Mitarbeitermotivation in Start-Ups - Theoretischer Rahmen und praktische Handlungsempfehlungen (2017)

William Bork Monika Engelen

Das vorliegende Paper fasst die Erkenntnisse zu Möglichkeiten der Mitarbeitermotivation in Start-Ups zusammen. Es basiert auf der Bachelorarbeit von Herrn William Bork, die von Mai bis Juli 2017 von Prof. Dr. Monika Engelen betreut wurde. Neben einer Recherche der grundlegenden Theorie wurden die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse durch explorative Interviews mit Start-Ups ergänzt. Der Kerninhalt dieses Papers ist sowohl das Verständnis für die Bedeutung von Arbeitsmotivation zu verdeutlichen als auch konkrete Ansätze zur positiven Beeinflussung der Arbeitsmotivation für Start-Ups aufzuzeigen.

Social Media Marketing für Start-Ups (2017)

Alexandra Schütz Monika Engelen

Das vorliegende Paper fasst die Erkenntnisse zum Einsatz von Social Media für Start-Ups zusammen. Es basiert auf der Bachelorarbeit von Frau Alexandra Schütz, die von Mai bis Juli 2017 von Prof. Dr. Monika Engelen betreut wurde. Neben einer Recherche der grundlegenden Theorie wurden die gewonnenen Erkenntnisse durch explorative Interviews mit Start-Ups ergänzt. Der Kerninhalt dieses Papers ist die Anwendung von Social Media Marketing insbesondere für Start-Ups mit Tipps zur strategischen Planung und operativen Gestaltung von Social Media Beiträgen.

Investigation of market potential of polymer based PVT collector (2017)

Bhavin Soni

For sustainable climate, an exponential growth in renewable heating and cooling is compulsory to reduce consumption of the fossil fuels for production of heat. An essential step from European Commission as an introduction of the strategy for renewable heat has given a platform to the solar thermal market to tap the highest possible potential. To grab the opportunity given, capacity of the production is to be increased as well as reduction in cost of solar thermal product is to be achieved by any suitable alternate means. Polymer based hybrid collector, named as OPVT collector, is the innovation from Fraunhofer Institute of Solar Energy Systems to break the road blocks for the solar thermal market. A polymer solar cell and a polymer solar thermal collector, both, technologies have tendency of high initial investments and extremely low running cost in business. The aims of this study were to develop a calculation tool for determination of production cost of different OPVT collector concepts and evaluate their potential with reference to market size. The tool was expected to be uniform for all possible concepts of OPVT collector and flexible in usage during the early stage of technological development. In this study, “Microsoft Excel” software based calculation tool is developed for estimation of production cost for different concepts. A Car washing station for water based OPVT collector and a bus station for air based OPVT collector are found be most suitable for start-up of the business. The analysis of results has highlighted that the minimum cost of OPVT collector can be referenced as its material cost. The OPVT collector business has huge potential and possibility of early break-even point in the production. As production costs are sensitive to material costs, input values to the tool must be accurate. Presence of dominance of the material cost is due to high cost of OPV. In industry, OPV is still being considered as the technological product instead the commodity product. This market potential study for OPVT collector technology has been the important step in giving the confidence to solar thermal, polymer and plastic processing industries for business investment. Keywords – OPVT collector, production cost, calculation tool, market size

Desktop-based Due Diligence for PV Projects in Serbia – Case Power Plant in Prokuplje 50 kW (2017)

Relja Zambelic

Development of renewable energy projects within photovoltaic energy sector has reached unrestrainable pace in recent years and thus the investors are more vigilantly considering the further business deployment towards this sector. Underpinned with clear support from KfW Development Bank, the company MACS Energy & Water GmbH decided to facilitate future verification of credit lines towards these projects by deploying special eSaveTM software which would include technical and financial appraisals specially designed for their clients. Hereof this thesis comprises the initial phase development of this software within the MS Excel and endeavors to provide a proper guideline for the software engineers included in this task in the company. In order to simplify the explanation process this report sticks to 50 kW power plant project in Prokuplje. It is anticipated that this model would enhance, improve and expedite the feasibility analysis between the cooperatives by delivering the projections of energy yield, payback periods and sensitivity analysis of the loan conditions specified for the target country and PV projects in the same. However, besides this main task this report aims to fulfill all the other necessary prerequisites for accomplishing a good due diligence practice. Therefore the thesis places its focus to Republic of Serbia where exceptional due diligence reports were made, among which the Prokuplje project, and compiles the assessments in terms of legal, environmental and risk into one general framework for PV projects in this country. By doing so, the desktop-based model and results obtained with this user-friendly tool can lean on the full due diligence assessment and provide the reader a clear comprehensive overview of possibility to invest into this renewable energy sector in Republic of Serbia. Keywords: PV, Due diligence, Serbia, eSaveTM, feasibility, model 

Development of a Python model for electricity retail prices in Germany under present regulatory framework and future expectations of high re penetrations (2017)

Bilal Hussain

This thesis presents the perspective and basis for modeling of retail electricity price components in Germany. Detailed Python models are developed to provide predictions for yearly development of average network charges, EEG, StromNEV-19 and KWK surcharges for the period 2015-2035. For network charges and EEG surcharge, scenario-B (2035) from NEP2015 has been chosen as the model scenario. For KWK surcharge, the 2025 KWK share target, set by KWKG-2016, has been chosen as the model scenario. Individual component model results are validated against available academic literature and institutional reports. Model results for EEG surcharge, indicate an increasing yearly EEG costs till 2024, after which the expiring EEG plants of past will unburden the related high costs and EEG surcharge will drop but still be around 99% of 2015 level in 2035. Model results for network charges indicate a consistently increasing yearly trend owing to high grid investments needed for reaching the target RE share of 57%. KWK model results also indicate a growing KWK surcharge until 2020 which then would remain stagnant at that level onwards. All model results are collected under three consumption categories, namely, households, privileged and nonprivileged industries. The final results indicate that the average German household will face an overall increase of around 3.37 Cents/kWh in retail electricity prices (excluding VAT) till 2028, after which the retail prices will drop a little due to dropping EEG surcharge. The similar but slightly reduced trend can be seen for nonprivileged industrial consumption. The increment effect, however, is only minute for privileged industrial consumption due to high exemptions in EEG & KWK surcharges and reduced individual network charges.

Hydrological Drought Assessment in the Tempisque-Bebedero Catchment System in Costa Rica (2017)

Jennifer Lizeth Bocanegra Díaz

The present thesis research was focused on the assessment of hydrological drought in the Tempisque-Bebedero catchment system in Costa Rica as part of the TropiSeca project framework. The study area is in the province of Guanacaste and has an extension of 5449.94 Km2, the region is characterized by a defined wet and dry season resulting in a marked seasonality in precipitation and streamflow regime which provokes frequent periods of water deficits considered as drought. The main objective of this research is to conduct an analysis on hydrological drought in the study area through the understanding of the behavior of hydrological cycle and its implications for the rice sector by applying different drought indices such as Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Streamflow Drought Index (SDI). From the values obtained in the calculation of drought indices were studied the temporal distribution and spatial distribution based on the characterization of drought periods in terms of frequency, severity, duration, and seasonality. For the characterization of meteorological drought in the study area an approach based on area average precipitation was implemented to calculate a regional representative SPI for each sub-basin, in contrast, hydrological drought was assessed using only two streamflow gauges data provided by the ICE from 1973 until 2003. As result, Tempisque showed longer drought periods in comparison with Bebedero whose mean duration was lower but the number of drought events were more frequent. In terms of spatial distribution, it could be found that the upper basin experienced extreme meteorological drought periods at high time scales tied to a severe streamflow deficit probably justified by its low permeability due to geological characteristics that allow a slow movement of groundwater. Additionally, one of the aims of this thesis was to analyze the existence of correlation between precipitation and streamflow anomalies with rice yield and, to determine the influence of ENSO in climate variability using Sea Surface Temperature indices; in this phase of the research was found that climate patterns in the catchment system exhibited a significant influence by ENSO events with a significance level of 99% (r > 0.7) showing an important dependence of meteorological drought periods presented during the period 1980-2016. In terms of temporal behavior of rice yield anomalies was revealed moderate correlation coefficients (r < 0.4) in both watersheds due to in most of the cases the response of water deficit did not have significant impact in terms of magnitude as expected; in some periods in which drought period was present categorized as mild-drought, rice yield had a considerable decreasing compared with those in which was categorized as extreme event; these differences can be justified mostly because crop yield depends not only on weather, but also on variety of seed used and its coping capacity to periods of water scarcity, fertilizers, soil moisture, farming techniques, sowing date, temperature, irrigation, use of pesticides etc. The results of this thesis can be used to motivate future researches in the elaboration of crop models to predict yields based on physiological processes during plant development considering water requirement to take enough measures to mitigate the effects of drought periods. Furthermore, it should be considered to implement a drought monitor system in the area as an important tool of early warning system and as an indicator for the efficient water resources management.

Integrated Management of Ecosystem Services by Treated Wastewater: A Case Study at Upper Zarqa River, Jordan (2017)

Sze Yie Chan

Jordan is deemed as one of the least water-endowed regions in the world. The acute water shortage, accompanied with changing climatic conditions have necessitated the increasing use of treated wastewater (TWW), predominantly in irrigated agriculture sector. This is especially true with the upper Zarqa River. The ample supply of TWW resources can be found there; paradoxically, the practical implementation of TWW reuse is hindered by the enforcement of irrigation water quality standard, compounding pressure on the dwindling groundwater resources. In light of the large potential source of TWW, this study aims to supply knowledge on maximizing the safe reuse of TWW while minimizing the environmental impacts within the local environment of the upper Zarqa River. A SWOT analysis was conducted to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of TWW reuse for agriculture in the local context. In recognition of the projected growth in the treated effluent to more than 135 MCM in the coming ten years, and how it would affect the water use on the study region, several plausible development scenarios were proposed based on expected developments on the ground. Considering the vital role of TWW in sustaining multiple ecosystem services, this study addresses the need to review current standard, encourages managed aquifer recharge with TWW, recommends crops type modification, and enhances knowledge on suitable practices at farm level. Each of these factors is needed in order to deliver a range of ecosystem services to sustain the local rural communities and to advance them in the face of profound challenges, thereby leading to its stability and increased productivity.

The Impact of Large Scale Land Acquisition (Land Grabbing) on Local Food Security: case of Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun District, Sierra Leone (2017)

Edward Thomas Fatoma

In Sierra Leone, at the moment 10 out of the total 14 districts are faced with the problem of large-scale land investments for industrial agriculture (oil palm, sugarcane…). The production is mainly for the local, regional and world market. There are quite many of these investments in the planning stage, while some are extending their operations by taking more land from communities or are already at the production stage. Studies and media reports have claimed a number of negative impacts felt in communities hosting these companies, ranging from loss of land, food insecurity, increase in poverty to loss of livelihoods, environmental degradation as well as social and cultural problems. The goal of this thesis is to examine the impacts of the operations of “Socfin Agriculture Company” on food security of local communities in Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun District of Sierra Leone. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods are used for data collection, analyses, and interpretation of results. The research uses household income and expenditure to compare household food security before and after the start of the company’s operations. It examines consequences of community’s loss of land to support household food production versus casual wage earn from employment created by the company to meet household food security. The results show a loss of household’s income sources and a significant decrease in households’ income. Households’ food crop production has reduced accompanied by a complete loss of cash crop farming. Households affected by the operations of the company have lost access to land and other natural resources that support food production. Furthermore, the company employs very few people in comparison to the total population of affected communities. Calculation of total wage earn from employment by the company cannot meet the staple food (rice) needs of the households. Also, households claimed a host of unfilled promises made by the company and national government at the onset of the operations of the company. In conclusion, household food production is the most significant determinant for household food security, with regards to food availability, accessibility, utilization and stability of supply. Therefore, national government should carefully study and develop a framework that addresses food security of households impacted by the operations of the rapidly growing large-scale land investment companies and ensure a fair share of the local community in the economic development of the country and suggesting ways of improving access rights in the context of tenure.

Management thermischer Energiebedarfe in Brauprozessen (2017)

Frank Balzereit

Zusammenfassung Ansatz der vorliegenden Arbeit ist es, mit Blick auf den in einer großen Variationsbreite existierenden Brauprozess in Brauereien mit unterschiedlichster jährlicher Produktionsmenge und technologischem Stand, die wesentlichen charakteristischen Teilprozessschritte hinsichtlich Ihrer Bedarfe an den thermischen Energieformen Wärme und Kälte, unter Berücksichtigung der jeweils in den Teilprozessen herrschenden Temperaturniveaus, darzustellen. Dies ist in Kapitel 2 sowohl für die in Trocknungsprozessen vorbehandelten feststofflichen Braukomponente Gerstenmalz und Hopfen, sowie für die mit dem Beginn der Erwärmung von frischem Brauwasser startenden Prozesse des Einmaischens, Läuterns, Kochens, Gärens bis hin zur Reifung des Jungbieres, erfolgt. Zunächst wurde das jeweilige Temperaturniveau der einzelnen Phasen des Brauvorgangs, trotz seiner unterschiedlichen verfahrenstechnischen Realisierung, abgesteckt. In Kapitel 5 wird der rein für den Prozess notwendige Wärme- und Kältebedarf, auf der Basis der wesentlichen Zustandsänderungen des entstehenden Produktes, bestimmt. Dabei liegt bei jedem Prozessschritt entweder ein Wärme- oder ein Kältebedarf vor. Die Teilprozesse bilden eine zeitliche Abfolge innerhalb des Brauprozesses, welche die Vorstufen des Bieres nacheinander durchläuft. Die in den Kapiteln 3 zum Thema Kälte und in Kapitel 4 zum Thema Wärme dargestellten Grundlagen, liefern die Grundlagen für das Verständnis, des Verhaltens eines Systems im Umfeld von thermischer Energie und bilden die thermodynamischen Kenntnisse, die für die Beurteilung des Transportes, der Erzeugung und der Speicherung von Wärme und Kälte ergeben. Die Wärme und Kältebedarfe in ihrer zeitlichen Abfolge ermöglichen uns unabhängig von gängigen technischen Realisierungen in der Praxis noch einmal in Kapitel 6 die Frage zu stellen, in wie weit zunächst für jeden einzelnen Teilprozess Energieeffizienzverbesserungen durch Eingriff in den Prozess möglich sind. Die Frage der Heranführung der Wärme bei Wärmebedarf des Produktes an das Produkt hat in der Entwicklung der Brauereitechnologie sehr verschiedenen konstruktiven Ausführungen der Maischgefäße und der Gefäße für die Würzebehandlung geführt. An dieser Stelle ist der Einfluss von Veränderungen, welche den Transport von Wärme verbessern könnten, auch auf das Produkt zu hinterfragen. Die modernen Ausführungen der Maisch- und Würzepfannen sind auf ein produktschonendes Verfahren ausgelegt. Änderungen im Anlagenpark erfordern von jeder Brauerei einen langerprobten Umgang, um trotz der Veränderungen an diesen Prozesshilfsmitteln, dennoch die geschmackliche Qualität des Bieres nicht unerwünscht zu beeinflussen. Die Rückführung der Verdampfungswärme beim Kochen und teilweise Verdampfen der Würze in der Pfanne, in den Prozess, unter Beibehaltung des höchstmöglichen Temperaturniveaus dieser Wärme, ist ein Beispiel aus Kapitel 6 für die Effizienzsteigerung des Teilprozesses. Stärker in den produktbeeinflussenden Teilprozess des Maischens greift die Wahl zwischen den zwei etablierten Wärmezufuhrverfahren, dem traditionellen Dekoktionsverfahren und dem in letzter Zeit deutlich überwiegenden Infusionsverfahren. Hier liegt mit der Wahl des letzteren Verfahrens, innerhalb des Teilprozesses Maischen ein Effizienzsteigerungspotential in der Praxis. Die teilprozessübergreifende Kopplung der einzelnen Verfahrensschritte erlaubt den Transport von Wärme und Kälte, zwischen diesen Teilprozessen, unter Berücksichtigung der zeitlichen Versetzung der einzelnen Teilprozesse. Damit lassen sich Wärme- und Kältebedarfe untereinander bedienen, wenn eine Speichervorrichtung für Wärme auf den jeweiligen Temperaturniveaus vorhanden ist. Das Temperaturniveau der thermischen Energien ist, wie bereits in der Theorie in den Kapitel 3 und 4 gesehen, wo großer Bedeutung. Denn es geht bei der Steigerung der Energieeffizienz des Gesamtprozesses um die Erhaltung des Potentials der Wärme und Kälte trotz naturbedingter Einbußen, welche die Übertragung der Wärme aufgrund eines notwendigen Temperaturgefälles mit sich bringt. Die Kopplung der Teilprozesse entlang des Brauprozesses führt nach der Analyse in Kapitel 6 dazu, dass Energiezufuhr von außen am heißesten Ort entlang der Prozesskette erforderlich ist, da an dieser Stelle des Würzekochens und Verdampfens innerhalb des Gesamtprozesses keine Wärme auf diesem Temperaturniveau „ausgeliehen“ werden kann. Als Resultat erhält man, das eine Dampferzeugung zur Wärmebereitstellung mit einer Temperatur oberhalb der Siedetemperatur von 100°C erforderlich ist, sowie Kältebereitstellung für die kühlen Prozessschritte Gären und Reifen, bei denen die Aufrechterhaltung einer Temperatur bei knapp 0°C gegenüber der wärmeren Umgebung über eine längere Zeitdauer erforderlich ist. Hiermit kommt man zu der zweiten Fragestellung aus der Einleitung, welche Szenarien der Bereitstellung der Energie, ggf. in Form einer Selbstversorgung der Brauerei sinnvoll ist. Energetisch ist die Erzeugung von Wärme auf einem vergleichsweise moderaten Temperaturniveau von benötigten 120 bis 140°C durch die Verbrennung des Primärenergieträgers Erdgas im Dampferzeuger nicht optimal. Es bietet sich an, das Gas bei der Verbrennung einen guten Teil seiner Exergie in Reinform zur Verfügung stellen zu können, in dem es z.B. in einem Gasmotor mechanische Arbeit leisten darf, die über einen Generator zu elektrischem Strom veredelt wird, und die Wärmebedarfe in der Brauerei aus dem Abgas und dem Kühlwasser des Motors gedeckt werden. Diese Form des gasbetriebenen Blockheizkraftwerkes (BHKW) ist in der Industrie seit einiger Zeit weit verbreitet. Der Strom deckt Bedarfe durch Elektromotorenantriebe, Kälteerzeugung mit Kompressions-Kältemaschinen, Lüftungsventilatoren, Pumpen und Beleuchtung. Überschüssiger Strom kann ggf. an den Stromversorger verkauft werden. Der Wärmebedarf für den Brauprozess, sowie für die Wärme im Flaschen- und Fassreinigungsprozess, sowie zur Pasteurisierung des Bier (bei Rückgewinnung eines Teils der Wärme auf leicht niedrigerem Temperaturniveau) wird durch eine Wärmebedarfsauslegung des BHKW weitestgehend gedeckt. In der Ausführung des BHKW sollte berücksichtigt sein, dass die Wärme in ausreichender Menge bei höherer Temperatur durch optimale Nutzung des heißen Abgases entnommen wird, um auf jeden Fall den Dampfbedarf in der Würzepfanne zu decken.

Mountain Communities’ Perception of Climate Change Adaptation, Disaster Risk Reduction and Ecosystem-Based Solutions in the Chicón Watershed, Peru (2017)

Yaremi Karina Cruz Rivera

Located in the Urubamba mountain range, the Chicón glacier is the third highest tropical glacier of this area and the source of water for the Chicón watershed. Moreover, from this watershed four communities obtain water for human consumption and agriculture, which is their main economic activity. In the last years glacier retreat is evident in the area and threatens the livelihoods of the people because it affects the availability of fresh water. The general objective of this research is to analyse the perception of people living in this watershed to climate change, disaster risk, and ecosystem-based solutions. The specific objectives are to identify natural hazards and climate change effects in the community, to recognise potential ecosystem services suitable for Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) and Ecosystem-based Disaster Risk Reduction (Eco-DRR), and to assess to which climate change effects and disasters the communities are vulnerable based on their own perception. The methodological steps are based on literature review, expert interviews, questionnaires to the community, a workshop and field observations. The results show that people perceive changes in the climate such as increase in temperature, less precipitation and shifts of the rainy and the dry season. The climate-related disasters that were identified are Glacier Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), droughts, frosts and hailstorms. However, GLOFs are not frequent in the area and drought is the hazard that people consider will be more frequent. Additionally, pests were identified as biological hazards. Several ecosystems services can be obtained for EbA and Eco-DRR from forests, especially if native trees such as Qiwiña (Polylepis spp.), Chachacoma (Escallonia resinosa) and Aliso (Alnus jorullensis) are used in ecosystem management. Finally, the hypothesis was partially accepted since people in the study area are to some extent aware of climate change impacts, but only partially understand causes and effects. Further, they recognize most of the ecosystem services that forests provide. Therefore they are starting to implement ecosystem-based solutions in the watershed with the support of external institutions.