Search Results (114)

In a carbon pricing mechanism, the collection of contributions (taxes) and the distribution of carbon revenue are both equally critical, as they constitute the interdependent elements of the same system. While contribution collection serves to economically incentivize stakeholders, carbon revenue distribution fosters participation in decarbonization efforts through mechanisms such as rebates, rewards, and green loans. The economic effects of a carbon pricing mechanism vary significantly depending on how the generated revenues are used. A well-structured organizational framework can assist policymakers in optimizing the allocation of carbon revenues, thereby supporting a robust fiscal policy that promotes efficiency, long-term growth, and equity. Despite the critical role of carbon revenue distribution, there is a notable absence of literature addressing this issue in the maritime context. To address this gap, this study draws on insights from other sectors and global carbon pricing mechanisms to develop a simulatory template for evaluating its applicability to the maritime industry. The simulation yields a comprehensive classification of approaches to carbon revenue recycling, while also examining the associated risks and challenges in implementing future carbon pricing mechanism in the maritime industry. Full article

This study presents an economic analysis of different end-of-life (EoL) strategies for light electric vehicles (LEVs). Utilising the case of a shared electric moped scooter, a cost–benefit analysis evaluates the profitability of three EoL scenarios. These scenarios encompass different combinations of R-strategies (reuse, repurpose, recycle), all of which have been shown to offer ecological saving potential in previous research. The net present value (NPV) of the current EoL treatment in Germany amounts to EUR 75.81 per e-moped, while alternative treatments which focus on repurposing the battery and increasing the number of components for reuse account for EUR 300.87 and EUR 379.01 per e-moped, respectively. In addition to providing in-depth insights into key cost factors (e.g., labour costs for disassembly) and benefits (e.g., sale of used components), this study includes sensitivity analyses. The scenarios differ in their sensitivity to changes in disassembly labour costs, spare parts revenue, and the social cost of carbon. Among all tested parameters, variations in the sale prices of components destined for reuse in the current EoL treatment scenario exhibit the highest influence on NPV, with a sensitivity coefficient of 1.43. Overall, component reuse emerges as a profitable EoL strategy, while battery repurposing appears promising for the future. Assuming a generally positive ecological impact of circular product systems for LEVs, this study also confirms their economic viability. From both economic and environmental perspectives, the findings of this study serve as a valuable catalyst for advancing circular product design, thereby facilitating the implementation of EoL strategies for LEVs. Full article

Aviation’s sustainability discourse often centres on flight emissions, but production and end-of-life phases also carry material, energy, and pollution impacts that are large enough to merit systematic intervention. With ~13,000 aircraft projected to retire over the next two decades—roughly 44% of the global fleet—the sector must scale responsible dismantling and material recovery to avoid lost opportunities for meeting future sustainability goals and to harness economic value from secondary parts and recycled feedstocks. Embedding major sustainability and circular economy principles into aircraft design, operations, and retirement can reduce waste, conserve critical materials, and lower lifecycle emissions while contributing directly to multiple SDGs. Furthermore, when considering particular aircraft types, thousands of narrow-body aircraft such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 are due to reach their end of life over the next two decades. This research evaluates the economic and environmental feasibility of aluminium recycling from these aircraft, integrating material flow analysis, cost–benefit modelling, and a lifecycle emissions assessment. An economic assessment framework is developed and applied, with the results showing that approximately 24.7 tonnes of aluminium can be recovered per aircraft, leading to emissions savings of over 338,000 kg of CO₂e, a 95% reduction compared to primary aluminium production. However, scrap value alone cannot offset dismantling costs; the break-even scrap price is over USD 4200 per tonne. When additional revenue streams such as component resale and carbon credit incentives are incorporated, the model predicts a net profit of over USD 59,000 per aircraft. The scenario analysis confirms that aluminium recycling only becomes financially viable through multi-stream revenue models, supported by Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and carbon pricing. While barriers remain, aluminium recovery is a strategic opportunity to align aviation with circular economy and decarbonisation goals. Full article

The exponential increase in global solid waste generation poses significant environmental, economic, and social challenges, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions. Traditional waste management methods that focus on handling and disposal have proven unsustainable because of their negative impacts on air, soil, and water quality, and their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. In response, the concept of zero-waste cities, rooted in circular economy principles, has gained increasing attention in recent years. This study proposes a comprehensive and integrated waste management system designed to optimize resource recovery across four distinct waste streams: household, healthcare, green/organic, and inert. The system integrates four specialized facilities: a Secondary Sorting Facility, Energy Recovery Facility, Composting Facility, and Inert Processing Facility, coordinated through a central Primary Sorting Hub. By enabling interconnectivity between these processing units, the system facilitates material cascading, maximizes the reuse and recycling of secondary raw materials, and supports energy recovery and circular nutrient flow. The anticipated benefits include enhanced operational efficiency, reduced environmental degradation, and generation of multiple revenue streams. However, the implementation of such a system faces challenges related to high capital investment, technological complexity, regulatory fragmentation, and low public acceptance. Overcoming these limitations will require strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and adaptive governance. Full article

The growing concern about climate change and increased carbon emissions has promoted the electric vehicle market. Lithium-Ion Batteries (LIBs) are now the prevailing technology in electromobility, and large amounts will soon reach their end-of-life (EoL). Most counties have not designed sustainable reverse logistics networks to collect, remanufacture and recycle EoL electric vehicle batteries (EVBs). This study is focused on estimating the future EoL LIBs generation through dynamic material flow analysis using a three parameter Weibull distribution function under two scenarios for battery lifetime and then designing a reverse logistics network for the region of Attica (Greece), based on a generalizable modeling framework, to handle the discarded batteries up to 2040. The methodology considers three different battery handling strategies such as recycling, remanufacturing, and disposal. According to the estimated LIB waste generation in Attica, the designed network would annually manage between 5300 and 9600 tons of EoL EVBs by 2040. The optimal location for the collection and recycling centers considers fixed costs, processing costs, transportation costs, carbon emission tax and the number of EoL EVBs. The economic feasibility of the network is also examined through projected revenues from the sale of remanufactured batteries and recovered materials. The resulting discounted payback period ranges from 6.7 to 8.6 years, indicating strong financial viability. This research underscores the importance of circular economy principles and the management of EoL LIBs, which is a prerequisite for the sustainable promotion of the electric vehicle industry. Full article

As carbon taxes gain traction in climate policy, public support remains limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate how different mineral oil tax designs, particularly those combining rebates and earmarking, affect public acceptance, and whether the effects are monotone. The data were based on an online survey that was conducted in 2022 in Austria (n = 1216). It was found that a tax increase of EUR 25-cents per liter is politically feasible if revenues are earmarked for public transport or climate protection and paired with moderate rebates. Other uses of revenue, especially the general budget, fail to achieve majority support, regardless of tax level or compensation. To capture non-monotonic and heterogeneous preferences, an adaptive-choice-based-conjoint experiment with hierarchical Bayesian estimation was employed. Rebates were modeled as a stand-alone attribute, allowing for the identification of non-monotonicities for this attribute. The findings show deviations from widespread monotonicity assumptions: a moderate tax increase (EUR 10-cent/liter) was preferred over no increase, even in the absence of earmarking. Similarly, larger annual rebates (EUR 200–300) reduced support compared to a EUR 100 rebate, which was most popular. Full article

Objective: To examine the economic, environmental, and sociopolitical aspects of waste-to-energy incineration (WtE-I) and to provide recommendations for the Australian context. Methods: A scoping review of the literature published from 2016 to 2024 was conducted, adhering to the PRISMA guidelines. Results: This review identifies WtE-I as a dual-purpose tool for energy production and waste management. However, its environmental profile is unclear, with potential significant environmental and health risks due to the emission of toxins and heavy metals and diminished air quality. The economic feasibility of WtE-I varies, with high initial costs and operational expenses offset by subsidies, revenue from energy, and material recovery. Public opposition to WtE-I is prevalent, driven by health concerns, and this raises important environmental justice issues, especially for marginalised communities. Conclusions: The present study provides economic, environmental, and sociopolitical recommendations against WtE-I. When compared to landfill, WtE-I demonstrates economic and environmental benefits. The transition to a circular economy with renewables-derived electricity attenuates the benefits of WtE-I. This, combined with grassroots opposition to WtE-I and its violations of social justice, renders future WtE-I projects unjustifiable. Public health practitioners need to promote primary waste reduction, recycling/composting, and other non-incinerator waste management practices in Australia. Full article

The global emphasis on clean energy has increased interest in producing hydrogen from petroleum reservoirs through in situ combustion-based processes. While field practices have demonstrated the feasibility of co-producing hydrogen and oil, the question of which offers greater economic potential, oil, or hydrogen, remains central to ongoing discussions, especially as researchers explore ways to produce hydrogen exclusively from petroleum reservoirs. This study presents the first integrated techno-economic model comparing oil and hydrogen production under varying injection strategies, using CMG STARS for reservoir simulations and GoldSim for economic modeling. Key technical factors, including injection compositions, well configurations, reservoir heterogeneity, and formation damage (issues not addressed in previous studies), were analyzed for their impact on hydrogen yield and profitability. The results indicate that CO₂-enriched injection strategies enhance hydrogen production but are economically constrained by the high costs of CO₂ procurement and recycling. In contrast, air injection, although less efficient in hydrogen yield, provides a more cost-effective alternative. Despite the technological promise of hydrogen, oil revenue remains the dominant economic driver, with hydrogen co-production facing significant economic challenges unless supported by policy incentives or advancements in gas lifting, separation, and storage technologies. This study highlights the economic trade-offs and strategic considerations crucial for integrating hydrogen production into conventional petroleum extraction, offering valuable insights for optimizing hydrogen co-production in the context of a sustainable energy transition. Additionally, while the present work focuses on oil reservoirs, future research should extend the approach to natural gas and gas condensate reservoirs, which may offer more favorable conditions for hydrogen generation. Full article

Increasing the cell mass used as an inoculum is an effective strategy for enhancing productivity in alcoholic fermentation processes. In batch processes without cell recycling, such as those used in maize ethanol production, this objective can be achieved through two main approaches: (i) increasing the amount of commercially acquired dry cell mass or (ii) extending the propagation time. In this study, an economic assessment of both approaches was carried out, considering the Brazilian industrial context of maize ethanol production. Fermentation assays demonstrated that specific substrate consumption decreases with increasing initial cell concentration, following a hyperbolic model. This experimental behavior was used to simulate different operational scenarios and estimate productivity gains and economic impacts. The results showed that both strategies increase ethanol production and revenue, although the associated costs vary significantly. Based on this model, productivity and revenue gains were estimated for both approaches. The findings suggest that extending the propagation time is the most economically viable strategy to increase the initial cell concentration, even in scenarios where the plant lacks existing infrastructure and additional equipment investments are required. The analysis also accounted for operational costs associated with increased energy consumption during extended aeration time. Full article

The world is facing climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution, significantly impacting lower-middle-income countries like Egypt, Morocco, and Tunisia, which depend heavily on tourism. Poor waste management, unclear responsibilities, and weak policies contribute to environmental degradation. Tourism, a key economic driver, also increases the problem by high plastic use and waste generation during peak seasons. This study evaluates current waste management practices in Alexandria (Egypt), Essaouira (Morocco), and Hammam Sousse (Tunisia) and proposes improvements using a newly developed “Extended Sector Responsibility” (ESR) model, which introduces an innovative organizational approach to waste management in touristic destinations. Using a combination of desk research, questionnaires, waste sorting analyses, and expert interviews, our research identifies systemic deficiencies. None of the studied locations have formal source separation systems, and waste management heavily depends on the informal sector. Hotels exhibit limited capacity for effective waste practices due to the lack of municipal infrastructure for separate collection. Economic analysis of the ESR model, which involves the establishment of a new waste recovery facility, demonstrates that while such facilities can generate revenue exceeding operational costs under specific scenarios, their long-term viability hinges on additional funding, possibly through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanisms. Although Egypt and Tunisia have EPR legislation, implementation remains inadequate, and Morocco lacks such frameworks. The study emphasizes the critical need for investments in municipal waste management infrastructure, including logistics, sorting, and recycling systems. It also highlights actionable opportunities for the tourism sector to reduce waste by minimizing single-use plastics and food waste. By adopting the ESR model, the tourism sector can play a pivotal role in transitioning to a circular economy, ultimately mitigating environmental impacts and enhancing sustainability in the region. Full article

Lignocellulosic bioethanol is a promising renewable energy source that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy security. However, its commercialization faces significant economic and environmental challenges, including high feedstock costs, complex pretreatment processes, expensive enzyme formulations, and substantial energy and water requirements. This review examines the key factors affecting its viability, including feedstock costs, enzyme efficiency, co-product generation, greenhouse gas emissions, water use, energy efficiency, and land use impacts. Recent advancements in pretreatment technologies, enzyme recycling, genetically engineered microbial strains, and fermentation strategies are discussed for their potential to improve process efficiency and reduce production costs. This review also explores co-product valorization, including lignin and biogas utilization, which can enhance the economic sustainability of bioethanol production by generating additional revenue streams, offsetting operational costs, and improving overall process efficiency. Identifying research gaps, it highlights the need for cost-effective feedstock supply chains, advanced enzyme technologies, and optimized fermentation methods. Additionally, the role of life cycle assessments and government policies, including subsidies, is considered in shaping production costs and the environmental impact. By integrating economic and environmental perspectives, this review provides insights into advancing the sustainable production of lignocellulosic bioethanol, emphasizing the importance of continued innovation to overcome existing challenges. Full article

The transition to sustainable mobility is one of the most pressing and complex challenges for the automotive industry, with impacts that extend beyond the mere reduction of emissions. Electric vehicles, while at the center of this evolution, raise questions about the consumption of natural resources, such as lithium, copper, and cobalt, and their long-term sustainability. In addition, the introduction of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous systems, brings new challenges related to the management of components and materials needed for their production, creating a significant impact on supply chains. The growing demand for electric and autonomous vehicles is pushing the industry to rethink production models, favoring the adoption of circular economy principles to minimize waste and optimize the use of resources. To better understand the implications of this transition, this study adopts a multiple case study methodology, which allows in-depth exploration of different contexts and scenarios, and analysis of real cases of dismantling and recycling of internal combustion engines (ICEs) and electric vehicles (EVs). The research includes a financial simulation and a comparison of revenues from the dismantling of ICE and EV vehicles, highlighting differences in the value of recycled materials and the effectiveness of circular economy practices applied to the two types of vehicles. This approach provides a detailed overview of the economic benefits and challenges related to the management of the end of life of vehicles, helping to outline optimal strategies for a sustainable and cost-effective future in the automotive sector. Full article

In recent years, the rapid growth in electric vehicle ownership has resulted in a significant number of decommissioned traction batteries that will require recycling in the future. As consumer expectations for electric vehicle range continue to rise, the turnover of traction batteries has accelerated substantially. Consequently, there is an urgent need for electric vehicle manufacturers to establish an efficient, recyclable supply chain for the return of end-of-life (EOL) electric vehicle (EV) traction batteries. In this paper, we investigate the closed-loop recycling supply chain for retired power batteries in electric vehicle manufacturers, taking into account blockchain technology and the high range preferences in the electric vehicle market, which are influenced by varying demand for different levels of electric vehicle capacitance. Blockchain, as a distributed and decentralized technology, offers features such as consensus mechanisms, traceability, and security, which have been effectively applied across various fields. In this study, we construct four models involving EV battery manufacturers, EV retailers, and battery comprehensive utilization (BCU) enterprises participating in the recycling process. Through the analysis of a Stackelberg response model, we find that (1) single-channel recycling is less efficient than dual-channel recycling models, a difference driven by the diversity of recycling channels and the variability in recycling markets; (2) Recycling models incorporating blockchain technology demonstrate superior performance compared to those that do not utilize blockchain technology, particularly when the intensity of recycling competition is below 0.76; (3) Traction batteries integrated with blockchain technology exhibit higher recycling rates when the optimization index is below 0.96. Electric vehicle battery manufacturers must evaluate the benefits and costs of adopting blockchain technology; (4) With lower recycling incentive levels and EV range preferences, the single-channel recycling model yields better returns than the other three recycling models. EV manufacturers can enhance overall battery supply chain revenues by establishing varying incentive levels based on market demand for different capacitance levels. Full article

In view of the uncertainty regarding consumers’ perceived value of remanufactured products, a remanufacturing supply chain system with the manufacturer as the Stackelberg leader is constructed, in which the manufacturer faces three modes, namely the manufacturer recycling mode (M), the retailer recycling mode (R), and the entrusted third-party recycling mode (3P). The remanufacturing supply chain is analyzed using the game theory approach in these three recycling modes. Using game theory to analyze the optimal pricing and profits of each supply chain participant, we also discuss the impact of consumers’ perceived value uncertainty on the profits of each party under the different recycling modes, and we then explore the selection of recycling channels in the remanufacturing supply chain. The results show that when the perceived value uncertainty is at a medium or low level, retailers are responsible for recycling used products and producing remanufactured products, which brings higher profits to the supply chain system; when the perceived value uncertainty is high, the demand for remanufactured products in the market decreases, and the recycling revenue of remanufactured products is lower. Finally, the validity of the theoretical model is verified by a numerical simulation. Full article

Electric vehicles (EVs) have seen significant advancements and mainstream adoption, prompting in-depth analysis of their economic, technical, and environmental impacts. Economically, while EVs offer lower operational costs than internal combustion engine vehicles, challenges remain, particularly for urban users reliant on public charging stations and the potential implementation of new road taxes to offset declining fuel tax revenues. Technically, electric motors in EVs have fewer moving parts, but battery management and cybersecurity complexities pose new risks. Transitioning from Nickel-Manganese-Cobalt (NMC) to Lithium-Iron-Phosphate (LFP) batteries reflects efforts to enhance thermal stability and mitigate fire hazards. Environmentally, lithium extraction for batteries has profound ecological impacts, including for water consumption and pollution. Battery production and the carbon footprint of the entire lifecycle remain pressing concerns, with battery recycling and second-life applications as crucial mitigation strategies. Smart integration of EVs with the energy infrastructure introduces challenges like grid stability and opportunities, such as smart, intelligent, innovative charging solutions and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology. Future research should develop economic models to forecast long-term impacts, advance battery technology, enhance cybersecurity, and conduct comprehensive environmental assessments to optimise the benefits of electromobility, addressing the multidimensional challenges and opportunities presented by EVs. Full article