with global sustainability framings in order work out their own interpretations in congruence with national development realities. Such an SDG regional mapping exercise also assists national-level planners or regional bodies working on development issues in shaping the Gulf region’s engagement with the global sustainability agenda and tracking progress on key SDG priorities.

Supply systems for water, energy and food in the Gulf region are becoming highly interlinked. In the last decades, interdependence was evident in the increase of coproduction plants and the cross-sectoral resource use footprints. In light of increasing integration due to growing scarcities, the construction of mega projects for coproduction, and the use of renewables across sectors, the security notion can be revisited. This paper proposes a view of the resource supply security based on the systems' characteristics under change and their ability to deal with risks and shocks (resilience). It introduces internal and external risk factors for the water, energy and food supply systems in the Gulf region and highlights recent knowledge on such risks. Further, the paper explains the vulnerability of supply systems to planning risks like scale, integration intensity and level of service provisions together with risks related to growth, technology, market and climate. In light of such insecurities, we stress the importance of investing in risk management and resilience policies in infrastructure planning. Response measures to future risks can focus on options like storage, knowledge, diversification and, importantly, promoting regional cooperation and synergies from common infrastructure planning between countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

Water reuse is considered a technologically viable option to meet the increasing demands of the domestic, industrial and agricultural sectors. Alongside challenges such as environmental health, infrastructure and regulations, water reuse is often hindered by lack of acceptance and dismissive attitudes. This paper seeks to structure knowledge about acceptance of water use. It provides a systematic look at the overall reuse challenges and social attitudes towards water reuse considering the three integrative elements of water reuse, namely the water source, the technology, and the end use. It first maps the challenges and common insights that constitute the enigma of water reuse acceptance. Later, it conceptualizes acceptance as a social process consisting of the interdependent components of public perception, politicization, individual acceptance, and use adaptation. Using this conceptual framework, solutions to increasing water acceptance stemming from different bodies of acceptance studies are reviewed. The paper reiterates the need for a nuanced view on water reuse acceptance that incorporates spatio-temporal considerations as well as knowledge from different disciplines.

Innovation and the promotion of entrepreneurship are requirements of the transition towards knowledge-based economies. Universities are assigned a key role in advancing entrepreneurship through the restructuring of teaching, research, and governance with an emphasis on innovation and sustainability. In the Gulf region, universities are increasingly adopting reforms aimed at redefining their missions towards entrepreneurial education. This study examines the impact of university-based innovation and entrepreneurial models on progressing towards knowledge-based economies, with Qatar University serving as a case study. It qualitatively assesses recent university reforms and contextualizes these reforms within limitations in the national context and the political economy of the rentier states in the Gulf. The findings suggest that for Gulf region universities to effectively become entrepreneurial and support sustainable development, they must cultivate an entrepreneurial culture and mindset. This requires structural and cultural shifts that resonate with national context, institutional values, and the global sustainability goals. The study indicates that a top-down approach to developing entrepreneurial universities is less effective. It advocates for policies and incentives that motivate universities to become entrepreneurial. Ultimately, the study's insights aim to guide policymaking to develop knowledge economy frameworks in Qatar towards a sustainable future.

The green growth paradigm has gained much attention from various governments worldwide as a guiding strategy for national and sectoral growth strategies. There is, however, little knowledge on how to integrate green growth into key natural resource sectors, such as water. This paper explains the origins and underlying concepts of green growth, and assesses its potential in the Jordanian water sector. Using a green growth diagnostic model, we analyze six key industries in the Jordanian water sector that can be an engine for green growth and the achievement of key sector-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In addition, four innovative business models are presented which exemplify the best practices and future directions of the water sector in Jordan. The results and recommendations support the strategic decision-making process of linking economic growth and sustainability, and encouraging private investments. - 2019 by the authors.

In vulnerable water basins, unregulated access to solar energy and groundwater can threaten water security through increased abstractions. Public and development agencies are therefore exploring options to provide farmers with additional income from solar farming while protecting groundwater resources. Solar energy farming is combined with attractive purchase guarantees in order to encourage farmers to efficiently use solar energy on-farm and sell the energy excess. This article evaluates a project from the Azraq Basin in Jordan, and presents similar international experiences, particularly from India. It assesses solar energy farming as an innovation from a water-energy-food nexus perspective.

Technological advancements have facilitated the expansion of affordable desalination in many regions of the world. In the arid countries of the Middle East, desalination has been perceived as a quick fix for the rising water demands of the region's growing populations and economies. This paper analyzes the impacts of the rise of desalination on interstate cooperation and competition in the Middle East. With the increased attractiveness of seawater desalination, governments are relying more on desalination in order to ease external pressures on freshwater resources and depoliticize water issues. Considering the environmental impacts of desalination and the risks facing large-scale infrastructure, desalination will require more cooperation over shared water bodies. It is also a key resource within political agendas aiming to reshape the regional economy of the Middle East based on industrial cooperation and sustainable technologies.