Category Archives: S&T lit

LESSONS LEARNED ABOUT TECHNOLOGY MONITORING IN THE SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC ENERGY SEGMENT

Patents, Research profiling, Research Type, S&T lit, Strategic planning, , , ,

The practice of using technology monitoring to keep track of technological advances is increasingly valued, and its systematic use is understood as essential to business in the new knowledge economy. The structuring of the technological monitoring process has become a growing need for organizations to keep up with the significant and rapid changes of technology in their core business and to better understand its business impact in order to support the decision‐making process of companies. An effective technology monitoring process should be based on a company’s business needs and on the information required for the fitting to strategic guidelines. This encompasses the right selection of databases, the establishment of the search strategy and keywords to be applied, the screening of the retrieved information, the analysis and consolidation of this information, and the right format and display of the relevant data and future trends to help the management decision. Photovoltaic solar energy reached the capacity of 139 GW in 2013, being an expanding market with a high number of government funding projects in the United States and in the European Union. Therefore, a survey was carried out about the new technologies and related business scenarios for this kind of power generation, using technology monitoring tools. Energy generation via photovoltaic cells has been known for a long time, since the Becquerel studies in the XIX century. Solar photovoltaic energy enables the generation of distributed electric energy, preventing long transmission and distribution lines, besides being a silent energy source that can be easily integrated into buildings without the need of additional installation areas; for these reasons, its application is being fostered by government programs.   The main step of the technology monitoring methodology is discussed, and the peculiarities and difficulties encountered in the process are pointed out. A survey of the scientific and technological developments in this area of knowledge was carried out, using patents and scientific papers with the time frame from the beginning of 2008 to the end of 2013. The lessons learned in this process and the major facilitating factors and difficulties for the retrieval, screening and analysis of the information collected are reported.

Author(s): Luiz Fernando Leite , Flavia Maria Lins Mendes, and Suzanne De Oliveira Rodrigues Schumacher
Organization: Federal University of Rio de Janeiro
Source: IAMOT 2015 Conference Proceedings http://iamot2015.com/2015proceedings/documents/P310.pdf
Year: 2015

Microalgal biofuel revisited: An informatics-based analysis of developments to date and future prospects

Patents, Research Examples, Research profiling, Research Type, S&T lit, , ,

Highlights

  • Microalgal biofuel studies between 1900 and mid-2015 were analyzed informatically.
  • Burst interest since 2006–2012 stimulated mass culture and biotechnology studies.
  • Unremitting study and investment is expected for better understanding of microalgae.
  • Integrated application of energy microalgae could be a possible solution.
  • Recent advances of approaches to bypass the production bottleneck were reviewed.

Abstract
Microalgae have reported to be one of the most promising feedstock for biofuel production. To obtain a comprehensive and systematic overview of the current state of microalgal research, particularly microalgal biofuel research, we retrieved and analyzed manuscripts and patents related to this topic and published between 1900 and mid-2015. We found that there was a burst in microalgal biofuel research from 2006 to 2011 that significantly stimulated the development of microalgal biotechnology for the production of high value-added commodities and for environmental applications and microalgal mass culturing, in an attempt to make the entire process of biofuel production economically viable for industrialization. However, a lag in basic microalgal research has kept production costs high, resulting in a decline in investments, funding, and research efforts in the fields of microalgal biofuel production, microalgal biotechnology, and mass culturing since 2012. Based on a review of the challenges/problems of microalgae biofuel production and recent advances of their solution, the perspective view of the future R&D needs and trends were proposed. To bypass the price bottleneck of microalgae-based biofuel production, it has been proposed that energy-producing microalgal biotechnological applications be synergistically combined with microalgal biofuel production. Future investments and funding will most likely be directed toward basic studies that aim to elucidate the microorganisms’ characteristics and toward the development of microalgal biotechnology and its environmental applications, which have potential economic and social benefits. This review represents a theoretical reference for both algal researchers and decision makers regarding the future directions of microalgal research, particularly that involving microalgal-based biofuel production.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261915008132

Author(s): Hui Chen, Tian Qiu, Junfeng Rong, Chenliu He, and Qiang Wang
Organization(s): Chinese Academy of Sciences
Source: Applied Energy
Year: 2015

Green Energy Prospects: Trends and Challenges

Biz lit, Future-oriented technology analysis, novel source, Patents, Research Examples, Research Type, S&T lit, Strategic planning,

The transition of energy systems moving from non-renewable fossil-nuclear to renewable sources is a key challenge of climate mitigation and sustainable development. Green energy technologies can contribute to solutions of global problems such as climate change, growth of energy consumption, depletion of natural resources, negative environmental impacts, and energy security. In this article the prospective directions of technology development in green energy are studied and analyzed using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Qualitative research involves participation of key experts in the field of green energy, while quantitative analysis includes collecting and processing data from different information sources (scientific publications, patents, news, Foresight projects, conferences, projects of international organizations, dissertations, and presentations) with a help of Vantage Point software. In addition, key challenges for green energy as well as its relationships with other technological and non-technological areas are identified and briefly described on the basis of expert and analytical results.

http://www.igi-global.com/article/green-energy-prospects/129675

Author(s): S. Filippov, N. Mikova, and A. Sokolova
Organization(s): Energy Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Higher School of Economics
Source: International Journal of Social Ecology and Sustainable Development (IJSESD)
Year: 2015

Tracing the footprint of knowledge spillover: Evidence from U.S.-China Collaboration in Nanotechnology

Research evaluation, Research Examples, Research Type, S&T lit, , , ,

The impacts of international collaboration on research performance have been extensively explored in the last two decades. Most research, however, focuses on quantity and citation-based indicators. Utilizing the turnover of keywords, this study develops an integrative approach tracking and visualizing the shift of the research stream and tests it within the context of U.S.-China collaboration in nanotechnology. Continue reading Tracing the footprint of knowledge spillover: Evidence from U.S.-China Collaboration in Nanotechnology →

Assessing nanocellulose developments using science and technology indicators

Data Type, Patents, Research Examples, Research profiling, Research Type, S&T lit

This research aims to examine scientific and technological trends of developments in nanocellulose based on scientometric and patent indicators obtained from the Science Citation Index and Derwent Innovations Index in 2001-2010. Continue reading Assessing nanocellulose developments using science and technology indicators →

Characteristics and popular topics of latest research into the effects of air particulate matter on cardiovascular system by bibliometric analysis

Data Type, Research Examples, Research profiling, Research Type, S&T lit,

In recent years, many epidemiological and toxicological studies have investigated the adverse effects of air particulate matter (PM) on the cardiovascular system. However, it is difficult for the researchers to have a timely and effective overall command of the latest characteristics and popular topics in such a wide field. Continue reading Characteristics and popular topics of latest research into the effects of air particulate matter on cardiovascular system by bibliometric analysis →

Combined biological and health effects of electromagnetic fields and other agents in the published literature

Data Type, Literature Based Discovery, Research Examples, Research profiling, Research Type, S&T lit

Electromagnetic field (EMF) radiation exerts both stand-alone and combined effects on biological systems. The present study examines the scope of the combined effects; i.e., identify effects on biological systems from combined exposure to electromagnetic fields/radiation and at least one other agent. Only articles in which the presence of EMF had some effect (beneficial or adverse) on the biological system were selected. Continue reading Combined biological and health effects of electromagnetic fields and other agents in the published literature →

Technological Forecasting on Phytotherapics Development in Brazil

Future-oriented technology analysis, Research profiling, Research Type, S&T lit,

The prospective analysis is presented as an important tool to identify the most relevant opportunities and needs in research and development from planned interventions in innovation systems.   This study chose Phyllanthus niruri, known as “stone break” to
describe the knowledge about the specie, by using biotechnological forecasting through the software Vantage Point. It can be seen a considerable increase in studies on Phyllanthus niruri in recent years and that there are patents about this plant since twenty-five years ago. India was the country that most carried out research on the specie, showing interest, mainly in studies of hepatoprotection, antioxidant and anti-cancer activities. Brazil is in the second place, with special interest for anti-tumor studies. Given the identification of the Brazilian groups that exploit the species it is possible to mediate partnerships and cooperation aiming to help on the implementing of the Program of Herbal medicines (phytotherapics) in Brazil.

Author(s): Simões Evelyne Rolim Braun, Marques Lana Grasiela Alves, Soares Bruno Marques Pinheiro, Daniel Pascoalino, Santos Maria Rita Morais Chaves, Pessoa Claudia
Organization(s): Departamento de Fisiologia e Farmacologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará; Universidade Federal do Piauí, Núcleo de Inovaçao Tencnológica
Source: World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology
Year: 2012

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Enabling Policy Planning and Innovation Management through Patent Information and Co-Authorship Network Analyses: A Study of Tuberculosis in Brazil

Data Type, Network analysis, Patents, Research Type, S&T lit, ST&I indicators, ST&I policy,

New tools and approaches are necessary to facilitate public policy planning and foster the management of innovation in countries’ public health systems. To this end, an understanding of the integrated way in which the various actors who produce scientific knowledge and inventions in technological areas of interest operate, where they are located and how they relate to one another is of great relevance. Tuberculosis has been chosen as a model for the present study as it is a current challenge for Brazilian research and innovation. Continue reading Enabling Policy Planning and Innovation Management through Patent Information and Co-Authorship Network Analyses: A Study of Tuberculosis in Brazil →