Search Results (25,542)

Recent years have witnessed the rapid proliferation of Industry 4.0 technologies in smart grids, leading to a revolution in energy generation and management, which provides improved operational efficiency and intelligent automation for smart grids. Nevertheless, this highly integrated infrastructure, while making energy more secure and reliable, simultaneously creates greater vulnerability to sophisticated cyber threats such as Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, data manipulation and unauthorized access. The task of addressing these challenges requires innovative approaches that maintain the resilience as well as security of critical energy infrastructures. A novel Blockchain-Enhanced Cybersecurity Framework (BCF) specific to Industry 4.0-enabled smart grid systems is presented in this paper. The proposed framework integrates advanced security protocols with real-time threat detection capabilities through the decentralized, transparent and tamper-resistant nature of blockchain technology. Authentication, data validation and secure communication are accomplished through smart contracts to automate it, eliminating human intervention and single points of failures. The framework is able to allow for high transaction volumes, typical of modern smart grid networks, whilst maintaining integrity via a hybrid consensus mechanism that ensures scalability. In addition, the framework is further augmented with a Machine Learning-Based Intrusion Detection System (ML-IDS) to detect and mitigate cyber-attacks in real time. The proposed system achieves excellent performance in identifying malicious activities with high accuracy, precision and recall on the UNSW-NB15 dataset. Analysis with traditional methods indicates that the Blockchain Enhanced Cybersecurity Framework significantly lowers false positive rates and increases detection reliability. The framework is justified in terms of its strength to secure the systems in Industry 4.0-enabled smart grids against emerging cyber threats through extensive simulations and case studies. The value of this work is that it shows that blockchain and machine learning can be used to improve cybersecurity in renewable energy systems, and concrete insights and recommendations on implementing secure and cost-effective systems of energy infrastructure are provided. The proposed framework creates an enabling environment on which the creation of resilient and future-ready smart grids to facilitate the global goal of sustainable and secure energy can be developed. Full article

The increasing deployment of wind energy has brought renewed attention to aeroacoustic noise generated by wind turbine blades, where broadband noise is primarily associated with vortex shedding at the trailing edge (TE) and leading edge (LE) of airfoils. Owls, particularly Tyto alba, exhibit wing morphologies such as serrations, velvet-like surfaces, and fringes that enable silent flight through aerodynamic noise suppression. This study presents a scoping review of the scientific literature on owl-inspired serration strategies applied to aerodynamic airfoils and wind turbine blades. The literature search was conducted across major academic databases, including Scopus, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, and MDPI, covering publications from 1970 to 2025. A total of 69 experimental and numerical studies focusing on LE and TE serrations was analyzed. The review integrates aeroacoustic analysis with bio-inspired design perspectives. The analyzed studies consistently show that serrated geometries modify vortex dynamics and turbulence structures, leading to measurable acoustic benefits. Experimentally, the largest reductions reported for aerodynamic airfoils reached about 7 dB for both LE and TE serrations, mainly as broadband noise attenuation, in specific frequency ranges. Numerically, the highest reported reduction reached up to 21 dB for a serrated TE configuration, corresponding to spectral SPL reduction mainly below 1.6 kHz. The reviewed studies also indicate that the associated aerodynamic response is strongly configuration-dependent, ranging from limited penalties to measurable changes in lift, drag, power output, or structural loading. Numerical simulations further support experimental findings and highlight the importance of geometric parameters such as serration amplitude, wavelength, and spacing. Overall, bio-inspired serrations represent a promising passive strategy for aeroacoustic noise mitigation in wind turbines, drones, and rotating aerodynamic systems. Future research should focus on the multi-objective optimization of serration geometry, large-scale experimental validation, and the integration of bio-inspired concepts into industrial blade designs. Full article

To address the frequency stability challenges arising from the high penetration of renewable energy, this study proposes a coordinated frequency regulation strategy for wind-power–hydrogen coupled systems, considering the Equivalent State of Charge (ESOC). While wind-power–hydrogen integration offers significant regulation potential, frequent ESOC excursions toward operational limits may lead to power interruptions and increased durability-related stress on hydrogen units. To resolve this, a refined mathematical model comprising wind turbines, electrolyzers, and fuel cells is first established to characterize system dynamics. The proposed method adopts an ESOC-based partitioning control logic: within normal ESOC ranges, the hydrogen storage system provides rapid frequency support via virtual inertia control; when ESOC reaches operational thresholds, the hydrogen unit seamlessly transitions out of service to prolong its lifespan, while the wind turbine dynamically compensates for the power deficit through adaptive droop control. Compared with other methods, the strategy proposed in this paper, implemented via DIgSILENT/PowerFactory simulations, improves the frequency nadir by 0.02 Hz during load increases and reduces the frequency peak by 0.04 Hz during load shedding. Under stochastic disturbances, the absolute steady-state frequency error is maintained below 0.02 Hz, while frequency deviations are strictly confined within ±0.5 Hz. These improvements significantly enhance both grid resilience and the operational safety of hydrogen units. Full article

Global energy de-fossilization requires scalable solutions for extended energy storage and industrial emission reduction. Synthesizing green methane via Power-to-Gas technology offers a viable pathway to store renewable electricity while utilizing captured carbon dioxide. This review evaluates recent advancements in catalytic mechanisms, reactor engineering, artificial intelligence applications, and techno-economic and life cycle assessments of green methane production systems. Analysis shows that advanced reactor configurations effectively manage the exothermic heat of the Sabatier reaction. Furthermore, integrating machine learning algorithms accelerates catalyst discovery and enables dynamic process control under fluctuating renewable energy loads. Economic and environmental assessments indicate that the sustainability of green methane depends strictly on utilizing renewable electricity and sourcing non-fossil carbon. Commercial deployment must focus on improving catalyst stability during transient operations and implementing digital twins to establish green methane as a sustainable carbon backbone for chemical industries. Full article

This paper offers a critical review of cutting-edge research on multi-energy microgrids (MEMs), with a novel exploration of their potential role in supporting urban air mobility (UAM), specifically electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. While extensive research has focused on improving the economic performance and emission reductions of MEMs, particularly in the context of electric vehicle (EV) charging, there remains a significant gap in understanding how microgrids can support the decarbonization of UAM. The paper examines the opportunities and challenges of integrating microgrids with UAM operations, highlighting the need for more research to optimize energy management systems that balance renewable energy use with the growing demand for aerial transport. Thermal energy storage systems are emphasized as a critical component for addressing transportation energy needs, offering a promising solution to reduce carbon emissions while enhancing system efficiency. This review aims to provide new insights into how the coupling of microgrids and UAM can contribute to the development of economically and environmentally sustainable smart cities. Full article

Rapid expansion in urbanisation, along with the rising demand for energy consumption, has deepened environmental apprehensions among developing economies and intensified their concerns about long-run environmental sustainability. This article examines how urban expansion and rising energy consumption impact environmental sustainability, and whether environmental taxes moderate this relationship, by using a panel of 110 developing countries over the period of 2010 to 2024. To capture both static and dynamic relationships among the variables, we have applied complementary econometric methodologies that allow for cross-country heterogeneity and persistence in emissions. The estimated outcomes show that urban expansion and energy consumption are significantly increasing gas emissions, and this outcome is consistent with the idea that environmental costs of urban-led growth and energy-intensive development. But as we have added environmental taxes as a moderating policy instrument, the positive impact of energy consumption and urbanisation on emissions becomes negative in most specifications. The significant impact of both interaction terms, i.e., environmental taxes and urbanisation, and environmental taxes and energy consumption, across different estimation strategies, suggests that environmental taxation weakens emissions and encourages structural change with rising energy use. Renewable energy consumption and foreign direct investment have significant influences on emissions, emphasising the role of energy structure and investment composition in shaping environmental outcomes, whereas the income effect varies across models. The outcomes of dynamic models also confirm emissions persistence, but over time, environmental taxes reduce the degree of emissions persistence. The estimated outcomes imply that environmental taxes can support a decoupling of urbanisation and energy-driven growth from environmental degradation. Thus, developing countries should balance urban development, energy demand, and environmental sustainability through credible market-based regulations. Full article

The main purpose of electrical transmission and distribution networks is to carry electrical energy from the places where it is produced to the places of consumption, where the energy is used. Electrical energy is produced in power plants by generating units, which convert a form of primary energy into electrical energy. Primary energy comes from a number of sources, such as fossil fuels, nuclear energy, hydropower, wind, and solar. The carbon neutrality targets set by the European Union and several countries around the world have driven a transformation characterized by the gradual replacement of synchronous thermal generation based on fossil fuels with Renewable Energy Sources (RES), such as wind and solar. The energy transition, while necessary to achieve the established targets, introduces significant challenges to the stability of Electrical Power Systems (EPS) and electrical grids, since RES do not yet contribute to stability at levels comparable to the generating units of large thermal power plants, whether in terms of inertia, which has seen a notable reduction in recent years, or in voltage control or short-circuit power. This article presents and discusses solutions to mitigate the effect of this reduction in inertia in power plants using synchronous compensators and synthetic inertia emulation using battery storage. Full article

Hydrogen is increasingly seen as a viable energy carrier in the transition to low-carbon energy systems, mainly because of its high gravimetric energy density and the absence of carbon emissions at the point of use. In this context, producing hydrogen from biomass represents a practical and sustainable option, as it allows the use of renewable and waste resources while supporting circular economy principles. This work examines the main pathways for hydrogen production from biomass, considering both thermochemical and biochemical routes, with a focus on their energy performance and practical limitations. The analysis shows that thermochemical processes, particularly gasification, remain the most developed and scalable solutions for converting solid biomass into hydrogen-rich gas, although their performance depends strongly on feedstock properties, reactor design, and operating conditions. By comparison, biochemical processes such as dark fermentation and photofermentation are more suitable for wet biomass but are limited by lower hydrogen yields and issues related to process stability. From a thermal engineering standpoint, system performance is influenced by heat transfer constraints, the energy demand of endothermic reactions, and the efficiency of gas cleaning, while parameters such as temperature, steam-to-biomass ratio, and equivalence ratio play a key role in optimization. Advanced approaches, including catalytic and sorption-enhanced gasification, show potential for improving performance. Overall, efficient hydrogen production requires a system-level approach, as no single technology can be considered universally optimal. Full article

The 2021–2024 global energy crisis intensified the energy transition, with mainstream media coverage playing a pivotal role in shaping public perceptions. Guided by Burke’s and Lippmann’s theories, and supported by corpus-based critical and rhetorical discourse analyses, this interdisciplinary study aimed to analyze the role of lexical patterns and rhetorical strategies in framing the transition within a corpus of 1341 news articles retrieved from the websites of five English-language mainstream media outlets. Corpus-based analysis identified generic frames, including economic consequences, responsibility, conflict, technological, emotion, and moral duty frames. Rhetorical discourse analysis revealed specific frames, including economic opportunities, technological progress and challenges, energy security and independence, global leadership, energy partnerships, partisan divide, global disparities, corporate greenwashing, necessity, hope, and uncertainty frames, that indicated an ambivalence in the framing of the transition, thereby contributing to the polarization and manipulation of public opinion. The findings indicated a discrepancy: while British, American, and Brazilian media focused more on political divides, Indian and Chinese media emphasized energy partnerships and patriotism. Appeals to experts were less frequent, whereas appeals to emotions were often employed to shape public perceptions. The findings illustrate how lexical patterns and rhetorical strategies function as powerful framing tools within journalism, applied linguistics, and media rhetoric. Full article

The decarbonization of existing buildings remains a major challenge, particularly in contexts characterized by high energy demand and heating systems based on fossil fuels. While electrification is widely recognized as a key pathway, its direct application is often limited by building and operating conditions. This study investigates the potential of hybrid heating systems as transitional solutions through a large-scale numerical parametric simulation analysis based on representative models of the Italian residential building stock. The analysis explores the interaction between climatic conditions, system operation, and energy performance under standardized assumptions. The results reveal that hybrid systems achieve significant reductions in non-renewable primary energy (up to 39–44%) and CO₂ emissions (approximately 50–58%), primarily through the substitution of natural gas with electricity. Conversely, total primary energy may increase (approximately 2–26%) due to the contribution of renewable energy associated with heat pump operation. Operating cost savings are observed in the 25–40% range, with slight variation depending on climatic conditions. The effectiveness is not uniform, with maximum benefits in intermediate climate zones and reduced performance under more severe conditions. Overall, hybrid systems show stable and reliable performance across heterogeneous building configurations, supporting their role as robust mid-term transition technologies toward building decarbonization. Full article

The increasing demand for energy, the finite nature of fossil fuel resources, and the necessity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have intensified research on renewable energy sources of plant origin. Among potential energy feedstocks, herbaceous biomass has attracted growing interest due to its high productivity, rapid growth, and widespread occurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate the energy potential of select sedge species (Carex spp.) commonly occurring in Poland as an alternative to fossil fuels. Aboveground biomass of eight sedge species was collected from natural habitats located in the Warta River valley. Cellulose, lignin, holocellulose, hemicellulose, and ash content in the biomass was determined. In addition, key energy parameters, namely net calorific value and gross calorific value, were analyzed. Differences among species were assessed using one-way analysis of variance, while similarities were explored using hierarchical clustering methods. The results revealed significant interspecific variation in both chemical composition and energy properties. Most analyzed sedge species had favorable lignocellulosic composition and energy parameters comparable to those of woody biomass, particularly willow and poplar. In contrast, Carex riparia was distinguished by a high ash content and lower calorific values, limiting its suitability for energy applications. Overall, the findings indicate that select Carex species may represent a valuable renewable feedstock for energy production, especially in the context of local and decentralized biomass-based energy systems. Full article

The global transition toward renewable energy and decarbonization is intrinsically linked to the management of critical materials. Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are no exception, as they play a strategic role at the center of climate goals. Therefore, this review provides a comprehensive assessment of the REE landscape, explicitly addressing the proposed Demand-Sustainability-Risk Nexus (DSR-Nexus), which integrates technological demand, environmental sustainability, and geopolitical supply risks. A systematic review based on PRISMA methodology was conducted to analyze scientific contributions published between 2015 and 2026, revealing a significant research imbalance. By 2025, while 87% of works focus on resource availability, production, and recycling, only 1.4% address the global supply chain and its geopolitical implications. Key findings highlight that China’s dominance in mining, processing, and refining capacities, accounting for 69.5%, 92%, and 94%, respectively, creates structural vulnerabilities for future environmental goals. In contrast, emerging producers such as Malaysia and the United States are expected to contribute 9% and 8% of refining capacity, respectively. Furthermore, this review discusses environmental trade-offs, including high energy intensity, water consumption, and radioactive byproducts. It also examines mitigation strategies, such as recycling, urban mining, and material substitution. Ultimately, achieving a resilient energy transition requires expanding supply, strengthening circular strategies, and international cooperation. Full article

Against the backdrop of the global clean energy transition, this paper addresses the volatility of renewable energy like wind and PV power, focusing on magnetic suspended flywheel energy storage systems (FESS). It expounds FESS’s structure (flywheel body, magnetic suspension bearings, etc.) and working principles (charging, energy retention, discharging) and studies key technologies including rotor material selection, magnetic bearing classification/modeling, motor coordination, and heat dissipation. Challenges such as high material costs and magnetic bearing stability are pointed out, with prospects for developing FESS toward higher performance, lower cost, and multi-scenario integration to support the clean transformation of power systems. Full article

Improving the efficiency of electric water heating systems is essential for reducing energy use and supporting sustainable energy utilization. This study presents the development and optimization of an ultra-efficient electric water heater incorporating graphene-enhanced thermal elements to improve heat-transfer performance and overall system efficiency. The proposed design utilizes graphene-based extended surfaces to enhance heat spreading and increase the effective heat-transfer area of the heating element. A combined numerical analysis and three-dimensional transient simulation approach was employed to evaluate the thermal behavior of the system and quantify the performance improvements achieved through design optimization. The results demonstrate significant enhancement in heating performance compared with conventional heater configuration. Under identical operating conditions, the optimized heater achieved up to a 68.4% reduction in the modeled heater-side thermal load, while maintaining the required heating performance. Additionally, the effective heat-transfer rate increased by approximately 108%, primarily due to a 102% increase in effective heat-transfer area resulting from geometric refinement of the heating surfaces. The incorporation of graphene improved heat distribution within the heating element and facilitated more efficient heat transfer to the surrounding water. These improvements lead to enhanced thermal utilization, reduced peak heating demand, and improved compatibility with renewable energy systems, highlighting the strong potential of graphene-based thermal enhancements for next-generation high-efficiency electric water heating technologies. Full article

This study examines the environmental implications of envelope material choices for Nearly-Zero-Energy Building (NZEB) single-family houses in carbon-intensive energy contexts. Using a comparative Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) based on EN 15804+A2, a 100 m² house was analysed over a 50-year lifespan across three archetypes: ceramic masonry (Design 1), solid log (Design 2), and timber–straw (Design 3). By maintaining a common steady-state thermal standard (U ≤ 0.20 W/(m²·K)) across all variants, the study provides a controlled comparison in which differences in GWP and non-renewable primary energy use primarily reflect material choices rather than insulation level. While both biogenic designs achieved negative embodied Global Warming Potential (GWP) in modules A1–A3 due to carbon sequestration, the results also show that structural concept and detailing strongly influence resource efficiency. Design 3 required substantially less timber volume than Design 2 while maintaining a comparable thermal standard and the lowest PENRT_A1–A3. Under the fixed operational assumptions adopted in this comparative study, module B6 remained the dominant single life-cycle contributor in all variants. The timber–straw system is therefore interpreted here as the more resource-efficient envelope strategy, whereas the solid-log solution primarily maximises timber-based carbon storage. Full article