All posts tagged: quality

Solar Quality Summit Europe 2025: Guaranteeing future growth

Solar Quality Summit Europe 2025: Guaranteeing future growth

Published by skeptic

Solar Power Europe shares insights from its Solar Quality Summit Europe 2025, which focused on improving solar project quality, battery storage, artificial intelligence, and skills development. From 18-19 February, members of the Operation and Maintenance (O&M), Asset Management, and Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) communities attended SolarPower Europe’s annual Solar Quality Summit Europe 2025 event, co-organised with Intersolar. The event aims to advance the long-term quality of Europe’s solar projects. Key insights from day one SolarPower Europe’s CEO Walburga Hemetsberger opened the conference with Markus Elsaesser, CEO of Solar Promotion GmbH, highlighting how; “Solar is not only just a solution to climate change but a solution that Europe needs for competitiveness and security at large… Delivering on our climate targets means committing to quality assurance.” © Joan GosaWalburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe opening Solar Quality Summit Europe 2025 Following this, SolarPower Europe’s Project Officer Nikoletta Fodor moderated a panel session to unveil the costs of quality for solar PV. During the discussion, Kate Blades, Head of Quality at Lightsource bp, outlined how; “Prevention is …

Register now for Solar Quality Summit Europe 2025

Register now for Solar Quality Summit Europe 2025

Published by skeptic

Innovation News Network is delighted to be a media partner for the Solar Quality Summit Europe 2025, held in Barcelona from February 18-19. The solar sector has experienced remarkable growth in the past year, and this trend is expected to persist. However, to sustain this extraordinary growth, it is imperative to actively involve key stakeholders in ensuring quality assurance. It is crucial that all relevant parties understand the vital role quality assurance plays in the effective and efficient operation of PV installations. The Solar Quality Summit 2025 is here to unite stakeholders essential for maintaining quality in the solar sector, including EPCs, O&M service providers, investors, asset managers, technology companies, and Transmission System Operators (TSO) and Distribution System Operators (DSO). The success of the solar revolution depends on forging close partnerships with all concerned parties, and only through such collaboration can we ensure continued success in this transformative industry. What can you expect: Expert Market analysis and insights: Find out about the hottest solar markets in Europe and trends in the cost of O&M services Deep-dives …

Cannabis and alcohol use patterns linked to couples’ relationship quality

Cannabis and alcohol use patterns linked to couples’ relationship quality

Published by José

A recent study published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence found that heavy cannabis users tend to experience a drop in relationship satisfaction when combining cannabis with alcohol, while alcohol use alone appears to have a positive effect on next-day relationship satisfaction. In contrast, light cannabis users did not show any significant changes in their relationship satisfaction based on their own or their partner’s cannabis and alcohol use. These findings suggest that the way partners use substances can impact the quality of their relationship in measurable ways. In recent years, cannabis use has become increasingly accepted, with more states in the United States allowing recreational and medical use. This shift in public perception has brought with it a need to understand how cannabis, like alcohol, might affect interpersonal relationships, especially within the context of romantic partnerships. Previous research has shown that substance use—particularly alcohol—can both strengthen and strain intimate relationships. Light or moderate drinking may reduce stress and support positive social interactions, but heavy or problematic use has been linked to relationship dissatisfaction and even aggression. …

Indirect exposure to gun violence linked to reduced quality of life in four different domains

Indirect exposure to gun violence linked to reduced quality of life in four different domains

Published by José

A recent study published in the Journal of Urban Health reveals that even indirect exposure to gun violence—such as witnessing or hearing about shootings—is associated with a diminished quality of life for individuals living near these incidents. The study suggests that exposure to gun violence impacts people’s physical, psychological, social, and environmental well-being, even if they themselves are not directly injured. This sheds light on the far-reaching impacts of gun violence on communities, suggesting that its effects extend well beyond traditional victim counts. Every year, tens of thousands of Americans are affected by gun-related incidents, which include not only homicides and injuries but also non-lethal threats and witnessing shootings. While those directly injured by gun violence face physical and psychological challenges, many others who are indirectly exposed—such as those witnessing a shooting or knowing a victim—also experience substantial distress. Researchers from the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center at Rutgers University conducted their study to explore these less visible effects of gun violence. They recognized that while there is extensive data on the physical and …

Examining evidence-integrated codesign as a program quality assurance strategy – Evidence & Policy Blog

Examining evidence-integrated codesign as a program quality assurance strategy – Evidence & Policy Blog

Published by skeptic

Sarah Walker and Larry Norman This blog post is based on the Evidence & Policy article, ‘Codesigning youth diversion programmes with community-led organisations: a case study’. The equitable use of social science is a persistent governance challenge, particularly in applied social science and psychosocial treatment research. A common approach in applied social science is testing learning tools such as checklists, guides, manuals and trainings. These tools are developed to support behavior change at multiple levels and can be aimed at individuals, organisations or systems. To become evidence-based, these tools are tested against a control, ‘as usual’, or equivalent group. If effective in comparison, the package is then purveyed with the coveted ‘evidence-based’ moniker. Governments eager for tested approaches, as part of responsible governance, are then motivated to buy these tools and they are typically delivered by purveyor organisations as completed packages. Some previous efforts focused on addressing both evidence-informed and community-engaged values have resorted to ‘list selection’ approaches in which community is involved in selecting a package from a pre-assembled list of programs. This approach …

Getting morning sunlight can improve sleep quality, study suggests

Getting morning sunlight can improve sleep quality, study suggests

Published by José

A new study published in the Journal of Health Psychology has found that exposure to sunlight in the morning may improve sleep quality later that night. Individuals who spent time in the sun during the morning reported better sleep quality, regardless of how much total sunlight they received throughout the day. The results suggest that morning sunlight may help regulate circadian rhythms. Sleep is increasingly recognized as critical to health, influencing outcomes such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, depression, and general well-being. However, sleep duration appears to be declining in the general population, with more people reporting insufficient rest. Previous research has explored various factors that can influence sleep, including diet, exercise, and socio-economic conditions. Sunlight, a key regulator of circadian rhythms and melatonin production, has been linked to sleep in prior studies. However, there has been limited research on how daily sun exposure, especially its timing, affects sleep. The researchers aimed to fill this gap by investigating how morning, mid-day, and evening sunlight exposure correlates with sleep quality. The study followed 103 adults over a …

Sonos Ace review: quality noise-cancelling headphones worth the wait | Sonos

Sonos Ace review: quality noise-cancelling headphones worth the wait | Sonos

Published by skeptic

The wifi hi-fi maker Sonos has finally released its much-anticipated first set of headphones, the Ace, which combine the best elements from Bose, Apple and other high-end rivals with supreme comfort, sleek styling and a killer party trick for owners of the company’s soundbars. The Guardian’s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. The hi-tech noise-cancelling headphones cost an eye-watering £449 (€499/$449/A$699) and rub shoulders at the top of the market with a range of extremely accomplished competitors such as the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, Sennheiser’s Momentum 4 and Apple’s AirPods Max. The Ace are pleasingly smooth and understated with plush but slim ear cups that don’t stick out very far from the sides of your head. The headband has two types of foam with a softer bit right at the apex to relieve pressure on the ridge at the top of your skull, similar to the Sennheisers. The Ace come in black or a soft white with a subtle logo on one ear cup that …

Shirtmaker Emma Willis on how quality focus helped her build a global business

Shirtmaker Emma Willis on how quality focus helped her build a global business

Published by skeptic

During the Covid pandemic in 2020, doctors on the intensive care unit at Gloucester Royal Hospital received the most beautifully-made scrubs out of material that, in normal times, would be adorning the likes of King Charles, Colin Firth – even Barak Obama. It must have made the most desperate of times just a bit more bearable for those in the centre of the pandemic maelstrom. So, it’s not surprising that four years’ later, many of those scrubs (made from pure cotton of the highest thread count), are still being worn as pyjamas by some of the medical staff lucky enough to have used them. The woman behind the donation was Emma Willis, shirtmaker to the gentry and to the stars – and still the only female shirtmaker on London’s historic Jermyn Street. “When Covid closed everything down, like everyone else we wondered what we could do,” said Emma. “A local surgeon gave me a set of his scrubs and my wonderful seamstresses at our Gloucester factory volunteered to make PPE.” All told, Emma’s team made …

8 Best Online Photo Printing Services (2024): Tips, Print Quality, and More

8 Best Online Photo Printing Services (2024): Tips, Print Quality, and More

Published by skeptic

Starting at $13 per month Best for Printing Business Card and Postcards I covered SXSW for WIRED way back in 2006 and one of the strange things I remember is that everyone I met was handing out these clever little half-size business cards that came from a company named Moo. Moo still offers those cards ($21 for 100 of them), but it has also grown into a full-service print shop that can do anything from business cards to custom postcards to water bottles. Moo would not be my top pick for photographs, as that’s not really its specialty, but for artwork, invitations, postcards, flyers, and just about everything else, I’ve been impressed. I printed some postcards with some custom designs (including photographs and some of my kid’s artwork) and was impressed with the accuracy of the colors. All the paper I’ve tried has been high quality and the color matching is probably the best of all the services I’ve tried. You can upload your own designs for most things or use Moo’s templates, which offer …

Researchers reveal the shocking health impact of gas stoves on indoor air quality

Researchers reveal the shocking health impact of gas stoves on indoor air quality

Published by skeptic

The implications of gas and propane stove usage on indoor air quality have emerged as a significant health concern. (CREDIT: Creative Commons) The implications of gas and propane stove usage on indoor air quality have emerged as a significant health concern, according to recent research from Stanford’s Doerr School of Sustainability. This study, published in Science Advances, highlights how nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in U.S. homes can reach unhealthy thresholds, not just in kitchens but extending to bedrooms and lingering for hours after the stove is turned off. Rob Jackson, the study’s senior author and a professor at Stanford, expressed his surprise at the findings. “I didn’t expect to see pollutant concentrations breach health benchmarks in bedrooms within an hour of gas stove use, and stay there for hours after the stove is turned off,” Jackson noted. “Pollution from gas and propane stoves isn’t just an issue for cooks or people in the kitchen; it’s the whole family’s problem.” The health ramifications of elevated NO2 levels are serious; they can exacerbate asthma attacks, hinder lung …