As a clean form of energy utilization, wind power is important for alleviating climate change. Although no direct carbon emissions occur in wind power generation, there exist upstream carbon emissions from manufacturing and installation, which have indirect effects on both the locations of wind farms and areas involved in upstream production and manufacturing. In this paper, based on Input−Output based Life Cycle Analysis (IO-LCA), we explored the lifetime carbon emissions of 378 wind farms in China that were still in operation in 2015. The regional distributions of carbon emissions from wind farms during the whole lifetime were depicted. The embodied carbon emission transfers from the location of the wind farm operation to upstream turbine manufacturing regions were traced. The net emission reduction benefits among regions were also calculated. Results show that carbon emissions mainly distribute in Liaoning, Inner Mongolia, and Tianjin in the turbine manufacturing stage, with a total... [more]

The Dongsha Island (DS) is located in the mid-northern South China Sea continental margin. The waters around it are underlain by the Chaoshan Depression, a relict Mesozoic sedimentary basin, blanketed by thin Cenozoic sediments but populated with numerous submarine hills with yet less-known nature. A large hill, H110, 300 m high, 10 km wide, appearing in the southeast to the Dongsha Island, is crossed by an ocean bottom seismic and multiple channel seismic surveying lines. The first arrival tomography, using ocean bottom seismic data, showed two obvious phenomena below it: (1) a low-velocity (3.3 to 4 km/s) zone, with size of 20 × 3 km2, centering at ~4.5 km depth and (2) an underlying high-velocity (5.5 to 6.3 km/s) zone of comparable size at ~7 km depth. MCS profiles show much-fragmented Cenozoic sequences, covering a wide chaotic reflection zone within the Mesozoic strata below hill H110. The low-velocity zone corresponds to the chaotic reflection zone and can be interpreted as of h... [more]

Due to the surge in load demand, the scarcity of fossil fuels, and increased concerns about global climate change, researchers have found distributed energy resources (DERs) to be alternatives to large conventional power generation. However, a drastic increase in the installation of distributed generation (DGs) increases the variability, volatility, and poor power quality issues in the microgrid (MG). To avoid prolonged outages in the distribution system, the implementation of energy management strategies (EMS) is necessary within the MG environment. The loads are allowed to participate in the energy management (EM) so as to reduce or shift their demands to non-peak hours such that the maximum peak in the system gets reduced. Therefore, this article addresses the complication of solutions, merits, and demerits that may be encountered in today’s power system and encompassed with demand response (DR) and its impacts in reducing the installation cost, the capital cost of DGs, and total el... [more]

The article presents the scope of issues related to the impact of the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, ambiguity) environment on digital competences of management staff in power companies. Each company has to deal with its own individual and personalized VUCA world typical for the power industry. Unfortunately, some organizations are not aware of its existence, and therefore they do not identify the signals coming from the external environment while still working according to the developed patterns. The VUCA approach requires changing the competency model in enterprises and focusing on its strengths. On this basis, the research problem regarding power enterprises was formulated. The problem discussed in the article below concerns the undefined and undefined influence of the VUCA environment on the emerging digital competences of managers. In connection with the identification of the research problem in this area, an attempt was made to define the aim of the study, which is to... [more]

Inter-provincial power transmission in China solved the problem of electricity production and consumption spatial mismatch, which also facilitated Chinese green energy transition and sustainable development. Aiming to understand the spatial patterns and main driving factors, this paper accounted the aggregate carbon intensity per electricity produced by each province, built the inter-provincial Out−Destination matrixes of carbon emission embodied in power transmission among 27 provincial areas of 2006 and 2019, and quantitatively analyzed the change in spatial patterns of carbon flow and carbon intensity difference between power inward and outward provinces. We found that the inter-provincial power transmission has led to the reduction in the national average carbon intensity per electricity produced from 0.855 kg/kWh in 2006 to 0.628 kg/kWh in 2019 and the green energy transition of all provinces. The spatial morphology characteristics of carbon flow show the ‘three corridors of West-... [more]

The primary objective of this paper is to identify the possibilities of using sugar beet pulp as feedstock to produce a variety of added-value products. Such an application of the sugar production byproducts contributes to implementing circular bio-economy, which is a source of many economic, social, and environmental benefits. Specific objectives of this paper are: (1) Presenting the concept and meaning of circular bio-economy. (2) Characterizing properties of the sugar beet pulp from the perspective of using them as feedstock. (3) Determining the volume of production of the sugar beet pulp and the current methods of using them. (4) Determining the methods of obtaining attractive bioproducts and renewable energy from sugar beet pulp. Special attention was given to the amount of sugar beet pulp produced in Polish sugar refineries. Poland is among the European countries in which the volume of produced sugar is especially high. Therefore, the problem of appropriate waste management in th... [more]

Remote and hybrid working models and accelerated digitalization of the human resources processes were introduced in most organizations worldwide as a consequence of the COVD-19 pandemic. This digital revolution at the workplace was forced by extraordinary circumstances, thus its impact had not been anticipated before. This motivated the authors to study the new work reality. The research was based on a hypothesis that the digitalization of work and the human resources processes, approaches organizations to the sustainable development ideal. Sustainability is here understood as maintaining a balance between economic, environmental, and social factors. The authors analyzed the impact between the digital processes and the way of working on the following areas: CO2 emissions, creating plastic waste, saving energy, creating a gender-diverse and inclusive workplace. To verify the hypothesis, the authors used their own original and desk research. The original research was conducted within a B... [more]

This Special Issue titled “Advanced Wastewater Treatment and Biomass Energy” aims to compile the latest research and challenges in the field of wastewater treatment and energy production to reduce the impact of human activities on the environment [...]

In the last decades, a large focus is being placed on the sustainability and safety of the power transformer spectrum. Ester liquids, which have interesting properties such as high fire point and biodegradability, are gaining needed attraction. Since in-service condition, thermal aging deteriorates the physicochemical and electrical properties of liquid dielectrics, it is important to study their long-term behavior. In this contribution, the pre-breakdown and breakdown behavior of ester fluids (synthetic and natural) under AC stress are investigated. Important characteristics, such as partial discharge pre-inception voltage, partial discharge inception voltage, breakdown voltage, average streamer velocity, and inception electric field, were assessed. The influence of the radius of curvature (of high voltage needle electrode) as well as the thermal degradation of typical ester liquids are also discussed. Mineral oil was also included in the tests loop as a benchmark for comparative purp... [more]

This article presents the influence of climatic conditions on surface water quality. The research methodology, including physicochemical analysis from the Gołdapa and Bludzia rivers, is presented. The research lasted for two years. The results of the physicochemical studies of the Gołdapa and Bludzia rivers in early spring, spring, and autumn show that each of these seasons impacts the quality of surface waters. Moreover, it was proven that all the parameters are strongly correlated with the air temperature, the sum of daily precipitation, and water levels. For detailed analysis, the obtained results of own research were compared with meteorological and hydrological data from the last 15 years (2005−2021) for the region of north-eastern Poland. It was proven that temperature changes contribute to increased surface water pollution in the north-eastern part of Poland. Waters from areas that humans have not developed are of better quality than those that drain the urban area, which is ref... [more]

Economical and environmental concerns have forced the oil and gas industry to consider reusing flowback and produced water for fracturing operations. The major challenge is that the high-salinity of flowback water usually prevents its compatibility with several fracturing fluid additives. In this paper, the authors explored an economic and effective method to prepare guar fracturing fluids with different salinity waters. The main research idea was to use chelating agents to mask metal ions, such as calcium and magnesium, that are harmful to crosslinking. Firstly, a complexometric titration test was conducted to measure the chelating ability of three chelating agents. Secondly, through viscosity, crosslinking, and hanging tests, it was verified that the complex masking method could cope with the problem of high-valence metal ions affecting crosslinking. Thirdly, the preferred chelating agent was mixed with several other additives, including thickeners, crosslinkers, and pH regulators, t... [more]

In this study, three different environmentally friendly fouling mitigation technologies are suggested and are investigated in reverse electrodialysis (RED) to develop the most appropriate fouling mitigation technology for RED: applying direct current, flowing a solution with high salt concentration, and periodically switching river and seawater streams in RED. The quantitative level of anion exchange membrane fouling mitigation is evaluated in terms of the power density and the amount of power generation of RED. Applying a direct current electric field with higher voltage than 8 V was not allowed for fouling mitigation in the two-cell-pair bench RED stack due to decomposition of the redox couple. In comparison of the RED operations with two different fouling mitigation methods using firstly 40-min power generation during in-operation and 40-min fouling mitigation stage during out-of-operation as a cycle for 80 min and secondly 80-min forward power generation and 80-min backward power g... [more]

Landfills are elements of the waste management system, without possibility of further reclaiming, according to the requirements of a closed-loop economy, but with the possibility of transforming the area into other functions. The research combined monitoring of plant species, suggesting the composition of vegetation cover for pro-ecological management, analysis of functional and infrastructural incorporation of the landfill in the surrounding landscape, and proposals for reclamation and social application. An assessment of geotechnical safety was also made. Modernization of the landfill suggests that the pressure placed on other untouched locations should decrease. The designed space allows reintroducing socio-ecological life into this degraded area. Taking advantage of the character of the area, including variable development and significant landscape potential on the outskirts of a large city in the vicinity of protected areas, there is the possibility of creating new spatial quality... [more]

The increase in frequency and intensity of natural disasters is related to the changing global average temperature. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the extraction of natural resources is one of the solutions proposed by the European Green Deal and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) approved by the United Nations. The article presents research on municipal solid waste incineration bottom ash (MSWIBA), which is the basis for its circulation in the idea of the circular economy. The MSWIBA study presents differential thermogravimetry (DTG), glassy phase, and mortars using CSA and CEM I. The management of MSWIBA contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and the extraction of natural resources.

This paper uses decomposition analysis to investigate the key contributions to changes in greenhouse gas emissions in different scenarios. We derive decomposition formulas for the three highest-emitting sectors: power generation, industry, and transportation (both passenger and freight). These formulas were applied to recently developed 1.5 °C emission scenarios by the Integrated Model to Assess the Global Environment (IMAGE), emphasising the role of renewables and lifestyle changes. The decomposition analysis shows that carbon capture and storage (CCS), both from fossil fuel and bioenergy burning, renewables and reducing carbon intensity provide the largest contributions to emission reduction in the scenarios. Efficiency improvement is also critical, but part of the potential is already achieved in the Baseline scenario. The relative importance of different emission reduction drivers is similar in the OECD (characterised by relatively high per capita income levels and emissions) and n... [more]

One of the most effective methods towards improving the environmental safety of combustion engines is the application of specially prepared water-fuel emulsions (WFE). The application of WFE makes it possible to reduce primary sulfur fuel consumption and reveals the possibility of capturing the pollutants from exhaust gases by applying condensing low-temperature heating surfaces (LTHS). In order to realize such a double effect, it is necessary to investigate the pollution processes on condensing LTHS of exhaust gas boilers (EGB), especially the process of low-temperature condensing a sulfuric acid vapor from exhaust gases to investigate the influence of condensing LTHS on the intensity of pollutants captured from the exhaust gases. The aim of this research is to assess the influence of the intensity of pollutants captured from exhaust gases by condensing LTHS in dependence of water content in WFE combustion. Investigations were carried out at a special experimental setup. The processin... [more]

The article aims to assess the effects of soil temperature measured in situ on the heat loss analyses of a building. Numerical analyses and in situ measurements of soil temperature profiles for real conditions under a residential building (profile I) in Poland and under the area outside the building (profile II) were performed. Based on the measurement results, a proprietary geometric model of the partition was proposed. The heat flux and heat flow results obtained for reliable models are 4.9% and 6.9% higher compared to a model based on a typical meteorological year for the wall−foundation system and 10.0% and 10.1% higher for the slab-on-ground structure for profile I. The adoption of temperatures from the area outside the building as the boundary condition (profile II) results in greater differences between the obtained results. The difference in heat flow obtained in the numerical analyses for profiles I and II is about 2 W/m2, both for the wall−foundation system and for the slab-o... [more]

Electrical power generation by means of electrochemical systems utilizing wastewaters is a global energy challenge tackling technique for which a creation of novel eco-friendly electrode materials is in high relevance. For this purpose a Rhodophyta algae derived activated biochar anode bound with a flaxseeds mucilage binder (5, 10, 20, 30 wt.%) was formed and characterized by thermogravimetric, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis as well as conductivity and mechanical resistance determination. Activation technique with KOH prior to carbonization at 800 °C of algae was employed to obtain biocarbon with a large surface area. The highest specific surface area of 1298.49 m2/g was obtained with the binder-free sample and had a tendency to decrease with the increase of the binder content. It was estimated that biochar anodes are thermally stable at the temperature of up to 200 °C regardless of binder concentration. The concentration of the binder on the other hand had a significant influen... [more]

Global climate change and air pollution are critical environmental problems in the modern world. Therefore, the reduction of CO2 emissions has long been a crucial challenge for individual countries. In this area, numerous technological, legal, and economic solutions are used. The purpose of this article is to examine the impact of public spending on the level of CO2 emissions in Polish regions. The study uses the logarithmic mean Divisia index (LMDI) method, proposing a unique proprietary set of factors that influence the level of CO2 emissions. The results of the study confirm that public expenditure contributes to reducing CO2 emissions at the regional level, while environmental expenditure is counterproductive. This tendency is observed mainly in regions with a high level of socioeconomic development, higher energy consumption, and high carbon emissions. The failure of environmental spending to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in Polish regions is explained by the “green paradox” hyp... [more]

In recent years, wind power in Brazil has emerged as an alternative to diversify the country′s energy mix and minimize the emission of pollutants derived from fossil fuels. The state of Rio Grande do Norte, in the Brazilian Northeast, has considerable potential for the generation of wind energy due to the occurrence of strong winds in many areas along the coast and in the interior of the state, in places with higher altitudes. However, wind energy, despite being considered clean and renewable, can cause environmental impacts in those places. Thus, the present study analyzed the perception of environmental impacts caused by the installation of wind farms in the agricultural areas of Northeast Brazil. The study was carried out in the municipality of Serra do Mel, in the western region of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, based on a survey of local farmers. The study concluded that farmers live without major problems and without apparent conflicts with wind farms but have little knowledge... [more]

Buildings are responsible for approximately 30−40% of energy consumption in Europe, and this is a fact. Along with this fact is also evident the existence of a defined and strict legislation framework regarding energy efficiency, decarbonization, sustainability, and renewable energy systems in building applications. Moreover, information and communication technologies, along with smart metering for efficient monitoring, has come to cooperate with a building’s systems (smart buildings) to aim for more advanced and efficient energy management. Furthermore, the well-being in buildings still remains a crucial issue, especially nowadays that health and air quality are top priority goals for occupants. Taking all the above into consideration, this paper aims to analyze ventilation technologies in relation to energy consumption and environmental impact assessment using the life cycle approach. Based on the review analysis of the existing ventilation technologies, the emphasis is given to para... [more]

Aviation has been one of the key engines of the globalization process and, at the same, time one of the industries most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and the parallel economic crisis. As safety seems to be the key issue at aerodromes, the aim of this article is to analyze what kind of safety hazards have the coronavirus slowdown created and which of them pose the greatest risk for aerodrome safety in the long run. What is more, the goal of the paper is to direct managers’ attention to proper crisis management in line with sustainability. The main findings are that all classified hazards cause, according to an expert’s assessment, similar safety risk at aerodromes, though limited workforce training and development are perceived as posing the greatest risk. The recommended solution to minimize the occurrence of the hazard is proactive risk management, which means that managers try to anticipate possible hazards in advance and act accordingly, which requires continual controlling comb... [more]

Multilevel inverters are increasingly being employed for industrial applications, such as speed control of motors and grid integration of distributed generation systems. The focus is on developing topologies that utilize fewer lower-rating switches and power sources while working efficiently and reliably. This work pertains to developing a three-phase multilevel inverter that employs switching capacitors and a single DC power supply that produces a nine-stage, three-phase voltage output. A recently proposed powerful meta-heuristic technique called symbiotic organism search (SOS) has been applied to identify the optimum switching angles for Selective Harmonic Elimination (SHE) from the output voltage waveform. A thorough converter analysis has also been done in the MATLAB/SIMULINK environment and is validated with the real-time hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) experiment results.

During oil fields operation, gas is extracted along with oil. In this article it is suggested to use jet pumps for utilization of the associated oil gas, burning of which causes environmental degradation and poses a potential threat to the human body. In order to determine the possibility of simultaneous application of a sucker-rod pump, which is driven by a rocking machine, and a jet pump (ejector) in the oil well, it is necessary to estimate the distribution of pressure along the borehole from the bottomhole to the mouth for two cases: when the well is operated only be the sucker-rod pump and while additional installation of the oil-gas jet pump above its dynamic level. For this purpose, commonly known methods of Poettman-Carpenter and Baksendel were used. In addition, the equations of high-pressure and low-pressure oil-gas jet pumps were obtained for the case, when the working stream of the jet pump is a gas-oil production mixture and the injected stream is a gas from the annulus of... [more]

The Baode block on the eastern margin of the Ordos Basin is a key area for the development of low-rank coalbed methane (CBM) in China. In order to find out the genesis of CBM and its storage and seepage space in Baode block, the isotopic testing of gas samples was carried out to reveal the origin of CH4 and CO2, as well, mercury intrusion porosimetry, low temperature nitrogen adsorption, and X-ray CT tests were performed to characterize the pores and fractures in No. 4 + 5 and No. 8 + 9 coal seams. The results showed that the average volume fraction of CH4, N2, and CO2 is 88.31%, 4.73%, and 6.36%, respectively. No. 4 + 5 and No. 8 + 9 coal seams both have biogenic gas and thermogenic methane. Meanwhile, No. 4 + 5 and No. 8 + 9 coal seams both contain CO2 generated by coal pyrolysis, which belongs to organic genetic gas, while shallow CO2 is greatly affected by the action of microorganisms and belongs to biogenic gas. The average proportion of micropores, transition pores, mesopores, an... [more]