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On-bill schemes are innovative financial frameworks for supporting investments in energy efficiency with a particular focus on residential buildings. These schemes are interesting since they allow to attract private capital in the energy efficiency market, and they also see the involvement of energy utilities which can be regarded as market aggregators. Despite the conceptual simplicity of these mechanisms, namely the utility provides upfront capital for the investment which is repaid by final users on the bill in a number of years, solid and innovative business models are necessary to support their development and implementation. To this aim the present paper employs the Value Flow Model to develop four business models to implement on-bill schemes. In particular, standard on-bill financing and on-bill repayment business models are developed in detail. In addition, more complicated and innovative business models, namely on-bill repayment via a Special Purpose Vehicle and on-bill repayment with a Master Servicer, are also developed for more complex schemes. These four fundamental business models can be used and adapted according to market context of operation. Finally, the possible involvement of Distribution System Operators as service providers or facilitators for on-bill schemes is also outlined.

•Utilization of nanofluids allows to reduce the device dimensions.•The addition of nanoparticles determines a notable increase in the operating energy.•The addition of nanoparticles provokes a monotonic increase in entropy generation.

Implementation of energy efficiency interventions in the residential sector is pivotal to drive the energy transition and achieve energy policy targets. For such a reason, public programs supporting the renovation of residential buildings are available globally, but public incentives are not enough to address all the potential and it is necessary to attract private investments. An innovative approach to consider is represented by on-bill schemes, which foresee investments by energy utilities with possible cooperation of financial institutions. The present contribution proposes an in-depth description of on-bill mechanisms, their possible frameworks, the barriers to their implementation as well as the impact they may have on the core business of utilities. The study is based on a review of the existing literature integrated with the results of on-field interviews and discussions with the aim to obtain a full picture of on-bill schemes in a European replication perspective. Methodologically, the paper is based on structured desk research and on-field feedback obtained from selected stakeholders. Additionally, a SWOT analysis is developed highlighting that on-bill schemes may result very convenient for power utilities and energy retailers. Furthermore, on-bill schemes can help to address the issue of the split incentives. In conclusion, on-bill schemes can be considered a valid tool to support energy renovation in the residential sector, but they do not represent a global solution since their application is not tailored for all the contexts. The analysis highlights that power utilities are in a strong position since they can use on-bill schemes to switch part of the demand from fossil fuels , e.g., natural gas, to electrical power. Similarly, energy retailers are in a good position since they can enlarge their business by selling energy efficiency as a service through on-bill schemes.

Envelope insulation is a well-known strategy to improve buildings' energy efficiency. This paper considers two archetypes of an apartment block typology largely diffused in the Italian building stock and evaluates the energy savings resulting from the application of three insulation materials: polyurethane foam, rock wool and resin bonded fibre-board. The energy requirements for winter heating and summer cooling are assessed with EnergyPlus and then compared to the embodied energy of the insulation materials. Hence, the energy and carbon paybacks are calculated, and a cost analysis is proposed to provide an insight on the market impact for the retrofit materials' choice. The apartment block model is analyzed in three main cities (Rome, Milan, Palermo) allowing to assess the climatic conditions impact in terms of minimization of primary energy consumption and environmental emissions. Simulations showed that the thermal insulation has a higher impact on winter heating and slightly affects the summer cooling requirement. In Milan, the refurbishment gains relevance as the energy and carbon payback periods are shorter than those of the city of Palermo characterized by a warmer weather. Considering the embodied energy impact, this method allows to estimate the maximum potential for energy savings in existing buildings and provides an estimation of achievable results in short-medium period.

This paper investigates possible scenarios of electric cars introduction and their impact on the Italian electricity system. Given the foreseen increased number of cars until the year 2030, three different scenarios in terms of penetration of electric vehicles have been considered, namely 10%, 20% and 40%. A detailed bottom up energy model of the Italian car fleet has been developed. The car fleet is analyzed in terms of energy consumption, carbon emissions and externalities costs. The scenarios analysis suggests that the introduction of electric cars would always lead to primary energy savings. In particular, the increase of the penetration corresponds to a decrease of primary energy consumption, carbon emissions and externalities costs.

•A rheological friction model including temperature is proposed.•The displacement-based calculation procedure is described in detail.•Experimental tests are simulated in order to assess the validity of the proposed procedure.

•Numerical investigation on natural convection within a ventilated roof for residential use.•Winter and summer conditions are simulated.•The effect of outlet geometry is studied.

Pounding-induced damage to structures, either buildings or bridges, is systematically observed after significant earthquakes. This has emphasized the necessity of accounting for this phenomenon either in the design of new bridges or the seismic assessment of existing bridges. For this reason, practitioners concerned with bridge structures should be provided with concise computational tools to correctly quantify the effects due to pounding. One such tool is represented by pounding spectra, which were already introduced a couple of decades ago. This work presents a proposal of simplified equations for pounding-related displacement spectra. The first part of this paper presents the computational aspects arising when modeling such complex phenomenon. The second part presents the results of numerical analyses, in terms of displacement spectra. The third part presents a set of simple expressions to allow practitioners easily evaluate pounding-related effects in terms of displacement amplification with respect to the no-pounding condition.

The aim of the present paper is to propose an analysis of energy consumption of a standard building in different climates. The analysis is developed by simulating the dynamic behaviour of the building subjected to different climatic conditions according to the considered location. Simulations are performed by means of an in-house developed code, validated by comparison with the outcomes from leading software, particularly TRNSYS and EnergyPlus. The use of a self-developed code guarantees a high flexibility and allows the implementation of new capabilities if necessary. The impact on the energy consumption of various parameters, namely internal and external wall insulation, window surface areas, thermal capacity and orientation, is investigated. Results show that the insulation of external walls has a fundamental role in reducing energy consumption, because it allows to exploit the thermal capacity of the walls. This is particularly useful for buildings which necessitate to keep the internal temperature constant.

Software tools able to predict heating and cooling energy demand can effectively support the improvement of energy efficiency in buildings. The latest development of available technologies, such as free cooling and phase change materials, which exploit the building inertia effects, cannot be analyzed through the commonly used steady-state approaches, where the thermal inertia of the building envelope is neglected and monthly averaged climatic data are taken into account. Furthermore, the need to implement innovative regulation criteria for heating and cooling systems and the coupled study of plant and building dynamics push towards the use of dynamic tools with low computational costs. The present paper investigates the simulation of the thermal performance of a benchmark residential building using a self-developed dynamic code implemented in the dedicated software called Building Energy Performance Simulator (BEPS), validated in a previous authors’ work. To investigate the dynamic characteristics of a building in different working conditions, several simulations have been performed for different European localities with different mathematical approaches. In particular, different levels of wall discretization have been considered, highlighting the importance of the inertia of the building envelope. The results show that the use of a simplified description of the entire building leads to good predictions of its energy demand in dynamic conditions with low computational costs. However, only heating demand prediction can be done if the wall thermal capacitance is lumped in a single node, while at least two nodes are needed to correctly predict the building cooling energy demand during the hot season.

Several new drugs with different mechanisms of action have been recently developed for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, few data are available for the efficacy of other treatment options after disease progression occurs after therapy with new agents. Estramustine phosphate (EMP) previously demonstrated activity and manageable toxicity in advanced CRPC, with thromboembolic events sometimes reported with its use. The current phase 2 study suggested that low-dose EMP with concomitant low-dose acetylsalicylic acid as thromboprophylactic agents may achieve some activity in heavily pretreated advanced CRPC patients.

Both abiraterone acetate (AA) and cabazitaxel (Cbz) have been shown to prolong survival in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) progressing during or after docetaxel (D). Although no standard sequencing has been established as yet, Cbz has recently been proven to be active after AA. However, to date, few data are available on its safety in this setting. Therefore, the primary endpoint of this study was to investigate Cbz tolerability in mCRPC patients treated previously with D and AA. From April 2011 to the present, 43 mCRPC patients received AA after D at our institution. Of these, 22 patients were subsequently treated with Cbz and were evaluable for toxicity in the present retrospective study. Cbz was administered at a dose of 25 mg/m2plus 10 mg oral prednisone every 3 weeks. Adverse events (AEs) were reported using the NCI CTCAE (National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events) version 3.0. Despite the advanced stage of disease and frailty of our study population, there were no unexpected side effects. The most common AEs were hematologic. Neutropenia was observed in nine (40.9%) patients and of grade≥3 in six (27.2%). No febrile neutropenia occurred. The most common nonhematologic AEs were diarrhea and asthenia, reported in eight (36.3%) and in five (22.7%) patients, respectively. In this setting, Cbz toxicity seems to be manageable and comparable with second-line Cbz. Therefore, our results seem to support the safety of Cbz as a third-line treatment for mCRPC patients.

The primary objective of this study was to determine the activity and safety of carboplatin, methotrexate, vinblastine, and epirubicin (the M-VECa regimen) in patients with advanced bladder cancer after failure of at least one chemotherapy line. Treatment consisted of carboplatin 250 mg/m2on day 1, methotrexate 30 mg/m2on days 1 and 22, vinblastine 3 mg/m2on days 2 and 22, and epirubicin 50 mg/m2on day 2 every 28 days until disease progression or death. Response rate was the main end-point. Twenty-five patients were enrolled: the median age was 67 years (range 42–83) and there were 14 patients aged at least 70 years (56%). Fourteen patients had previously received vinflunine as a second-line treatment. Complete remission occurred in one patient (4%), partial remission in five patients (20%), and stable disease in eight patients (32%). The overall response rate was 24% [95% confidence interval (CI), 9.3–45.1%] and the overall disease control rate was 56% (95% CI, 34.9–75.5%). The median progression-free survival was 5.1 months (95% CI, 3.9–6.4) and the median overall survival was 9.5 months (95% CI, 7.1–11.2). Treatment was well tolerated: grade 3 neutropenia was documented in five patients and grade 3 nausea and vomiting in two patients. The M-VECa regimen seems to be feasible as second-line or third-line treatment in patients with advanced bladder cancer who have been pretreated with one or more chemotherapy lines, and may achieve encouraging results in terms of disease control rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity and tolerability of abiraterone acetate in patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer treated previously with more than three lines of chemotherapy. Patients received 1 g of abiraterone acetate (administered as four 250 mg tablets) orally once daily with prednisone at a dose of 5 mg orally twice daily. The primary endpoint was prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response. From August 2011 to January 2013, 36 patients were enrolled. PSA response was observed in 22 patients (61.1, 95 confidence interval: 0.41–0.81). The median time to PSA progression was 7.3 months and after a median follow-up of 10.1 months, all patients were alive. The treatment was generally well tolerated; side effects secondary to mineralocorticoid excess resulting from blockade of CYP17 were largely controlled with prednisone. Abiraterone acetate seems to be an effective and well-tolerated treatment option for patients with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer irrespective of the number of chemotherapy lines administered previously.

Aims and background Capecitabine is the reference treatment for anthracycline-and/or taxane-pretreated metastatic breast cancer (MBC). This study examined its efficacy, tolerability and impact on the quality of life of elderly patients with MBC.Materials and methods Between January 2002 and December 2009, 75 consecutive elderly patients with MBC received first-line chemotherapy with capecitabine 1000 mg/m2twice daily for 14 days every 3 weeks. Endpoints were efficacy, tolerability and clinical-benefit response measured every 3 cycles.Results Median age was 76 years (range 65–88); median ECOG performance status was 1 (range 0–2); 51 patients (68%) had received adjuvant chemotherapy and all patients had received hormonal therapy. Median exposure was 6 cycles. After 3 cycles, 11 patients (14.7%) had a partial response, one patient experienced a complete response, and 49 patients (65.3%) had stable disease, amounting to a disease control rate of 81.3%. Stable disease was maintained in 45 patients (60%) after 6 cycles, in 21 patients (28%) after 9 cycles, and in 13 patients (17.3%) after 12 cycles. A clinical-benefit response was experienced by 42 patients (56%), indicating a positive impact on quality of life. Treatment was well tolerated, the most common grade 3 events being diarrhea (12%) hand-foot syndrome (8%), and mucositis (8%). Adverse events were managed with dose adjustments and supportive therapy when required.Conclusions Our results indicate that capecitabine is active and well tolerated in elderly patients with MBC. This dosing regimen warrants further study in the first-line setting for patients with less aggressive MBC who are not candidates for combination therapy.

•Heat Pumps are a relevant technology for achieving decarbonisation of the building sector.•Power generation mix is a relevant driver for determining the optimal electrical heat pumps capacity.•Modelling of power market is necessary for establishing the optimal heat pumps capacity for the system.

Abstract: Aim: The primary aims of this study were activity and toxicity evaluation of a new raltitrexed and oxaliplatin-based regimen, as a first-line chemotherapy, in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (MCC). Survival evaluation was considered a secondary endpoint. Patients and Methods: Forty-four patients were enrolled into this phase II trial. Treatment consisted of raltitrexed 3 mg/m2 iv on d 1 and oxaliplatin 70 mg/m2 iv on d 1 and d 8 every 3 wk. Results: Twenty patients (45.5%) achieved a response [95% confidence interval (CI): 30.1% to 54.1%], 18 (40.9%) had stable disease, and only 6 (13.6%) developed progressive disease. After a median follow-up time of 14.7 mo (range 6.3–18.6 mo), the median time to disease progression was 6 mo (range 2.0–16.7) (95% CI: 4.4–7.6) and the overall survival was 14.8 mo (range 3–23) (95% CI: 11.2–18.4). Neutropenia was the most common hematological side effect, while transient AST/ALT increase, neurotoxicity, asthenia, and diarrhea were the most common nonhematological side effects. Conclusions: Our data confirmed that oxaliplatin administered weekly plus raltitrexed is an active combination in newly diagnosed patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma that merits further investigation versus the classic schedule in a randomized, phase III trial.

•Confined impinging slot jets in metal foams and nanofluids are numerically studied.•The heated wall is at assigned temperature and buoyancy effects are considered.•Metal foams in local thermal non-equilibrium and single-phase nanofluids are assumed.•The convective heat transfer increased with the Peclet number increase.•The heat transfer coefficient shows different behavior varying the porosity.

•Buildings offer a relevant potential for performing energy efficiency action.•A bottom-up model for analyzing the Italian residential sector is proposed.•Target building categories are identified for implementing energy efficiency measures.

The integration of energy storage into energy systems is widely recognised as one of the key technologies for achieving a more sustainable energy system. The capability of storing energy can support grid stability, optimise the operating conditions of energy systems, unlock the exploitation of high shares of renewable energies, reduce the overall emissions and, consequently, limit the environmental impacts of energy production, transformation and consumption. Energy storage is a very wide and variegate topic in which several aspects - from material and process design, control and optimisation, economic and environmental aspects, specific application, etc. - play a fundamental role. The present paper offers a critical overview of the main energy storage to help readers navigate across the different technologies available to store energy, their current development status, common applications and future research trends and opportunities. Due to the complexity of the topic, the paper focuses the attention on thermal and electrochemical energy storage and their synergies with the development of renewable energy source technologies.

The scope of the work is to depict a solid framework to interpret the capacity development of solar PV in Italy. To this aim the pivotal roles of public incentives is addressed and a vis a visanalysis of the regulatory framework and corresponding quantitative data is provided. The Italian regulatory framework did not provide an adequate focus on operational requirements for developing solar PV and allowed the speculative behavior of many investors. This is demonstrated by the correlation index between installed capacity and level of incentive equal to 0.988. Additionally, LCOE is calculated and from 2009 onward it is half of the average incentive level. Furthermore, the role of “followers” assumed by large power generators in the first phase of the PV development determined the absence of an industrial leadership. Oppositely, in a second phase, large utilities became more active on the PV market since they realized the impact on power market price. The linear correlation index between market price and PV capacity is found to be equal to -0.68, therefore price decreases at the increase of PV installed capacity and this is detrimental for large power utilities, thus they were pushed to be active in the PV sector.