This project aims to investigate whether algae can be used for biodiesel production in Italy. Algaes are a good option since they are fast growing and do not occupy arable land. The aspects that have been considered are growing, harvesting, which algae strain that is most suitable, extraction of oil, the production of biodiesel and where in Italy this could be possible due to climate. Cost? and energy calculations have been made to investigate if biodiesel produced from algae would be profitable. During the production of biodiesel there are several residues obtained. When the oil has been extracted from the algae, biogas is produced from the residual biomass by anaerobic digestion and then the electricity that can be produced is supplied to the production of biodiesel.

The initial aim of the roll out of smart electricity meters in Sweden was to allow remote readings of the households? monthly electricity consumption for billing purposes. Since then the transition towards a smart grid has become a more prioritized matter. In the roll out of next generation smart meters more attention is therefore given to how the Distribution System Operator (DSO) can benefit from the meter through different smart grid applications. This study uses a qualitative research method to identify three general fields of application and 15 specific concepts corresponding to ways in which the DSO can create added value from the information provided by the smart meter.

This thesis is written on behalf of Skanska, Väg- och Anläggning Stockholm Mälardalen, vid Nya Karolinska Sjukhuset i Solna, NKS. The report has resulted in recommendations for the method of soil stabilizations of soil nailing, excavation of slope and fiber reinforced shotcrete, which is the most suitable method from a safety and a cost point at the NKS.The aim of this thesis was to investigate whether fiber reinforced shotcrete increases slope stability, with the focus being on the total stability. The main goal was to investigate which method of soil stabilization is the most suitable for the slopes that are analyzed in this report. Through studying literature, the authors have gained an understanding about the theoretical background for the given problem. Through calculations and analyses of the slopes, safety factors have been acquired.

The purpose of this essay is to investigate if the companies listed on Nasdaq/OMX Stockholm Large Cap use the earnings management phenomenon Big Bath Accounting to a greater extent when a change of management (CEO) is made.Management tends to use earnings management when there is a bonus plan linked to the result of the company. To gain maximum bonus the management will try to manipulate the result in a way that in a long term maximize their utility. Through the earnings management technique Big Bath the management is given the possibility to take one large cost as a one-time expend, even though the cost is supposed to run over several financial years. This, of course, within the legal framework. A big bath may occur when there is an impairment of goodwill, tangible and/or intangible assets or larger provisions for future expense, or both of them at the same time..

Profit in first commercial thinnings of today is hard to achieve. This is because of prevailing pulpwood prices and because of high costs of logging and transport. To reduce these costs higher productivity is advocated. One way to increase the productivity is the use of multi-tree handling harvester heads. The aim of this study was to calculate logging and transport costs in first thinnings, where multi-tree handling has been used.

This thesis aims to open the Pandora?s Box of hedge fund styles through an index-based style analysis. This information asymmetry is due to both less strict disclosure requirements and inherent nature of hedge funds. We employ a multiple unconditional linear regression model wherein 23 Swedish hedge funds are regressed on 10 style indices. In addition to the increased interest in hedge funds and their performance drivers, our unique approach with regressing return on return motivates this study.

The purpose of the house which is the basis of this report is to be able present itself on the market as a relatively cheap and at the same time a climate friendly choice. The house is supposed to be able to be built anywhere in Sweden and the rest of Scandinavia in a short period of time. This puts demand on what kind of heating system the house can have, since not all places have the geographic advantage of being able to use geothermal or district heating. Therefore the heating system choices will only include those that are not limited by their geographic location. The house will be built in modules which only require the groundwork to be done before the house can be erected. In this report "System solutions for plus or passive-housing" a comprehensive literature search has been conducted as well as a number of calculations.

Investment in hedge funds is a relatively new phenomenon for investors compared with other forms of savings. In recent years, the interest has increased among investors in investing their money in hedge funds, given the protection against declines in the market they are aiming for. Their main purpose is to generate a high return at a low risk regardless of market trends. This they can achieve by having fewer restrictions that offer more flexible investment strategies and freer investment opportunities.The purpose of this paper is to identify how the selected hedge fund strategies have performed during the recent economic downturn. We also want to clarify the claim that hedge funds exhibit a positive absolute return regardless of what the market is performing.In order to answer the purpose of the essay and its problems, we have used a quantitative method with a deductive approach in the processing of data.

This study has been carried out in the spring of 2014 on behalf of PQR Consult AB in Stockholm. The aim of the study has been to analyse the energy usage of the building Skarpövägen 1 in order to explore the possibilites of saving energy by using appropriate equipment. These possible solutions have been simulated by using the programe IDA Indoor Climate and Energy, combined with a life cycle cost analysis. The laundry building, Skarövägen 23, has also been analysed due to its high amount of energy usage. The result of the energy analysis showed that the energy usage was much higher than the energy declaration.

Water logistics has long been a problem in order to effectively carry out stump treatment in both thinning and final felling. It is important that the stump treatment? equipment is configured as well as a sufficient amount of water is carried out on the harvester to get a cost? effective treatment. The flow control of the equipment has improved and water can be dispensed more efficient, but still the amount of water on the machine is a crucial factor in the total cost estimate. The knowledge of the tools available to bring water as well as the internal logistics of loading and transport to the felling site is deficient. Increased focus on "smart" solutions to manage water cost is of great importance in order to combat Hetrobasidion spp in both thinning and final felling. The purpose of the study is to describe and summarize different solutions of water logistics at stump treatment in final felling.

The climate changes that are occuring in the world have resulted in that the EU callingfor a 20 % reduction in energy consumption to the year 2020, to reach that goal theEU want the public sector to go forth as a good example. Västfastigheter owns andmanage the hospital buildings in the Västra Götaland region. To be able to reducetheir energy usage Västfastigheter has hired several consulting firms to chart out theenergy consumption on each hospital building. The biggest energy savings potentialhave been calculated and what the cost will be to perform each action. The energyaudit have been completed and stand as the decision basis for Västfastigheter?s choiceon which action packages that should be implemented.

Vattenfall district Heating power plant in Uppsala produces district cooling with absorption heat pumps which leads to a large amount of waste heat that has to be cooled with evaporative cooling towers. The Environmental Court has ordered Vattenfall to survey the possibilities to recover the heat, which is the focus of this thesis.The study begins with an overview of the system, and conditions and limitations for waste heat recovery is examined. In the next step alternatives to recycle the heat is evaluated, either by direct recovering or by upgrading.First, the technical possibility of each alternative is discussed, and then the operation time and the amount of recovered heat is calculated. Those alternatives which are possible are brought further to an economic analysis.The cost of investment for each alternative constitutes the basis for a present value analysis. The results are put together in a table where the total amount of recovered heat is compared with the present value for the different alternatives.

This thesis, in the field of healthcare logistics, has been carried out at Hjärt- och Medicincentrum (HMC) at the University Hospital in Linköping during the fall and spring of 2012/2013. The thesis is done by two students at Linköping University at master?s level within the framework of Industrial Engineering and Management.As Sweden's county councils should not make a profit or loss, it is important that the councils are aware of how much care processes cost. Kardiologiska kliniken at HMC in Östergötland?s county council is one of the clinics that are profitable.

Underdrainage is a costly investment but often a necessity to maintain rationalized plant cultivation, one can also see underdrainage as insurance to successful plant cultivation. Late ripening crops, low yield and difficult tillage cultivation are examples on an insufficient drainage. (Kvarnemo 1983) A drained field rise in land price and the scheme of the tiled drains is seen as a value item. The interest for underdrainage among the farmers follows with shifting economic situations within agriculture and has for long time been low. A big part of the Swedish tiled drainage systems is since 1930 and ahead. Many of these tiled drainage systems need to be replaced or complemented. The life length of one tiled drainage system varies with maintenance but can still remain in good function after 75 years with correct management.

The automotive industry is a highly competitive market characterised by low profit margins or huge losses. Cost reductions have been of top priority for all OEM?s (Original Equipment Manufacturer) and will continue to be so for many years to come. Beside cost reductions, reducing the time-to-market is of greatest importance to stay in the competition. OEM?s that are slow to market with products that neither matches customer expectations nor the products of their competitors, will soon loose market shares and see their economical performance falter.