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• Waste from public spaces is currently predominantly collected as mixed waste. • The composition of public waste differs from household waste. • High proportions of recyclable materials and packaging waste were identified. • The case city's annual public waste generation is around 100 tonnes. Waste from public places like parks, pedestrian zones or sidewalks is a visible yet unexploited waste stream. Publications and information on the amounts and makeup of this waste flow are very scarce. To evaluate the resource potential and enable waste management planning, this study aims to assess the quality and quantity of public waste in a detailed waste characterisation campaign. For the first time, an analysis at this level of detail was conducted in a medium-sized town (25,000 inhabitants) in Austria. The sampling campaign included the whole town area. In total, almost 1000 kg of waste was sorted in up to 88 different fractions, which allows the detailed composition of, for example, packaging waste and single-use plastics to be delineated. We found that the amount of waste collected in public street bins is approximately 2.6 % of the total mixed municipal solid waste, resulting in 4.1 kg of public waste per inhabitant annually. The vast majority of this waste is currently collected as mixed waste. The results indicate a high share (52 %) of recyclable materials (glass, metal, paper and lightweight packaging) in mixed public waste, most of which is packaging (44 % of total waste). Other large shares include dog feces (18 % of total waste) and biogenic waste (17 % of total waste). The results lay the foundation for further investigations into, for example, exploiting recycling potential or evaluating possible improvements in separate waste collection in public spaces. Further, the collected data serve as an essential knowledge basis for policymakers and local authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic has led to a discursive change in the representation of urban-rural mobilities in the Austrian public media. Before the pandemic, a narrative of 'rural decline' had dominated the media discourse. Media have since changed this narrative to one of counterurbanisation as a result of the (perceived) effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on residential location choices. However, in contrast to media perceptions, scientific debates were more reluctant to identify a Covid-induced counterurban movement. In this paper, we take the opposition between the media representation and the scientific evidence as a starting point for a critical investigation of the media representation of counterurbanisation in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Following the approach of discourse coalitions, we investigated the actors and the coalitions they had formed to promote a Covid-induced 'counterurbanisation story'. We could identify two coalitions that created two variations of the Covid-induced 'counterurbanisation story': a prudent and an idealised discourse. These two discourses were promoted by different actors with different interests. Through our findings, the paper adds another layer to study of the construction of a 'counterurbanisation story'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PV hosting capacity quantification is currently of importance for distribution system operators to manage upcoming PV installation requests, especially within low-voltage grids. The violation-mitigation-based (VMB) method presented a novel downward approach to quantify the PV hosting capacity in low-voltage grids, having the advantage of also quantifying possible expansions in the hosting capacity. The VMB method, however, requires typically hundreds of power flow simulations to quantify the hosting capacity in a low-voltage grid. In this paper, we address this issue by introducing sensitivity matrices to optimize the downward process of quantification. Evaluated in 79 low-voltage feeders from Austria, the enhanced VMB method reduces the number of iterations required from a median of 1764 to 7 while obtaining the same or higher hosting capacity values. The reduced computational effort permits the application of the method proposed at a large-scale. The application of the method proposed on the standard CIGRE residential low-voltage grid is also presented for possible comparison with other methods. • A heuristic method to quantify the hosting capacity in low voltage grids. • The use of voltage and current sensitivities to reduce the computational effort. • Evaluation of the method proposed on real low voltage grids from Austria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The operation of energy systems has changed significantly with the increase of intermittent renewable energy sources. New market players that produce, consume, and store electricity- prosumages, along with the different global factors, influence price spreads in the electricity market. This paper gives a comprehensive analysis of the economic viability of two of the currently most cost-effective electricity storage technologies: pumped hydro storage (PHS) and lithium-ion (Li-ion) when used for price arbitrage. The analysis is conducted using a price-taker approach for electricity market prices from 2011.-2019. in which the market has changed. The mixed-integer optimization model is applied with the subtraction of the total storage costs. Arbitrage opportunities for two different energy systems- one with a high generation of renewables and one with high shares of fossil generation are analyzed. Results indicate that pumped hydro storage with a total cost of 0.032 €/kWh is economically justified contrary to Li-ion batteries with a total cost of 0.217 €/kWh. The average yearly profit of PHS, for a study case with 83% of electricity generation from renewables, is 65% lower compared to the case highly dependent on fossil generation. Comparison between study cases indicates that profits of price arbitrage are dependent on full load hours, electricity price spreads, and flexibility options available, rather than on installed shares of renewables. • Storage economic viability depends on the full load hours, electricity market prices and total costs of the technology. • Average yearly arbitraging profit of PHS in Austria is 65% lower compared to the Bosnia and Herzegovina case. • Total costs for 2000 full load hours are: Li-ion 0.217 €/kWh and PHS 0.032 €/kWh. • Energy arbitrage of Li-ion storage is unprofitable. • Increase of energy storage profits isn't proportional to higher shares of renewable generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a response to the increasing threat to sport events from climate change and expectations around climate change mitigation, sport event managers increasingly engage in environmentally-related initiatives that aim to reduce GHG emissions. One of the major contributors to GHG emissions at large sport events is spectators' travel and, thus, their associated modal choices. Building on the Sport Logistics Framework (SLF) and using the case study of Rapid Vienna, the largest football club in Austria, this study investigates spectators' modal choice to systematically assess the total GHGs emitted by spectators at a professional football home game. Data was obtained from two sources: a) an extensive data set collected on Rapid Vienna season ticket holders, and b) three surveys at home games which, together, constituted 3317 valid responses. The calculation of the GHG emissions resulted in 99,548 kg GHG emissions per home game or 6.0 kg GHG emissions per spectator. It was also found that 42.4 per cent spectators arriving by car emit 71.6 per cent of GHG emissions, while in contrast, 52.8 per cent of spectators using public transport emit 27.1 per cent of GHG emissions. The results also indicate that the possession of an annual public transport ticket seems to determine travel behavior, i.e. the majority of spectators with an annual ticket are using it, while spectators without a ticket are using a car. As such, this paper not only provides an opportunity for academics and managers to benchmark the data in order to identify initiatives to reduce the impact of GHG emissions, but also allows for the systematic measuring of the environmental impact of fan and spectator travel. • Fan travel to professional football games is a major contributor to GHG emissions. • We assess fans' modal choices and their carbon footprint at a football home game. • The home game emits a total 99,548 kg GHG emissions or 6.0 kg GHG emissions per fan. • We found that 42.4% fans arriving by car emit 71.6% of GHG emissions. • The study allows for benchmarking and systematic measuring of fan travel behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serpentinite-derived fluids play a crucial role in mass exchange between the Earth's crust and mantle. However, there is currently a limited understanding of how serpentinite-derived fluids influence the Si isotope composition of mantle and subducted crustal materials. Whiteschists in the Dora-Maira Massif of the Western Alps and leucophyllites in Austria of the Eastern Alps were formed through serpentinite-derived fluid metasomatism of metagranite protoliths. Thus, they can provide valuable insights into the geochemical diversity of such rocks resulting from fluid–rock interactions. A special focus is on Si isotope compositions, which were analyzed in whiteschists, leucophyllites, and their corresponding country rocks. The aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of serpentinite-derived metasomatic fluids on the Si isotope compositions of subducted continental crust. With the exception of one whiteschist sample, which contains high amounts of pyrope, and one pyrope megablast, all other whiteschists and leucophyllites exhibit Si isotope compositions similar to those of their country rocks. This observation suggests that the Si isotopes of whiteschists and leucophyllites were inherited from their respective country rocks; fluid metasomatism did not significantly modify the Si isotope compositions of whiteschists and leucophyllites. Because pyrope has much lower δ30Si values than quartz and phengite as further major mineral constituents of the studied whiteschists, the samples with high pyrope contents reveal lighter Si isotopes than those containing lower amounts of pyrope. Interestingly, the metagranites and the majority of whiteschists and leucophyllites exhibit Si isotope compositions below the igneous array, implying that their protoliths are S-type granites. These granites commonly contain sedimentary components derived from their sources. Our results document that Si behaves immobile during serpentinite-derived fluid metasomatism of the subducted continental crust. Combined with previous results, we were able to show that slab derived fluids, including serpentinite-derived fluids, produce only a minimal influence on the Si isotope composition of the overlying mantle wedge and its derived magmas. Thus, the Si isotope compositions of rocks, even if highly affected by metasomatizing fluids, can be used as significant fingerprints that refer to their unaltered precursors. • Whiteschist and leucophyllite are formed by serpentinite-derived fluid metasomatism. • The δ30Si values of most whiteschists and leucophyllites are same to country rocks. • Serpentinite-derived fluids did not affect Si isotopes of metagranites and mantle. • Pyrope has much lower δ30Si values than quartz and phengite. • The samples with high pyrope contents have lighter Si isotopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on the voting behavior of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) in Europe showed that LGB people favor left-wing or progressive parties (Turnbull-Dugarte 2020; Hunklinger 2021; Wurthmann 2023). Furthermore, Turnbull-Dugarte (2021) showed that LGB voters are, possibly due to their socialization, supportive of social liberalism and progressive issues. As we know from classic voting theory, there are different explanations for voting behavior, e.g. issue orientation, candidate and party preferences. This paper explores why LGB persons vote for left-wing parties in Austria. We use a sample among LGB persons conducted upfront the 2019 national elections in Austria. We test to what extent issue and candidate orientations (including LGB issues) as well as group identity affect LGB persons' intended voting behavior for left-wing parties in Austria. Our results show that instead of group-specific issue orientations, a general issue orientation, and socio-cultural attitudes are crucial for LGB persons to vote for left-wing parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy Communities (ECs) have been introduced as a solution to address energy system development from a multidisciplinary perspective, with energy-related, environmental, and social targets as main pillars. While some countries still struggle with implementing basic rules for ECs, others, such as Austria, already go one step further and address the topic of allowing to participate in multiple ECs at the same time. The scientific literature to date lacks of studies that investigate whether it is profitable for a new participant to join multiple ECs instead of joining only one, and, which effect this would have on the existing ECs. Thus, this paper introduces a mathematical framework to optimally allocate a new participant within an existing set of ECs. The proposed economic-based decision making problem is formulated as a Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) problem. While the model determines the economically optimal solution for a new participant, it is ensured that the initial situation of the existing ECs does not worsen. Results are provided for a set of ECs with different availability of resources and located in different settlement patterns, applying current Austrian legislation. Result shows that having multiple possibilities to share energy surplus and to satisfy energy demand can result in additional revenues of 6%, making multiple participation a valuable option to be considered by policy makers. • Mathematical framework for the allocation of a new participant in multiple ECs. • Ensuring to not worsen past ECs' energy exchanges with the supplier. • Introduction of participation shares for energy purchased and sold from/to each EC. • Economic benefits for a new participant considered as both a consumer and a prosumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]