Sustainable Development Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy (19179)

Cement paste is an already well-known material used in ore mining. It is mainly used to fill excavation areas and the tailings from the surface return to underground mines. In this way, the amount of deposited material and degradation of the surface of the terrain are reduced. The paste itself can be used as an artificial barrier between mining works and underground watercourses. Significant economic and environmental benefits can be expected from using cement paste, which would contribute to sustainable development. The basic materials that make up cemented paste backfill (CPB) are flotation tailings, cement, and water. For CPB to be adequately and safely applied to the filling of excavation spaces and indirectly to the protection of the groundwater, environment, and sustainable development of the mining industry, it must meet certain physical–mechanical, physicochemical, and deformation properties. This paper presents the results of synthesized and analyzed samples of different compositions based on flotation tailings (from the production of ZiJin Copper in Bor, Serbia), cement, and water. The methods used for chemical and mineralogical tests include inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), and nephelometric turbidity units (NTUs; turbidimetry). The results prepared with CPB consisting of 5% cement, 24% water, and 71% flotation tailings were the most acceptable. Full article

The United Nations (UN) has identified the promotion of cleaner energy and improving women’s health as two important elements in achieving the global sustainable development goals. However, the impact of household clean energy consumption on women’s health needs to be further analyzed and improved based on new methods, new data, and new perspectives. This paper used the data from the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study as the sample, and the Ordered Probit model, the instrumental variable (IV) approach, the conditional mixed process (CMP) method, and the mechanism analysis model were applied to empirically investigate the impact of cleaner household energy consumption on women’s health. The findings are the following: (1) It is found that cleaner household energy consumption improved women’s health, and after selecting “respondent’s regions of residence” as an IV to overcome endogenous issues, the estimated results remained significant. (2) The mechanistic estimation showed that air quality, social contact, and well-being play a mediating role in the effects of cleaner household energy consumption on women’s health, while digital ability plays a moderating role in the cleaner household energy consumption impact on women’s health. (3) This study further explored that cleaner household energy consumption significantly reduced the likelihood of women being diagnosed with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, cancer, lung disease, asthma, and depression. The conclusion of this paper that “cleaner household energy can enhance the level of women’s health” supports the viewpoints of some present literature. At the same time, this paper puts forward four policy recommendations based on the research conclusions. Full article

In this paper, a multi-strategy adaptive comprehensive learning particle swarm optimization algorithm is proposed by introducing the comprehensive learning, multi-population parallel, and parameter adaptation. In the proposed algorithm, a multi-population parallel strategy is designed to improve population diversity and accelerate convergence. The population particle exchange and mutation are realized to ensure information sharing among the particles. Then, the global optimal value is added to velocity update to design a new velocity update strategy for improving the local search ability. The comprehensive learning strategy is employed to construct learning samples, so as to effectively promote the information exchange and avoid falling into local extrema. By linearly changing the learning factors, a new factor adjustment strategy is developed to enhance the global search ability, and a new adaptive inertia weight-adjustment strategy based on an S-shaped decreasing function is developed to balance the search ability. Finally, some benchmark functions and the parameter optimization of photovoltaics are selected. The proposed algorithm obtains the best performance on 6 out of 10 functions. The results show that the proposed algorithm has greatly improved diversity, solution accuracy, and search ability compared with some variants of particle swarm optimization and other algorithms. It provides a more effective parameter combination for the complex engineering problem of photovoltaics, so as to improve the energy conversion efficiency. Full article

Building renovation was declared a key point for sustainable development, however, the renovation rate of residential buildings in the European Union is insufficient to meet the climate and energy targets set. This paper analyses the main circular economy models used in the construction sector, as well as the situation of the building renovation market, to set a framework for circular economy models in building renovation. Of all the existing strategies in this sector, design, material recovery, building renovation and end-of-life actions would be the best, respectively. It also includes a market analysis consisting of a literature review covering PEST perspectives (political, economic, social and technical) and a SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats), concluding with a market gap analysis. The results of these analyses allow the development of a series of suggestions and strategies to be followed in order to solve the main barriers that hinder the implementation of the circular economy in the building´s renovation sector. Full article

Natural gas plays a vital role in the economically and environmentally sustainable future of energy. Its reliable deliveries are required, especially nowadays, when the energy market is so volatile and unstable. The conversion of natural gas to its liquefied form (LNG) allows its transport in greater quantities. Affordability and reliability of clean energy is a key issue even for developed markets. Therefore, natural gas usage enables to implement green solutions into countries’ economies. However, the LNG-production process consumes a considerable amount of energy. This energy is stored in LNG as cold energy. After LNG unloading into storage tanks at receiving terminals, it is vaporised and compressed for transmission to a natural gas pipeline system. During the regasification process, the large part of the energy stored in LNG may be recovered and used for electricity generation, seawater desalination, cryogenic air separation, hydrogen liquefaction, material freezing, carbon dioxide capture, as well as for combined LNG cold energy utilization systems. Moreover, increased efficiency of LNG terminals may attract potential clients. In the presented paper, a mathematical model is performed to determine the influence of LNG composition and regasification process parameters on the quantity of released LNG cold energy in a large-scale floating storage and regasification units (FSRU)-type terminal “Independence” (Lithuania). Flow rate of LNG regasification, pressure, and boil-off gas recondensation have been considered. Possibilities to reduce the energy losses were investigated to find the ways to improve the regasification process efficiency for real FSRU. The results analysis revealed that potential of LNG cold energy at FSRU could vary from 20 to 25 MW. A utilisation of industrial and urban waste heat for the heat sink FSRU is recommended to increase the energy efficiency of the whole regasification process. Full article

The traditional fertilizer application methods have serious problems of environmental pollution and soil degradation due to low utilization rates in the Huang–Huai–Hai Plain of China. In this study, the conservation tillage strip-hole layered fertilization method was proposed and a precision strip-hole layered fertilizer subsoiler was designed. To meet the requirements for deep tillage strip-hole layered fertilizer application, theoretical analysis and parameter calculations were first carried out on the fertilizer application type hole wheel, and then the main factors affecting the fertilizer application effect of a strip-hole layered fertilizer shovel were analyzed. The effect of forwarding speed, angle of fertilizer tube installation (AFT) and angle of unloading fertilizer (AUF) on the middle and lower layers of the fertilizer distribution length (FDT) and fertilization amount deviation stability coefficient (FADSC) was studied using the discrete element method (DEM). The three-factor three-level full-factors test design method was adopted. Simulation results showed that the FDT and the FADSC increased as the forward speed increased; the FDT decreased as the AFT and the AUF increased; an increased FADSC was observed at a middle angle of the AFT and the AUF. The minimum FADSC was obtained for a combination of parameters with a forward speed of 2 km/h, the AFT of 35° and the AUF of 60°, corresponding to the FADSC of 2.49% in the middle layer and 2.93% in the lower layer while satisfying the FDT condition. The results of the field trials showed that the FADSC was 11.36% and 12.42%, respectively, an increase of 8.87% and 9.49%, respectively, compared to the simulation results, validating the simulation model. The new way of fertilizer application methods and a theoretical basis were provided for the design of hole application machinery. Full article

This paper presents a technical overview for Switched Reluctance Generators (SRG) in Wind Energy Conversion System (WECS) applications. Several topics are discussed, such as the main structures and topologies for SRG converters in WECS, and the optimization control methods to improve the operational efficiency of SRGs in wind power generation systems. A comprehensive overview including the main characteristics of each SRG converter topology and control techniques were discussed. The analysis presented can also serve as a foundation for more advanced versions of SRG control techniques, providing a necessary basis to spur more and, above all, motivate the younger researchers to study magnetless electric machines, and pave the way for higher growth of wind generators based on SRGs. Full article

Under current conditions, the green economy concept has received a comprehensive response in achieving the sustainable development of regions. However, measuring green economic development progress is dynamic, quantitatively characterized by indicators reflecting various aspects. The difficulty lies in a comprehensive environmental sustainability assessment in a context that includes the territory’s environmental, social, and economic factors. The study aimed to assess the progress of the Republic of Buryatia’s (Russia) “green” economic development. The proposed methodology for constructing a composite index is based on five dimensions’ aggregation—resource efficiency, environmental efficiency, environmental quality of life, natural assets, and institutional factors. The composite index helped generalize the complex processes of the region’s environmental–socio–economic development. Its main feature is the reflection of the environmental specificity of the territory. We built a mid-term forecast of the composite and sub-indices, determined their future trend, and assessed the opportunities and conditions for the fastest transition of the Republic of Buryatia to a green economy. The developed composite index is a key tool for regulating green economic development progress, determining prospects, and region management. This paper attempts to fill the gap in a comprehensive assessment of the Republic of Buryatia’s current situation using a composite index. Full article

Recently, environmental information disclosure has increasingly become a popular rural environmental governance policy. Environmental governance satisfaction can reflect the government’s policy effect, and it is also residents’ subjective evaluation of environmental quality. This paper uses field questionnaire data in rural areas and establishes an ordered logit model to study the relationship between environmental information disclosure and residents’ satisfaction. The empirical results show that rural environmental information disclosure has a significant positive impact on residents’ satisfaction with environmental governance. Further research found that the impact process occurred through the mediating variable of residents’ evaluation of the surrounding ecological environment. In addition, residents’ knowledge of environmental protection has a moderating effect on the relationship between environmental information disclosure and satisfaction. Therefore, in rural environmental governance, local governments can increase environmental information disclosure to improve residents’ satisfaction and participation. Full article

The equivalent circuit model is widely used in high-voltage (HV) engineering to simulate the behavior of HV applications for insulation/dielectric materials. In this study, equivalent circuit models were prepared in order to represent the electric and dielectric properties of minerals and voids in a granite rock sample. The HV electric-pulse application shows a good possibility of achieving a high energy efficiency with the size reduction and selective liberation of minerals from rocks. The electric and dielectric properties were first measured, and the mineral compositions were also determined by using a micro-X-ray fluorescence spectrometer. Ten patterns of equivalent circuit models were then prepared after considering the mineral distribution in granite. Hard rocks, as well as minerals, are dielectric materials that can be represented as resistors and capacitors in parallel connections. The values of the electric circuit parameters were determined from the known electric and dielectric parameters of the minerals in granite. The average calculated data of the electric properties of granite agreed with the measured data. The conductivity values were 53.5 pS/m (measurement) and 36.2 pS/m (simulation) in this work. Although there were some differences between the measured and calculated data of dielectric loss (tanδ), their trend as a function of frequency agreed. Even though our study specifically dealt with granite, the developed equivalent circuit model can be applied to any other rock. Full article

Green synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using plant extracts have recently attracted considerable attention due to their environmental protection benefits and their easy and low cost of fabrication. In the current study, ZnO NPS were synthesized using the aqueous extract of Ochradenus arabicus as a capping and reducing agent. The obtained ZnO NPs were firstly characterized using ultraviolet visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray absorption (EDX), zeta potential, and zeta size. All these techniques confirmed the characteristic features of the biogenic synthesized ZnO NPs. Then, ZnO NPs were evaluated for their effects on morphological, biochemical, and physiological parameters of Salvia officinalis cultured in Murashige and Skoog medium containing 0, 75, 100, and 150 mM of NaCl. The results showed that ZnO NPs at a dose of 10 mg/L significantly increased the shoot number, shoot fresh weight, and shoot dry weight of Salvia officinalis subjected or not to the salt stress. For the shoot length, a slight increase of 4.3% was recorded in the plant treated by 150 mM NaCl+10 mg/L ZnO NPs compared to the plant treated only with 150 mM of NaCl. On the other hand, without NaCl, the application of both concentrations 10 mg/L and 30 mg/L of ZnO NPs significantly improved the total chlorophyll content by 30.3% and 21.8%, respectively. Under 150 mM of NaCl, the addition of 10 mg/L of ZnO NPs enhanced the total chlorophyll by 1.5 times, whilst a slight decrease of total chlorophyll was recorded in the plants treated by 150 mM NaCl + 30 mg/L ZnO NPs. Additionally, ZnO NPs significantly enhance the proline accumulation and the antioxidative enzyme activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione reductase (GR) in plants under salinity. Our findings revealed that green synthesized ZnO NPs, especially at a dose of 10 mg/L, play a crucial role in growth enhancement and salt stress mitigation. Hence, this biosynthesized ZnO NPs at a concentration of 10 mg/L can be considered as effective nanofertilizers for the plants grown in salty areas. Full article

This work presents an analysis of the all-year operation of the solar chimney. The analyzed system consists of a rectangular solar collector located on the southern side of the solar chimney. The surface of the solar collector is 30 m², while the chimney is 50 m in height. Hourly changes in solar radiation were taken into account in the calculations. The simulation was made for the climatic conditions in Katowice, Poland. This study takes into account the most important parameters of the power plant, such as air temperature, air velocity and power of the installation throughout the year of the power plant’s operation. The cumulative amount of electricity that is generated in each month of the year is shown. The analyzed solar power plant produces the largest amount of electricity in the second quarter of the year and the lowest in the fourth quarter, with the maximum amount of energy produced in May and the minimum in December. Full article

Conserving clean and safe freshwater is a global challenge, with nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) as frequent limiting factors affecting water quality due to eutrophication. This paper provides a critical overview of the spatiotemporal variability in both nutrient concentrations and their total mass ratio (TN:TP) in the canal network of the Hydro system Danube–Tisza–Danube at 21 measuring locations monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency of the Republic of Serbia over a length of almost 1000 km, collected once a month during the last decade. A spatiotemporal variation in nutrient concentrations in the tested surface water samples was confirmed by correlations and cluster analyses. The highest TN concentrations were found in winter and early spring (non-vegetation season), and the highest TP concentrations in the middle of the year (vegetation season). The TN:TP mass ratio as an indicator of the eutrophication pointed out N and P co-limitation (TN:TP 8–24) in 64% of samples, N limitation (TN:TP < 8) was detected in 27% and P limitation (TN:TP > 24) in the remaining 9% of water samples. Such observations indicate slow-flowing, lowland water courses exposed to the effects of non-point and point contamination sources as nutrient runoff from the surrounding farmlands and/or urban and industrial zones, but further investigation is needed for clarification. These results are an important starting point for reducing N and P runoff loads and controlling source pollution to improve water quality and underpin recovery from eutrophication in the studied watershed. Full article

Algeria is a wealthy country with natural resources, namely, nuclear, renewable, and non-renewable sources. The non-renewable energy sources are considered the lion’s share for energy production (98%). Algeria’s efforts to ensure and strengthen its energy security will take an important step in the coming decades by commissioning new energy infrastructure based on intensive use of water, coal, nuclear, non-renewable, and renewable sources. The implementation of new power infrastructure is expected to be operational from 2030. The renewable power realization in Algeria is relatively less compared to other African countries, i.e., Morocco, Egypt, South Africa, etc. The total renewable power installed capacity in Algeria reached 686 MW in 2020, as part of its national energy portfolio, although the Algerian government has spent tremendous efforts on introducing new sustainable technologies to enable the transition towards a cleaner and sustainable energy system. Indeed, the country announced its plan to install around 22 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030. It will include 1 GW bio-power from the waste, 13.5 GW from solar PV, 2 GW from CSP, 15 MW from geothermal, 400 MW cogeneration, and, finally, 5 GW from wind. The scope of the present research provides general information about the usage of energy resources such as fossil, nuclear, and renewable sources in Algeria and also covers the energy supply outlook. The present effort is the first of its kind which discusses the application of the coal and nuclear as clean energy sources as part of renewable energy transition. Additionally, it also includes the description of the existing Algerian energy sector and information about water and water desalination and their usage in other sectors. Full article

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are important contributors to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, partly due to their huge emission of nitrous oxide (N₂O), which has a global warming potential of 298 CO₂ equivalents. Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing (anammox) bacteria provide a shortcut in the nitrogen removal pathway by directly transforming ammonium and nitrite to nitrogen gas (N₂). Due to its energy efficiency, the anammox-driven treatment has been applied worldwide for the removal of inorganic nitrogen from ammonium-rich wastewater. Although direct evidence of the metabolic production of N₂O by anammox bacteria is lacking, the microorganisms coexisting in anammox-driven WWTPs could produce a considerable amount of N₂O and hence affect the sustainability of wastewater treatment. Thus, N₂O emission is still one of the downsides of anammox-driven wastewater treatment, and efforts are required to understand the mechanisms of N₂O emission from anammox-driven WWTPs using different nitrogen removal strategies and develop effective mitigation strategies. Here, three main N₂O production processes, namely, hydroxylamine oxidation, nitrifier denitrification, and heterotrophic denitrification, and the unique N₂O consumption process termed nosZ-dominated N₂O degradation, occurring in anammox-driven wastewater treatment systems, are summarized and discussed. The key factors influencing N₂O emission and mitigation strategies are discussed in detail, and areas in which further research is urgently required are identified. Full article

The present paper deals with selected aspects of energy prosumers’ security needs. The analysis reported aim to illustrate the concept of the implementation of intrusion-detection systems (IDS)/intrusion-prevention systems (IPS), as supporting agent systems for smart grids. The contribution proposes the architecture of an agent system aimed at collecting, processing, monitoring, and possibly reacting to changes in the smart grid. Furthermore, an algorithm is proposed to support the construction of a smart-grid-operating profile, based on a set of parameters describing the devices. Its application is presented in the example of data collected from the network, indicating the process of building a device-operation profile and a possible mechanism for detecting its changes. The proposed algorithm for building the operating profile of devices in the smart grid, based on the mechanism of continuous learning by the system, allows for detecting network malfunctions not only in terms of individual events but also regarding limits of the scope of system alerts, by determining the typical behavior of devices in the smart grid. The paper gives recommendations to a software-agent system development, which is dedicated to detecting and preventing anomalies in smart grids. Full article

The recycling of solid waste resources can effectively alleviate resource shortages and environmental pollution and can promote the sustainable development of an ecological economy and green economy. Therefore, China has set up a series of recycling policies. In order to promote the development of China’s solid waste resource recycling industry, and to be able to set up and implement correct policy documents according to real-time dynamics, this study uses NVivo software to analyze the content of 10 Core Journals’ documents screened from the China HowNet database and sets up three node classifications and four partition dimensions to build a three-dimensional model for qualitative analysis and emotional analysis. The analysis determines the existing weaknesses of China’s solid waste resource recycling policy under four dimensions and puts forward prospects for its future from these four aspects of system, capacity, measures and environment. Full article

In numerous locations of bulk water supply/distribution systems, energy is dissipated by pressure-reducing devices, whereas it could be recovered by means of turbines or pumps as turbines. These pipe systems, owned and operated by municipalities, water utilities, large water-consuming industries, and mines, could be used as a source of renewable sustainable energy. However, the exploitation of these systems presents several issues related to the complexity of the operational optimization of the hydropower generation facilities and to the potential negative impact on the reliability of the system itself. We have developed a novel procedure to optimize the energy generation in such a conduit system by assessing the interrelationship of storage volumes, demand patterns, operating cycles, and electricity tariff structures. The procedure is a multi-objective genetic algorithm designed to provide a solution to maximize electricity generation and thus revenue and to minimize the risk involved in supplying the demand. A Pareto-optimal trade-off curve is set up, indicating the potential benefit (revenue) versus the reliability index (supply security). The results indicate that a Pareto-optimal trade-off curve was generated from which a solution could be selected which would improve the weekly revenue by up to 7.5%, while still providing a reliable water supply system. Full article

The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) occurs at the anode in numerous electrochemical reactions and plays an important role due to the nature of proton-coupled electron transfer. However, the high voltage requirement and low stability of the OER dramatically limits the total energy converting efficiency. Recently, electrocatalysts based on multi-metal oxyhydroxides have been reported as excellent substitutes for commercial noble metal catalysts due to their outstanding OER activities. However, normal synthesis routes lead to either the encapsulation of excessively active sites or aggregation during the electrolysis. To this end, we design a novel core–shell structure integrating CoMoO₄ as support frameworks covered with two-dimensional γ-FeOOH nanosheets on the surface. By involving CoMoO₄, the electrochemically active surface area is significantly enhanced. Additionally, Co atoms immerge into the γ-FeOOH nanosheet, tuning its electronic structure and providing additional active sites. More importantly, the catalysts exhibit excellent OER catalytic performance, reducing overpotentials to merely 243.1 mV a versus 10 mA cm⁻². The current strategy contributes to advancing the frontiers of new types of OER electrocatalysts by applying a proper support as a multi-functional platform. Full article

In economies, cleaner technology, increased demand for renewable energy, and more efficient use of natural resources contribute to meeting environmental sustainability targets. The Chinese economy is no exception in its attempts to conserve economic and natural resources via collaborative efforts to embrace cleaner technology, green energy sources, and resource conservation management to preserve resources for future generations. This research examines the influence of cleaner technologies, green energy sources, and natural resource management on reducing greenhouse gas emissions using quarterly data for the Chinese economy from 2000Q1 to 2020Q4. The findings demonstrate that increasing demand for green energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions, hence substantiating the premise of ‘green is clean’ energy development. Additionally, optimum resource usage enhances environmental quality, corroborating the ‘resource cleaner blessing’ hypothesis. The positive link between inward foreign direct investment and greenhouse gas emissions substantiates the ‘pollution haven’ concept, according to which inward foreign direct investment uses unsustainable technology in manufacturing processes, hence degrading air quality indicators. Inadequate access to clean cooking technology and increased population density has a detrimental effect on the country’s environmental sustainability agenda, which must be corrected via sustainable regulations. The causality estimates show the feedback relationship between renewable energy demand (and economic growth) and cleaner technology, between economic growth and green energy (and inbound foreign direct investment), and between population density and economic growth (and green energy). The Impulse Response function estimates suggested that economic growth and population density would likely increase GHG emissions. In contrast, cleaner technology, green energy demand, natural resource management, and inbound foreign direct investment would likely decrease greenhouse gas emissions for the next ten-year time period. The sustainability of the environment and natural resources in China is bolstered by developing cleaner technologies, a greater reliance on renewable energy sources, and better management of natural resources. Full article

Concrete technology is adopted worldwide in construction due to its effectiveness, performance, and price benefits. Subsequently, it needs to be an eco-friendly, sustainable, and energy-efficient material. This is achieved by replacing or adding energy-efficient concrete materials from industries, such as ground granulated blast furnace slag, steel slag, fly ash, bottom ash, rice husk ash, etc. Likewise, copper slag is a waste material produced as molten slag from the copper industry, which can be used in concrete production. Copper slag can perform roles similar to pozzolans in the hydration process. This paper extends the comparative study of copper slag concrete with polypropylene fiber (PPF) subjected to destructive and non-destructive testing. Under destructive testing, compressive strength of concrete cubes, compressive strength of mortar cubes, splitting tensile tests on cylindrical specimens, and flexural tests on plain cement concrete were conducted and analysed. Ultrasonic pulse velocity and rebound hammer tests were performed on the samples as per IS13311-Part 1-1992 for non-destructive testing. The 100% replacement of copper slag exhibited a very high workability of 105 mm, while the addition of 0.8% PPF decreased the flowability of the concrete. Hence, the workability of concrete decreases as the fiber content increases. The density of the concrete was found to be increased in the range of 5% to 10%. Furthermore, it was found that, for all volume fractions of fiber, there was no reduction in compressive strength of up to 80% of copper slag concrete compared to control concrete. The 40% copper slag concrete was the best mix proportion for increasing compressive strength. However, for cement mortar applications, 80% copper slag is recommended. The findings of non-destructive testing show that, except for 100% copper slag, all mixes were of good quality compared to other mixes. Linear relationships were developed to predict compressive strength from UPV and rebound hammer test values. This relationship shows better prediction among dependent and independent values. It is concluded that copper slag has a pozzolanic composition, and is compatible with PPF, resulting in good mechanical characteristics. Full article

Global agreements mandate the international community, including Indonesia, to commit to reducing the risks and impacts of climate change. Indonesia’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) will contribute to the achievement of the Convention’s goals by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and increasing climate resilience. This commitment must be supported by a wide range of actions, including the use of timber. Despite the fact that wood contains carbon, limited information is currently available on the size of the wood utilisation subsector’s contribution to reducing GHG emissions. More research is needed on the magnitude of wood products’ contribution to climate change mitigation. This study assessed the amount of carbon stored in wood used as a building material. Purposive sampling was used to select the cities with rapid housing development surrounding Jakarta’s capital city, i.e., the Bekasi District, East Jakarta City, Depok City, and Bogor District. The amount of carbon stored in wood was calculated according to EN 16449:2014-06 and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS/EDX) analysis. Results show that wood is currently only used in door frames, door leaves, window frames, shutters, and vents. The carbon stored on the components ranges from 450 to 680 kg (average of 554.50 kg) in each housing unit, according to the EN 16449:2014-06 calculation. The weight range is between 130 and 430 kg (average of 400.42 kg) according to EDX/S carbon analysis. With an increase in housing needs of 800,000 units per year, this amount has the potential to store 0.44 million tons of carbon over the lifespan of the products. Full article

Mangrove ecosystems sequester and store large amounts of carbon in both biomass and soil. In this study, species diversity, the above and below-ground biomass as well as carbon stock by the mangroves in Kanhlyashay natural mangrove forest were estimated. Six true mangrove species from four families were recorded in the sample plots of the study area. Among them, Avicennia officinalis L. from the Acanthaceae family was the abundance of species with an importance value of 218.69%. Shannon–Wiener’s diversity index value (H′ = 0.71) of the mangrove community was very low compared to other natural mangrove forests since the mangrove stands in the study site possessed a low number of mangrove species and were dominated by a few species. Estimated mean biomass was 335.55 ± 181.41 Mg ha⁻¹ (AGB = 241.37 ± 132.73 Mg ha⁻¹, BGB = 94.17 ± 48.73 Mg ha⁻¹). The mean overall C-stock of the mangrove stand was 150.25 ± 81.35 Mg C ha⁻¹ and is equivalent to 551.10 ± 298.64 Mg CO₂ eq. The role of forests in climate change is two-fold as a cause and a solution for greenhouse gas emissions. The result of the study demonstrated that the mangroves in Letkhutkon village have high carbon storage potential, therefore it is necessary to be sustainably managed to maintain and increase carbon storage. Climate change mitigation may be achieved not only by reducing the carbon emission levels but also by maintaining the mangrove ecosystem services as carbon sinks and sequestration. Full article

Oxygen and hydrogen generated by water electrolysis may be utilized as a clean chemical fuel with high gravimetric energy density and energy conversion efficiency. The hydrogen fuel will be the alternative to traditional fossil fuels in the future, which are near to exhaustion and cause pollution. In the present study, flowery-shaped In₂MnSe₄ nanoelectrocatalyst is fabricated by anion exchange reaction directly grown on nickel foam (NF) in 1.0 M KOH medium for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The physiochemical and electrical characterization techniques are used to investigate the chemical structure, morphology, and electrical properties of the In₂MnSe₄ material. The electrochemical result indicates that synthesized material exhibits a smaller value of Tafel slope (86 mV/dec), lower overpotential (259 mV), and high stability for 37 h with small deterioration in the current density for a long time. Hence, the fabricated material responds with an extraordinary performance for the OER process and for many other applications in the future. Full article

Precise control of casting velocity and effective throwing kinetic energy conversion efficiency in blasting engineering are challenges. To provide a theoretical basis and reference for the implementation plan and fine construction of the cast blasting project, we study the problems of casting velocity and energy consumption ratio of broken rock under the impact load of explosions in this manuscript. The calculation methods of casting velocity and throwing energy of broken rock under two blasting modes of spherical charge and cylindrical charge are established by using the theory of dimensional analysis and rock breaking by blasting. A large number of model tests are carried out by using high-speed photography. The results indicate that the casting velocity of broken rock after explosive initiation has two evident stages: instantaneous acceleration to a certain value and subsequent fluctuation; the velocity presents an ordinary distribution law with the step height, and the fitting correlation of high-speed photography results is more than 91%. With the minimum burden increasing from 0.12 m to 0.2 m, the energy consumption decreases from 1306.88 J to 747.49 J and the proportion of energy consumption decreases from 14.77% to 8.45%. Full article

It is now highly likely that with the rise in fuel, gas and electricity prices, groundwater deposits will become the third primary source of renewable energy, alongside photovoltaic cells and wind turbines. These deposits are characterized by unlimited clean and environmentally friendly energy with constant parameters independent of the fluctuations of wind and solar energy. This paper presents innovative low-carbon solutions for converting groundwater energy into heating and cooling energy in FCH HVAC. A good example of a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions achieved by this technology is a study describing the system implemented in the Integrative Sports and Recreation Center in Łomianki. New installations for the FCH technology in the abovementioned center will reduce the consumption of heating and cooling energy as well as CO₂ emissions by at least 50%. The aim of this article was to present the energy from underground waters and how to use it in HVAC installations. The authors show a new direction for the use of forgotten energy that is not only available in unlimited quantities at all latitudes but also has a very small carbon footprint and can significantly reduce CO₂ emissions. Full article

The application of energy-efficiency strategies in buildings is a hot topic around the world; in some countries, there are regulations with more or less degree of compliance, but in most countries located in the tropical zone, there are no regulations, and it is not easy to transfer regulations of countries outside of tropical zone. For countries located in tropical zones, the implementation of strategies to reduce the heat flow from outside to inside buildings is a key point. As a case study, the Dominican Republic (DR) was chosen, and during 2020, an analysis focusing on buildings of the tertiary level was carried out with the goal of using scientific methodology focused on tropical climates that allows for a significant reduction in energy consumption by implementing Energy Efficiency Strategies (EESs) that are available, with minimal intrusion into the building and low cost. The study includes, as parts of the proposed methodology, the characterization of building parks, including the climatic zonification of the country, an in-depth study of the building typologies in DR, and a massive survey around the country about the technical characteristics of air conditioning units and their usage; the election and characterization of buildings, including simulation and validation throughout the monitoring of eight different buildings; ananalysis of the measures of energy efficiency and implementation in the models, including the election of a demonstrative building, the election of the most convenient EESs, modeling of EESs, implementing EESs in the building, monitoring, and validation; and ananalysis of the impact of the measures at the region or country level, throughout which important conclusions can be obtained in order to reduce energy consumption in the country. The results show that this methodology is a valid tool for countries situated in tropical areas in order to reduce the energy consumption associated with air conditioning units with low cost, availability, and no intrusive EESs. Full article

Under the conditions of climate change and energy crisis stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic and the embargo on the supply of raw materials from Russia, high hopes are attached to the development of renewable energy in terms of meeting energy needs. Still, renewable energy has some drawbacks too. In the most dynamically growing solar and wind energy industries, the main problems that are indicated include this energy storage and ensuring the security of supplies. These are supposed to be solved by the digital transformation of renewable power generation plus the entry of market players that implement digital business models in renewable energy. The purpose of the article is to identify a framework “digital compass” of business models in renewable energy within a group of solar and wind energy start-ups, operating in energy storage and supply industries. At the base of this study there were: digital technologies, customer orientation, delivery of value and revenue stream. The research algorithm applied here enabled the identification and classification of startup business models based on secondary data using R software. The results show that the identified startups implement digital business models to a minor extent. Startups dealing with solar energy storage stand out in a quite positive manner. The low digital attractiveness of investing in wind energy storage and supply (which, to a smaller extent applies to solar energy), is also indicated the investment preferences of big-tech. Thus, the future of the digital transformation of these industries should be related to regulatory changes rather than technological ones. Full article

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has developed rapidly into one of the highest per capita income nations globally. The travel and tourism sector is a central contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), employment, foreign exchange earnings, and the country’s economic diversification strategy. However, the rapid growth of the sector and increase in international tourist arrivals are also major contributors to carbon emissions and long-term environmental challenges. In this context, we employed a tourism-induced Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) model for the UAE from 1984 to 2019. The study applied an Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to determine the marginal impact of tourist arrivals and related variables, namely, bank credits to the private sector, urbanization, and energy use, on CO₂ emissions. The Pesaran bounds test indicated redundancy of short run estimates. The long-run coefficients confirmed the EKC hypothesis of inverted U-shape for carbon emissions and per capita income, along with environmental degradation due to tourist arrivals and financial development. Notably, urbanization and energy use highlighted the positive steps taken by the government. Granger causality tests indicated a unidirectional association from GDP, bank credits, and energy consumption to carbon emissions. Importantly, tourist arrivals and urbanization had bidirectional causality with carbon dioxide levels. This study is the first to apply the tourism-induced EKC model to the UAE, and the findings have important implications for policymakers and practitioners. The causality results highlight the need to balance tourism targets and sustainable economic growth through the adoption of ‘green’ standards. The results also indicate the potential importance of financial sector efforts to boost green investments and implement clean energy-related technologies. Full article

Heavy metal (HM) exposure remains a global occupational and environmental problem that creates a hazard to general health. Even low-level exposure to toxic metals contributes to the pathogenesis of various metabolic and immunological diseases, whereas, in this process, the gut microbiota serves as a major target and mediator of HM bioavailability and toxicity. Specifically, a picture is emerging from recent investigations identifying specific probiotic species to counteract the noxious effect of HM within the intestinal tract via a series of HM-resistant mechanisms. More encouragingly, aided by genetic engineering techniques, novel HM-bioremediation strategies using recombinant microorganisms have been fruitful and may provide access to promising biological medicines for HM poisoning. In this review, we summarized the pivotal mutualistic relationship between HM exposure and the gut microbiota, the probiotic-based protective strategies against HM-induced gut dysbiosis, with reference to recent advancements in developing engineered microorganisms for medically alleviating HM toxicity. Full article

The composition of self-compacting concrete (SCC) contains 60–70% coarse and fine aggregates, which are replaced by construction waste, such as recycled aggregates (RA). However, the complexity of its structure requires a time-consuming mixed design. Currently, many researchers are studying the prediction of concrete properties using soft computing techniques, which will eventually reduce environmental degradation and other material waste. There have been very limited and contradicting studies regarding prediction using different ANN algorithms. This paper aimed to predict the 28-day splitting tensile strength of SCC with RA using the artificial neural network technique by comparing the following algorithms: Levenberg–Marquardt (LM), Bayesian regularization (BR), and Scaled Conjugate Gradient Backpropagation (SCGB). There have been very limited and contradicting studies regarding prediction by using and comparing different ANN algorithms, so a total of 381 samples were collected from various published journals. The input variables were cement, admixture, water, fine and coarse aggregates, and superplasticizer; the data were randomly divided into three sets—training (60%), validation (10%), and testing (30%)—with 10 neurons in the hidden layer. The models were evaluated by the mean squared error (MSE) and correlation coefficient (R). The results indicated that all three models have optimal accuracy; still, BR gave the best performance (R = 0.91 and MSE = 0.2087) compared with LM and SCG. BR was the best model for predicting TS at 28 days for SCC with RA. The sensitivity analysis indicated that cement (30.07%) was the variable that contributed the most to the prediction of TS at 28 days for SCC with RA, and water (2.39%) contributed the least. Full article

A photovoltaic shading device (PVSD) is a promising technology that can both generate electricity and provide shading to reduce indoor energy consumption. This paper aims to evaluate the performance of three PVSD design strategies in five Chinese cities by using a proposed all-in-one simulation program, according to the parametric performance design method. The program can be used to predict the energy consumption, power generation, and economic feasibility of different PVSD strategies. It was, firstly, calibrated through an actual experiment which was carried out in Qingdao and, secondly, used to simulate the energy consumption and generation of the three PVSD strategies in relation to the optimal angles and heights. Finally, the program was used to calculate the energy efficiency and economic feasibility of the three strategies. The findings indicated that the move-shade strategy of PVSD can provide the best energy-saving performance, followed by rotate-shade and fixed-shade strategies. Compared to the no-shade strategy, the reduction of the net energy use intensity by using the move-shade strategy was 31.80% in Shenzhen, 107.36% in Kunming, 48.37% in Wuhan, 61.79% in Qingdao, and 43.83% in Changchun. The payback periods of the three strategies ranged from 5 to 16 years when using the PVSD in China. Full article

Ethylene-propylene-diene rubbers (EPDM) are one of the most important polyolefin materials widely commercialized and used in various industries in recent years. The production of EPDM is based solely on catalytic coordination polymerization processes. The development of new catalysts and processes for the synthesis of EPDM has expanded the range of products and their manufacturing in terms of energy efficiency, processability, and environmental safety. This mini-review mainly analyzes patented data on the synthesis of EPDM on new-generation single-site catalytic systems based on Group IVB complexes including the systems commercialized by major manufacturers of EPDM. The advantages of these systems are evident in comparison with conventional vanadium systems introduced into production in the 1960s and used to date in the industrial synthesis of EPDM. Full article

The Healthy China 2030 Initiative is closely related to the coordinated development between national health, economy, and society. This major move demonstrates China’s active engagement in global health governance and in the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs). Based on Grossman’s health production function, this paper introduces key factors such as environmental pollution and environmental regulation to empirically investigate the regulating effect of environmental regulation, as well as the spatial spillover of environmental pollution and environmental regulation acting on resident health. We examine these effects by using the panel data of 28 cities of the urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River (UAMYRY) between 2009 and 2019. The results show that: (1) Environmental pollution brings a loss to resident health. Among the urban agglomerations, the circum-Changsha–Zhuzhou–Xiangtan urban agglomeration (CCZXUA) and the Poyang Lake urban agglomeration (PLUA) have a much lower health effect of environmental pollution than the Wuhan urban agglomeration (WUA). (2) With the growing intensity of environmental regulation, the negative effect of environmental pollution on resident health will gradually decrease. Regionally, the environmental regulation in the CCZXUA has the best effect on residents’ health, followed by the WUA and the PLUA, which have the worst. (3) As a whole, the spatial spillover of environmental regulation and pollution has a significant impact on residents’ health, and the spatial spillover effect between urban agglomerations is stronger than that between cities in each urban agglomeration. The conclusions remain robust with various tests such as replacing control variables, introducing lagged explanatory variables, and considering endogeneity. Based on robust empirical evidence, several specific region policy suggestions, including rolling out proper environmental regulation policies, and establishing a linking mechanism of environmental management, were put forward to improve the environmental pollution state and resident health level of the UAMYRY. Full article

Conversion of syngas or CO₂ greenhouse gas derived from various carbon-containing materials including coal, natural gas, biomass, waste plastics and biogas, or power plant, and petroleum is paramount to ensure global energy security, and recycle carbon in the earth and atmosphere and reach the global goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 [...] Full article

Recently, the use of novel renewable energy has attracted attention for suppressing the generation of carbon dioxide to prevent global warming. There is growing interest in energy reduction in buildings using solar energy because of its ease of use and repair and excellent maintenance. Therefore, in this study, air-based Photovoltaic thermal (PVT) systems, which can increase the utilization of solar energy, are compared with the existing PV system through measurement. PVT systems can increase the amount of power generation by lowering the temperature of the panel using air passing through the lower part of the panel. It is also possible to use the heated air obtained from the panel as indoor heating or for supplying hot water in a building. As a result of measuring the performance of existing PV panels and PVT panels under the same weather conditions, the power generation efficiency of PVT panels through which air passes increases compared to PV panels. Overall, an air-based PVT system can utilize solar energy about three times more than existing PV systems by utilizing solar heat and solar power. In summer, thermal collection and power generation by PVT were 51.9% and 19.0%, respectively, and power generation by PV was 18.0%. In contrast, the amount of thermal collection and power generation in winter was 43.5% and 20.3%, respectively, and the amount of power generated by PV was 18.7%. As such, it is necessary to review methods for utilizing the increase in power generation in winter and thermal collection in summer. Full article

The turbulent boundary layer (TBL) over the hull surface of a water vehicle significantly elevates the drag force on the water vehicle. In this regard, effectively controlling the TBL can lead to a drag reduction (DR) effect and therefore improve the energy efficiency of water transportation. Many DR methods have demonstrated promising DR effects but face challenges in implementation at the scale of engineering application. In this regard, the recently developed dynamic free-slip surface method can resolve some of the critical challenges. It employs an array of freely oscillating air–water interfaces to manipulate the TBL and can achieve a substantial DR effect under certain control conditions. However, the optimal setting of the control parameters that would maximize the DR effect remains unclear. To answer these questions, this study systematically investigates the effects of multiple control parameters for the first time, including the geometric size and curvature of the interface, the frequency of active oscillation, and the Reynolds number of TBL. Digital Particle Image Velocimetry was used to non-invasively measure the velocity and vorticity field of the TBL, and the Charted Clauser method was used to calculate the DR effect. The presented results suggest that the oscillating free-slip interfaces reduce the flow velocity near the wall boundary and lift the transverse vorticity (and the viscous shear stress) away from the wall. In addition, the shape factor of the TBL is elevated by the oscillating interfaces and slowly relaxes back in the downstream regions, which implies a partial relaminarization process induced in the TBL. Up to 36% DR effect was achieved within the current scope range of the control parameters. All of the results consistently suggest that a large DR effect is achieved when the free-slip interfaces oscillate with large Weber numbers. These discoveries shed light on the underlying DR mechanism and provide guidance for the future development of an effective drag control technique based on the dynamic free-slip surface method. Full article

The use of laser technology for materials processing has a wide applicability in various industrial fields, due to its proven advantages, such as processing time, economic efficiency and reduced impact on the natural environment. The expansion of laser technology has been possible due to the dynamics of research in the field. One of the directions of research is to establish the appropriate cutting parameters. The evolution of research in this direction can be deepened by determining the efficiency of laser cutting. Starting from such a hypothesis, the study contains an analysis of laser cutting parameters (speed, power and pressure) to determine the linear energy and cutting efficiency. For this purpose, the linear energy and the cutting efficiency were determined analytically, and the results obtained were tested with the Lagrange interpolation method, the statistical mathematical method and the graphical method. The material chosen was Hardox 400 steel with a thickness of 8 mm, due to its numerous industrial applications and the fact that it is an insufficiently studied material. Statistical data processing shows that the maximum cutting efficiency is mainly influenced by speed, followed by laser power. The results obtained reduce energy costs in manufacturing processes that use the CO₂ laser. The combinations identified between laser speed and power lead to a reduction in energy consumption and thus to an increase in processing efficiency. Through the calculation relationships established for linear energy and cutting efficiency, the study contributes to the extension of the theoretical and practical basis. Full article

Hydrogen is the ultimate vector for a carbon-free, sustainable green-energy. While being the most promising candidate to serve this purpose, hydrogen inherits a series of characteristics making it particularly difficult to handle, store, transport and use in a safe manner. The researchers’ attention has thus shifted to storing hydrogen in its more manageable forms: the light metal hydrides and related derivatives (ammonia-borane, tetrahydridoborates/borohydrides, tetrahydridoaluminates/alanates or reactive hydride composites). Even then, the thermodynamic and kinetic behavior faces either too high energy barriers or sluggish kinetics (or both), and an efficient tool to overcome these issues is through nanoconfinement. Nanoconfined energy storage materials are the current state-of-the-art approach regarding hydrogen storage field, and the current review aims to summarize the most recent progress in this intriguing field. The latest reviews concerning H₂ production and storage are discussed, and the shift from bulk to nanomaterials is described in the context of physical and chemical aspects of nanoconfinement effects in the obtained nanocomposites. The types of hosts used for hydrogen materials are divided in classes of substances, the mean of hydride inclusion in said hosts and the classes of hydrogen storage materials are presented with their most recent trends and future prospects. Full article

In Smart Grid (SG), Transactive Energy Management (TEM) is one of the most promising approaches to boost consumer participation in energy generation, energy management, and establishing decentralized energy market models using Peer-to-Peer (P2P). In P2P, a prosumer produces electric energy at their place using Renewable Energy Resources (RES) such as solar energy, wind energy, etc. Then, this generated energy is traded with consumers (who need the energy) in a nearby locality. P2P facilitates energy exchange in localized micro-energy markets of the TEM system. Such decentralized P2P energy management could cater to diverse prosumers and utility business models. However, the existing P2P approaches suffer from several issues such as single-point-of-failure, network bandwidth, scalability, trust, and security issues. To handle the aforementioned issues, this paper proposes a Decentralized and Transparent P2P Energy Trading (DT-P2PET) scheme using blockchain. The proposed DT-P2PET scheme aims to reduce the grid’s energy generation and management burden while also increasing profit for both consumers and prosumers through a dynamic pricing mechanism. The DT-P2PET scheme uses Ethereum-blockchain-based Smart Contracts (SCs) and InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) for the P2P energy trading. Furthermore, a recommender mechanism is also introduced in this study to increase the number of prosumers. The Ethereum SCs are designed and deployed to perform P2P in real time in the proposed DT-P2PET scheme. The DT-P2PET scheme is evaluated based on the various parameters such as profit generation (for prosumer and consumer both), data storage cost, network bandwidth, and data transfer rate in contrast to the existing approaches. Full article

Waste-derived materials obtained from the recovery and recycling of electronic waste (e-waste) such as batteries and printed circuit boards have attracted enormous attention from academia and industry in recent years, especially due to their eco-friendly nature and the massive increment in e-waste due to technological development. Several investigations in the literature have covered the advances achieved so far. Meanwhile, photocatalytic applications are especially of interest since they maintain mutual benefits and can be used for H₂ production from solar water splitting based on semiconductor processing as a proper environmentally friendly technique for solar energy conversion. In addition, they can be utilized to degrade a variety of organic and non-organic contaminations. Nonetheless, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there has not been any comprehensive review that has specifically been focused on e-waste-derived photocatalytic materials. In this regard, the present work is dedicated to thoroughly discussing the related mechanisms, strategies, and methods, as well as the various possible photocatalysts synthesized from e-wastes with some critiques in this field. This brief overview can introduce modern technologies and promising possibilities for e-waste valorization, photocatalytic processes, and new photocatalytic degradation methods of eco-friendly nature. This paper discusses various e-waste-obtained photocatalytic materials, synthesis procedures, and applications, as well as several types of e-waste, derived materials such as TiO₂, ZnO, indium tin oxide, and a variety of sulfide- and ferrite-based photocatalytic materials. Full article

The unequivocal global warming has an explicit impact on the natural water cycle and resultantly leads to an increasing occurrence of extreme weather events which in turn bring challenges and unavoidable destruction to the urban water supply system. As such, diversifying water sources is a key solution to building the resilience of the water supply system. An atmospheric water harvesting can capture water out of the air and provide a point-of-use water source directly. Currently, a series of atmospheric water harvesting have been proposed and developed to provide water sources under various moisture content ranging from 30–80% with a maximum water collection rate of 200,000 L/day. In comparison to conventional water source alternatives, atmospheric water harvesting avoids the construction of storage and distribution grey infrastructure. However, the high price and low water generation rate make this technology unfavorable as a viable alternative to general potable water sources whereas it has advantages compared with bottled water in both cost and environmental impacts. Moreover, atmospheric water harvesting can also provide a particular solution in the agricultural sector in countries with poor irrigation infrastructure but moderate humidity. Overall, atmospheric water harvesting could provide communities and/or cities with an indiscriminate solution to enhance water supply resilience. Further research and efforts are needed to increase the water generation rate and reduce the cost, particularly via leveraging solar energy. Full article

Understanding how to address today’s global challenges is critical to improving corporate performance in terms of economic and environmental sustainability. In wastewater treatment systems, such an approach implies integrating efficient treatment technologies with aspects of the circular economy. In this business field, energy costs represent a large share of operating costs. This work discusses technological and management aspects leading to greater energy savings in Portuguese wastewater treatment companies. A mixed methodology, involving qualitative and quantitative aspects, for collecting and analysing data from wastewater treatment plants was used. The qualitative aspects consisted of a narrative analysis of the information available on reports and websites for 11 wastewater management companies in Portugal (e.g., technologies, treated wastewater volumes and operating costs) followed by a review of several international studies. The quantitative approach involved calculating the specific energy consumption (kWh/m³), energy operating costs (EUR/m³) and energy operating costs per population equivalent (EUR/inhabitants) using data from the literature and from Portuguese companies collected from the SABI database. The results suggested that the most environmentally and economically sustainable solution is algae-based technology which might allow a reduction in energy operating costs between 0.05–0.41 EUR/m³ and 15.4–180.8 EUR/inhabitants compared to activated sludge and other conventional methods. This technology, in addition to being financially advantageous, provides the ability to eliminate the carbon footprint and the valorisation of algae biomass, suggesting that this biotechnology is starting to position itself as a mandatory future solution in the wastewater treatment sector. Full article

In today’s socio-economic context where environmental protection and sustainable development are equally important, how renewable energy enterprises can achieve sustainable development has become a topic of academic interest in recent years. This paper investigates the link between sustainable growth (SG) of renewable energy firms, resource endowment (RE), and environmental regulatory (ERs) issues through a fixed-effects model and a GMM model. Through empirical analysis, it was found that economical environmental regulations have the greatest positive impact on sustainable growth, followed by legal environmental regulations and supervised environmental regulations. Resource endowment is positively related to sustainable growth for non-state-owned renewable energy enterprises, but the negative impact on sustainable growth reflects the effect the of “resource curse”. In addition, resource endowment has a negative moderating effect on environmental regulations and sustainable growth. Thus, the most significant effect is on the relationship between economical environmental regulations and sustainable growth, followed by legal environmental regulations and supervised environmental regulations. Therefore, the flexible and concurrent application of multiple environmental policies is an important way to ensure effective regulations and promote sustainable business growth. Full article

SF₆/CF₄ mixture is considered a potential substitution for SF₆ in gas-insulated equipment owing to the considerable insulation and low temperature characteristics of CF₄. This paper concerns the substitutability of the mixture on the surface flashover property. Epoxy resin composites for solid insulators are applied since flashover at the insulator interface often occurs and results in severe damage to the safe operation of the equipment. Two kinds of electrode systems are designed to study DC flashover properties with different electric field uniformities. The obtained result shows that the flashover voltage in the 20% SF₆/80% CF₄ mixture achieved more than 70% of the voltage in SF₆ at the same pressure. The mixture shows considerable synergy in the surface flashover process and performed different tendencies with varying gas pressures and contents under different electrode systems due to the influence of surface accumulated charge. Moreover, it is considered that surface charge due to ionization may result in a reversal phenomenon for voltage polarity with increasing pressure. The results indicate the possibility of SF₆/CF₄ functioning as an efficient substitution of SF₆ with a considerable insulation property and improved environmental protection characteristics. Full article

The climate crisis is rapidly provoking water scarcity in several areas of the planet, where an exponential growth of the seawater desalination industry is expected. In this context, multiple efforts are currently under development to reduce potential impacts and promote the sustainability of this industry. The selection of a suitable site for a desalination plant is critical to ensure operational continuity and the environmental sustainability of its processes, optimizing the plant’s productive performance and thus safeguarding water security for final users. In this study, we apply a GIS-based Multi-Criteria Analysis (GIS-MCA) approach to explore and assess potential areas suitable for the construction and operation of desalination plants in Chile. Different environmental, social, and technical criteria were evaluated and weighted by expert criteria using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) methodology. From a total of 114,450 km² analyzed, only 4.54% of the territory was classified as highly suitable, demonstrating the scarcity of space available to meet the growth expectations for the industry. These results suggest that GIS-based analysis provides a practical solution to determine suitable areas for developing desalination plants, highlighting the need to define priority areas for the sustainable development of the desalination industry in Chile with the required capacity to reach the national water security goals for the following decades. Full article

Road freight transport involves many adversities, along with the growing effect of carbon dioxide transmitted by vehicles on the natural environment, greenhouse gas emissions, or extensive energy use. Within the smart mobility concept, the acknowledged management of enterprises’ relationships with customers within their service is profoundly determined by the deployment of compelling Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSs) applications in forming united cooperation with the customers. The paper proposes selected ITS applications as an advancement of logistics customer service in road freight transport enterprises that is divided into a group of six applications which are critical within the area of vehicle support, improving the energy efficiency of transport and reducing the negative impact of transport on the natural environment, reducing transport time but increasing connectivity and comfort, as well as a group of ten different applications chosen as crucial for general management support and increasing accessibility, cohesiveness, and control in management processes in road freight transport enterprises. The study also presents the effect of ITS applications on logistics customer service as dependent on an alignment between the group of ITS applications and logistics resources of road freight transport enterprises. The model proposed in the paper was analyzed based on the survey data obtained from 164 road freight transport enterprises in Poland. Full article

This present research examined the association among carbon emissions, financial development, economic growth, natural resources, and energy usage in GCC nations within the environmental Kuznets curve framework by applying the datasets between 1995 and 2019. It used some empirical approaches, including second-generation unit roots and cointegration methods and method of moments quantile regression (MMQR). We detected a cointegrating interconnection between carbon emissions and financial development, energy usage, economic growth, natural resources, and squared of economic growth in the long term. Furthermore, the findings of the MMQR reveal that economic growth, financial development, energy usage, and natural resources degrade the environment, as well as proving the presence of the EKC hypothesis. Moreover, the results also demonstrated that financial development greatly moderates energy usage in order to attain environmental sustainability. Furthermore, the fixed-effect ordinary least squares, fully modified ordinary least squares, and dynamic ordinary least squares were also used in the study as a soundness check of the MMQR approach. The path of causality moves from financial development, economic growth, and squared of economic growth to CO₂ emissions. Lastly, the causality direction runs from carbon emissions to energy usage. Based on these findings, the energy mix of the region must be revised by ensuring the promotion of sustainable energy sources and other energy-efficient technology in order to attain the quality of the environment. Full article

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exert a serious impact on the environment and human health. The development of new technologies for the elimination of VOCs, especially those from non-industrial emission sources, such as indoor air pollution and other low-concentration VOCs exhaust gases, is essential for improving environmental quality and human health. In this study, a monolithic photothermocatalyst was prepared by stabilizing manganese oxide on multi-porous carbon spheres to facilitate the elimination of formaldehyde (HCHO). This catalyst exhibited excellent photothermal synergistic performance. Therefore, by harvesting only visible light, the catalyst could spontaneously heat up its surface to achieve a thermal catalytic oxidation state suitable for eliminating HCHO. We found that the surface temperature of the catalyst could reach to up 93.8 °C under visible light, achieving an 87.5% HCHO removal efficiency when the initial concentration of HCHO was 160 ppm. The microporous structure on the surface of the carbon spheres not only increased the specific surface area and loading capacity of manganese oxide but also increased their photothermal efficiency, allowing them to reach a temperature high enough for MnO_x to overcome the activation energy required for HCHO oxidation. The relevant catalyst characteristics were analyzed using XRD, measurement of BET surface area, scanning electron microscopy, HR-TEM, XPS, and DRS. Results obtained from a cyclic performance test indicated high stability and potential application of the MnO_x-modified multi-porous carbon sphere. Full article