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The paper is aimed at measuring innovation and qualification of technological operations in automotive production within the quality management system. Quality requirements according to ISO/TS 16949 promote a process approach for the design and development, production, installation and servicing of automotive products, which can result in increased quality, reduced variation and increase of efficiency. The solution focuses on the process of approval of parts in series production (Production Part Approval Process – PPAP). The PPAP purpose is to determine whether an organization properly understood all customer requirements listed in the specifications and records of the technical design of the product. PPAP further verifies that the process has the potential to produce a product in series production so that customer requirements will be met, in actual production volume and at the agreed rate of production. Specifically, a toothed winch of hydroelectric generator is solved by the case study.

Leading companies are increasingly using digital technologies to transform their business models with the aim of better solution of social challenges. However, there is not enough management data on whether it is a positive driver influencing innovation for both the economy and society. Research on the digital economy continues to develop but is limited to one country or area. From a bibliometric retrospective review, the paper deals with the current discussion on the alignment between sustainability challenges and innovation procedures based on the digitization of the economy. This study used bibliometric techniques using the VOSViewer program and the search results analysis function of the Springer database. This study analyzed 40,932 scientific documents published from 1841 to 2023. We further investigated the support of digital transformation and sustainability in EU countries by beta convergence and PCA analysis. The results confirm the convergence of EU countries and progress in the implementation of digital technologies in the field of digital transformation of sustainable development. The EU actively supports digital transformation and the Digital Single Market through various initiatives and policies.

The problem of the humanity of the present time is to ensure the energy needs, because the energy need is constantly increasing. It is determined by factors, e. g. the increasing number of inhabitants on Earth, the growing demands of people, etc. However, the limitation of fuel resources is a threat that humanity faces, and at the same time, the burning of fossil fuels also leads to serious damage to the environment. Currently, fossil fuels are mainly used for the heat production, electricity and for driving motor vehicles. The consumption of coal in Slovakia is also decreasing and today it is at the level of 5%, which is a decrease of more than 40% since 1980. Coal is mined in only one place in Slovakia and given the limited coal reserves we must import coal from abroad. In the Slovak thermal power plant Vojany occurs by coal combustion as an undesirable slag ash mixture deposited on the tailing pond. The new environmental solution uses waste at the tailings pond as a source of energy, the volume of coal mining will be reduced and at the same time the requirements of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development will be fulfilled.

The study deals with the possibilities of using alternative types of fuels to produce electricity. Power Plant Vojany (PPV) is a thermal power plant (TPP) in eastern Slovakia, which is part of the company Slovenské elektrárne, a. s. (SE). PPV primarily used black coal to produce electricity, which had to be imported from abroad (the Russian Federation). This activity has become inefficient both economically and environmentally, due to the high price of CO2 permits and the high emission factor of this type of fuel. PPV decided to co-combust biomass and refuse-derived fuel (RDF), which resulted in much better economic conditions due to their price, economic efficiency, and partly closed CO2 cycle. The aim of the paper is to explore the possibilities related to the production of energy in the cleanest possible way and with the least possible damage to the environment in coal thermal power plants using the example of operating Power Plant Vojany located in eastern part of Slovakia and to inspire each other for the modern transformation. For the purposes of hypothesis verification, analytical methods focused on overview studies of average fuel prices, comparisons, and the balance of fuels in connection with eliminated CO2 emissions, as well as municipal waste (MW) management in the EU and V4 countries, were used. The authors also focused on the energy recovery and combustion of MW and tracking the achieved CO2 savings in connection with the development of fuel sources in PPV. The results point to the fact that PPV is one of the power plants that could use biomass and RDF as fuel, which confirms the economic advantages of this procedure. The results confirm that the potential of RDF production in Slovakia is sufficient to ensure the operation of PPV at planned, even higher volumes of electricity production. The transformation to cleaner operation of coal thermal power plants represents a significant contribution of this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal energy is the second most important source in Slovakia after electricity, which represents almost 13.6 % of total energy production. In one of the Slovak thermal power plant Vojany (EVO) occurs by coal combustion as an undesirable slag ash mixture deposited on the tailing pond. By using environmentally sound technologies it is necessary to ensure adequate management of this waste, security and long-term stability of tailing pond. The aim of the paper is to formulate conclusions from the composition structure of EVO tailing pond and then its use. Authors realized as the main method the Design of Experiments, where the research was to investigate boreholes based on diagonal and cross-section. From the results obtained there was found that volume of tailing pond is 5,164,800 m3. In this volume there is 1,045,319 m3 of a low ash, which represents cca 20%, which can be repeatedly reused in coincineration with black coal. The development of combustion technology suggests that in the near future it will be possible to use the whole volume of the examined tailing pond for co-incineration, thus reclaiming of the tailing pond basin in an environmental manner.

There needs to be constant improvement to achieve an efficient production process. And it is only up to companies to provide this. The InMotion process is definitely one of the options that improves the efficiency. Based on the results obtained from the realised analysis as the aim of this paper, can be proved that the InMotion process is more efficient than the current fixed operator positions process, and the line can produce a larger number of products. Authors realised the measurements of the production process times at individual assembly stations of the selected company KURUMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green or sustainable economic growth for environmental policy in the light of the current environmental crisis and resource depletion is discussed in various national and international political and expert levels. Indicators of green growth and statistical results can measure sustainable development, while they allow evaluating the green growth and supporting its integration into policy. The paper analyses the OECD's framework strategy with selection of important environmental indicators and characteristics, which are intended for the assessment of the green growth strategies (green marketing). The significance of criteria, which takes into account the price in terms of public procurement, is relatively high, but the values of economic activities (sustainable production, sustainable consumption and trade) are relatively low. Results suggest that production and consumption must be environmentally and economically sustainable. Nowadays green growth strategy also in Slovakia emphasizes economic value, the country goes the right way and economic-environmental activities will grow in the future. This study offers a concept for measuring the general environmental effects of activities and evaluation of green public commissions based on phrased criteria and methodical plan of implementation of the green public commission. The methodology provides the information needed for national economic reform plans based on the present status report. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To propose and verify an innovative concept model of integrating standardized energy management system according to ISO 50001 management system of enterprises in the network of automobile suppliers. Methodology/Approach: Based on an analysis of previous approaches to innovation and standardization of energy aspects of corporate management with an emphasis on principles and indicators of energy intensity in accordance with ISO 50001 there has been designed and by a case study verified model of integration of energy management in the specific company automobile production. Research output has been generalized and modified for repeated applications in this area. Findings: Implementation of the integration model of energy management and energy performance indicators ISO 50001 demonstrate effectiveness of the management of energy and readiness for certification of energy management, increased energy efficiency and production system demonstrated the ability of continuous improvement of indicators. Research limitation/implication: Due to the low-energy environmental awareness it is necessary to invest funds including also external consultants, mobilize human resources of various departments, software, hardware and so on. The barrier is the lack of practical experience to the management of enterprise energy efficiency within the purview of BAT technology and due to the limitations of natural resources. Progressive development concepts and strategies in industry put more and more emphasis on energy quality of a corporate production. As the output of activities in this area standard ISO 50001-Energy Management System was published by the International Organization for Standardization for international accreditation and certification. The standardprovides guidance for organizations in addressing challenges associated with strengthening criteria of energy intensity and permanent improving of efficiency in energy consumption and meeting requirements of third parties. The authors, based on previously conducted case studies abroad and their own research in this area, formalize benefits from implementation of a standardized Energy Management System in companies of the automotive industry and present an innovative model of its integration into the overall system management comprising a methodology for implementation, maintenance and certification in terms of enterprises in Slovakia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]