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Making Choices about Hydrogen
Posted: 2008-07-02
As oil prices continue to rise unabated, governments, firms and individual consumers, are starting to take alternative fuel sources much more seriously. A timely new UNU-MERIT book titled, “Making Choices about Hydrogen: Transport Issues for Developing Countries” (UNU Press) argues that while major challenges remain - including cost and design issues - a hydrogen economy could be within reach if policymakers make radical choices now. For developing countries in particular, this requires rejecting the ‘inevitability’ of the paths taken by industrialized countries, by moving away from ‘use up and clean up’ fuel production and distribution structures to embrace cleaner and more efficient technology combinations (such as wind and solar-driven hydrogen production). The UNU Press book is due to be published this month. For more information please see the publications section below. |
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| Research & policy analysis |
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South Africa hosts second phase of Hydrogen Project
Posted: 2008-07-02
Following the completion of the first phase of the UNU-MERIT Hydrogen Fuel Cell Exchange project on which the above book is based, South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology has agreed to host the project as part of its work on green transport - currently focused on LPG, bio-diesel, bio-ethanol and CNG. The project will continue to monitor developments in the emerging hydrogen economy under the auspices of the country’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research, Development and Innovation Strategy, approved by the Cabinet in 2007. |
Prof. Lynn K. Mytelka, coordinator of the UNU-MERIT hydrogen project, is an advisor to the South African green transport programme (picture courtesy of IISD reporting services at the recent UNFCCC SB28 in, Bonn)
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GlobInn project launched
Posted: 2008-07-02
UNU-MERIT is collaborating on a new international project led by SPRU, University of Sussex, to explore the changing nature of internationalization of Europe’s innovation systems. The starting premise of the project is that Europe’s knowledge resources and its role in the global economy will be increasingly shaped by the ability of EU firms to source knowledge internationally. The research team at UNU-MERIT comprises Luc Soete, Suma Athreye, Geert Duysters and Can Huang. Other research partners are: IEGI, Bocconi University; Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture (TIK), University of Oslo; Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore; and the Office of National Statistics, UK. |
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Europe rethinks innovation ranking methodology
Posted: 2008-07-02
On 16 June, UNU-MERIT and the European Commission (DG Enterprise and Industry) co-organized a workshop on "Improving the European Innovation Scoreboard methodology" in London. One of the input papers for the workshop was a paper by UNU-MERIT researchers Hugo Hollanders and Adriana van Cruysen titled, "Rethinking the European Innovation Scoreboard: Recommendations for further improvements." |
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| Training & capacity development |
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Princess Sumaya Bint el Hassan |
Succesful DEIP workshop in Jordan
Posted: 2008-07-02 | Updated: 2008-07-03
UNU-MERIT and sister institute UNU-Institute of Software Technology (IIST) have strengthened their collaboration through the recent UNU-MERIT training workshop in the Design and Evaluation of Innovation Policy (DEIP) in Jordan. The successful workshop was hosted by the Jordan Royal Scientific Society (RSS) from 10-13 June and attracted close to 100 senior policymakers and technical advisers. The workshop was opened by RSS director, Princess Sumaya Bint el Hassan and concluded with a presentation on the launching of the Hassan Science City. Hassan Science city will incorporate RSS, the Jordanian innovation centre, a university and areas for international and local enterprises. For more information, please contact DEIP Coordinator, Prof. Eddy Szirmai (deip@merit.unu.edu) |
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Lina Sonne conducting interviews |
Lina Sonne
Posted: 2008-07-02
This column attempts to give a personal touch to the Institute’s work and this month’s piece by PhD researcher Lina Sonne fits well in that tradition. Following nearly two years of fieldwork in India, Lina reflects on her experiences and the journey she underwent to come to terms with the different cultures and worldviews that she encountered. |
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| Events & networking |
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LINK organises INRA conference
Posted: 2008-07-02
UNU-MERIT’s LINK (Learning, INnovation Knowledge) programme was one of the organisers of the recent INRA conference on "Partnerships-Innovation-Agriculture Open Science" in Paris on June 3. The conference explored the use of composite innovation architectures to deal with contemporary agricultural themes such as pest management and food security. The latest LINK newsletter contains more information on the meeting and other LINK activities. |
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UNU-MERIT @ GLOBELICS
Posted: 2008-07-02
In a time-honoured practice, a strong delegation of more than 20 UNU-MERIT researchers and associates will participate at this year’s GLOBELICS International Conference taking place from 22-24 September in Mexico City. |
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| Calendar of upcoming events |
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Aug 28 |
Blurred boundaries between firms, and new boundaries within (large multinational) firms: the impact of decentralized networks for innovation - John Cantwell
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Sep 04 |
Village-Wide Effects of Agricultural Biotechnology:The Case of Bt Cotton in India - Subramanian Arjunan
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Sep 09 |
t.b.a. - Wing Thye Woo
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more information |
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Sep 25 |
t.b.a. - Marianne van der Steen
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Oct 02 |
Social interdependencies in consumption: Fashion, fads, and positional competition - Marina Bianchi |
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| New publications |
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Making Choices About Hydrogen: Transport Issues for Developing Countries
Posted: 2008-07-02
Edited by Lynn K. Mytelka and Grant Boyle
ISBN: 978-92-808-1155-1
Towards the end of the millennium, rising fuel prices and pollution levels, drew attention to the need for more innovative solutions to the problems of energy security, fuel efficiency and high levels of greenhouse gases but policy support for a concerted move towards clean fuels and alternatives to the internal combustion engine (ICE) was neither strong nor sustained as changes in the 1990 California Air Resources Board Zero Emission vehicle targets illustrated. The uncertainties that policy changes across the industrialized world produced has led to the development of a wide array of fuel options, from CNG to bio-ethanol, bio-diesel and hydrogen and of vehicles – including those with flex-fuel engines, electric vehicles, hybrids of various sorts and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. This is raising new issues for developing countries in their role as both importers and producers of automobiles and auto parts. The papers in this volume include a selection of revised and updated papers first presented at the UNU-MERIT International Conference on Hydrogen Fuel Cells in November 2005, as well as a few invited papers.
Order information will be posted shortly to the United Nations University Press. |
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| Latest UNU-MERIT Working Papers |
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[2008-043] N. Kwanjai & F. den Hertog: Portrait of an Odd-Eyed Cat: Cultural Crossing as a Trademark for a Dutch-Thai Strategic Alliance
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[2008-042] S. Akçomak & B. ter Weel: The Impact of Social Capital on Crime: Evidence from the Netherlands
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[2008-041] D. Kale, S. Ramani & S. Athreye: Experimentation with strategy and the evolution of dynamic capability in
the Indian Pharmaceutical Sector
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[2008-040] M. Srholec: A multilevel analysis of innovation in developing countries
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[2008-039] B. Lokshin: Further results on bias in dynamic unbalanced panel data models with
an application to firm R&D investment
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[2008-038] T. Azomahou, R. Boucekkine & B. Diene: The economic impact of AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa
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